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Legislators respond to somewhat odd hit piece

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Illinois

* Chicago Magazine…

Here is a list of some of Chicago’s least-known residents: Eva Dina Delgado. Lakesia Collins. Frances Ann Hurley. Lindsey LaPointe. Lamont J. Robinson Jr. Cristina H. Pacione-Zayas.

You’ve probably never heard of these people because they don’t work in Chicago; they work in Springfield as members of the Illinois General Assembly.

In Chicago politics, there is no lower form of life than a state legislator. If you’re looking to lie low or hide out from your enemies, run for the legislature. No one will bother to hunt you down in the state capital — an exceedingly dull three-hour drive down Interstate 55.

I dunno, maybe the magazine should be writing more about Illinois government so its readers wouldn’t have to be given such a ludicrous premise?

* Response…

What has Chicago Magazine substantively done over the years to invite readers into the world of state government and politics?

Thank you Chicago Magazine for introducing us to your base in case they have not been in touch with the impactful contributions - both before and during a public health and economic crisis - of the General Assembly members you highlighted in Opinion: There’s No More Invisible Politician than an Illinois State Legislator. Any search on ilga.gov will produce a solid list of successful legislative measures that reflect our deep work on the ground on behalf of the approximately 108,000-216,000 people we each represent. The named group of individuals are legislating with significant impact. Here are some recent examples:

● Lead service line replacement,
● First responder mental health,
● Streamlining Business Enterprise Program Certification for small businesses,
● State designated cultural districts to spur economic recovery,
● Protection of first amendment for youth in care,
● Increased access to higher education pathways,
● Affordable and accessible child care, and
● Increased support and real opportunities for youth and adults with disabilities.

Singling out legislators who are predominantly people of color, women, and openly gay (coincidentally all members of minoritized* groups in the General Assembly) compels us to ask, is it a coincidence or by design that it is difficult to find any statement of solidarity with the national uprising and accelerated civic engagement that many news outlets and socio-political influencers adopted, amplified and implemented in the wake of George Floyd’s murder? This is especially perplexing because these same legislators championed and executed the charge to address the root causes of failed policy for communities that have been historically marginalized in past sessions.

Furthermore, each of us represent communities that may not have broad readership of your magazine which can safely perpetuate the racism, sexism, and homophobia in this opinion piece without any accountability from constituents and supporters who are more than familiar with our track record. Performing a simple Google search, perusing our social media channels, or speaking to our constituents will reveal significant evidence of outreach, engagement, activism, and collaboration within our districts and across Illinois.

While we understand the purpose of an opinion piece, we are left searching for an application of journalistic standards. It’s disheartening that you allowed something this off-base and unconstructive to be included in your publication given that it promotes itself as “the most highly honored city magazines in the nation.” Instead of leaving readers with inflammatory words strung together by a writer rudderless toward a solution to the disengagement he laments, here’s what we propose your readers consider:

● Becoming acquainted with state lawmakers is a shared responsibility between constituents, the media, and elected officials. The work is bidirectional and the law professor who admitted to not knowing, or caring to know, his state senator is more of a poor reflection on him given his area of expertise.

● Confirm if the media source has correspondents covering the subject criticized in opinion pieces (i.e. Does Chicago Magazine have a Springfield correspondent?). Critical consumption of media is a central skill in the 21st century, especially with information overload.

● Verify opinion pieces like these with BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), Latinx, LGBTQ, and women-led sources that offer nuance and uncover complexities that center the world perspectives that are often ignored and diminished by mainstream media and glossy publications.

Chicago Magazine, we disagree with both your tagline, “We (Chicago Magazine) are Chicago,” and the bottom line from this opinion piece that the cited General Assembly members are hiding behind a conflated title of “state legislator” and living a “cush” life with no accountability. Many of us have endured sacrifices to operationalize the role of “public servant.” It is a dishonor to our ancestors, descendants, and co-conspirators in this work who inform our strategy to upend
systemic -isms and transform government to be for, by, and with the people. You can and should do better.

State Representative Lakesia Collins
State Representative Eva-Dina Delgado
State Representative Frances Ann Hurley
State Representative Lindsey LaPointe
State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas
State Representative Lamont Robinson

Kinda on the professorial side, but whatevs. Your thoughts?

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 2:59 pm

Comments

That Obama guy did pretty well after serving in the state legislature. That article is so odd you would think it was from The Onion. I thought the smack back was pretty good.

Comment by levivotedforjudy Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 3:06 pm
I know Rep. Hurley, and that she works diligently for her constituents in Chicago and the SW suburbs. She is definitely visible in our District.

Comment by Ares Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 3:10 pm
Can someone let them know that the drive up 55 TO Chicago isn’t any more or less interesting than the drive down? Way to ramp up the us vs them mentality.
We are one state, and be thankful that we elect representatives. They work hard for all of us.

Comment by thoughts matter Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 3:13 pm
The art/skill/availability of real editors has been gone for a while now.

Good, thoughtful response.

Comment by sal-says Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 3:14 pm
this guy really doesn’t like the map!

Comment by blue line Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 3:15 pm
==This was an educated, informed man, whose legal essays have appeared in The New York Times. A mere state senator was beneath his notice.==

Depending on how long this guy’s been teaching at UChicago, Barack Obama was his state senator. Was McClelland’s source really so ignorant? And who’s laughing now, if he was so uninformed about his own neighborhood?

Comment by Socially DIstant Watcher Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 3:17 pm
Why do they think that moving the building will change the interest of those who are already uninterested in State government? /smh

Comment by Simply Sayin' Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 3:19 pm
==If you’re looking to lie low or hide out from your enemies,==
If I was wanting somewhere to hide from my enemies, I’m pretty sure its easier to hide in Chicago than Springfield.

Comment by Bruce( no not him) Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 3:20 pm
Mike Royko wanna bees.

Comment by Groucho Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 3:20 pm
What an unthinking grass bowl this Lansing, Michigan native is.

Also have to laugh at his hypothesis Illinois politics is too corrupt because Springfield is too far away from Chicago. Just how many Chicago aldermen have been indicted the last four years? Those folks too far from Chicago?

Comment by hisgirlfriday Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 3:21 pm
This article by Chicago Magazine was one of the dumbest I think I have ever read in my life.

Comment by Hannibal Lecter Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 3:22 pm
Hurley is an awesome person and a hard worker. Shame on the mag. And her only job isn’t in the capitol either. She works for the sheriff too.

Comment by NoNonSense Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 3:22 pm
===If you’re looking to lie low or hide out from your enemies===

I’d buy an ad with my cell phone and home address in Chicago magazine. That way, nobody I know would ever see it.

Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 3:29 pm
1 cent opinion from a dime store magazine. Makes the old National Enquirer look like diligent journalism

Comment by Stormsw7706 Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 3:30 pm
…never mind.

Comment by Dotnonymous Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 3:31 pm
I’ve been saying this for years! There was this guy named Madigan who toiled away in obscurity in Springfield for years without nary a word about him.

Comment by Golden Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 3:33 pm
Overall, a thoughtful, measured response to a thoughtless and shallow hit piece by a writer who doesn’t know the turf.

Also, agree w/45th Ward at 3:29 p.m.

Comment by Crispy Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 3:36 pm
“You’ve probably never heard of these people because…”

most were appointed to their seats.

Comment by City Zen Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 3:36 pm
It’s a head scratcher to begin with and then you realize he chose to select women and minorities for criticism. I don’t get what the point was.

Comment by Asteroid of caution Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 3:37 pm
Article and response both a little over the top. But I have to admit I’ve never heard of any of those legislators. Of course I live four hours from Chicago.

Comment by Furtive Look Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 3:40 pm
Chicago sends legislators to Chicago to be trained, or punished.

Comment by Langhorne Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 3:45 pm
article and response equally ridiculous. you want a good response to that article? make it cheeky and informative. But, to the point, almost no one I know outside of political friends knows their state rep or state senator in Chicago or in the burbs. I’m talking people in business, smart people, with big jobs. or if they do, they do not respect them. the ones who do get respect function more like ward service is what they deliver. the lines are too confusing to truly understand who represents whom.

Comment by Amalia Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 3:48 pm
Chicago sounds legislators to SPRINGFIELD to be trained, or punished.

Doh.

Comment by Langhorne Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 4:01 pm
@FurtiveLook - I live in Chicago and am an avid news consumer and haven’t heard of them either - Maybe that’s a good thing.

Comment by Chicagonk Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 4:15 pm
I’ve heard of Lamont Robinson - Great legislator.
I’d never heard of Edward McCleland - terrible journalist.

Comment by Proud Papa Bear Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 4:22 pm
tell me more I just got gerrymandered into Hurleys district.

Comment by Bob Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 4:22 pm
The writer huffed a lot of old Trib editorials in preparation for writing that piece of…writing.

Was it made possible by the Hoary Chestnut Promotion Council?

I know a lot of journalistic outlets are depending on philanthropic underwriting these days.

Comment by Moe Berg Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 4:54 pm
How to find your state legislator:

Step 1: Search “find your state legislator il”
Step 2: click on one of the links that appears
Step 3: enter address
Step 4: see what is returned

So easy, even a U of C professor could follow it. Or Mr. McCleland.

Comment by low level Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 4:56 pm
The author is guy who operates in the shadows and once worked in some capacity for WMAQ-TV. Guessin’ the author failed to contact any of the names. He was always ready to rant about Madigan without doing much fact checking. Chicago MAG has sorta faded especially when covering politics. Wonder how this piece went unnoticed until the Reps did their follow-up? And dare it be noted the piece declares mostly women unknown. Perhaps the author needs to diversity his friend list

Comment by Annonin' Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 5:04 pm
Chicago Magazine opining about legislators is like me opining about cricket players of India… it sounds interesting right up to the point of actually reading what I know about cricketers, and cricketers in India to boot.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 5:09 pm
In Chicago, you not only don’t know who your state rep is, you rarely know what a state rep is. This is not unusual for large cities, however, where political coverage focuses on City Hall at the expense of other legislative bodies.

Heck, Roman Pucinski left a Congressional seat to become an Alderman in Chicago.

At least you have internet and social networking these days. Springfield was really obscure before then.

Comment by low level Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 5:09 pm
Chicago Magazine is now writing political pieces? Who would have thunk it? I always thought that their forte was recommending downtown restaurants to suburban voters and running endless ads on who the top financial advisors and plastic surgeons in the area are.

Comment by Pundent Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 5:40 pm
Chicago should probably just stick to what they’ve been doing forever: stoking city vs. suburb debates and lists of best hamburgers/hot dogs/tacos/etc.

Comment by Father Ted Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 5:48 pm
Never mind that second part to Fr Ted above. I misread your comment. You are exactly correct.

Comment by low level Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 6:30 pm
I guess they don’t realize 57 out of Chicago is much faster, even if you have to cut across on 80 or somewhere. 55 is a parking lot

Comment by Kyle’s mom Monday, Sep 13, 21 @ 9:54 pm
==At least you have internet and social networking these days. Springfield was really obscure before then.==

But before social networking, Internet, and newspaper downsizing, each major newspaper had several Statehouse reporters always on standby at the Capitol.

Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Tuesday, Sep 14, 21 @ 8:03 am
Chicago magazine still exists?

Comment by Southsider Tuesday, Sep 14, 21 @ 9:00 am

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