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Rewriting history

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* From an Illinois Policy Institute piece called “The cost of crossing Madigan”…

(S)ometimes just casting a vote for Madigan isn’t enough. That’s what state Rep. Helen Satterthwaite, D-Champaign, found out in 1989.

Madigan easily won the speakership again in 1989 by a vote of 67-51. Satterthwaite was one of those 67 votes. But in casting her vote for Madigan, she offered an explanation for the record:

Mr. Secretary, in explaining my vote, I want to indicate that there are many of my constituents who have indicated to me that they feel that I should not support Mike Madigan for reelection as Speaker of the House. In fact, many of their comments have been down right unflattering both to him and to me for supporting him. They feel that he really has not recognized the dire situation that our educational system is in across the State of Illinois and the impact upon that system of inadequate funding. I’m sensitive to those concerns of my constituents. Yet, I am casting my vote today for Speaker Madigan in the hope that during these next two years of legislative action, we will be able to change that image of Mike Madigan. I certainly hope, Mike, that we can entice you by invitation to come to spend some time in District l03 so that you can get to better understand our viewpoint on the problems that we see created by a lack of a strong educational system and support for that system and that we can have the opportunity to try to better understand your point of view as well. Please don’t let us down, Mike. We look to you for the Leadership out of this dilemma. I cast my vote for Mike Madigan.

At the time, Satterthwaite chaired the Higher Education Committee and was vice chair of the Elementary and Secondary Education Committee. By the time 1991 rolled around, she had been stripped of those leadership roles. And by 1993 she was out of the Illinois House altogether.

* Um, actually, Satterthwaite was elevated by Madigan to the position of Assistant House Majority Leader. House leaders back then usually didn’t hold onto their committee chairmanships when they were moved up the ladder.

And Satterthwaite didn’t lose her 1992 reelection bid because of Madigan. Instead, the new Republican-drawn map put her into a district with a GOP incumbent. From a 1991 Tribune story called “Top Democrats To Be Squeezed By GOP Remap”…

Reps. Grace Mary Stern, John Matijevich, Michael Rotello, Geoffrey Obrzut, Michael Curran and Helen Satterthwaite are in Republican-leaning districts with GOP incumbents. Satterthwaite and Matijevich are also among Madigan`s assistant majority leaders.

She only got 39 percent in that ‘92 race.

This is not to say that Madigan doesn’t exact revenge. He sure as heck does. But not on Helen.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Oct 21, 16 @ 12:13 pm

Comments

Mike Madigan and the 1992 GOP-map he controlled to punish Helen Satterthwaite.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Friday, Oct 21, 16 @ 12:17 pm
Does IPI really want the title of “Ministry of Information”???

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5ybDS2Ddzo

Comment by Anon221 Friday, Oct 21, 16 @ 12:20 pm
Darn it! Those pesky facts always seem to get into the way of IPI’s message.

Comment by Sir Reel Friday, Oct 21, 16 @ 12:24 pm
“The cost of crossing Daniels” would be a better story.

Set the way-back machine for 1990 and look for the disgruntled HGOP members.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Friday, Oct 21, 16 @ 12:25 pm
Facts don’t matter to this Illinois Policy Institute thing. They want to create fog so they can advance their agenda, which is to make working men and women less able to make a living.

Comment by Albany Park Patriot Friday, Oct 21, 16 @ 12:26 pm
MF is correct. That Daniels map sent a whole lot of dissidents running for the exits.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Oct 21, 16 @ 12:27 pm
IPI fact checking their articles? Working as intended.

Comment by Fixer Friday, Oct 21, 16 @ 12:27 pm
Facts are stubborn things!

Comment by facts are stubborn things Friday, Oct 21, 16 @ 12:30 pm
You, this is just disgusting, Rep Satterwaite was one of the most decent people to ever serve in the Illinois. To Sully her 18 year record of service like that is just awful.

Comment by Someone you should know Friday, Oct 21, 16 @ 12:32 pm
The Illinois Propaganda Institute strikes again. The disinformation campaign continues. Those who believe a single word of their trash deserve to be governor…oh wait…

Comment by PublicServant Friday, Oct 21, 16 @ 12:33 pm
=== But not on Helen.===

It’s a relatively smart political move to promote those who offer constructive or friendly criticism into positions where they’re able to do more.

It creates a lot of incentive for them to buy into one’s efforts.

Comment by Anon Friday, Oct 21, 16 @ 12:40 pm
Was this nugget included in the Madigan documentary or do I have to buy the “Director”s Cut” edition to see it?

Comment by Henry Francis Friday, Oct 21, 16 @ 1:37 pm
When it comes to the IPI, pretending their lil narratives are truthful is easier than finding actual examples…

Phony’s gotta phony.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Oct 21, 16 @ 1:45 pm
Never the let the facts get in the way of a good distortion effort.

Comment by Colin O'Scopey Friday, Oct 21, 16 @ 2:00 pm
== * From an Illinois Policy Institute piece… ==

Begs for the question: ‘piece of what?’

Comment by sal-says Friday, Oct 21, 16 @ 2:10 pm
Good to point tout this type of ’sloppy journalism????’ whenever it occurs.

Comment by Federalist Friday, Oct 21, 16 @ 2:56 pm
Helen Satterthwaite; what a wonderful, delightful person and what a wonderful legislator she was, faithfully representing the people of her district. Tim Johnson beat her and he represented well the people who elected him. I haven’t seen her in years, but at least recently she was still living in Urbana

Comment by Steve Schnorf Friday, Oct 21, 16 @ 3:53 pm