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* From the Illinois GOP…
Last week, WCIA reported that Rep. Mike Smiddy was caught playing video games during budget debate on the House Floor. When pressed on the matter, WCIA’s Matt Porter said Smiddy told him he “didn’t need to listen and had no apologies for his actions.”
Illinois hasn’t had a budget in 11 months, but Smiddy apparently thinks that he doesn’t need to listen to, let alone participate in, budget negotiations. Today, the House Republican Organization launched digital ads highlighting Smiddy’s disdainful attitude towards taxpayers. The ads will be pushed on social media networks with a substantial advertising buy.
“Mike Smiddy’s condescending attitude towards the taxpayers funding his salary is not befitting of a state representative,” said GOP spokesman Steven Yaffe. “His attitude, though, is unsurprising. In Mike Madigan’s Illinois, House Democrats have no need to think for themselves – they simply collect their paychecks and take their orders.”
“Mike Smiddy is playing games with the future of Illinois,” Yaffe added. “It’s time to tell him game over.”
* One of the ads…
The other two are here.
Thoughts?
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 10:15 am
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
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He deserves the attack ad along with any other members who play games on the floor. For what they are paid and for the super enriched pensions they get, they could at least give the appearance of being engaged.
Comment by Politically Incorrect Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 10:21 am
Fair game…
But pointing this out, these games always seem to backfire.
I appreciated Ron Sandack tweeting a picture of Rep. Cloonen playing a game. That’s fun, what a colleague that Ron Sandack is.
Karma… Karma is one thing you should never tempt.
Very disappointing, but fair game.
Trust between colleagues and “the business we chose”… dissipating quickly. It will only get worse, until real things… pop up.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 10:23 am
Someone edited his Wikipedia page too:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Smiddy
“Mike Smiddy is the Illinois state representative for the 71st district. His pasttimes include playing video games.”
Comment by AC Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 10:26 am
Can we expect a “bad lip reading” video of House GOP members next? Now that is something I would watch.
Comment by Just Me Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 10:30 am
AC, that is priceless!
Comment by ABC Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 10:31 am
Similarly, if more attention was given to the pain caused by the lack of a budget rather than which legislators were playing on their phones, we’d be closer to a resolution.
Comment by AC Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 10:31 am
I love it!!!
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 10:33 am
I’m not under the mistaken impression that a budget deal will pass or fail based on what Mike Smiddy does with his iPad. He’s not that important. But it’s unbecoming of a legislator, and if he’s not going to own it, the GOP is fine to drag him through the wringer.
Comment by A thought Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 10:34 am
Obviously these ads aren’t aimed toward a younger demographic. That game in the first ad looks like a knock-off Super Mario. And the TV set with the snow on it? Really?
Comment by Commander Norton Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 10:37 am
I am sure every legislative person sits in rapt attention to every droning speech/process that happens while they are on the floor for 3-4 hours. So who will now become the GA monitor to make sure no one talks about any non legislative topic or just simply sits there in a bored daze. This game thing does not make Smiddy look like a bright bulb, but I am sure the House Repub Org people never ever reread their vital phone email for the 5th time.
Comment by zatoichi Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 10:40 am
I am quite certain we’re at the point where the majority of folks spend some amount of time doing something on their phones that is completely unproductive while they’re supposed to be doing productive things.
Mike Smiddy is just like every person I’ve ever dated. How am I supposed to hate him?
Comment by Anon Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 10:42 am
===Mike Smiddy is just like every person I’ve ever dated===
LOL
Maybe you’re just boring?
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 10:44 am
This ad will be effective with citizens who don’t have cell phones and those who’ve never played a video game.
Everyone else will find the criticism cringe-worthy or schoolmarmish.
Definitely a killer ad for the over 50 age age group within the Librarian demographic!
Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 10:45 am
I saw where it said “Illinois rebuild project”. When I google that I get nothing, what’s Illinois rebuild Project?
Comment by independent Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 10:46 am
===Maybe you’re just boring?===
IDK, ask Mike?
Comment by Anon Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 10:50 am
Sandack is just the most prominent example of the loss of friendly debate in the state house. The great Bill Black would never have pulled a stunt like that. Would he have used it in debate? Yes. Would he have smeared his colleagues in a big and personal way? No. Everyone loves going to work with the gotcha co-worker waiting to humiliate you at every turn.
Comment by 100 miles west Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 10:54 am
If he was still at IDOC and was caught playing video games while he should have been working, he would get some form of discipline. At the very least this is unethical behavior.
Comment by pool boy Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 10:58 am
===he would get some form of discipline===
Um, people who guard prisoners have to be watchful at all times. Ever been to the House floor?
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 10:59 am
It is not so much the act of playing games on the House floor, as it is the snarky and careless response.
That response indicates more character issues to me than the game playing.
Comment by cdog Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 11:05 am
He should have just apologized. He didn’t. As a result, this won’t be going away anytime soon.
Comment by A Parent Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 11:08 am
He was just trying to determine if the game was internet gaming or gambling. Guess he found out it was gambling…with his job.
Comment by Just Sayin' Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 11:11 am
Meh, fair game. But what goes around comes around.
Republicans will have to keep their guards up at all times now for the inevitable payback. Because get real, it could just as easily have been any number of them.
And as anyone who’s ever spent five minutes in either chamber knows, it will require quite a change in group behavior to be safe from the “gotcha” police.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 11:22 am
A quick perusal through Facebook and Twitter strongly suggests the Illinois Rebuild Project has a long history of political activism dating back to yesterday.
Comment by Bill F. Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 11:23 am
The governor can”tweet” (basically campaign on state time) but a state rep is chastised for being on the clock listening and playing a video game. Also, the definition of low down is recording someone behind their back without their knowledge or consent.
Comment by The definition of politics Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 11:25 am
Rich, when was the last time you filled out a slip to testify at a committee hearing? You know what happens when you make assumptions.
Comment by pool boy Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 11:27 am
@ pool boy What did the person who did the filming put on their permission slip? Film D’s behind their back without authorization?
Comment by Ok then Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 11:43 am
No one can accuse Smiddy of having a PR director.
Comment by Illinois is capsized Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 11:47 am
Smiddy’s arrogant response likely guaranteed the ads would go up, if not at least raised the chances quite a bit.
If he had exhibited the grace and humility of Rep. Kate Cloonen, well, maybe end of story.
Mike, you said it, now own it and find a graceful way outta there.
Were I a member of either side, I wouldn’t jump to get in front of the camera of the junior G-Man who ran this story. Cheap shots shouldn’t be rewarded. Let him talk to Kent Redfield. He’s always got something to say.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 11:58 am
Would someone like a list of the Republican legislators who have been playing games on their computers for years and years?
Comment by Games Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 12:50 pm
**If he had exhibited the grace and humility of Rep. Kate Cloonen, well, maybe end of story.**
LOL - I’m sure we’ll see the same thing against Cloonen too. The apologies don’t matter.
Comment by AlabamaShake Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 1:59 pm
Seems like a lot of times, the votes are worked out in advance and the “debate” is mostly for show. If a legislator has already promised to vote a certain way, rhetoric on the floor won’t change anything. So a lawmaker playing with his smartphone waiting to cast the vote that he’s agreed to in advance might not make the best impression, but it’s not exactly shocking. Seems dumb and/or disingenuous to try to turn it into a story.
Comment by wayward Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 2:08 pm