We sometimes forget that the campaign to replace Madigan as speaker occurred over just a few days during a very active lame duck session while the House members were cloistered in a cocoon during a global pandemic. News stories like this make you wonder if Welch would have prevailed if he was subjected to a normal vetting process over a number of weeks.
== wonder if Welch would have prevailed if he was subjected to a normal vetting process ==
Timing is everything in politics. Check out the part of the linked story about the Hillside Police FOIA request for the domestic violence incident report. Hillside denied and delayed releasing it. When they finally did, the newspaper got the report 90 minutes after the deadline for their pre-election edition. Few learned about the report and Welch went on to win that primary by just 36 votes. Had the report been released earlier, there’s a good chance there never would have been a State Rep Welch let alone a Speaker Welch.
== adding names like Burt and McKeon only make this slog down memory worth reading. ==
Thought the same thing. And Ron Serpico, too. He’s managed to stay out of the headlines for a while. What a…um…character. Did not know he was so close to Welch.
but but this many people will automatically vote for him. how he was elected in the first place is puzzling. you followed a person now in prison with this buffet of questionable activities? step down emoji man.
Welch texts: “I allowed them to be employed!” Welch’s text read. “And I’m the board president! Period! End of conversation. Things better change now. I won’t tolerate disresepect.”
Yea…the next few weeks are going to be ugly, especially with Maze Jackson in the Speaker’s ear while publicly calling this a race war.
- Liz - Friday, Jul 31, 26 @ 8:33 am:
Wow
Unfortunately, this is the way Proviso is.
- Wonderful World - Friday, Jul 31, 26 @ 8:52 am:
Wow.
- Simon - Friday, Jul 31, 26 @ 8:53 am:
We sometimes forget that the campaign to replace Madigan as speaker occurred over just a few days during a very active lame duck session while the House members were cloistered in a cocoon during a global pandemic. News stories like this make you wonder if Welch would have prevailed if he was subjected to a normal vetting process over a number of weeks.
- Oz - Friday, Jul 31, 26 @ 8:54 am:
“We never saw this coming.”
-People who could have seen this coming.
- Andres Dawson - Friday, Jul 31, 26 @ 8:58 am:
Drip…drip…drip.
- hisgirlfriday - Friday, Jul 31, 26 @ 9:38 am:
Get a new House Speaker please.
Dude’s an electoral albatross.
- Rudy’s teeth - Friday, Jul 31, 26 @ 10:00 am:
The articles read like an Illinois version of Goodfellas.
- Wiley - Friday, Jul 31, 26 @ 11:13 am:
== wonder if Welch would have prevailed if he was subjected to a normal vetting process ==
Timing is everything in politics. Check out the part of the linked story about the Hillside Police FOIA request for the domestic violence incident report. Hillside denied and delayed releasing it. When they finally did, the newspaper got the report 90 minutes after the deadline for their pre-election edition. Few learned about the report and Welch went on to win that primary by just 36 votes. Had the report been released earlier, there’s a good chance there never would have been a State Rep Welch let alone a Speaker Welch.
- Annon'in - Friday, Jul 31, 26 @ 11:19 am:
Gotta love how 25 year-old sagas can reappear. And adding names like Burt and McKeon only make this slog down memory worth reading.
- Anon - Friday, Jul 31, 26 @ 11:25 am:
But he keeps the trains running on time /s
- TNR - Friday, Jul 31, 26 @ 11:40 am:
== adding names like Burt and McKeon only make this slog down memory worth reading. ==
Thought the same thing. And Ron Serpico, too. He’s managed to stay out of the headlines for a while. What a…um…character. Did not know he was so close to Welch.
- Simon - Friday, Jul 31, 26 @ 12:05 pm:
== But he keeps the trains running on time /s ==
As a former capfax commenter might say, that is restaurant quality sarcasm. Too bad it’s so long because it would make a great hashtag.
- Amalia - Friday, Jul 31, 26 @ 1:37 pm:
but but this many people will automatically vote for him. how he was elected in the first place is puzzling. you followed a person now in prison with this buffet of questionable activities? step down emoji man.
- NIU Grad - Friday, Jul 31, 26 @ 2:44 pm:
Welch texts: “I allowed them to be employed!” Welch’s text read. “And I’m the board president! Period! End of conversation. Things better change now. I won’t tolerate disresepect.”
Yea…the next few weeks are going to be ugly, especially with Maze Jackson in the Speaker’s ear while publicly calling this a race war.