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* Jim Dey…
Anger over the political appointment process has been simmering among Champaign County Democrats since the Dec. 9 death of state Sen. Scott Bennett.
This week, it boiled over into a bitter public display after Champaign County Clerk and Recorder Aaron Ammons re-stated his accusation that party officials were motivated by racism and sexism when they appointed Paul Faraci to fill Sen. Bennett’s seat rather than his wife, state Rep. Carol Ammons, D-Urbana.
Aaron Ammons’ statement, made on the Champaign County Democrats’ Facebook page, drew immediate condemnation from others, including Sen. Bennett’s widow, Stacy. The lengthy exchange was pointed and personal.
* Stacy Bennett’s post…
I too have been biting my tongue for more than a month because quite frankly the truth is just too painful, but this has gone way too far and the truth needs to come to light. I very much appreciated you and Representative Ammons coming to the house and bringing flowers until I learned that she had been making numerous calls about getting Scott’s seat less than hour after he died. I then learned Representative Ammons told the media that she was with the family at the hospital, which was simply not true. Being in the lobby and being in the icu with the family are VERY different things. This was particularly hurtful to members of the extended family who wondered why they weren’t with us at the hospital. As if this wasn’t enough, I later learned that you approached Scott’s senate colleagues about endorsing Representative Ammons AT his memorial service! My friends did a wonderful job of trying to shield me from all of this, but none of these actions were done secretly, so it didn’t take long for me to find out. I felt like I was being repeatedly kicked while I was already down. Honestly, I am still shocked by all of this and imagining Representative Ammons making calls about Scott’s senate seat while I was telling my 9 year old children that their daddy was never coming home is almost too much to bear.
I just can’t sit back and let you continue to disparage those people who worked so hard to honor Scott’s legacy. The only person entitled to this seat was Scott who was elected by the people of the 52nd district. I believe of the last 31 senators who have been appointed, only 7 were state reps, so that is actually not the standard. Plus, Scott was an amazing senator without being a state rep. Mike, Cari, and Sandy set up a fair process that was similar to what Scott went through when he was appointed. Everyone had the right to put their name in for consideration.
This process has already been painful and destructive enough. I just ask that the lies and negativity stop, so we can all move on and so I can finally work towards finding closure.
* Ms. Bennett’s post was preceded by this one from Champaign County Democratic Party Vice Chair Cari West-Henkelman…
I have bit my tongue about the [expletive deleted] that y’all pulled during the appointment process for several reasons.
1. Out of respect to Scott’s family.
2. To avoid jeopardizing you or Carol’s future elections.
3. Mainly because I’m not in the business of tearing down other people…especially fellow Dems.As I said during this whole thing, there were many different things that had to be considered when making such an important decision. At the end of the day we did what we felt was best for the 52nd district, Champaign and Vermilion counties, and to honor MY friend Scott and his family.
I also said that I would hope all the candidates would respect the decision and support the appointment. Everyone seems to have done that except you.
With all that being said, I politely ask you to knock it off.
* I followed up last week on this WICS report…
State Representative Carol Ammons (D- 103rd District) said she was with Bennett’s family shortly after he was admitted to the hospital on Thursday.
“We sat until the evening, so that we could see that he was stabilizing,” Rep. Ammons said. “We really wanted to know if he was stable and if the doctors could figure out what was wrong.”
The station didn’t actually quote Ammons saying she was with Bennett’s family, and Rep. Ammons told me she was with several other people in the hospital lobby, which I was able to confirm myself.
* Rep. Ammons’ spouse, County Clerk Aaron Ammons, explained it this way on the FB thread…
I want to clarify that Representative Ammons has NEVER said she was in the ICU with the family. […]
As many of us know when dealing with the press that anything outside of your direct quote is an interpretation of what they heard during the interview and they OFTEN misquote the people they are interviewing. Stacy Meredith Bennett Again, we meant NO Disrespect, and offer our apologies if what the reporter wrote was misleading or caused any confusion for you or the family, that was certainly NOT our intent.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 10:30 am
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Somehow this is all Bruce Rauner’s fault.
Comment by GOP Truth Squad Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 10:38 am
Nothing but Class, without the Chorine (Cl)
Comment by fs Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 10:41 am
*Chlorine
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 10:41 am
this is an awful look for the ammons family. lobbying for appointment to the seat of a deceased senator at his funeral? that is disgusting. racism and sexism are also disgusting, but the ammons have lost all credibility to make such serious allegations.
Comment by dr. jimmy Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 10:43 am
Take this for what it is worth, but I was made aware of Ammons’ jockeying for the position the day Scott went into the hospital, when the prognosis was very grim, but he was still very much alive.
Comment by SpiDem Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 10:43 am
Appointments to office are inherently political. The decision by the Chair of Champaign County’s Democratic Party had sole authority to make the call, and handed it off to others. I feel real pain for Scott’s family. They should have.never been placed in such public roles while they grieve for someone to them wasn’t a state senator but was the center of their entire world. That any leaders would not shield Scott’s family from making public declarations for a slate of candidates was not good judgment on the part of the county party. It’s a tight turnaround constitutionally. It was bungled.
Comment by Kevin Gaither Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 10:47 am
Gonna be a fun primary!
Comment by Orange Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 10:50 am
I don’t think there’s any doubt that Ammons should resign immediately.
Comment by Dem Observer Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 10:50 am
Character reveals itself in trying times, and it looks like county party officials took notice.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 10:51 am
I would also point out that Rep. Bennett — Scott’s uncle — offered a rare resolution honoring a Senator who had passed iaway n the House chamber. Rep. Ammons chose not to speak during the debate, a silence that speaks volumes
Comment by SpiDem Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 10:53 am
These Ammons are non-stop drama.
Comment by So_Ill Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 10:53 am
I hope the ER can handle all those bitten tongues.
Comment by Barnaby Wilde Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 10:53 am
My take is exactly the same take has it’s always been…
Run em all.
That’s why there are primaries.
And here’s the bonus to that?
“Pick a side”
Worry about after… after, but pick a side, and let ‘em all run.
The tragedy and all the after to such a tragedy is saddening to Mrs. Bennett, the family, friends, even pols and politics will do that especially with an unexpected death, a loss of life, which is far bigger to the Bennett family in a real scheme of things.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 11:03 am
Jim Dey gets a lot of mileage out of the self-inflicted public stumbles of the Ammons family, but this has been far and away the largest self-inflicted stumble of them all. It’s just embarrassing that an elected official would be pulling the kind of garbage normally done in “Spotted in Chambana” style local Facebook groups.
I long for the days of Naomi Jakobsson who just did the work and didn’t have her husband fighting troll wars.
Comment by Leap Day William Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 11:03 am
Hope the Champaign County Democrats have a really big tent.
Comment by Donnie Elgin Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 11:04 am
When you throw around the racism and sexism charges you better have your ducks in a row.
Comment by Blue Dog Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 11:05 am
Don’t blame me, I voted for Gordy.
Comment by alrighty then Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 11:05 am
I have never met either Ammons. It is difficult to judge someone that you only read about on the CapFax. That being said, I hope I never meet either of the Ammons. I’m not saying they are entirely to blame, but there seems to be a rather sharp toxicity that follows them.
Comment by Ducky LaMoore Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 11:07 am
First, I am sorry for the Bennett family. Their pain is real, and their understanding of the circumstances are painful, regardless. Apologies all around should be forthcoming.
But as I read the lead, it suggests there are claims of racism and sexism. However, this post does not address those claims. As a sociologists, such claims always peak my interest.
Are there any reasons to believe bigotry and prejudice may have been involved? Such a claim is pretty serious stuff in 2023.
Comment by H-W Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 11:10 am
This is awful but I really can’t ever remember reading a story about the Ammons family that made me think they were good representatives of the Democratic Party or that I would want to vote for them.
Hopefully the voters can send them packing ASAP. They clearly do not have the capability for shame needed to just go away.
Comment by hisgirlfriday Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 11:13 am
That poem by Aaron Ammons, OMG.
“I had my moment
I process death with dread
Damn,
Scott is dead”
Comment by John Parker Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 11:17 am
This is what it looks like when entitlement and ambition overtake your humanity.
Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 11:17 am
The question is “was Carol Ammons disregarded” by the selection committee, which included such luminaries as State Treasurer Michael Frerichs, who once held the seat, or did it just not pick her?
And what impact would the manner in which the candidates sought the seat have on the committee?
The City of Champaign Township Supervisor Andy Quarnstrom was the first to bob up in the media.
Carol Ammons then publicly entered the fray by ventriloquism. Her spokesmen were her husband Aaron and, ironically, the Cunningham Township Supervisor, opposite number and sometime collaborator with the first candidate.
We then learned Carol Ammons had earlier put the touch on her potential senate colleagues during the memorial to Scott Bennett and even on the Champaign County Democratic Chairman Mike Ingram (according to SpiDem) before Scott Bennett died. Both forays were too early.
Angels feared to tread. Champaign County Democratic Party secretary Matt Sullard and then Party Chairman Mike Ingram himself threw their caps into the ring. At least they waited a decent interval.
But the succession went instead to the man who consoled the widow Bennett and her kids in the immediate aftermath of what was for him, too, a close personal loss.
Sometimes doing the right thing is rewarded, even in politics.
Comment by Shadrach Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 11:21 am
You did not exaggerate on the headline. UGLY!
Comment by levivotedforjudy Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 11:21 am
The racism/sexism claims are complete buh-loney. Based on the actions of the Ammons, pretty clear to see she wasn’t the right choice for a deliberative, collegial body like that of the IL Senate.
Comment by Dem Observer Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 11:36 am
This isn’t the first time the Ammons have caused all havoc in local Dem politics because of how entitled and power hungry they are. It unfortunately won’t be the last.
Neither should be in office.
Comment by Nick Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 11:37 am
As a dyed in the wool Dem, I’m giving notice to the Champaign County GOP: run a moderate next time and I’ll vote for them. I’m tired of this.
Comment by Simple Simon Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 11:41 am
Politics is the practice of addition. No matter what your goal, you find out who has the power to help you and add those people to your side until you win. In this case, the audience should have been extremely clear. The people with the appointment power were the county party leaders. That’s who Ammons needed to convince.
She chose to insult them, and then threaten to insult them further if they didn’t give her what she wanted. That has worked in other situations, where a key stakeholder needs to avoid that sort of public fight. You need enough leverage to make it work, which is rare. It’s not usually the best strategy. In this case, the structure was basically an election. She was a candidate who needed to win over two voters, and she chose to alienate both of them.
Ammons could have tried getting flies with honey, but that never seems to occur to her. She doesn’t see earning loyalty and respect as a long-term goal. She doesn’t look for reasons to add to her coalition of support. She makes histrionic demands of strangers who shouldn’t be strangers, and then gets angry when those demands aren’t met. Winning elections has confused the Ammons family into thinking they’re good at politics. They’re not, which is why she lost this election.
Comment by vern Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 11:41 am
I agree with OW. There’s a problem with our appointment process to fill vacancies and the process also encourages people to run for a seat/term that they have no intention to fill/complete in order to take advantage of an inherently undemocratic process.
With this public blow up, it raises other questions — like whether or not Senator Bennett was aware of a terminal diagnosis, when he might have been aware of it, and whether or not it should have been disclosed to the voters. His decision to not disclose his illness to the public was also political.
Senatorn Scott Bennett was an elected official who died in office. I refuse to believe that his wife or family would be surprised that his death and funeral would be have political overtures.
Responding to accusations by highlighting personal reasons that Senator Stacy Bennett relied on when picking a successor for her husband which again shows complete disregard for the people living in that district.
Scott Bennett didn’t own that seat. It didn’t belong to Stacy Bennett. It sounds like it was filled for personal reasons, whether or not people think that is appropriate justification.
We need to fix this process.
Comment by Candy Dogood Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 11:48 am
“This isn’t the first time the Ammons have caused all havoc in local Dem politics”
Wasn’t Representative Carol Ammons Chairperson of the House Democratic Conference and isn’t Rep Ammons a Joint Chair of the Legislative Black Caucus? Makes one wonder about the vetting for leadership positions.
Comment by Donnie Elgin Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 11:49 am
Part of the issue here is that between Carol’s sharp elbows and Aaron’s stumbles managing his office, the Ammons family has burned through a lot of the benefit of the doubt.
Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 11:50 am
Agree with SS. That said the last moderate GOP member was spotted at lunch with Bigfoot just south of the Assembly Hall I’m May. Go Illini-beat Indiana
Comment by Stormsw7706 Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 11:52 am
wow. from the start this has been a story filled with anger when it should be about one filled with sadness and a wish to find someone who could follow a good man’s tenure. Anger begins with the letter A.
Comment by Amalia Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 11:52 am
Ammons would be smart to give it up and be lucky she is still a State Representative. She should also be reminded that being an elected official is an honor and privilege, and not about gaining more power and influence.
(Last bit is snark, this is Illinois after all.)
Comment by Just Me 2 Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 11:54 am
== Part of the issue here is that between Carol’s sharp elbows and Aaron’s stumbles managing his office, the Ammons family has burned through a lot of the benefit of the doubt. ==
I truly hope Carol runs in the primary for the 52nd seat and loses there, so she won’t be on the ballot for the 103rd and we can move forward with someone else. The CCGOP gets what seems like never-ending campaign fodder from these two which then gets amplified by the News-Gazette and Jim Dey’s barrel of ink. Only so much of that can be waived away, and it will eventually cost the CCDems the longer they support this.
== As a dyed in the wool Dem, I’m giving notice to the Champaign County GOP: run a moderate next time and I’ll vote for them. I’m tired of this. ==
Same. I voted for Aaron this go-around because his opponent was an election denier and believes the students - who live in Champaign County for 3/4 of the year and count in the census toward the population - should be voting back where they spend the least amount of time. If Aaron isn’t primaried out and the GOP candidate is sane, they’re most likely getting my vote. And I know I’m not alone.
Comment by Leap Day William Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 12:01 pm
wow, classy. Playing the race card after is even classier.
Comment by Boone's is Back Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 12:24 pm
===stumbles of the Ammons family===
Those aren’t stumbles–it’s their brand. But they do seem to have managed to up their ugly game here. This is not the sort of thing a grieving widow and her family should have to be dealing with.
Comment by Leslie K Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 1:10 pm
Dear Clerk and Rep. Ammons:
Just stop. Please, just stop. Not one thing you’re doing right now either helps your case or helps the rest of us heal from a horrifically tragic loss of a much beloved Senator, who was more importantly a much beloved father, husband, brother, nephew, etc.
Stop the (expletive not used, but implied), Aaron and Carol. Please.
Comment by Osborne Smith III Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 1:14 pm
Wow, Candy. Seem to be placing some blame on the late Senator and his family for this process. A new low for you in my opinion. We never really agree, but this is shocking even to me.
From what I have heard, he didn’t know he had a brain tumor and this all happened so fast.
Get over yourself. Your holier than thou attitude is very unbecoming.
Comment by Hannibal Lecter Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 1:19 pm
=== like whether or not Senator Bennett was aware of a terminal diagnosis, when he might have been aware of it, and whether or not it should have been disclosed to the voters. His decision to not disclose his illness to the public was also political.===
He. Did. Not. Know. He. Had. a. Tumor.
That has been made abundantly clear from the start.
Comment by Osborne Smith III Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 1:34 pm
-With this public blow up, it raises other questions — like whether or not Senator Bennett was aware of a terminal diagnosis, when he might have been aware of it, and whether or not it should have been disclosed to the voters. His decision to not disclose his illness to the public was also political.-
Until there is evidence to back up this theory that he knew he was sick, of which there is none, this is pure speculation and no questions need be raised.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 1:34 pm
===His decision to not disclose his illness to the public was also political.===
This assumes facts not in evidence…
…and unfair to the Bennett family.
With respect, and in that is included respect for the Bennett family.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 1:39 pm
===That has been made abundantly clear from the start.===
Correct. Try using the Google before posting stuff like that.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 1:44 pm
@Candy
I read your post and read OW twice and reread yours, and I am not sure I see any area where you are in agreement? But I will let you to figure that out.
I agree with OW - if I understand him right - that if Rep Ammons or anyone else feels jilted by the appointment process, their course of redress is to challenge the appointee in the primary.
But of course to do that, Rep Ammons would have to give up her house seat.
So it was that what was for everyone else a tragedy - and by everyone else I mean an outpouring of sympathy from both parties across the state. But for Rep Ammons an unexpected, rare political opportunity to advance to the Senate without placing her House seat at risk.
She blew it, badly, offensively to many.
I would take issue with any who suggest that Scott Bennett nefariously hid his brain tumor or that the Bennett family treated the seat is if they “owned it.” That is an assault on the character of a dead man in the first case. And there have been many cases, including here in Illinois, where an officeholder has died and their spouse has been appointed to not only fill the remainder of their term, but did so admirably.
No, I think if Mrs Bennett had wanted that seat she would be in it. So please, let’s leave the grieving widow and mother alone and free from our recriminations.
Comment by Juvenal Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 1:44 pm
Camped out in the lobby, staked out the funeral for personalizing
Comment by Rabid Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 1:44 pm
Nothing but banned punctuation and banned words for Candy, who assumes subterfuge and malicious intent when what happened was clearly a sudden, shocking tragedy that ripped a family apart.
Comment by wildcat12 Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 1:47 pm
===His decision to not disclose his illness to the public was also political.===
== This is not Facebook, so uncivil comments, profanity of any kind, rumors and anonymous commenters will not be tolerated and will likely result in banishment.==
Comment by Jimmy Baseball Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 1:56 pm
==I refuse to believe that his wife or family would be surprised that his death and funeral would be have political overtures.==
While the basebless speculation that Bennett “pulled a Bartlet” has already been rightfully scorned, I want to pull out this part and say that I don’t think it’s unreasonable for Stacy Bennett to be offended at politicking at her husband’s hospital or funeral. The spouses of state lawmakers are often removed from the grubbiest aspects of the job, and even if they’re not, this is so grubby that even some Daley machine era ward healers would blanche at it.
Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 2:00 pm
===I read your post and read OW twice and reread yours, and I am not sure I see any area where you are in agreement? But I will let you to figure that out.
I agree with OW - if I understand him right - that if Rep Ammons or anyone else feels jilted by the appointment process, their course of redress is to challenge the appointee in the primary.
But of course to do that, Rep Ammons would have to give up her house seat.===
This is the correct take and understanding
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 2:11 pm
President Harmon and Speaker Welch may need to insert themselves into this mess in order to calm Mr. and Mrs. Carol Ammons down.
Comment by JustAThought Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 2:15 pm
=Makes one wonder about the vetting for leadership positions.=
Explain Bailey & Devore please.
Champaign Cty has an interesting power dynamic. Champaign and Urbana are both diverse communities but he rural Champaign County is not and it is fairly red.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 2:16 pm
I’d also disagree with the idea that it’s unreasonable for the family to be upset by “political overtures” occurring at the memorial service.
There is no doubt that such conversations likely did take place, quietly, amongst colleagues and aspirants alike. But the key is quietly. It is an event to honor someone who just *died* and you’d think everyone knows that, at a minimum, the actual politicking can wait until after the service.
What she did, from the sounds of it, was literally use his memorial service as a networking opportunity to talk to his former colleagues in the State Senate to inquire about getting their endorsement. Crass and lacking tact to the extreme.
Comment by Nick Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 2:40 pm
I was a member of the Advisory Committee for the Selection of Senator Bennett’s position. Rep. Ammons was on my top 4 list going into the meeting, and she was on my top 3 list leaving the meeting. However, I want her to remain as my representative in the 103rd. She has been a strong spokesperson for the African-Americans in the District and I want that situation to continue.
The 103rd is a strong Democratic district within CU and has hardly any rural areas. There are significant portions of the dominantly Republican areas of CU just outside of the 103rd District which are in the Bennett’s 52nd District. The 52nd district also contains a large swath of mostly conservative rural areas between CU and Danville. Danville is an urban area, like CU, but it is politically quite different. CU is a college town, with a significant number of liberals and progressives. Danville is a former coal town and now an aging industrial town. Liberals and progressives there are not that common. There are less minorities and more whites in that area, which has long been considered a republican stronghold. With all of her baggage, I believe that it would be difficult for Rep. Ammons to win in the 52nd District against a moderate opponent. My two cents.
Comment by Pius Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 2:43 pm
===Liberals and progressives there are not that common===
If you’re talking about Democratic primaries, you’re mistaken. Sanders defeated Clinton in Vermilion, for instance
https://www.vercounty.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/2016-March-15-General-Primary.pdf
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 2:51 pm
My concern is with the general election.
Comment by Pius Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 2:53 pm
===general election===
Biden won it by 26 points.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 3:16 pm
Carol Ammons herself was not at Scott Bennett’s memorial service because she had COVID, though Aaron was. Don Harmon reportedly did not want Carol appointed to the state senate. If Aaron had been lobbying people at Scott’s memorial service (where Harmon was there as a speaker), I wonder if that might be one of the reasons for Harmon’s choice.
Comment by ECIL Reader Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 3:26 pm
==Biden won [the 52nd] by 26 points. ==
I don’t know, Rich. Even Rostenkowski’s district went red when he got in trouble for redeeming stamps at the Congressional Post Office.
The purse is worse.
Comment by Folgers and Tacos Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 3:28 pm
===general election===
Sigh. Rich, I know that you can always find something…. Republican Rep. Marron beat the Dem challenger in the City of Danville 3526 to 2810 in Nov 2022.
Comment by Pius Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 3:36 pm
===The purse is worse. ===
Oh, please.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 3:36 pm
=== Republican Rep. Marron ===
The other half of that Senate district is hugely Democratic. Just stop already.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 3:37 pm
===Even Rostenkowski’s district went red when he got in trouble for redeeming stamps at the Congressional Post Office.===
Explain the 1994 Republican Wave…
Also explain the 5th congressional district in the 1990s…
Then finally explain who beat Flanagan in the next election…
The purse… please…
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 3:39 pm
This reminds me of how the Memorial Service for Mayor Harold Washington was made into a political rally by some speakers and the result was not good. Same thing w Sen Wellstone in Minn.
Comment by low level Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 4:18 pm
Appointments to elected positions are totally undemocratic. I have always hated the process - and yes, I felt that way when Scott was appointed as well (I hadn’t heard of him at the time, but he won me over in about 5 minutes). Nevertheless… If an office holder dies or steps down, there should be an election to fill the seat.
Comment by filmmaker prof Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 4:26 pm
=== Nevertheless… If an office holder dies or steps down, there should be an election to fill the seat. ===
Do you support a special tax levy by the residents of the district in question to defray the cost of administering the election?
Maybe ask Clerk Ammons to run the numbers for what the cost would be if a special election was conducted for this Senate vacancy.
Comment by Hannibal Lecter Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 4:38 pm
Will the real Candy Dogood tell us that the earlier post was not actually her? It is completely out of character for a commenter I have frequently agreed with and found to be insightful. But today’s post is offensive, and cannot be from someone I’d learned to respect and often enjoy.
Comment by Lincoln Lad Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 5:00 pm
Shoplifting an $85 purse is a pretty minor misdemeanor, though still not a good look for a state legislator. What the special prosecutors did and failed to do was a much bigger problem. Judging from the police report and video posted by ECW, the case against her was pretty strong. The special prosecutors apparently concluded their investigation in early spring, but sat on the case until after the November election when they announced they wouldn’t prosecute. Meanwhile, the city of Urbana assumed the investigation was still underway and denied a FOIA request. This cost them over $16000 in legal fees when it turned out that the investigation had actually been closed much earlier.
Comment by ECIL Reader Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 6:45 pm
Aaron Ammons says “…that was certainly NOT our intent.”
Yet every adult should know that it’s not the intent of their actions, but instead the effects and consequences of those actions, that truly matter. As an elected official, I would have hoped that he’d be aware of it more than most.
Comment by Tim Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 7:21 pm
A 2nd post to emphasize this, I was rude and insulting to Senator Bennett’s legacy and his family in my first post and I apologize for that. I have deep empathy for Stacy Bennett’s loss that did not survive my brevity and rush to post. I’ll try to do better next time, and would like to apologize to any readers or participants to this blog I offended.
Comment by Candy Dogood Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 9:11 pm
Candy - thank you for your above post. Never doubted you, and appreciate your clarifying post and apology. Well said, and a stand up thing to do.
Comment by Lincoln Lad Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 9:44 pm
- Candy Dogood -
Thank you for your comment.
I appreciate your take, I appreciate the clarity and apology.
OW
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 19, 23 @ 9:58 pm