Latest Post | Last 10 Posts | Archives
Previous Post: Winnebago County wants to be reimbursed for too-wide ballots
Next Post: *** UPDATED x1 *** Question of the day
Posted in:
* My Sun-Times column…
“I love the fact Obama obviously has a thin skin,” Tom Swiss wrote in 2010. “His four years are going to be torture for him.”
Less than two years later, Swiss, the former executive director of the Cook County Republican Party, mailed a campaign flier touting “The winning team” of Obama and Tom Swiss.
Did Swiss have a radical change of heart? Heck, no. He spelled out his plans to run for the Illinois House in an email to a fellow Republican last May.
“The people of the district are extremely low information voters,” Swiss wrote. So, he could run as a Democrat, go unnoticed and get himself elected.
It turns out that most of those “extremely” low-info voters he was referring to are black. The 10th House District is centered in Chicago’s heavily African-American West Side.
Swiss is white, but you wouldn’t know it from his campaign literature, most of which prominently featured the same photo of a handsome, young black man. That Obama-Swiss “Team” mailer used that photo as well.
Swiss predicted last May that the upcoming Democratic primary campaign “could possibly be the least expensive State Rep seat pick up for conservatives.”
It didn’t quite work out that way. Swiss ended up spending more than $100,000 of his own money and raised several thousand more from others. His campaign cost him about $50 a vote.
Swiss scored just 23 percent against Rep. Derrick Smith on Tuesday, despite the fact that Smith was recently arrested on a federal bribery charge.
My best friend Brian used to always tell a joke about his dad, a Southwest Side Irish Catholic and about the staunchest Democrat I ever knew: “If Jesus Christ was running as a Republican, my dad would vote for the Democrat.”
I think Brian’s dad, who has since passed, probably would understand what just went down on the West Side, even though a lot of pundits don’t seem to quite grasp it. To them, black Democrats should’ve sided with the white Republican (in a Democratic primary, no less) who wore a deceiving minstrel blackface while holding them in utter contempt.
“Extremely low-information voters,” indeed. The 10th District’s voters knew exactly what Swiss was up to, and they also knew what they were doing.
The choice faced by the district’s Democratic voters was to cast their ballots for Smith, figuring he would resign soon or be kicked out of the House, or side with a guy who was until late last year the 27th Ward’s Republican committeeman.
There’s no doubt in my mind that Smith held his constituents in even more contempt by allegedly soliciting a $7,000 bribe from a day care center owner. And I’m not going to defend any vote for Smith. He has been an embarrassing dim bulb in the House ever since Secretary of State Jesse White orchestrated his appointment last year.
But if White has a brain in his head and more than a grain of political self-protection remaining in his soul, then after Smith either resigns or is kicked out of the House, White will make extra sure that the 10th District finally gets a capable, hardworking, smart state legislator who respects his or her constituents and works hard every day on their behalf.
This is the only way that the voters’ lousy choice can ever be redeemed. And White had better make sure it happens, because if he helps appoint another stupid political hack like Derrick Smith, then the next loud call for a politician’s resignation will be aimed right at him.
* And the Sun-Times editorial board appears to be on the same page with me…
Even before Smith was indicted on bribery charges last week, he was unfit for the job. When we interviewed him by phone last month, his answers to questions on state affairs were halting and shallow. There was a major pause before each answer, suggesting someone was coaching him. His written answers weren’t much better.
He got the job for one reason: He was Secretary of State Jesse White’s guy. White and other Democrats are now pressuring him to resign, giving them a second chance to make an appointment. They owe it to voters to get it right this time.
* Phil Kadner has another idea…
Getting rid of Smith won’t rid Illinois of corruption or convince anyone in this state that the Legislature has standards of ethical conduct.
Instead of removing him from office, just hang a sandwich board around his neck reading, “Will vote for cash!”
Now that’s what I would call honest government.
* Meanwhile, there were earlier reports, including from myself, that the proceedings of the House’s new special investigative committee might be secret. That was based on a reading of the House Rules…
The special investigating committee shall conduct all of its proceedings in executive session, and shall maintain strict confidence as to all of its proceedings and all witnesses, testimony, information, and exhibits that may come before it. No transcript or record of proceedings shall be taken. This subsection shall be adopted and effective upon an affirmative vote of 79 members. This subsection may not be suspended.
But there is no intent to adopt that subsection. Instead, the hearings will be open to the media. But there will be some ground rules, and they look a lot like the Heiple and Blagojevich impeachment. This is from the two spokespeople for the House Democrats and Republicans, slightly edited for style…
The Tuesday hearing will use some general ground rules created for previous high profile events in order to maximize facilities and provide some order and decorum.
1. There will be 40 seats for media. Credentials will be issued each day the hearings are held about 1 hour before the start. Credentials will be needed to acquire a press seat. House press passes, SOS passes. media credentials will be needed.
2. IIS will provide video/audio feed to Room 115 and is surveying for a satellite feed. Crews will work from Room 115 and arrangements will be made for “b-roll”
3. There will a multi box on the west side of the committee room the media section
4. Stills. We prefer a pool led by the AP and will try to accommodate others as time and space permit
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Mar 23, 12 @ 12:34 pm
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
Previous Post: Winnebago County wants to be reimbursed for too-wide ballots
Next Post: *** UPDATED x1 *** Question of the day
WordPress Mobile Edition available at alexking.org.
powered by WordPress.
As I’ve said elsewhere, great column Rich.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Friday, Mar 23, 12 @ 12:43 pm
1) I wonder if he wants to get paid to leave the House.
2) Even if he gets thrown out but stays on November ballot, they’d need to throw him out again.
Comment by Welcome to the crapshow Friday, Mar 23, 12 @ 12:47 pm
The fact that a rocket scientist like Tom Swiss was executive director of the Cook County GOP is so revealing.
And every big foot in the state GOP couldn’t deliver for a big-money candidate in a ward primary race last Tuesday.
Face it, Madigan is behind all this. There’s no other reasonable explanation for such ineptitude in the state’s most populous county.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Mar 23, 12 @ 12:50 pm
Outsatanding, Rich!
Very. Well. Done.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Mar 23, 12 @ 12:53 pm
===I wonder if he wants to get paid to leave the House.===
I’m pretty sure he wants to stay in the House as long as possible because that’s the only way he can get paid.
Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Mar 23, 12 @ 12:55 pm
This might have worked if there was no dem party in Chicago. He would have gotten away with it if it weren’t for you meddling Dems!
Comment by Wumpus Friday, Mar 23, 12 @ 12:56 pm
Derrick may not be the brightest candle on the menorah, but maybe this isn’t all about him???
Comment by morry levy Friday, Mar 23, 12 @ 1:03 pm
===His campaign cost him about $50 a vote.===
Most of which was his own money, $100,000 plus. As Nelson Muntz would say, “ha ha!”
Here’s a tip for Swiss for the next time: change your name to Andrew Jackson and pass out $20 bills instead of palm cards. It’ll be cheaper and just as effective.
Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Mar 23, 12 @ 1:03 pm
Jesse White worry?! Please! He has no fear about tossed aside by the democratic party in this election cycle or any other.
Comment by Louie Friday, Mar 23, 12 @ 1:15 pm
Looks like Swiss was more ‘extremely low information’ than the voters in the 10th district were.
I really am angry at the political commentators (Kass etal) to no end in their handling of this race on TV Tuesday night. Instead of stupid ranting where every other word is ‘corruption, Madigan, combine’ and so forth–how about some thoughtful analysis on how the voters of the 10th simultaneously reelected Smith while bouncing Collins. I guess they are paid to talk instead of think!!
Good thought out column Rich
train111
Comment by train111 Friday, Mar 23, 12 @ 1:22 pm
Jessie has nothing to worry about. He can put whatever yes man he wants there and it won’t matter. If the next one is a criminal so be it won’t matter in cook co.
Comment by Fed up Friday, Mar 23, 12 @ 1:29 pm
===If the next one is a criminal so be it won’t matter in cook co.===
I believe the extremely low information voters had all the information they needed, and chose wisely. In this case, given the choice between a crook, who they knew would be replaced post haste, or a lying republican (sorry for the redundancy), they chose to let the democratic party, that they support, make the choice for them.
Comment by PublicServant Friday, Mar 23, 12 @ 1:42 pm
@Fed-up -
Oh please. Read the Tribune’s editorial today about Rep. Roger Eddy’s pension triple-dip, and then try to tell me this is all about the Democrats and Cook County.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Friday, Mar 23, 12 @ 1:51 pm
One can hope Smith is bright enough to get the message, and the committee won’t even have to meet.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Mar 23, 12 @ 1:57 pm
Can Jonathan Goldman be appointed to Smith’s seat? If so, that would be a good appointment.
Comment by anon Friday, Mar 23, 12 @ 2:04 pm
Great column.
John Kass, Andy Shaw and others really have egg on their faces after giving any credence whatsoever to the idea that this con man Tom Swiss deserved any votes after attempting to mislead black voters into thinking he had any affinity for or connection to Obama and the Democratic party.
Tom Swiss redefined waste of money. He could have truly helped the poor in this district with that 100 grand he just flushed down the john.
Comment by too obvious Friday, Mar 23, 12 @ 2:31 pm
“A warning to Jesse White: You’d better do it right this time”
-In most places politicians don’t get 2nd chances after debacles like this.
Comment by Shore Friday, Mar 23, 12 @ 2:36 pm
Jesse White is like the star athlete that stays one season too long and everyone knows it but him.
Comment by Cassiopeia Friday, Mar 23, 12 @ 3:38 pm
Ideally the Smith/Swiss vote would have been 1 - 1. Or 2 - 2 if you give spouses a pass. Obviously the so-called Democratic Party failed the voters and the public in that district. With absolutely no guarantee that Smith will resign OR put his signature on something removing himself from the ballot, I don’t understand at all how people could still vote for him. Leave it blank and go find an independent or other party candidate to put on the ballot. Jesse White gave you Smith to begin with.
So how long until we can start calling for Jesse White’s resignation? Two more weeks without Smith resigning or removing himself from the ballot? Nah, I’ll start now. Unless Smith completely steps aside by next week, Jesse White should be held accountable for this mess and resign his positions of authority.
too obvious - did Kass, Shaw and others really tell people to vote for Swiss instead of Smith, or did they just say don’t vote for Smith? As for the 100 grand, the exact same thing can be said for the 60 grand Madigan gave to Smith. Will Smith be using any of that 60 grand for his defense lawyers?
Comment by Jeff Trigg Friday, Mar 23, 12 @ 3:39 pm
Nobody was too worked up about Sean Morrison campaigning as a “Republican” for the suburban seat on the Board of Review in Cook County. His party credentials were almost as minimal as those of Swiss posing as a Democrat.
Derrick Smith had a less than sterling background before he was appointed to the vacant State Representative’s seat. He got into some trouble while on a city payroll.
It did not inspire much confidence when Danny Davis told the voters to trust the committeemen to make a suitable replacement candidate since they picked Smith in the first place.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Mar 23, 12 @ 3:43 pm
Tom Swiss lost because his campaign was full of holes.
I agree with train111…the voters in that district want a real Democrat to represent them. Yet, to some media sources, the voters in that district were somehow misguided in not falling for a Republican trying to be something he wasn’t.
And supposedly, there is a “liberal media bias”??? Right.
Comment by Matt Friday, Mar 23, 12 @ 4:20 pm