Politics: LaHood a 'Cellini guy?'

Chicago Tribune political curmudgeon John Kass Kass doesn't think too highly of Congressman Ray, our soon-to-be-new Transportation Secretary:

Mr. Kass, re: Gov. Big Hairovich, this may be premature, but do you think it would be useful to begin pondering publicly who can be trusted as governor? Maybe someone outside of Chicago? Or is that a fantasy? Joe M., Belleville

Dear Joe—It's not premature, not with all the sleaze in this state. If the candidate is a Democrat from Illinois, they'll be on bended knee to Mayor Shortshanks at Chicago's City Hall or House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Lisa's Daddy) or State Sen. James DeLeo (D-How You Doin?). And if they're Republican, they'll bow to the indicted party boss Big Bill Cellini or his enabler, Big Jim Thompson, or the Republican establishment that dares criticize President-elect Barack Obama for his connections to sleazy politics, yet applauds Obama's appointment of a Cellini guy, U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Combine) as secretary of transportation. [emphasis mine] That's change we can believe in. How about we ban all current Illinois politicians from the list of prospective governors? There must be someone other than U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald who has served the public interest without picking the public pocket. We need Fitzgerald where he is, in Chicago. But are there any others who've fought Illinois political corruption and the Chicago Outfit and who'd be interested in running for office? There might be one out there.

Cellini's name has popped up on occasion in the pages of Peoria Pundit. One of the complaints I've had about the local media is how it perpetrated the folksy "Congressman Ray" image, while pretty ignoring his connections to some of the corrupt politicians that big city newspapers were hammering away at on an almost daily basis. Kass goes overboard sometimes, but he has a point.

So if you're shocked to see "Congressman Ray" described as a "Cellini guy," blame the local news media.

For an education, read the Sun-Times article on Cellini.

Cross posted to Peoria Pundit.