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Matune attempts an explanation

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Illinois

* I’d really like to believe the guy, because mainly I don’t care all that much about what people did in their 20s. But, Rep. Sandack is right that Keith Matune’s stories have changed so much that I don’t know what to think about his latest defense…

Court records obtained by the [House Republican Organization] and released to the media show that Matune was arrested in January 1994 for allegedly entering a woman’s dormitory through a window. In April 1994 he signed a plea agreement and the court withheld prosecution in exchange for two payments of $50, good behavior and promising not to enter the premises again, according to the documents.

Matune said Thursday that the building was his previous college fraternity house, was vacant, and that he and his friends entered the building with keys, not through a window, for a nostalgic reasons after finishing college.

This is the second incident the organization has released information on regarding Matune.

“It’s a desperate act of a desperate campaign who knows they’re not going to win this election,” Matune said Thursday. “It’s the whole centerpiece of the Ron Sandack campaign. They have absolutely nothing to run on so they have to smear and defame someone’s name.”

Sandack said in response that, “I’ve run a positive campaign. People that are paying attention know where I am on the issues that matter to the families in the 81st. Mr. Matune’s past is his past, and everyone makes a mistake. But his failure to be honest about it is a troubling act.

“Anyone that’s been listening to him [knows that] he continually changes his story – or he’s forgotten he’s been arrested, or that he told the [media outlets] he’s never been the arrested.”

If Matune wins this primary, he’s gonna cost the House Republicans a fortune this fall.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Mar 7, 14 @ 1:41 pm

Comments

Yep, he will personally cost the HGOP political arm a load if cash, for a guy who seems to not understand that the cover- up is worse than the crimes, and these crimes he covered up from existing are creepy to say the least.

Spend now, or spend so much more over the next 8 months.

A run, for “Purity’s Sake” being derailed on dishonesty of a past, could jeopardize the future of seat”S” that wouldn’t get money to save … the man whose past could derail more than himself and his own selfish ambitions.

HGOP Crew; get it together. Rally within, and just do your business. Enough is enough, focus. Big picture, ultimate goal.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Mar 7, 14 @ 1:51 pm
What about the incident in VA that he bounced a check to an attorney? What crimes did he commit there?

Comment by IbendahlLuvsJBT Friday, Mar 7, 14 @ 1:56 pm
===Matune said Thursday that the building was his previous college fraternity house, was vacant, and that he and his friends entered the building with keys, not through a window, for a nostalgic reasons after finishing college.===

OK. Thanks for clearing that up. And you didn’t mention this arrest on your teaching application because, why?

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Mar 7, 14 @ 1:56 pm
Democrat`s unite we have a winner. I smell blood.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Mar 7, 14 @ 1:58 pm
was vacant… Does that mean unused or no one was there.

Well I suspect he got caught, so I am curious how that happened….

Comment by OneMan Friday, Mar 7, 14 @ 2:01 pm
I tend to agree that silly, stupid behavior in one’s 20’s shouldn’t follow them their whole lives… but I did lots and lots of stupid things in my teens and 20’s and never once got arrested. So, in my mind, to get arrested three times means you probably engaged in a whole host of other crimes/bad deeds that you evaded arrest on… or you’re really stupid.

Comment by Just Observing Friday, Mar 7, 14 @ 2:04 pm
I can’t let Proft have a free pass on this. His sole purpose for throwing Matune into the race was to “get back” at Sandack. Not build the party, but to tear it down and replace it with Slytherin types. Those that sit in the dark, pure, corner of the tent. The future of the GOP rides with Sandack types, not those like Ives. Matune wins Proft won’t be able to defend him from Madigan and I wouldn’t bet on HRO dropping money on the fight. It would be wasted money.

Comment by Big Muddy Friday, Mar 7, 14 @ 2:05 pm
I could care less what happened to somebody in 1994. If that affects you as a voter then you really need to get a life. But, I do care about the fact that he didn’t just say it was a less then stellar part of his life and that he has had a clean record since and move on. He’s made this story worse.

Comment by Demoralized Friday, Mar 7, 14 @ 2:10 pm
“What about the incident in VA that he bounced a check to an attorney? What crimes did he commit there?”

Defense attorneys can also be hired by innocent people.

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Friday, Mar 7, 14 @ 2:14 pm
I know some polls show a close race but I am highly highly dubious about the reliability of polling in these races. Heck, congressional polling is very unreliable and always need to be taken with a grain of salt. State house races require a heaping tablespoon.

I would still be very surprised if Sandack loses.

Comment by Johnny Q. Suburban Friday, Mar 7, 14 @ 2:25 pm
Back in 1972, Richard Nixon was going to crush George McGovern whether or not he bugged the Democratic HQ in the Watergate building. That was a foolish unforced error.

Back in January, was Keith Matune such a huge threat that throwing muck was Ron Sandack’s only path to victory?

Back in January, Sandack should have told the HRO: “Don’t go there. Just don’t go there.”

===

People in Woodridge have known the Matune family for forty and fifty years. They know that the HRO mailers are a politically motivated distortion of Keith Matune’s life.

That basically is what long time Woodridge mayor Bill Murphy said today when he endorsed Keith Matune.

Sorry HRO, this was an “own goal” and it’s on you.

===

Fortunately for those of us who believe in things such as marriage equality, H81 is very winnable by the Dems, if the state party decides it wants the seat.

Comment by Bill White Friday, Mar 7, 14 @ 2:26 pm
Missing the forest for the trees again. The question everyone should be asking is why in each of the last two primaries conservatives put Sandack’s feet to the fire in a district that went twice for Obama? Maybe someone should take a flashlight to his background and see why so many voters wont vote for such a great legislator. Can’t all be because of Proft.

Comment by Galahad Friday, Mar 7, 14 @ 2:33 pm
Galahad, Proft and Sandack have been fighting ever since Sandack ran for mayor.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Mar 7, 14 @ 2:34 pm
===Back in January, Sandack should have told the HRO: “Don’t go there. Just don’t go there.”===

Not using this stuff would’ve been political malpractice.

What he should have said was “Go there now and knock this guy out of the ring.”

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Mar 7, 14 @ 2:36 pm
Back in January, Sandack should have said go there now and let the media do all the work and crush this guy instead of a last minute political attack.

Comment by Powell Friday, Mar 7, 14 @ 2:42 pm
Did Sandack cancel his contract or something?

The attacks by Proft on Sandack have seemed highly personal.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Friday, Mar 7, 14 @ 2:43 pm
@Bill White:

=H81 is very winnable by the Dems, if the state party decides it wants the seat=

You can just cut to the chase and say “if Mike Madigan wants the seat”.

Comment by Knome Sane Friday, Mar 7, 14 @ 3:00 pm
With a track record like that, just think of the trouble Matune could get into in Springfield. He has the potential to generate great political theater for years and years.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Mar 7, 14 @ 3:10 pm
@Knome Sane

I have a hunch such scenarios were contemplated when H81 was drawn up. But it’s only intuition.

Comment by Bill White Friday, Mar 7, 14 @ 3:13 pm
==If Matune wins this primary, he’s gonna cost the House Republicans a fortune this fall.==

1) Do IL Dems really fight this dirty? I never saw anything like this.
2) Who cares? Really, Jeanne Ives will have someone to talk to finally.
3) HRO heads will roll if they lose this primary.

LOL. Based on #3 GO MATUNE!!!!!! Pass the popcorn!

Comment by Toure's Latte Friday, Mar 7, 14 @ 3:28 pm
Latte,
1. Yes. Open your eyes.
2. IVES DOESN’T TALK. SHE SCREAMS.
3. Bite me.

Comment by Big Muddy Friday, Mar 7, 14 @ 3:34 pm
–let the media do all the work and crush this guy instead–

Who? The Downers Grove Patch?

Please.

Comment by David Ormsby Friday, Mar 7, 14 @ 3:39 pm
======
- David Ormsby - Friday, Mar 7, 14 @ 3:39 pm:
–let the media do all the work and crush this guy instead–
Who? The Downers Grove Patch?
Please.
========

Front runner, comment of the year.

Comment by Toure's Latte Friday, Mar 7, 14 @ 3:49 pm
What is this seat really about?

“Its revenge for The Mayor’s Race and a lot of other things. This dirtying is going to continue, and there is nothing that we can do about it. Proft tried to make a man, and Ron didn’t like it. And we have to sit still and take it. It was among the DGers.. It’s a gutter ball stuff. They even brought up the 3rd arrest, so his campaign couldn’t give him a shot at a rebuttal in the mailboxes.”

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Mar 7, 14 @ 3:51 pm
Come on was it was a panty raid?Did some streeking?Wrote a check with disappering ink? that was a decade ago back home now.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Mar 7, 14 @ 3:56 pm
I would vote for the one that didn’t vote yes for SB1. This act far exceeds a minor arrest while young and stupid.

Comment by Howard Monday, Mar 10, 14 @ 8:21 am