* NBC 5…

It is a movement gaining strength on several fronts: a push to establish a recall election for Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.

There is no provision for such an election under Illinois state law, but Representatives Anthony [DeLuca] and [La Shawn] Ford this week introduced House Bill 1084, which would create a process for clear and effective process for doing so.

“I think there is a push now much greater than It’s ever been,” said Ford, a fellow Democrat, who in the past has worked closely with Johnson.

“It’s not about Brandon Johnson, it’s about good government and making sure that this mechanism is on the books,” Ford said.

* My old pal Zack Stamp emailed me about this bill a few days ago. He said that in 1980, when Harold Washington was in the state Senate, the Senator introduced a bill to recall the mayor, who was Jane Byrne at the time. The bill failed, but after Harold was elected mayor, Senate Minority Leader James “Pate” Philip reintroduced the same bill. While testifying in favor of his bill in the Senate Executive Committee, Pate read aloud Washington’s floor speech word for word. The proposal died along party lines.

Then-Sen. Washington said of his bill it was “as American as mother… apple pie”…

It seems to me that… the people of Chicago should have some right, in reason, to periodically, if they so desire, in their sound wisdom, to say we want a vote of confidence. There’s nothing unusual or unique about that. It’s as American as mother…apple pie.

The floor debate got a bit weird. Sen. Jeremiah Joyce (D-Chicago) was a big supporter of the bill and said he had drafted an amendment which would have “provided for a psychiatric examination upon petition.” He never moved it forward.

Ouch.

You can read about the first time Pate sat down with Harold after the 1983 mayor election in Zack’s book, “Things as I Remember Them.”

* Anyway, I saw Zack yesterday at the annual “Has-Been Caucus” in Punta Gorda, Florida. The caucus is mostly comprised of former Illinois legislators, lobbyists, staff, etc. who spend some or all of their winters in the citrus state. I came as a special guest and gathered them together and took a photo, but some folks had already left by then…

Anyway, discuss whatever. This post is kinda all over the place.

       

21 Comments » - Old IL Dude - Thursday, Jan 23, 25 @ 11:38 am: MBJ is completely without a clue, but a Mayoral recall method would make Chicago politics look like the world’s biggest circus. Imagine had this been around in 2015, we’d see Mayor Karen Lewis being voted in after Rahm was thrown out on his ear by CTU and BLM. Then Karen thrown out on her rear by Trump fans. Then … you get the gist. - G'Kar - Thursday, Jan 23, 25 @ 11:41 am: Was Rauner there? /s - Rich Miller - Thursday, Jan 23, 25 @ 11:42 am: ===Was Rauner there?=== He’s on the other coast. lol - hisgirlfriday - Thursday, Jan 23, 25 @ 11:46 am: There are only 2 years until the next mayoral election. How about someone just announce a bid against him? - TJ - Thursday, Jan 23, 25 @ 11:46 am: I’m all for establishing a legal process to recall elected officials in Illinois at all levels, but that being said prefacing support on it because of hatred towards one specific elected official is a fool’s errand, as there’s assuredly no chance that such a thing could be passed into law impacting the current terms of officials, right? - Stones - Thursday, Jan 23, 25 @ 11:47 am: Is there a way to contact that group? - Annonin' - Thursday, Jan 23, 25 @ 12:04 pm: Seems like a waste. Next time for someone who has a clue how to govern rather than grandstand - Give Me A Break - Thursday, Jan 23, 25 @ 12:06 pm: Good Lord, that pic makes feel old, really old. The people in that pic can’t be the same ones I lobbied for years. Who are they? LOL - Paddyrollingstone - Thursday, Jan 23, 25 @ 12:07 pm: Looks like Judge Wayne Anderson in the back there - he’s the absolute best. - Moist von Lipwig - Thursday, Jan 23, 25 @ 12:09 pm: I believe in recall, and I love the way Mayor Washington described it … a vote of confidence. We have it on the governor. We should have it on local mayors, etc., too. Right now there’s a provision to allow it by petition, but it’s confusing for many people because you have to establish the procedure by petition before doing another petition on a particular officeholder. And you can’t do both at the same time. - I-55 Fanatic - Thursday, Jan 23, 25 @ 12:14 pm: == How about someone just announce a bid against him?== Seriously this. A handful of folks practically already have done so, but for filing the paperwork. - jolietj - Thursday, Jan 23, 25 @ 12:16 pm: Amend to include State Reps and Senators. Should help its chances. ha - ChicagoBars - Thursday, Jan 23, 25 @ 12:21 pm: Can it be amended to become the “Election Lawyers and Clipboard Wranglers Income Guarantee Act”? - Garfield Ridge Guy - Thursday, Jan 23, 25 @ 12:36 pm: This is a solution in search of a problem. We’re not good at electing mayors that we like; giving us more tries doesn’t fix that problem. Our children’s children will mourn that Brandon Johnson ever had any power in Chicago, but this isn’t the right way to fix that. I would prefer putting the mayoral election in November with the midterms, rather than having a weird February election designed to depress turnout. - DuPage Saint - Thursday, Jan 23, 25 @ 12:59 pm: We have enough elections we do not need to add recalls. I also have never been a fan of term limits but I think I am changing on that. Maybe age limits. - BC - Thursday, Jan 23, 25 @ 1:06 pm: Wow, the transcript of the floor debate is a must read. Washington saying he’s not gonna run for mayor sticks out. And if you think today’s debates lack civility, take a look at Senator Knuppel’s comments comparing Jane Byrne to a “feisty heifer.” - Grandson of Man - Thursday, Jan 23, 25 @ 1:21 pm: “I’m all for establishing a legal process to recall elected officials in Illinois at all levels, but that being said prefacing support on it because of hatred towards one specific elected official is a fool’s errand” Agree with both points. It’s for serious violations, not because they don’t like someone’s governance. Lightfoot was voted in because she’s an outsider and not the status quo. Then voters got rid of the status quo again and voted in Johnson, with whom they are unhappy and may vote out, only to vote in someone else who doesn’t tick every box, to be voted out again. That’s not a mayor’s fault. - Matty - Thursday, Jan 23, 25 @ 1:23 pm: Considering Chicago already has a ham-brained runoff election system, the last thing it needs is a recall provision. While I understand the “empowering the people” concept on these ideas, voter fatigue is a real and detrimental side effect. More elections also just create more special interest $$ spending, which is a bit antithetical to “democracy.” - Frida's Boss - Thursday, Jan 23, 25 @ 1:34 pm: Elections have consequences. Mayor Johnson was very forward in establishing the most progressive agenda seen by a large city. He has accomplished pushing that agenda. Have there been mistakes, of course. It’s a 4-year term start your engines now if you’re running. - 10th ward - Thursday, Jan 23, 25 @ 1:48 pm: can anyone provide a list of those in attendance in that pic. I mean I see Zack in the back row, along with Pam Althoff, Karen Mc Connehauy, and Dandy Dan, but don’t recognize the rest - Rich Miller - Thursday, Jan 23, 25 @ 2:04 pm: ===provide a list === I mean, if you can’t recognize Christine Radogno, Chuck Hartke, Dan Rutherford, Patty Schuh, etc. you might wanna consider glasses. lol TrackBack URI Uncivil comments, profanity of any kind, rumors and anonymous commenters will not be tolerated and will likely result in banishment. Name/Nickname - Required E-mail - Not required URL - Not required