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* 2017…
Illinois Senate President John Cullerton announced on Wednesday that Illinois State Senator Ira Silverstein has resigned from the Senate Democratic Leadership team after being accused of sexual harassment.
Legislative activist Denise Rotheimer testified Tuesday in front of a senate panel that Ira Silverstein made inappropriate comments to her while the two worked together on legislation. […]
The dramatic revelation came out Tuesday at a hearing in front of the House Personnel and Pensions Committee.
* August of this year…
State Sen. Tom Cullerton was replaced as chairman of the Senate Labor Committee, a move that comes four days after he was indicted on federal charges of embezzling money from a labor union.
According to a spokesman for the senate president’s office, the shakeup among committee chairs involves three Senate committees. Sen. Omar Aquino, D-Chicago, was named to replace Cullerton on the Labor Committee; Cullerton was named as the new chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee; and Sen. Cristina Castro, D-Elgin, former chair of Veterans Affairs, has been named fill Aquino’s former post as chair of the Government Accountability and Pensions Committee.
* Yesterday…
Pritzker reacted quickly to the news of Sandoval’s raid — to get ahead of worries that the investigation would taint the governor’s massive capital plan, which Sandoval helped put together.
“We must assure the public that this work [the capital plan] is on the up and up,” Pritzker told reporters. “Corruption and self-dealing will not be tolerated.”
Cullerton was just as quick to resist any attempt to be pushed to take action.
“This remains an active investigation, and the Senate President wants to make informed decisions,” Cullerton spokesman John Patterson said.
Something often lost in the shuffle about Sen. Sandoval is he is also the Majority Caucus Whip. Not only has Senate President Cullerton refused to move him off the Transportation Committee, but Sandoval still has his leadership gig. The post is unpaid, but that’s beside the point.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 10:04 am
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I bet Lou Lang is reading this and shaking his head.
Sandoval has to know he needs to do the stand-up thing here and step away for the duration. Why he’s making Cullerton take the heat, I dunno. If this goes past Friday, people are going to start assuming connections that may or may not be factual. Marty, take the bench like a man.
Comment by Not a good look Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 10:11 am
Because at this point they don’t have to care about perception anymore?
Perhaps a lot of members get search warrants executed on them then we are aware of?
Comment by OneMan Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 10:13 am
House - Senate
I’d start there.
Cullerton is very loyal and almost deferral to a fault, and deferring leaves vacuums for places leaders must go?
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 10:17 am
I don’t know what Cullerton is thinking. But, my guess is he doesn’t want to have government by FBI raid in Illinois (without someone being indicted for something). Although, I could be wrong. I don’t know all the facts that are in the warrant.
Comment by Steve Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 10:18 am
Cullerton is giving Sandoval time to step down on his own. Don’t think for a minute that JB and Cullerton aren’t in synch.
Comment by Lincoln Lad Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 10:24 am
===Don’t think for a minute that JB and Cullerton aren’t in synch.===
Huh?
They’re so in sync that Cullerton was cool with the Governor dinging and even more cool with his (Cullerton’s) own response?
Odd way to be both in sync and force a removal/step down.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 10:27 am
The investigation references threats. Perhaps President John has firsthand knowledge and fear.
Comment by Norseman Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 10:27 am
Sandoval should stop worrying about his leadership positions and be more concerned with impeachment and/or becoming Blagojevich’s roommate.
The only reason he hasn’t been given the boot is Cullerton’s worry it will invalidly the capital bill.
Comment by Just Me Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 10:28 am
Classic good cop, bad cop. Cullerton appears supportive, JB swings the hammer.
Comment by Lincoln Lad Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 10:29 am
Where are all of his Senate colleagues at? They have a responsibility to make statements as well. Curious if they are stonewalling the media, or if the media isn’t asking?
Comment by Phenomynous Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 10:31 am
===Classic good cop, bad cop===
By making Cullerton look bad, or worse foolish?
To be honest, I expected a better response from Patterson, for whatever that’s worth.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 10:32 am
I wouldn’t want to dial up Marty’s digits right now. Never know who might answer.
Comment by Birdseed Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 10:36 am
I’m sure Sandoval has heard what the Senate President thinks privately, not from the newspaper. Cullerton doesn’t look foolish, he looks loyal to his members. Public support is the right thing. So is stepping down from the Chairmanship. The capital bill is only at risk if Sandoval doesn’t do the right thing.
Comment by Lincoln Lad Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 10:41 am
Another looming potential headache - all the committees that are going to have to donate an amount equivalent to what they’ve received from Lobbyist A & Lobbyist B, and associated entities.
Comment by Moe Berg Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 10:44 am
===…he looks loyal to his members===
Yeah, that’s how it looks to folks.
That’s an inside baseball take.
It looks foolish in news
“Gov. Pritzker took questions today for the first time since Aug. 27. Pritzker said he has told Illinois Senate President John Cullerton that State Sen. Martin Sandoval should step down as chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, or be removed, amid a federal investigation.”
We’ll see how it flies during veto when Sandoval isn’t there, but still chairman?
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 10:44 am
“The investigation references threats. Perhaps President John has firsthand knowledge and fear.”
John has… fear. ROTFL
We should all have the fear.
Comment by Comical, Not Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 10:46 am
===Sandoval has to know he needs to do the stand-up thing here and step away===
LOLOLOLOL. You don’t know Marty, do you?
Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 10:46 am
Here’s the thing - Cullerton ain’t NEVER been a heavy when it comes to his caucus. He desires nothing less than to be liked. And so the squeakiest wheel ALWAYS get the grease. So if the wheel ain’t squeaking, it’s just fine the way it is. Sometimes that’s good. Mosta the time it’s a headline. Marty is one of the major manipulators in knowing how get to Cullerton’s weakness. Thing is - Marty goes when Cullerton’s members start rattling the cups along the iron bars.
Comment by Ken Griffin's New Best Friend Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 11:14 am
Women are a significant part of the Democrat coalition. There is a price to pay when your personal conduct becomes objectionable to women leaders, funders and primary voters.
There is no price to pay when you are accused of or perceived to be corrupt because, well, the whole system is based on corruption.
Thems the rules. Gotta play by them.
Comment by Dilbert Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 11:16 am
Both Sandoval and Tom Cullerton should resign from their committee posts. Innocent until proven guilty and that’s why the keep their Senate seats but no to the committee chair spots.
Comment by 90 proof Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 11:36 am
This isn’t hard. Sandoval needs to step down from the Chairmanship. FBI raided his offices, and his friends in local government are hiding. No win in being forced out, it only makes him look more guilty. By the raid (outside baseball) he looks guilty to the public. He needs to step down temporarily while declaring himself innocent. That’s the message. Claim to be a victim of overzealous prosecutors and give the party what it wants and needs. I don’t think he’s being sacrificed, but if he doesn’t see the obvious, he eventually will be. Not everyone is on his side. If he is never charged or is cleared, he can come back and blame his accusers for the harm they did to his stellar reputation.
Comment by Lincoln Lad Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 11:36 am
Did Cullerton lean on Silverstein to resign due to sexual harassment charges but hasn’t yet pressured Sandoval, who has the feds breathing down his neck? Or is his history one of consistent “hand off’ until ‘guilt’ is ironclad?
Comment by Sayitaintso Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 11:49 am
=Cullerton doesn’t look foolish, he looks loyal to his members.=
Sandoval doesn’t want to do the right thing and Cullerton is not going to make him. Yeah, that’s a good look to his members.
Comment by Pundent Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 12:01 pm
Lincoln Lad, while I think your comments have merit in a vacuum, they really don’t apply with this set of characters. Especially with Sen. Sandoval. Those that know him know he will never step aside on his own unless convicted. And Pres. Cullerton won’t make a move until there are indictments filed— and maybe not then either.
Comment by Boomerang Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 12:36 pm
Corruption doesn’t matter to Senate Democrats. It’s that simple.
Comment by Token Conservative Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 12:48 pm
He can call it a “voluntary, temporary recess or leave” from the Chairmanship, instead of a demotion or suspension, “in the interest of keeping the People’s Business moving smoothly, while we await our eventual vindication.”
Comment by Semantics Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 12:50 pm
Get. Out. When Cullerton took over, he drank the Hispanic boyzz koolaid. Changed his mind, a bit, but clearly this is a show that there is something we mortals don’t understand.
Comment by Amalia Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 1:01 pm
Whatever happened the black letter law in this country that an accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. And Sen. Sandoval hasn’t even been accused of anything. Since when do we let a bunch of G-men determine who is guilty. This is crazy. Sandoval should stay where he is and do the job he was elected to do unless he knows he’s guilty of breaching the public trust, in which case he should resign from Senate.
Comment by truthtopower Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 2:06 pm
===an accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt===
That’s for the court system. Committee chairmanships and leadership jobs are inherently political decisions.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 2:14 pm
If Gov is demanding Sandoval step down then why did Sandoval just get appointed to the Lincoln Library on September 20, 2019? Hmmmm..
Comment by Tired in Illinois Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 2:55 pm
==- Tired in Illinois - Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 2:55 pm:==
It’s a different Smith.
Comment by Responsa Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 3:20 pm
So what gritty dirt does Sandoval have on Cullerton?
Just trying to think of reasons he’s still in those positions and coming up short.
Comment by Left Leaner Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 3:51 pm
It’s not a good look for Harmon & other SDem leaders to stay silent. Break ranks with the President. JB went out on a limb, giving you cover. Where are you? Don’t leave the heavy lifting in your chamber to JB.
Comment by Dan Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 5:33 pm
Cuz Sandoval is like Trump, he’s not going to resign.
Comment by Medvale School for the Gifted Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 8:06 pm
Where there is smoke there is fire… Pres Cullerton needs to get out the extinguisher close ranks and keep the caucus focused.
Comment by NorthsideNoMore Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 10:18 pm