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* As I told you late yesterday, Gov. Pritzker kicked in his second $500K installment to the Democratic Party of Illinois. And now this…

Hope they list that as an in-kind to Paul. /s

Also, it occurred to me that I haven’t done any “Shenanigans!” blog posts this cycle because every day brings at least one. Shenanigans is now our default mode, I suppose.

* Sen. Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) reported receiving $61K in campaign contributions on the same day her opponent was endorsed by the Tribune. Her primary opponent hasn’t reported any contributions in the last month and a half. Villanueva should renew her subscription.

* The other day, I had you rate a broadcast TV ad from Rep. Mike Zalewski (D-Riverside) that tried to tie his opponent to Mike Madigan. This is a new rebuttal cable TV from Zalewski’s opponent Abdelnasser Rashid…

* Script…

Mike Zalewski was a lobbyist for ComEd. Then Mike Madigan appointed him state representative and Zalewski voted to raise utility rates to record levels. This year? Zalewski introduced a law to raise the gas tax while we suffer at the pump. We can’t afford Mike Zalewski.

The corrupt Madigan Zalewski machine will say or do anything to win. Zalewski lies about Rashid having a Republican donor. The donor is actually a Democrat who gave to President Obama, Senator Durbin and Congressman Garcia. You just can’t trust Mike Zalewski.

A whole lot coming at you in that spot.

* As subscribers know, the Senate Democrats have funneled a ton of cash and other advantages to newly appointed Sen. Eric Mattson (D-Joliet) in his primary race against progressive Democrat Rachel Ventura…

Today, Democratic Candidate for State Senate Eric Mattson announced the endorsement of U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL).

“Eric Mattson is prepared to be a voice for the people in Springfield,” said Senator Duckworth. “As a career firefighter, he’s served his community as a first responder, volunteer and union leader. Throughout the pandemic his leadership and dedication helped the members of his community get vaccinated, protecting themselves and others. Mattson is the public servant the people of the 43rd District deserve in Springfield.”

“I am grateful to have the support of Senator Duckworth,” said State Senator Eric Mattson. “As a veteran firefighter of 26 years, and am honored by the Senator’s service and sacrifice for this country, and I look forward to working with her to bring jobs and opportunities to the 43rd.”

* Remember this Greg Hinz piece about attorney general candidate Steve Kim’s ties to the Saudi Kingdom?…

In a phone interview, Kim said the sole function of Global Business Ventures was to link American firms to good international investments. Beyond that, he said he never received “any compensation” from the Saudi government, and that he left Global Business Ventures awhile ago—“maybe a year or two; I don’t remember”—and gave up his “very small” equity interest for free.

A year or two? From over the transom…

* Back to Greg’s piece…

A spokesman later added that Kim’s major opponent in the June 28 Republican primary, downstate attorney Thomas DeVore, has not displayed the temperament voters should expect in an attorney general.

DeVore basically confirms it on Facebook…

Steve Kim says he thinks I don’t have the temperament for the Attorney General office. It that the best he’s got. Lol!! It seems he believes fighting directly and indirectly to protect the rights of millions of kids, tens of thousands of small businesses and tens of thousands of public employees gives me a bad temperament. It seems he thinks spending thousands of hours over two years educating and empowering everyday citizens gives me a bad temperament. He’s right I have a street fighter temperament as that’s what it takes to fend off the tyranny of Pritzker and his minions. Mr. Kim is the same old, same old type of establishment politician that has already been rebuked by the people of Illinois in two failed statewide elections. He is tied at the hip to the Richard Irvin establishment RINO’s and there is zero chance he would ever take the fight to corruption and government overreach in this state. Him and Jimmy Boy Durkin are cut from the same cloth and Mr. Kim would be emboldened to the Republican establishment just ask Kwame is emboldened to the Democrat establishment.

It seems the reckless roadshow, snake oil salesman, grifter with a bad temperament is my new call sign. LOL

These people are ridiculous and have no idea how to save this state. If the people want more of the same, elect these RINO’s. If you want to create real change, you might consider electing patriot street fighters who will fight for your families when it’s not popular!!

There are 17,520 total hours in two calendar years. He must be quadruplets.

* Politico…

— Leading candidates in IL-03 gearing up for a close race: “This is a race that pits a sitting Chicago alderman against a sitting state representative from the city, each trying to balance their progressive credentials with the need to appeal to typically more conservative DuPage County voters out in the western part of the new district,” reports ABC 7’s Craig Wall.

— Sen. Dick Durbin has endorsed Nancy Shepherdson for 5th District State Central Committeewoman seat. Shepherdson is an incumbent (redistricted into the 5th) who’s in the race with state Rep. Margaret Croke — who’s endorsed by Gov. JB Pritzker — and MWD’s [sic] Mariyana Spyropoulos

— Bernie’s back: Sen. Bernie Sanders hosts a “Get Out the Vote” rally Saturday at 9:30 a.m. in Humboldt Park. Sanders, who endorsed Delia Ramirez for the IL-03 race, is in Chicago for the annual “Labor Notes” conference that brings together workplace organizers and union representatives from across the country. … Sun-Times has more here. … The “Get Out the Vote” rally is free but RSVPs encouraged here.

— Richard Uihlein and Elizabeth Uihlein have each donated $2,900 to Catalina Lauf’s bid for Congress in the IL-11 Republican primary. […]

— Precious Brady-Davis, candidate for commissioner at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, is out with a new video. If she wins she’d be the first trans woman of color to be elected in Illinois. The ad’s tag line, “nothing is more precious than water.”

That Precious Brady-Davis video is pretty well-done.

* CD3…

Today, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) is endorsing State Representative Delia Ramirez for Congress in Illinois’ 3rd District.

Delia Ramirez is running for an open seat in the newly-drawn district, which now covers Chicago’s Northwest Side and suburbs. It contains a Latino plurality and is strongly Democratic.

Polling shows Delia Ramirez is the frontrunner in four-way primary, where she leads 19% to 11% over Chicago Alderman Gilbert Villegas. In addition to the PCCC, Ramirez has been endorsed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the Working Families Party, and the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC. If elected, she would be the first Latina in Congress from the Midwest.

“Delia Ramirez doesn’t just wage uphill battles against establishment lawmakers—she wins meaningful change for the people,” the PCCC said in an email to its membership. “Delia Ramirez leads on issues that are central to the working families she represents, like lowering prescription drug prices and fighting for a $15 minimum wage. Instead of taking corporate PAC money, she has pushed to end the revolving door between lawmakers and lobbyists. This is the kind of transformative leadership we need in Congress.”

“I am proud to receive the endorsement of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, which is building grassroots power across our country to pass Medicare for All, Paid Family Leave, and the expansion of Social Security so that everyone in our country can have the care that they need when they need it,” said Delia Ramirez (IL-03). “I look forward to working with them to continue to charge the path for bold progressive policies in Congress.”

The daughter of Guatemalan immigrants, Delia Ramirez’s focus on bold, transformative solutions to homelessness and poverty is inspired by her childhood experience volunteering at a soup kitchen. As a nonprofit executive, community organizer, and Illinois state legislator, she has consistently prioritized housing insecurity. Delia Ramirez passed the COVID-19 Emergency Housing Act to protect renters from eviction and homeowners from foreclosure, and secured funding for a tenant and landlord pandemic relief fund.

The PCCC has raised over $35 million for progressive candidates and committees this past decade. The PCCC will fundraise for Delia Ramirez from its nearly-million members nationally and will recruit volunteers and local endorsements from its 15,000 Illinois members.

* WBEZ…

In 2007, Chicago officials and civic leaders had an idea: to create a nonprofit organization that would bring Olympic sports to the city’s youth, promote Chicago as an international sporting metropolis and, in turn, boost the city’s chances of securing the 2016 Olympic bid.

When Chicago infamously lost its bid for the games, backers of World Sport Chicago insisted the nonprofit would still carry on a legacy — bringing sports and the “ideals of the Olympic movement” to underserved youth.

In 2015, Kambium Buckner — current Chicago mayoral candidate, state representative and former employee with the Chicago Cubs — took over the nonprofit, and promised to use WSC to give kids in “forgotten pockets” of the city “opportunities and chances to succeed and to survive.”

But a WBEZ analysis shows that, while Buckner carried out that mission for several years, World Sport Chicago slowly dissolved, its finances diminished and money spent on programming for kids decreased during his tenure. This all came as documents show Buckner’s salary nearly tripled, from $137,352 to $364,159 in just four years, before the organization was “involuntarily dissolved” by the state last year.

Buckner is among seven others vying for the 2023 mayoral seat. He announced his campaign in May with a “four star” plan that includes “safety and justice,” improved education, economic recovery — as well as stabilizing the city’s long-troubled finances. In his campaign literature, he has touted his time at World Sport Chicago, saying he brought sports to 70,000 students.

* CD14…

Senator Sue Rezin (SD38), a leading conservative voice in Illinois’ legislature, endorses Kendall County Board Chairman, Scott R. Gryder, frontrunner for nomination of the Republican Party to challenge Lauren Underwood for Illinois’ 14th Congressional District.

Calling Gryder the candidate “best equipped to take on Lauren Underwood in November,” Senator Rezin highlighted Scott’s “proven track record of strong leadership and sound fiscal policy.”

Contrasting Underwood’s “far left, progressive ideologies,” Rezin believes Gryder will “bring his common-sense conservatism to Washington, D.C. and will focus on stopping wasteful spending, protecting patients’ rights, standing up for our veterans, and securing our borders.”

Upon receiving the endorsement of Senator Rezin, Gryder released the following statement:

“My campaign for Illinois’ 14th District is being waged on behalf of the hard-working families struggling under the policies and failures of leadership exhibited by Lauren Underwood and her allies in Washington, Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi. It’s time for a change, and I am honored that Senator Sue Rezin, a conservative leader we know and trust believes my pro-growth, pro-family, pro-freedom approach is the right choice for our district and our future. I thank Senator Rezin for her friendship, her confidence in my leadership, and her support as I prepare to take on Lauren Underwood.”

* How’s he gonna withhold the salaries of state’s attorneys?…

That was sent to a Downstate D3 voter, by the way.

…Adding… [I’ve pulled this release down for now.]

*** UPDATE *** I had quickly posted a press release and then thought about it and quickly took it down. The release was from the Kari Steele campaign claiming “At least two of Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi’s senior officials have broken the law on the County’s residency requirements for employees, which mandates that employees live in Cook County.” This is from the assessor’s office Chief Legal Officer Tatia Gibbons…

The courts have ruled that the law cited here is unenforceable against the majority of county employees. In order to treat all employees similarly, the Assessor chose to adopt the same approach for all employees. This decision was made by the Assessor after consulting with the County Independent Inspector General to ensure that this was an appropriate course of action.

Link:
https://caselaw.findlaw.com/il-court-of-appeals/1334709.html

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jun 17, 22 @ 2:18 pm

Comments

==It seems the reckless roadshow, snake oil salesman, grifter with a bad temperament is my new call sign.==

When people tell you who they are, believe them.

Also, as I mentioned in the Open Thread, I live in a small town in rural central Illinois and I received that anti-Lightfoot mailer from Irvin today. I guess they are trying to spend all that $50 million before the primary./s

Comment by G'Kar Friday, Jun 17, 22 @ 2:28 pm
“”There are 17,520 total hours in two calendar years. He must be quadruplets.”"

Billable hours?

Comment by walker Friday, Jun 17, 22 @ 2:29 pm
=That was sent to a Downstate D3 voter, by the way.=

So the universe was registered voters? Or just all primary voters? Either way, that’s an expensive mail program. Might account for some of that missing $10 million

Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Friday, Jun 17, 22 @ 2:35 pm
===Billable hours? ===

Shhh. Don’t tell the ARDC.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jun 17, 22 @ 2:35 pm
==That was sent to a Downstate D3 voter, by the way.==

Adding…the consultants really did a number on this campaign. They’re cashing in big

Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Friday, Jun 17, 22 @ 2:35 pm
===Billable hours? ===

Essentially the plot to “The Firm”…

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jun 17, 22 @ 2:36 pm
Does DeVore keep saying “emboldened” when he means “beholden”?

Comment by The Captain Friday, Jun 17, 22 @ 2:40 pm
===when he means===

Forget it. He’s rolling.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jun 17, 22 @ 2:40 pm
If this Democratic primary is going to be more old people, what will it look like in Riverside and Brookfield?

Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Friday, Jun 17, 22 @ 2:41 pm
News flash to Mayor Irvin: They are called State’s Attorneys but are actually County officials.

File that piece of knowledge away for next time because you won’t be needing it now.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Friday, Jun 17, 22 @ 2:44 pm
Irvin is the Chuck Norris of candidates. As mayor he called out the Illinois National Guard, and as Governor, he’ll withhold the salaries of state’s attorneys, and pardon federal criminals if he wants to.

Comment by AC Friday, Jun 17, 22 @ 2:46 pm
Irvin counting on voter ignorance.

Comment by Norseman Friday, Jun 17, 22 @ 2:54 pm
A lawyer died was waiting at heaven’s gate when St Peter called him up front. Lawyer thought it was because of his fame St Peter just said I had to see you because based upon your billable hours you have to be 450 years old.

Comment by DuPage Saint Friday, Jun 17, 22 @ 2:57 pm
===Hope they list that as an in-kind to Paul. /s===

This is the most anyone is going to hear about Paul Schimpf. The GOP had an option that would have been a respectable candidate in the general election against Pritzker and they’ve just decided that Trump is their brand.

Comment by Candy Dogood Friday, Jun 17, 22 @ 2:57 pm
Wow, that Buckner story is absolutely brutal.

Comment by MyTake Friday, Jun 17, 22 @ 3:03 pm
==How’s he gonna withhold the salaries of state’s attorneys?…==

Probably by using the same reasoning Pat Quinn did when cutting county superintendent salaries, and vetoing legislator salaries.

Comment by Just Sayin Friday, Jun 17, 22 @ 3:16 pm
Nancy Shepardson has done stellar work in Lake county I hope she’s able to win her race in IL05!

Comment by Lake villa township Friday, Jun 17, 22 @ 3:20 pm
“Shenanigans is now our default mode”

There’s a long running joke locally among friends that it would take a full time job just to find all the nonsense people are doing in local government - gift card fraud, nepotism, open meeting violations, shady real estate deals, etc.

As to the Mattson v. Ventura race, I’m still undecided on that one and I’m running out of time to vote. Rachel is a very driven person, and reading the meeting minutes from county board meetings shows me that she will not abide ignorance or bigotry. But she has to better address how she handles larger-scale cooperative groups. It’s not an issue to the point that I wouldn’t vote for her, and it might even be a positive in the big picture, but for me it is making this primary vote closer than most.

Mattson has a proven track record of public service, but I’m a bit hesitant regarding his alignment -to the point of gloating about it when nobody asks- with the local diocese.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Friday, Jun 17, 22 @ 3:22 pm
===But a WBEZ analysis shows that, while Buckner carried out that mission for several years, World Sport Chicago slowly dissolved, its finances diminished and money spent on programming for kids decreased during his tenure. This all came as documents show Buckner’s salary nearly tripled, from $137,352 to $364,159 in just four years, before the organization was “involuntarily dissolved” by the state last year.===

That’s one heck of a paragraph.

Goodness.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jun 17, 22 @ 3:25 pm
Downstate GOPies might dumb enough to buy TrickyDick mail. Ds are smarter.
BTW it looks like ‘Riffie has a great law suit against those consultants.

Comment by ANNON'IN Friday, Jun 17, 22 @ 3:28 pm
=The GOP had an option that would have been a respectable candidate in the general election against Pritzker and they’ve just decided that Trump is their brand.=

Under normal circumstances the party would have gotten behind Schimpf. But he wasn’t to Griffin’s liking, maybe because of his union leanings. But Griffin controls the party now.

Where they dropped the ball completely was in dealing with Bailey. And that’s entirely on Durkin and McConchie. When Bailey decided to turn the GOP into a side show the two of them sat on their hands. McConchie couldn’t even see to it to get him off the Senate health committee. They, like Griffin, didn’t take him seriously and they may pay a very steep price in doing so. But unlike Griffin they bear responsibility for allowing it to happen in the first place.

Comment by Pundent Friday, Jun 17, 22 @ 3:40 pm
70,000 students got sports while Kam got over $300K? That is robbery. his salary is even higher than that of the Chicago Park District head, a person who leads several thousand people all across chicago providing, you guessed it, sports. Kam fail.

Comment by Amalia Friday, Jun 17, 22 @ 3:43 pm
The following appears on the Richard Irvin flyer included here: “Richard is a decorated combat veteran who received a Medal of Commendation [ARCOM].”

Mr. Irvin deserves credit for his military service, which included time in a designated combat zone. However, he continues to claim service in actual combat, which is a very, very different thing from serving in a combat zone. Not only that, he has lately claimed to be a “decorated combat veteran.” Yet none of his decorations require direct combat, including the ARCOM mentioned in the campaign flyer.

AR 600-8-22 sec. 3-19* states that the ARCOM may be awarded to any soldier who “distinguishes himself or herself by heroism, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service” in noncombat or combat (para. 3-19b). If for combat, the award citation will say so specifically and authorize addition of a bronze letter “V” for valor on the ARCOM medal and service ribbon. No such additional device accompanies a noncombat ARCOM.

As a veteran myself, I assume Mr. Irvin is aware of this distinction. If he received the “V” for valor designation, he should say so and more power to him. If he didn’t, he should stop claiming stolen valor.

*https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/ARN18147_R600_8_22_admin2_FINAL.pdf

Comment by Flapdoodle Friday, Jun 17, 22 @ 3:44 pm
-70,000 students got sports while Kam got over $300K? That is robbery.-

Hello, AG Charitable Trusts Bureau?

Comment by Ron Burgundy Friday, Jun 17, 22 @ 3:50 pm
Wasn’t the Cook County employee residency requirement thrown out by the courts years ago?

Comment by Change Agent Friday, Jun 17, 22 @ 3:58 pm
CA, that press release has been pulled down. I put it up without thinking too much and that was wrong. Getting a response from assessor’s office.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jun 17, 22 @ 4:02 pm
From DeVore’s FB post—-
DeVore should be arrested by the Grammar Police. DeVore is guilty of a few misdemeanors and a possible felony for violating the rules of syntax.

What a Putz.

Comment by Rudy’s teeth Friday, Jun 17, 22 @ 4:11 pm
=That is robbery=

Buckner, a lawyer, working for a nonprofit he was brought on to dissolve that was formed with leftover money from Chicago’s Olympic bid is “robbery,” but Lightfoot’s avg income of over $900k as a Partner at Mayer Brown, which *checks notes* defended Big Tobacco, Big Pharma, and Merrill Lynch, is fine and dandy?

Comment by Rosy113 Friday, Jun 17, 22 @ 4:12 pm
===As a veteran myself, I assume Mr. Irvin is aware of this distinction. If he received the “V” for valor designation, he should say so and more power to him.===

Their target voters are more concerned with looking like they support the military and support past and present service members than actually supporting those people. Hence why falsely claiming military service or inaccurately suggesting awards were received during and or for combat aren’t actually disqualifying.

The body politic of our past knew better, but now there’s so few of us that actually serve in the military it is easy to gaslight people into whatever you need them to believe.

Comment by Candy Dogood Friday, Jun 17, 22 @ 4:20 pm
Javier Yañez’s social media stories have featured a couple of fundraisers in the last several months, yet he’s not reported anything. Nothing.

Comment by Chito Friday, Jun 17, 22 @ 4:53 pm
-Buckner, a lawyer, working for a nonprofit he was brought on to dissolve that was formed with leftover money from Chicago’s Olympic bid is “robbery,” but Lightfoot’s avg income of over $900k as a Partner at Mayer Brown, which *checks notes* defended Big Tobacco, Big Pharma, and Merrill Lynch, is fine and dandy?-

It’s up to the voters to decide, but they already had one election to consider whether getting paid by big corporations was OK. Is getting that much from a charity OK? We’ll see.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Friday, Jun 17, 22 @ 5:01 pm