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Cloonen forcefully apologizes

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Illinois

The Illinois Republican Party made sure media outlets were aware of the video footage of Illinois state Rep. Katherine “Kate” Cloonen, D-Kankakee, and another state Democrat playing video games during a budget session last month. The image was caught and broadcast by WCIA-TV in Champaign and a television station in Rockford.

“This was a mistake, and I apologize,” Cloonen told the Daily Journal. “It won’t happen again, and that’s needless to say.” […]

She said she hasn’t cashed a single paycheck since the budget impasse started last July and has spent countless hours reaching out to social service providers, schools and other entities that need state funding to survive.

“I hear these struggles,” Cloonen said. “We work on it every day.”

If you ever wondered why Cloonen has been able to win a majority Republican district, you just found out. That was very well done. Time to move along.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, May 16, 16 @ 2:50 pm

Comments

Yellow journalism, move along.

Comment by Liberty Monday, May 16, 16 @ 2:57 pm
I thought it was fun Ron Sandack retweeted the “Illinois Observer” tweet with the picture of Cloonen playing a game.

That Sandack, all about his colleagues…

To the Post,

I did it, I was wrong. I’m sorry.

Works best… every time.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, May 16, 16 @ 2:59 pm
Example A in the political manual of dealing with a controversy (albeit a petty one brought to us by a lazy reporter)

Comment by Norseman Monday, May 16, 16 @ 2:59 pm
(Warning- full on snark)

Some days you’re candy crushed, some days you’re a diamond digger;)

Kudos though (seriously) for Cloonen not cashing her checks.

Comment by Anon221 Monday, May 16, 16 @ 3:04 pm
This has went on forever. Solitaire on Laptops, etc etc. It does not look good, but it was handled well.

Comment by Saluki Monday, May 16, 16 @ 3:06 pm
So it’s ok for Sandack to just tool around on Twitter?

Careful with that house, Representative. It’s glass.

Comment by illini97 Monday, May 16, 16 @ 3:08 pm
Lincoln never played Candy Crush!!1!

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Monday, May 16, 16 @ 3:09 pm
I just could care less about this. Although I don’t fault the Republicans for doing it, the Democrats pull the same thing with sham votes planned around political mailers. Both sides are just truly awful.

Comment by Ahoy! Monday, May 16, 16 @ 3:10 pm
Cloonen is a class act. This was a non-story but handled well by Kate.

Comment by Higher Ed Monday, May 16, 16 @ 3:17 pm
She should add, “my parents took my phone away until the end of session”. /s

She did what she needed to do. Relatively quickly even. Good for her.

Comment by A guy Monday, May 16, 16 @ 3:25 pm
Didn’t Jim Edgar ban Solitaire on state PCs back in the day?

Of course, that was before MSI, which was another kind of computer game, but I digress.

Comment by 47th Ward Monday, May 16, 16 @ 3:25 pm
MrJM- But he may have eaten some of the candies!

The items in Abraham Lincoln’s pockets the night of the assassination were as follows: a pocketknife, a linen handkerchief, a sleeve button, a fancy watch fob, two pairs of spectacles, a lens polisher, a tiny pencil, tiny fragments of hard red and green candy, a fine brownish powder which appeared to be snuff, and a brown leather wallet (one section was engraved “U.S. Currency” and another section was engraved “Notes”). The wallet contained a Confederate five dollar bill, and nine old newspaper clippings. Included among these clippings were two articles of praise and five others dealing with the issues that were on Lincoln’s mind during his final months. These items are now in the Library of Congress.

http://rogerjnorton.com/Lincoln92.html

Comment by Anon221 Monday, May 16, 16 @ 3:27 pm
Cloonen said. “We work on it every day.”
Except that day.

Comment by Qui Tam Monday, May 16, 16 @ 3:34 pm
This is all TV news is capable of “reporting”, because anything else is too much heavy lifting.

Comment by Filmmaker Professor Monday, May 16, 16 @ 3:34 pm
== So it’s ok for Sandack to just tool around on Twitter? ==

Very good point. Public officials spend an awful lot of time Tweeting and Facebooking and so on. Some of these rock-throwers should consider investing in catchers’ mitts to handle any stones tossed back at them.

Comment by Linus Monday, May 16, 16 @ 3:51 pm
Kate is a class act and a very good person!

Is the Owl?

Comment by AJ_yooper Monday, May 16, 16 @ 3:52 pm
So this means Ron Sandack or other Republicans won’t be tweeting from the House floor right? Can we use telephoto lenses to monitor his smartphone/laptop?

Comment by wndycty Monday, May 16, 16 @ 4:16 pm
Word is Jimmy Olsen plannin’ another world exclusive tonite…Guessin’ BigBrain expected more for his $5 million.

Comment by Annonin' Monday, May 16, 16 @ 4:40 pm
=== Word is Jimmy Olsen plannin’ another world exclusive tonite…Guessin’ BigBrain expected more for his $5 million. ===

So the big question is whether IPI produced the piece for him or he got it straight from Rauner’s campaign staff.

Comment by Norseman Monday, May 16, 16 @ 4:46 pm
Her apology was relatively quick and gracious.
Not to mention, who cares….since we’ve all done it.

Comment by Belle Monday, May 16, 16 @ 4:48 pm
Kate worked tremendously hard in that district. She is always out there, and walks her district more than anyone I know in my suburbs. I may not always agree with her, but I have never doubted her work ethic or her dedication.

Comment by Archiesmom Monday, May 16, 16 @ 4:51 pm
Damage done

Comment by Dooooode Monday, May 16, 16 @ 5:41 pm
Really? An apology makes everything OK? We can just look the other way? Are the voters in the 79th district asleep? FIRE HER in November!! “Candy Crush Cloonen” must be relieved of her video game playing in Springfield in November.

Comment by Kate Klunen Monday, May 16, 16 @ 9:44 pm
She has 5 years to cash the checks. She took them, didn’t she? Stay tuned…….

Comment by Queen Esther Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 11:54 am
Incredible!! She will still cash the checks. “Candy Crush Cloonen” does not deserve to be re-elected. Her behavior is totally unacceptable.

Comment by WHAT? Tuesday, May 17, 16 @ 12:00 pm