DISQUS

Yellow Dog Democrat · 6 months ago

I don't care if the budget IS a mess...how do you cancel on Buddy Guy?!?

WOW · 6 months ago

So given the current Gov.'s fundraising problems what is the estimate of how many more Millions will Lisa have than Pat in the July filing? I am saying that lisa will have at least $5mil on hand (she had $3.4 on December 31st). And Pat will have $250K on hand.

doc · 6 months ago

The greatest gun violence seems to be in the places where there are no (legal) guns and the greatest enforcement against guns.

Chicago is a gun free zone, and all schools are gun free zones. And shooting seem to regularly occur on the double gun free zones of Chicago school properties.

Perhaps if the victims were allowed to be armed, there might be some chance of the criminals being detered.

I call bull · 6 months ago

Balanoff is a self-interested disservice to the working men and women of organized labor and a thug who is going to realize that what goes around comes around.

Hon. Cranial Lamb · 6 months ago

Dillard would be a good candidate, the GOP should only be so lucky to have him. Of course he won't beat Lisa, but he would totally have my respect while I was voting against him.

Yellow Dog Democrat · 6 months ago

=== NOTE: This group was not created or approved by Kirk Dillard. The group was created by a supporter and its membership consists of individuals who believe Kirk Dillard would be a great Governor for Illinois. ===

LOL.

The Facebook page was created by Dave Carlin. It says so right on the page.

The former State Rep. candidate, former Illinois GOP Deputy Director, former staffer for the DuPage County GOP also happens to be the founder of the semi-eponymous "DC Consulting"....

...drumroll please...

You guessed it! DC Consulting is a paid political consultant for Citizens for Kirk Dillard, with $8500 in payments made in 2008.

DG activist · 6 months ago

=== NOTE: This group was not created or approved by Kirk Dillard. The group was created by a supporter and its membership consists of individuals who believe Kirk Dillard would be a great Governor for Illinois. ===

I thought that perhaps it was created by Barack Obama as a thank you for the kind words in his campaign TV ad and by Blago for Dillard's support of his pension bond deal. Well, I guess they can still join.

steve schnorf · 6 months ago

ICB, I found Tom Balanoff a good person to work with and a man of his word. His getting a contract for the home care workers was, I thought, a magnificent achievement.

Dave Carlin · 6 months ago

Thanks for introducing me to the Capitol Fax universe Yellow Dog Democrat. I don't think my mom knows as much about me as you do.

I first got to know Kirk Dillard because of his staunch support of the Illinois College Republican Federation and the Federation of Illinois Young Republicans when I served as State Chairman of those allied Republican organizations.

I also had the privilege of serving on the Illinois Republican Party staff when Senator Dillard was on the State Central Committee and then was fortunate to have the opportunity to work as Executive Director of the DuPage County Republican Party under Kirk Dillard's leadership. Since leaving that post I have helped Senator Dillard in a contractual capacity with fundraising events in his district.

Kirk Dillard neither asked me to create the group nor did he pay me to do it. I created the group because I, like many others, believe Kirk Dillard would be an outstanding Governor.

Yellow Dog Democrat · 6 months ago

Dave -

1. I think Kirk Dillard's a good guy.

2. Whether or not he'll make a good Governor is something that remains to be seen. He just voted to cut funding for services for rape victims and child abuse prevention, so I'd say he's off to a shaky start.

3. Dillard's meeting with folks to discuss his possible run for Governor...I'd assume you might be one of them. If you're really trying to help him, maybe you SHOULD have talked to him about launching a FB group first.

4. We ALL should talk to our moms more.

Yellow Dog Democrat · 6 months ago

re: Balanoff

Yes, unions should hold elected officials accountable for how they vote.

That we actually have to say that out loud is remarkable.

My only advice would be:

1) Make sure lawmakers understand from the beginning what your top priorities are, and what the consequences are for ignoring them.

2) Play the margins on both sides of the aisle. If it comes down to two different Republicans in a safe-seat primary, help elect the less anti-labor Republican, just as you would work to defeat an anti-labor Democrat.

3) Deliver on your promises.

A Republican that consistently voted against the Tobacco Industry, Drug Companies, and Big Oil would be drummed out of the party.

A Democrat who consistently votes against economic rights, consumer rights and civil rights should be shown the door as well.

Grasstops · 6 months ago

Good Job Yellow Dog. You outed the Carlin/Dillard connection very effectively. There is no one in Illinois excited enough about moderate Kirk Dillard to set up a Facebook page for him except someone who has cashed $8500 in Dillard's checks in recent months. This is one reason he can't win a primary. No grassroots base of support.

Peoria · 6 months ago

Jehan Gordon, a petty thief just a few years ago, has nowhere near the life experience and maturity to be where she is today. The Republicans need a strong challenger to take her out in 2010. John Morris would be a great candidate.

Reagan Republican · 6 months ago

Dillard is the only Republican candidate who can win the Governor's race despite what Grasstops and the other paid staff of his potential opponents type on this blog.

Anon3 · 6 months ago

what is a "Grasstop"?

Reagan Republican · 6 months ago

Good question Anon3. Dillard ran unopposed in his last race for State Senate, had the second highest number of votes amongst McCain delegates and was the Republican Chairman of one of the more Republican counties in Illinois. The guy's favorables within his district and DuPage County are through the roof. I think Grasstop will quickly see a huge showing of support should Dillard jump into the race.

Grasstops · 6 months ago

Reagan Republican sounds like a flunky for Dillard. Reagan would have never voted for taxpayer paid embryonic stem cell research like Dillard did on 2/23/07. Every other Republican but Radogno opposed the bill. Dillard defines the mushy middle in more ways than one. Grasstops means phony grassroots which is what Carlin set up for his benefactor Dillard.

Observer · 6 months ago

Just because Carlin received some consulting fees from Dillard doesn't mean those payments were made for services towards a run for Governor. As pointed out they were made in 2008. I don't know many "prospective" candidates that start paying staff till they get in the race.

The way I see it is Carlin is giving a hand to someone that has helped support a lot of good GOP organizations over the years. Many of which Carlin played a successful and major role in.

Reagan Republican · 6 months ago

You are so creative Grasstop. Dillard supported SB600, choose life license plates and is an avid supporter of the second amendment. You sound like an Adam A flunky.

Political Staffer · 6 months ago

Grasshead,

Many government and political employees work for the people they do because they believe in them. The fact that Dillard has former members of staff who continue to work with him and support him over long periods of time speaks volumes about Dillard's character and how much he is respected.

2ConfusedCrew · 6 months ago

Does anyone else remember the SEIU crew promising a lot of Ds they would not to do this at the start of the session?

Yellow Dog Democrat · 6 months ago

Whoa...

hold your horses, everyone.

First, I don't think there's anything wrong with Dillard running for Governor. I don't think there's anything wrong with a political consultant -- current or former -- setting up a FB page for him.

I DO think it stretches credulity to think that Kirk Dillard has NO IDEA that Dave Carlin did it. On the other hand, I can't prove he did.

As for Dillard's viability, let me say this.

I think he CAN win a GOP primary, and anyone who can win their party's nomination has at least a chance of winning.

I think we all know that a conservative candidate in the mold of Oberweis/Roskam/Brady cannot win Illinois.

The question is whether a conservative-leaning moderate can win the Primary.

In the past, they've always relied on the Combine to help them win the primary, but the Combine has lost most if not all of its teeth.

I'm just not sure how many votes Mayor Daley can deliver in a Republican primary anymore.

I reckon we'll find out.

Downstate GOP Faithless · 6 months ago

if you appear on a report, you are a paid staffer...that's the nature of what we do...it seems to me senator dillard has failed to field test his name and match it to his fundraising ability...a common mistake among candidates