* Subscribers have a copy of this mailer, plus another harsh one from the Stratton campaign…
The Democratic lawmaker who broke with Michael Madigan, depriving the House speaker of his supermajority and ability to override gubernatorial vetoes, is the target of a new campaign flyer out today in his district, and there’s only one word for it: “brutal.”
The flyer, prepared and paid for by Ald. Brendan Reilly’s 42nd Ward Democratic Organization, features what apparently is an old police mug shot of Rep. Ken Dunkin. It talks about jail sentences, being a “deadbeat dad” and more. And it prominently notes that Dunkin, who faces a difficult primary race against the union-backed Juliana Stratton, is getting tons of financial help from allies of Gob Bruce Rauner.
“Why are groups tied to Governor Rauner and the Republican Tea Party spending $750,000 to re-elect ‘Democrat’ Ken Dunkin?” the flyer asks on one side, picturing Dunkin with a “thumbs up,” hiding behind a pile of cash.
The flyer then answers its own question: “To help Ken Dunkin hide from his very disturbing record.”
On the back side, next to the mug shot, it says the representative’s “legislative record is disturbing but his criminal record is even worse,” with Dunkin allegedly having “twice violated orders of protection and served jail time.” He failed to pay child support and voting against a bill to make it easier to collect interest on delinquent child support, the flyer says.
In [a radio ad] that debuted Wednesday, Rep. Ken Dunkin was criticized for allegedly colluding with Gov. Bruce Rauner and Mayor Rahm Emanuel and acting against the interests of his constituents.
“Ken Dunkin has sold you down the river to Gov. Bruce Rauner and his boys,” the ad by Citizens Against Corruption chairman William J. Kelly says.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Could a walk-back possibly be in the works? I’m told by IllinoisGO, which has spent a ton of money supporting Rep. Dunkin, that they’ve seen the pieces and are looking to establish the facts.
“He [Ald. Brendan Reilly] did not consult with me before those were sent out,” Stratton said.
But Stratton added: “The information is relevant. It’s relevant to the voters of the 5th District who have a right to know all of the information to help them make an informed decision in this race about who should represent them in Springfield.”
Stratton said she’s heard “rumblings in the community” about the allegations in the fliers, but “I didn’t know any of the details.”
Asked if it’s fair to bring up alleged incidents that, in some cases, occurred two decades ago, Stratton said she’s “an advocate for a second chance,” but also believes that candidates and those holding public office should be held to “a higher standard.”
Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ) Director Candice Jones today issued the following statement:
“The Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice today announced it will be closing its Youth Center in Kewanee. The decision to close IYC-Kewanee was difficult, but it is the right decision for the State of Illinois. We considered many factors in arriving at this conclusion, including: national best practices; optimal youth outcomes; ongoing challenges at the facility as highlighted by court-appointed juvenile justice experts and costs to the State. An analysis of each area supported an overall decision to close.
“This decision is about transitioning Illinois to a new model of rehabilitating youth that aligns with national best practices and improves community safety.
“What we know from national research and other states is that youth do best when we work with them in the most appropriate, least-restrictive setting. For misdemeanants and youth with other low-level offenses, that means partnering with proven, effective non-profits to provide resources and work with youth in their communities. It also means that secure custody in state facilities should be reserved for only the highest risk youth who pose a threat to the community.
“The Department’s facilities have historically mirrored adult correctional institutions in policy, programming and procedures, failing to take into account the unique needs of adolescent brain development. By closing this large, maximum-security facility, we will be able to transition to developing smaller, treatment-focused facilities that are proven to be more effective in rehabilitating youth.
“As of February 10, the Department had 436 youth in its care. Our capacity to room youth in single bunks without using confinement, a manner considered to be a best practice, is 989 bunks. Closure of IYC-Kewanee would leave 683 beds. That is enough capacity to comply with best practices, and account for seasonal fluctuations in the number of youth confined. We cannot continue to operate six facilities when the numbers are so clear.
“This closure will also allow IDJJ to reinvest a portion of the cost-savings into community-based programming and reduce overall costs to the State. It will also allow the State to explore repurposing the facility to continue to provide services [to citizens, other populations, etc.]. That’s good for taxpayers, youth, families, our communities and the entire State.”
I’m sure react will be forthcoming.
*** UPDATE *** From the ACLU…
We welcome the announcement that the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice will close the detention facility at Kewanee due to a falling population at the youth center. The ACLU of Illinois always intended our consent decree with the IDJJ (RJ v. Jones) not only to address the services that juveniles receive in facilities like Kewanee, but also to cause the Department to re-examine whether they need to detain so many young people. Clearly that re-examination is yielding results.
With the decision to move youth out of Kewanee, we are hopeful that the IDJJ will now have more resources to improve services and conditions for young people at the remaining five (5) facilities, and to provide necessary services to youth offenders in their own communities. We hope that this is just the first announcement regarding the closing of a youth detention facility, and that we can move to a day when Illinois detains fewer juveniles in far-flung parts of the state.
Edwin C. Yohnka
Director of Communications and Public Policy
American Civil LIberties Union of Illinois
A top Senate Republican strategist laid out how the party plans to portray U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth should she win the March 15 Democratic primary and face Republican U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk in the general election.
Speaking at a Thursday breakfast, Ward Baker, executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said the GOP will seek to tie Duckworth to Mayor Rahm Emanuel, whose popularity has plummeted, and “Chicago-style politics.” Emanuel led the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee during Duckworth’s first, unsuccessful bid for a House seat in 2006 against Republican Rep. Peter Roskam.
Also running in the Democratic U.S. Senate primary is Andrea Zopp, the former head of the Chicago Urban League, and state Sen. Napoleon Harris. The breakfast was hosted by the Christian Science Monitor.
The mayor’s numbers are just horrible. I’ve never seen anything like this.
*** UPDATE 1 *** From Wordslinger in comments…
Has the RSNC checked in with Kirk?
Because Kirk gave Emanuel a ringing endorsement last year as a “strong capable leader” with “gravitas.” A mayor who can move the markets and the only one who could prevent…. you guessed it, Chicago from becoming “another Detroit.”
–”The people who are running against Rahm don’t have the gravitas with the bond market. I would worry about the value of the Chicago debt if Rahm was not re-elected,” Kirk, R-Ill., told reporters at an event celebrating Casmir Pulaski, the Polish general who fought gallantly in the American Revolutionary War.
……”It’s a concern if we had one of the less-responsible people running against him,” Kirk said at the event in Chicago. “None of them could command the respect of the bond market. The collapse of Chicago debt — which already happened with Detroit — would soon follow if somebody who is very inexperienced replaced Rahm. …You’ve got to have a strong, capable leader and the people I’ve seen running against the mayor are not that leader.”—
And that’s just one reason why I love my commenters so much.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Duckworth campaign…
“The truth hurts: Mark Kirk helped lead the charge into the Iraq War, and that disastrous decision created the conditions which gave rise to ISIS. He was wrong then, he’s wrong now, and his bizarre Twitter tantrum and subsequent statements reveal that he doesn’t appreciate being challenged or held to account for how he’s been wrong on just about every critical national security issue of the past 15 years, or for his irresponsible rhetoric. When Kirk fear mongers over Syrian refugees or says criticism of Iran will just “bounce off their turbans” — or when Donald Trump says we should ban all Muslims from entering the country — these politicians are dividing people and running counter to an America that welcomes people of good will from all faiths. They’re also doing groups like ISIS a favor by painting a phony picture that America is anti-Muslim, which only serves to recruit more terrorists who hate us and want to kill our soldiers and civilians.” — Matt McGrath, campaign spokesman
[ *** End Of Updates *** ]
* In other news, Sen. Kirk was on WLS this morning…
* Some quotes supplied by the Senator’s campaign…
I would say that for Tammy Duckworth to blame the junior Senator for Illinois for Islamic terror, shows she is a naive fool, not fit for office in the Senate with this threat that’s growing to the United States.
There’s a statement she made that she said of the 900,000 refugees who were let in the country not one has had a problem with law enforcement which is directly wrong, and she knows that in Bowling Green, Kentucky the FBI busted 2 Iraqi refugees who were plotting to conduct terror operations here in the United States. And that was already public record and already broadcasted by ABC news.
Saying that the Jr. Senator from Illinois was responsible for Islamic terror. You know, it was just so dumb. You just lay it out there. So blindingly idiotic to say that the people of Illinois would think that…
