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* Greg Hinz at Crain’s…
With two major new candidates entering the fray, Illinois House Democrats later today are set to renew efforts to select a new speaker—while incumbent Mike Madigan hangs in the wings in case they come up short.
The new contenders include Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch of Hillside, who threw his hat into the ring late yesterday after picking up an endorsement from the Legislature’s Black Caucus, and downstate Democratic leader Rep. Jay Hoffman of Swansea. Hoffman hasn’t formally announced his campaign, but insiders say he is lining up support and has some backing from organized labor and trial lawyers, two important Democratic funding groups.
Welch and Hoffman would join North Side independent Ann Williams, who in an initial caucus vote yesterday got far more support than anyone except Madigan. Madigan has “suspended” but not ended his campaign for a new term as speaker.
At the moment, key insiders tell me, Welch appears to have the strongest base of support, with the 22 members of the Black Caucus and potentially the Latino caucus and other Madigan backers.
* WTTW…
Welch led a special investigative panel formed to probe whether Madigan’s role as the subject of a bribery scheme by Commonwealth Edison made Madigan unfit to hold public office. Under Welch’s leadership, Democrats on the panel protected Madigan from having to testify.
Critics say it’s an indication that Welch would be a Madigan puppet.
“Madigan 2.0,” tweeted Alaina Hampton, a political strategist who used to work for Madigan’s political army but later sued Madigan’s political committees, alleging retaliation after she came forward with sexual harassment allegations against a Madigan aide.
One moderate Democratic legislator from the suburbs said he’s backing Welch with the belief that Welch will be able to unite the caucus and that he can assemble a campaign apparatus worthy of the strong one Madigan built; the lawmaker said he doubts Williams could do so given that her progressive, reliably Democratic district.
* Rep. Kam Buckner is the incoming chair of the House Black Caucus…
In 2021, do we really think it is appropriate to call a Black man and the Black Caucus ‘puppets’? Or are we ready to acknowledge that we can think for ourselves?
…Adding… I asked Welch about this the other day and he said he wasn’t aware of anyone approaching Durkin on his behalf…
.@ilhousegop Ldr Jim Durkin claims @RepChrisWelch—newly announced (but not at all surprising) candidate to replace House Spkr Mike Madigan—sent 2 lobbyists to Durkin asking for support. Durkin shuts that down is still upset about Welch protecting Madigan (https://t.co/XoZaoMp0ty) https://t.co/1h4gZS1sYr
— Hannah Meisel (@hannahmeisel) January 12, 2021
*** UPDATE *** Sun-Times…
The Latinx Caucus will endorse Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch as the next speaker of the Illinois House on Tuesday, a day after the Black Caucus chose the Hillside Democrat as its candidate, sources told the Chicago Sun-Times.
Three sources — one of them within the House Latinx Caucus — confirmed the decision.
With the Black Caucus’ backing potentially providing 22 votes, and all nine Latinx Caucus members endorsing Welch, he could have 31 of the 60 votes needed to become speaker.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 4:15 pm
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Would also note that KB spoke about this on WGN https://wgnradio.com/news/rep-kam-buckner-we-know-who-the-next-speaker-will-be/
Comment by Precinct Captain Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 4:18 pm
If Rep Welch becomes the Speaker, he’ll be the Speaker. It’s ludicrous to think he’d let Madigan control him. He may be part of the Springfield Democratic establishment, but he’s not a puppet
Comment by Oak Parker Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 4:20 pm
Buckner is very correct and the effort to smear Chris Welch with that political perjorative is highly problematic for “progressives” or anyone else.
Comment by Chuck Button Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 4:21 pm
“And to prove it to you, Mr. Madigan will drink this entire glass of water while I announce patronage hires.”
Comment by Roadrager Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 4:21 pm
Also, it’s unfair to Alaina Hampton to take her “Madigan 2.0″ tweet to imply she’s saying “puppet.” There’s a big difference
Comment by Oak Parker Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 4:22 pm
Would also note that Alaina Hampton was brought in by Kelly Cassidy to work on Yoni Pizer’s Campaign.
Comment by Ferris Wheeler Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 4:23 pm
Ferris Wheeler, and?
Comment by Now I'm down in it. Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 4:26 pm
If Williams gets out of the progressive, blue bubble (safe dem district) she’s in and truly reaches out to learn about the difficulties of running and winning as a Democrat she has potential. If she can build an urban-suburban-downstate coalition that combines the social justice issues with the dire economic issues facing every region of Illinois, she has a chance.
Comment by west wing Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 4:26 pm
Name calling is never a good look
Comment by Kayak Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 4:27 pm
I seem to remember suburban Democratic women getting pretty steamed when the Chicago Tribune editorialist called them Madigan puppets.
It’s interesting that they would chose to go down this road.
Comment by Ferris Wheeler Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 4:28 pm
Madigan 2.0, should be accompanied by facts. however, who actually used the word puppet?
Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 4:28 pm
😐
Comment by Commisar Gritty Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 4:31 pm
Karen would like to speak to the manager. Their rebuke of Welch and the obvious dog whistle is surely building up their cred.
Comment by The Spirit of St. Louis Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 4:32 pm
I dunno…..Welch definitely sided with Madigan on the ComEd scandal, and that is supposedly what is finally bringing Madigan down. Is this really the change we want?
Comment by Just Me 2 Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 4:35 pm
What’s the complaint here? Yeah, Madigan and Welch are tight. Is that the problem? Do people somehow think Madigan is going to stay in the GA and influence or control Welch, should he get the gavel? That’s… unlikely, for many reasons. As Buckner suggests, is the complaint that they don’t think Welch can stand on his own without Madigan? Not as unlikely, but it seems unlikely to me. Is the complaint that Welch will try to exercise as much control as Madigan has? It seems to me that now is when the caucus could negotiate and make deals and lessen the speaker’s ability to kill bills, or whatever. I repeat, what is the complaint here?
Comment by Perrid Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 4:36 pm
===Welch definitely sided with Madigan on the ComEd scandal, and that is supposedly what is finally bringing Madigan down===
The emails were released by his committee. Not his doing, but it was his committee.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 4:36 pm
=== who actually used the word puppet? ===
“Critics say it’s an indication that Welch would be a Madigan puppet.”
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 4:38 pm
Wondering…Yes, thank you. In agreement.
Comment by Pizza Man Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 4:40 pm
OK, so WTTW called him a puppet. They should apologize.
Comment by Graybeard Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 4:43 pm
— “Madigan 2.0,” tweeted Alaina Hampton —
How would she know? She barely knew Madigan, doesn’t know Welch and his style are nothing like Madigan. Ms Hampton knows nothing about Welch or the workings of the General Assembly. It is incredibly sad the media uses her and makes her out to be someone with any idea what’s going on.
Comment by Facts ma’am Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 4:44 pm
Hey facts ma’am what do you know about the 2002 Welch incident in which he bounced a woman’s head off the counter a few times
Comment by Facts sir Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 4:47 pm
Both men have expectations that will likely not be met for very long.
Comment by Lincoln Lad Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 4:50 pm
=Would also note that Alaina Hampton was brought in by Kelly Cassidy to work on Yoni Pizer’s Campaign.=
Yoni lost.
Are you trying to imply if Cassidy makes her move to become Speaker that Hampton would be COS?
Comment by The Eastern Block Strikes Again Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 4:50 pm
Facts sir…respectfully speaking…if this alleged incident occurred, I don’t care if he was a House member at the time in ‘02 or not, Rep. Welch should not even remotely be considering the speakership.
This woman should speak up; police reports/timelines should speak for themselves.
Comment by Pizza Man Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 4:54 pm
=Hampton would be COS?=
What a very odd - and oddly specific - conclusion to draw.
Comment by Graybeard Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 5:03 pm
The odd thing is all these accusations that Welch is the handpicked successor to Madigan only help him pick up those last stragglers.
And its not like that story has much staying power.
Comment by Ok Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 5:09 pm
So WTTW used the term puppet and Rep. Kam Buckner answered by using the term puppet. The term is inflammatory. But it was, apparently, not used by any opposing Rep. Welch as Speaker. So let’s tamp down that rhetoric to be fair. Madigan 2.0 should be explained but it could absolutely refer to the fact that Welch would function the same way as Madigan which is not what people want, right?
Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 5:10 pm
Welch seems to have lots of skeletons. This is the time to have a leader who has an impeccable reputation, which would not be Welch
https://www.oakpark.com/News/Articles/1-6-2021/Welch%27s-past-shows-he%27s-not-to-be-trusted-with-Madigan-investigation/
Comment by Barrington Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 5:15 pm
You’re telling me Welch’s committee wanted to rid the stench of corruption? That was certainly not his mandate from within the party, but it was no profile in courage either. It also opened Welch up to criticism that he was, you guessed it, Madigan’s Medvedev.
Comment by W.C. Fields Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 5:15 pm
I actually would love to hear if Marty Moylan believes that Chris Welch is Madigan’s hand-picked successor.
Comment by Ok Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 5:23 pm
I see that the lobbying team of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are up to no good again.
Comment by Doreen Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 5:26 pm
Is there anything to the assertion by Alaina Hampton that Welch would be Madigan 2.0? I think it has something to do with a charge a few years ago of an act of domestic violence..
Comment by Southern Belle Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 5:27 pm
Welch has the opportunity to become Speaker this year only because of the courageous 19 or 22. Welch took no risk. If none of them is represented in the new top leadership, then there is no reward for taking a risk to do the right thing.
Comment by anon2 Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 5:30 pm
A copy of the police report is here: https://twitter.com/ChairmanSquelch/status/1335676581356969985/photo/1
Comment by Mimi Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 5:31 pm
“If none of them is represented in the new top leadership, then there is no reward for taking a risk to do the right thing.”
I think that’s sort of the idea from the Madigan supporters. They’re upset that people took a stand against him, and have mocked the original 19 for not having someone that could get to 60. They may lose Madigan, but they would prefer things remain “business as usual.”
Comment by NIU Grad Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 5:36 pm
@Eastern Bloc -
I dont think anyone suggested Hampton for COS. She is a consultant, her firm did no work in Illinois in 2020 that I am aware of other than at Cassidy’s behest.
Consultant Lee Jackson did no other paid political consulting other than for Cassidy.
Cassidy is an unannounced candidate in this race. If she were elected Speaker, political consultants who are close to her would expect to benefit.
Cassidy is unannounced because she is hoping to knock off any contenders before she gets in. When people starting taking whacks at candidates, its reasonable to ask who or how they hope to gain.
I think Rich was right that the next Speaker is going to come from the 51 who supported Madigan and not the 22 who opposed him. But those folks can make a serious play for the #2 spot as well as diversity of leadership spots, committee chairs, etc.
Cassidy does not want #2 which is why her name isnt out there.
Comment by Ferris Wheeler Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 5:41 pm
===If she were elected Speaker, political consultants who are close to her would expect to benefit.==
The corrupt cabal.
Comment by Precinct Captain Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 5:47 pm
“…the lawmaker said he doubts Williams could do so given that her progressive, reliably Democratic district.”
Welch’s district is very reliably Democratic and Welch has never faced a Republican opponent in his state house career. I have no clue who would assemble a stronger campaign apparatus, I just want to point out that this is not a legitimate take in favor of Welch.
Comment by Disgruntled IL Democrat Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 5:48 pm
===You’re telling me Welch’s committee wanted to rid the stench of corruption?===
Nope.
===So WTTW used the term puppet … So let’s tamp down that rhetoric===
Nope.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 6:21 pm
If you didn’t have the courage to throw your hat into the ring before Madigan suspended his campaign then you really aren’t fit for the job.
Comment by Arock Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 6:34 pm
Leader Durkin needs to get over himself. He’s obviously trying to interfere with election because Welch stood strong against him and other Republicans time and time again. They want a weak candidate not someone strong like Welch.
Comment by Realtalk Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 6:55 pm
“This woman should speak up”
Pizza boy - I know you think you’re helping. You’re not. Stop it.
Comment by Centennial Tuesday, Jan 12, 21 @ 7:20 pm
We just voted in Madigan’s puppet. He has shown he is very loyal to Madigan
Comment by RAM Thursday, Jan 14, 21 @ 4:49 pm