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Zopp won’t answer SUPES questions

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Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s formula for fixing Chicago Public Schools has always put a priority on building better leaders, so it could have been a setback for the mayor’s agenda when a prominent education nonprofit balked at funding a training program for principals in mid-2012. […]

Emanuel’s first schools CEO, already on the outs with the mayor, was soon replaced by a new boss — Barbara Byrd-Bennett, a veteran educator who just months earlier had been the lead trainer for SUPES Academy LLC, an education consulting firm.

Minutes after confirming Byrd-Bennett’s appointment as the new schools CEO in October 2012, the Emanuel-appointed school board voted to give SUPES a $2.1 million principal training contract, followed less than a year later by a $20.5 million deal. Both were done without competitive bidding or public debate. That arrangement is now at the center of a federal criminal investigation.

* Scroll down…

“I’d really rather not talk about it,” said Andrea Zopp, a school board member and former prosecutor who last week announced her bid for the 2016 Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate. “There’s a lot in the public record on this already.”

Yes, much has been written, but as the Tribune notes the board met in secret before approving the no-bid SUPES contract without public debate . If Zopp wants to run for US Senate, she’s gonna have to answer questions about that meeting.

* In other news…

A new study of bipartisanship in Congress, released on Tuesday, ranks members based on how many co-sponsors from the other party they can get on their bills or how willing they are to cross the aisle in co-sponsoring legislation. […]

Actual votes on measures are not measured in the “Bipartisan Index” scoring by the nonprofit nonpartisan Lugar Center founded by former Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., and Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy.

Using this method, Rep. Dan Lipinski, D-Ill., is ranked as the most bipartisan Illinois House member, coming in at 16 out of 422 representatives included in the study.

In the 2016 Illinois Senate race, bipartisanship and the blunting of party labels is already a theme of Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., and Rep. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., so far the only declared challenger.

Kirk, who highlights Vice President Joe Biden in his first re-election ad, initially televised last week, is ranked as the 6th most bi-partisan senator out of the 98 ranked. Duckworth is high on the House bi-partisan ranking, coming in at 39. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the No. 2 Democratic leader, comes in at 67.

* And speaking of Kirk, this is from the rather over the top group named Illinois Family Action…

Another day, another notch in the “Don’t Say You Weren’t Warned” belt that is squeezing the life out of conservatives: Mark Kirk has hocked another loogie in the spittle-splashed faces of conservatives who held their noses and helped elect him. He, along with U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), has introduced a resolution to remove the ratification deadline for the Equal Rights Amendment, which has long since passed.

This comes on the heels of his shameless pandering to homosexual activists at a marriage-deconstruction rally in front of the U.S. Supreme Court a few weeks ago.

Such family friendly words.

But probably a very smart move by Kirk.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, May 21, 15 @ 11:43 am

Comments

How could Zopp not be fully prepared for this question?

Comment by walker Thursday, May 21, 15 @ 11:46 am
I’m quite certain that Kirk is very happy to have that group biting at his ankles.

That’s like a badge of honor when you’re looking for votes among independent suburban women.

Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, May 21, 15 @ 11:49 am
Zopp can’t stop this by stonewalling.

Answer the questions, be fine with it.

If you can’t answer the questions, you’ll be dogged all the wsy through March. That won’t change.

She’s starting out as a pool candidate, and I’m being generous…

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 21, 15 @ 11:53 am
poor

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 21, 15 @ 11:54 am
In Zopp’s defense, there is an on-going federal investigation underway. It’s usually best to keep your mouth shut if you might be called as a witness in case like this.

Of course, there is no reason Tammy Duckworth shouldn’t talk about this on-going federal investigation. Over and over and over, to anyone who will listen.

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, May 21, 15 @ 12:28 pm
What constituencies can Zopp reasonably hope to capture in a Democratic primary? I’ll grant her the Daley clan, and Barbara Byrd-Bennett if she can still vote. Zopp is toast.

Comment by chi Thursday, May 21, 15 @ 12:39 pm
“hocked another loogie in the spittle-splashed faces of conservatives”

Just repeating it because awesome writing like this deserves recognition.

Comment by the Other Anonymous Thursday, May 21, 15 @ 12:41 pm
You know what the great thing is about the beginning of a campaign? You have lots of time to huddle up with advisors and plan things out - and you don’t have to put yourself in the media unless you want to. She should take some time, figure out how to answer the questions she’s going to get. Otherwise, she’s just guaranteeing that every news piece in this stage of the campaign links her to an ongoing federal investigation.

Comment by Century Club Thursday, May 21, 15 @ 1:01 pm
I am so damn tired of people who want my vote, but won’t answer questions about their record. It’s insulting.

Comment by JoanP Thursday, May 21, 15 @ 1:55 pm
I’m all for colorful language, and Illinois Family Action is a good group. But someone must’ve been loopy to have written that and think it would be taken seriously. Reminds me of stuff that reporters always like to write for the amusement of the newsroom but then they put in their desk.

Comment by The obvious Thursday, May 21, 15 @ 2:13 pm
This isn’t an issue for Zopp, just ask A Guy. He declared as much a couple of weeks ago.

Comment by Precinct Captain Thursday, May 21, 15 @ 2:35 pm
Please cite exactly Public Nuisance Servant?

Comment by A guy Thursday, May 21, 15 @ 2:54 pm
47th, you are absolutely right about the wisdom of keeping your mouth shut amidst an ongoing investigation, but I don’t know if she gets a pass while she is also asking for votes. It’s a choice. If she wants to run, she should be expected to talk about it.

Comment by Juice Thursday, May 21, 15 @ 3:01 pm
Does anyone really believe Zopp is running? It’s a Bill Daley production.

I mean, c’mon. Zopp “announced her bid” for the Senate last week?

Did you all catch that? The video, the press conference, the fly around, the interviews, the crowds, the bands playing….?

Such enthusiasm and energy!

Bill Daley lives in Stassenland. For a dude with the family-name-driven golden resume, it just gets weirder.

Maybe the the Raunerites will give Zopp some cash to mix it up with Duckworth for a while on behalf of Kirk, but I kind of doubt it.

Why would Zopp put herself through that? It’s so transparent and cynical. What good does it do her in the long run, to be a patsy?

Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, May 21, 15 @ 4:24 pm
The Zopp path to victory is easy. She’s currently down 51-5 points in the Ogden Fry poll just released by another publication. Undecided need to break at 100% to Zopp so that she only loses by a few points.

Comment by RationalPlayer Thursday, May 21, 15 @ 10:27 pm
I wish that it was a little bit more user freindly with the ability to look up by state especially on the senate side because they are elected to represent the whole state, I know looking up the last name is an option on the site but I think the ways to sort it could be alot better

Comment by Anonymous Friday, May 22, 15 @ 10:36 am