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Chicago Alderman Burt Natarus recently left this voicemail for Tribune columnist Eric Zorn.
I have stood your criticisms for many many years, and quite frankly I don’t regard you as being very innovative or humorous. The fact of the matter is that dog doo is a cause of rats. And rats are a very, very important problem in terms of eradications and keeping my ward clean. I have the cleanest ward in the city….And before I became the alderman there was no Michigan Avenue… all of the buildings that have been built there except maybe the Tribune Tower and the Hancock Center were built during my terms of office.
So you could look at the positive side once in a while Mr. Zorn in terms of some of the work that we do. I have a doctor of law degree and I’m a member of the plan commission and I work very, very hard.
As far as I’m concerned you can keep insulting me because quite frankly it may enhance your readership. But it also enhances my vote getting ability. Bye bye.
There was “no Michigan Avenue” before he was an alderman? Was it just empty prairie? Has Burton completely and finally lost it?
Those were rhetorical questions.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Aug 25, 06 @ 8:11 am
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He left a voicemail? Nut-arus is Chicago. Keep voting him in morons.
Comment by Wumpus Friday, Aug 25, 06 @ 8:27 am
Has he lost it? Did he ever have it?
Comment by Truthful James Friday, Aug 25, 06 @ 9:18 am
He was always a strange guy, but it seemed that at some point he could deliver for the 42nd.
That’s just not true anymore.
If you look at reports, you see armed robberies on Navy Pier, you see assaults on Illinois east of Michigan, you see gang activity along the lake front in the 42nd, and you see a ward overrun by homeless people.
I admit that I tolerated his behavior in the past because it seemed that he got the job done. As Wumpus pointed out, this is Chicago and he is an alderman. Odd is O.K. but incompetent odd has got to go.
Luckily the 42nd has a real alternative in February in Brendan Reilly.
Comment by Skeeter Friday, Aug 25, 06 @ 9:24 am
Everyone knows that no commerce could possibly happen in Chicago without the local alderman’s approval. Without Burt Natarus, the Loop would be filled with tumbleweeds!
Comment by Chicago Guy Friday, Aug 25, 06 @ 9:33 am
Does his work on the Plan Commission include the loss of local control of Marshall Field’s and the closing of Carson’s? How about the State Street Mall?
All done under Natarus.
Comment by Skeeter Friday, Aug 25, 06 @ 10:28 am
Burt Natarus is the problem. Rich Gordon is the answer.
Comment by Honest Abe Friday, Aug 25, 06 @ 10:41 am
Rich Gordon is the answer if you want another term for Natarus.
Gordon has no money and he’s a Republican.
The 42nd might not like Natarus, but they will not vote for a Republican.
A vote for Gordon is a vote for Natarus.
Comment by Skeeter Friday, Aug 25, 06 @ 10:46 am
Skeeter, stop hanging out with the DL21C kids and look at the facts. Gordon nearly beat Natarus in a one on one race last time. Gordon can clearly take the guy out now - except now the spoiler kid has entered the race.
Comment by Anon-mouse Friday, Aug 25, 06 @ 11:25 am
Anon-mouse, we’ve had this discussion over and over.
My two cents, however: Gordon ran a clueless campaign before and almost won despite himself. I was a voter in the ward, so I saw it first hand - which is to say I didn’t see much from him.
I don’t see how this earns him another shot, particularly since he has raised no money and had almost no money on hand. Natarus has a huge war chest and I don’t believe Gordon can compete.
Is Brendan a friend? Yep. That has nothing to do with anything. I have lots of friends in politics and I always call ‘em like I see ‘em and this is no different. I have believed since that race - long before I knew who might run in ‘07 - that Gordon should be embarassed and not proud of his ‘03 endeavor. With a little real effort and a few actual dollars raised he might have won. He failed.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Aug 25, 06 @ 11:38 am
Also, just to add one more bit.
Since there is a runoff if no candidate receives over 50 percent of the vote, you can’t really call any third or even fourth or fifth candidate a “spoiler.” Gordon and Reilly both may actually benefit from two people spending money against this sadly past his prime incumbent (that is, if Gordon actually raises any money - there’s no evidence yet that he can).
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Aug 25, 06 @ 11:43 am
Burton “Dog Doo” Natarus - has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?
Rich, I think your friendship is showing on this one. Gordon has a lot of community organization support and significant local business support, which you don’t mention, and most of Reilly’s money is his own. I can’t recall ever seeing Brendan Reilly at a community meeting, or for that matter ever hearing of the guy, before he announced.
Comment by Bubs Friday, Aug 25, 06 @ 12:20 pm
Friends of Richard Gordon
D-2 Semiannual Report
1/1/2006 to 6/30/2006
Funds available at the beginning of the reporting period $11,742.37
Total Receipts $0.00
Subtotal $11,742.37
Total Expenditures $7,860.68
Funds available at the close of the reporting period $3,881.69
People for Natarus
D-2 Semiannual Report
1/1/2006 to 6/30/2006
Funds available at the beginning of the reporting period $523,609.97
Total Receipts $285,310.00
Subtotal $808,919.97
Total Expenditures $226,013.01
Funds available at the close of the reporting period $582,906.96
Citizens for Reilly
D-2 Semiannual Report
1/1/2006 to 6/30/2006
Funds available at the beginning of the reporting period $50,955.71
Total Receipts $145,737.30
Subtotal $196,693.01
Total Expenditures $17,352.16
Funds available at the close of the reporting period $179,340.85
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Aug 25, 06 @ 12:37 pm
Also, a quick math total finds that of the approximately $200K raised by Reilly since he started (November last year), about a quarter of that, $51K, was his own cash. Hardly “most.”
You may not have heard of him, but I’ve seen his past work. You guys really have no clue what’s coming.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Aug 25, 06 @ 12:44 pm
Rich, Rich, Rich. You are a good friend to him. I salute that.
But check again. Aren’t you forgetting his $80,000 “loan” to his own campaign on June 29, 2006? I note you managed to throw the same money into total receipts to get his total to “approximately $200K”, after all.
Assuming that “Dr. John Reilly” and “Patricia Reilly” are relatives, I have he and his family putting in $138,790 (of which $128,290 is Reilly himself). Out of $197,860 total receipts, that’s 70 percent.
And I told you before, in this City and that Ward, Gordon’s money will be late money. In note that Reilly tossed in $100,000 or so, including his loan, on June 29, just so he could look like he’s rolling in dough as of June 30. Gordon doesn’t need to do that.
Comment by Bubs Friday, Aug 25, 06 @ 1:58 pm
I have long considered Natarus to be a joke…….a bad joke. I would gladly call him the worst alderman in the city but with competition like Joe “Foie Gras” Moore and Helen “stuck in 1968″ Shiller that may be presumptive on my part.
He is horrible though and I hope Reilly, who I have never heard of, kicks his butt in the election.
ARRRRRRRRRRRGH
Comment by irishpirate Friday, Aug 25, 06 @ 2:05 pm
I stand corrected. Thanks for pointing it out. However, I stand by what I said about Gordon. Bad campaign, previously poor fundraising, don’t believe the “it’s coming” stuff (no offense). But, seriously, I’m looking forward to this bloodbath.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Aug 25, 06 @ 2:12 pm
We will all just have to see.
Comment by Bubs Friday, Aug 25, 06 @ 2:27 pm
If the argument for Rich Gordon is that he and his family and friends aren’t willing to support his own campaign, and Reilly, his family and friends are willing to support the Reilly campaign, I’d much rather be Brendan Reilly.
We know who’s willing to support Burt Natarus’s campaign. The same developers who have zoning changes on the docket before Natarus’s Zoning Committee, including one that is currently under federal investigation for rigging a project in the 42nd Ward, allegedly with help from Fast Eddie Vrdolyak. That developers officers gave Natarus a combined $7,500, neatly bypassing campaign finance laws that limit how much corporations that have business before the city can give to alderman.
I think a debate about campaign finances — and where they do or do not come from — is a debate that I would avoid, if I were Rich Gordon and Burt Natarus.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Friday, Aug 25, 06 @ 3:16 pm
For the record, this is the same argument I made about the Cegelis campaign as well.
If Rich Gordon is really so popular and has so much support, where are the checks? And who wants a candidate that doesn’t believe in his or her own campaign enough to pony up their own money? The bottom line is that Reilly’s net fundraising still blows Gordon and Natarus’s doors off over the last six months. For a first-time candidate who hasn’t even announced yet, that’s pretty impressive.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Friday, Aug 25, 06 @ 3:25 pm
Bubs, while you’re right that Reilly has put a significant amount of money into his race - what’s wrong with that? His personal financial commitment shows that he’s serious about this run - not many people have the guts to do that.
That said, your boy Gordon has proven that he’s politically worthless. His attitude toward this potential second run is one of “entitlement” - that somehow he’s “earned” the right to run again.
I have to agree with Rich Miller - Gordon should be ashamed of himself.
The guy ran a joke of a race in 2003 - he raised a miserable $30,000 from just 25 contributors. Spending $30K doesn’t buy you name recognition, there isn’t a chance that more than a handful of voters (far beyond his Quixotic kitchen cabinet) even had a clue who Gordon is and they simply voted for “the guy who ain’t Natarus.”
Gordon could have just as easily ran “Mickey Mouse” or “Donald Duck” against Natarus and achieved the same election result. I would argue, knowing what I do about Mr. Gordon’s ego and pompous attitude, that Donald Duck probably could have outperformed the man. If you consider running the moribund 42nd Ward GOP Organization “community service” - well, we could debate that for days…he’s doing about as good a job running that committee as he’s done raising money since his 2003.
For a man who is allegedly “so passionate” about running again, that certainly isn’t reflected in Gordon’s latest filing - he did a stellar job raising ZERO DOLLARS (that’s right ZIP, ZERO, NADA) over the past 6 months heading into an election cycle. In fact, Gordon hasn’t raised a dime since he lost in 2003.
Gordon’s fundraising effort speaks volumes about his candidacy. Gordon is a ZERO - much like his PAC.
Bubs, stick with your guy. It sounds like he’s got a great gameplan: Raise no money. Run as a Republican in an 80% Democrat ward. And count on that mysterious tidal wave of “late money” to save the day. Just like it did last time, right?
Sorry, but people invest in campaigns with well-organized, committed candidates - Rich Gordon has proven he’s neither.
Reilly deserves the next shot at Alderman Natarus - he’s raising money - proven money, not speculative - and from hundreds of donors (not 25 donors) and has been organizing for 9 months.
This guy can win - so get on the train before it leaves the station.
Comment by Chicago Denizen Friday, Aug 25, 06 @ 3:41 pm
I know Brendan Reilly as well, and he is talented, however it will be interesting to see how he handles it when the Natarus folks come at him with some of the scorched earth tactics he has practiced in the past. I don’t live in Chicago, and I wish him luck, but I think he is about to experience the old adage of “what goes around comes around.” I just hope he has some of that thick skin he has suggested other politicians should have.
Comment by Jaded Friday, Aug 25, 06 @ 4:41 pm
Rich Gordon is delusional if he thinks he can win a race by counting on “late money.” He hasn’t made even a half-assed effort at raising early money (raising $0 since January) - what on earth makes this guy think people are going to flood his coffers later in this campaign? This guy last time because he didn’t make the commitment to the hard, thankless task of raising money - his near-empty bank account is proof that voters can expect a similar, poorly-organized *losing* campaign from Gordon again this time. You’d think he might have learned this lesson the last time around. The fact that he hasn’t learned makes it pretty clear his campaign is going nowhere.
Comment by Tom DeLay's Mom Friday, Aug 25, 06 @ 4:49 pm
If Reilly had been able to scorch a little more earth as Paul Vallas’s campaign spokesman, Vallas would be our Governor right now, instead of that guy Burt Natarus backed, Rod Blagojevich.
I say, put Natarus and Reilly on stage with microphones in-hand and let the bullets fly. And save me a front row seat.
Right now, the biggest threat to the Reilly campaign is that the U.S. Attorney’s office will remove Natarus from office via indictment, or short people, women, African Americans, Asian Americans, organized labor, the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce — or any other groups that I might be forgetting that Natarus has publicly insulted in recent months — might scoop Natarus up and lynch him before election day.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Friday, Aug 25, 06 @ 4:52 pm
YDD:
You left out “Dog Owners,” “Navy Pier Restaurant Owners Against Armed Robbery” and “People Who Don’t Like To See Our Neighbors Mugged While Walking Down Illinois Street.”
Those people are pretty heated too when it comes to Natarus.
I never thought that I would be concerned for my personal safety while walking through Streeterville. What a shame.
Comment by Skeeter Friday, Aug 25, 06 @ 5:00 pm
Reilly is a political veteran and he understands that politics can be a bloodsport. He’s recognized for his success taking down a number of entrenched legislative incumbents over the years. He knows how to pick-apart voting records and frame issues, Natarus certainly offers plenty of material for him to work with.
Knowing Reilly, he wont take cheap shots at the alderman - he won’t concoct nasty, personal attacks (he knows it doesn’t work), but you can be sure he’ll leverage every controversial vote, every dirty dollar Natarus has taken, and every backroom deal that the incumbent has engaged in over his 30 plus years in office. That’s not running a “dirty” campaign - that’s how you “fire” politicians.
If Natarus runs a scorched-earth campaign, it will backfire. Some people still feel sorry for Natarus, because he’s obviously losing his grip on reality - if he gets dirty or personal with Reilly or Gordon, he’ll just look like a bitter, nasty, desperate old man.
I’m pretty confident Reilly can take the heat - he’s helped dozens of candidates brave those storms in past campaigns - and he’s always been a steady hand on the campaign rudder. He knows this is a rough business and deserves kudos for his willingness to step-up and push Natarus out of an office that he’s held for too long.
Comment by Nimbus Friday, Aug 25, 06 @ 5:04 pm
Word has it Congressman Davis ain’t too high on Crazy Burt either, not to mention postal workers and African Americans in general - following his maniacal rant at the Cook County Democratic Party’s Todd Stroger slating session. YDD, that lynch-mob line just seems to be getting longer and longer for the Alderman every day. Who hasn’t he insulted in the past 6 months? I can think of only one constituency: Developers.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Aug 25, 06 @ 5:15 pm
Wow, I can see that I have Zapwater and Reilly’s fraternity brothers ALL stirred up!!
I remind you that this is a single Ward of 60,000; Reilly’s listed previous 42nd Ward community commitment in the Ward is “attending Holy Name Cathedral”; and Gordon is a decorated veteran who has been at community meetings for six years.
We’ll just see, boys.
Comment by Bubs Friday, Aug 25, 06 @ 5:19 pm
Word has it Skinny Sheahan (the Cook County Sheriff’s brother) is interested in the 42nd Ward and looking for someone to back in this race - going all out to take-down Alderman Natarus. If I were Burt, I’d be more worried about his “friends” over in the 19th Ward than anyone else right now.
How does 200 foot-soliders in the 42nd Ward sound, Mr. Alderman? I hope all those friends you’ve made at City Hall have a nice job waiting for you when the 19th Ward’s done with you!
A federal indictment might sound pretty good to Natarus, considering the southside treatment Natarus is going to get whipped with this year. In my opinion, Burt deserves it.
Comment by beverly hillbilly Friday, Aug 25, 06 @ 5:27 pm
Bubs - Frankly, I agree with Miller that Gordon’s candidacy probably helps Reilly in this race, so I say the more the merrier.
Maybe you’re right and Rich Gordon does have some untapped well-spring of grassroots support that will erupt 30 days from the election. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
Go ahead and attack Reilly’s campaign because he, his family, his friends, and people who have heard him speak about what he believes in and why he’s running are willing to put their own hard-earned dollars behind his campaign. It seems like an attack the Reilly campaign would gladly have you spread far-and-wide.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Friday, Aug 25, 06 @ 5:44 pm