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Clarke campaign website address created almost two months before Johnson’s retirement

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* When did Jerry Clarke know that Congressman Tim Johnson was dropping out of his primary on April 5th? That’s been a question on many minds in the 13th Congressional District since Clarke, a former Johnson chief of staff, announced his intentions to run for the seat. State Sen. Kyle McCarter has suggested that the timing of Johnson’s retirement was all a setup to get Clarke installed in the seat and called the situation “politics as usual.”

* Well, WJBC reporter Ryan Denham did some basic journalism and checked the WHOIS results for Clarke’s campaign website and found this…

Registered through: GoDaddy.com, LLC (http://www.godaddy.com)
Domain Name: CLARKEFORCONGRESS.COM
Created on: 10-Feb-12
Expires on: 10-Feb-14
Last Updated on: 10-Apr-12 [Emphasis added]

In case you are mathematically challenged, that website creation date is about two months before Johnson’s retirement announcement.

* Denham talked to Clarke’s campaign…

But Clarke spokesman Mike Cys downplayed that early registration. He said Clarke has known for years that Johnson intended to retire soon, and “he’s made no secret” that he intended to run for the seat whenever that happened.

“We just kind got a sense, you know, let’s start getting ready for 2013, make sure we get those domain names … because we figured this was going to be Tim’s last run, 2012,” Cys said. “So we were just kind of gearing up and starting to get things ready, looking down the road.”

OK.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 9:52 am

Comments

Jerry Clarke - Mike Cys …

Is this 1994 all over again? Where is Lee A. Daniels in all this???

Cys was good, but by happenstance, a “website” just happens to be secured less than 9 weeks before a “suprise” announcement”?

This is why Daniels only got one GA as Speaker.

Fellas … you are better than THIS, aren’t you?

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 10:01 am
“So we were just kind of gearing up and starting to get things ready, looking fown the road.”

Yeah… and I’m a Chinese fighter pilot.

Comment by John Ruskin Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 10:04 am
Sen. Mc Carter, “The Fix was in LONG AGO”, Press Release in .. 5, 4, 3 …

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 10:05 am
I think Jerry needs a new spokesman. That statement makes the whole thing look worse.

Comment by Anon Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 10:08 am
The SMOKING GUN.

To anyone with a brain, this should finish off Jerry Clarke from the appointment. If the GOP is stupid enough to nominate him, this would be a gigantic issue in the general election…insider fixing. Just what the public is sick of.

Comment by justsayin Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 10:10 am
There’s a big difference between registering a domain and launching a website.

Many smart individuals I know have locked up domains to their name, their corporation name and variations thereof even years in advance of their use. It’s not exactly unheard of.

Clarke may have had an inside edge, but this is flimsy evidence. At best.

Comment by Freeman Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 10:11 am
“February 10th, what is on the agenda for today … let’s see… calendar …there we go … ok, work out a 9 to 10, Meeeting Prep till 11:30 … ooooh, gotta get that Jerry Clarke website a-goin’ … get that domain secure … then lunch …”

I can see that happening that way … just a normal day, and getting that domain is typical stuff anyone would have on a “To Do” list …

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 10:14 am
A real shame that a guy like Clarke with his military service and accomplishments has to be a total zero on the political front at home.

This is just the latest revelation which makes Clarke a nonstarter to replace his old boss. He’s also one of the IL GOP’s central committeeman and the IL GOP is in complete dissaray. Also mismanaged Brady for Gov into a trainwreck. Clearly the guy’s done nothing to deserve a promotion in politics. Maybe in the military, but not in politics.

Comment by too obvious Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 10:16 am
Lane Evans did the same thing for Phil Hare. That worked out well.

Comment by John Wood Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 10:23 am
Enough with this inside bs. For a party whose entire message for 10 years has been against insider politics this smacks of hypocrisy. They need an open primary and to let the actual voters decide. Again when John Porter stepped down, there was an open 6 month primary, 10 candidates came forward and mark kirk won by putting together a strong grassroots campaign and became during the course of it a very good politician which has carried over to the last 12 years of his work in dc.

Comment by Shore Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 10:32 am
I understand that they could renew as needed but they set up a web domain supposedly for a 2014 campaign that expires BEFORE the 2014 primary.

There are domain options available that last longer than 2 years.

Comment by G. Willickers Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 10:34 am
“Yeah… and I’m a Chinese fighter pilot.”

Which model?

J-11, J-10, JF-17, J-8II, J-7, Su-27, or Su-30

Comment by Judgment Day Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 10:35 am
LOL.

Why does Jerry Clarke have to be the only one getting flak for this though? Tim Johnson should be brought to account for lying to the public too.

Poor Sen. McCassandra.

Comment by hisgirlfriday Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 10:47 am
so, you are trying to influence 14 county chairs to support your campaign so you create a website for those 14 people and in doing so the creation of a website now creates a huge backlash of earned media that all the 14 people will definitely see.

i’m with oswego willy, aren’t you guys better than this?

Comment by Really Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 10:50 am
it wasn’t a website. it was a domain name.

Comment by colt45 Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 10:53 am
Well, at least this brilliant tag team duo can get back to the planning stages of Brady for Gov 2014! And IL GOPers wonder why they are a minority party.

Comment by Seriously? Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 10:59 am
“aren’t you guys better than this?”

Clearly no.

Clarke should officially drop out today. Insulting our intelligence with this latest phony explanation has to be the last straw. IL GOP chair Pat Brady should demand it, but oh that’s right, Clarke’s on the committee that made Brady party chairman. You need a flow chart to show all the conflicts in this thing.

Comment by just sayin' Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 10:59 am
hisgirlfriday - Not much you can do to Tim Johnson. Well, unless your Atticus Finch.

Comment by Bigtwich Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 11:03 am
“Clarke may have had an inside edge, but this is flimsy evidence. At best.”

Rubbish.

The significance and persuasiveness of this chronology is self-evident. The 13th Congressional District’s primary voters were deliberately deceived.

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 11:03 am
Come on youse guys this all makes sense…Stickman is planning to retire so rather than doing this in 2010 0r 2011 when CHopperJerry leaves Stickman..we wait until the last minute to make this coincidental move.
You cynics should be ashamed.
BTW we are pulling for the antichrist to make his comeback too

Comment by CircularFiringSquad Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 11:03 am
Much ado about nothing. If the fix was really in, Clarke would have filed at the last second and Tim Johnson could have dropped out. Clarke would have walked all over the truck driver and the guy from the extreme southern end of the district.

Comment by LincolnLounger Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 11:32 am
What am I missing? I don’t get why this matters.

Comment by The KQ Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 12:20 pm
@LincolnLounger-

Filing requires recruiting volunteers, circulating petitions, creating a PAC…

You know, the opposite of “sneaky.”

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 12:21 pm
@KQ -

What you’re missing is that Jerry Clarke and Congressman Johnson apparently conspired to defraud the voters.

Johnson had no intention of actually running for re-election and told Clarke.

A scheme was hatched where Johnson would secure the GOP nomination and then hand it over to Clarke, allowing him to avoid a primary fight he’d likely lose, as someone who has never held office and doesn’t actually live in the district.

Atleast, that’s what the Chicago Tribune calls it when it involves Democrats.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 12:32 pm
=== If the GOP is stupid enough to nominate him, this would be a gigantic issue in the general election…insider fixing. ===

Ah, yes. The issue that sunk Dan Lipinski, “Threemil” Jones, Todd Stroger, etc.

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2008/08/illinois-politi.html

Comment by Freeman Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 12:32 pm
===BTW we are pulling for the antichrist to make his comeback too ===

I was waiting for the “Tristano”. I think the Feds have forbid him from doing political work for … ever.

This is just a shame (sad shame, not anger shame), on both Jerry and Cys.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 12:35 pm
===I understand that they could renew as needed but they set up a web domain supposedly for a 2014 campaign that expires BEFORE the 2014 primary.===

I guess Cys didn’t count on THAT … “So we were just kind of gearing up and starting to get things ready, looking down the road.”

Like, “We plan on the domain expiring before Jerry would have gone through the ‘14 Primary, so let’s get it now …” Planning?

Bet Cys would like a “mulligan” on that quote …

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 12:45 pm
Lincolnlounger, the reason Johnson and Clarke didn’t do it that way is because Johnson already had primary challengers. That ballot swicharoo only works when you have no primary opponent.

The bigger problem for Jerry is that he has repeatedly told County Chairmen that he had no advance notice. He told them he heard about it just a few days before Johnson’s announcement. Now that has been exposed as a lie…that’s not a good way to get their votes.

Comment by Raising Kane Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 1:43 pm
Anyone who suggests that Jerry & Tim weren’t in cahoots on this 6 months ago must’ve breezed through their recent Naivety 101 course. Clarke is the insider of all insiders, has always been willing to walk all over anyone in his path in the most underhanded fashion possible.

Tim Johnson will now leave his “legacy” in disgrace, defrauding the Republican primary voters the opportunity to select their candidate. I hope this blows up in Clarke’s face, Brady-campaign-style.

I’d much rather see someone like Jim Watson get the nomination from the county chairmen.

Comment by East Sider Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 1:47 pm
Geez ! It’s a ballot replacement. So throw your hat in the ring if your interested including the guys Johnson ran against in the primary & the folks currently interested. No one has been picked to date. Looks like plenty of folks are interested, now including Miss America 2003 from Urbana, Johnson’s home town. Let the process continue per the law & see what happens. It’s a party election…not the general election. I can’t envision Johnson going to that much trouble. He’s been pretty quiet since the announcement. I believe Johnson intended to run, he did, he campaigned, he won & then dropped out—so what. There was no coronation here or immediately after & noone real close to him is apparently interested or being “tapped” including his long time political ally & now current chief of staff. Exception is this connection to Clarke & Clarke’s been off his staff for about 2 years.

Comment by anon Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 7:58 pm
@ YDD, you don’t have to have a PAC or an extensive organization to get enough signatures to run for Congress. Jerry has enough friends out there that signatures could have been quietly gathered, and, if discovered at the 11th hour, a “just in case” excuse could have been made. Enough signatures could likely have been gathered in Pawnee and Urbana in the last days with ease. @Raising Kane, I continue to maintain that Clarke would have rolled over those two obscure candidates who ran against Tim. After some initial outrage, the Party establishment would have fallen into line — many with great enthusiasm.

Sometimes a black helicopter is just a black helicopter.

Comment by LincolnLounger Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 8:07 pm
“Basic journalism” would be to do a search for past registrations of the domain name. Who is to say that the Clarke camp hasn’t registered this name before previous elections as a “what if” tactic? Then when it doesn’t happen, let it expire, which explains why this one would expire in early February. Anyone who would believe this is evidentiary, I’d be interested in selling you some oceanfront property in Illinois.

Comment by 50u1 Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 8:47 pm
===“Basic journalism” would be to do a search for past registrations of the domain name. Who is to say that the Clarke camp hasn’t registered this name before previous elections as a “what if” tactic?===

Because …

When Cys was asked, he didn’t say that was the case.

The Cys quote is more damaging than Clarke’s Crew setting the whole thing up.

There is Lakefront property in Illinois … just sayin’

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 9:05 pm
- 50u1 -

===The bigger problem for Jerry is that he has repeatedly told County Chairmen that he had no advance notice. He told them he heard about it just a few days before Johnson’s announcement. Now that has been exposed as a lie…that’s not a good way to get their votes.===

Say what you want - 50u1 -, That post above is the Crux of Jerry’s problems.

Then, add to the fact Cys tried to explain it away, with a domain that would expire before the 2014 primary.

Does that Lakefront property have a pier?

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 9:10 pm
IF they had registered a domain name such as “clarke2012″ or “jerryclarkeforcongressbecausetimjohnsonisretiringinapril” then your case might be more plausible, but simply registering “clarkeforcongress” when it is a known fact that he has stated interest in the position in the past is obviously coincidental. Would Cys even know of previous domain registrations if they had been left to expire?

Comment by 50u1 Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 9:21 pm
===IF they had registered a domain name such as “clarke2012″ or “jerryclarkeforcongressbecausetimjohnsonisretiringinapril” then your case might be more plausible, but simply registering “clarkeforcongress” when it is a known fact that he has stated interest in the position in the past is obviously coincidental. Would Cys even know of previous domain registrations if they had been left to expire? ===

lol

So the NAME of the domain EXPAINS it away???

Cys made it clear with the quote that …

A) He and Clarke have talked about options.

B) He and Clarke talked about strategy.

C) He and Clarke were involved in making moves to ‘Gear up’.

You can TRY to explain it away -5ou1 -, but it doesn’t “fly”

Good luck with your exuses, they’re “cute”, and you are not helping Jerry.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 9:33 pm
-5ou1 -,

And … who gets an expiring domain name, in February of a primary, for a completely different campaign cycle, while the person they are wanting to replace is actively running?

You do that to “gear up” for a chance to be the nominee NOW, ahead of the game, especially 2 months before anyone else suspects …

Not a good start, and Cys’ quote is hanging out there for all to read which muddied the water instead of clarifying …

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 9:37 pm
A domain registration is PROOF of lying? That’s quite a far reach. Also, domain names can be re-registered and kept from expiring by re-registering on every single day of the year. I, personally don’t see the conspiracy in this, but to each his own.

Comment by 50u1 Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 9:59 pm
===A domain registration is PROOF of lying? That’s quite a far reach.===

Who .. Who… Who “happens” to register a domain name in the middle of one primary, to hold for ANOTHER primary 2 years later, and throw in … the domain name expires before the latter primary even ends????

Then …

Make no refernece that you have done this for years and years, always holding the name for “that day” to come …When you have every opportunity to say aomethng about it when your spokesman “explains” how this occured!

All the while, two months later, the nomination opens up, and low and behold, you are READY?

Pretty coincidential … Jerry was lucky they decided to lock in that domain, not knowing anything beforehand. (snark)

I was, indeed, born at night … just not last night.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 25, 12 @ 10:07 pm
So let’s see & I’m not necessarily defending anyone for or against ; he just registered or took control of a domain name with his last name in it and that’s it ?? Did someone have this domain name previously, somewhere in the world & Clarke finally got his hands on it thinking one day he’s use it? Anyone checked any of the other candidates out ? Maybe they’re up to something too or in ‘cahoots’? So let’s see , noone has been picked yet from about -10- candidates, some pretty qualified interested & committed to running , that it doesn’t look like anyone is being picked till about mid–May, with no outward indications of who these -14- GOP chairman are leaning towards ( some of which are new chairman in there I might add) ; what ‘crime’ if any has been committed here again? Seat vacated=new folks interested. With Johnson silent & no real apparent ‘heirs’ or endorsed hopeful’s emerging with confidence ,sounds like it’s still anyone’s game. Anyone offered proof that Clarke or anyone else with interest in Johnson’s spot have definative prior knowledge ? Johnson’s abrupt depature stunned more than some folks, “insiders” as it were in an “arena” where secrets are very hard to keep. So if Clarke gets picked out of the field purely on his background & qualifications…he’s “disqualified”. I can see the headlines now “Clarke Involved in DomainGate”
Yikes !

Comment by Early Riser Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 6:18 am
- Early Riser -

===Did someone have this domain name previously, somewhere in the world & Clarke finally got his hands on it thinking one day he’s use it?===

Mike Cys had EVERY opportunity to explain away the February 10 registration, and Cys chose to say that it was a “Gear up” for something later.

Cys made no mention of, “just came open”, “looking for this to be free for years” … Cys just said, “Gear up”.

- Early Riser -, It’s what is NOT said, as much as what was said in explaining it away. If Cys and Clarke had all these exuses everyone else had, guess what, they would have used them.

I like my transparency clear, not muddied by happenstance and coincidence that has no logical reason to happen unless something prompts the move.

February 10 … Even the great “Car-Nac” doesn’t have an envelope to explain this waya after Cys’ statement.

If Clarke gets it, good for him. But let’s be quite clear; All the exuses everyone is giving … Cys could have said them, but didn’t in his explanation. Add that to an expiring domain before Jerry 1st primary …

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 7:32 am
Oswego Willy….can understand your point & fair enough. It’s a bit odd to be sure so perhaps Clarke should himself come forward & himself only explain in detail to put it behind him if that’s possible. Maybe Johnson should offer something as well. I’d think Clarke would want to if he’s that serious about being an active candidate & before it really becomes a “thing” as thing do. Guess we’ll all stay tuned.

Comment by Early Riser Thursday, Apr 26, 12 @ 11:21 am