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* I told you yesterday about this, but here’s the official announcement…
House Republican Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) announced on Thursday that State Representative Peter Breen (R-Lombard) will join the Republican Leadership Team as the House Republican Caucus’ Floor Leader.
As Floor Leader, Breen will be the House Republican Caucus’ primary bill debater as legislation comes to the floor of the House for consideration. “Representative Breen’s critical thinking skills will prove to be a benefit to the Caucus, particularly as the chief advocate for House Republican viewpoints on legislative matters,” said Durkin, after making the announcement to the 51-member House Republican Caucus.
Breen, a constitutional attorney specializing in defense of free speech, said he is honored to take on the role of floor leader during such a pivotal time in the state’s history. “As the General Assembly works to bring fairness and equity to our school funding formula, it will be a privilege to be our caucus’ leading voice during this important debate,” said Breen. “It is an honor to serve in this role, and I appreciate the trust and confidence placed in me by Leader Durkin.”
Breen was elected to the General Assembly in November of 2014, after serving as a Village Trustee and Acting Village President for the Village of Lombard. He is the only member of the General Assembly to hold an electrical engineering degree, which he earned in three years from Vanderbilt University. Breen also holds a law degree from the University of Notre Dame.
“I look forward to voicing our caucus’ priorities and goals as we continue with reform efforts to move our State from the brink of collapse to substantial recovery,” Breen said. “The leadership team is dedicated to restoring people’s confidence in the State of Illinois and I am pleased to be taking a larger role in sharing our message.”
Breen will take his seat as Floor Leader immediately.
* The Pritzker campaign is not happy…
Rep. Peter Breen is reportedly taking over as House Republican floor leader, a move that solidifies Illinois Republicans’ dramatic shift to the right under failed Governor Bruce Rauner. Breen will replace moderate Rep. Steven Andersson who was exiled following his leadership in overriding Bruce Rauner’s reckless budget veto.
The new floor leader will have the opportunity to make his radical social conservative views priorities for House Republicans. Here are just a few of the extreme right-wing stances that Breen has taken recently:
* Defended a new Rauner hire that compared abortion to Nazi eugenics.
* Fought against a bill strengthening the Illinois’ Equal Pay Act, calling it “the stupidest bill we’ve considered.”
* Lied about the potential risk Illinois women face in maintaining access to reproductive healthcare.
* Opposed marriage equality.“Peter Breen’s ascension to House leadership is another sign of the radical right-wing takeover led by Rauner and his team of ’superstars’ who are desperate for a political win,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “The damage he’s done to Illinois so far is unconscionable. Bruce Rauner continues to line his administration with ideologues eager to help him hold children and families hostage to his political agenda—a move that means more damage is coming.”
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 9:00 am
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So JB’s camp says …
* Defended a new Rauner hire that compared abortion to Nazi eugenics.
* Fought against a bill strengthening the Illinois’ Equal Pay Act, calling it “the stupidest bill we’ve considered.”
* Lied about the potential risk Illinois women face in maintaining access to reproductive healthcare.
* Opposed marriage equality.
one can say that Breen is a defender of individual liberty. What a radical !
Comment by Texas Red Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 9:04 am
Pritzker’s daily press releases are really effective, aren’t they? I’m sure his opinions about the Minority party’s Floor Leader will move Pritzker’s dismal polling within 20% of Kennedy’s.
Comment by Deft Wing Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 9:06 am
Wasnt Jordan Abudayyeh the politics reporter with Channel 20? No wonder Sinclair didn’t keep her around…
Comment by Mrs Robinson Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 9:08 am
Picking a fight with the House Republicans over who they are and what they believe is incredibly stupid. Governors have to work with the legislature, the entire legislature, to get anything accomplished. Apparently the Pritzker campaign hasn’t learned a single thing from watching the Rauner administration.
Comment by The Captain Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 9:10 am
Mrs Robinson- “No wonder Sinclair didn’t keep her around… ”
Please elaborate. She didn’t join the Pritzker campaign while she was a reporter at WICS if that is what you are inferring. It was almost two months between her job at WICS and her job with Pritzker. https://tinyurl.com/y9qal34m
Comment by Anon221 Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 9:19 am
Durkin’ accedes to IPI in move designed to protect his position as Careerfella.
Comment by Winnin' Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 9:21 am
Must be a slow news day in Pritzker world.
Comment by Chairman McBroom Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 9:21 am
Sinclair has trouble keeping any quality reporters as staff. There has been almost as much turnover at channel 20 as the Rauner staff.
Comment by A Jack Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 9:22 am
Does this mean the Pritzker campaign is admitting that it has adopted a radical left wing tax and spend agenda and policy?
Just asking.
Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 9:22 am
I would not have made the charge about lying. That makes it harder to work with him in the future. It also requires a high level of proof.
I understand the value of attacking the Republican move to the right. Moderate Republicans might go Democratic as the Republican party leaves them.
Comment by Last Bull Moose Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 9:24 am
I don’t know whether this is a fair hit on Breen, but I do think that the Pritzker campaign is developing an effective theme.
Rauner’s successfully hid his true ideological instincts in the election against Quinn. Will be far harder to do that this time around.
Comment by slow down Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 9:25 am
I remember learning about Peter Breen’s radical ascension in Sunday School.
Comment by City Zen Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 9:26 am
Breen is best known as humorless lecturer. Sort of a House version of Jumpin’ Jason Barickman
Demmer would have been the best choice. Durkie drops another ball.
Comment by Annonin' Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 9:28 am
Speakin’ of Jumpin’Jason. Here is an update on his PR disaster. Bad enough he silenced acomplices. It turns out he lied about his only “news” Then he was spanked and them blamed the eveil misinterpeters….
”
Barickman also said: “I asked the governor, I said, ‘When the bill is transmitted to you, do you … will you hold the bill so that we can have a negotiation?’ He said ‘yes.’ He says, ‘That’s a very reasonable thing to do, but I need the bill first.’”
Later Thursday, Barickman tweeted out his clarifying statement.”
Loopee Dewpee
“It appears that comments that I made during a press conference today are being grossly misinterpreted and misrepresented,” he said. “Allow me to clarify:”
Comment by Annonin' Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 9:32 am
==Sinclair has trouble keeping any quality reporters as staff.==
Don’t know anything about their management style, but the nature of broadcast journalism also encourages a lot of young journos to view the Springfield market as a means, not an end.
Comment by Arsenal Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 9:33 am
==She didn’t join the Pritzker campaign while she was a reporter at WICS if that is what you are inferring.==
Not at all. Just wouldn’t be surprised if the conservative Sinclair got tired of her after awhile.
Comment by Mrs Robinson Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 9:35 am
===Does this mean the Pritzker campaign is admitting that it has adopted a radical left wing tax and spend agenda and policy?===
Well I guess so, if a radical left-wing policy is one tries to match spending with taxes so you don’t increase the backlog of bills by 10 billion dollars and not be a deadbeat state that owes money to everyone. Yes, a radical left-wing tax and spend agenda.
Comment by Ducky LaMoore Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 9:41 am
Mrs Robinson- True, and it goes both ways, too. And, as Arsenal stated, the Springfield market is a jumping off point for young reporters. It also seems to be the market where older reporters/anchors come to finish out their careers and stay on message per upper management.
Comment by Anon221 Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 9:43 am
I guess I wouldn’t be happy if I were Pritzker either.
First Amendment lawyer who has often worked with the ACLU on the same side. In Federal Courts all over the country. Might cause some internal hand wringing for the team.
I’d call this one Ball One. Unlikely a smart guy like Breen will swing at junk like this way out of the zone. This one is closer to a Wild Pitch.
Smart and charming gent. He’ll do well. Just watch.
Comment by A guy Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 9:48 am
===Breen is best known as humorless lecturer.===
Says who besides you? Humorless…he is not.
Comment by A guy Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 9:49 am
If Breen is speaking for the HGOP, it can only be seen as Breen’s divisive and dangerously less includive ideals will be the framing of the arguments.
“How can you say that?”
The defense of Brittany Carl really speaks for itself… doesn’t it?
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 9:57 am
More bashing of a pro life fellow Republican from OW
Comment by Lucky Pierre Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 10:00 am
==Unlikely a smart guy like Breen will swing at junk like this way out of the zone.==
The point isn’t to goad Breen into a response. The point is to call Rauner a failed Governor again. And clearly, mission accomplished.
Comment by Arsenal Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 10:04 am
==The defense of Brittany Carl really speaks for itself… doesn’t it?==
Willy, we agree for different reasons on this. He defended her to be sure. What he didn’t defend was the metaphor that has been criticized (and misquoted several times)
He’s a very different kind of cat than you’re used to. He’s passionate and thoughtful. But,he’s also very practical. He will surprise you. He’s a full scale GOPer. He’ll defend the entire party and promote the entire caucus view.
He ain’t out there looking to be a “hero” on legislation. He’ll settle in to be a Spokesman.
Comment by A guy Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 10:14 am
===The point isn’t to goad Breen into a response.===
Sorry Ars. That’s precisely the point.
Comment by A guy Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 10:26 am
I think Arsenal is right. This isn’t about getting into the weeds of who the Republican floor leader is. It is about reinforcing their narrative - The governor and the Illinois republicans are out of the mainstream and don’t reflect the views and needs of Illinois voters. It is just another piece of evidence to this larger point.
Comment by Montrose Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 10:34 am
Hold up… Breen first became a legislator in 2015. The Marriage Equality bill was passed in 2013.
So… How is Breen to blame?
We need some honesty from the Pritzker campaign.
Comment by Confused Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 10:50 am
===More bashing of a pro life fellow Republican…===
You don’t read too good.
That, or you think WWII Germany is a great idea for a Governor’s spokesman… and defending that… “it’s fine”
K? K.
===He’s a very different kind of cat than you’re used to.===
Really? How so?
You don’t me? Are you saying I can’t “understand”?
Yeah @StatehouseChick tried that too… “It’s the readers’ fault.”
No. I’m sure I can read just fine.
===He will surprise you.===
… that a WWII analogy is fine for Mr. Breen? Hmm. I’ll see if that’s surprising me it not, lol
===He’s a full scale GOPer.===
He’s a Slytherin Raunerite, who hasn’t been too “welcoming” to an open tent.
===He’ll defend the entire party and promote the entire caucus view.===
Brittany Carl’s views too? Hmm.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 10:55 am
Pritzker’s message will resonate with his targeted audience. Rauner was elected because he created the appearance that he was closer to the middle. Having a self-proclaimed “Democrat” as a wife on TV helped with that narrative.
He now seems intent on moving to the far right. While Breen and the IPI might help him in that regard it’s hard to see how that creates a path to victory in this blue state. Pritzker is simply reminding people of this fact.
Comment by Pundent Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 10:57 am
So I’m very clear…
We had Bill Black, the gold standard.
He was fiery, he was passionate, he made the case on procedure, and “farce” and made the Dems defend policy and at times the hypocrisy of process that happened far too often.
We then get Mike Bost.
A likable, downstate firebrand, who also tried to make it about “process” (let my people go) and would use the points of procedure, process, and even “sham” to toss papers and make the necessary noise.
An Owl swooped into the role.
Brash, far too often personal and demeaning, also angry, and not in a theatrical or in a positive way to be a fine spokesman. Cynical and boorish, the reputation he once had is now followed by his floor persona, and that “Comedy Central” video, embarrassing to truth.
Rep. Andersson? Welp, his failure and demise, I totally understand, appreciate to the governing, but “a change needed to be made”, because I believe in Caucus discipline too, and while it was far better and noble to save the state from this governor, it can be lead by a floor leader.
Mr. Breen?
Instead of being open and welcoming and now becoming a partisan for the caucus, he will come at this with a history of deep conservative and unwavering positions, and a floor leader is the leader for an (alleged) diverse caucus that needs a defender of process and fairness and fighting the good fight for a diverse opposition party.
So Breen will temper his ideology?
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 11:10 am
Black, Bost and Breen…all similar positions. I’ll predict Breen will be the best of all of them because f the gifts he brings.
You have occasionally admitted your misgivings were off target. On this one, I suspect you’ll pleasantly do so again.
Comment by A guy Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 11:39 am
=Black, Bost and Breen…all similar positions. I’ll predict Breen will be the best of all of them because f the gifts he brings.=
So if the “gifts” that Breen brings are measurably different than Andersson who just got thrown under the bus for defying Rauner, what are they? Can’t see how compromise is one of those gifts.
Comment by Pundent Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 11:45 am
===Black, Bost and Breen…all similar positions…===
Are you saying they all would defend Brittany Carl?
I can’t speak to that one way or another, since they would have to do that themselves.
Are you speaking for them?
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 11:55 am
Pritzker team needs to lay off the coffee.
There constant snark, which attempts to distract from their duplicitous political philosophies, is tiresome.
I look forward to their elevation of the Brittany Carl issue. Her comments were what free people say when not being controlled by fakers promoting fake democracy. The 1000s who agree with her look forward to more press on this.
Comment by cdog Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 12:00 pm
==Sorry Ars. That’s precisely the point.==
You don’t have to apologize for being wrong. We all make mistakes.
==This isn’t about getting into the weeds of who the Republican floor leader is. It is about reinforcing their narrative==
Exactly. “Failed Governor Bruce Rauner” is used in the very first sentence. Breen is just the newspeg they’re hanging it on. They’re not running against Breen. If they care at all about what Breen does, they’d rather he say *nothing* so their accusations stand unchallenged.
Comment by Arsenal Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 12:07 pm
===Her comments were what free people say when not being controlled by fakers promoting fake democracy. The 1000s who agree with her look forward to more press on this.===
If this is so “great”, why won’t Rauner just defend her… or even have her show up a press events?
If her remarks are so great, I’ll look forward to Rauner having her far more front and center than she is now.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 12:20 pm
“He’ll defend the entire party and promote the entire caucus view.”
There is no IL GOP or GOP caucus. It was bought and paid for by 1.4%. What used to be the GOP caucus is a spineless jelly filled blob that is too scared of 1.4%.
So we can expect been to be full raunerite with a triple dose of IPI? Got it.
Comment by Huh? Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 12:31 pm
An engineer AND a lawyer. He may know how to think clearly. That might be considered radical in some camps.
Comment by Keyser Soze Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 12:39 pm
OW, seriously I’ll have to ask you to think in terms of people like Henry Hyde and Bob Michel. Conservative Icons to be sure, but just as much, if not more, remembered as Gentlemen of the House. Breen is in that kind of category. He’ll represent the party and their policy views with class and distinction.
==Andersson who just got thrown under the bus for defying Rauner==
I’d respectfully submit to you Pund that Rep. Andersson may have defied Rauner. But the transgression that caused his vacating the position in his chamber came from his colleagues, not the Governor.
Comment by A guy Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 2:49 pm
===I’ll have to ask you to think in terms of people like… and Bob Michel. Conservative Icons to be sure, but just as much, if not more, remembered as Gentlemen of the House. Breen is in that kind of category.===
Michel was a member that stood for his beliefs, but as Minority Leader allowed “doing the doable” to happen.
Where has Breen shown that? How often has Breen, in a safe seat, voted within a compromise?
“I’ll wait, thanks”
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 3:07 pm
Willy, I’d politely point you to review his votes and the legislation he’s passed; all bipartisan.
You know where to look.
On your point of what Black and Bost would have defended? I can’t speak for them any more than you can, but surely you’ll recall long histories of both of them defending a lot of different things.
Respectfully, you keep insisting that he defending the metaphor that offends you and others. That’s simply not true.
As for “I don’t know you”. We haven’t met (would we know if we had? lol) I’ve read enough from you to have a sense. You’re not that mysterious a cat.
Comment by A guy Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 3:24 pm
===Respectfully, you keep insisting that he defending the metaphor that offends you and others. That’s simply not true.===
Rep. Breen…
===…While her past writings don’t deserve to be judged by the standards of political press releases, folks should heed her core message…===
That doesn’t sound like someone all too upset about WWII Germany as a metaphor
This is my favorite…
=== Thank God Governor Rauner, despite being pro-choice, doesn’t discriminate against people based on their own personal abortion positions===
Her position includes WWII Germany.
“Thank goodness Rauner doesn’t reject that”
===As for “I don’t know you”. We haven’t met (would we know if we had? lol) I’ve read enough from you to have a sense. You’re not that mysterious a cat.===
I don’t have to be mysterious, or not.
You don’t know me. Don’t pretend to think “you do”
You’re not “Car-Nac the Great”
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 3:39 pm
===On your point of what Black and Bost would have defended? I can’t speak for them any more than you can, but surely you’ll recall long histories of both of them defending a lot of different things.===
Funny thing about that.
I don’t haveta speculate… you see, they said it.
See how that works.
“..,but surely you’ll recall long histories of both of them defending a lot of different things.”
… But this is something, about Ms. Carl, that neither commented on, as House members.
Capiche?
Unless you want to speak for them…
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 3:43 pm
A guy - Clearly there are traits that Rauner is now looking for in his staff and leadership. Andersson doesn’t possess those while Breen and the IPI do. None of us are blind to what’s going on here. To suggest that Breen has been handpicked for his statesmanship is laughable. Rauner has adopted a scorched earth philosophy and he’s looking for lieutenants that will carry it out.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jul 28, 17 @ 4:31 pm