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The circular firing squad heads to court

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Illinois

* I posted a press release about this topic on late Friday afternoon. Here’s the Deerfield Patch…

Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan isn’t just a factor in Democratic primaries, he’s also coming into play on the Republican side. Upset at being linked to the leader of the state Democratic Party in his opponent’s recent campaign literature, one of two Lincolnshire Republicans seeking to replace outgoing state Rep. Carol Sente in the north suburban 59th District filed a lawsuit in Lake County Court demanding a retraction and apology.

The ads in question were sent by the House Republican Organization on behalf of the campaign of Karen Feldman, a realtor and Lincolnshire trustee.

The mailers accuse her opponent, Marko Sukovic, a graduating senior at the University of Illinois with own political consulting firm, of taking “tens of thousands of dollars in cold hard cash from Mike Madigan’s closest allies.”

However, a look at Sukovic’s campaign filings with Illinois State Board of Elections reveals that he’s reported raising less than $10,000 – much of it from family members.

Nonetheless, according to the crudely photoshopped mailers, “Mike Madigan and his henchman are pulling Marko Sukovic’s strings.”

* Daily Herald…

When reached for comment about the suit, filed Thursday, Feldman wrote in an email: “I just received news of the lawsuit this afternoon. I am meeting with my attorneys this weekend and will have a better understanding of it next week. However, the lawsuit has nothing to do with me.”

Sukovic, a 22-year-old graduating senior from the University of Illinois and owner of a public relations firm, is running to occupy the seat soon to be vacated by Rep. Carol Sente. […]

Joe Woodward, political director of the House Republican Organization, didn’t directly address the lawsuit or the mailer in an email Saturday, but said that “Sukovic is upset that HRO vetted both him and Karen Feldman, and came to the conclusion that Karen Feldman is a much stronger candidate for the 59th district.”

The initial hearing in the suit is scheduled for March 2.

* E-mail from Karen Feldman…

Marko’s lawsuit, as it pertains to me, is without merit. I have retained counsel, and Friday morning we will be presenting a motion to dismiss me from the matter. Marko and his dad have filed a vexatious and frivolous lawsuit without making a good-faith inquiry into either the law or facts. They both know I had nothing to do with the political mailings sent out by House Republican organization. Adding me to the suit is nothing more than an attempt to distract the voters. I will have further comment after the court hearing this coming Friday.

* One of the mailers…

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 11:56 am

Comments

Straight out of the 2016 Bob Dold “I know I’m going to lose so I’m going to whine in a lawsuit so I can say my opponent is being sued” playbook.

Comment by Anon Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 12:02 pm
Lawsuit should be called “Little Marko v. The First Amendment”

Comment by Pritzker Plumbers Inc. Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 12:08 pm
Marko Sukovic, by the way, says he was a co-founder of Turning Point USA, the extremely pro-Trump / Koch-funded group whose other college-aged leaders have had major issues with racist comments.

https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/a-conservative-nonprofit-that-seeks-to-transform-college-campuses-faces-allegations-of-racial-bias-and-illegal-campaign-activity

Comment by lake county voter Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 12:13 pm
==Marko Sukovic, by the way, says he was a co-founder of Turning Point USA, the extremely pro-Trump / Koch-funded group whose other college-aged leaders have had major issues with racist comments.==

Fun fact: it was founded by Wheeling native Charlie Kirk.

Comment by TKMH Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 12:18 pm
TKMH - it’s going to be hard for Lake County’s Jonah Ryan to distance himself from the Trump propaganda industrial complex, but please, do try

Comment by lake county voter Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 12:22 pm
Little Marko: welcome to the big leagues. Maybe next time graduate from college first.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 12:25 pm
=== I had nothing to do with the mailings by the HRO ==

These mailings were sent out to help her campaign by falsely maligning her opponent. The fact that she takes no responsibility and doesn’t even denounce the lies, is instructive.

Comment by anon2 Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 12:28 pm
===Fun fact: it was founded by Wheeling native Charlie Kirk. ===

Another fun fact: Rauner was an early contributor http://www.sj-r.com/news/20180106/bernard-schoenburg-harley-in-garage-rauner-gets-his-skates

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 12:34 pm
Has 22-year-old college student Marko ever paid property taxes (or even a single month’s rent) in the district he hopes to represent?

Comment by Meesha Swift Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 12:37 pm
I know people are super excited about millenials running for office but this is what we get when they do. Grow up

Comment by anon Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 1:13 pm
Fun Fact #3- Turning Point USA’s UIUC chapter members got booted outta the State Farm Center last Thursday during the Illini basketball game after trying and failing to hand out a bunch of Chief Illiniwek signs.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 1:56 pm
Have fun in your mommy’s basement little Marko. Such a snowflake.

Comment by Jack G Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 2:05 pm
Amazing how many Republicans, including Ives and all Proft’s candidates, and Durkin and his team, and even Rauner, have been outed as “Madigan allies.” Who knew? /s

Comment by walker Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 2:11 pm
What a loss. He was great at passing out things to young girls at parades.

Comment by Slippian Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 2:15 pm
Marko is similar to Kaegi, who heads to court to attack people during the course of a campaign. Fritz and Marko could always start a class action suit.

Comment by CaptA Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 2:18 pm
Don’t understand why you guys are dumping on this kid. From what Rich said, the Republican organization -lied-. All he can do is file a lawsuit. Feldman isn’t distancing herself from the ad, so she is going along with the -lie-. Must have been taking lessons from Rauner.

Comment by downstate commissioner Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 2:30 pm
===Feldman isn’t distancing herself from the ad, so she is going along with the -lie-.===

The 22-year-old candidate didn’t distance himself from his TPUSA colleague’s racial slurs, so he is going along with the racial slurs.

Comment by anon Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 2:41 pm
The Feldman mailbox ads were insulting to voters’ intelligence and beneath someone running for the office she wants no matter who paid for them or who she is running against. Our household received three versions of them in three separate days last week. One was too many.

Comment by Responsa Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 3:17 pm
Funny that Marlo is now commenting here that his opponent isn’t distancing herself from the ads. Her statement is quite clear that she did. Maybe he should’ve tried harder to finish school on time…

Comment by George W Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 3:56 pm
I can’t believe the Daily Herald didn’t endorse him.

Comment by Lay Hay Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 4:42 pm
Wouldn’t it have been easier for Karen Feldman to disavow the allegation, rather than sidestep it? Seems like she really had something to do with it.. by her comments. Don’t be surprised if Feldman gets some backblast in the General Election if she wins the primary.

Comment by Slander stinks Monday, Feb 26, 18 @ 7:28 pm