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* On Friday, Speaker Madigan said his campaign operation had “retained an independent counsel who is available to receive and investigate harassment allegations. Kelly Smith-Haley of Fox Swibel Levin & Carroll, LLP will provide independent review of allegations, conduct investigations, and provide recommendations for updating policies and procedures, including clear rules for conduct and penalties for violations.”
Smith-Haley’s bio is very impressive. She specializes in employment law, including harassment issues. She co-edits the Illinois Employment Law Letter. She’s a board member of the Chicago Foundation for Women. The list goes on and on. She’s obviously very sharp and talented.
* But, here’s Mary Ann Ahern…
Smith-Haley’s two brothers, Mike Smith and Bill Smith, both work at Cornerstone Government Affairs - a public relations and lobbying firm that hired another top Madigan aide, Will Cousineau, eight months ago.
Cousineau worked for the speaker for 18 years, according to his biography on Cornerstone’s website, and served as Madigan’s political director for eight years. In that role, Cousineau oversaw legislative races across the state – including the 2016 campaign during which sources said allegations of misconduct surfaced against another high-ranking Madigan staffer Shaw Decremer, who was quietly dismissed last week. […]
Smith-Haley confirmed Tuesday that her brothers work with Cousineau, though she said she has “no ties to Cornerstone” and has met Cousineau “briefly” but “never spoken with him in a one-on-one setting.”
“This is exactly what I do for all my clients,” the employment attorney said, adding, “I would not have taken the assignment if I was not going to be independent.”
Smith-Haley said Mike Kasper, Madigan’s longtime attorney, asked her to take on the role. She said they know each other because their daughters attend school together, but she has never done any work for Kasper before.
I strongly believe a sister can be totally independent of her brothers. And finding a quality lawyer who has no connections to Speaker Madigan’s empire would be tough. But this is probably gonna give plenty of people pause and I wouldn’t blame them. The idea itself is good. The person he picked seems immensely qualified. But the rest of it is classic Michael J. Madigan.
…Adding… And for those who seem a bit unclear about what I meant, “classic MJM” is exactly the wrong way to go about things right now. Classic MJM is what got him into this position, it won’t get him out. In fact, it could bring on the end.
* Meanwhile, as you already know, Rep. Kelly Cassidy and Sen. Melinda Bush have both called for an independent investigation of Madigan’s operation…
Cassidy said she has reached out to Women Employed and the National Women’s Law Center for recommendations on how to create a more independent process.
Rep. Cassidy told me earlier today that there may be some precedent in California.
* Cassidy and Bush were joined in their demand by another Democratic legislator…
State Sen. Toi Hutchinson of Olympia Fields said “the reason you don’t have hordes of women running forward and telling their stories and naming names is because we are still not safe to do that.”
“Independence has to be connected to fair and impartial, and I don’t know if any of us know what that looks like right now,” said Hutchinson.
…Adding… From earlier today…
Speaker Madigan spox on @RepKellyCassidy's call for NEW independent investigation to #Harassment "will fully cooperate and I will ask independent counsel Kelly Smith-Haley to assist." Cassidy says Madigan never mentioned Smith-Haley to her, so confusion persists #twill
— Mary Ann Ahern (@MaryAnnAhernNBC) February 20, 2018
Background is here.
* From Madigan’s spokesman via e-mail with the subject line: “Clarification”…
Kelly Smith-Haley was asked to reach out to Rep. Cassidy as potential resource. I believe that has taken place.
Hope that helps.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Unlike, say, the Tribune, the SJ-R’s editorial board has not been a knee-jerk Madigan hater, so this is interesting…
Organizations reflect their leadership. Even if Madigan was not initially personally aware of these allegations in his political operation, he has allowed an environment to flourish that allowed harassment and bullying.
His actions — telling House Democrats in a letter that he takes responsibility and promises to do better, or appointing U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos, state Comptroller Susana Mendoza and state Rep. Carol Ammons to facilitate a discussion about the role of women in the state’s Democratic Party — seem more about giving his own hide political cover than helping the people who have been hurt.
The concentration of power that Madigan holds isn’t healthy for Illinois Democrats. They should no longer accept that the speaker can also be the party chairman. It’s time for the state’s Democrats to demand change. They can start by insisting Madigan step down as chairman.
I strongly disagree on Rep. Ammons. She’s not about providing cover. But I’d bet you a dollar that there will be plenty more editorials like this in the coming days, even hours.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Rep. Kelly Cassidy on the Smith-Haley controversy…
It is hard, if not impossible, to find someone locally who can’t be connected to someone in the organization. The question becomes how that’s disclosed and handled.
*** UPDATE 3 *** JB Pritzker…
“I stand by Alaina and the women who have bravely come forward to share their story and as I’ve said, it’s clear that not enough was done and there needs to be a completely independent investigation to get to the bottom of what took place and hold the right people accountable. I agree with Rep. Kelly Cassidy and believe the people investigating Speaker Madigan’s operation should have no political or other ties to the Speaker. I am also glad that a task force has been set up and know that Congresswoman Bustos, Comptroller Mendoza and Representative Ammons will help make our party and our state stronger, just as they always have. In Juliana and my administration there will be zero tolerance for harassment of any kind and we will ensure there is an independent and external body to investigate all allegations in a timely fashion.”
Well, he said Madigan’s name. What next?
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 8:28 pm
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If she’s as honest about her independence from her brothers as Michael Kasper (who asked her to take the job) is about his independence from Madigan when representing his anti-redistricting reform clients, Illinois citizens have nothing to worry about.
Comment by lake county democrat Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 8:44 pm
The first part of “independence” is having someone else pick the chair.
The second part is avoiding any whiff of connectivity.
Fail on both counts.
Comment by Downstate Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 8:46 pm
Come on. why ask Kasper when you could’ve asked Cassidy or anyone else? Amateur hour. Just wait 24 hours of connecting dots…drip, drip, drip.
Comment by Rutro Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 8:50 pm
Hired by Kasper.
Brothers work with Cousineau.
Smell test? Yeah, doesn’t pass.
Try again, Mr. Speaker.
Comment by John Messinger Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 8:51 pm
I think she is an excellent pick. No history of involvement in politics or ties to the Speaker. She happens to have a one-off relationship (sister) of two partners at a firm that employs Will Cousineau.
Her reputation is outstanding, and she appears very well qualified. More importantly, there are no questions about her ethics or commitment to women’s causes. She seems to be the real deal, and isn’t going to risk her professional reputation to be labeled as a shill.
I think it would be expected that the Speaker would seek recommendations as opposed to picking a name out of the phone book. At some point, we have to trust the process is going to work - unless people are only concerned with making political points and don’t really care about the outcome anyway.
Comment by Too Much to Handle Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 8:54 pm
=== Come on. why ask Kasper when you could’ve asked Cassidy or anyone else? ===
Usually you ask lawyers for recommendations on other lawyers. Does Kelly Cassidy have knowledge of anyone with the depth of experience on employment law and discrimination issues as Ms. Smith-Haley?
Comment by Too Much to Handle Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 8:56 pm
The Speaker ignored credible claims of sexual harassment by members of his own family for years. It is amazing that people think he really cares now. He only cares now because his own future is in jeopardy.
Comment by Just Me Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 9:10 pm
=But the rest of it is classic Michael J. Madigan.=
Doesn’t make it right.
Comment by Just Visiting Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 9:26 pm
This is ludicrous. People are attacking Ms Smith Haley because her brothers work with a guy who worked for Madigan and she knows Kasper? I guess we should just appoint Cassidy and Ahern as the gate keepers of what women are allowed to do important work. Any woman they disapprove of need not apply.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 9:32 pm
===Doesn’t make it right===
It’s pretty obvious that it isn’t.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 9:33 pm
Smith-Haley is an outstanding attorney with impeccable credentials. Unfortunately, she was Madigan’s pick and while it is an excellent choice, anyone he brings in cannot meet the independent test.
Madigan has to outsource thie search to an independent group who should select someone. It’s the only way to keep this at arms-length.
But no one should have any doubt about Smith-Haley’s integrity or ability. She is top-notch.
Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 9:34 pm
Anonymous at 9:32 - Nobody is “attacking” her. Just like nobody was attacking Heather Wier Vaught. People are just saying they aren’t fully independent and unbiased.
Comment by Just Me Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 9:37 pm
Just me — Of course they are. To say these women aren’t fully independent or unbiased because they have a connection to a man is as sexist as the culture people claim they want to change.
Comment by Anonymous at 9:32 Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 9:43 pm
===To say these women aren’t fully independent or unbiased because they have a connection to a man is as sexist as the culture people claim they want to change===
Agreed. Fully.
But if Madigan picked a man whose two sisters were partners with Cousineau, would there be an uproar like this? In this highly charged anti-Madigan climate, I think yes. We’ll never know for sure, of course.
But somebody on the twitter machine wants me to go off on that female attorney and I’m not gonna do it.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 9:48 pm
===This is ludicrous. People are attacking Ms Smith Haley because her brothers work with a guy who worked for Madigan and she knows Kasper? I guess we should just appoint Cassidy and Ahern as the gate keepers of what women are allowed to do important work. Any woman they disapprove of need not apply.===
People in politics really do live in a bubble. According to the bureau of Labor statistics, there’s close to 800,000 lawyer jobs in this country, I’m pretty sure we could find one that has no connection to Madigan, heck you could probably find some that have never even heard of the guy or been to Illinois. But let’s pick one that if she wouldn’t be influenced by Madigan, could have the perception of getting influenced by Madigan. Heck, if Madigan had nothing to hide, tell him to let Rauner pick the independent counsel and tell them to have fun trying to find something. Classic MJM.
Comment by Snapper Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 9:48 pm
Snapper — Maybe you pick a lawyer out of a phonebook. No one serious does. Serious people pick serious lawyers.
Comment by Anonymous at 9:32 Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 10:00 pm
===or been to Illinois===
What use would that be? Laws vary from state to state.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 10:00 pm
I am a little confused: as far as I know, Madigan has had little if any role in the legislative races of Melinda Bush or Toi Hutchinson. If they or their campaign staff have been abused or harrassed, isn’t it most likely an issue for President Cullerton to address?
Comment by Thomas Paine Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 10:06 pm
===But if Madigan picked a man whose two sisters were partners with Cousineau, would there be an uproar like this?===
The criticism would be Madigan picked a man, and no one would think to bother to find out if he had sisters, much less what they do for a living.
Comment by Anonymous at 9:32 Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 10:07 pm
==- Snapper - Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 9:48 pm:
People in politics really do live in a bubble. According to the bureau of Labor statistics, there’s close to 800,000 lawyer jobs in this country, I’m pretty sure we could find one that has no connection to Madigan, heck you could probably find some that have never even heard of the guy or been to Illinois. But let’s pick one that if she wouldn’t be influenced by Madigan, could have the perception of getting influenced by Madigan. Heck, if Madigan had nothing to hide, tell him to let Rauner pick the independent counsel and tell them to have fun trying to find something. Classic MJM. ==
This person is supposed to review complaints against a political committee, generally in the area of employment law, and develop updated policies and procedures. This requires someone who (a) has experience in employment law, (b) has a working knowledge of how political committees function and the different employment relationships they maintain, and (c) objectively to make recommendations to the employer - the political committee - whether employees have violated the law and what punishment to impose. Presumably the political committee is paying for these services. Would any other politician be expected to hire a random person and hope they don’t bill every dollar of their war chest?
This is getting ridiculous. Remember why this started - a woman came forward to report harassment, the claim was investigated, and the guy was removed. The notion that women aren’t treated equally on the campaign trail wasn’t created by Madigan and Hampton didn’t bring this ground breaking revelation to the forefront. Under these conditions, there is no woman, man, or alien who would satisfy the concerns of every person. Fairness be damned at this point.
Comment by whatthewhat Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 10:08 pm
Joe Berrios should step up and volunteer to be the new State Party Chairman. He would be great at it.
heh heh
Comment by Just Me Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 10:10 pm
==- Thomas Paine - Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 10:06 pm:
I am a little confused: as far as I know, Madigan has had little if any role in the legislative races of Melinda Bush or Toi Hutchinson. If they or their campaign staff have been abused or harrassed, isn’t it most likely an issue for President Cullerton to address?==
Exactly. I’m sure any review would take approximately a year, the same amount of time it took Cullerton to act on the complaint against Silverstein.
Comment by whatthewhat Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 10:10 pm
1.) the firms expertise is employment defense.
2.) no where in its “what we do”, does it say conduct internal investigations.
3.) the firms blog “retaliation, the Marcia Brady of employment law” is probably not too welcome to a victim.
4.) how many investigations have they done?
5.) catch all, who does their property tax work?
Comment by Rutro Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 10:18 pm
===or been to Illinois
What use would that be? Laws vary from state to state.===
Yeah, laws vary State to state, but ethics shouldn’t. If the Speaker knew in November about the guy’s texts and didn’t do anything about it until it was going public to provide cover for himself, he’s not the right guy for the job anymore.
Comment by Snapper Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 10:26 pm
–classic Michael J. Madigan.–
This is a good description, and Illinois has had too much of ‘classic MJM schemes… #TIMESUP
Comment by Pritzker's Toilet Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 10:28 pm
Rutro, are you really Dan Biss?
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 10:33 pm
Snapper—so, the problem is Quinn wasn’t fired in November rather than February? So Madigan should go?
Comment by Anonymous at 9:32 Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 10:35 pm
The dems just flipped a Trump 73 seat. They need to get him out.
Comment by illinois manufacturer Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 10:38 pm
illinois manufacturer — so the guy who Rauner says is the only guy stopping him from enacting his agenda needs go because the Democrats won an election someplace? Good logic.
Comment by Anonymous at 9:32 Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 10:45 pm
===Snapper—so, the problem is Quinn wasn’t fired in November rather than February? So Madigan should go?===
You saw the texts, right? If Madigan saw or knew about those in November and no discipline was taken other than “hey, knock it off” by the guy’s brother, then yeah, he should go. Cover up is almost always worst than the crime.
Comment by Snapper Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 10:54 pm
*** UPDATE 2 *** Rep. Kelly Cassidy on the Smith-Haley controversy…
“It is hard, if not impossible, to find someone locally who can’t be connected to someone in the organization. The question becomes how that’s disclosed and handled”.
Rep Cassidy is connected to former Speaker Newt Gingrich, so she can’t be trusted to be impartial on anything related to a Democratic official. [its easy to make guilt by association accusations].
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 10:57 pm
I stand corrected, whenever we need legal advice let’s just ask Kasper on who to hire.
Comment by Rutro Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 11:03 pm
This thing ain’t soup yet. It’s not even warm water.
This “independent investigation” of the “Madigan organization” is to be non-governmental, I take it?
No actual legal power, such as subpoena or to compel testimony? Maybe employees and contractors in the political arms will play ball, maybe they won’t.
What about state employees in the “Madigan organization?” I can’t imagine that any “independent organization” has a lick of authority to interview them. And I don’t think Madigan can compel them to. They work for the state, not for him personally.
Who’s paying for this? Who does the investigator report to?
The press pops are way out in front of any actual thought on this.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 11:06 pm
I always vote democrat or green party but Madigan is hurting the democrat party by being in office so long. I appreciate him standing strong against GovJunk but Madigan needs to step down as party chairman. The dems can’t have you involved in everything and win important races.
Comment by Real Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 11:10 pm
“You saw the texts, right? If Madigan saw or knew about those in November and no discipline was taken other than ‘hey, knock it off’ by the guy’s brother, then yeah, he should go. Cover up is almost always worst than the crime.“
So, other than being fired, for text messages, you think there should have been a tar and fethering, public hanging, or what?
Comment by Anonymous at 9:32 Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 11:12 pm
I just learned MJM is really a combo of Jesus and Mohammad living in Buddha’s belly. No, wait, he’s just a man. Illinois will survive, maybe thrive, if he’s gone Other Dem Leaders will step up we will survive He is just a man Just an old man who has overstayed his usefulness
Comment by anon Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 12:01 am
“anyone he brings in cannot meet the independent test.”
Somehow I think people would be less suspicious had he solicited Patrick Collins for the recommendation rather than Mike Kasper.
Comment by lake county democrat Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 4:18 am
Speaker Madigan must be very disappointed in the timing of all this nonsense about the so called culture within the organization he built. After all, he is just about to rid the state if the ineffective Bruce Rauner. This should be about the consolidation of even greater power for the Speaker, where more jobs could be doled out, more favors granted, more gold in his pockets. And now we have these pesky women trying to ruin it all. They just don’t get it.
Comment by SSL Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 6:05 am
Easy. Pick someone from Mike Shakman’s firm. Or even a retired judge who’d been at Shakman’s firm.
Or someone from Jud Miner’s firm.
Lots of folks around the state with top reputations and no connection to Madigan. If you want to look.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 6:28 am
December 5, ” ah, but the point is I believe he will be going somewhere. Into, hu retirement. And that’s what we’re working on… I think there is a very high probability of that” Bruce Rauner
Comment by Rabid Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 7:16 am
She’s qualified, I just have a gut feeling that this won’t go anywhere. Madigan is pretty good at pulling the strings and covering his tracks.
Comment by Thomas Zane Stepp Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 7:33 am
Pat Collins & Zach Fardon
Comment by This is simple Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 8:07 am
If he is paying the bill then he can limit exactly what she investigates and what information that is actually released. He controls all the information she gathers and who actually gets to see it. It will not be any different than how he has controlled things in the party for the last 2 to 3 decades.
Comment by Stand Tall Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 8:09 am
Why not Julie Porter. She is supposed to be doing these investigations and no one in the legal community would say she isn’t qualified or impartial
Comment by Sue Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 8:17 am
How about Scott Drury? He’s a former federal prosecutor, if you didn’t know…
Comment by anon Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 8:27 am
=Easy. Pick someone from Mike Shakman’s firm= Except they don’t do employment and discrimination law and that would seem to be kind of important. Miner’s firm does do some work in this area but it would be a stretch to suggest that they would be a better choice than Haley.
I don’t have a problem with having Haley do this. I think she’s quite qualified. But the selection process is going to undercut the argument this is truly “independent”. But as Rich says it is “classic” Mike Madigan.
Comment by Pundent Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 8:27 am
I’m not sure I understand what the ask is. Madigan is head of the party, and he brought in someone who has at least never been employed by him or the party to investigate the party. The only real connection is that it was Madigan, again as the Chairman, who did the asking. Who should have gone out and got an independent counsel? Tim Schneider? If you want to make an independent counsel that has oversight over all political committees/campaigns we can talk about that, I have no idea how it would really work, but if he did nothing you would roast him, and now that he is at least looking like he’s doing something you roast him. I get that people smell cover-up, but to me its a little smoke with no fire (yet). Do you want the Speaker to have a press release every time he fires someone?
Comment by Perrid Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 8:31 am
** It is hard, if not impossible, to find someone locally who can’t be connected to someone in the organization. The question becomes how that’s disclosed and handled.
Good thing there are 50 states because I’m sure that some well known Chicago law firms have partners/colleagues in other states that could come in an lead an investigation.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 8:35 am
=Who should have gone out and got an independent counsel?= Probably somebody, anybody, but Mike Madigan. If the objective is to examine the activities and practices of the state party you probably want somebody other than the head of that party to hire the “independent”
investigation. I think Melinda Bush captured the problem well yesterday.
Comment by Pundent Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 8:46 am
Would it have made more sense for him to have reached out to a Republican, let’s say Kirk Dillard and said
pick an independent counsel?
Comment by OneMan Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 8:51 am
=== - OneMan - Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 8:51 am:
Would it have made more sense for him to have reached out to a Republican, let’s say Kirk Dillard and said
pick an independent counsel? ===
That would make sense. Of course, then you wouldn’t control the scope of the investigation and the release of all findings. MJM knows this.
Comment by Birdseed Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 9:12 am
=== Would it have made more sense for him to have reached out to a Republican, let’s say Kirk Dillard and said pick an independent counsel? ===
Are you kidding me? You think a Republican is a disinterested party in all of this? Disinterested in the results of an investigation relating to the Democratic Party? You are delusional.
Comment by Too Much to Handle Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 9:20 am
===To say these women aren’t fully independent or unbiased because they have a connection to a man is as sexist as the culture===
yea youre missing the part of the story where she was asked to be “Independent counsel” by Michael Kasper, one of the Speaker’s closest and most trusted confidants.
Comment by Abraham Obama Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 9:42 am
=== Come on. why ask Kasper when you could’ve asked Cassidy or anyone else? ===
We know why
Comment by Abraham Obama Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 9:42 am
@ Too Much to Handle, please try a bit harder to disguise the fact that you are an MJM operative.
Comment by Blue Sox Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 9:50 am
Independent?
Madigan?
Dream on - LOL
Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 9:53 am
=== please try a bit harder to disguise the fact that you are an MJM operative.===
I am a Madigan operative because I use common sense? Why in the world would a political party allow their opposition party to select an attorney to conduct an internal investigation? This whole thing has gotten insane! Logic and reasonableness have gone out the window!
Comment by Too Much to Handle Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 9:59 am
With 35 years worth of skeletons to protect MJM will never voluntarily open up his organization to any truly independent investigation.
Comment by Texas Red Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 10:02 am
The term “operative” seems so all-encompassingly vague, maybe deliberately so. It could be applied to anyone from a spy to a receptionist. If these people perform specific functions, we should name those functions.
Comment by My New Handle Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 10:04 am
–The term “operative” seems so all-encompassingly vague, maybe deliberately so.–
At this point, the chatter of an “independent investigation” of “culture” does not even reach the level of vagueness.
It’s a press pop headline without form or substance.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 10:15 am
Guess Madigan could be like Trump and tell everyone that it’s all fake news. At least he’s doing something.
Comment by Winnin’ Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 10:24 am
Hey look! JB speaks his name
Comment by Politically Incorrect Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 10:28 am
@ Too Much, it was not your comment re: having a Republican appoint an investigator. It is the fact that you are always one of the first to comment on threads related to MJM’s #metoo problem, you always strongly defend any actions taken by the organization (not an opinion many share with you). Maybe an MJM “apologist” would be a better description?
Comment by Blue Sox Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 10:55 am
Umm, I may be delusional in saying this but no, I am not.
Think of it this way, MJM comes out and says the following
“I have asked Kirk Dillard, respected on both sides of the political debate in Illinois to recommend a special investigator to look at harassment within the Illinois Democratic Party and how the party has addressed these issues in the past.
I have asked Kirk do this knowing he is a Republican and fully aware that the person who he picks will make an effort not to give the benefit of the doubt to the party or myself.
This will be a careful examination that needs to be done and done by someone who is going to be motivated only by getting to the truth regardless of how it may make others, myself or the Democratic Party of Illinois look.
It would be easy to get someone motivated by trying to please me with the answer, I don’t want answers that are pleasing, I want the whole truth no matter how ugly it may be.
People want answers and deserve them and I feel having an investigator who is motivated to find issues is the best way to get to where we need to be.
Thank You”
Would kind of take care of the bias argument….
Comment by OneMan Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 11:13 am
It might not be impossible to find a law firm with no connections to the Democratic Party, but it probably is impossible to find a law firm with no connections to politics.
Whomever you pick will have some connection to the GOP, the Democrats, or the Independent Reformers. The results can always be tarnished by willing parties.
Again, if this person is going to be investigating complaints regarding Melinda Bush’s campaign and Toi Hutchinson’s campaign, Republicans as well as Democrats, it seems you will want to find an attorney that the IL GOP and the IL Democratic Party can agree upon.
Why is no one soliciting the ILGOP input?
Comment by Thomas Paine Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 12:15 pm
–Why is no one soliciting the ILGOP input?–
For the incredibly obvious reasons, maybe?
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 12:17 pm
One Man,
With all due respect, even an upstanding Republican like Kirk Dillard would soon be accused of being a Madigan stooge. Look what Rauner is doing to Ives.
Comment by Winnin’ Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 12:35 pm
Who ever should not be pure enough but it is being accomplished in an election year and no one wins but it comes from the TOP and that is where it starts when so many have kept quie het. I give Mike credit as walking into the storm lknowing he can’t win. Too many anti this to deal with what the base IL needs. Remember who brought you to tha dance as with kids as you are always their father!
Comment by bear3 Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 4:26 pm