* I’ve received a small handful of texts the past few days wondering why Maze Jackson seemed to be so obsessed about me on social media. I haven’t read everything he’s written, but from what I’ve seen he cites few if any facts and relies mainly on name-calling and vitriol to make whatever case it is he thinks he’s making, mostly in defense of House Speaker Chris Welch. Frankly, I don’t really care what he says.
But yesterday he announced on his Facebook page that he would take a look at how the “veiled racism in the comments section can be lethal,” in reference to our comments section here.
That’s quite rich coming from a guy who has a history of not even bothering to use a veil.
* To be clear, I’m always open and willing to listen to people with legitimate concerns about comments here. I do try to keep up whenever I can, but that’s not always possible and sometimes I just scan through looking for the worst ones, so some bad stuff undoubtedly gets by me. We should all do better, including myself. But taking advice from someone who said stuff like what we’re about to see and who allowed loads of blatantly antisemitic callers to go unchallenged just doesn’t interest me in the least.
These attacks have been targeted at Jews in general, as well as several Jewish individuals and a major Jewish civic organization, all of them active in working for more affordable housing in the city. On April 13 of this year, Mr. Jackson referred on his show to an unnamed “Jewish organization,” which he alleges “controls” the affordable housing activists who are part of the Chicago Housing Initiative (CHI). CHI is a broad coalition of community organizations and agencies working to expand the supply of affordable housing units across the city. CHI is not “run” by a Jewish organization, although the venerable Jewish Council on Urban Affairs is an active and committed participant.
This is a classic dog whistle, calling forth the time-worn trope that Jews control social institutions behind the scenes. Mr. Jackson lends credence to the conspiracy theory in which Jews manipulate these advocacy organizations in order to undermine the Black community. His shows’ call-in segments include vicious, irrational rants filled with accusations against Jews, none of which he squelches, challenges, disputes or even interrupts. Mr. Jackson provides a public platform for virulent anti-semites. And it is dangerous.
What has prompted Jackson’s attack on Jews in the affordable housing movement? Apparently a recent report by the Better Government Association laying out the relationship between property developer Onni Group and Mr. Jackson himself, so infuriating Jackson to cause him to lash out.
That letter helped derail Kari Steele’s 2022 primary campaign for county assessor, even though Jackson offered up an apology for some of what he said, but not all. Steele and Jackson are married.
* You won’t ever see anything on this blog like this…
2:11:17 Guest caller: “Germany attacked the Jews because they were controlling the financial ends of the country and the country was in a bad state and Hitler came through and identified the Jews as the source of their demise. That was it. It had nothing to do with their race, it was the ideology that put Germany in the state they were in.
02:12:01 “The real thing is that there is an effort out there to control us completely, down to the fact that they can tell us [what to think] and we can accept it. It goes back to the critical race theory. Why don’t they want to hear that? If they’re fighting critical race theory, how much more are the misguided Jews fighting to control their image now? 02:13:26 Jackson: “Hey man, it’s funny, because I sort of feel that way.”
As you know, there is a long and painful history of tension cultivated between African American and Latino communities in Chicago. Following in the legacy of the Harold Washington era, we have worked hard to build solidarity between our communities, which face so many common challenges. That is why Mr. Jackson’s consistent sowing of animosity against the Latino community is so deeply troubling.
Furthermore, our immigrant community and particularly the undocumented population came under attack in recent years under Donald Trump and ICE. Now more than ever, we need leaders of all racial and ethnic backgrounds to stand together to defend undocumented immigrants against the threat of violent attacks and oppression.
Our struggles are inherently bound together. But instead, amid this crisis, Mr. Jackson has offered his show as a platform from which to lob attacks on the vulnerable Latino immigrant population. […]
“They [Latinos] are hijacking our birthright by using the people of color analogy,” said Mr. Jackson . Later [1:07], Mr. Jackson says he “went to the Black gym at the Blackest church in Chicago, and it’s all Latino. They playing basketball right on Jackson.” […]
In another episode, this time from summer 2021, Mr. Jackson stated: “We gotta get these people in control, they’re destroying our city: Latinos! I think Latinos have taken the premise of ‘if you can’t beat them join them’ and when I say ‘beat them,’ you can’t beat the white boys so [you] join them in beating and villainizing the Black people.”
* Some more from Jackson, with links that take you directly to the quotes…
“We have been participating in this process slowly over a 10-year process, over a 15-20 year process, that we have strategically put ourselves out of business in the thought that we were collaborating for our good, so our power has been leveraged to uproot us, and then after we have been uprooted, then what happens? Then you replace us with Latinos who, what they think? ‘Latino first.’”
“[There] are rules or like the Black code. Like bro, right now we [are] in a state of war. For instance, can’t be no Black people standing at the front of no Latino press conferences.”
“Quite frankly, the road to Black leadership is going to have to travel through the Latino community. Think about that. The road to Black leadership is going to have to travel through the Latino community. We watched the glacier melt. It’s here, y’all.”
Lots more here. Some of the other quotes in that letter were cherry-picked, but most seem accurate.
* Jackson’s radio show used to begin with a song that included the lyrics “[Chicago Mayor Lori] Lightfoot seems more lesbian than Black.” I’ve set the video to start at that line…
Given recent discussions about anti-semitic language used on Mr. Jackson’s show, we feel compelled to raise our own concerns about a long history of homophobic and anti-Trans rhetoric used by Mr. Jackson. Mr. Jackson has stoked fear that trans people are leading an attack to delegitimize cisgender identity, claimed that LGBTQ+ people seek to “indoctrinate” children, and used the term “gay” as a pejorative.
I cannot fathom why Speaker Welch keeps that man in his inner circle.
And now I’m going back to ignoring him.
* Please take a deep breath or two before commenting. Thanks.
There’s not a lot of people that are going to offer full-throated support to Speaker Welch and claim that he did nothing wrong while engaging in whataboutism, deflecting, and blaming anything and everything else for the Speaker’s troubling past with women, the Speaker’s troubling behavior towards women, the Speaker’s attempt at coverup of allegations of harassment and abuse, the Speaker’s 7 figure financial support for someone who he personally knows to sexually harass women in the work place, and the Speaker’s absolute failure at addressing this issue.
Until Chris Welch resigns from being Speaker this will continue to be a very obvious and glaring failing of every single member of the Democratic caucus.
This isn’t going away and it is disappointing to see so many people who are both morally and politically impaired to such an extent that they fail to understand that this is a stain on their record that isn’t going to go away.
Y’all done gave the Republicans a new version of Mike Madigan to put on all of their mailers.
Y’all had some big words back in the day. Why’d you decide to let those words be empty and meaningless? Big talk. Cowardly walk.
Even the Governor has gotten all whishywashy.
Gotta clean the wound before you can disinfect it.
Maze Jackson is the kind of thing that festers in a wound that you refuse to clean. Chris Welch is the kind of leader that invites sepsis. Chris Welch is a Maze Jackson Democrat.
= he would take a look at how the “veiled racism in the comments section can be lethal,” in reference to our comments section here.=
Every accusation is a confession. His playbook pre dates maga but isn’t really all that different.
=I cannot fathom why Speaker Welch keeps that man in his inner circle.=
That is a fair question for the speaker.
= the road to Black leadership is going to have to travel through the Latino community.=
What? What does that even mean? The Chicago political power dynamic has always been pretty bare knuckles. No one ever wants to give up power and so much of that structure has been focused on ethnicity. These days, the hispanic population is outpacing the black population and, by the numbers, is underrepresented. I think the shift has started but nobody ever gives up their numbers without a little kicking and screaming. And that has been Chicago for more than a century now.
While i really do understand Mr. Jackson’s points regarding veiled racism in the workplace, I find his points about the harassment allegations really troubling. He really frames things in a way that insinuates you should assume the woman is lying. It’s really troubling. I understand the fear of “white woman tears”, I really do. But the way he is speaking about this Benton situation is disturbing. Yes, the woman reporting is white. But her claims are founded and EVERYONE knows Benton is a creep. It’s not about Welch in my opinion. Yes, he should’ve handled it better, but the problem is creepy men who feel entitled to make women uncomfortable to get their rocks off.
I will get banned if I express my thoughts on Mr. Jackson and his various statements, writings, and actions through the years. The one thing I will say is, from my experiences, Carnies are going to Carny no matter who they are or where they come from. They are not bound by race, creed, color, gender, sexuality, religion, or geographic location. And they just absolutely loathe it when you point out their grift.
If we had a better memory we would find and post a video show Maze & Dan Proft( another messaging genius) smokin’ cigars and sipping bourbon and soling IL problems. Curious times.
I recognize that you’re concerned and honestly while clips were used to paint a picture I’ve accepted that. I learned valuable lessons about communication and how to do it more effectively. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to meet mend and grow from the experience. I definitely paid a price, but if there is no space for redemption then who are we as people?
That still not address YOU and the bias you protect. You’ve become so comfortable that you don’t realize the world has changed around you and the Fax Machine. So of course you’ll do what you always do…splash some oppo threaten things we care about and hope that the fear of getting splashed will bully me into silence one. Not today friend.
You’ve splashed all those before and only reveal to everyone watching what I’ve been saying.
Now, today after all the paid trolls go in and go hard on my clips please make sure they keep the same energy for all the clips. I said what I said publicly because honestly I didn’t know it was offensive and could have used better word choice. Make sure you keep that same energy for all the recordings.
And as for Speaker Welch, it’s well documented that I come to the defense of Black People especially when the only coverage is biased.
Happy to meet for a beer and discuss any concerns you may
Have.
As to this blog, you, Isabel and your readers do a fine job of calling out racism, sexism and homophobia. Mr. Jackson seems to believe intelligent discussions of bigotry and discrimination on the basis of social categories is insensitive to those who share identities with the oppressors and bigots. Nothing is farther from the truth. Allies know the difference between racism and anti-racism.
- George Ryan Reynolds - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 9:59 am:
ah the grift that keeps on giving. I’ve been saying for a while that the entire emoji man situation was perfect for national Republicans to mine. why does the emoji man keep Maze around? holding some accountable seems to be harder because they don’t care if they throw these kinds of things in the faces of people afraid they will be called a racist.it’s that ugly. meanwhile we are still left with the mess that should require a resignation.
Hopefully this exposure of Jackson will spark the persons interviewing Welch while he is on his media blitz to ask this very question-why is Mr Jackson in your inner circle? Maybe that is the point of the article posted. If so good job
I’m not a Maze Jackson at all. I have been a longtime reader of CapFax. Lately, comments have been heavily monitored to form a biased narrative. He is not wrong in that part. A lot grounded and intelligent people I know say they stopped following because their comments were not published. How can they participate if their comment is blocked? We see some usernames being prioritized. If this comment is not published, then I have proved my point.
This isn’t happening. The sooner this readership universe comes to grip with this reality, the healthier the discourse will be for us all. Past may truly be prologue here, and Madigan didn’t decide to step away until one of the candidate forums demonstrated to him the slog of getting to 60 was going to be too much work, or it would require the exercise of political capital he simply couldn’t offer.
== He really frames things in a way that insinuates you should assume the woman is lying. ==
He commented this on his post about the working group yesterday: “The irony of the women who created the process calling for a resignation because he followed THEIR rules is wild to me.
And we all seem to forget Ms. Hampton kicked off the false abuse allegations against Ken Dunkin.”
===Lately, comments have been heavily monitored to form a biased narrative===
Sarah, I would strongly disagree. I do not think we have deleted a single comment in support of the Speaker. I have, however, deleted several in opposition to him because they’ve gone over the top.
It would be great if someone asked Mr. Jackson to openly disclose any payments from the Illinois Republican Party, its affiliates, or related donors connected to having Republican candidates on his radio show … just so the readers of this blog and his listeners can clearly see he is “for the people.”
- Well well well - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 11:11 am:
Maze’s MO has been to agitate. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. One this is clear: the mayor and the speaker are getting bad advice from Maze.
The idea that this comment section is problematic is really pretty rich.
I’m in the media biz and understand how difficult it is to moderate a comments section — it’s practically a full-time job unto itself. Nobody in Illinois media does it better than Rich Miller.
Sure — a stray clunker may get past him now and then — but by and large the Cap Fax comments section is one of the best there is. Readers here are generally well-informed and civil.
Rich pushes back consistently on folks to violate his ground rules — and the commenters themselves are good at policing bad behavior.
From a former colleague of mine…If they knew better, they’d do better. Maze Jackson created a persona that draws attention not so much to the issues but to Maze Jackson.
Maze developed this schtick over the years as it gains attention to feed his ego. Maze Jackson found his lane and he’s not moving over.
- Proud Papa Bear - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 11:35 am:
“ Lately, comments have been heavily monitored to form a biased narrative”
I’m going to have to disagree. Only about 2/3rds of my comments get published. I’m thinking there might be a technical issue with my phone or the site but I’ve been following the site for 12 years and it’s never been due to the types of posts I make.
Sarah, you are just wrong. I’ve made a comment or two against emoji man and they were not put up. the dialogue here is quite fair. the action in the House is not.
- Rahm's Parking Meter - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 11:43 am:
Maze has lost a lot of credibility over the years for hyperbolic claims and his outright hostility to certain groups. I don’t trust a word he says, and some of the items he put out today from other writers left me shaking my head.
===I’m thinking there might be a technical issue with my phone or the site===
Wordslinger had the same problem with this back in the day.
I finally figured out that if you post a comment from a certain IP address and then post a comment from a different IP address, the screens will snag you.
We don’t always have the time to undo all the screens.
As objectionable as his tactics are, they might be working.
Welch’s greatest vulnerability within his caucus is among progressive-minded female members — the same members who would probably recoil the most at the prospect of being called racist, especially when those charges are peppered with Emmett Till comparisons.
Only a few of those members have spoken up — and even they have stopped short of calling for Welch’s resignation. You can’t help but wonder if Maze’s warning shots are having the desired effect.
I wonder how Mr. Jackson would characterize comments on this blog concerning the previous Speaker’s transgressions. Point being, I’ve followed posts about both and the comments I’ve seen speak to the behavior of said Speakers without regard for race.
== Who exactly is Maze Jackson? A publicist? A consultant? A radio or podcast personality? ==
He’s all those things and a lobbyist, too. In that roll, he’s protected his clients by getting Welch to consistently put a brick on hemp regulations and efforts to outlaw those sleazy sweepstakes games. Bills on both topics have unanimously passed the senate and never see the light of day in the House. In other words, he is extremely influential in Welch’s world.
- best in the world - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 12:47 pm:
== You can’t help but wonder if Maze’s warning shots are having the desired effect.
That seems to be the case. I’m curious what percentage of the House Democratic Caucus would go on the record to say that the Speaker’s Office is a safe workplace for women and that they would wholeheartedly recommend their own daughters work or intern there.
=Only a few of those members have spoken up — and even they have stopped short of calling for Welch’s resignation. You can’t help but wonder if Maze’s warning shots are having the desired effect.=
Right or wrong, members are dependent on leadership for campaign funding. It’s near impossible to do entirely on their own. DPI and the Speakers war chest come into play so why bite the hand that feeds you now? Get elected or re-elected and vote for a new Speaker.
I would hope anyone with any common sense isn’t listening to Maze but the fact that the Speaker must be listening to him, I find deeply disturbing.
It might not be a profile in courage but it is the reality.
= I finally figured out that if you post a comment from a certain IP address and then post a comment from a different IP address, the screens will snag you. =
wut.
###
To the post:
Maybe some of you have also learned something about yourself through the communal responses H-W nodded to in their post, or even by having a submission held back.
If your comment is in moderation, most of the time it tripped an automated content filter that allows Rich and Isabel to do their reporting and manage the business, or it came from a suspicious device (QOTD: How many core beliefs do I have because a Capitol Fax tab was left open on the microwave?). Manual intervention is typically reserved for when the comment contains objectively bad factoids they cannot correct with a reply, or the commenter has had trouble keeping their axes to themselves in the sandbox.
Or, you could be Rod R. Blagojevich trying to post anonymously.
Friends, there is some really nasty stuff in the moderation queue. It is unlikely those comments are the “veiled racism” referenced on Facebook. I doubt very much that poster has been granted access to see what Rich and Isabel keep from crossing their threshold.
Managing the comments section was simultaneously a great joy and the most grueling task of working at Capitol Fax. In my experiences, the Miller family does not require philosophical agreement in their house. They do, however, expect the discourse therein to be respectful of everyone in it. If your philosophical approach abuses that privilege or denies people their fundamental right to participate in such a space, then you might have trouble getting a comment to appear here.
There are people who make informing this comment section their day-to-day duty, and not because they are on a payroll. At the very least, we owe it to them (and to Rich’s and Isabel’s mental health) to keep civil our relatively drive-by additions.
I think the comments here frequently exhibit bias (and said as much just the other day about anti-Black bias, though that is not the only kind of bias on display).
But, due to all considerable moderation efforts, they strike me as no more biased (and in my opinion, quite a bit less biased) than what is regularly said and done at the Capitol
So I don’t know what more could be done to improve them while reflecting the general political zeitgeist … except for changing the underlying culture at the Capitol
which does not seem to be a priority for Maze Jackson and many others
- Reformed Public Servant - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 1:23 pm:
Bravo, Mr. Miller, for this post ~ though sorry you felt compelled to need to respond to this nonsense. As others note, your site’s comments are crowd-enforced and monitored by you, and the site is the highest and best resource of IL political happenings.
From what I know of Mr. Jackson, he is a very angry man who has chosen to make anger his modus operandi. To give him his due, not only is Mr. Jackson quite good at being very angry but there’s also most certainly a very great deal to be very angry about in this country. That’s a potent witch’s brew. Drink too much of it and your anger begins to generalize, including becoming angry at people who don’t exhibit one’s own level of anger at whatever one is angry about. That anger then becomes self-justifying as it fills the world with potential if not actual enemies. Such zealotry is useful when sounding an alarm and rousing support, but it rapidly becomes a hindrance in coalition building or negotiating a resolution. Mr. Jackson seems unable to let go of his anger long enough actually to do something about it, which will almost certainly relegate him to shouting at shadows on the sidelines.
So, I watched most of the video Maze posted this afternoon. What’s interesting is that Maze started calling out CapFax on Monday. Name calling Rich specifically and attempting to tarnish him and the blog in an agressive manner. Some might refer to this type of behavior as bullying. Maze took a page out of the MAGA playbook and accused his precieved opponent of doing what Maze himself was already doing. He’s continued those attacks daily, but now that Rich has made a measured, factual response, Maze is trying to play the victim. Maze thinks it’s ok to say inappropriate things about other racial or ethnic groups when you’re, in his words, “competing for resources” or being political. This man thinks there’s one set of rules for him and another set for everyone else who isn’t like him. I also think not enough attention has been given to his comments mentioned above.
“The irony of the women who created the process calling for a resignation because he followed THEIR rules is wild to me. And we all seem to forget Ms. Hampton kicked off the false abuse allegations against Ken Dunkin.” I realize the various tensions caused by this situation, but I don’t see how the women in the Democratic caucus can sit back and let someone like Maze mansplain to them.
So weird that I literally referred someone to this site earlier today because they saw discussion about the sales tax holiday for school supplies. Immediately after pointing them here I said something to the effect of, don’t just read the summaries and the linked articles, always check the comments. So just add this guy to the list of people who want to thank Rich and Isabel for their efforts, because this place is an oasis in my opinion.
I’m trying to guess the number of comments I’ve written over many years that weren’t published…too numerous to cite a number, but if compiled they would fill a very interesting book…in my self-reviewed opinion.
Oh wow. Just watched the Maze video and posts. For those of us who’ve been working in Springfield forever, we may not always agree with Rich (which is how it should be), but I think I can speak for most when I say that Rich is utterly undeserving of those vile comments. It’s a sad deflection from the real problem that started all of this. Maze is not a serious person and his reputation is living up to the hype.
=“Until Chris Welch resigns from being Speaker…This isn’t happening=
I would say that the recent past shows that where Rep Kelly Cassidy and harassment of female staffers converge is a very tenuous spot for political leaders. Mr Speaker should be ready for all eventualities
i think it would behoove both very grown men to refocus onto the matter at hand rather than make themselves the story
women are harassed daily in the capitol and there should be a public accounting, it hasn’t happened yet in chicago despite the work of women to unseat a top staffer, let’s see if Springfield can focus long enough to do it
- To give him his due, not only is Mr. Jackson quite good at being very angry but there’s also most certainly a very great deal to be very angry about in this country. -
Maze chose to equate being dragged in blog comments to being lynched, less than 2 weeks after what would have been Emmett Till’s 85th birthday. The only thing he’s angry about is possibly losing income.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 6:38 pm:
=== Y’all done gave the Republicans a new version of Mike Madigan to put on all of their mailers. ===
I can tell you that there was atleast one potential House candidate that Madigan refused to support who was heavily backed by local labor because he had a history of bad behavior toward women.
Maze brings up Ken Dunkin, as if that will help his case. No one could stand Kenny at the end, except Maze Jackson. Even Jesse White, his main sponsor, had it with Dunkin’s antics towards the end.
- Allknowingmasterofraccoondom - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 10:40 pm:
Rich, thank you for keeping this real. We all need that so much, everywhere.
- Demoralized - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 8:52 am:
What I see is a man who’s entire existence is always playing the victim.
- Candy Dogood - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 8:58 am:
There’s not a lot of people that are going to offer full-throated support to Speaker Welch and claim that he did nothing wrong while engaging in whataboutism, deflecting, and blaming anything and everything else for the Speaker’s troubling past with women, the Speaker’s troubling behavior towards women, the Speaker’s attempt at coverup of allegations of harassment and abuse, the Speaker’s 7 figure financial support for someone who he personally knows to sexually harass women in the work place, and the Speaker’s absolute failure at addressing this issue.
Until Chris Welch resigns from being Speaker this will continue to be a very obvious and glaring failing of every single member of the Democratic caucus.
This isn’t going away and it is disappointing to see so many people who are both morally and politically impaired to such an extent that they fail to understand that this is a stain on their record that isn’t going to go away.
Y’all done gave the Republicans a new version of Mike Madigan to put on all of their mailers.
Y’all had some big words back in the day. Why’d you decide to let those words be empty and meaningless? Big talk. Cowardly walk.
Even the Governor has gotten all whishywashy.
Gotta clean the wound before you can disinfect it.
Maze Jackson is the kind of thing that festers in a wound that you refuse to clean. Chris Welch is the kind of leader that invites sepsis. Chris Welch is a Maze Jackson Democrat.
- JS Mill - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 9:03 am:
= he would take a look at how the “veiled racism in the comments section can be lethal,” in reference to our comments section here.=
Every accusation is a confession. His playbook pre dates maga but isn’t really all that different.
=I cannot fathom why Speaker Welch keeps that man in his inner circle.=
That is a fair question for the speaker.
= the road to Black leadership is going to have to travel through the Latino community.=
What? What does that even mean? The Chicago political power dynamic has always been pretty bare knuckles. No one ever wants to give up power and so much of that structure has been focused on ethnicity. These days, the hispanic population is outpacing the black population and, by the numbers, is underrepresented. I think the shift has started but nobody ever gives up their numbers without a little kicking and screaming. And that has been Chicago for more than a century now.
But Maze is a real peach and he will hurt Welch.
- 44 - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 9:06 am:
Can’t say it any better than candy. Hats off.
- politico - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 9:09 am:
While i really do understand Mr. Jackson’s points regarding veiled racism in the workplace, I find his points about the harassment allegations really troubling. He really frames things in a way that insinuates you should assume the woman is lying. It’s really troubling. I understand the fear of “white woman tears”, I really do. But the way he is speaking about this Benton situation is disturbing. Yes, the woman reporting is white. But her claims are founded and EVERYONE knows Benton is a creep. It’s not about Welch in my opinion. Yes, he should’ve handled it better, but the problem is creepy men who feel entitled to make women uncomfortable to get their rocks off.
- VK - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 9:14 am:
I will get banned if I express my thoughts on Mr. Jackson and his various statements, writings, and actions through the years. The one thing I will say is, from my experiences, Carnies are going to Carny no matter who they are or where they come from. They are not bound by race, creed, color, gender, sexuality, religion, or geographic location. And they just absolutely loathe it when you point out their grift.
- Annon'in - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 9:22 am:
If we had a better memory we would find and post a video show Maze & Dan Proft( another messaging genius) smokin’ cigars and sipping bourbon and soling IL problems. Curious times.
- #mazesaid - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 9:24 am:
I’ll go first…
I recognize that you’re concerned and honestly while clips were used to paint a picture I’ve accepted that. I learned valuable lessons about communication and how to do it more effectively. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to meet mend and grow from the experience. I definitely paid a price, but if there is no space for redemption then who are we as people?
That still not address YOU and the bias you protect. You’ve become so comfortable that you don’t realize the world has changed around you and the Fax Machine. So of course you’ll do what you always do…splash some oppo threaten things we care about and hope that the fear of getting splashed will bully me into silence one. Not today friend.
You’ve splashed all those before and only reveal to everyone watching what I’ve been saying.
Now, today after all the paid trolls go in and go hard on my clips please make sure they keep the same energy for all the clips. I said what I said publicly because honestly I didn’t know it was offensive and could have used better word choice. Make sure you keep that same energy for all the recordings.
And as for Speaker Welch, it’s well documented that I come to the defense of Black People especially when the only coverage is biased.
Happy to meet for a beer and discuss any concerns you may
Have.
- Loyal Virus - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 9:41 am:
I told Maze, you keep poking that little bear…
- Two Left Feet - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 9:51 am:
The racist comment needs to be be so veiled that:
1. it gets by Rich
2. is not later deleted by Rich
3. survives the wrath of other commenters
Point to the comment. IMO it doesn’t exist. Good job to Rich and every other commenter here.
- H-W - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 9:55 am:
As to this blog, you, Isabel and your readers do a fine job of calling out racism, sexism and homophobia. Mr. Jackson seems to believe intelligent discussions of bigotry and discrimination on the basis of social categories is insensitive to those who share identities with the oppressors and bigots. Nothing is farther from the truth. Allies know the difference between racism and anti-racism.
- George Ryan Reynolds - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 9:59 am:
Receipt issued to a grifter who FAFO’ed.
- Steve - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 10:11 am:
Sadly, there’s a market for this kind of stuff. I’ve never heard of this guy until today. I’m not missing much.
- Suburban Dad - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 10:14 am:
I was always told that you are judged by the company you keep…
- Amalia - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 10:15 am:
ah the grift that keeps on giving. I’ve been saying for a while that the entire emoji man situation was perfect for national Republicans to mine. why does the emoji man keep Maze around? holding some accountable seems to be harder because they don’t care if they throw these kinds of things in the faces of people afraid they will be called a racist.it’s that ugly. meanwhile we are still left with the mess that should require a resignation.
- Riversidian - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 10:32 am:
I feel like an unappreciated aspect of this blog post is how it brings a little more context to the choice of today’s Good Morning post.
- regular democrat - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 10:32 am:
Hopefully this exposure of Jackson will spark the persons interviewing Welch while he is on his media blitz to ask this very question-why is Mr Jackson in your inner circle? Maybe that is the point of the article posted. If so good job
- Sarah - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 10:35 am:
I’m not a Maze Jackson at all. I have been a longtime reader of CapFax. Lately, comments have been heavily monitored to form a biased narrative. He is not wrong in that part. A lot grounded and intelligent people I know say they stopped following because their comments were not published. How can they participate if their comment is blocked? We see some usernames being prioritized. If this comment is not published, then I have proved my point.
- NIU Grad - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 10:42 am:
A wonderful question to Speaker Welch during his media tour: “What role does Maze Jackson play in your political operation?”
Follow-Up: “Do you agree with his comments about [Insert specifics here]?”
He’s gone on unchallenged about this for too long.
- Maze Who? - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 10:43 am:
Who exactly is Maze Jackson? A publicist? A consultant? A radio or podcast personality?
I vaguely remember a prospective candidate a few years back, but I am not clear on who this fellow is.
- 4th and Never - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 10:45 am:
“Until Chris Welch resigns from being Speaker”
This isn’t happening. The sooner this readership universe comes to grip with this reality, the healthier the discourse will be for us all. Past may truly be prologue here, and Madigan didn’t decide to step away until one of the candidate forums demonstrated to him the slog of getting to 60 was going to be too much work, or it would require the exercise of political capital he simply couldn’t offer.
We’ll see if that happens after November.
- Ex Staffer - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 10:49 am:
== He really frames things in a way that insinuates you should assume the woman is lying. ==
He commented this on his post about the working group yesterday: “The irony of the women who created the process calling for a resignation because he followed THEIR rules is wild to me.
And we all seem to forget Ms. Hampton kicked off the false abuse allegations against Ken Dunkin.”
Makes me sick.
- Skokie Man - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 10:52 am:
=If this comment is not published, then I have proved my point.=
“Dear Mr. President, there are too many states nowadays. Please eliminate three. I am not a crackpot.”
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 10:56 am:
===Lately, comments have been heavily monitored to form a biased narrative===
Sarah, I would strongly disagree. I do not think we have deleted a single comment in support of the Speaker. I have, however, deleted several in opposition to him because they’ve gone over the top.
- ForThePeople - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 11:03 am:
It would be great if someone asked Mr. Jackson to openly disclose any payments from the Illinois Republican Party, its affiliates, or related donors connected to having Republican candidates on his radio show … just so the readers of this blog and his listeners can clearly see he is “for the people.”
- Well well well - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 11:11 am:
Maze’s MO has been to agitate. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. One this is clear: the mayor and the speaker are getting bad advice from Maze.
- Ann Dwyer - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 11:12 am:
The idea that this comment section is problematic is really pretty rich.
I’m in the media biz and understand how difficult it is to moderate a comments section — it’s practically a full-time job unto itself. Nobody in Illinois media does it better than Rich Miller.
Sure — a stray clunker may get past him now and then — but by and large the Cap Fax comments section is one of the best there is. Readers here are generally well-informed and civil.
Rich pushes back consistently on folks to violate his ground rules — and the commenters themselves are good at policing bad behavior.
Mr. Jackson’s critique is way off-base imo.
- Rudy’s teeth - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 11:29 am:
From a former colleague of mine…If they knew better, they’d do better. Maze Jackson created a persona that draws attention not so much to the issues but to Maze Jackson.
Maze developed this schtick over the years as it gains attention to feed his ego. Maze Jackson found his lane and he’s not moving over.
- Proud Papa Bear - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 11:35 am:
“ Lately, comments have been heavily monitored to form a biased narrative”
I’m going to have to disagree. Only about 2/3rds of my comments get published. I’m thinking there might be a technical issue with my phone or the site but I’ve been following the site for 12 years and it’s never been due to the types of posts I make.
- Amalia - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 11:35 am:
Sarah, you are just wrong. I’ve made a comment or two against emoji man and they were not put up. the dialogue here is quite fair. the action in the House is not.
- Rahm's Parking Meter - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 11:43 am:
Maze has lost a lot of credibility over the years for hyperbolic claims and his outright hostility to certain groups. I don’t trust a word he says, and some of the items he put out today from other writers left me shaking my head.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 11:47 am:
===I’m thinking there might be a technical issue with my phone or the site===
Wordslinger had the same problem with this back in the day.
I finally figured out that if you post a comment from a certain IP address and then post a comment from a different IP address, the screens will snag you.
We don’t always have the time to undo all the screens.
- Simon - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 12:04 pm:
As objectionable as his tactics are, they might be working.
Welch’s greatest vulnerability within his caucus is among progressive-minded female members — the same members who would probably recoil the most at the prospect of being called racist, especially when those charges are peppered with Emmett Till comparisons.
Only a few of those members have spoken up — and even they have stopped short of calling for Welch’s resignation. You can’t help but wonder if Maze’s warning shots are having the desired effect.
- Cubs in '16 - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 12:24 pm:
I wonder how Mr. Jackson would characterize comments on this blog concerning the previous Speaker’s transgressions. Point being, I’ve followed posts about both and the comments I’ve seen speak to the behavior of said Speakers without regard for race.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 12:35 pm:
===a comment or two against emoji man and they were not put up===
More than that. lol
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 12:41 pm:
Thanks, Ann.
- Wiley - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 12:46 pm:
== Who exactly is Maze Jackson? A publicist? A consultant? A radio or podcast personality? ==
He’s all those things and a lobbyist, too. In that roll, he’s protected his clients by getting Welch to consistently put a brick on hemp regulations and efforts to outlaw those sleazy sweepstakes games. Bills on both topics have unanimously passed the senate and never see the light of day in the House. In other words, he is extremely influential in Welch’s world.
- best in the world - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 12:47 pm:
== You can’t help but wonder if Maze’s warning shots are having the desired effect.
That seems to be the case. I’m curious what percentage of the House Democratic Caucus would go on the record to say that the Speaker’s Office is a safe workplace for women and that they would wholeheartedly recommend their own daughters work or intern there.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 12:52 pm:
===That seems to be the case===
I dunno. I think there’s something else at play here.
- Leslie K - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 12:53 pm:
Well done, Rich.
This is the most well-moderated comment section I have seen (not that I go to a lot of blogs, but still…) and I’ve learned plenty here.
- Chicago Voter - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 1:10 pm:
=Only a few of those members have spoken up — and even they have stopped short of calling for Welch’s resignation. You can’t help but wonder if Maze’s warning shots are having the desired effect.=
Right or wrong, members are dependent on leadership for campaign funding. It’s near impossible to do entirely on their own. DPI and the Speakers war chest come into play so why bite the hand that feeds you now? Get elected or re-elected and vote for a new Speaker.
I would hope anyone with any common sense isn’t listening to Maze but the fact that the Speaker must be listening to him, I find deeply disturbing.
It might not be a profile in courage but it is the reality.
- Barton - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 1:12 pm:
= I finally figured out that if you post a comment from a certain IP address and then post a comment from a different IP address, the screens will snag you. =
wut.
###
To the post:
Maybe some of you have also learned something about yourself through the communal responses H-W nodded to in their post, or even by having a submission held back.
If your comment is in moderation, most of the time it tripped an automated content filter that allows Rich and Isabel to do their reporting and manage the business, or it came from a suspicious device (QOTD: How many core beliefs do I have because a Capitol Fax tab was left open on the microwave?). Manual intervention is typically reserved for when the comment contains objectively bad factoids they cannot correct with a reply, or the commenter has had trouble keeping their axes to themselves in the sandbox.
Or, you could be Rod R. Blagojevich trying to post anonymously.
Friends, there is some really nasty stuff in the moderation queue. It is unlikely those comments are the “veiled racism” referenced on Facebook. I doubt very much that poster has been granted access to see what Rich and Isabel keep from crossing their threshold.
Managing the comments section was simultaneously a great joy and the most grueling task of working at Capitol Fax. In my experiences, the Miller family does not require philosophical agreement in their house. They do, however, expect the discourse therein to be respectful of everyone in it. If your philosophical approach abuses that privilege or denies people their fundamental right to participate in such a space, then you might have trouble getting a comment to appear here.
There are people who make informing this comment section their day-to-day duty, and not because they are on a payroll. At the very least, we owe it to them (and to Rich’s and Isabel’s mental health) to keep civil our relatively drive-by additions.
- Stephanie Kollmann - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 1:17 pm:
I think the comments here frequently exhibit bias (and said as much just the other day about anti-Black bias, though that is not the only kind of bias on display).
But, due to all considerable moderation efforts, they strike me as no more biased (and in my opinion, quite a bit less biased) than what is regularly said and done at the Capitol
So I don’t know what more could be done to improve them while reflecting the general political zeitgeist … except for changing the underlying culture at the Capitol
which does not seem to be a priority for Maze Jackson and many others
- Stephanie Kollmann - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 1:18 pm:
my comment didn’t post (heh)
- Reformed Public Servant - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 1:23 pm:
Bravo, Mr. Miller, for this post ~ though sorry you felt compelled to need to respond to this nonsense. As others note, your site’s comments are crowd-enforced and monitored by you, and the site is the highest and best resource of IL political happenings.
- Walker - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 1:27 pm:
“”And now I’m going back to ignoring him””
Good advice for the Speaker too.
- btowntruth from forgottonia - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 1:35 pm:
Hey #mazesaid,
“We gotta get these people in control, they’re destroying our city: Latinos!”
Explain your words please.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 1:35 pm:
===my comment didn’t post (heh)===
I checked the spam folder and there it was. Sorry. Akismet can be erratic sometimes.
- Dotnonymous x - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 2:09 pm:
Narcissists crave attention in any form…negative included.
- Flapdoodle - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 2:40 pm:
From what I know of Mr. Jackson, he is a very angry man who has chosen to make anger his modus operandi. To give him his due, not only is Mr. Jackson quite good at being very angry but there’s also most certainly a very great deal to be very angry about in this country. That’s a potent witch’s brew. Drink too much of it and your anger begins to generalize, including becoming angry at people who don’t exhibit one’s own level of anger at whatever one is angry about. That anger then becomes self-justifying as it fills the world with potential if not actual enemies. Such zealotry is useful when sounding an alarm and rousing support, but it rapidly becomes a hindrance in coalition building or negotiating a resolution. Mr. Jackson seems unable to let go of his anger long enough actually to do something about it, which will almost certainly relegate him to shouting at shadows on the sidelines.
- Johnny B - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 3:02 pm:
Maze kind of reminds me of what Byron Sigcho Lopez would sound like if he had a radio show
Listeners know what they are going to get and they will get it good and hard
- Spin - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 3:05 pm:
So, I watched most of the video Maze posted this afternoon. What’s interesting is that Maze started calling out CapFax on Monday. Name calling Rich specifically and attempting to tarnish him and the blog in an agressive manner. Some might refer to this type of behavior as bullying. Maze took a page out of the MAGA playbook and accused his precieved opponent of doing what Maze himself was already doing. He’s continued those attacks daily, but now that Rich has made a measured, factual response, Maze is trying to play the victim. Maze thinks it’s ok to say inappropriate things about other racial or ethnic groups when you’re, in his words, “competing for resources” or being political. This man thinks there’s one set of rules for him and another set for everyone else who isn’t like him. I also think not enough attention has been given to his comments mentioned above.
“The irony of the women who created the process calling for a resignation because he followed THEIR rules is wild to me. And we all seem to forget Ms. Hampton kicked off the false abuse allegations against Ken Dunkin.” I realize the various tensions caused by this situation, but I don’t see how the women in the Democratic caucus can sit back and let someone like Maze mansplain to them.
- Blitz - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 3:31 pm:
So weird that I literally referred someone to this site earlier today because they saw discussion about the sales tax holiday for school supplies. Immediately after pointing them here I said something to the effect of, don’t just read the summaries and the linked articles, always check the comments. So just add this guy to the list of people who want to thank Rich and Isabel for their efforts, because this place is an oasis in my opinion.
- Dotnonymous x - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 3:48 pm:
I’m trying to guess the number of comments I’ve written over many years that weren’t published…too numerous to cite a number, but if compiled they would fill a very interesting book…in my self-reviewed opinion.
- Rudy’s teeth - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 4:00 pm:
Maze Jackson is in performance mode. Spouting this and that for attention from his listeners.
Maze Jackson is the quintessential empty suit.
- Shytown - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 4:01 pm:
Oh wow. Just watched the Maze video and posts. For those of us who’ve been working in Springfield forever, we may not always agree with Rich (which is how it should be), but I think I can speak for most when I say that Rich is utterly undeserving of those vile comments. It’s a sad deflection from the real problem that started all of this. Maze is not a serious person and his reputation is living up to the hype.
- Think Again - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 4:30 pm:
=“Until Chris Welch resigns from being Speaker…This isn’t happening=
I would say that the recent past shows that where Rep Kelly Cassidy and harassment of female staffers converge is a very tenuous spot for political leaders. Mr Speaker should be ready for all eventualities
- Slight Twist - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 4:48 pm:
i think it would behoove both very grown men to refocus onto the matter at hand rather than make themselves the story
women are harassed daily in the capitol and there should be a public accounting, it hasn’t happened yet in chicago despite the work of women to unseat a top staffer, let’s see if Springfield can focus long enough to do it
- Excitable Boy - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 6:12 pm:
- To give him his due, not only is Mr. Jackson quite good at being very angry but there’s also most certainly a very great deal to be very angry about in this country. -
Maze chose to equate being dragged in blog comments to being lynched, less than 2 weeks after what would have been Emmett Till’s 85th birthday. The only thing he’s angry about is possibly losing income.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 6:38 pm:
=== Y’all done gave the Republicans a new version of Mike Madigan to put on all of their mailers. ===
I can tell you that there was atleast one potential House candidate that Madigan refused to support who was heavily backed by local labor because he had a history of bad behavior toward women.
- low level - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 7:00 pm:
Maze brings up Ken Dunkin, as if that will help his case. No one could stand Kenny at the end, except Maze Jackson. Even Jesse White, his main sponsor, had it with Dunkin’s antics towards the end.
- Allknowingmasterofraccoondom - Thursday, Aug 6, 26 @ 10:40 pm:
Rich, thank you for keeping this real. We all need that so much, everywhere.
- Tom Corfman - Friday, Aug 7, 26 @ 12:18 am:
Terrific response setting the record straight. Thanks for making it.