I recall this being discussed last month or the month before and people saying it wasnt a big deal because she was “an elected official” - a very odd argument.
Anyway, David Moore has become the best choice for the Dems. Alexi is flawed, Anna is flawed… David Moore is the least flawed and as such is Dems best hope for keeping an important office.
I respectfully disagree with Anon. The spouse of an elected official making thousands off of a product that the elected official is pushing to go statewide is pretty straightforward as corruption goes.
Not a good look for Valencia. Imagine losing this race with the Jesse White endorsement. That would be the equivalent of fumbling on the 10 yard line.
There’s no way this doesn’t escalate into far worse matters for Valencia, probably even before the primary. At this point even in the absence of any (known) criminal activity, her activities are showing a rather flagrant approach to public office. If this story doesn’t escalate, this type of overall behavior will ensure a similar situation will likely arise again in the future. There’s poor judgement overall on display here, and a lack of an ability to understand why it’s important to keep walls between one’s private business and public office.
I will gladly vote for people who hold attitudes to statewide public office, in the way Susana Mendoza does. Valencia is no Mendoza.
Also, I’m incredibly grateful for the reporting done by Greg Heinz on this.
Days and weeks lost by the lazy and inept Valencia campaign now must deal with this as likely the first introduction to Valencia as a statewide candidate.
Truly a horrible campaign now must answer, and rightfully so, what exactly this is all about and a perceived pattern Valencia has with her office and family.
“Meanwhile”… Alexi runs ads with kids, sports, Obama, and smiling for the cameras.
Sadly we crashed into the paywall so we cannot take in the Crain’s prose. Love to see the batch of email ‘Lexi sent around when he was running the community colleges.
Valencia’s decision to run statewide, knowing she had this baggage, is either arrogant or inept or a combination of both.
Turns out, lots of people want to help her but her campaign inner circle is in a bubble. Turns out running a campaign heavy on virtue signaling and light on ethics and effective
campaign strategy is where were at. Huge missed opportunity.
I’m still not sure if there’s a there there. Lots of questions but to Willy’s point, the Valencia campaign seems asleep at the switch. It’s not too late to fix this but it’s getting there.
Notably absent from these comments are all the pro Valencia posters who were just aghast at the thought of “corrupt” Alexi Giannoulias as the nominee. Where did you guys go? I see you posting on other threads, but not here.
=Not a good look for Valencia. Imagine losing this race with the Jesse White endorsement. That would be the equivalent of fumbling on the 10 yard line.=
Say what you want about Alexi - his bank issues didn’t affect IL taxpayers (outside of the bank clients of course). Valencia has been enriching herself on the taxpayer dime and time.
OW- overall, Bright Start fared pretty well thru 2010 considering the world wide financial crisis- or do believe what you want to believe because you seem to have a hard on for the guy?
=== One of Bright Start’s 21 mutual funds lost $150 million parents had invested for their children’s college education. The fund was supposed to be a conservative investment option but lost 38 percent of its value in 2008 even as its benchmarks went up 5.24 percent, state officials said.
Last month, Giannoulias announced a $77 million settlement with Oppenheimer Funds that would partially reimburse about 65,000 Bright Start investors.===
I mean, other than costing the state $77 million with a failure, and it was a partial reimbursement at that…
- Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 10:36 am:
When New Orleans is looking into your questionable activity, whew.
Now all the ILGOP has to do is win a statewide election by beating a Dem candidate that has troubling financial pasts.
- Fav Human - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 10:42 am:
Alexi must have been quite the good boy recently, he’s getting his Christmas early….
- low level - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 10:48 am:
I recall this being discussed last month or the month before and people saying it wasnt a big deal because she was “an elected official” - a very odd argument.
Anyway, David Moore has become the best choice for the Dems. Alexi is flawed, Anna is flawed… David Moore is the least flawed and as such is Dems best hope for keeping an important office.
- Juvenal - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 10:48 am:
Valencia is accused of using her office to bring free WiFi to the city of New Orleans.
She is being accused by the cable industry, who does not want New Orleans’ Black residents to have free WiFi.
Did I miss anything else?
- Minnie Pearl Jam - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 10:59 am:
A Chicago public corruption investigation that crosses state lines into New Orleans is now a federal investigation.
Looks like the USAO for the ND IL has a new case.
Wonder if Valencia and Kazimi landed their “tuna” like Ed Burke ?
- Paradox - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 10:59 am:
I respectfully disagree with Anon. The spouse of an elected official making thousands off of a product that the elected official is pushing to go statewide is pretty straightforward as corruption goes.
Not a good look for Valencia. Imagine losing this race with the Jesse White endorsement. That would be the equivalent of fumbling on the 10 yard line.
- TheInvisibleMan - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 11:01 am:
There’s no way this doesn’t escalate into far worse matters for Valencia, probably even before the primary. At this point even in the absence of any (known) criminal activity, her activities are showing a rather flagrant approach to public office. If this story doesn’t escalate, this type of overall behavior will ensure a similar situation will likely arise again in the future. There’s poor judgement overall on display here, and a lack of an ability to understand why it’s important to keep walls between one’s private business and public office.
I will gladly vote for people who hold attitudes to statewide public office, in the way Susana Mendoza does. Valencia is no Mendoza.
Also, I’m incredibly grateful for the reporting done by Greg Heinz on this.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 11:03 am:
Days and weeks lost by the lazy and inept Valencia campaign now must deal with this as likely the first introduction to Valencia as a statewide candidate.
Truly a horrible campaign now must answer, and rightfully so, what exactly this is all about and a perceived pattern Valencia has with her office and family.
“Meanwhile”… Alexi runs ads with kids, sports, Obama, and smiling for the cameras.
- We'll See - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 11:11 am:
“elected officials using their political positions to enrich themselves.” This is a mission statement for far too many.
- Annonin' - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 11:12 am:
Sadly we crashed into the paywall so we cannot take in the Crain’s prose. Love to see the batch of email ‘Lexi sent around when he was running the community colleges.
- PublicServant - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 11:15 am:
On the bright side, citizens can now get up to date on the investigation from conveniently located kiosks…just sayin.
- don the legend - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 11:22 am:
Annonin. I don’t believe there is a paywall per se. I just signed up with an email address and a password.
- Baseball - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 11:24 am:
Valencia’s decision to run statewide, knowing she had this baggage, is either arrogant or inept or a combination of both.
Turns out, lots of people want to help her but her campaign inner circle is in a bubble. Turns out running a campaign heavy on virtue signaling and light on ethics and effective
campaign strategy is where were at. Huge missed opportunity.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 12:05 pm:
===David Moore is the least flawed===
lol
I’d wait if I were you.
- New Day - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 12:15 pm:
I’m still not sure if there’s a there there. Lots of questions but to Willy’s point, the Valencia campaign seems asleep at the switch. It’s not too late to fix this but it’s getting there.
- They gone.... - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 12:20 pm:
Notably absent from these comments are all the pro Valencia posters who were just aghast at the thought of “corrupt” Alexi Giannoulias as the nominee. Where did you guys go? I see you posting on other threads, but not here.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 12:23 pm:
===Notably absent===
Like with Alexi apologists, sometimes it’s best to let things play out.
- Jocko - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 12:31 pm:
==Thanks for the intro, George.==
Those five words will have a different meaning when she utters them the night of June 28th
- Steve Rogers - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 1:41 pm:
=Not a good look for Valencia. Imagine losing this race with the Jesse White endorsement. That would be the equivalent of fumbling on the 10 yard line.=
I think I found video of this: Anna Valencia is No. 78. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6gmDtVYdLA
- Almost the Weekend - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 1:41 pm:
Different generation, same shtick. Her career is over before it even started.
- Two Thumbs Up - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 1:41 pm:
Whew! Alexi better give his opposition researcher a raise. J
- Uptown Funk - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 4:44 pm:
Say what you want about Alexi - his bank issues didn’t affect IL taxpayers (outside of the bank clients of course). Valencia has been enriching herself on the taxpayer dime and time.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 4:44 pm:
===Say what you want about Alexi - his bank issues didn’t affect IL taxpayers (outside of the bank clients of course).===
Now do Bright Start.
- Lake Effect - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 6:14 pm:
OW- overall, Bright Start fared pretty well thru 2010 considering the world wide financial crisis- or do believe what you want to believe because you seem to have a hard on for the guy?
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 6:18 pm:
- Lake Effect -
That’s a creepy take… odd word choice too.
The Tribune…
=== One of Bright Start’s 21 mutual funds lost $150 million parents had invested for their children’s college education. The fund was supposed to be a conservative investment option but lost 38 percent of its value in 2008 even as its benchmarks went up 5.24 percent, state officials said.
Last month, Giannoulias announced a $77 million settlement with Oppenheimer Funds that would partially reimburse about 65,000 Bright Start investors.===
I mean, other than costing the state $77 million with a failure, and it was a partial reimbursement at that…
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 6:23 pm:
===costing the state $77 million===
costing investors $70 million they never got back
My mistake. My bad.