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* The Democratic committeemen in Senate President Emil Jones’ district will gather tonight to select a November ballot replacement for the retiring legislator. That replacement, of course, will be Jones’ son, Emil Jones, III. Kristen McQueary notes some ironies…
The votes are sewn, due to the political cowardice of Austin and 21st Ward Ald. Howard Brookins […]
[Jones] didn’t support Brookins in the February Cook County state’s attorney primary, but Brookins will graciously support Jones III nonetheless. What a nice man.
“I don’t know of anybody else vying for the position. And I need to come to reconciliation with (Jones) and I don’t think you can hold a grudge against his son,” Brookins told me Wednesday.
Brookins is also the son of former Sen. Howard Brookins, Sr., who was defeated by Sen. Emil Jones in the 1992 Democratic primary. He has every reason to oppose this move, but politics is politics.
* More from Kristen’s column…
In addition to Austin and Brookins, who will vote for the younger Jones, newly appointed Calumet Township Democratic Committeeman Robert Rita will give his support as well.
Rita was appointed to the township committeeman post Tuesday evening under a similar process. Rita’s father held the position for nearly two decades, but passed away last week after an illness. Precinct captains in Calumet Township voted for Rita to succeed his father. […]
And so, the appointment of son Rita facilitates the appointment of son Jones.
19th Ward President Kevin Joyce, a state Rep. who is strongly allied with Speaker Madigan and is also part of a South Side political dynasty, told McQueary that his committeeman will not attend tonight’s meeting out of protest. Rep. Joyce claimed that the process is supposed to be for emergencies, not stuff like this.
* Meanwhile, Mayor Daley says he won’t meddle in the race for Senate President…
“That would be up to people in the Senate, that would be up to them to make the judgement what is good for the Democratic Party. They’ve had a lot of challenges over the years. I think they have to all come together in regards to a lot of issues.”
Daley may not take an active role unless he feels the city’s interests are being threatened.
* Related…
* Link wants to be Senate president
* Emil Jones III’s Easy In
* Chicago’s black politicians building own dynasties
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 10:28 am
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Wasn’t the 19th Ward part of the similar Lipinski deal?
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 10:41 am
Link would be a great choice.
He come pre-equipped with his own petition scandal.
Comment by Plutocrat03 Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 10:42 am
I like that McQueary includes the time and place of the meeting. If not for the 5:00 start time, I’d love to show up.
Comment by Greg Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 10:51 am
The key to the Daley comment is the word “Active”. I would bet dollars to donuts that some members of the Senate are discussing who they may support with Daley and seeking Daley’s blessing on who they may be leaning towards.
Comment by Ghost Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 10:55 am
Once Threemil gets the nod, i wonder if he will dain to respond to reporters.
Comment by Ghost Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 10:56 am
kudos to Seantor Kevin Joyce and the 19th Ward for not participating in this travesty -the appointment of a complete non-entity,Fredo, to succeed the Senate Godfather.
Comment by Captain America Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 11:06 am
Ed Maloney for Senate President?
Comment by He Gone Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 11:11 am
I don’t know if Emil III will dain to talk to reporters, but he might deign to speak to them, especially if he see its as part of his reign in the Illinois Senate.
Comment by grammar maven Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 11:17 am
Why is cowardice for Howard Brookins to support Emil III? Its the first smart political move I’ve seen from Brookins.
Comment by paddyrollingstone Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 11:28 am
If your fixated on my spellos then cogeracy escapes you.
Comment by Ghost Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 11:31 am
Stevenson, Jackson, Daley, Stroger, Lipinski, Jones, Madigan, Mell/Blagojevich - is this what the Illinois Democratic Party considers democracy?
The only Illinois republican dynasty I could come up with were the Mayor Carters back in the 19th Century.
When did the Illinois Democrats end democracy in our state and replace it with cronyism and nepotism?
Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 11:35 am
There is an “emergency” - in terms of getting Emil III on the ballot. That weighted decision must be made this week in order to give election officials time to change the November ballot.
The legislative nepotism will continue, however — isn’t Sen. Louis Viverito holding back on resigning/retiring, until he can assure that his daughter will replace him?
Comment by Capitol View Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 11:41 am
Grammar,
HIs deign to reign is mainly dad’s campaign.
I think he’s got it.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 11:41 am
this could definitely hurt Obama and the sentencing of Rezko in late October won’t help his cause either–even though Barack carried “good” legislation for Emil during his stint in the IL Senate, this will cause him to be considered a product of good ol’ Chicago machine politics anyway…
Comment by Anonymous 45 Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 11:47 am
===The only Illinois republican dynasty I could come up with were the Mayor Carters back in the 19th Century.===
Pate Philip’s stepson, Randy Ramey, is now a member of the IL House.
Ray LaHood’s son is running for office in Peoria County, and LaHood tried to engineer a Congressional slot for him.
Beverly Fawell is part of the Fawell clan, and her son became George Ryan’s chief of staff.
Bob Madigan replaced his brother in the Senate.
Bill Mahar’s father was in the GA, if memory serves.
Mike McAuliffe replaced his dad.
Etc.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 11:48 am
Also, Don Stephens’ son replaced him as Rosemont mayor.
Rep. Raymond Poe has made it clear that he wants his son to replace him
Etc.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 11:56 am
I’m still trying to get past the notion that Kristen smoked dope in college. And inhaled, no less. Tsk tsk.
Comment by Terry in Peoria Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 12:01 pm
I don’t think they actually have elections in Rosemont.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 12:02 pm
I think VMan is referring to the Mayors Harrison in Chicago. Their first names were Carter.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 12:03 pm
I can’t believe I forgot Cicero’s Betty Loren-Maltese. Frank’s wife.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 12:04 pm
======Why is cowardice for Howard Brookins to support Emil III? Its the first smart political move I’ve seen from Brookins.==== Paddy, you are right. Its a done deal with or without Brookins. The 34th ward has 33% of the vote, Alderman Beals 9th ward has 13% and Bob Rita puts them over the top with his 5.5%. Brookins may not like the Jones, but he sure wasn’t going to have it look like he was siding with the 19th ward.
Comment by Been There Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 12:04 pm
William Stratton also came from a political family.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 12:08 pm
Political families are one thing (and I generally disagree with it, too). I’d also like to point out that the Jones appointment is just that: an appointment to a full term as senator. There is no electoral process. Jones Jr. ran and won the primary. He bowed out and arranged for a few committeemen to appoint his son in his place. It is a devastatingling Democratic district in which the son with “run” (man, do I use that word lightly) against a literal clown who wouldn’t have a chance if his last name were Reagan. The Democratic primary WAS the election.
Threemil will then be the beneficiary of the usual machine chicanery after his term ends and he actually has to stand for “re”election: potential candidates will be intimidated or enticed to give up their aspirations; anyone who stays on will face bogus ballot challenges. And just to be sure, they’ll maybe throw a shill or two onto the ballot to spread out the anti-threemil vote.
This is not “democracy.” This is a blatant manipulation of the political process in order to retain influential families’ control of certain governmental positions. This is essentially the old English feudal system, but at least the English nobles were honest about what they were perpetrating.
Comment by Snidely Whiplash Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 12:18 pm
Abraham Lincoln, a Republican deity, got his start in politics because his wife was Ninian Edwards’ favorite niece.
Political nepotism or favoring children of political leaders goes way back in our country. Remember John Quincy Adams, son of John Adams, our second president?
Comment by Capitol View Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 12:46 pm
The Tafts of Ohio have been GOP bedrock for more than a hundred years.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 12:48 pm
…nephew of Samuel Adams,my favorite revolutionary and rabble rouser.
Comment by Bill Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 12:54 pm
All of this history just confirms that offspring have sufficient built-in political advantage so as to not require actual installation into office.
Comment by Greg Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 12:59 pm
Political families are no big deal, just when they use their muscle to insure that their progeny gets in and without an election at that.
Oh and for Howard Brookins’ part, I never would have thought of it as a smart political move. Perhaps he has plans. Maybe I don’t know but I won’t put it past anybody.
Comment by Levois Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 2:27 pm
Samuel Adams was John Adams’ cousin, so Samuel was John Quincy Adams’ first cousin, once removed.
Comment by PhilCollins Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 2:30 pm
Thank you Rich!
The Carter Harrisons were the only pair I could come up with.
Dynasty exists because our political parties are weak and ineffective endorsers of candidates. Weak parties bring out dynasties. Effective parties bring in enough blood to keep contests contestable.
Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 3:37 pm
Okey DOkey, this is an example of Democracy HOW? We have a high school graduate who has had to rely on his father’s political ally - the gov to score a high paying administrator’s job being GIVEN his father’s powerful political position. I would expect this from a ruler of a BANANA REPUBLIC, maybe, but here in the good ole USA, home of modern DEMOCRACY? Come now…
Comment by Sweet Polly Purebred Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 8:23 pm
And we fought a revolutionary war with England for what, exactly. And the beat goes on.
Comment by Disgusted Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 10:48 pm
We’ve destroyed two countries trying to recreate a democracy that allows a sitting officeholder to “appoint” his son to office without allowing a “DEMOCRATIC” vote? Somehow, this just smacks of an “UNDEMOCRATIC” process. What qualifies the son - a high school grad who has never held ANY kind of public office and who had to rely on his dad’s friend - the gov to give him a $60K job? Am I the only one who thinks that this LOOPHOLE should be closed? The only one who thinks that our state senators should bring with them some modicum of knowledge of the political system by holding local office, working campaigns, etc? He will end up EJJr’s mouthpiece in the senate and the Jones “administration” will continue by proxy.
Comment by Sweet Polly Purebred Thursday, Aug 21, 08 @ 11:52 pm