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* UPDATED x1 * Speaker Madigan’s primary opponent announces candidacy

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* Press release…

Today, area native, Harvard graduate, and innovation consultant, Jason Gonzales, announced his candidacy for the democratic nomination for state representative of Illinois’ 22nd district.

“I’m running to make the needs of the 22nd district first priority. Our community is suffering from a major lack of economic development, quality middle class jobs, and too many families are now having to pay property taxes that they just cannot afford,” Gonzales said. “From my early experience in the service industry as an SEIU member, as a former small business owner, and currently as an innovation consultant; I’m ready to bring new ideas and leadership to solve Illinois’ and the 22nd district’s toughest problems.”

Jason Gonzales, 41, spent his early years on the Southwest Side of Chicago, the son of a Mexican-American union electrician father and a dental hygienist mother. He describes himself as a “troubled teenager” who attended an alternative high school. Despite these challenges, he changed his life and graduated with honors from Duke University, where he was a student-athlete.

Jason began as a union worker with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) before starting and owning a catering and food service business for 13 years. His ambitions drove him to earn a Master’s in Business Administration at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he was a top student and served as an advisor and confidant to L. Rafael Reif, MIT’s 17th President. After MIT, Gonzales earned a Master’s in Public Administration from the prestigious John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, where David Gergen, the CNN Senior Political Analyst and advisor to five US presidents mentored him.

He moved back to Chicago, where he founded an international nonprofit training entrepreneurs and bringing clean water to the developing world. He has worked in business and real estate, managing multi-million dollar development bids and contracts. Gonzales is currently an innovation consultant, who has worked with companies in both public and private sectors.

Jason received awards from the City of Los Angeles for innovative community development in Chicago, the Durham Companions for his work with at-risk youth and has been nominated to the World Economic Forum and Council on Foreign Relations for innovation and global leadership. He serves as a trustee for both the Garfield Ridge Civic League and MIT Sloan Club of Chicago. He is also a member of the City Club of Chicago, Chicago Council on Global Affairs, and Spertus Institute of Leadership.

“I love this state and my community; I refuse to believe that we cannot bring impactful and positive change to Illinois,” Gonzales said. After 45 years of Speaker Madigan, it’s time for a change.”

I’m assuming his bio will be fact-checked.

Speaking of checked, Gonzales’ petitions weren’t challenged. However, both of the two suspected “put-up” (by Madigan) primary candidates were hit by challenges.

Gonzales has yet to report raising any money.

*** UPDATE *** Reboot reached out to him…

Gonzales, 41, says Madigan allies observing candidate filings at the Illinois State Board of Elections just before the close of business on Nov. 30 acted swiftly when he filed his nominating petitions challenging Madigan for the Democratic nominations in the 22nd Illinois House District. Within minutes of Gonzales’ filing, nominating petitions for two other candidates were filed. […]

“I specifically timed it so I had a shot at just me and Speaker Madigan on the ballot. Evidently I didn’t time it late enough. I didn’t want to time it too close because I was afraid there might be a line or something could have gone wrong where I couldn’t have filed. So I was waiting for the last minute and honestly they were not expecting me. I watched the whole thing go down,” says Gonzales. “I filed and … one of Mr. Madigan’s lobbyists or assistants… saw me because they thought I wasn’t running. There were rumors that I had dropped out of the race and I guess they had sort of staked their belief on that. When he saw me, he jumped up, grabbed a file box, went out into the hallway and I watched him pull two candidates’ petitions out of the box. Another assistant prepared them and as soon as I filed, they walked in with other people and filed those candidates right behind me.”

The MJM peeps likely didn’t stake their belief on anything since they apparently had petitions ready to go.

* More…

“Many of the signatures it’s our belief that they are bogus or they’re not valid in one way, shape or form. So the community members have filed objections to these two candidates which are very clearly Madigan plants. ” Gonzales said. “I don’t know anything about them. They appear just to be people from the neighborhood. I will find out more. I’ll be stopping by their homes at some point to introduce myself.”

A petition sampling is here.

* Money…

His campaign committee as of Dec. 8 had filed no financial information, though Gonzales said he would be logging about $20,000 in donations in a few days.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 8:36 am

Comments

What exactly is an innovation consultant?

Comment by burbanite Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 8:41 am
===Gonzales has yet to report raising any money.===

Hmm.

===“I love this state and my community; I refuse to believe that we cannot bring impactful and positive change to Illinois,” Gonzales said. After 45 years of Speaker Madigan, it’s time for a change.”====

Hmm.

===He moved back to Chicago, where he founded an international nonprofit training entrepreneurs and bringing clean water to the developing world. He has worked in business and real estate, managing multi-million dollar development bids and contracts. Gonzales is currently an innovation consultant, who has worked with companies in both public and private sectors.===

Hmm.

Wonder if he has a “Social Agenda”… or is he just about givin’ back, makin’ Illinois great again, and I will be surprised if he doesn’t think Madigan is killin’, just killin’ Illinois’ business climate.

I bet Zell would like him?

I may be right, exactly right.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 8:43 am
The term “innovation consultant” seems self explanatory to me. A newcomer with a “community organizer” tag was able to do quite well several years ago. Has Madigan ever had a viable primary challenger?

Comment by illinoised Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 8:44 am
==“innovation consultant” seems self explanatory to me.==

I agree.

Comment by KB Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 8:51 am
Madigan’s challenger will need more than good looks to win.

It could be Bed Time for Gonzo.

Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 8:52 am
==both of the two suspected “put-up” (by Madigan) primary candidates were hit by challenges==

Gonzales’ people challenged both of them.

Comment by KB Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 8:53 am
If that bio checks out…he’s a pretty impressive guy.

Comment by A guy Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 8:55 am
It will be interesting what lawyers are going to represent both sides of these petition challenges… both sides.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 8:55 am
He’s definitely qualified to be a politician. His résumé is so puffed up stunt men can use it for high falls.

Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 8:55 am
==Speaking of checked, Gonzales’ petitions weren’t challenged.==
==Gonzales has yet to report raising any money==
It’d be funny to learn that Gonzales was “put up” by Madigan. #Chess

Comment by Robert the Bruce Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 9:02 am
Let’s look at this a bit closer…

===”…Our community is suffering from a major lack of economic development, quality middle class jobs, and too many families are now having to pay property taxes that they just cannot afford,”===

“Our community is suffering from a major lack of economic development,…”

A businessman’s resume, Ivy-League educated with Duke and MIT sprinkled in…

” …quality middle class jobs… ”

How would an Ivy-League educated businessman, with “multi-million dollar” negotiated contracts look to add “quality middle-class jobs”? Seems to be chock full of stock goals seen just a year ago.

“… and too many families are now having to pay property taxes that they just cannot afford,”

Here is your flashing lights and sirens, bells and whistles;

What property tax relief plan right now is touted as reforming, but neglects to bring up collective bargaining or prevailing wage?

Dear Labor Movement,

Understand. This is a wake up call. Get to work.

But if I were you all, I wouldn’t worry, Nope.

I mean with that resume, and not a dime raised as of yet, I can’t see big money finding it’s way to him, given that “agenda”,… do you?

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 9:06 am
===What exactly is an innovation consultant?===

He is one of the Bobs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4OvQIGDg4I

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 9:07 am
Not sure if Gonzales is the man for the job, but “what if” Illinois GO didn’t field any candidates… except one? Just throw all their money at a Hispanic in Madigan’s district and try to take him out. Now THAT would be shaking things up.

Comment by Snucka Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 9:11 am
Way too hard of a sell on the union credentials. It’s like a used car salesman who puts honest in his name and trustworthy in his ads, you know he’s attempting to compensate for a percieved weakness.

Comment by AC Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 9:15 am
“From my early experience in the service industry as an SEIU member…”

How does this differ from my early experience in the food industry as a Local 881 UFCW member? I can union name-drop with the best of them.

Comment by nixit71 Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 9:15 am
Re: innovation consultant/community organizer comparisons

Apparently he has a memoir called “Blue Sky Burning” with tales of misspent youth before achieving success. https://www.bookdepository.com/Blue-Sky-Burning-Jason-Gonzales/9781400206094

Comment by hisgirlfriday Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 9:17 am
Jason, what’s a nice guy like you doing in a primary like this?

He doesn’t need to raise money - just cash a couple of big checks.

Comment by Henry Francis Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 9:29 am
I’d really like his resume to check out, because if one hasn’t totally given up on Illinois politics, this is the kind of resume we should be looking for in the 21st. The current crop of Illinois legislators seems to already be a collective, massive failure. And no, those massive failings are not attributable to Bruce Rauner. They failed long before he came on the political scene.

Comment by Cassandra Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 9:35 am
==- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 9:06 am: ==
Willy, please keep telling the unions to wake up & smell the coffee because there will be no roses on their graves.

Comment by Mama Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 9:44 am
That bio is heavy on awards and degrees and very light on descriptions of anything he actually did.

Comment by some doofus Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 9:46 am
===That bio is heavy on awards and degrees and very light on descriptions of anything he actually did.===

Hmm. Sounds familiar, including the million dollar negotiatin’ and the immediate marrying of economic growth, jobs, and property tax relief… less the collective bargaining and prevailing wage…

Sounds very familiar, actually

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 9:49 am
With a resume like Gonzales & no political experience, there is no doubt he is with Trump & Rauner’s Reformers party, but he will run on the Republican ticket. He doesn’t need to raise money - the wealthy 1-pertcent group will take care of him with TV & mailers ads, etc.. Madigan needs all the hope he can get.

Comment by Mama Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 9:52 am
Well the MIT thing at least in part seems to check out.

http://www.mitmog.org/#!participants/cjzn

Hell of a resume…

Comment by OneMan Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 9:52 am
Hoo boy. If you follow the link to his book, to be released at the end of the month, you’ll see a link to the website of his clean water organization. However, when you follow that link, it seems to have died on the vine and then was taken over by spammers as a zombie site.

This isn’t a serious challenge. That would have been nailed down if it was.

Comment by some doofus Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 9:52 am
–What exactly is an innovation consultant?–

Synergy, thinking outside-the-box, that sort of thing.

Why didn’t he run as a Republican? Better chance with the higher turnout in a general election than in a primary, I would think.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 9:53 am
–Dear Labor Movement,

Understand. This is a wake up call. Get to work.–

Wait that was a tip off. I’m so sorry OW I don’t understand what you’re trying to wake us up on. (sorry I’m mouth breathing again. As my spouse says “close your mouth. We are not a cod fish.” Mary Poppins)

Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 9:53 am
Oops…that should be help not hope, but he needs some hope too.

Comment by Mama Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 9:54 am
The quick pouncing on this candidate reminds me of the recent pile-on when Rauner was erroneously accused of stating he was a “victim”.

Seems a little quick on the trigger to me…..again.

Comment by Downstate Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 9:56 am
OMG! To the Post, I am sorry.
I need coffee…lots of coffee! Gonzales is running in the primary as a Democrat!

Rich, has the man ever voted Democrat?

Comment by Mama Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 9:59 am
“He moved back to Chicago, where he founded an international nonprofit training entrepreneurs and bringing clean water to the developing world.”

• Here’s the GuideStar — the world’s largest source of information on nonprofit organizations — take on AQUA VIDA INTERNATIONAL/ www.aquavida.org:

This organization’s exempt status was automatically revoked by the IRS for failure to file a Form 990, 990-EZ, 990-N, or 990-PF for 3 consecutive years. Further investigation and due diligence are warranted.

https://www.guidestar.org/profile?id=27-2155395

• The IRS indicates that it was revoked on Aug. 11, 2014. https://goo.gl/AZSzwq

• I couldn’t find any information regarding AQUA VIDA INTERNATIONAL/www.aquavida.org on Charity Navigator.

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 10:01 am
He didn’t use the phrase turnaround agenda. So clearly there is no connection between him and the Governor.

Comment by siriusly Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 10:07 am
The domain for the charity is still registered to him for what it is worth.

Comment by OneMan Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 10:08 am
Impressive background and nice a contrast to Madigan at many levels.

Comment by In a Minute Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 10:09 am
Good thing for the challenger there are zero voters in this space for his race because the pro-Madigan/status quo gang here apparently is unimpressed.

Comment by Georg Sande Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 10:11 am
- Honeybear -

I’m not being snarky. I’m not in any way dismissing the past week even, with rallies and a strong understanding what’s at stake. I’m not even being dismissive of the strides made over these past months that have Labor speaking loudly and with one voice…

… what you need to grasp, I’m not taking shots. What I am doing is reminding that two in five in Labor went with Rauner, some have said, even here, was to “teach a lesson”, even if their nose didn’t need to be removed from their face…

Why is this a “wake up call”? Why “get to work”?

Raunerites are at the gate. They own one party, they want to destroy the other party, and while Democrats and Republicans vie for a struggle to exist, Labor, including trades, will be scorched earth of a Republican Governor possibly participating in Democratic primaries for agenda-driven seat holders, Raunerites, in the GA.

This Raunerite struggles are real. Every single time a chance that thibgs can be “misunderstood”, pointing out the obvious is the only way two of five in Labor to come home, not waver, and if nothing is reminded, how soon many will forget.

With respect.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 10:11 am
Sad to say, I know a lot of “innovation consultants” but don’t see a lot of new things produced. Let’s see what those who pay him actually did.

At least he didn’t start his political career by jumping directly into the US Senate race. He’s paying his dues, for future potential backers, with this one.

Reminds me of a much-less-experienced Kopp.

Comment by walker Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 10:21 am
OW - I made a similar point of agreement, and had the same understanding of your comment, that it was directed to the 40% of union households, but my comment vanished. Sometimes I understand why I was deleted, other times I just shake my head.

Comment by AC Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 10:27 am
My apologies, I wasn’t deleted, I just lost my comment like I lose my keys in the morning.

Comment by AC Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 10:30 am
His campaign committee as of Dec. 8 had filed no financial information, though Gonzales said he would be logging about $20,000 in donations in a few days.

The threshold for needing to file a D-1 is $5,000 raised or spent so if he’s got $20,000 in hand or in pledges he may want to get on top of his paperwork.

Comment by The Captain Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 10:30 am
Harvard grad, but seeking the “democratic” nomination, instead of the Democratic nomination. I quit reading after that.

Comment by hold on Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 10:32 am
To the Update…

The double-speak we all grew to loathe is back and “better than ever”

Gonzalez;

=== I guess they had sort of staked their belief on that.===

Rich;

===The MJM peeps likely didn’t stake their belief on anything since they apparently had petitions ready to go.===

“My” point?

Rauner himself made it a campaign staple to frame his own sense of reality, spent $60+ million to frame his narrative of events.

Gonzales already looks at what happened and is willing to spin this contrived “off-guard, under the radar”… “baloney”… In hopes that following the deceptively “parallel reality” is the important message.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 10:33 am
Steve Brown’s response was good for a laugh:

“The next thing you know his car will get vandalized,” Brown said, referring to unsubstantiated accusations from one of Madigan’s three 2012 primary challengers. “That’s the usual jive these people put up.”

I can dig that, daddy-o!

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 10:35 am
You will find Innovation Consultants using phrases like: shared vision and values, rallying point, leadership platform, entry vehicle, catalyst, call to action, sustainability, etc, etc.
Stuff like that.

Comment by Solid Dwight Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 10:37 am
Georg S: Your comment is well made, if overly broad.

I for one, welcome anyone with this background into the political world. However, why he chose this specific job to go after, leads to suspicious speculation. Does this not seem to represent a larger group’s political strategy, more than a specific individual’s interest in serving, to you?

in any case, it would be nice if you would grace us with a positive comment on any subject, more often. There’s space here for more than spear throwing.

Comment by walker Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 10:42 am
===A petition sampling is here.===

*IF* Madigan’s peeps filed these guys, then I’d bet dollars to donuts that they have enough valid signatures. They wouldn’t screw that part up.

Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 10:58 am
I’m pretty sure Jeffrey Lebowski was an “innovation consultant”, e.g. https://youtu.be/Jw36ivnRHRQ

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 11:17 am
Have to question his seriousness and attention to detail. I’ve filed both 990 and 990EZ’s. It’s not that hard to file a 990 and the IRS gives you lots of latitude to file late just so long as you do it within the 3 year window.

Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 11:36 am
===The threshold for needing to file a D-1 is $5,000 raised or spent so if he’s got $20,000 in hand or in pledges he may want to get on top of his paperwork. ====
I think the Board of Elections ruled that you don’t have to report until you put the checks in the bank. Not sure if I agree with that but there was some news stories about it a year or so ago.

Comment by Been There Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 11:43 am
=What if IllinoisGO only filed one candidate?=
This.
Why fight a war on multiple fronts and instead go directly after the oppositions brain? Just imagine for a minute that Madigan lost the primary? Longer than long shot but what if?
Oh, a man can dream… millions spent on hammering Madigan. Not state-wide but in the 22nd district. Targeted. Micro-targeted. 45 years worth of ownership of failed polices sent directly in to the Speakers neighborhood. Maybe it’s not such a crazy dream after all. It may just be crazy enough to work.

Comment by Anon2U Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 11:52 am
- Anon2U -

You make a good argument, and I see where you are coming from, and even admitting the shot is long, but hey, millions in ONE district, the micro, the less that 100 precincts, running against the “old ways”…

I do get it.

Then why have what can be construed as a Rauner-like clone to run in Madigan’s district, especially with the depth and strength of the home ground game?

Do I think Rauner wants six-figures spent by Madigan, at home, and keep one tier of Captains on the home front? Absolutely, 100%, yes.

Why run someone so, so, so Anti-Madigan it bleeds Raunerite so easily?

Why also go after Madigan so frontally harsh when both Madigan and Rauner need each other to move the state forward?

A more stealthy, steady, solid and impactful rollout and campaign, based on the 2014 Rauner plus list is smarter than having a 41-year old clone of Rauner, who is Hispanic, in a heavily Hispanic district, which helps, but whose resume and core campaign seems to scream “I’m with Bruce”?

I get your thoughts, but I dunno if this tailored candidate can generate the goals. Too frontal.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 12:06 pm
Anon2U — MJM has been “micro-targeting” for more than 30 years. Clearly, you’ve spent zero time in the 22nd.

Comment by 300 Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 12:14 pm
Who are the other candidates?

Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 12:19 pm
Come at the king, you best not miss.

-Omar Little

Comment by Chi Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 12:29 pm
PSA: We are currently on back-order of tin foil. At present time all locations are sold out. Stay tuned for updates. Thank you.

Comment by Walmart Manager Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 12:36 pm
i’d vote for him

Comment by Ghost Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 12:59 pm
burbanite, an innovation consultant is an imagineer who doesnt work for Disney(tm)

Comment by Ghost Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 1:19 pm
OW,
ANY candidate not put up by Madigan in the 22nd is a direct assault. Can’t hide it in the least so why try?
The district is 66% Hispanic. If Gonzales speaks Spanish it would be a major plus. Imagine the door to door communication of success he could tell and the inspiration he could convey to the middle-class people of the 22nd district.
It’s all theory but what a clever path that would be.

Comment by Anon2U Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 1:51 pm
- Anon2U -,

No. I disagree.

A “Reagan Democrat” background, turned professional that’s never forgotten what it means to carry a lunch pail when carrying a suitcase is a much better fit, candidate-wise, and far more intelligent, politically, in the 22nd.

What makes this so blatently frontal, disregarding the 22nd entirely even, is a Hispanic Raunerite model, and then thinking that the points I singled out will drill drop beyond the Rauner plus list.

The reasons some races fail is literally candidate recruitment.

This candidacy isn’t going to drill deep with a Raunerite playbook and candidate. Not in the 22nd, ethnicity notwithstanding.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 2:01 pm
Why do so many people in Illinois let Madigan get away with this ballot-rigging and other nonsense. Why are so many Illinoisans afraid of Madigan? It’s time for a revolution and his ouster. I’ll ask Rauner to help fund this guy.

Comment by Formerpol Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 2:04 pm
I think it is good for the State to have every legislator challenged. Let’s hope this guy can make Madigan remember he serves at the peoples discretion.

Comment by Downstate Hack Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 2:12 pm
If there’s anything worse than a Harvard grad who likes to brag about it, it’s a Duke grad.

I say this as a Duke grad.

Comment by anon Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 2:15 pm
- Formerpol -

1) I’m here for your “Fire Madigan, 2.0″ needs!

2) ===I’ll ask Rauner to help fund this guy.===

I think you’re late boarding that train, lol

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 2:18 pm
Anon @ 2:15,
Apparently you have never met a Notre Dame grad.

Comment by Anon2U Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 2:23 pm
So between his campaign bio and his book, he highlights being “mentored” by both Douglas Brinkley and Lee Iacocca, as well as being an “advisor and confidant” President Reif.

I’m sure there’s a grain of truth in all of it, but either this guy is a serial exaggerator or he really should amend his bio to include a discussion of the three wise men who visited him on his birth.

Comment by Sam Weinberg Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 2:34 pm
–Why are so many Illinoisans afraid of Madigan? It’s time for a revolution and his ouster. I’ll ask Rauner to help fund this guy.–

You say you want a revolution, well, you know….

…we’d all love to see the plan.

You ask Bruce for a contribution, well, you know…

…he’s doing all he can.

But when Trump is screaming “Deport Now,”….

…the GOP ain’t welcome there anyhow.

You know Mikey’s gonna be….

…alright.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 2:49 pm
His bio really doesn’t impress me, but then I was a male model who doubled as an FBI informant/NASA astronaut and helped bring down the Soviet Union by infiltrating STASI communication satellites.

Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 2:52 pm
Did - Wordslinger - go musical?

Not only Musical but Beatles?

That’s good stuff.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 2:54 pm
=== Why do so many people in Illinois let Madigan get away with this ballot-rigging and other nonsense. ===

Because we know the GOP also plays games. Then again, as a former politician you know that and like to spread it around as all politicians do.

Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 2:54 pm
Wordsinger?

Comment by walker Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 3:49 pm
VM didnt you invent the internet?

Comment by Ghost Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 3:56 pm
Wordslinger wins comment of the day!

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 7:07 pm
Revolution No. 1 or Revolution No. 9?

Let’s leave Yoko out of it.

Shooby-do-wop-wop-shooby-do-wop.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 7:29 pm
I’m not on the opposition research team, but the timeline Mr. Gonzalez puts forward regarding his life since college seems a little suspicious. I can believe he worked for a catering company while in grad school, and may have even taken a management position or equity stake in it after he finished grad school, but 2 master’s degrees and he’s running a catering company? And a defunct charity (the “still registered” simply means he’s paying the fees to maintain the URL.)? If he’s the best Illinois GO can do, they’re not trying very hard…

Comment by Lynn S. Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 10:27 pm
Guess what the google helped me find? No mention of the catering company! http://student.chicagobooth.edu/group/sabg/ILS2011/panelsandspeakers.html

Jason Gonzales

CEO, AquaVida International (@jasongonzo)

Mr Gonzales, 37, is Founder and CEO of AquaVida International, a social enterprise organization with non-profit and for-profit elements that implements sustainable, scalable solutions to solve global water challenges.
A serial entrepreneur, Jason began his career as a Chicago real estate investor syndicating limited partnerships for the purchase and redevelopment of neighborhood apartment buildings. In 2004, he founded Workforce Housing Solutions, a company that designed, built and managed specialty housing for essential employees of mid-and large-sized companies. In 2010, he launched AquaVida. The company engages business, government, higher education and faith communities in issues related to global water supply and infrastructure. Mr. Gonzales is a native of Chicago. He earned an AB in economics and history from Duke University, where he rowed on the crew team and co-founded the Entrepreneur’s Club. He enjoys skiing, world travel, and investing in the next generation of entrepreneurs. (He has more hair in the picture on this website, from 2011.)

Comment by Lynn S. Wednesday, Dec 9, 15 @ 10:49 pm