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* Mark Maxwell…
An Illinois Republican who plans to retire from the legislature and run for statewide office threatened a lawsuit to take down a personalized video message recorded by former Governor Rod Blagojevich.
When state Representative David McSweeney (R-Barrington Hills) found out that a video of Blagojevich wishing him a happy retirement was making the rounds in statehouse circles in March, he sicced his lawyers after the online celebrity shoutout company Cameo to take it down.
Court records filed in Cook County show attorneys for Baron App, Inc., which does business as Cameo, appeared in court to respond to McSweeney’s filing on April 3rd. The video has since disappeared from the company’s popular website. […]
John Bambanek, a Champaign Republican who ran an unsuccessful campaign for the Illinois state Senate in 2012, purchased the video and authored the script. […]
The letter from McSweeney’s attorney suggests he suspects House Republican Leader Jim Durkin or his inner circle may have had some role in sponsoring the video message. The cease and desist letter instructed Bambanek to preserve any documents of communications he may have had with Durkin, Rep. Grant Wehrli (R-Naperville), and four other legislative and political staff members.
“I’ve never had a conversation with Jim Durkin in my life,” Bambanek said on Wednesday. “Nobody put me up to it.”
Bambanek is described in the article as “an online provocateur,” but he’s also one in real life. I doubt he was put up to this.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 1:10 pm
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Hahahaha! Soccerchild was threatening to have Rod wish me a happy Mother’s Day. –That– would have been a keeper.
Comment by Soccermom Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 1:15 pm
Mr. McSweeney is certainly demonstrating his lack of a thick skin…and he wants to run statewide?
Good luck with that, Representative.
Comment by Commonsense in Illinois Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 1:18 pm
“Da family has a lotta buffers, Senator”
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 1:18 pm
McSweeny beginning to see how irrelevant he will be in a few months.
Comment by Wow Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 1:23 pm
Bambenek still trying to get enough notoriety to stop his vanity page from being constantly deleted from Wikipedia.
Comment by Bambi Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 1:24 pm
This begs the question of whether we can think up something Blagojevich would refuse to do for money.
Comment by Rich Hill Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 1:28 pm
Oh them republicans sure are 1st amendment freedom fighters, ain’t they…? And they certainly do despise them some trial lawyers too.
Comment by Ducky LaMoore Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 1:30 pm
If I’m Rep. McSweeney… I’d be more concerned how I can run on lowering taxes in 2022 when we all could still be in an economic recession with Covid-19 possibly still relevant, including economically.
I dunno what the end game is here, the video is down.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 1:31 pm
“This begs the question of whether we can think up something Blagojevich would refuse to do for money.”
Govern.
Comment by Ducky LaMoore Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 1:32 pm
McSweeney is so hard to buy for.
Comment by Leigh John-Ella Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 1:33 pm
folks we have a world wide pandemic on our hands. What gives?
Comment by jimmy no nose Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 1:39 pm
I think that his thin skin and fragile ego make him unsuited for statewide office, but it is apparently not the case if he were to run for president.
Comment by Harvest76 Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 1:40 pm
Ducky LaMoore wins Capitol Fax today. Well done.
Comment by Robert Montgomery Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 1:43 pm
=Oh them republicans sure are 1st amendment freedom fighters, ain’t they…? And they certainly do despise them some trial lawyers too.=
This made me laugh out loud. And most all of the other posts are top shelf as well. I mean really good stuff.
I just don’t get why all of these right wing tough guys are so incredibly thin-skinned. They always talk themselves up as tough guys (Trump says he is tough) but when the rubber meets the road not so much. And 1st Amendment freedoms? Not so principled after all.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 1:45 pm
= I doubt he was put up to this.=
Some people can be spraints* all on their own.
*I just learned this. “Spraint” is river otter poop and I have decided to use it as an all-purpose eupehmism. You’re welcome.
Comment by JoanP Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 1:48 pm
Oh, so what if Rod Blagojevich says happy retirement. Who cares? McSweeney needs to waste money on lawyers for that?
Comment by All This Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 1:51 pm
Would anyone have noticed or paid attention to this if McSweeney hand’t brought it up?
Comment by Pundent Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 1:57 pm
If he’s so offended by Blagojevich, maybe he can ask his favorite President why he pardoned him?
Comment by NIU Grad Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 1:58 pm
A Blago Cameo costs $75. There’s other people from unscripted TV show going for more.
Comment by Cheryl44 Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 2:05 pm
Pundent is right. McSweeney never heard of the Streisand effect.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streisand_effect
NIU Grad also makes a valid point.
Comment by Just Me 2 Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 2:06 pm
[Insert GIF of spit take.]
For a politician who is a joke, he certainly can’t take one.
[Insert GIF of crying baby.]
Comment by Norseman Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 2:10 pm
I suppose I can understand the thin skin reference to Rep. McSweeney. But the guy is planning something big. Many have alluded to U.S. Senate or Sec. of State. He probably will be spending millions of his own money as he did for U.S. Congress some years ago. If you understand campaigns you then understand your opposition will use anything against you. Maybe we can cut him some slack here by trying to control future negative attacks. The bonus for Rep. McSweeney here is more about cutting Bambaneck off at the knees ahead of a future run. Big picture this is a pretty solid political move by Rep. McSweeney.
Comment by Nagidam Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 2:18 pm
JoanP, “spraint” is a good word. Thank you.
Comment by bhartbanjo Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 2:40 pm
Big picture this is a pretty solid political move by Rep. McSweeney.
I didn’t see the video, but I suspect it was so scripted that it could be edited to look like an endorsement or that Rod and he had worked well together ….
Comment by Fav Human Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 2:42 pm
===They always talk themselves up as tough guys (Trump says he is tough) but when the rubber meets the road not so much.===
Legitimately tough guys let their actions do the convincing.
Comment by Cubs in '16 Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 2:47 pm
=Maybe we can cut him some slack here by trying to control future negative attacks.=
Of all the negative things that could be said about McSweeney, this might not even crack the top ten.
Comment by Pundent Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 2:50 pm
Not so sure if this move is about a Rod issue or a painting of the “insider” GOP folks and their goal to take McSweeney out?
Inside baseball may say the Rod video would be used the same way Bruce and the insiders used “Madigan’s favorite Republican”?
Also McSweeney won’t have that money problems Jeanne had to fight back.
Comment by Frank talks Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 2:52 pm
I’m gonna miss McSweeney in the House. No other Republican will hold their own party to the principles the GOP espouses.
Comment by anon2 Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 3:00 pm
===Of all the negative things that could be said about McSweeney, this might not even crack the top ten.===
How many of those negative things are in video? Big Picture please.
Comment by Nagidam Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 3:10 pm
Kind of ridiculous that some post this apparently not realizing that freedom of assembly and freedom of religion have been threatened by Pritzker and other Dems throughout the country:
Oh them republicans sure are 1st amendment freedom fighters, ain’t they…? And they certainly do despise them some trial lawyers too”
Comment by Law Man Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 3:12 pm
Spraint Misbehavin’
Comment by Hon. Don Gerard Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 3:25 pm
===No other Republican will hold their own party to the principles the GOP espouses.===
Like no more shrimp fountains for Mayor Craig, or something more serious?
Comment by Proud Sucker Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 3:36 pm
Lawman, I am still worshipping and assembling online. Have you stopped worshipping?
Comment by Ducky LaMoore Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 4:22 pm
“Big picture this is a pretty solid political move by Rep. McSweeney.”
If by “solid political move” you mean petty, silly and wildly counterproductive, then I agree. I hadn’t heard of this. Now I can’t wait to see it. Figure it will be going up on YouTube in 3…2…1…
Comment by Chicago Cynic Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 4:30 pm
=Big picture this is a pretty solid political move by Rep. McSweeney.=
Raising a stink about a video that no one is likely to see or even hear about and doubling down by blaming the House Republican Leader? A solid move if you wanted to remove any chance of being elected. Beyond that it’s just bizarre. But par for the course with McSweeney.
Comment by Pundent Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 4:33 pm
No way Bambanick coordinated with Durkin.
Durkin is the enemy in Bambaneck world.
Comment by Say What? Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 4:47 pm
Little Johnnie Babynek needs attention like most need oxygen. Well, in his case, food. I’m willing to raise taxes forever if it forces him out of Illinois.
Comment by filmmaker prof Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 5:04 pm
I see a future for Rod going eastern bloc videos
Comment by Holding Back Thursday, May 28, 20 @ 7:49 pm