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* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
As you probably already know, the Democratic Governors Association recently launched a TV ad blasting Republican gubernatorial candidate Richard Irvin for claiming to be a crime-fighter while having defended dangerous criminals as a defense attorney.
“Richard Irvin’s real record on crime?” the DGA ad begins. “For 15 years, Irvin has been a defense lawyer, profiting by defending some of the most violent and heinous criminals. Domestic abusers and sexual assaults. Kidnapper who molested a child. Reckless homicide. Even accused child pornographers. Irvin has been getting rich by putting violent criminals back on our streets. Tell Richard Irvin to stop pretending to be tough on crime and start supporting policies to keep people safe.”
Irvin, in response, said, “For months, I’ve told voters that [Gov. J.B.] Pritzker was desperate and would do anything to win. Now, Pritzker is trying to hijack the Republican primary because he can’t run from the facts: Crime is out of control, tax hikes continue, and corruption lives on in state government under Pritzker’s reign.”
Irvin released a TV ad with much the same message the following day.
Irvin has hyped the crime problem during his campaign, blaming the governor for the deteriorating situation. Crime is being used by the GOP throughout the country as a cudgel against Democrats, and the issue is no doubt helping Irvin’s poll numbers as his funding from the state’s wealthiest resident, Ken Griffin, has paid for endless TV and online ads, as well as direct mail. So, the idea of the DGA ad is to undermine Irvin’s credibility with Republican voters and prevent him from winning the primary.
The Republicans pointed out a few ironies, or hypocrisies, in the ad. For instance, DGA Chair Roy Cooper was himself a criminal defense attorney. Pritzker, a lawyer, donated $100 million to Northwestern University’s law school in 2015. And Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton attended Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s first confirmation hearing for the U.S. Supreme Court. Jackson is a former criminal defense attorney.
Unlike Irvin, however, none of these Democrats have positioned themselves as crime-fighting super heroes.
This is all happening as the spring legislative session winds down, and one item at the top of the majority Democratic Party’s agenda is public safety. The party is dealing with sharp internal divisions over how to deal with the topic. This ad campaign, paid for with Democratic money, will only reinforce the GOP’s “get tough on crime” message. Not great timing.
If past is prologue, the next TV ad from the DGA will come close to a statement released last week by Pritzker’s campaign after far-right Republican gubernatorial candidate Sen. Darren Bailey publicized a gun raffle fundraiser.
“This is just another example of how out of touch and extreme Darren Bailey’s conservative views are,” the Pritzker campaign claimed.
Now, roll back the clock to the 2018 Republican primary. The DGA weighed in with two TV ads, one attacking Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and another claiming Rauner’s GOP primary opponent Jeanne Ives was “too conservative for Illinois.” The Ives-related ad went on to point out she wanted to ban abortion, had an “A” rating from the NRA and that she marched in “lockstep with President Trump, trying to eliminate protections for undocumented immigrants.”
Pritzker preferred to run against the more beatable Ives, so the DGA helped boost her bonafides. The same will likely happen this year for Bailey.
The big difference between now and then is the DGA didn’t start running its TV ads until five days before the 2018 primary. We’re now almost three full months before our June 28 primary. That suggests a far more aggressive, expensive and lengthy campaign against Irvin and, likely, for Bailey (and any other avenues the DGA wants to pursue) than we saw four years ago.
If Irvin makes it out of this primary, he will have the best chance of anyone at giving Pritzker a real run for his money. Irvin can tap limitless funds from billionaire Griffin, he’ll have history on his side as potentially the state’s first Black governor, and he has a very strong and experienced team.
Bailey so far hasn’t raised the money or demonstrated he’s put together the infrastructure necessary to take on the spectacularly well-funded and staffed-up Irvin. I don’t like this meddling stuff, either, but if the Democrats leave Bailey to his own devices while Irvin dumps millions into advertising and opposition research and state party leaders continue to climb on board his bandwagon, Bailey probably won’t make it.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 9:00 am
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That bastion of liberal thought, the Tribune, reports shootings and murders are down from last year.
Comment by Cheryl44 Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 9:06 am
“ one item at the top of the majority Democratic Party’s agenda is public safety. The party is dealing with sharp internal divisions.”
The Sun times over the weekend had an interesting article on the Dems new law of allowing folks on ankle brace monitoring to have a few days free from electronic monitoring . Whelp a few aren tour looking for jobs - they were our commuting new crime - all due to the Safe T act. This type of press is sure adding to that division .
Comment by Donnie Elgin Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 9:17 am
None of these Democrats have positioned themselves as crime fighting super heroes?
Why on earth not?
It is the issue right at the top of voters minds and was front and center in the Mike Quigley mailer I just received.
In BOLD typeface -Chicago has a crime crisis. Rep Mike Quigley is working to make our communities safer
Backside had a picture of a Chicago police car and promises more resources for law enforcement.
Quite the 180 but it is an election year
Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 9:25 am
=== None of these Democrats===
Pritzker is the lone Democrat (of consequence) running for governor, and is the incumbent
Your projection here is likely predicated on a realization that Bailey, Rabine, Schimpf, or Sullivan, if any become the nominee, those four sink the whole ticket.
To bring this back to the post, and a sharply smart work here by Rich, the ripple effect too of taking down Irvin to help “a Bailey” or the others, the red wave that is going to sweep through the country might not land here with tsunami effects, in part because Trumpian, “E”-Van-Gel-Eye-Cal, types that have the support of conspiracy theorists and insurrection sympathizers… and running in Illinois… that might not be helpful in this wave.
To this… and the bot programming;
===… positioned themselves as crime fighting super heroes?
Why on earth not?===
Are you supporting or support the new legislation surrounding crime and criminal justice?
Why on earth not?
I do think GOP “red votes” on any crime package won’t be helpful to the GOP narrative(s)
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 9:36 am
“ Whelp a few aren tour looking for jobs - they were our commuting new crime - all due to the Safe T act.”
According to that article this represents 1% of the defendants in this program. Weird you wouldn’t mention that
Comment by SWIL_Voter Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 9:36 am
With the Dems spending money to beat a specific candidate of an opposing party they must be very worried.
Comment by Nieva Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 9:46 am
Interesting article on a topic not yet getting enough attention from most media outlets.
Pretty sure I may be on the wrong side of how Pritzker’s mudslinging attack Ad is viewed.
He attacks a fellow that has spent a part of his long career in public service defending the right to fair treatment both as a prosecutor and a defense lawyer.
The Ad by Pritzker gives me the feeling that if I am in favor of the Constitution then I am soft on crime.
Hopefully younger voters who are thinking about joining the Democratic Party during this election cycle will recognize that we have really good folks like our US Senators in the Party that they can use as role models.
Comment by Back to the Future Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 9:52 am
===worried===
The likely most “challenging challenger” is Irvin.
How much of that is Irvin and the likely $200 million that may come from Griffin (when it’s all said and done), or that Bailey, Rabine, Schimpf, or Sullivan are so weak that “anyone but Irvin” helps a great many sins in a likely red wave election?
Pritzker is not like Quinn or Rauner as an incumbent, those two faces real campaign challenges towards re-elect and both were not successful.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 9:53 am
——
That bastion of liberal thought, the Tribune, reports shootings and murders are down from last year.
——
Although they punctuated it with “but experts are wary, says Suburban Police Chief Hingle McCringleberry of Bullpitt, Illinois”
Comment by dan l Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 9:53 am
=With the Dems spending money to beat a specific candidate of an opposing party they must be very worried=
Could be worried, or could be practical. And if we assume Irvin will be the nominee weakening his support amongst the base isn’t a bad strategy either. I’m not sure that they’ll have the same enthusiasm they might otherwise feel towards their preferred candidates. And any attempts to appeal to them could turn off the suburban voters that Irvin is clearly targeting.
Comment by Pundent Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 9:58 am
None of these Democrats is quoted verbatim from the article so I wasn’t projecting anything
Why do you think the crime issue only applies to the Governor’s race?
None of the window dressing on crime fighting being debated this week will make a difference until criminals realize there are severe consequences for violent crime.
I see no indication this is a remote possibility.
Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 9:59 am
Never in a million years did I see Democrats spending millions of dollars on ads criticizing lawyers and promising to cut taxes but desperate times call for desperate measures.
Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 10:03 am
A billionaire grudge match, JB wants to disconnect the GOP spigot
Comment by Rabid Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 10:04 am
===None of these Democrats is quoted verbatim from the article so I wasn’t projecting anything===
You seem to have a real lacking or lack self awareness to what you actually “do”, which you fumble often.
Like this ignorance…
===Why do you think the crime issue only applies to the Governor’s race?===
The goal of the exercise with this ad is to exactly what you claim you are clueless about; it’s making crime an issue for Irvin. You *want* this discussion to be about… “Democrats”… projecting back against the intent of the ad, lol
=== None of the window dressing on crime fighting being debated this week will make a difference until criminals realize there are severe consequences for violent crime.
I see no indication this is a remote possibility.===
So you’re against the crime measures?
I guess you’re soft on crime, even being against these measures?
You’re a friend to criminals, amirite?
It’s like being against ethics bills…
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 10:13 am
==With the Dems spending money to beat a specific candidate of an opposing party they must be very worried. ==
Do you think the White Sox are worried when they try to score runs, too?
Comment by Arsenal Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 10:19 am
==Whelp a few aren tour looking for jobs - they were our commuting new crime==
Maybe they’ll ask noted criminal defense attorney Richard Irvin to represent them in court. He supported the SAFE-T Act, after all.
Comment by Arsenal Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 10:21 am
Project all you want, Democrats are the one’s lacking in self awareness about the seriousness of the crime issue and are against ethics bills.
Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 10:23 am
Although they punctuated it with “but experts are wary, says Suburban Police Chief Hingle McCringleberry of Bullpitt, Illinois”
Technically, Bulpitt is a suburb of Kincaid as is Tovey.
Comment by Baloneymous Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 10:26 am
==Never in a million years did I see Democrats spending millions of dollars on ads criticizing lawyers and promising to cut taxes==
Sorry that reality is crashing in on your programming, I guess.
Comment by Arsenal Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 10:40 am
- Back to the Future -
Are you still selling being a Dem, supporting Sullivan, but… I’m sorry, what exactly are you trying to advocate here while advocating for Sullivan?
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 11:24 am
Bailey needs all the help he can get, apparently. Will be having a prayer breakfast for him at some point, just a few words over a bowl of cereal or something.
Comment by Grandson of Man Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 11:24 am
1. Irvin has been a paid lawyer for criminals.
2. Child-sex traffickers and child pornographers are criminals.
There, that ought to turn every GOP voter against Irvin.
Comment by Southern Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 11:46 am
Ashamed to say I have not kept up with the gubernatorial campaign this far but has Irvin actually addressed the criticism of being a former defense attorney head-on yet?
Comment by Bothanspied Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 11:53 am
Bailey made his money with dirt, Irvin made his money advertising to defending dirt
Comment by Rabid Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 11:53 am
Do you think Republican voters don’t believe in the 6th amendment right to due process, a fair trial, the right to a lawyer and an impartial jury?
Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 11:57 am
=Why on earth not?=
Maybe they aren’t as hypocritical or as dishonest as Irvin. The false portrayals in his ads will come back to haunt him.
=worried?=
If the are smart they worry about every challenger.
@LP- help me out. Is the ILGOP for or against trial lawyers? Because they were always against, especially defense attorneys and personal injury attorneys. Up is down now I guess. The party that stands for…Ken Griffin I guess.
Comment by JS Mill Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 12:04 pm
===Do you think Republican voters don’t believe in the 6th amendment right to due process, a fair trial, the right to a lawyer and an impartial jury?===
Are you asking the insurrectionists and the sympathizers too, - Lucky Pierre -?
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 12:14 pm
==With the Dems spending money to beat a specific candidate of an opposing party they must be very worried==
A wise person once told me that no matter who the opponent (or in that case, how favorable the district), incumbents need to run like the devil is chasing them.
That said, there’s a definite strategy here. If Griff’s cash can be put on the sideline by June, then the re-elect becomes much, much less expensive. And yeah, Irvin would be the most competitive candidate, but Pritzker already owns the fundamentals (statewide D-R breakdown) so as long as he runs a competent campaign, he should still win.
Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 12:18 pm
=== don’t believe in the 6th amendment right to due process, a fair trial, the right to a lawyer and an impartial jury?===
Very interesting to compare responses to this post with the responses on another post today https://capitolfax.com/2022/04/04/program-hammered-over-1-percent-failure-rate/
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 12:20 pm
===The Ad by Pritzker gives me the feeling that if I am in favor of the Constitution then I am soft on crime.===
That’s been the National GOP theme since the days of the Warren Court.
Comment by Anyone Remember Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 12:22 pm
=Very interesting to compare responses to this post with the responses on another post today…=
Gee wiz Rich, you don’t actually think these guys have a belief system do you? lol.
Comment by JS Mill Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 12:24 pm
The consistently inconsistent bit, then projecting the fallacies on all angles for political expediency…
… is not a superpower, it’s just shallow partisanship
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 12:27 pm
The DGA and God are on Bailey’s side, and early too, because of Grif’s early funding for anti fair tax propaganda.
Comment by PublicServant Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 12:38 pm
The shadow partisanship is to somehow equate criminal defense work with support for criminals.
We are about to confirm a Supreme Court Justice who defended terrorists at Guantanamo Bay and nobody is holding that against her because that is essential for us to live up to our Constitution.
Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 12:43 pm
===Do you think Republican voters don’t believe in the 6th amendment right to due process, a fair trial, the right to a lawyer and an impartial jury?===
“Lock Her Up!”
I mean, if that is the Irvin Defense, let’s hear it. Because so far Irvin seems to wanna pivot to talk about Pritzker every time his record comes up.
That strategy works in a General, it does not work in a Primary where Pritzker is not on the ballot.
Oh BTW, the Better Government Association rated Irvin’s claim he reduced crime by 40% “Mostly False.”
https://www.bettergov.org/news/fact-check-aurora-mayor-richard-irvin-claims-he-reduced-homicides-by-40-his-first-year-in/
I get that Eleni Demerzis and Mike Z are likeable people. I don’t get the claim that they are running a top-notch campaign.
This campaign has made a lot of unforced errors. Launching a campaign without being able to answer basic questions on abortion, gun control and Trump. Unable to explain their candidate’s primary voting record. Unable to defend their candidate’s campaign contributions. Launching a campaign and then hiding from the media for weeks.
How s Irvin polling? Not well:
https://www.wcia.com/illinois-capitol-news/pritzker-enjoys-comfortable-lead-over-gop-field-rabine-early-republican-frontrunner-pollster-says/
If Irvin has more recent polls with better news, he is not sharing them with us.
Comment by Three Blind Mice Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 1:18 pm
===who defended terrorists at Guantanamo Bay and nobody is holding that against her===
Right, but if she was campaigning for that seat based on her current toughness on Al Qaeda, I think it would definitely be an issue. This isn’t that difficult.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 1:21 pm
===We are about to confirm a Supreme Court Justice who defended terrorists at Guantanamo Bay and nobody is holding that against her because that is essential for us to live up to our Constitution.===
Thurgood Marshall was seen as an outstanding justice and lawyer… don’t remember him running or being a governor
I guess different jobs also looks at justice differently, especially if voters can decide at the ballot box
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 1:26 pm
I’m shocked at how many commenters are pretending not to understand the difference between a private defense attorney and a public defender.
Hint: it is not a “public service” to make a quick $5k helping someone beat a DUI.
Comment by AlfondoGonz Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 1:37 pm
Did she advertise for clients in Guantanamo
Comment by Rabid Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 1:39 pm
==We are about to confirm a Supreme Court Justice who defended terrorists at Guantanamo Bay and nobody is holding that against her because==
…she is not running for public office on a Tuff On Crime ™ platform.
It’s OK to treat different things differently. It’s good, in fact.
Comment by Arsenal Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 2:15 pm
Irvin SHOULD NOT be our Governor. And Z need to stay in Tennessee.
Comment by Jenny Clarke Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 3:06 pm
===Project all you want===
Again, that’s what you are going here, exactly here…
===Democrats are the one’s lacking in self awareness about the seriousness===
Friend, this is about Irvin, Pritzker, and “helping” Bailey.
Your purposeful side-stepping and also your lacking of support criminal justice reform, seemingly at all…
… your wading into this is dishonest, something you do often with your programming
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 4:08 pm
OW
I find Sullivan interesting. All the candidates have issues and I don’t think I am interested in selling anybody.
As the issues start to be clear it will be a lot easier to figure out who to vote for. For example, Jesse Sullivan has reported that he is a foster parent. Reports on DCSF have the agency in the worse shape it has been in 30 years. On just this issue would those children that were involved in the Contempt of Court Orders under the Pritzker administration be better off under aMr. Sullivan or Mr. Pritzker administration.
I always vote in the Democratic Party Primary, but maybe we Dems can consider a better candidate in the General. Not sure who that would be, but thinking Sullivan is still in the hunt for his party’s nomination although I do think Mr. Irvin has the advantage currently and that is why Team Pritzker is funding this current mudslinging effort.
The comments about the Sullivan campaign having issues are often on target, but he just raised a million dollars to go over 12 million in campaign funds- he has a base and funding.
Comment by Back to the Future Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 5:08 pm
===I find Sullivan interesting. All the candidates have issues and I don’t think I am interested in selling anybody.===
You find him more than interesting. I can show you where, and it’s odd, quite odd, if you have this thing now as a Dem, because Sullivan is far from any Dem type ideals as any of them.
===Not sure who that would be, but thinking Sullivan is still in the hunt for his party’s nomination===
What do you base this on?
===he has a base===
What do you base that on? LOL
Lemme know if you’d like to revisit your far more than “I find him interesting” comments.
Your defense of his fundamental mistakes make that comical.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 5:13 pm
== I’m shocked at how many commenters are pretending not to understand the difference between a private defense attorney and a public defender. Hint: it is not a “public service” to make a quick $5k helping someone beat a DUI. ==
Yes, thank you for pointing out the difference between making money off of keeping people out of jail vs helping those who can’t afford to defend themselves in court. So here it is again in case anyone is confused.
Comment by Shytown Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 5:15 pm
===… but maybe we Dems can consider a better candidate in the General.===
If you’re a one-issue voter with DCFS, this is the first you’ve made such a claim, and folks vote one issue often, but landing on Sullivan as a better candidate as a Dem in the overall issues, given the polarity of the parties, and climate…
…and your support of his public issues…
Tough to see how you style yourself as you do.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 5:19 pm
Folks are right to think Mr. Sullivan has serious issues.
Folks would be very wrong to think Mr. Pritzker doesn’t have serious issues.
Going to be or at least seem like a very long campaign. Will be fun to watch this all play out.
At least we can agree the column in the Sunday Times raised and covered very well the campaign Ads by both Pritzker and Irvin.
Comment by Back to the Future Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 5:44 pm
=== but he just raised a million dollars===
There’s a $1 million donation, from a person from San Mateo, California…
More California Cash
I think where you’ve lost me, with respect… your own political history with supporting Harold Washington, and landing here.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 5:44 pm
Isn’t that better that the money funding the Pritzker campaign is is coming from Bahamas?
Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Apr 4, 22 @ 5:53 pm
OW
Did not mean to ignore your comments.
Went out last night with some friends and just did not get to them.
Respect your views.
Thinking the three best funded campaigns are going to be interesting to watch in a “political science” way, but issues are certainly the way I intend to look at when figuring out how to vote.
Comment by Back to the Future Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 10:30 am
===Isn’t that better that the money funding the Pritzker campaign is is coming from Bahamas?===
The voters already decided once in that.
If voters decide a stolen valor Californian who is promoting “God” and cryptocoin is good…
===Thinking the three best funded campaigns are going to be interesting to watch in a “political science” way, but issues are certainly the way I intend to look at when figuring out how to vote.===
My question was rectifying a Harold Washington type Dem supporting Jesse Sullivan as you do. Your constant defense of Sullivan with Harold Washington seems like an odd spectrum to land on.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 5, 22 @ 10:35 am