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Candidates who say they refused to pledge support for Madigan now under attack

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Illinois

Maggie Wunderly is running for the obscure post of Illinois Democratic Party committeewoman for Illinois’ 11th Congressional District and says she was motivated to get into politics because of Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign. She says she was approached by intermediaries of Madigan in December with a simple proposition.

“If I pre-pledge my vote to Madigan, then he would not spend money against me in the race,” Wunderly says the intermediaries told her. She declined to name who they were, but says multiple people who knew Madigan but did not know each other reached out to her with the same message. “I decided not to do the deal, because I thought it was unethical to pledge my vote ahead of the election.”

In fact, she says the offer extended to 12 other candidates running for Democratic committeeman and committeewoman who had been endorsed by the pro-Sanders Our Revolution Illinois group. The message was: promise to re-elect Madigan as party chair, and he’ll stay out of your race. […]

“I didn’t take the deal,” [Alison Squires, committeewoman candidate in the 14th CD] said. “I said that I thought it was unethical and I wanted to not close doors.”

That’s standard operating procedure, but these Berniecrats ain’t SOP types.

* And so this stuff like this happens…

* Rauner campaign…

“The veil is being lifted on Mike Madigan’s corrupt machine. Whether it’s removing candidates from the ballot or demanding loyalty in elections, Madigan continues to prioritize preserving his own power over the people of Illinois. And JB Pritzker is just another pawn in Madigan’s game.” - Rauner Campaign Communications Director Will Allison

Mike Madigan is stooping to new lows to maintain his power and position as Chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois. According to several candidates running for the Democrats’ State Central Committee, Madigan offered them a deal: vote for Madigan to be party chairman and he won’t actively work against their campaigns.

It’s clear that JB Pritzker took a similar deal from Madigan, especially now that Pritzker’s top two supporters, Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, are making calls on behalf of ‘progressive’ Mike Madigan.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 12:07 pm

Comments

“progressive” lolololol.

Comment by 44th Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 12:09 pm
Keep in mind - let’s say 4 of these outsider Dem state rep candidates win for state rep and the Republicans pick up 4 seats in November.

Then if the 4 outsider dems stick to their guns they can force Madigan’s ouster. If they don’t vote for him, he can only get to 59 and eventually the Dems will have to pick a second choice in order to govern.

Comment by Fax Machine Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 12:14 pm
Anyone see the last Star Wars movie Anakin v whoever whatever in the big fight scene ?…Close your eyes and imagine who you want to be who in that epic battle of good v evil, makes this a lot more fun.

Comment by theCardinal Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 12:16 pm
**Keep in mind - let’s say 4 of these outsider Dem state rep candidates win for state rep and the Republicans pick up 4 seats in November.**

These aren’t state rep candidates. They are Democratic state central committee candidates.

Comment by SaulGoodman Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 12:17 pm
I was referring to the Max Solomon/Cecil Matthews mailer, they’re running for state rep.

It’s only a matter of time before you get a few state reps who beat the machine who aren’t willing to kiss the ring and make up.

Comment by Fax Machine Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 12:20 pm
what a hot take.

They’re hitting themselves really

Comment by JohnnyPyleDriver Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 12:22 pm
I’m sympathetic to progressives and Our Revolution but if one of there candidates is Max Solomon that makes me question there picks. Isin’t Solomon suing Senator Hastings right now?

Comment by ItsMillerTime Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 12:24 pm
Hmmm, ignoring the pre-agreement aspect for a moment. Both of these candidates are running on an anti-abortion platform- wouldn’t that alone be reason enough to oppose them?

Comment by dlapine Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 12:34 pm
I mean, if it’s true that the guy is running publicly to defund Planned Parenthood as a Democrat (and I’m aware of the possibility that that’s a complete fabrication, but if it’s true), he deserves this. If Madigan didn’t send that mail, Personal PAC would. Modern democrats can’t run against Planned Parenthood in the same way modern Republicans can’t run as pro-choice.

Comment by PJ Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 12:39 pm
It was really helpful for Rauner to come to the defense of these candidates. Now the Speaker’s shop can take the Rauner quotes and use them as further evidence Rauner and the IL GOP really are backing the candidates the Speaker is opposing. That’s some 20-dimmensional chess playing right there.

Russia meddling in U.S. elections. Rauners, both, meddling in Democratic primaries. Nifty parallel there for Bruce and Diana.

Comment by Moe Berg Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 12:52 pm
Sorry Moe, Rauner just pointing out more corruption in the Democratic Party with Michael Madigan behind all of it because Madigan must have all that Power.

Comment by Stand Tall Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 12:58 pm
Raunerism allows a bought party to think they know anything about loyalty or party.

Ask conservatives how they feel about Rauner, lol

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 1:05 pm
Stand Tall: you got me. Rauner will definitely be a helpful endorser for those seeking Democratic party leadership positions. Illinois Democrats really love that ol’ persistent rascal.

Comment by Moe Berg Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 1:07 pm
===Ask conservatives how they feel about Rauner, lol===

Ask moderates, lol. Ask anyone who’s philosophy is beyond thoughtless generic republicanism.

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 1:19 pm
Plenty of Dem primary voters do not like Madigan. The overall desire for change plus the past few years of Rauner attacks has yielded an undercurrent of dissent. Madigan’s mailers are telling the anti-Madigan Dems who to vote for. Not sure it was a good move. At a minimum it will sow resentment the Dems do not need in the Fall.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 3:35 pm
Madigan has paid to attack numerous other progressives who are running for Democratic State Central committee. Those include people like Peter Janko, Art Bardley, and Elizabeth Lindquist (yes, the same one who was erroneously cited as asking a question of Pritzker on WBEZ, who then identified her as affiliated with the Biss campaign, as mentioned in a recent Capitol Fax article).

It would be one thing if the attacks were based in fact, but attacks on Lindquist and Bardley claim they are tea partiers, even though both have worked to elect progressives and fight for progressive causes. The ads claim they are linked to a Tea Party-associated group, Represent Us, which is actually a non-partisan group working to get money out of politics.

So apparently Madigan thinks that it’s ok to slander progressives because they want to get money out of politics. Tells you a lot about him.

Comment by Techie Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 3:39 pm