* We’ll talk again Tuesday. Meanwhile, I figured that after Rep. Dunkin called his fellow House Democrats “monkeys” the other day that this would be an appropriate way to end the week. You know, like a new theme song for them… or something. Turn it up…
Well, I hope we’re not too Messianic or a trifle too Satanic
“There are 48 states with a budget. There are two states without a budget: Pennsylvania and Illinois. You know what they both have in common? Both have governors that come from the private sector with no political experience,” [Mayor Rahm Emanuel] said.
“I’m not saying political experience is everything. But knowing how to work with people creating a compromise — there’s a skill that comes with that. It comes with ideas, persuasion, cooperation, trust-building from Day One.”
Ok, point taken. He’s made a ton of rookie mistakes. The other factor here is that Pennsylvania has a liberal Democratic governor and a conservative GOP legislature, the opposite of Illinois. It’s not an easy minefield to navigate without any relevant experience for either man.
* But this impasse is not all about Rauner’s inexperience. Remember this TV ad from the 2014 campaign?…
That’s become my favorite ad of the entire year.
In the ad, Rauner predicted he would “drive the career politicians nuts.” Mrs. Rauner rolled her eyes knowingly in the ad and smirked. He laughed and said “I will, I’ll drive ‘em nuts.”
* 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.”
* SEIU Healthcare has posted the now notorious exchange between President Obama and Rep. Ken Dunkin, with a couple of amusing twists…
* And Rep. Reggie Phillips (R-Charleston) wasn’t exactly soft-spoken with some EIU students after a recent rally when he tried to explain why he didn’t come to Springfield to vote for the MAP grant appropriations bill earlier this month…
* From Bob Fioretti’s state Senate campaign…
The pyramid scheme that has allowed [State Sen. Patricia Van Pelt] to get rich through her public office ranks its salespeople from entry level to “Diamond” level. The more people you can get to join a business that is roundly criticized by former members and consumer advocates, the higher your rank.
Van Pelt has used her office to achieve Platinum level and her pursuit of Diamond level, a journey that has gotten her a Bentley and a BMW, has caused her to blur the line between the business of government and her personal wealth. It was covered in a recent Better Government Association Investigative Report.
In the accompanying video she talks about using her influence as a Senator to earn money as the Platinum Vice President of a pyramid scheme. She has repeatedly demonstrated she doesn’t understand why she can’t leverage her office and use the more than 300,000 households in the district as patsies to fuel her desire for an extravagant lifestyle.
A s reported in March of 2014, Van Pelt was asked if she was ” soliciting public-sector employees… [that] could be construed as improper if it’s the boss doing the ask.” Van Pelt refused to comment.
But Van Pelt has a lot to say about going diamond.
“I need 7 BMW’s on the ground in order for me to feel comfortable driving a Bentley… Before I turn diamond I need to have 5 Bentleys on the ground.”
The Van Pelt campaign has laced the community with lies and propaganda in the hope of shifting attention from the truth. Numerous ethical complaints have flowed into several agencies, including the State Board of Elections, alleging improper campaign violations. It has gotten so bad, that a cease and desist order has been issued to the Van Pelt campaign regarding the distribution of deceptive materials to her community.
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…
* Gov. Rauner said the other day that he wasn’t focused at all on politics. He can’t say that now. From a press release…
Governor Bruce Rauner has announced his endorsement of Bryce Benton, Republican candidate for State Senate in the 50th District, this evening at the Sangamon County Lincoln Day Dinner.
“I am proud to announce that I support Bryce Benton for State Senate in the 50th District,” said Rauner. “Bryce Benton serves the citizens of Illinois as a State Trooper. He makes sacrifices for the people of Illinois every day. He serves others, not himself. He has the utmost integrity and can’t be controlled by the special interests.”
“I’m asking you to join me in supporting Bryce Benton for State Senate,” said Rauner. “We have to send a message to the special interests – that their days of controlling Illinois are over. Illinois needs people like Bryce Benton who will serve our state with integrity and honor. We can’t afford to elect politicians who serve themselves and the special interests.”
“It’s an incredible honor to receive the support of Governor Rauner,” said Benton. “Governor Rauner wasn’t elected to maintain the status quo. Voters all over Central Illinois sent him to Springfield to turn our state around, and now he needs more allies in the Senate. The Governor has endorsed me because he knows that I won’t bow to the demands of special interests and will fight for all of Central Illinois.”
* That video was part of a longer video played last night at the Sangamon County Lincoln Day Dinner. The county party has endorsed McCann. Here’s an e-mail last night from a longtime reader, who sent it moments after the announcement…
At Sangamon County GOP Lincoln Day Dinner. Governor Rauner had a pre taped message. Mentioned all representatives of Sangamon County including State Senator Bill Brady. Excluded McCann.
Proceeded to rail about Special interests and Madigan. He glowed about Rosemarie Long and her great leadership. Went on for a little about her.
Then went on to say he had a special announcement. Said he was announcing he was endorsing Benton. Sam was in the room. Very uncomfortable silence with only Bryce’s table cheering.
Wow.
Weird that he sent a video and didn’t show in person, but whatevs.
* Meanwhile, here’s Sen. McCann’s new TV ad, which was recorded with a phone off a television screen because his campaign hasn’t sent it to me yet…
It’s a pretty darned good spot for a general. Not so sure about a GOP primary, but we’ll see.
