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* LIVE COVERAGE * Dorothy Brown slating rescinded by Cook Dems

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* Cook County Democrats have gathered to discuss whether to rescind Clerk of the Circuit Court Dorothy Brown’s party slating. [UPDATE: The slating was rescinded.] Watch it go down via ScribbleLive…

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 11:35 am

Comments

For the love of Pete. She’d sue if they rescinded the endorsement? That might be the quip of the year. I hope they pull the endorsement. She’s gotta go.

Comment by Colin O'Scopey Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 11:38 am
==says FBI didn’t go into her house, took her cell phone on a sidewalk==

Well that changes everything. LOL

Comment by Demoralized Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 11:40 am
==Dorothy Brown tells the Dems they can’t rescind their endorsement because she gave them $25,000 ==

I paid for this endorsement! This just keeps getting better.

Comment by Demoralized Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 11:41 am
Dump her, she is awful. Eliminate the position while we’re at it and half the staff.

Comment by Tone Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 11:43 am
=Brown on Madigan: “we’re good friends. We go way back=

Of course they’re good friends. Steve Brown has been the Speaker’s mouthpiece since 1983.

Oh, DOROTHY Brown and the Speaker are good friends? Who’d of thunk it?

Comment by Colin O'Scopey Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 11:43 am
Why wait for someone to tell you to go, sometimes you need to decide on your own.

Comment by Belle Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 11:44 am
Only $25 grand? She got off cheap. I understand the buy in for a judge is $40K.

Is anybody besides me bothered by this system?

Comment by Team America Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 11:45 am
Dear Lord.

Comment by phocion Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 11:46 am
==Brown tells fellow Dem Party leaders that investigations happen all the time and maybe some of them have been investigated==
But we proudly admit it when we’re investigated! thinks Berrios.

Comment by Robert the Bruce Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 11:47 am
This had to be one of the goofiest defenses of all time.

They didn’t come in my house, they got me on the sidewalk!

I paid for this endorsement!

People are investigated all the time!

Sheesh.

Comment by Demoralized Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 11:55 am
“Dorothy Brown tells the Dems they can’t rescind their endorsement because she gave them $25,000″

Can someone identify the clearly exasperated fellow in the background of that photo? https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSBEL1gU8AAXamZ.png

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 11:55 am
This is highly entertaining!

Comment by Ravenswood Right Winger Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 11:59 am
Guilty until proven innocent.

Comment by nona Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 12:07 pm
Tio Hardiman? I thought he was running agianst bobby Rush. That guy changes what he is running for more times than Danny Davis!! Sheesh!!

Comment by train111 Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 12:11 pm
A longstanding embarrassment taken out of Madigan’s hands. Let her not be replaced by somebody else’s long-mentored player.

Comment by walker Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 12:15 pm
The 25 g crack was enough reason to dump her, one would assume a clerk of the court would know at least a little something about the law….They made the right decision.

Comment by burbanite Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 12:16 pm
==Tio Hardiman speaking now; says he should be supported bc he got 30% of the vote in Dem primary for governor==

But your opponent got 70%.

Comment by nixit71 Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 12:18 pm
Watch for some “layoffs” to be quietly issued at the Clerk’s office later today. If your Buddha voted to rescind, start collecting your personal belongings…

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 12:19 pm
=== Only $25 grand? She got off cheap. I understand the buy in for a judge is $40K.

Is anybody besides me bothered by this system? ===

Not really… it’s not buying the endorsement, it’s a contribution toward the slate’s petition gathering, literature, and other material. The $25,000 comes after the endorsement, not before. Plus, I don’t think it is $40,000 for Judges.

Comment by Just Observing Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 12:34 pm
She has been an embarrassment to herself and to this position for years. That it took something like this to “unslate” her should cause the D party embarrassment as well.

Comment by Responsa Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 12:36 pm
Is being Cook County Circuit Clerk that much better than being an Alderman? I guess more patronage opportunities?

Comment by Ravenswood Right Winger Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 12:38 pm
Whoa, how did Derrick Rose get in there?

Give the guy a break, he has his own problems.

Comment by Wordslinger Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 12:59 pm
“Berrios says there was concern Brown’s endorsement would’ve hurt credibility of entire Cook Co Dem ticket”

Yeah, well, thank God they have Joe Berrios there to lend credibility and respectability to the ticket. /s

Comment by Curious Georgina Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 1:01 pm
At last the answer to my last question. Dorthy B. was treated by Kennedy-King graduate, Dr. Oxytaroon, A.A. B.S. M.D. PhD. D.D. & huh, huh.

Comment by St. Ambrose Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 1:02 pm
“Berrios says there was concern Brown’s endorsement would’ve hurt credibility of entire Cook Co Dem tick”

“Who you look in’ at, kettle?”

Comment by Juice Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 1:02 pm
Dorothy Brown gives credence to the Rauner claim of pervasive corruption.

Comment by Last Bull Moose Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 1:02 pm
=== Is being Cook County Circuit Clerk that much better than being an Alderman? I guess more patronage opportunities? ===

Yes, MUCH more staff. Also, more pay, higher name ID, and probably less aggravation — although I’m sure there is plenty of aggravation running a huge court system, but probably less day-to-aggravation dealing with angry constituents.

Comment by Just Observing Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 1:06 pm
Is that Jesse Jackson Jr’s elk head hanging on the wall

Comment by Flynn's mom Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 1:09 pm
If she can move the office beyond carbon copies, she will be a success.

Comment by LincolnLounger Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 1:12 pm
Does anybody happen to know if the Alderman Harris has any actual qualifications for the job?

Oh wait. Silly me. That doesn’t matter. Efficient government has never been a priority.

Comment by Gooner Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 1:46 pm
===”I would say the endorsement of me is like a contract, because when I paid that $25,000 and the party actually cashed that check, that created a contract,” Brown said while speaking to committeemen. “Robert’s rules says you cannot rescind a contract. That’s one motion you cannot rescind.”===

She’s got a law degree & been working in the courts for how long and she doesn’t have a basic understanding of what a contract is. What an embarrassment. She should’ve been gone years ago.

Comment by Lincoln Parker Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 2:03 pm
=== Not really… it’s not buying the endorsement, it’s a contribution toward the slate’s petition gathering, literature, and other material. The $25,000 comes after the endorsement, not before. Plus, I don’t think it is $40,000 for Judges. ===

JO, I believe the candidate gets asked what they can raise for the party before the slating vote. Perhaps this example is atypical, but it was a $40K donation from this judge who won an endorsement:
https://www.elections.il.gov/CampaignDisclosure/ItemizedExpend.aspx?FiledDocID=587728&ExpenditureType=Transfers+Out&Archived=True&OrderBy=LastorOnlyName-AtoZ&ItemizedExpendFrom=D2Quarterly.aspx

And then what happens? The judge’s fundraisers have to go back to her supporters to ask for money to “replenish some of the funds that went to the Democratic Party” (a direct quote from a solicitation e-mail)

Comment by Team America Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 2:30 pm
Nice to see that the party is now running someone who isn’t even a lawyer to run the county’s court system. What a joke. They just wanted someone to protect all those patronage jobs. The other candidates only found out about the meeting through the media. Can the party at least pretend to take these positions seriously?

Comment by Just Me Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 2:31 pm
And, JO, I should add that the same e-mail said, quote, “As a slated candidate, our campaign was required to make a significant contribution to the Cook County Democratic Party.”

Comment by Team America Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 2:33 pm
I’ve worked with the clerk and she’s a very thoughtful professional and a lovely person in general. She didn’t marry well and that has hurt her. Some of her staff policies were questionable/unethical. But I don’t think she deserved this. Perhaps I’m being naive but I don’t think she’s craftier than any other longtime pol and she hasn’t been charged with a crime. So what gives?

Comment by Politix Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 2:40 pm
What gives? She runs a thoroughly, embarrassingly, incompetent, bloated office, and if she’s indicted and/or loses because she’s damaged goods the party could lose many of the relatively few remaining patronage jobs for hack party workers.

Comment by Keyrock Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 2:44 pm
Politix? A thoughtful professional? You are not a lawyer, are you?

Try to obtain records from her office that you need for a case. Then tell how us how “professional” she is.

I’ve practiced in venues literally coast to coast (Florida to Washington, with many stops in between). Getting accurate records from her office is far more difficult than in any other clerk’s office.

Comment by Gooner Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 3:00 pm
===someone who isn’t even a lawyer to run the county’s court system.===

The Clerk of the Circuit Court pushes paper and keeps records. The chief judge runs the court system. Big difference.

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 3:07 pm
I’m not a lawyer and have no need for records.

Good or bad, I don’t see her losing the election without an indictment. But what do I know.

Comment by Politix Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 3:20 pm
“Good or bad, I don’t see her losing the election without an indictment. But what do I know.”

You may be right, and that’s everything wrong with Illinois voters. Running an office in a competent manner is not a necessary qualification for election.

Comment by Gooner Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 3:30 pm
Exasperated guy in the picture is Martwick from Norwood Park Township.

Comment by anon Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 3:32 pm
47th Ward, the reason it would be helpful to have a lawyer in that position is because lawyers tend to have more of an understanding of the needs of that office. They are the ones who most often need access to the records the office is supposed to need.

Unless you are a lawyer, the urgency of some matters might not be apparent.

Could a non-lawyer do the job? Sure, but having experience with the system would be a big advantage.

Comment by Gooner Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 3:33 pm
Totally agree, Gooner.

Comment by Politix Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 3:38 pm
I’d settle for a competent administrator, lawyer or not.

But following your logic, maybe we should require a realtor be Recorder of Deeds, a banker be Treasurer, a law enforcement professional to be Sheriff, and an appraiser to be Assessor.

Bottom line: I really don’t care what their background is as long as they get the job done.

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 3:48 pm
Yes 47th, I believe the Recorder should have some knowledge of real estate and how people who need real estate documents interact with that office, a think an accounting or banking professional would make a better treasurer and somebody with a law enforcement background would make a better sheriff.

Is that really controversial? That background seems like a given.

It is tough to get the job done if you don’t understand the job.

Comment by Gooner Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 3:56 pm
Stick to soccer Gooner. They’re called public offices for a reason, any citizen may run and serve. You prefer a lawyer for a particular office, great. But suggesting that be a requirement to run? Well, like soccer, that is downright un-American.

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 4:00 pm
It’s a start…never should have been slated in the first place…a blatantly corrupt official for years…know some of her staffers that couldn’t believe her braggadocio…

Comment by Loop Lady Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 4:02 pm
47th,

You really demolished that straw man. Well played! Somewhere a straw man is in awe of 47.

Now that you’ve kicked his behind, you may want to respond to what I wrote.

Could you point out where I said it was a requirement? It would be helpful if you could respond to what was written. It makes the discussion far more interesting.

Comment by Gooner Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 4:05 pm
Gooner, we’re pals here. You said: “That background seems like a given.” I said: “But suggesting that be a requirement to run?”

I didn’t say you said it should be a requirement. I said you suggested it. And you most certainly did.

We both agree Brown should never have held the office. We both prefer competent administrators that respond to the public and to their customers. I’m just tired of hearing how law school somehow instills greater competence than other types of education. I don’t believe lawyers are special.

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 4:15 pm
Suggested it should be a requirement? No, I really didn’t. I said what I said. If I wanted to say “it should be a requirement” I likely would said “it should be a requirement.”

Comment by Gooner Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 4:18 pm
===But that background seems like a given.===

A fan of English football, but not of the English language.

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 4:24 pm
47th,

When I want to say “requirement” I will say “requirement.” Son, at this point you are battling voices only you can hear. I’m sure this is as boring to other readers as it is to me. For their sake and mine, at this point, I’m out of this discussion.

Comment by Gooner Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 4:33 pm
Glad ole Dorothy is gone. I’m not confident the replacement will be a significant improvement.

Comment by Tone Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 4:47 pm
===I didn’t say you said it should be a requirement. I said you suggested it. And you most certainly did.===

And don’t ever call me son.

Good day sir.

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 4:50 pm