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Rep. Smith says he shall return

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Illinois

* This is gonna be a freaking zoo…

The lawyer for indicted state Rep. Derrick Smith says the Chicago Democrat plans to return to work in Springfield despite numerous calls from him to step down.

Victor Henderson told The Associated Press on Wednesday that Smith “takes his responsibility as a state representative very seriously” and that Smith told him he’ll return to the General Assembly shortly.

I seriously doubt that anybody is gonna talk to that guy when he gets to town. He’s been indicted for federal bribery charges, for crying out loud. Everybody will figure he’s out to cut a deal with the feds, so they’d better keep their distance.

And then there’s the problem of allowing somebody to vote on legislation after he was caught on tape allegedly (and blatantly) accepting a bribe. Yes, he’s innocent until proven guilty, but, I mean, really. C’mon, man. His triumphant return could speed up the process of his own expulsion.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 9:59 am

Comments

Yes, he’ll be a pariah and I would urge him to vote present if he votes at all. His presence won’t be fun for anyone involved, except possibly for Rich and the rest of the news media.

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 10:03 am
“POISON” MUSHROOM RETURNS TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 10:05 am
“HUGS ALL AROUND” AS SMITH RETURNS TO SPRINGFIELD

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 10:07 am
Smith is playing his cards, hoping for some help, but I think he’s too hot now to even talk to about the weather, much less a soft landing. I think they’ll expel him toot suite.

His next card would be to stay on the ballot. What does he have to lose? I don’t think corporate America is burning up the phone lines with job offers.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 10:09 am
Is anyone really surprised!?

Comment by Louie Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 10:12 am
{Everybody will figure he’s out to cut a deal with the feds, so they’d better keep their distance.}

Talk about relative morality.

So just because someone is not suspected of working with federal law enforcement, but is otherwise morally bankrupt, with a reputation of corrupt behavior, it is okay to talk with them if it means cutting a deal that will benefit your own cause or advance your own agenda.

When you lie down with dogs you are bound to get fleas. Whether the dog is cutting a deal with the dog catcher or not should not be the determining factor of whether or not you should go shopping for Gold Bond Powder to stop the itching afterwards.

Comment by Quinn T. Sential Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 10:14 am
I suspect it will be like there is a 4 foot force field around the guy…

Comment by OneMan Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 10:17 am
didn’t they impeach Blago on more or less the same grounds - couldn’t they do the same here?

Comment by Ethel Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 10:26 am
“CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?” SMITH’S COLLEAGUES’ FEAR - WILL PLAY QUIET GAME

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 10:27 am
“Shunning” comes to mind

Comment by mark walker Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 10:28 am
===“HUGS ALL AROUND”===

Hilarious.

There’s an old joke about throwing a bucket of water at somebody suspected of wearing a wire. The Statehouse janitors will have to constantly follow Smith around the complex with mops if he comes back.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 10:32 am
Ethel, try to keep up. There’s already a House Investigatory Committee.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 10:33 am
“VUI” - VOTING UNDER INDICTMENT FOR SMITH’S RETURN TO CAPITOL

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 10:34 am
Mr. Smith Goes to Springfield…

Not quite the sequel to Frank Capra’s flick that I envisioned.

Comment by hisgirlfriday Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 10:34 am
The ilga website shows that Derrick still serves on several House Committees. Can’t they take him off of those? I don’t know if they can stop him from voting on the House floor, but I think they can take away his committee appointments.

Comment by Old Milwaukee Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 10:34 am
Thanks, Rich!

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 10:36 am
This is Illinois. There’s not much shame. I didn’t hear many Democrats before the primary say “don’t vote for Derrick Smith”. I didn’t hear Quinn, Madigan, Burke, or Jesse White say much. Smith’s constituents were well aware of his legal problem- they didn’t care. After all, for many, politics is just “theft through voting”.

Comment by Steve Bartin Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 10:37 am
REP. SMITH’S FIRST ASSIGNMENT - TESTER FOR STATE FAIR DUNK TANK, DAILY

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 10:39 am
CAPITOL JANITORS WELCOME SMITH WITH “OPEN MOPS”

The best I can do, Rich …

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 10:41 am
===Smith’s constituents were well aware of his legal problem- they didn’t care. ===

That’s overly simplistic, Steve. C’mon.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 10:48 am
Can we get O’Willy a special assignment at the Sun Times, to be Rich’s headline writer?

Comment by mark walker Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 10:58 am
1. we haven’t had a political corruption feeding frenzy in 3 weeks and the occupy wall street guys don’t start turning chicago into seattle 1998 for 3 more weeks so this seems like great timing for some cluster— in springfield. Beats talking about real issues.

2. To the democrats reading this, might I suggest finding whoever it was among you that dug up the dirt on blair hull and mark kirk and asking him or her to start vetting the people you put forth for office. First blago, then todd stroger, then scott lee cohen, then mr. broadway bank, now this clown. If you’re not careful, you might actually screw up just enough that even Illinois Republicans might dare I say find a way to start winning elections.

3. Kudos to mr, smith for standing his ground and holding onto your job. You sir have not been convicted of anything yet and are just as entitled to earn a paycheck (that $ can be used for future prison commisarry purchases) as much as your colleagues who lets face it in some cases have done a heckuva lot more to screw up this state than you.

Comment by Shore Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 11:02 am
Washington democrats faced a similar situation with william jefferson-the new orleans congressman who was caught with $95k in cash in his freezer, they booted him off his committees and he was if memory serves a walking zombie until he was defeated.

Comment by Shore Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 11:04 am
Thanks, Mark … appreciate the praise.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 11:05 am
It would be cool if the Democratic Caucus did a Discommendation ritual…

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Discommendation

Madigan crossing his arms and turning, followed by the others would be cool…

Comment by OneMan Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 11:16 am
Hey whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? Ha!

Comment by So. ILL Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 11:17 am
This is an interesting move by Rep. Smith. I assume his lawyers are saying he needs to act like he did nothing wrong so go to work. A side benefit is now he can collect his per diem. BUT, if he collects his per diem and blows off committee’s or voting on the house floor, he gives more ammunition to the Investigative Committee to recommend expulsion. All while nobody wants him to go to committees and be on the house floor. I may make a trip to the capitol the first day just to sit in the gallery to watch. Rich, maybe the state can sell tickets to the gallery to make a buck or two.

Comment by Nagidam Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 11:26 am
The Chicago Dems all stood behind. Ald carouthers when he was indicted for taking bribes. They gave him a warm welcome and let him stay on the city council. Heck the mayor even gave his brother a merit promotion to police commander.

Comment by Fed up Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 11:28 am
Smith, the new blago.

How many imprisoned Illinois elected officials does it take to change a lightbulb at the federal penitentiary?

4 One to force people to buy the bulb as a fundraiser, one to try to sell the bulb to triple J, one to accept a bulb which embarrasses Jesse White and one unindicted as yet to be named fool to screw it in.

I know, a reach.

Comment by dupage dan Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 11:31 am
Rod was impeached after his arrest, but long before his conviction. So a conviction is not a necessary prerequisite for the legislature to take action.

Comment by reformer Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 11:32 am
FEDS HOPE FOR “FEEDBACK” AS SMITH RETURNS TO CAPITOL

“SOUND CHECK” - FEDS HOPE SMITH IS NEW “SPEAKER”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 11:52 am
SMITH PAYING PRICE FOR “HAVING A PRICE”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 12:03 pm
==That’s overly simplistic, Steve. C’mon.==
Really? How? They would rather have a soon to be convicted felon Democrat than a Republican. Isn’t that obvious? Look at the margin of victory.

Comment by So. ILL Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 12:07 pm
“I’ve got this legislative seat and it’s f#$&*ing golden. I’m not just going to give it up for nothing”

Comment by Ghost of John Brown Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 12:10 pm
===They would rather have a soon to be convicted felon Democrat than a Republican.===

Another simpleton heard from.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 12:17 pm
==They would rather have a soon to be convicted felon Democrat than a Republican.==

If someone who was asking for my vote called me a ‘low information voter’ I’d vote for the other guy, even if it was Blagojevich. Especially in a primary, because I would get a do over in November when it really counts.

Comment by Cheryl44 Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 12:32 pm
–Really? How? They would rather have a soon to be convicted felon Democrat than a Republican. Isn’t that obvious? Look at the margin of victory.–

Well, it was a Democratic primary in a black district. And the other dude was a white Republican who pretended to be black and wrote that the district’s constituents were ignorant.

You sure they made the wrong choice?

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 12:59 pm
“convicted felon”
Did I miss the trial where Smith was found guilty?

My question is: Who sits next to Smith?
And if you were that member, would you show up for session knowing you might be in every picture?

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 1:17 pm
since I am a simpleton can someone please explain the complexity here? I read this blog and the fax every day but my simple mind is having trouble digesting this. Hmph.

Comment by so. ill Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 1:19 pm
Rich - can Rep. Smith just be left with no assignments in Springfield? Couldn’t Madigan remove him from all committees? What are the rules for Members to even be recognized to speak on the floor? I know he can still vote but couldn’t they make life miserable and even more embarrassing for him?

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 1:20 pm
All i know it, Sec. White, Gov. Quinn, Mayor Emanuel and all these democrats call for his head. it was one democrat who said got to work and stop waiting taxpayer money…simple. All the powers to be called for him to do something and it was a new alderman in chicago that spoke and made it happen. chicago politics is very interesting!

Comment by Illinois Shocker Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 1:27 pm
I don’t know what the rules are to be recognized to speak on the floor but from all reports, Smith isn’t the brightest legislator and I doubt he spoke much prior to the arrest. I can’t even imagine him trying to speak if he shows now.

Comment by Because I say so... Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 1:34 pm
If I were advising Smith, I would say go out with a blaze of glory.
Rise and demand a verification of every single bill that’s voted on.

Hand out any remaining legislative scholarships, and announce they’re going to the kids of all the House members on the panel investigating you.

Even better …

Eat your meals on the House FLOOR!!!!

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 1:47 pm
He’s not guilty til convicted, I know this really lowers the bar but we still live in the USA.
Over zealous prosecutors had made plenty of errors
on indictments.

Comment by mokenavince Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 1:48 pm
- Michelle Flaherty -

I sad this a few days ago, i think you are on the right track!

===Maybe Smith can;

(1) Go to Springfield, (2) be forced to SIT in his seat on the floor, but (3) hand over his voting key to Leader Currie, and he can (4) collect his per diem, (5) be present for his constituents, and (6) report back to the district what is going on.

Except for the voting, Smith would be acting like any other “Mushroom” so Alderman Ervin can’t complain too much(?)===

With ya!

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 2:01 pm
Maybe he can lead the in-welcome Walker rally.

Comment by Rail sitter Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 3:24 pm
Michelle: LOL It’s the meals that puts it over the top.

Comment by mark walker Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 4:00 pm
They’ll expel him faster than I expelled my last Rathskeller meal.

Comment by siriusly Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 7:38 pm
He has to come to Springfield, he has a letter reccomending a grant for a daycare provider that he needs to deliver.

Comment by siriusly Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 7:39 pm
Michelle - Very. Well. Played!

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 12, 12 @ 8:26 pm