July 29, 2015
ARROYO IS NEW "EL HOMBRE GRANDE" IN HISPANIC WARDS
Hispanic politics is replete with treachery, testosterone and nepotism. Hey, if you can't get your family on the public payroll, what good are you? The 2015 Chicago elections made State Rep. Luis Arroyo the new "El Hombre Grande" -- which means The Big Man. It also made the longtime "El Hombre Grande" -- Assessor, County Democratic Chairman, and 31st Ward Committeeman Joe Berrios -- an "El Hombre Pequenos" -- the tiny man. Arroyo, poised to become the new 36th Ward Democratic Committeeman, humiliated Berrios by backing anti-Berrios, anti-Emanuel candidates for alderman in the 31st and 36th wards (Milly Santiago and Gil Villegas); they both won. Santiago can easily knock off Berrios for committeeman in 2016. But now ex-Ald. Dick Mell is surging to Berrios's rescue. The Big Boys -- Ald. Ed Burke, Speaker Mike Madigan, Senate Pres. John Cullerton -- have law practices which concentrate on property tax reduction, primarily from commercial clients, and generate hundreds of thousands of dollars in income, and save their clients millions in taxes. The Assessor and Board of Review are the Democratic party's breadbasket. They need Berrios, who has been their lapdog for decades. The deal is: Arroyo will stand down Santiago in the 31st Ward, Arroyo gets the 36th Ward, and Berrios stays as county chairman. "He just wants one more term," said a Hispanic source of Berrios. So do the Big Boys, who want to keep him as assessor until 2022. It's politics as usual. Full Article...
July 22, 2015
FOLLOW THE MONEY: RAUNER, RAHM ARE THE BLOCKBUSTERS
Follow the money: In Gov. Bruce Rauner's case, it's hard to miss: He had $19.7 million on-hand according to the June 30 disclosure filings. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel had just $15,767 on-hand; but then he had raised $10,422,000 and spent $17,314.975 since January 1. Attached to this article is a Fundraising Chart (see below), which chronicles who's got the bucks. The Madigan/Cullerton legislative combine had $2,733,550 on-hand, and Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan had $2,045.053. But that's pittance compared to Rauner's stash. The 2019 Mayoral race is underway, and Ald. Brendon Reilly (42d) has $976,873; but Chuy Garcia and a gaggle of others will run when Rahm bails. Dan Biss has 1.2 million in the Comptroller race. In Cook County, State's Attorney Anita Alvarez's fundraising is anemic. Ald. Ed Burke (14th) has $8,672,934, and will use some of that to elect Ed Burke, Jr. as sheriff in 2018. Skokie State Rep. Lou Lang (D) has $1`.2 million; he wants to be speaker after Madigan. That will be a long wait. Full Article...
July 15, 2015
RAUNER FOR PRESIDENT? HE'S AMING FOR 2020
Here's a thought that will make a lot of Illinoians cringe: Bruce Rauner for president. As governor, Rauner has proven himself remarkably astute, avoiding any Newt Gringrich-like government-shutdown backlash. Of course, his anti-tax, anti-union agenda is going nowhere in the Democratic legislature. But his insistence on a "balanced budget" with a 5% across-the-board has given Democrats fits; Madigan-Cullerton want only 2.5%, and restoration of the lapsed income tax. Rauner has funded his Turnaround Illinois SuperPAC with $11.5 million, and has $20 million in his campaign account. As long as Illinois' government doesn't shut down -- or, if it does, he can blame Democrats -- Rauner could be a presidential contender in 2020. Full Article...
July 8, 2015
IN COOK COUNTY, JUDGE-MAKING IS LIKE SAUSAGE-MAKING
Judge-making is much like sausage-making. It's not a process to be witnessed by the squeamish or civic-minded. There are 387 judges in Cook County: 24 on the Appellate, and 360 on the Circuit Court, of which 138 are appointed "associate judges." On June 25-26, 41 lawyers and appointed judges groveled at the Democrats' "pre-slating," seeking slating for the 2 Appellate and 10-15 Circuit Court vacancies on the 3/15/16 primary ballot. The requirements were clear: Good bar ratings, $100,000, and an Irish surname. Of course, racial and gender quotas -- and, now, satisfying gays -- were factored in. But one rule prevails: If one seeks slating, but does not get it, DO NOT RUN against the slate; if you do, you're blackballed forever from future slating or "associate" appointment. But a bunch of Irish-surnamed females invariably run against the slate, and, in a high turnout primary (as 2016 portends to be), many win. Voters have no concept who is running, so gender and surname matter. Democrats slate Irish-surnamed candidates in order to beat Irish-surnamed challengers. Subcircuit races in the 6th and 10th districts are forming, and 45th Ward aldermanic loser JohnGarridomayrun for judge. Full Article...
July 1, 2015
DEMOCRATS' "PRE-SLATING" IS REALLY "PRE-CLOUTING"
In Cook County, "pre-slating" is not analogous to pre-boarding, pre-eating or pre-voting. It means Democratic bosses decided on June 25-26 who is going to be slated in August for the March 2016 primary "Losers" past and present, abound. According to insiders, State's Attorney Anita Alvarez won't be endorsed/slated; the insiders, especially black committeeman, will back Kim Foxx, Toni Prickwinckles' C-O-S. At the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, where four nominations are up, a bunch of losers seek redemption: Todd Stroger, Ray Suarez, Deborah Graham, and Josita Morita. The "greens" have a horse: Tom Greenhaw. The subtext is that MWRD President Mariyana Spyropoulos wants to run for Chcago Mayor in 2019. If Greenhaw wins, MWRD Commissioner Debra Shore could oust Spryopoulos as MWRD president. Full Article...
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