55 Comments - Ducky LaMoore - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 11:11 am: Total hogwash. I don’t know if these politicians actually believe in this alternate reality, or are just hucksters. But I don’t really care. - SaveDemocracy - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 11:11 am: I’m more concerned about this line from the story: “On Monday, officers from the Illinois secretary of state police went to Lennox’s home and he admitted to making calls, though the officers didn’t deem him a credible threat and so didn’t make an arrest.” - Baloneymous - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 11:13 am: Darren Bailey looks up to Trump who also endorsed him. Trump all but caused the Jan. 6 insurrection and has spent the last 5-6 years using divisive, hateful and even racist rhetoric that is causing actual political violence. And as far as I know Bailey has never denounced anything Trump has ever said in regards these matters. Do better. I still want that kid to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, but it’s hard for me to feel sorry for Bailey after these comments. - George Ryan Reynolds - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 11:16 am: The Democratic governor quickly condemned the horrible death threat voicemail. The Republican challenger tried to use it for partisan advantage, which is rich given the political violence the Big Republican Lie unleashed on 1/6/21 and all the hatred and threats that have followed. - One Trick Pony - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 11:17 am: I see hypocrisy is alive and well at the Bailey HQ. - slow down - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 11:19 am: Total nonsense but consistent with Bailey’s campaign of substance free grievance politics. - Cubs in '16 - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 11:19 am: Classic projection from Bailey. The Republican party has done more to foment hatred and divisiveness in the past 6 years or so than anyone. Then he makes it worse by politicizing threats from a dangerous individual. Far right extremists are the ones we hear about most often but this just goes to show there are mentally unstable people on both sides of the political spectrum. - DuPage Saint - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 11:20 am: What Bailey is saying is hogwash as state above. The political nuts on both sides need to be reigned in. And there are nuts on both sides. I wonder if the police asked if he has weapons or a foid card. From what I read he sent text from a bar probably beer muscle. Charge him prosecute him but I don’t think he should have a felony record if nothing but a threat and no attempt to carry it out. Send him to mental health court - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 11:22 am: Disappointing that Bailey puts his politics above what was a threat to his family. It’s these small windows in people’s thoughts and words you learn about them. His family? Nope His political angle? Yep It’s disappointing - DuPage Dad - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 11:22 am: Bailey is truly the opponent of Pritzker’s dreams. - Dupage mom - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 11:22 am: They didn’t arrest him on the spot?? - Big Dipper - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 11:22 am: Democratic legislators received numerous death threats over Covid-related issues from anti-vaxxers. Who was leading the charge against Covid mitigations by using fiery and emotional language? - Montrose - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 11:23 am: It is such a sign of the times that even death threats/physical attacks are fodder for partisan attacks. I always tire of the noise and attacks in campaigns, but there is a new level of lies/refusal to acknowledge humanity this time that makes me really worried about where we are headed. - Original Rambler - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 11:23 am: More inaccurate bluster from Bailey. Agree about the concern over SOS police actions, or inactions. - Because I said so... - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 11:26 am: This line from the movie An American President sums up todays Republican candidates including Darren Bailey. “He is interested in two things and two things only: making you afraid of it and telling you who’s to blame for it.” - Pundent - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 11:26 am: I guess the wind was taken out of Bailey’s sails when Pritzker and other Dems condemned the individual who made the threats. - Yiddishcowboy - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 11:26 am: Enough Bailey; stop being a hypocrite. No one…no one has done more to unleash or cause political violence than numerous members of your own party, including your former president. In fact, many in your party must have a “Ph.D” in violence-causing rhetoric. Now you do too…and in your case the Ph.D stands for “Pretty Hypocritical, Darren.” - Joe Bidenopolous - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 11:27 am: ==State Senator Darren Bailey says it is the political rhetoric from Governor JB Pritzker that has helped create this kind of hatred== My thoughts? With Republicans, it’s always projection - Save Ferris - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 11:27 am: Classless to the end. Anyone care to ask him about the Pelosi attack? What an absolute piece of crap he is. - Betty Draper’s cigarette - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 11:28 am: “The divisiveness that JB Pritzker has created in our state over the last four years — the hatred that exists,” said Bailey.” My thoughts: What divisiveness? I don’t see the connection of anything Pritzker said that would cause Scott Lennox to do what he did. Does he have an example? - Candy Dogood - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 11:28 am: “Senator Bailey, do you understand how cash Bailey works?” “If so, why are you lying to voters?” 75k and that guy walks free until his trial. If Bailey thinks this person should be held until trial, that’s not what the judge is saying. Darren Bailey is an excellent example of blaming our governor who happens to be Jewish for the hateful bigotry he stokes and the seditious supporters he candles. Whose fault is it that Chris Miller declared war on the American people on January 6th, 2021? Darren is incapable of providing any leadership on any issue that is responsible. His default, his instinct, is fascist misinformation. - Luke Steele - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 11:28 am: Bailey’s words help fuel far-right extremists. That he can say anti-semitic things (which do contribute to violence against Jews), for example, without any remorse, and then falsely charge Pritzker for fomenting violence is just absurd. But alas, the absurdity is irrelevant to that not-so-small group of people to whom his messages are directed. - Dysfunction Junction - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 11:29 am: That’s rich. No, not the good one (Miller) Bailey: “The divisiveness that JB Pritzker has created in our state over the last four years — the hatred that exists,” said Bailey. […] Also Bailey: “Governor Pritzker continues to act like a tyrant… Unless you’re part of a powerful special interest group that can help his campaign, he will continue to try and control your life. It has to stop.” (August 2021) Also Bailey: “J.B. Pritzker is hell-bent on becoming the most radical leftist governor in America. … This man is dangerous.” (Oct. 6, 2022) - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 11:34 am: Hypocrisy is one thing. Sure, hypocrisy, yeah. The man glosses over the fact his family may have been in danger, and instead of discussing what his family means to him, how things are, and family, he discusses a political point for his takeaway sound bite? Makes you wonder how one sees their family when the reaction you want for the record isn’t about family but about politics. It’s like he’s checking the box? ===”You can threaten me, that’s one thing but when you bring my wife, children and schoolchildren in the area into it, it was pretty vulgar,” said Bailey.=== But the sound bite desired is the politics? Make no mistake, I don’t think for a millisecond that Bailey doesn’t LOVE his family, wife… it’s the choice to insert the political thought to the danger, and an Act not even enacted ===“After Jan. 1, public officials can be threatened and not a lot can be done about it,” said Bailey.=== Like I said, disappointing - Rich Miller - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 11:36 am: ===75k and that guy walks free until his trial=== $7,500 - Candy Dogood - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 11:38 am: ===$7,500=== Thanks, Rich. Sorry about the error. Life is always tougher on mobile. - King Louis XVI - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 11:41 am: Reap what you sow. - Cubs in '16 - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 11:51 am: How do comments like these win over undecideds? That should be Bailey’s one and only concern right now. I don’t think he was ever in this to win. - cermak_rd - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 11:55 am: 1. I am appalled that anyone would leave such a msg for a political person just because that person is standing for office. 2. I can’t say I’m disappointed or appalled by Bailey trying to make political hay about it, he is pretty much in the meeting expectations bucket by now. But I would like for him to name one time that Pritzker has stated anything that stoked hate in this state against anyone? Even anti-vaxxers he pulled his punches against. - Huh? - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 11:58 am: Beetle stop talking, you’re contributing to global warming. - TheInvisibleMan - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 11:58 am: –After Jan. 1, public officials can be threatened and not a lot can be done about it– Threatening public officials is specifically named in the bill, and has a very easy legal path to detain the accused before trial. I’d be disappointed if I thought Bailey ever read the bill, much less understood it. But I know there’s no conflict for him because he hasn’t even read it. - OurMagician - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 12:00 pm: In thinking back over the last 50 years, has either party ever put less of a qualified candidate than Darren Bailey? Read the room Darren, you’re getting sympathy, no need to cash it in for 1 vote in Gallatin County. - leonard - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 12:05 pm: Darren should be glad that he is a republican. In Clay county a known democrat gets threats every time they leave the house most behind your back but the ones to your face sometimes get vicious. Has just became a way of life in Clay County. - Amalia - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 12:16 pm: oh yeah there’s so much hate spewing from there. NOT. glad they arrested the guy but come on… - Hon Don Gerard - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 12:16 pm: Yardage yadda yadda “let’s just move on” yadda yadda… - Hot Taeks - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 12:16 pm: I do not believe Gov. Pritzker has caused this rhetoric or contributed to a 21-year old saying he’d do terrible things to Mr. Bailey. I believe Mr. Bailey should focus his blame on his biggest contributor Mr. Proft in creating this toxic environment. - Maybe Next Time - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 12:27 pm: Where is national media on this story (death threat/arrest)? - Vote Quimby - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 12:31 pm: ==Where is national media on this story== Google is your friend: https://news.google.com/stories/CAAqNggKIjBDQklTSGpvSmMzUnZjbmt0TXpZd1NoRUtEd2lyX29hTkJoRTJCU0tndHRwODZ5Z0FQAQ?hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US%3Aen - leonard - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 12:31 pm: Maybe Next Time was on CNN earlier. - JS Mill - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 12:36 pm: =Governor JB Pritzker that has helped create this kind of hatred.= What does he care? He is a gun tottin tough guy and has no worries./s Bailey and Devore have done more to promote hate than any two people in this state. School boards have been threatened by people reading, verbatim, Devore statements. Other legislators have been threatened. Educators, especially admin, have been threatened (and police have not intervened btw). Bailey can sit in his own mess. - Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 12:37 pm: My thoughts are that Abraham Lincoln only won the US Presidential Election in 1864 in Illinois 54-46. A wartime president in his home state. He lost most of Southern and west central illinois. Lincoln of course was assassinated five months after winning. The fault lines run very deep in our state, 160 years have not erased them, and this campaign is divided along similar fault lines. Bailey and DeVore keep saying “COVID lockdowns,” but let’s not forget the problems began in the Summer of 2019, when Pritzker cancelled “Confederate Railroad” thanks in no small part due to concerns raised on this blog. Bailey and his cohorts responded by holding rallies in defense of “our heritage” that included Confederate flags, Nazi flags if my rcollection of Mark Maxwell’s coverage is correct, on offsite Confederate Railroad concert, and calls by Darren Bailey for downstate Illinois to secede. If Darren Bailey has expressed remorse or outrage about the threats against Governor Pritzker, I have not heard it. He should reiterate his denouncement. He also needs to look in the mirror. The GOP ads around the SAF-T act are not designed to inform people in a rational way what the law does so they can make a smart choice on election day. They are designed to whip folks into a frenzied, emotional state of fear, anxiety and outrage. Like a drug, people’s endorphins start kicking in, adreneline starts pumping, and your Fight or Flight systems take over. Republicns fail to understand that the ads have not just that affect on the intended audience, but democrats also become frenzied, anxious, and outraged…their outrage however is directed at the Republicans behind the ads and their fear is not of criminals being released, but Republicans getting control of government again. For everyone’s sake, we need to stop letting amateurs toy with the public’s emotional state on a mass scale.. - thisjustinagain - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 12:37 pm: Threatening public officials or candidates is outside the lines, no matter what their politics, or the person threatening them. I don’t like Bailey and most of the Republicans, just as I don’t like many of the Dems. But this kind of nonsense needs to lead to one place: in a court of criminal law to answer to charges, no matter who does it for any reason. Bailey is just….Bailey. - JoanP - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 12:52 pm: Utter nonsense, but that’s to be expected from Bailey. Truth is, the guy would be more likely to be detained after the SAFE-T act becomes effective. And if there’s anyone who stokes divisiveness, it’s Bailey and his buddy Devore. - Anonymous 103 - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 1:04 pm: I’m not at all surprised Bailey didn’t show much concern for his family. Didn’t he kick two of his kids out of his home? - Lucky Pierre - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 1:07 pm: After lecturing how how dangerous the Proft mailers are perhaps JB could pull the ad that triggered the threatening phone call to Senator Bailey. Don’t hold your breath waiting for JB to be magnanimous - South Side - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 1:15 pm: ==“Senator Bailey, do you understand how cash Bailey works?”= Candy may have inadvertently come up with a great nickname. Darren “Cash Bail”ey, man of the people who can buy their way out of jail. - Rich Miller - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 1:19 pm: ===perhaps JB could pull the ad that triggered=== It was a Proft ad, LP. ===A 21-year-old Chicago man at a bar with friends became enraged after seeing a televised ad on behalf of Republican candidate for governor Darren Bailey and later threatened to torture and kill Bailey in a voicemail left at one of the state senator’s offices, authorities said Wednesday.=== Your beef is with Proft. https://www.chicagotribune.com/politics/elections/ct-darren-bailey-threat-arrest-20221102-epubwfcmpngolooyriqenph3cq-story.html - Chicago J - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 1:21 pm: CWB’s article gives the sickening specifics of this wackos threats. Worth a read. shorturl.at/eLQW2 It also says,” Lennox said he does not like Gov. JB Pritzker either, but he dislikes Bailey even more.” Trying to say he’s a Pritzker supporters just doesn’t fly. - notafraid - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 1:32 pm: =“The divisiveness that JB Pritzker has created in our state over the last four years — the hatred that exists,” said Bailey. […]= Hogwash! Pot. Kettle, Black. Does this man have a previous criminal conviction? If so, the Safety Act will come under a lot more scrutiny- as it should. - West Side the Best Side - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 1:50 pm: I had earlier commented on this in response to the Morning briefing post, citing the more accurate CWB Chicago article. Perhaps the SOS police thought the doofus was just displaying phone and social media beer muscles and couldn’t have found his way to Zenophobia, or wherever Bailey lives, without Siri directing him every step of the way when they deemed him not a credible threat, but ISP made the right call when they charged him. Any threats of violence against a candidate, office holder (including election judges), or their families should result in charges. And I stand by my earlier comments about the response from various Democrats and Bailey’s hypocrisy in his response. He’s also either lying or totally ignorant- or both- about the SAFE-T Act and totally heartless about any lack of reference to his family. - Manchester - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 2:01 pm: It is Bailey’s own words, hate mongering, fear mongering and general disdain for anyone who isn’t just like him that resulted in this threat. - JS Mill - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 2:38 pm: ====perhaps JB could pull the ad that triggered=== It was a Proft ad, LP.= That is too perfect (banned punctuation) LP is so poorly informed he doesn’t know who’s ad it was but goes on an uninformed rant anyway. Pretty much sums up his entire existence here on the blog. I am still laughing. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 2:44 pm: ===LP is so poorly informed=== That I don’t agree, apologies. - LP - has a whole schtick where - LP - tries to “sneak one past the goalie” It’s “whack a mole” with - LP -… just hoping to get things past everyone. I know it’s “mixed metaphors” but if we are talking - LP - mixing metaphors is likely on the - LP - brand too - Politix - Thursday, Nov 3, 22 @ 3:37 pm: Gaslighting. It’s GOP 101. - MoralMinority - Friday, Nov 4, 22 @ 3:18 am: “The divisiveness that JB Pritzker has created in our state over the last four years — the hatred that exists,” said Bailey. The threats made against Darren are outrageous and the individual responsible should be held accountable. However, for Darren to blame Pritzker for the polarized political climate is crazy too. He is just as much, if not more, to blame for the current polarized political climate as anyone. This is a case of reaping what you sew. 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