GOPUSA ILLINOIS Daily Clips - June 7, 2008
PUBLIC AFFAIRS
-- Kjellander happy with his successor, Pat Brady "Did Kjellander and McKenna slow down reform at the State GOP" - Jeff Berkowitz
http://jeffberkowitz.blogspot.com/2008/06/kjellander-happy-with-his-successor-pat.html
(THE ARTICLE: In a display of what their critics viewed as the exercise of raw political power (Chicago style), Illinois’ current RNC guy, Bob Kjellander, and State GOP Chairman Andy McKenna, Jr, reasserted their control and stranglehold over the Illinois Republican Party yesterday. Together and with “a little help from their friends,” it appears they installed Pat Brady as the new Republican National Committeeman from Illinois (to take effect after the Republican National Convention in September). Pat Brady, a relative unknown Not a great deal is known about Pat Brady, other than he was touted about a month ago to this reporter over former Sen. Rauschenberger for the RNC position by State Rep. Jim Durkin. Durkin described Brady as a “fresh face,” out of St. Charles, IL, a former federal prosecutor, a partner at Deloitte Touche where he investigates foreign corrupt practices all over the world, very involved in the McCain campaign and a “friend of John McCain’s.” Durkin is also a friend of McCain’s and is the current Illinois Chairman of the McCain for President campaign. Did Kjellander give a Kiss of Death to Brady? On the other hand, Brady’s fresh face was seen by reliable sources being hugged joyously by Bob Kjellander after today’s vote making Brady Illinois’ new RNC guy. After that hug by Individual K, you have to wonder if that fresh face might need to be freshened up a bit. Last month this reporter had this exchange with Rep. Durkin about Pat Brady and Bob Kjellander: Durkin upset with KJ for not bringing home the bacon? Berkowitz: You think Brady would be critical of Kjellander and what he has been doing for the last four or five years, if not longer. Rep. Durkin: Yeah, I think so. Berkowitz: You think so, but you’re not sure. He’s not saying? Rep. Durkin: I mean, right now, I’m telling - Berkowitz: Rauschenberger was critical of Kjellander. Rep. Durkin: I’m sure he’s going to - what has Kjellander brought back to Illinois? nothing. He’s brought nothing back to the Republican Party. He’s been using it and the position as a way to go out and hang out with his buddy Karl Rove. The responsibilities of an RNC member Well, some of us are unsure what the RNC folks are supposed to do. Durkin seems to suggest, to this reporter’s surprise, it is about bringing home the bacon, and the problem with Kjellander was not the corruption/ethical issues that have been raised but his “failure to bring home the bacon.”[Jim Durkin was unavailable for comment on this story]. As an investigator and a former prosecutor, you might think Brady should look, from time to time, at the State GOP books. For example, who works for the State GOP? at what salaries? and is the GOP getting enough bang for its buck? But, if the State GOP was pounding the pavement for Pat during this last week, could Pat turn around and check up on the State GOP? Yesterday’s vote for Pat Brady was, technically, simply a recommendation. However, everybody is agreed that the “recommendation,” will be ratified at today’s State GOP convention in Decatur, Illinois. The implicated Bob Kjellander As to the joyous Kjellander, so happy to see Pat’s victory, he has not been charged with anything yet, but he was “implicated,” in the Rezko trial. A state pension board lawyer who has already pleaded guilty told grand jurors that Bill Cellini told him "Bob Kjellander's job is to take care of the U.S. attorney." See here. [By “take care of,” they meant “replace U. S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald with someone who is not quite as focused on public corruption.”] Kjellander also has a funky history with respect to very high fees [809K] from Bear Stearns in conjunction with very little work on the 2003 Blagojevich ten billion dollar “bond scheme.” Bond work is also said to have been a factor in yesterday’s vote for Brady. Follow the money, follow the bond fees-- if you want to understand Illinois politics. Rauschenberger beat in 2004 Former Senator Steve Rauschenberger stood up to Kjellander four years ago and raised the issue of whether KJ was furthering his own interest, as opposed to that of the Party. For his trouble, Rauschenberger got pounded 18 to 1 The State GOP essentially said in 2004, “We ain’t ready for reform.” Rauschenberger, who entered the State Senate in 1992 as one of the Fab Five reformers (along with Peter Fitzgerald, Pat O’Malley, Dave Syverson and Chris Lauzen), left the senate in 2006 to run for Lt. Governor in the Republican Primary, on a ticket with Reformer Ron Gitwitz. [Rauschenberger lost to Joe Birkett, who was teamed up with Judy Baar Topinka, aka the non-reformer; Topinka teamed up with Kjellander in June, 2004 to force the Party’s candidate for the U. S. Senate, reformer Jack Ryan, under the bus, and then replaced Ryan with Alan Keyes, in perhaps the most disastrous decision made by the State GOP in its history] Sharp Elbows and Sharp Knives at the State GOP; slapping Steve In the run-up to today’s vote, it was reported by reliable sources that Steve Rauschenberger got his vote total up to nine, before the sharp knives came out. Fran Eaton, Illinois Review Editor, reported that she was told by the players at yesterday’s Republican State Convention in Decatur, IL that McKenna and State GOP staffers were calling around this week on Brady’s behalf, trying as one committeeman said, to get the winning total to much more than the requisite ten votes to “Slap Steve around.” Fran was told by one of the players that the phone calls included intimidation efforts, such as the threatened loss of government or Party jobs. Reliable sources stated that Senate Republican Leader Frank Watson and Senator Dave Syverson had been promised by Chairman McKenna that the State GOP would keep out of the RNC contest. [Syverson was unavailable, this evening, for comment]. The long knives come out for Rauschenberger. By the time the long knives had done their not so judicious cutting, the final vote was 15 to 4, Brady over Rauschenberger. The only Rauschenberger votes left standing were Senator Chris Lauzen (14th), Dan Venturi (8th), Barry Welbers (11th, Wellers) and Wendy Owano (16th, Manzullo). 2010 Republican Gov candidates Rep. Jim Durkin has been giving some thought to running for Governor in 2010 and being solid with the Illinois RNC guy can be helpful for such. Reliable sources state that DuPage County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom, another 2010 Guv hopeful, was also a force behind Pat Brady’s victory, as was downstater and lame duck congressman Ray LaHood, who initially sought the position himself. Cong. John Shimkus was said to be one of the last Rauschenberger supporters to succumb to the State GOP pressure to make the switch to Brady. Reformer DeMonte takes female RNC spot The bright side for GOP reformers, according to Fran Eaton, was the election of a reform candidate over the establishment favored Carol Donovan for the female Illinois Republican National Committeeman spot. In the first vote, Donovan had nine votes, followed by six for Demetri DeMonte, Tazwell County Republican Chairman and four for Kathy Salvi (who came in second in a six person 8th CD Republican Primary in 2006 won by David McSweeney). You need ten votes to win, and in the second vote, all of the Kathy Salvi supporters threw their votes to DeMonte, making her the new female RNC rep. from Illinois. Eaton pegged DeMonte as a reformer. Neither State GOP Chairman McKenna nor the State GOP’s Communications Director, Mike Zolnierowicz, were available for comment on this story.)
CHICAGO DAILY OBSERVER
-- The coming GOP moment of truth - Dennis Byrne
http://cdobs.com/archive/our-columns/the-coming-gop-moment-of-truth,1219/
(THE ARTICLE: Illinois Republican Party Chairman Andy McKenna used the occasion of the conviction of Democratic fixer Tony Rezko to call for repair of the “broken political system in Illinois.” Yeah, well, we’ll see about that. McKenna’s commitment to reform will be tested this weekend when the state GOP convention meets in Decatur to debate, among other things, freeing the party from that “broken political system.” It will be a test of whether the party’s Ins will be able to keep the party’s Outs out. The party’s Ins are doing whatever is necessary to keep that system broken because it ensures the continue flowing (to them) of money and power. The Outs have the ideas and the conscience necessary to revitalize the party and liberate the state from its Rezko-like corruption in which both the Democratic and Republican brass wallow together. The GOP’s only hope for redemption is to yank control away from the Ins and give it to the faithful voters who adhere to principles of integrity and good governance. The issue will come to a head when the convention decides whether to let Republican voters pick the party’s leaders who serve on the all-important state central committee, now a Medieval castle of arrogance whose walls have long resisted assaults of reform, integrity and common sense. Under a proposal urged by a coalition of Outs, the Republican rank-and-file would directly elect the 19 central committee members, replacing an appointment system so arcane that it defies description, but ensures the Ins’ dominance. A law that would have restored the voters’ right to select the central committee’s members recently passed the Senate, but was snuffed out by the Ins of the House. Some reformers believe that the resolution has a chance of passing, if the Ins allow the resolution to emerge from committee for a floor vote. Fat chance, even though there is no legitimate reason for blocking a floor vote, or for the full convention not to approve the change. One of the objections to the resolution is the assertion that electing the leadership would allow Democrats, posing as Republicans, to infiltrate the party’s leadership. This is a laughable excuse; if anything the lock between Democrats and Republicans at that heightened level is so tight that Democrats might as well be on the Republican central committee now. And perhaps they are. Consider the case of a GOP central committee member, one Rep. Angelo “Skip” Saviano, a Republican—and I use that word advisedly—representing the northwest suburban 77th district. If there ever were a stereotypical member of the sleazy bipartisan alliance of kingpins that Tribune columnist John Kass calls the Combine, Saviano would qualify. Although a GOP top dog, his political committee has given cash to a number of Democrats, including Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. His committee is amply rewarded for this “bi-partisanship” by receiving money from traditional Democratic sources, such as labor unions and an O’Hare Airport vendor. So, no wonder that Saviano sold out some of his own constituents to support Daley’s splendiferous airport expansion. Saviano solidified his role in the Combine; his constituents got booted out of their affordable homes on Bensenville’s east side for a runway that might never be built. Meanwhile the crafting of this shameful alliance of Republicans and Democrats to build Daley’s unworkable and costly airport expansion was the Combine’s crowning moment. Saviano, I should mention, was one of the Ins that helped kill the direct election reform measure in the House. If there were a direct election, Saviano ought to be targeted as one of the first committee members to go, possibly over to the Democratic side of the aisle, where he belongs. The Ins have marshaled all kinds of ridiculous arguments to retain power. One insists that direct voting would end up stacking the central committee with only the prominent and the wealthy. Essentially, it comes down to the argument that giving voters direct control over who runs the party will place it into the hands of amateurs. As if the “professionals” who run it now have done such a wonderful job.)
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Chicago Tribune includes a few facts and quotes in its editorial about the Illinois Republican Party and its state convention (long version)
http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2008/06/state-gop-seeks.html
(THE ARTICLE: State GOP seeks Blagojevich-Obama tie - Rick Pearson DECATUR - As the problems surrounding Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich deepen with the recent corruption conviction of fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko, Illinois Republicans opened their state convention Friday struggling for ways to present themselves as a credible alternative for the next election and beyond. State GOP Chairman Andy McKenna made it clear that Republicans would attempt to tie Blagojevich to Democrats across the fall ballot, including presumptive Democratic presidential nominee U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, whose last two years in the Illinois legislature came under Democratic control of the governor’s mansion. Obama "wants to go to Washington and change ethics reform. Well Gov. Blagojevich got elected saying he was going to do that and it still hasn’t happened,” McKenna said. “I think we can say to people focusing on Sen. Obama, ‘Well, what is the record?’ And the rhetoric might be impressive, but what is the record of Democratic leadership in Illinois.” The effort to combat the daunting effects of an Obama presidential run on Republican incumbents and candidates down the ballot led some members of the state GOP platform committee to discuss including Obama’s middle name, Hussein, sources said. Some have criticized the use of Obama’s middle name as unfairly inflammatory. The document ultimately did not contain the reference, said the sources, who reviewed a final draft. Despite a McKenna tenet for promoting reforms that include transparency, state GOP officials declined to make the tentative platform public. The sources asked that their names not be used because they were not authorized to discuss the document publicly. The GOP also closed its platform committee meeting to the media. Still struggling to recover the relevance it lost amid the corruption investigation and conviction of former GOP Gov. George Ryan, the state GOP also finds itself beset by longtime internal strife. A cadre of conservatives trying to advance their agenda under a reform mantle has clashed repeatedly with old-guard moderates seeking to maintain their control. Another convention panel recommended former prosecutor Patrick Brady of St. Charles to succeed the embattled Robert Kjellander as the state’s Republican national committeeman, a critical post for fundraising and to serve as an Illinois liaison with the national campaign of presumptive GOP presidential contender U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona. Kjellander, who is retiring at the end of his term this year, has been a source of controversy over his consulting activities with the state during the Blagojevich years and his own relationship with Rezko. Brady is expected to replace Kjellander after he was chosen by panel members over former Sen. Steve Rauschenberger of Elgin, a past candidate for governor, the U.S. Senate and the committeeman’s post. Brady, a former state and federal financial crimes prosecutor, is now a principal in the Chicago office of Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP. He has done work for McCain’s national finance committee and is close to state Rep. Jim Durkin of Westchester, who is McCain’s Illinois campaign chairman. “We need to establish integrity for the office. I think we need to put somebody in who has a reputation for integrity and an understanding of the ethical boundaries of the position. That is first and foremost,” Brady said. A convention panel also recommended that Demetra DeMonte of Tazewell County succeed retiring Mary Jo Arndt as Republican national committeewoman. DeMonte won a three-way battle for the seat among Carol Smith Donovan, who represents the 7th Congressional District on the GOP State Central Committee and Kathy Salvi of Mundelein, who previously made an unsuccessful bid for Congress.)
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Chicago Tribune includes a few facts and quotes in its editorial about -- A study in the Illinois Republican Party and its state convention (short version)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-gop-conventionjun07,0,6550644.story
contrasts One is 71, the other 46. One is a Vietnam War hero, the other was a child during the conflict. One is a longtime senator, the other a newcomer. One is white, the other African-American. - Mark Silva
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-obama-mccain-differencejun08,0,3350838.story
-- Stay the course, Cardinal George - Nancy Thorner, Lake Bluff
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/letters/chi-080606george_briefs,0,207278.story
-- Illinois lands plenty of pork - AP
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-il-payingtoplay-illi,0,1488040.story
-- Despite unifying, lawmakers still can't pass capital plan - Ryan Keith
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-il-xgr-capitalcollap,0,4272726.story
THE SOUTHERN & HERALD REVIEW
-- GOP plans to send Pat Brady to Republican National Convention - Kenneth Lowe
http://www.thesouthern.com/articles/2008/06/06/breaking_news/doc4849bdcd50733653559726.txt
http://www.southernillinoisan.com/articles/2008/06/06/front_page/24713592.txt
http://www.herald-review.com/articles/2008/06/07/news/local/1033182.txt
(THE ARTICLE: DECATUR - Illinois Republican Party leaders Friday recommended consultant and former state's attorney Pat Brady of St. Charles be named the new national committeeman at the Republican National Convention. Brady, cousin to state Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, must still be elected by the Illinois Republican Convention in Decatur today to officially take the spot. The national committeeman represents the Illinois Republican Party to the national party. If elected, Brady would succeed committeeman Bob Kjellander, who has announced he will step down at the end of his term following the 2008 elections. Testimony in the federal corruption trial of Antoin ''Tony'' Rezko alleged Kjellander may have been asked to use his influence to fire U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald during his investigation of Gov. Rod Blagojevich's administration. Brady said despite taking Kjellander's spot after this coming election, his role will be an active one. ''What I'm going to do in the meantime is talk to as many county chairmen and party activists as possible and get their input on where they best see to take the direction of the party,'' Brady said. Brady said he believes the leadership selected him because they want change. ''The reason I think I won is because they want ethics, they want reform,'' Brady said. ''They want this office to maintain the highest degree of integrity.'' Former state Sen. Steve Rauschenberger ran against Brady for the position. ''I'm very surprised by the outcome and a little disappointed,'' Rauschenberger said. ''Pat Brady was supported by the same people who thought Bob Kjellander was doing a nice job,'' Rauschenberger said. Several prominent members of the Illinois GOP kicked off the state convention amid traffic and high winds in downtown Decatur on Friday. All speakers went after Democratic leadership in Illinois, including Illinois GOP Chairman Andy McKenna, who invoked Rezko and accused the governor of sitting on ethics reform. ''We believe there are basic reforms that are needed in Illinois,'' McKenna said. ''Republicans are going to be strong about ethics reform in Illinois.'' Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson and Republican U.S. Senate candidate Steve Sauerberg also spoke at the event. The Illinois Republican Convention is scheduled to continue through Saturday in Decatur.)
CAPITAL FAX
-- DIERSEN HEADLINE: Rich Miller reports on the Illinois Republican Party state convention
http://thecapitolfaxblog.com/2008/06/06/this-just-in-131/
(THE POSTING: 3:32 pm - In case you care, a committee of the Illinois Republican Party just voted to elect Patrick Brady and Demetra DeMonte as the party’s new national committeepersons. I’m working on getting the vote totals. Fewer than seven votes for any of the losers means there is no committee minority report, making it much tougher to get a floor vote at the convention. Former state Sen. Steve Rauschenberger was running for the second time and lost out to Brady, who came almost out of nowhere. Rauschenberger’s loss won’t go down well with the Illinois Review/Jack Roeser types. Kathy Salvi was also being backed by the Right, but DeMonte is also very conservative and was not thought to be beloved by the old guard. 3:49 pm - I’m told Brady won 15-4. The other race was closer. 10-9 DeMonte over Carol Donovan on the second ballot. Salvi’s people backed DeMonte after losing in the first round.)
REPUBLICANS FOR FAIR MEDIA
-- Steven J. Rauschenberger Bids For GOP National Committeeman -- "In His Own Words" - Daniel T. Zanoza
http://rffm.typepad.com/republicans_for_fair_medi/2008/06/steve-rauschenberger-in-his-own-words.html
DAN PROFT
-- IL GOP: The Party of Schadenfreude?
http://ilgopnet.com/node/858
ANDY MARTIN
-- Andy McKenna conducts a crooked convention in Decatur
http://andymartincampaigndiary.blogspot.com/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
-- How Obama, McCain differ on key issues
http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/991538,CST-EDT-edit06.article
SOUTHTOWN STAR
-- It's so sad about sleazeball Rezko - Phil Kadner
http://www.southtownstar.com/news/kadner/991482,060608Kadner.article
PEORIA JOURNAL STAR
-- Edgar has advice for Blagojevich Former governor says lawmakers must learn to get along in Springfield Karen McDonnald
http://www.pjstar.com/news/x858456937/Edgar-has-advice-for-Blagojevich
CONGRESSIONAL QUARTELY
-- More Believe Press Showed Bias in Favor of Obama During Primaries
http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=5&docID=news-000002890916
PITTSBURG TRIBUNE REVIEW
-- Obama & his friends - Bill Steigerwald
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/s_571431.html
LOS ANGELES TIMES
-- With Clinton, end of line for a woman who 'is the line' Her presidential campaign undoubtedly broke ground. But what does it mean for the future of women and politics? - Cathleen Decker
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-women7-2008jun07,0,554219.story
WEEKLY STANDARD
-- Mr. Obama's Neighborhood The Democratic candidate has made his home in Chicago's Hyde Park, a place that's not like any other in America. - Andrew Ferguson
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/015/197wxqsf.asp
TOM ROESER
-- Let Us Now Parse Falsani’s Latest Pfleger Column
http://www.tomroeser.com/blogs/blogview.asp?blogID=24607
