Rep. Lipinski's real strength is his chief of staff?
There is just so much dreck in Illinois that it is impossible to keep up. Which is why I'm glad Erick Erickson of Red State sent me the below e-mail.
Before we get to that, I'd like to add that this is just another example of Chicago political nepotism. In the spring of 2004, Bill Lipinski, a longtime Democratic congressman in a district covering Chicago and its southwestern suburbs, ran in the Democratic primary and easily won a ticket to the general election. But he apparently had no intention of running in that contest--Lipinski engingeered it so his son, Dan, then a college professor, would take his place on the ballot. Had the younger Lipinksi run in an open Democratic primary on his own credentials, he would have had a tough battle. Since Illinois' 3rd Congressional District is heavily Democratic, Dan Lipinski coasted to victory that fall.
From Erick's e-mail:
Let's have some fun this morning.
Remember how the Democrats ran against the Culture of Corruption in 2006? Well, get a load of this story:
Congressman Dan Lipinski's Chief of Staff, Jerry Hurckes, has been sitting on the Board of Trustees of Oak Lawn, IL since 1999. During that time, and each time he's campaigned for re-election, the chief of staff has campaigned on how much bacon he's brought home. Again, this is not a Congressman, but a chief of staff to a Congressman.
Things have come to a head in Oak Lawn after a meeting last week. The Board of Trustees wanted to consider hiring a lobbyist and Hurckes went ballastic, hurling accusation at the Board that they were trying to do an end run around him.
This guy has never been elected to Congress, but he has been taking credit for things his boss has done.
I say we all call Congressman Lipinski this morning at (202) 225-5701 and ask when his Chief of Staff became Congressman Hurckes. When they tell us he has not, we should be sure to ask why then is Jerry Hurckes taking credit for bringing home the bacon to Oak Lawn. Is the Chief of Staff more powerful and influential than Congressman Lipinski?
Could be. The younger Lipinksi isn't popular, he weathered a tough primary challenge last month.
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4 comments:
Apparently the other Oak Lawn trustees have the good sense to realize that in the 2010 Democratic Primary Mike madigan will be too preoccupied with his daughter's campaign to expend any political capital on Dan Lipinski. I'd be shocked to see Lipinski stand for re-election (he'll have his six years in to qualify for full medical coverage for former member of Congress).
So unless Hurckes plans to be the candidate for the seat in 2010, Oak Lawn probably needs to start looking for an actual lobbyist ASAP.
Thank God we'll have a third choice come November - I'll be supporting Green Party candidate Jerry Pohlen.
And yes, I am a Green Party member. There are more of us Greens than the media thinks.
It's time we oust the rascals and put in people who refuse corporate donations and aspire to true representative democracy. The 3rd congress is heavily Democratic and progressive but continues to vote for a "Republican lite" Dan Lipinski. That's because the people in the 3rd haven't had an alternative - now they do in Jerry Pohlen.
I also have a theory that a couple of Lipinski's Democratic Primary challengers this year were merely Linpinksi cronies planted to splint the anti-Lipinksi vote. It makes even more sense considering these new revelations with his brother cheating the system.
The phone number posted is for Lipinski's Washington Office. The Chicago Office where Hurckes works is (312)886-0481.
Those people at redstate should be grateful for Lipinski. If it weren't for him there would be one more liberal dem in congress voting against everything redstate and conservatives stand for. Sure he may not be the cleanest candidate (this IS Chicago people) but the cons are shooting themselves in the foot by going after him. Pragmatically he is their best hope for Chicago. Maybe it's the party label that drives things these days. How sad.
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