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* As I told subscribers yesterday, the circular firing squad had another fine day…
The Illinois Republican Party has retained a prominent law firm and is warning state lawmakers of both parties it will fight any proposed changes to how Republicans choose their top governing body.
State GOP Chairman Andy McKenna today issued the warning after an Illinois Senate panel backed a measure to require that the 19-member Republican State Central Committee be elected by voters at the primary election every four years. Currently, the representatives from each of the state’s congressional districts are chosen by Republican township and county committeemen.
The change long has been pushed by a group of insurgent conservatives looking for a toe-hold in running a political organization beset by strife and hobbled by the scandals surrounding imprisoned former Gov. George Ryan.
The legislation to make the governing change, backed by state Sen. Chris Lauzen of Aurora, got out of an Illinois Senate panel earlier this week on a 5-4 vote. Only one Republican voted for it along with four Democrats. In a video posted on his Web site, Lauzen has blasted the state’s GOP leadership as “domineering parasites” and “self-serving, officious, lying, arrogant thugs” for not supporting his bill.
* Here’s the video…
* More…
Saying he was “deeply troubled” by the “misguided and unconstitutional” proposal, McKenna said “the Illinois Republican Party will vigorously defend its rights under the United States Constitution.” […]
“Political parties in Illinois have a right to freedom of association - in other words they have a right to be free from exactly this sort of meddling,” McKenna said. “The Illinois Republican Party takes its First Amendment rights seriously and will not cede those rights to any governmental entity nor to any opposing political party.”
But Lauzen must rely on Democratic support to pass his plan since Republicans only hold 22 of the 59 state Senate seats. Lauzen said he will keep working toward passage.
“How can it be unconstitutional to restore what was there in the beginning?” Lauzen asked. Before 1988, Republican primary voters elected the party’s central committee. Democratic primary voters already elect their central committee.
Lauzen has a point about the constitutionality. The state currently gives state parties two organizational options. Lauzen’s proposal essentially deletes one of those options. The party strongly feels otherwise, however.
…Adding… From the state GOP’s lawyer Bill McGinley of Patton Boggs…
The State’s intrusion is no less unconstitutional now because the Party did not challenge previous statutory regulation: in Tashjian v. Republican Party of Connecticut, 479 U.S. 208 (1986) the Supreme Court held unconstitutional a statute that had been in effect for decades before the Republican Party finally challenged it.
In that case, the law requiring parties to hold closed primaries had been on the books since 1955 and the state parties had not protested. In 1984, the Republicans adopted a new rule to permit independents to participate in their primary . . . after the old law had been enforced against them for THIRTY YEARS. The Party won this challenge and the Supreme Court held that the state could no longer enforce the statute against them.
The Court later reaffirmed this principle, concluding that “[w]e have never held that a political party’s consent will cure a statue that otherwise violates the First Amendment.” Eu v. San Francisco County Democratic Cent. Committee, 489 U.S. 214, 226 (1989).
In short, a state party does not “waive” or “give up” its constitutional rights simply because it did not protest prior regulation. Freedom of association entitles Parties to determine their current internal governance in accordance with the desires of current members; this is the entire point of protecting their right to define their own organization, its membership, and its message in response to changing times. State regulation that infringes that internal control is unconstitutional, regardless of whether past Party members objected to similar encroachment in prior legislation.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 11:00 am
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Well one thing is clear from that video: Chris Lauzen is completely unhinged. Illinois’ massive deficit and the corruption of Rod Blagojevich are due to Republican primary voters not being able to vote for offices most of them don’t even know exist?
What color is the sky in Chris Lauzen’s world?
Comment by clearly Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 11:08 am
Is either side interested in a compromise and in getting back to the business of winning elections?
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 11:12 am
Chris, “If you can’t say anything nice about somebody….”. The Republican Party left me years ago, and I’m not a Democrat. Pick and choose, pick and choose. Lacking ideas and convictions to persuade, they rely on groin kicking contests instead of intellegently arguing their respective positions.
Comment by You Go Boy Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 11:17 am
wordslinger– elected officials are NOT in the business of winning elections; they are [meant to be] in the business of public service. somehow we’ve all forgotten that. the business of winning elections has resulted in the self-righteous governing body we have now.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 11:29 am
I was reminded by a democrat (yellow dog variety) yesterday that it was the GOP central committee, as currently controlled, that picked Alan Keyes to run against Obama in the last senate race. A more innappropriate candidate would be difficult to find, in my opinion. I went back and forth on this issue for different reasons partially due to lack of knowledge. The timing of this action may be poor and Lauzen may not be the best to articulate the issue. I am not convinced that the democrat party supporting this bid is the best way to bring it about, either. The decision to slate Keyes, however, is so far beyond reasonable that I believe the committee as currently constructed has to go. Keyes as a bomb throwing commentator is fine, as far as it goes. Keyes as a candidate was an unmitigated disaster. Anyone who thinks that such an inflammatory speechifier could make a credible candidate for such an office has no business leading a state political party.
Comment by dupage dan Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 11:32 am
=Lauzen has a point about the constitutionality.=
Really? The U.S. Supreme Court cases cited by McKenna were mostly decided after Illinois changed the law. Since then, the Republican Party, through its governing body and pursuant to its rules, has ratified the current system. As a state law would run counter to those party decisions, and therefore constitute interference with its freedom to set rules for itself, looks like McKenna has a good case. But one would have to study the case law further.
Comment by Conservative Republican Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 11:34 am
Let’s see if I understand this… Election of the Republican State Central Committee by Republican primary voters is a good idea. “Opening” the primary so that Democrat voters can help select (or, more likely deselect) viable candidates is also a good idea. What am I missing here?
Comment by BehindTheScenes Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 11:35 am
So if that is what Senator CPA says about the State GOP what does he say about Mike “State Democratic Party” Madigan?
Comment by wow Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 11:38 am
Anon, that’s all very righteous of you, but it certainly is the job of the state GOP to elect GOP candidates. And politics being a zero-sum game, if you don’t win elections, you have no influence on policy or how money is raised and spent.
But hey, it’s your party.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 11:39 am
The problem with the Keyes scenario is that the same group that is now pushing for SB600 supported Keye’s slating by the committee. I recall attending a luncheon where one of them with tears of joy in his eyes spoke glowingly from the podium how warm and fuzzy he felt that the State GOP Central Committee had selected a true blue “platform” Republican to run against Obama and that he proudly seconded the motion to slate him!
The rest of us sat in stunned silence. The rest of course was history. Keyes ran against Obama who trounced him and the whole fiasco began to pave the way for Obama to become president. But they don’t like to talk about that!
Now the same band of “platform” Republicans are using the Keyes appointment as proof positive that the current system failed the party and they blame McKenna for the appointment (he was not chairman back then).
Nothing like a little revisionist history to stoke the flames.
I like Lauzen, but in this instance, he is way over the top in his comments right now. I’ve made my position on this issue and reasons known on this site and over at the Illinois Review site.
Anyone who thinks that SB600 will solve any of the Republican Party problems in this state is not facing reality.
Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 11:41 am
Anon, the first priority of any elected official is to get re-elected. Ask any political scientist. I mean, really, if they serve the voters, they WILL get re-elected.
Comment by Deep South Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 11:41 am
Is either side interested in a compromise and in getting back to the business of winning elections?
Whooo-boy! What a great question! Thanks for writing it! It demonstrates why Illinois is such a corrupted state.
Illinois sucks because both it’s parties have sold out their original purpose for existing - offering competent and proven candidates to fill our public offices. What we have in Illinois today are two parties “in the business of winning elections”. How are they doing this? Are they doing it by putting great leaders in public office, building a reputation of leadership and quality? Or, are they merely doing this by nominating freakin’ anyone that can bring in the business of winning? Blagojevich was a known lackey, a boob, a backbencher in the State House and in the US House. A utter loser. But he could win, and that is all the Democrats wanted. Thanks guys! We’ve gone through hell thanks to your interest in only winning elections!
________________________________________________
Lauzen is right. I don’t like him for many reasons, but he is right. And worse for the GOP is not Lauzen - it is McKenna!
Any decent party leader with a record like his would have quietly stepped off the podium to allow the Party a chance for a new leader. The GOP isn’t his! Who does he think he is? Look at the legislation Lauzen is finding support for? Talk about a personal indictment against the bad leadership of the GOP!
McKenna? Can’t you take a hint, dude! GET OUT!
The people heading the GOP are losers. Provenly so! For a decade they haven’t found a freakin’ pulse in their wrists, yet they continue to fight over a Party they have served so poorly? The nerve!
When a guy like Lauzen is finding enough support to make news, and when a guy like Lauzen is making sense - you know you’ve reached bottom, guys and gals! This is one battle that should have been avoided, and any other party would have had leadership to know enough to resign themselves and preventing the battle to occur.
Get a clue McKenna! Goodbye!
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 11:44 am
===I mean, really, if they serve the voters, they WILL get re-elected.===
You’ve been listening to your college professors too much. Do you really think that fine theory works in practice? How long have you lived in this state?
Political Science 101 has ruined almost as many minds as Economics 101.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 11:45 am
Dupage Dan,
Remind me again who else stepped up to run for that seat? Did any sitting state senator? Did any elected official?
Yes Keyes was a joke, but then again there were not a lot to pick from.
Comment by OneMan Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 11:48 am
I have always enjoyed Lauzen’s command of the language, even if I disagree sometimes with what is being said. Was “officious” in Reader’s Digest “word power” this month?
if they serve the voters, they WILL get re-elected.
Or, “if in their quest to get re-elected, they accidentally serve or appear to serve the people enough to convince 50.1% of people to vote for them, they WILL get re-elected.”
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 11:50 am
OneMan makes an excellent point, as usual.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 11:53 am
LG Atsaves,
I am really getting a primer here on the history of this sequence of events. I have to admit that I was not paying enough attention to the whole process at the time. I lost sight of what was happening after Ryan was outed and left the race. There are conspiracy theorists out there who claim it was Obama’s campaign that dug up the dirt on Ryan and the Chi Trib that forced the info into the public eye with their demands for access to the info. Funny how that came back to bite them later. The GOP has some work to do. Why they would allow anyone to slate is still a mystery. That issue is being discussed nationally, as well. Many in the national GOP are demanding strict adherence to a hard party line and lambasting anyone who moves into a centrist position. Ronald Reagan knew that was not the way to win hearts and elections. Core values are very important but you have to lead people there, not beat them with a whip.
Comment by dupage dan Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 11:55 am
One man,
Excellent point. The GOP was in shambles at that point and no one stepped forward. A recipe for a disaster. The GOP is still paying for that as we see here.
Comment by dupage dan Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 11:59 am
Hey, they could have always picked Oberweis !
Comment by ZC Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 12:04 pm
Many in the national GOP are demanding strict adherence to a hard party line and lambasting anyone who moves into a centrist position.
What good is a political party without principles? Is the GOP supposed to alter it’s principles whenever their presidential candidate loses an election? Is your point intended to demonstrate a lack of basic principles in exchange for winning elections?
Ronald Reagan was a staunch conservative. He brought the country to him for two reasons - the GOP tired of backing softy centrist candidates like Nixon, Ford and Rockefeller, (I’d throw Jim Thompson in there too), and thanks to the worse president in modern history, James Earl Carter, Jr. Carter as president, drove voters to Reagan.
Reagan had principles and kept them. He was a great salesman, and he sold those hard party lines you currently seem to dislike.
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 12:06 pm
someone needs to tell chris lauzen that it was his good buddy dave syverson (who i am actually a pretty big fan of in spite of this) who held up the scc on the keyes thing…and to invoke the name of denny hastert is just crazy! but then again this is the same guy who paid former county chairman denny wiggins a boat load of cash to lead his train wreck of a congressional race
Comment by Downstate GOP Faithless Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 12:06 pm
===Reagan had principles and kept them. ===
Yeah, like his middle class tax hike - one of the largest in history to that point? The thing I remember most from that tax increase was how it shafted waitresses on their tip incomes.
Ronald Reagan was a conservative pragmatist in many, many respects. That’s what the sycophants always forget. You have to govern.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 12:08 pm
even if you think he is right, is the best way to go about this railing against everyone who ever supported your opponent? for a guy who talks about how great a republican he is, maybe he ought to actually support republicans who win primary races instead of jumping on board with some fringe candidate
Comment by The Pug is on the Prowl Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 12:09 pm
Reagan was the ultimate pragmatist. Underestimated by the left and misunderstood by the far right, he was elected by winning between the 40-yard lines and atracting moderates.
You do have to govern, and to do so, you must be elected. Or you can be a self-righteous, pompous yabbo and scream from the sidelines while the other guys do it.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 12:27 pm
All of this Lauzen talk reminded me of this story:
http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2007/12/u-of-i-puts-vip.html
Seems Sen. Lauzen is not so against being an “insider” as long as no one finds out about it. Then, when he’s found out, it’s the evil media’s fault.
The hypocrisy amongst the Tin Foil Hat crowd is usually astounding. This time is no exception. All of this is just a symptom of a party struggling to win again. Until they do, these guys will not go away. Which might mean they won’t win, which makes this the perennial chicken-and-the-egg mess. As you like to say, Rich, “Oy.”
Comment by Tin Foil Hat Fatigued Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 12:35 pm
The IL GOP, desperate to rebuild itself and not slip into the history books, was handed a lre amount of political currency with Blago and then Burris. its political coffers overflowing, it then proceeded to squander its political capital by engaging in a massive implosition. The talking points generated in this fight have stuffed the dems political bank to bursting while draining the GOP reserves. the wonderful talking point of pushing for a special election for Burris has been gutted; and its hard to make hay on the blago front with claims of insider deals when your fighting to keep insider power.
“If [madigan] sit[s] by the river long enough, [he] will see the body of [the gop] float by.
Comment by Ghost Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 12:56 pm
Reagan was able to get many people from all stripes to be excited about what this country could do. He held strong principles, which are necessary. He could communicate these in such a way that people believed he could bring it all about. Much like Obama, in some ways. But, then, Reagan delivered. His actions (pay hikes ala waitresses) could infuriate but you knew what direction he was going. There doesn’t seem to be anyone in the Il GOP who can bring that same combination to an election. All they seem to do is fight amongst themselves, eat their young and slate fools for candidates. Not hard to see why it is such a blue state even w/the fallout from RB.
Comment by dupage dan Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 1:01 pm
Senator CPA is really onto something! Who cares about the budget, infrastracture, tax hikes and a major recession. “It’s SB600 Stupid”. The voters get it, it’ll be the major focus this year. Finally, somebody figued it out! Great job Chris! Now, all he needs to explain is why he had Alan Keyes as his keynote at his fundraiser. Oops. I bet he forgot already.
Comment by Cubs Fan Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 1:06 pm
==I mean, really, if they serve the voters, they WILL get re-elected.==
Should be: “If they have good name recognition and can convince the voters (most of whom aren’t really paying attention) that they are serving their needs (even if they really aren’t), and they have the correct letter next to their name in a carefully drawn district, they WILL get re-elected.”
Comment by Pot calling kettle Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 1:07 pm
As a Dem, I look forward to the GOP spending their money in court instead of on campaigns. This bill will gets lots of Dem support.
Comment by Pot calling kettle Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 1:08 pm
DuPage Dan,
As far as the conspiracy theories that Obama dug up Ryan’s dirt and got the Tribune to expose it, please know that Ryan shared his divorce file with some consultants before he even got into the race. One of the consultants, Rod McCullogh, ended up working for one of Ryan’s GOP primary opponents, Gen. Borling. As far as my recollection goes, that was the source of the leaked sex party allegations. But yes, once that juicy little item emerged, Obama didn’t mind one bit if the Tribune sued LA county to release the files.
Fact is, it was GOP operatives that torpedoed JACK!, not our side. And, quite frankly, JACK! brought that all on himself.
And to the others who correctly claim it was some of the same SB600 supporters who were most eager to bring in Keyes, don’t you love irony? Pass SB600, expect more Keyes-like decision-making from the State GOP.
Oy indeed!
Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 1:08 pm
47th Ward is correct about the Jack Ryan stuff, for which denizens of the far right have decided to blame Obama or the Tribune or JBT.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 1:11 pm
Pot, I would say its more a charasima thing. Withou Charisma its hard to sell those talking points, whether they be fact or fiction.
For example, I always thought Paul Simon was a great politican, but he did not hav enough charisma to carry a more prominient campaign/office.
Comment by Ghost Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 1:11 pm
To paraphrase the already-twisted Hunter S. Thompson quote:
“The state GOP is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There’s also a negative side.”
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 1:44 pm
I may have been overly cynical. Paul Simon got to the Senate, it doesn’t get much better than that. There’s no doubt that a good, competent elected official who provides excellent service to his constituents can get reelected over and over. (Many, maybe most, elected officials fit this bill.) Unfortunately, it’s the other, less than sincere type that gets most of the press.
Paul Simon’s charisma may have been lacking on TV when he ran for president, but in person, even before a large group, it was excellent. Not the big rally style of charisma, but a serious charisma with tons of heart that came across very clearly.
Comment by Pot calling kettle Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 1:45 pm
hey, Ghost — Paul Simon was elected US Senator from Illinois on November 6, 1984. A US Senate seat is not chopped liver.
My sense is that the only hope for the Republican Party in Illinois is for its far right wing to merge with the Libertarians, and let the moderate Republicans have a chance of attracting the soccor moms and moderate independents.
Comment by Capitol View Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 1:51 pm
Senator Lauzen:
Let me get this straight. You and the Roeser Gang assert that the State GOP is a bunch of corrupt non-reformers and thugs, all in league with the Combine, making deals with Democrats and generally acting in desperation to keep true reformers like you guys off of the Republican State Central Committee, because you might lead the GOP to the nirvana of Conservative Triumph.
Then I have a question: why in the heck are the Democrats so anxious to pass this bill?
Speaker Madigan is a lot of things, but a “dummy” most certainly is not among them. Yet he is busily lining up Democratic House votes for SB600. Doesn’t that strike you as odd?
The truth is that the Democrats WANT the likes of you to lead the Republican Party, Chris!!! Congratulations!!!
They know that if you and the Roeser Power Freaks ever achieve your aims, the GOP will burn to ashes faster than Mrs. O’Leary’s barn.
But I’m sure you will get around that with yet another fanciful rationalization for your destructive and increasingly bizarre behavior, no doubt something along the lines of it being necessary to destroy the Illinois GOP to “save” it???
Comment by Bubs Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 1:59 pm
All this makes me wonder why I am dipping my toes back into the political scene. I have become more conservative as I get older but not necessarily more republican. Frankly, I appreciate honesty and integrity as much as I appreciate strong ideals. Paul Simon was one such man. I would support him now even with my more conservative bent. It seems like the GOP in the state is thrasing itself to death with little signs of any meaningful efforts to take advantage of the current weakness in the democratic party. Fighting over the scraps.
I hope my previous post re conspiracy theories didn’t give the impression that I am a believer in same. just putting stuff out there to get feedback. I am not a conspiracy buff - to much has to go right for no one to know about the conspriators.
Comment by dupage dan Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 2:01 pm
The IL GOP kas been given the oppurtunity to win back some seats & statewide offices in 2010.
It’s time to UNITE the party not DIVIDE!! Sen. Lauzen doesn’t seem to understand this. He is putting effort into something that just isn’t relevant at the time. Instead focus on the serious issues of the day like taxes, the budget, & playing a role in bringing the GOP together.
Don’t be an Oberweis, Senator.
Comment by scoot Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 2:07 pm
Instead focus on the serious issues of the day like taxes, the budget, & playing a role in bringing the GOP together.
Ironically, Lauzen has keen insight on the first two items, and it is surprising he isn’t bringing his acumen into the fore at this time. The third item, not so much:-)
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 2:17 pm
==Paul Simon was elected US Senator from Illinois==
He was also defeated in the 1972 gubernatorial primary after being accused of selling out to the Daley Machine. It was the only election he ever lost…
Comment by Vote Quimby! Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 3:50 pm
== Political Science 101 has ruined almost as many minds as Economics 101. == [RM]
It’s why I take a big pinch of salt with any of the political models that refer to vote seeking. But to be fair, a large part of this is acknowledged in the political science field to be “credit-claiming”, or in other words, grandstanding.
Comment by Angry Chicagoan Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 4:02 pm
DuPage Dan, I didn’t mean to suggest you bought into the conspiracy about the Ryan implosion, but some people still want to believe this was somehow the fault of an Obama/Tribune/Topinka plan. Also, you’re very right about Paul Simon.
And VQ, Paul lost the 1988 Democratic primary for President too, despite doing well in Iowa (he also won IL, much to the chagrin of Rev. Jackson).
He was a special politician. A liberal’s liberal who always won conservative votes in Illinois. The bow tie and horn-rimmed glasses weren’t a gimmick. He was honest, almost to a fault.
We could use more like him.
Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 4:08 pm
47th that to me is somewat the bitter irony of our political system. Those like Paul Simon, the politicians we really want, but who lack 30 second tv capturable charisma, tend not to do as well in elections.
I would also suggest that Jim Ryan would have been a far better person for Gov, but just did not have the charisma to draw together a large campaign. Force of personality tends to be the most prominent criteria, with plitical idea and agenda fallin behind as mere windo dressing.
Then again, I thought the GOP should have picked 7 of 9 instead of keys to fill in for Ryan.
Comment by Ghost Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 4:36 pm
================
47th Ward is correct about the Jack Ryan stuff, for which denizens of the far right have decided to blame Obama or the Tribune or JBT.
=================
47th Ward is correct that neither Obama, the Trib, nor JBT are to blame.
Is 47th saying, however, that he’s certain that McCulloch was interviewed for a position with the campaign and therefor shown the docs–and that at some point someone conveniently left him alone with the docs near a photocopier…and then to “throw everyone off the trail” McCulloch felt an overwhelming desire to doctor up the docket number and otherwise try to make the docs look phony because….?
That still sounds wrong for some reason. I don’t think it was a conspiracy either.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Mar 13, 09 @ 11:38 pm
>>“domineering parasites” and “self-serving, officious, lying, arrogant thugs”
This is Lauzen code language for:
I have lost the argument on the merits. Please don’t read the actual bill. I cannot defend the hijacking of this bill by Democrats. I cannot persuade my fellow Republicans, so I must shove this idea down their throats.
Last, the court opinions cited appear to be on point. Removing all options except one would seem to run afoul of the precedent cited. The SB600 promoters are silent on these cases–I wonder why?
Comment by Monkey wrench Saturday, Mar 14, 09 @ 6:08 am
I think the real point should be that the current members of the Illinois Republican Central Committee, including McKenna ought to step down. The party will go no where under their leadership.
Comment by Real Republican Saturday, Mar 14, 09 @ 5:08 pm