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Fallout: Emil Jones explodes at Pritzker, “safe blacks”; Bishop Trotter disinvites; Staffer quits

Tuesday, Feb 6, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From the Blagojevich wiretap…

“(White)’s totally, he’s totally, you know, uh, he’s Senate material in a way that Emil Jones isn’t, if I may say,” Pritzker says, referring to former Illinois Senate President Emil Jones Jr., a Blagojevich ally who is now serving as a Kennedy surrogate in the 2018 governor’s contest.

“OK,” Blagojevich says.

“I mean, you know. He’s just, I don’t know how to say it exactly, but Emil’s a little more crass,” Pritzker continues.

* The Sun-Times has Sen. Jones’ reaction…

“He’s been running around the black community talking about all the things he’s gonna do. Blah, blah, blah. … He’s trying to buy the black vote. He’s like a one-eyed jack. But, those tapes show you the other side of his face. This is what he really thinks about black folks,” said Jones, who has endorsed Chris Kennedy for governor.

“What he meant by ‘crass’ is that I’m an uppity black. I fight for my people and, sometimes, that ruffles feathers. What he was saying in comparing me to Jesse White is that Jesse White is a safe black. Jesse White is not gonna do what Emil Jones does. Dr. King was a crass black. Harold Washington was a crass black. It was said in a derogatory manner.” […]

“Look at the other side of his face. The other side of his face is that he does not accept strong black leadership. He likes acceptable blacks who are meek and won’t say anything,” Jones said.

Jones was not impressed when told that Secretary of State Jesse White, City Treasurer Kurt Summers and Aldermen Pat Dowell (3rd), Michael Scott Jr. (24th) and Walter Burnett (27th) all stood with Pritzker on Tuesday as the candidate offered his public apology.

“I expect that from them. They are all safe blacks. A safe black is not gonna challenge or do anything,” Jones said.

Oof…

The Tribune has video.

* ABC 7…

“This is a slap in our face, taking our community for granted, playing our community against each other, this is not the kind of leadership we need at this time,” said 9th Ward Alderman Anthony Beale.

Pritzker had recently been invited to speak at Sweet Holy Spirit Church, but Bishop Larry Trotter has now dis-invited him.

“For Pritzker to refer to (Emil Jones) as ‘crass’ is a slap in the face to every African American in Illinois. Just to think we are six days into Black History Month and a candidate for governor thinks it’s funny to join in on such derogatory discussions about our leaders,” Trotter said.

* Meanwhile…

Campaign fallout. @JBPritzker campaign worker resigns in the wake of latest FBI recordings of Pritzker and Blagojevich. @ABC7Chicago pic.twitter.com/L8LppRGIX5

— Craig Wall ABC 7 (@craigrwall) February 7, 2018

Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Galia Slayen told me: "We certainly respect Kina’s feelings on this matter and are sad to see her go from the campaign. She was a field organizer."

— Craig Wall ABC 7 (@craigrwall) February 7, 2018

…Adding… I changed the headline and deleted a tweet because of this…

Organizer who said Pritzker rally who posted on FB postponed, has deleted that post, Pritzker team said "postponement had nothing to do with today" and asks me to take down original tweet, "miscommunication with the venue" #ILGov @JBPritzker (I'd rather hear from the organizer)

— Mary Ann Ahern (@MaryAnnAhernNBC) February 7, 2018

* Related…

* Pritzker Apologizes For ‘Regrettable’ Remarks On Black Politicians In Call With Blagojevich: “He insulted my whole community,” Jones said, pounding on a lectern at a South Side church.

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*** LIVE *** Session coverage

Tuesday, Feb 6, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Watch it all with ScribbleLive…

2 Comments

*** UPDATED x1 *** White, Pritzker to appear together

Tuesday, Feb 6, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Background is here. Pretty predictable…

JB Prtizker spoke to Jesse White by phone last night, White "is very comfortable with him, good conversation, connecting as friends" but White spokesman won't say if Pritzker apologized after calling White "least offensive" African American choice to replace Obama in Senate

— Mary Ann Ahern (@MaryAnnAhernNBC) February 6, 2018

Latest: Secy of State Jesse White will be standing with @JBPritzker at his mea culpa newser “least offensive” flap #ILGov

— Mary Ann Ahern (@MaryAnnAhernNBC) February 6, 2018

*** UPDATE *** Monique…

A spokesman for Jesse White's campaign says the Secretary of State “is absolutely standing by” his endorsement of Pritzker. "This is his guy."

— Monique Garcia (@moniquegarcia) February 6, 2018

“I think that Jesse has been in politics long enough to know that there is a context for everything, and sometimes that may be bigger than what is obvious,” said Rocco Claps, political director for White’s campaign. https://t.co/55GQ5G5Fly

— Monique Garcia (@moniquegarcia) February 6, 2018

…Adding… You can follow the press conference on our live coverage post.

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Ives supporter Breen says ad should be taken down

Tuesday, Feb 6, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller

* SJ-R reporter…

State Rep. Peter Breen (R-Lombard), an Ives supporter, says controversial ad should be taken down: "I don’t like the ad. The points made could and should be made in a much less incendiary way … It’s not an ad that really helps to advance the conversation." #twill

— Brenden Moore (@brendenmoore13) February 6, 2018

That’s at least two legislative Ives supporters who are saying this. Rep. David McSweeney came forward yesterday.

…Adding… I missed this yesterday. Many thanks to a commenter for the link…

Add House Rep. Tom Morrison to the list of pro-Ives Republicans who opposes the ad. "I thought it was jarring. It's not the ad I would run if I was a candidate," Morrison says. Wouldn't say if he would take it off air. https://t.co/7V6jGaYSyj

— Mark Maxwell (@WCIA3Mark) February 5, 2018

21 Comments

*** UPDATED x1 *** Ives claims her ad is a “parody” of Rauner’s “Thanks, Madigan” spot

Tuesday, Feb 6, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller

* ABC 7…

Ives called her ad a parody of Governor Bruce Rauner’s “Thank You Mike Madigan” ad. […]

Dan Proft, a radio host and conservative strategist who used to work with the Rauner campaign but defected to Ives, defended the ad.

“Not everybody’s tone or sensibility is the same, so people are going to take things differently. But in terms of the veracity of the statements in the ad and the representations, the characterizations of issues and issue positions the governor has taken, that’s all factual,” Proft said.

* After Ives’ speech, Proft was asked by at least three reporters if he wrote the ad. He didn’t answer that question, but he did attempt to explain the ad to Mary Ann Ahern…

* One take I’ve heard a lot about this ad is it probably kills Ives’ chances of winning more than a tiny handful of newspaper endorsements. She might’ve actually received the Trib’s nod, but even though the mother ship hasn’t yet weighed in, it’s tough to see how they can go with her now.

The Alton Telegraph, which is not exactly a liberal bastion, doesn’t like the spot…

It’s hard to tell who Republican state representative and gubernatorial candidate Jeanne Ives is going after in a new ad that has mouths dropping across party lines — incumbent Bruce Rauner or anyone in Illinois who doesn’t fit a narrowly defined conventional conservative mold.

In one of the more over-the-top political ads to hit the state’s airwaves in a long time — and that is saying a lot — Ives’s campaign goes for the political throat. While it would be easy to dismiss it simply as sexist, transphobic and slightly bigoted, it just might be a sign of the tone of things to come in a super-heated gubernatorial primary race.

* And Amanda Vinicky makes a good point here…

But arguably, the ad speaks most to the conservatives who were already backing her, while turning off moderate Republicans who had been looking for an alternative to Rauner.

* From the Tribune’s coverage…

Ives continued: “That’s exactly — the fat cat Exelon guy, that’s exactly who he bailed out. Hello. The teacher from Chicago Public Schools, that’s whose pension you just bailed out. The transgender man, that’s exactly what typically a transgender man looks like.”

At that point, an audience member shouted out, “no, it’s not,” to which Ives replied, “with all due respect, look, I’ve had him show up at my door.”

Later, Ives told reporters the she encountered a transgender lawyer when she was in a court battle involving a death threat she’d received in connection with her position on same sex-marriage legislation that passed the General Assembly in 2013. The laywer was representing the person who had allegedly made the death threat and showed up at her door, Ives said.

Attendance at the City Club event was more sparse than many political events hosted by the group. Ives delivered a wide-ranging speech that included her biographical background, policy positions and critique of Rauner.

*** UPDATE *** Go read this piece…

Trans attorney: “Dangerous" Jeanne Ives "hurt my feelings" over controversial ad https://t.co/EGsbDsNFaN pic.twitter.com/8AE7LK9brL

— Chicago Tribune (@chicagotribune) February 6, 2018

33 Comments

*** UPDATED x3 - Kennedy, Biss, Rauner campaigns respond *** FBI recording catches Pritzker joking with Blagojevich: “God damn America”

Tuesday, Feb 6, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller

[Bumped up to Tuesday morning for visibility.]

* The Tribune reports on a Nov. 14, 2008 FBI surveillance recording of a phone conversation between then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich and JB Pritzker discussing options for filling President-elect Barack Obama’s US Senate seat…

“I’m sure you thought of this one, but Jesse White,” Pritzker tells Blagojevich. “Even though I know you guys aren’t like, you know, bosom buddies or anything, it covers you on the African-American thing.” […]

Pritzker notes that elevating White to the Senate would open up another appointment for secretary of state, an office coveted for its patronage jobs. “It’d be a lot less pressure on you. You don’t have to put an African-American in that spot,” Pritzker says. […]

“All I would say is I think that there need to be more, you know, people of color that serve in public office,” Pritzker said. “I mean, I think that’s something, I’ve supported a lot of candidates over the years who are people of color and Jesse White’s, I think, a beloved person in the state of Illinois, so I can only imagine that’s what I had in mind.”

Interesting how Pritzker would point out to Blagojevich the immense patronage benefits of elevating White to the Senate and appointing his replacement. It’s not inconceivable that Pritzker could appoint White’s replacement if he wins.

* MAA’s take…

Newly released Blago-Pritzker FBI tapes, @chicagotribune reports @JBPritzker refers to Secy of State Jesse White as "LEAST OFFENSIVE" in discussing African American candidates for open senate seat with Blago #ILGov https://t.co/nfkiMvuvRy

— Mary Ann Ahern (@MaryAnnAhernNBC) February 6, 2018

In listening to the recording again, it sounds to me that Pritzker’s main goal for this particular conversation was to dissuade Blagojevich from appointing then-Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. to the open seat. Blagojevich and Jackson had been close at one time, but they’d had a huge falling out and Pritzker could’ve saved his breath.

* OK, for this next part, you may have to first click here for some background information on Rev. Wright and click here for background on Bill Ayers. Here’s my transcript of the rest of the tape about possible Senate appointments…

Blagojevich: And how about this one? God, if I knew for sure I wasn’t running again…

Pritzker: Yeah.

Blagojevich: How about Rev. Wright?

Pritzker: Oh, my God! [Both laugh] Bill Ayers!

Blagojevich: How about f-ing sending Rev. Wright there? I’d bet ya he’d take it.

Pritzker: Hilarious.

Blagojevich: Huh? Would that be f-ing funny?

Pritzker: Hilarious. Oh my God. [Both laugh]

Blagojevich: Yeah. [Laughing] Right there on the Senate floor. It’s not ‘God Bless America,’ it’s ‘God Damn America!’

Pritzker: God damn America.

Blagojevich: ‘Well now, when Barack was in Sunday school, I used to tell him’…

Pritzker: That’s funny.

The guy had better get out the checkbook again.

* From Galia Slayen at the Pritzker campaign…

On the same day Bruce Rauner released a new attack ad in the Democratic primary with edited audio of illegally leaked calls, the Chicago Tribune has now released portions of calls they’ve chosen to sit on for nine months. JB has always made clear how much he admires Jesse White and believes he would have made a great Senator for Illinois. Bruce Rauner should spend less time colluding with a newspaper on how to play politics in another party’s primary and more time figuring out how to be in charge and stop failing this state.

*** UPDATE 1 *** Rauner campaign…

“The Pritzker campaign must be panicking because now they’re just making things up.”

https://capitolfax.com/2017/06/01/trib-reporter-denies-pritzker-story-was-a-rauner-leak/

*** UPDATE 2 *** Biss campaign…

On Monday, the Chicago Tribune published a never before released recorded phone conversation between J.B. Pritzker and former governor Rod Blagojevich revealing an inappropriate and ongoing conversation regarding Pritzker’s requests to be appointed to office by Blagojevich in 2008, after Barack Obama was elected president.

“The recorded conversations between JB Pritzker and Rod Blagojevich represent everything that’s wrong with the connection between money and power,” said Daniel Biss. “For too long our broken system has allowed the wealthy to have unfettered access to the decision-makers in our government. That’s what breeds corruption. And when that access involves two influential white men making political calculations based on skin color, that’s what perpetuates a racist system.”

“People shouldn’t be reduced to their race,” said Litesa Wallace. “Like anyone else, black people have individual strengths and weaknesses, and none of those are predicated on the color of our skin. When I hear conversations between the rich and powerful that minimize anyone based on race, or gender, or any other characteristic, it reminds me of the work that remains for all of us. We must stop treating people like commodities and build a world where we have co-governance and a true representative democracy.”

“JB Pritzker owes us all an apology,” continued Biss. “What JB said is racially insensitive at best and at worst reveals an attitude that is disrespectful to African Americans. He needs to stop blaming others and take responsibility for his actions, not hide behind statements issued by a campaign spokesperson.”

*** UPDATE 3 *** Kennedy campaign…

Ra Joy:
“To hear JB Pritzker say the words ‘least offensive’ to describe black men in America, black elected officials from Illinois, is beyond offensive. We are more than a ‘thing.’ We are leaders, we are voters, we are parents, we are sons and daughters, we are neighbors, and we are trying to overcome generations of racism. Structural inequities make that difficult, if not impossible, and JB Pritzker’s demeaning language unravels the progress we’ve made.”

Chris Kennedy:
“Our true character shows when we think no one is watching. JB’s conversations with Blagojevich are disqualifying and they’re a reflection of his integrity. The language he used to marginalize the African-American community is unacceptable. To use the term ‘least offensive’ to describe anyone, particularly one of our state’s longest-serving African-American leaders, is dismissive and disrespectful. JB Pritzker should apologize instead of blaming others.”

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