State Senator Dan Duffy went ballastic yesterday in Springfield, and with good reason. Governor Pat Quinn nominated Terry Cosgrove, Executive Director of abortion-rights group Personal PAC (which reportedly donated more than $400,000 to Quinn's campaign last cycle), to Illinois' Human Rights Commission. Lots more on this over at Capitol Fax and Daily Herald.
Leaving aside the pay-to-play optics here, Personal PAC distributed campaign literature against Duffy that can only be described as a scandaleous lie. But Duffy's not the only victim - the mailer that boldly proclaimed that Duffy wanted to 'jail' women who seek abortions is a stock mailer of Personal PAC that they seem to send out against any candidate that is not a pro-abortion rights champion. Just ask former State Rep. Candidate Dan Sugrue (now a Green Oaks Village Trustee), about the same mailer being used against him.
Also, Sheriff Mark Curran is making headlines with his report on how deep the mismanagement and unprofessionalism went at the Lake County Coroner's office under the watch of Democrat Richard Keller. Time to drain the swamp over there, for sure. Read more at the News-Sun.
Finally, nothing's ever sure, but it looks like new Congressman Joe Walsh at least won't have to worry about a possible rematch with his defeated opponent, Melissa Bean. She told Roll Call she's not running again. She predicts that people will be lining up to run against him, though, given his "extreme and out of touch record."
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and you failed to mention Duffy had to be restrained and removed by the IL State Police from the Hearing. I saw those mailers, and saw nothing shocking. Based on Duffy's platform at the time, there were dead on!
Anon 7:06, I didn't mention that because I didn't read that anywhere. You have any actual source for that or are you just making things up again?
The same mailer was used against me, as well.
http://caosblog.com/archives/17387
No one who is pro-life advocates jailing women for seeking abortions. To claim otherwise is simply a lie and a libel.
My erstwhile opponent has introduced legislation that would mandate recycling of plastic grocery bags. Would it have been appropriate for me to put out a mailing accusing her of wanting to jail grocery shoppers?
The nomination of Terry Cosgrove is classic Illinois pay-to-play. Cosgrove justifiably claims credit for the defeat of Bill Brady. And it is a scandal that no fewer than six current Illinois Republican House members received his endorsement and support.
To nominate him to a Human Rights panel is scandalous, because Cosgrove doesn't believe in human rights. He believes that mere humanity isn't enough to qualify one for rights. You have to have something "extra."
Just like Gov. Quinn believes that mere public-spiritedness is unsufficient for public service; there must be something extra. Like about four hundred thousand dollars' worth.
Anon 7:06, here's the closest thing I found to your fantasy account of the showdown yesterday:
"Munoz eventually allowed Duffy to proceed, but the bickering didn't cease. Several minutes later Munoz stormed out of his chair toward Duffy. The two argued, their noses only inches apart, until nearby legislators forced them apart."
http://www.carmitimes.com/topstories/x481359832/Lawmakers-separated-after-hot-argument
So, again, where's your "source?" Or will you admit to just making up stuff. Is that you Bill Gentes?
As we discussed previously, Bean has severe personal financial problems and was one of the few members of congress in debt so this does not shock me. Seals also shutdown his campaign account and you would think that there's no way he could go to 8 years of being unemployed and running for congress.
As for Duffy, I don't know him, but this one is hard to swallow. Brady was prolife and the job of a prochoice group when up against a prolife candidate for governor is to do everything in their power to knock him out. If this was a business it would perhaps be different, but what did you expect a prochoice to do against a prolife candidate and then a prochoice governor to do on appointments to his board? Prochoice group supporting prochoice governor appointing prochoice lobbyist to board.
I see where Duffy is going, but it's hard to argue with the governor's position
FOKLAES
Brady was prolife and the job of a prochoice group when up against a prolife candidate for governor is to do everything in their power to knock him out.
So FOLKLAES, are you saying that it's OK to tell lies about the candidates you don't like? And then that it's OK for the candidates you do like to reward you for that?
Really?
Because the GOP platform on abortion is really quite moderate: no state funding of abortion, no late term abortions, parental notification (not even consent, just notification) for minors.
That's a far cry from throwing women in jail.
Sorry TA, but I believe Rich Miller's insight into Duffy's conduct more than your protectionism. And, his description was out long before you made your doubting post at 7:12am.
Attacks on Cosgrove don't wash. Last I checked, women are human, even if a lot of your fans don't want to treat them that way. And Cosgrove is a staunch and zealous defender of their rights. Paul and Duffy are just smarting because his mailers effectively highlighted their dangerously fringe ideology. Even Tom Cross can't really stomach Paul. I'm not a huge fan of Sandy Cole, but no way was Cross going to see Paul as the nominee. Rich Voltair would have ended up the State Rep, for sure. Thus far, Quinn's appointments have been more balanced than Ryan and Edgar's ever were. They both padded State offices with contributors at an alarming rate. What, you don't remember the name Fawell? It's just that Quinn's detractors are more over the top. Duffy's so upset he'll probably run through 4 or 5 more red lights on his way home today!
And since we're asking for sources, got a source for your claim of Bean's finances, foklaes?
I cannot speak for Tom Cross, having never met him, but given his support from and endorsement by Cosgrove's Personal PAC, I do think it highly credible that he'd prefer a pro-abort Democrat like Voltair to platform Republican like myself in the House.
bean's personal finances like dold's and all other candidates are public information they have to file as members of congress. The daily herald covered this a lot several years ago.
I was not involved in duffy's campaign, but there are no saints in politics and that's a different argument than pay to play. This is no different than when Bush stuffed his administration with evangelicals when they came up big for up. Had brady won I have no doubt the ideological groups that backed him would have won key appointments, it's one of the things you take into consideration when you vote for someone-the agenda a leader will follow and the people they bring in to implement it.
FOKLAES
No, no, foklaes. You said that Bean has, as in currently has, severe 'personal' financial problems. And there is nothing in the last two rounds of disclosure statements to indicate that. I believe that you are talking out of your fourth point of contact, foklaes. I don't believe you have any information regarding Bean's personal financial situation. You evince the nasty and mindless nature of most of the posters on this blog. Back it up or shut up.
To Paul, you know:
I have read your blog. You say abortion is murder. Curious - what do you suggest is the punishment for murder?
Sen. Duffy had a right to ask 'tough' questions during the Senate confirmation of Cosgrove. That's the process. I have heard the tapes and Sen. Duffy defended his right to ask questions without harassment by other Senators. Cosgrove was respectful and handled the non-endorsement questions from Duffy quite well (and honestly in regards to the mailers)
anon,
such verbal brilliance.
If you read the statement, bean is a 49 year old woman with an approximate net worth of 0 dollars. Such personal recklessness is probably why she outspent her opponent 4-1 and lost despite a decade of name id and every advantage in the world from having been obama's campaign chair.
I would think that real democrats would look at her democrat in name only voting record, the fact that the only real national profile she developed was as a tool of the financial services industry which is supposed to be your arch nemesis and say, Walsh did us a favor.
FOKLAES
Anon 7:04, I don't recall writing specifically that abortion is murder. Can you cite a reference? I've often written that abortion is the intentional taking of an innocent human life, which of course it is. I've also repeated the old maxim that "the law is a teacher of morality."
I've never advocated criminal penalties of any kind for women who seek abortions, I repeat, no serious pro-lifer does, and to claim otherwise is a lie, following the example of liars like Terry Cosgrove and Pat Quinn.
And in my campaign, my platform mirrored that of the party: parental notification, no late term abortion, no state funding of abortion.
My opponent repeatedly claimed that I lied about her, never citing an example. But her buddies at Personal PAC certainly lied about me.
And now Cosgrove will be rewarded for lying with a $40,000 per year part-time job, paid from my tax money to deny the existence of right to life.
I applaud Sen. Duffy's passion in his opposition to this appointment.
I am the Anon from 7:06...my source....ME! I was there!
A truly wonderful appointment who works with both parties. Here in Lake County that would be Sandy Cole and Mark Beubien.
Paul,
I'm not trying to be a pain in the ellen here, but I just don't get what's wrong. If brady appointed a prolife person-and presumably they dumped a lot of support his way, would this also be pay to play?
If he wants to say the guy is a scumbag, and someone he doesn't care for politically that's one thing, but you don't want your opposition to her destroyed because the argument was incoherent.
FOKLAES
To Paul, you know: As requested this is from your blog ---
Posted by Paul, just this guy, you know? at 6:52 PM
"This is just getting easier and easier. Even the pro-aborts are now admitting what we've all long known: That abortion is nothing but murder and oppression".
Really -- Paul, you know -- all it took was a simple google search and I found 5 references.
I remember Duffy's election well. He ran as a pro choice candidate because he is a pro choice candidate. Cosgrove and Personal PAC knowingly lied to the public about his position.
Good for Duffy for calling Terry out. He deserved the call out. Yeah, more than one of the staff at Personal PAC are now working in State government and so to the victor go the spoils...but it's not over...
The more important question for the GOP is When are you starting up your own Illinois Republicans for Choice Organization and take the $$$ from Personal PAC. There are lots of Republican men and women that support choice.
anon,
there are republican organizations like that-mark kirk usually gets their donations and legislator of the year award in part because there is so little competition for their support on our side. the problem is, the gop has been on a losing streak since gingrich became speaker with those folks.
emily's list trashed dold today which made me like him that much more.
FOKLAES
FOKLAES,
I know there are the national GOP Pro Choice groups but we should have an Illinois Republicans for Choice organization here. It would provide many of us pro choice women and men an organization to support. I supported Personal PAC years ago, when they were less partisan. I wouldn't give them a dime today - and there are many like me who feel the same way.
Is the State Party listening?????
what they really need is a counter to emilys list, personal pac, ect-the groups that target moderate suburban women by scaring them about issues like abortion. There are a lot of conservative women's groups-I think susan b anthony's list comes to mind which support pro life women, but none like the one duffy was complaining about.
For what it's worth emily's list has been targeting the north suburbs for a decade to mixed results thanks in part to many of your fine work. The problem is there hasn't been much appetite for a moderate gop womens group for awhile to give duffy and others like him financial, public relations and political backup when those folks attack.Perhaps some of you will take it on as an off year project.
FOKLAES
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