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The 13th Ward never gives up, and that is now a problem

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Illinois

* This is classic 13th Ward behavior right here…

The 13th Ward campaign workers hit the streets aggressively, asking people to sign sworn affidavits revoking their support for a little-known college student challenging Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s handpicked alderman.

Some Southwest Side residents said they were bombarded with repeated visits followed by repeated voicemails. Others told the Tribune they were yelled at when they refused to sign the piece of paper put before them.

One woman recounted how she hid for weeks from the political troops, sending her increasingly irritated husband to the door with excuses for why she wasn’t available. “They kept coming and coming and coming to my house. … Three times a day for a very long time,” she said.

Just when she thought it was safe to answer the door, they were on her porch again. She said she signed the revocation so they’d stop showing up. She said she worried that complaining publicly would mean she’d lose city services.

The strong push by Ald. Marty Quinn’s supporters was part of an unusual effort to keep 19-year-old David Krupa off the February ballot using a little-known quirk in election law.

Go read the rest. Those folks are really something.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 9:57 am

Comments

Ah, another post about corruption in Illinois government. How can we miss you if you don’t go away?

Comment by Just Me 2 Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 10:00 am
1, this is harassment. 2, I support a threshold of signatures to get on a ballot for public office, but getting candidates kicked off a ballot through the same process? Wow (banned punctuation)

Comment by SpfdNewb Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 10:06 am
The consent of those in government- rather than the consent of the governed.

Comment by Donnie Elgin Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 10:06 am
“Though still angry as she stood on her sidewalk retelling a story that happened months ago, she also said she wanted to remain anonymous because “this is his neighborhood.”

This isn’t just corruption, though that’s bad enough. This is intimidation - this woman doesn’t just fear some verbal abuse and doorbell rings.

Comment by lake county democrat Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 10:11 am
It’s sad that anyone in the 13th Ward feels intimidated into doing something they don’t want to do. Especially since Quinn would have won anyways.

Comment by Steve Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 10:12 am
This is harassment.

Comment by Wensicia Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 10:13 am
And is anyone brace enough to call for discipline of those involved - including Madigan? I’m sure just like the sexual harassment scandals he is totally innocent of all wrong doing.

Comment by Just Me 2 Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 10:17 am
Tactics reminiscent of the old Eastern Bloc. Frightening that people in this country have to live in fear of intimidation like this.

Sorry to disappoint some that corruption is the big topic lately. Perhaps if it wasn’t proving to be so pervasive we wouldn’t need to discuss it so much. If you don’t like it, feel free to move along.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 10:18 am
They run that fiefdom like it’s the 1950s and while it’s admirable they know everyone and everyone can find their precinct captain to get a tree trimmed or a garbage can, the brutal and continuous contact, yeah, in the 1950s machine mentality this makes sense.

We’re 60+ years from that era. It’s time to evolve and have great constituent services without the feel that someone is watching 24/7/365… or that need to do it to deliver votes.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 10:23 am
I do think it’s important to look at who is making these allegations. Of the five people that spoke with the Tribune, most of them indicated they knew or signed for Krupa. There’s no way of knowing if those few people are giving accurate depiction of their experience or trying to help their preferred candidate. If you’ve ever knocked on doors you know there are always those people who feel they are being harassed because you knock on their door. I would not defend bad behavior, however, the guy won overwhelmingly. If these precinct workers were so awful to so many constituents, that would not have happened.

Comment by Two sides to every story Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 10:26 am
==I do think it’s important to look at who is making these allegations.==

Thanks for chiming in, Marty, but don’t you have work to do?

Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 10:29 am
Where did these guys find their playbook? Moscow? Pyongyang?

Comment by Stuntman Bob's Brother Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 10:34 am
LHM - Do you think Ray Long went door to door in the 13th Ward looking for people who had negative experiences with campaign workers two years ago? Doubtful. Krupa or Peraicca gave them names of people to call. It’s probably what Quinn would do if the situation were reversed.

Comment by Two sides to every story Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 10:40 am
“If these precinct workers were so awful to so many constituents, that would not have happened.”

Because that is exactly how intimidation works.

Comment by Montrose Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 10:40 am
I wonder what could send a message to these types of tactics? How about voting for a different party?

Comment by Downstate Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 10:46 am
reading this article I recall that uncomfortable feeling of supporting a candidate who was going to run for an office but then did not. and that office was one eventually won by a big Madigan person. and the snark and attitude persisted even though they ran without the opposition and won. scorched earth mentality is not attractive.

Comment by Amalia Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 10:46 am
You have to give the Crew credit for consistency in the way they go about things. That’s why you have to question whether Mike is sincere in anything he says. Either they are ignoring him, or he wants it done this way. What do you think.

Comment by SSL Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 10:53 am
- Downstate -

Chicago is essentially a one party town. Those who don’t like it vote with their feet to experience a different kind of municipality .

Comment by Steve Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 11:02 am
But I thought Madigan wasnt the problem in this state?

Comment by senseless Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 11:04 am
This is quite a place where people have the time to show up 3 times a day to nag people. It’s not a small amount of territory to cover either. Sheesh.

Comment by A guy Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 11:10 am
-Downstate-

Demographic info of the 13th from a 2015 article. https://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/Get-to-Know-Your-Ward-13th-Ward-290113691.html

Demographic

Total Population: 53,722
White: 33.11 percent
Black: 1.84 percent
Hispanic: 63.77 percent
Asian: 0.86 percent (Source: WBEZ)

Judging from the numbers, I don’t see a lot republicans in this area of Chicago

Comment by SpfdNewb Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 11:18 am
Nice hit piece there by Ray Long. Good job at drumming up the old news there buddy.

To the post, I can say with certainty that these anecdotes are not the norm in the 13th Ward. If a precinct worker thinks that yelling at a potential voter is a recipe for success, I promise you that they will not be a precinct worker for long in the 13th Ward.

Most 13th Ward residents actually have good relationships with their precinct captains and actually call the precinct captain when issues need to be addressed in the Ward. The precinct captain is generally as well known as the mailman and the best ones are the ones that know how to listen to concerns and help get things done.

Are there people that go too far? Of course - overzealous campaign workers are nothing new to the electoral process.But Marty Quinn didn’t get over 85 percent of the vote by intimidation tactics. He got over 85 percent because of good constituent service and the positive relationships that his precinct captains have with the voters in their precincts.

Comment by Powdered Whig Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 11:19 am
This is the madigan-effect that is despised. Even his own daughter hates this part of this stuff.

Comment by R A T Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 11:25 am
I’m reading Royko’s Boss right now and there is a quote from the old head of the election board Sidney Holzman who said in respect to signatures from outsiders (i.e. Republicans, independents, non-machine Democrats), “We throw their petitions up to the ceiling, and those that stick are good.” I don’t think the mentality has changed much in the 13th ward.

Comment by Chicagonk Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 11:38 am
“Judging from the numbers, I don’t see a lot republicans in this area of Chicago”

I don’t disagree. Do you think there will ever be a point where they are tired of higher property taxes, higher crime rates and declining housing values?

Comment by Downstate Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 11:53 am
=== Do you think there will ever be a point where they are tired of higher property taxes, higher crime rates and declining housing values? ===

Except property taxes in the City are generally lower than other parts of Illinois, crime rates are relatively low in the ward and property values are not declining in the Ward. I’m sorry that reality does not match your narrative.

Comment by Powdered Whig Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 11:57 am
“I’m sorry that reality does not match your narrative.”

If you don’t think it’s coming on quickly you’re not paying attention.

Comment by Downstate Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 12:18 pm
=== If you don’t think it’s coming on quickly you’re not paying attention. ===

I think I know what is going on in my own neck of the woods more than someone from Downstate.

Comment by Powdered Whig Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 1:43 pm
Powdered Whig - nice to see you read the blog while eating your apple over lunch.

Comment by Just Me 2 Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 2:17 pm
=== Powdered Whig - nice to see you read the blog while eating your apple over lunch. ===

I wish I only ate apples for lunch. I’d be much slimmer if I did.

With that said, I understand that you cannot possibly fathom that Madigan actually has some support amongst those that live in the 13th Ward, but the schtick is getting kind of old.

Comment by Powdered Whig Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 2:24 pm
I think Powdered Whig is Pat Ward from the Metra scandal a few years back. Metra CEO was pressured by MJM to give Pat a ‘well deserved’ raise.

Comment by Not Pat Ward Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 3:24 pm
=== I think Powdered Whig is Pat Ward from the Metra scandal a few years back. Metra CEO was pressured by MJM to give Pat a ‘well deserved’ raise. ===

Stay classy buddy.

Comment by Powdered Whig Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 3:49 pm
Pay no attention to the little Irishman behind the curtain

Comment by Etown Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 4:14 pm
Someone hit a nerve.

Comment by Classy Buddy Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 4:20 pm
This makes my blood boil just reading about this abuse; just when I responded positively to the question of the day about living in Illinois; ironically.

Hope this nonsense doesn’t start where I live. I could never afford the Claymore mines needed to protect the front porch.

Comment by Maryjane Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 4:53 pm
Maryjane- unless you live in the 13th ward, its very doubtful you would see any of this.

Comment by Someone Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 4:58 pm
I’m still confused as to why “the General” (Alderman Marty Quinn), was so worried about Krupa. The overkill and alleged harassment for that Election makes the Organization look terrible.

Comment by Druid Eye Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 5:09 pm
@DruidEye - I think for 2 reasons. #1 is that the Democratic party in Chicago doesn’t take any chances when it comes to elections. #2 is that it sends a message to anyone else that wants to challenge Quinn in the future that they better be ready for everything because Quinn and Madigan will do everything they can to win.

Comment by Chicagonk Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 5:21 pm
@Chicagonk—yea…. that does make sense. Politics ain’t bean bag as the saying goes. I still think though….there’s a down side to playing that way.

Comment by Druid Eye Thursday, Oct 10, 19 @ 5:31 pm