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* The county party meets Thursday to hear from potential candidates and this one is now on the radar…
If Cook County Clerk David Orr seeks an eighth term next year, he could be facing his first Democratic primary challenger in more than two decades.
Recorder of Deeds Karen Yarbrough on Friday said she plans to run for the office that Orr has held since 1990. […]
“I plan to submit my credentials to the Cook County Democrats and hope to win the support to get the endorsement,” Yarbrough said. “I will be running.”
Orr, 72, in recent years has hemmed and hawed about running again, according to sources who say he now intends to seek re-election. In political circles, it was thought Orr would step down and County Commissioner Jesus “Chuy” Garcia would be appointed to get a leg up in the next election, but that didn’t happen. Attempts to reach Orr were not successful Friday.
Voters folded Yarbrough’s office into the clerk’s office last year. Orr was in favor of the merger, while Yarbrough opposed it, so you reap what you sow, I suppose.
* Meanwhile, here’s Bernie…
Some central Illinois Statehouse races may be taking shape.
DILLON CLARK, 25, a Litchfield resident and Democratic Montgomery County Board member, says he’s running for state representative in the 95th District, now represented by Rep. AVERY BOURNE, R-Raymond. Clark had earlier considered a run for the House in the 13th Congressional District.
“The (general) election is well over a year away,” Bourne said in response, “and I’m focused on our work at hand — reaching a bipartisan solution on a balanced budget, enacting term limits, and reforming the way we fund our schools.”
And in the 99th House District, now represented by Republican SARA WOJCICKI JIMENEZ of Leland Grove, retired state police Master Sgt. MARC BELL, 53, of Chatham, said he is considering running as a Democrat.
Jimenez also said she is also focused on the legislature’s work and as for the election, “there will be time to talk about that at a later date. I am not focused on that right now at all.”
I told subscribers about Clark last week.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 1:01 pm
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It’d be cheaper and smarter to simply merge the Recorder’s office into the Clerk’s office and be done with it. But this is Cook County, so no dice.
Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 1:14 pm
==It’d be cheaper and smarter to simply merge the Recorder’s office into the Clerk’s office and be done with it. But this is Cook County, so no dice.==
The voters did do that. Thus Karen’s decision to run for Clerk: she needs a new phony baloney job.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 1:17 pm
There were rumors she might run for Secretary of State if Jesse were to retire. Maybe he has communicated he is running again?
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 1:23 pm
Please…Karen should run for her life! After that shady retreat she required employees to attend over the weekend was exposes, she asked said employees to pay her back. Those that didn’t were fired. Look for an investigation into that…
Comment by FIREDup! Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 1:33 pm
Slightly off topic from the race but since another commenter brought it up…
Consolidate offices if you want to - I know there’s been talk about combining IL’s Treasurer and Comptroller’s offices for years.
But I’m pretty skeptical that just consolidating offices will lead to any significant savings. In the end there’s still the work of both offices to be done and you’re not going to be able to simply lay off the staff of one office and dump it on the other one to do.
We were supposed to gain all kinds of savings and efficiences when Blago went to a “Shared Services” model. In the end they really just moved where people sat. You reduce one elected officials job - but all the work of that office still needed to get done by the employees.
very minimal savings
Comment by Biscuit Head Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 1:48 pm
Karen Yarbrough looks out for the interests of low-income people, and–amazing–she pursues ways that government might help Illinois residents. She has made good changes as recorder of deeds. I wish her the best.
Comment by State worker Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 1:51 pm
@ Biscuit Head - You are right that the work of both offices still need to be done, but, theoretically, an office consolidation should eliminate more than just one elected official’s job — it should eliminate a chief-of-staff position, a public relations/community outreach job or two, an executive assistant to the elected official, a front desk greeter, etc. etc.
And even if the savings are relatively minimal, they are still savings. We cannot get into the mindset that $1 or $2 million is savings is not worth pursuing.
Comment by Just Observing Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 2:09 pm
=== she asked said employees to pay her back. Those that didn’t were fired. Look for an investigation into that ===
Wow that’s a pretty strong allegation. Do you have any evidence to back that up?
Comment by Anon Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 2:16 pm
Orr v. Yarbrough would be fun to watch.
Who’s gonna run against Berrios?
Comment by Roman Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 2:17 pm
Sure do. I wouldn’t make the allegation otherwise. This will all be coming out in the next few weeks.
Comment by FIREDup! Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 2:48 pm
http://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/taxpayers-paid-weekend-resort-getaway-karen-yarbrough-cook-county-recorder-deeds-the-watchdogs/
Comment by FIREDup! Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 2:54 pm
While I am generally in favor of smaller government and consolidation, Cook County is different than the Downstate counties that have successfully merged the offices of County Clerk and Recorder of Deeds. The number of parcels and documents handled in Cook County is significantly more than in any of the other 101 counties.
As for merging the offices of State Treasurer and Comptroller (formerly the Auditor of Public Accounts), Illinois has had a history of corruption in various offices where money handling was a concern and the two offices were meant to operate as a check upon each other.
The 1870 Constitution wisely prohibited county treasurers and sheriffs from serving consecutive terms as a means of stemming corruption.
Comment by Ahem! Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 3:21 pm
We have to many Caucasian Men holding Cook County Jared Tom Dart Sheriff and David Orr Clerk. We need more African America women elected.
Comment by Diversity now Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 3:33 pm
Madigan will not give Clark a dime after his people talk to him. He is a horrible candidate.
Comment by Lolz Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 3:35 pm
@Diversity Now:
Is that a joke?
Preckwinkle, Foxx, Brown and Yarbrough are all African American women holding important county offices (County Board President, State’s Attorney, Circuit Court Clerk and Recorder of Deeds).
Comment by Say What? Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 3:44 pm
Don’t be deceived by Clarks’ youth. He’s a formidable candidate and will give Bourne a run for her money. I met him personally and was very impressed. I actually spoke quite a bit to him. Honestly he’s got fire and drive. He’s also got a keen mind. He’s sharp as a tack and well prepared. It seemed like he had been getting considerable grooming. Watch this one.
Comment by Honeybear Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 4:19 pm
- Honeybear -
Avery Borne has shown herself to lack the talent that others would say she had, and whether or not Clark has considerable more talent or not than Ms. Bourne, that race of mid-twenty year olds will, in all likelihood be a proxy/referendum on Bruce Rauner, in large part that Ms. Bourne can’t help she is but a Rauner seat, voting Raunerite, talking Raunerite, spinning things as only a Raunerite legislator can.
Clark could be all you say… or not.
We know Bourne, school funding percentages and all.
It’s going to be a Raunerite Referendum.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 4:44 pm
- Diversity now -
Did some checking and added up all countywide elected officials in Cook County: Supreme Court Justices, Water Rec District Commissioners and constitutional officers like sheriff, president, etc. It turns out, white men are out-numbered 22-4.
So, if diversity is an issue in who serves as county clerk, then we should probably vote to re-elect David Orr, because white men are severely underrepresented in Cook County.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 5:04 pm
=== Sure do. I wouldn’t make the allegation otherwise. This will all be coming out in the next few weeks. ===
Were you fired by the Recorder’s Office?
Comment by Too Much to Handle Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 5:12 pm
I’ve met Clark and His wife and I’ve met Ms. Bourne. Clark is BY FAR the Superior Candidate.
Comment by Mr. Clean Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 6:13 pm