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* Republican secretary of state candidate John Milhiser…
Last night, WCIA released a story chronicling Democrat candidate for Secretary of State Anna Valencia’s history of pushing city contracts to clients represented by her husband. The story states that “over the course of several years, official and personal correspondence shows clear evidence that Valencia spent a significant portion of her time in office paving the way for projects that directly benefited her husband.”
John Milhiser released the following statement on this latest update:
“If these are the actions of Governor Pritzker’s preferred Secretary of State, then what else is being condoned in Illinois government? These are not the actions of a public servant, but those of a career politician, taking advantage of taxpayer dollars for personal gain. I have spent my career investigating and prosecuting crime and corruption, and as Secretary of State I will end this culture of corruption that has been allowed to continue during the Pritzker Administration.”
* The timeline from Mark Maxwell’s story…
Thursday, March 16, 2016 – Orange Barrel Media (OBMSMG LLC) registers in Ohio.
Wednesday, August 30, 2017 – Orange Barrel Media LLC registers as foreign corporation in Illinois.
Thursday, October 12, 2017 – Orange Barrel Media changes name to IKE Smart City LLC.
Thursday, January 11, 2018 – IGNITE Consulting LLC (dba IGNITE Cities) registers in Illinois.
Thursday, May 31, 2018 – Valencia’s office forms an unpaid “partnership” with Spins, LLC and Black Dog Corporation to provide “healthy food options” to teens at an event with the City Clerk’s office. The partnership provided public exposure for two companies that have paid her husband $52,000.
Wednesday, July 11, 2018 – Ignite Cities promotes Valencia’s speech at a City Tech Collaborative Event.
Thursday, July 12, 2018 – Ignite Cities’ George Burciaga shares a stage with Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia where Burciaga talks about becoming profitable.
Saturday, July 14, 2018 – Ignite Cities posted a photo of Valencia with former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel praising the rollout of the CityKey.
Saturday, July 21, 2018 – Burciaga posts a picture to Twitter with Valencia, mentions Microsoft and MasterCard, companies his firm would later list as partners. After Ignite partnered with Mastercard, Mastercard’s program launched a new card “City Key” that is similar to Chicago’s CityKey, but also allows for electronic fund transfers.
Tuesday, September 25, 2018 – Illinois Medical District puts out RFP for Innovation District Broadband Project.
Monday, October 15, 2018 – Burciaga and McKinney sign a $50k consulting contract between Illinois Medical District and Ignite Cities, where [Valencia’s spouse Reyahd Kazmi] works as Managing Director. The contract vaguely describes “business development services within the Illinois Medical District.” The consulting services included “The alignment of CEO’s initiatives with global partners to reframe smart district offerings that can scale, replicate, and become profitable for the Illinois Medical District.”
[Date Redacted] – Documents reviewed by Target Three investigators show Kazmi Advisors LLC signed a consulting contract with Ignite Cities for a flat monthly fee. Nothing in the document prohibited Kazmi Advisors, LLC from charging lobbying or consulting fees to additional companies involved in the same deal.
Monday, March 4, 2019 – IMD and Ignite Cities announce the launch of the country’s “first ‘smart’ medical district in a press release. The announcement includes a public statement from Kazmi.
Monday, September 30, 2019 – Reyahd Kazmi and Anna Valencia congratulate Dr. Suzet McKinney on the launch of a new Starbucks in the Illinois Medical District. A press release lists AT&T as one of the other companies to open there soon.
Monday, November 11, 2019 – Valencia emails MasterCard about “printing keys for the returning citizens.” She says, “I’m waiting on my royalties from MasterCard for stealing our name.” MasterCard’s City Key initiative is spelled almost identically as the city of Chicago’s CityKey.
Thursday, November 21, 2019 – Illinois Medical District CEO Dr. Suzet McKinney signs a contract with IKE Smart City, LLC to install digital kiosks at prime locations around the city. The contract offers IMD a higher share of revenue if the government agency assists IKE Smart City in getting the “necessary approvals” to install the devices. Public records show Kazmi is a registered lobbyist for IKE Smart City, LLC.
Wednesday, December 18, 2019 – Burciaga presents Ignite Cities’ public-private partnership plan to put 20 IKE digital kiosks up in the Illinois Medical District. IKE proposes spending $2M up front and $600k per year to maintain the kiosks. Burciaga offers IMD 20% of ad revenue from kiosks, and estimates the deal will net IMD $3 million in revenue. Burciaga’s presentation listed corporate logos from “partners” Crown Castle, Cisco, Verizon, MasterCard, AT&T, Quantela, and Microsoft, though the extent of those companies’ involvement or consent remains unknown.
Monday, January 27th, 2020 – Anna emails MasterCard officials to set up a January 28th meeting to discuss how the credit card company can “grow existing efforts from a payment perspective,” and “next steps for technical integrations.”
Thursday, May 14, 2020 – Valencia aide advises her to use personal email to send invitations for a meeting with the head of the Illinois Medical District, and recommends to avoid using the Office of City Clerk government logo. Valencia responds, “I want my logo.”
Monday, June 15, 2020 – Valencia receives email praising a “productive meeting to discuss opportunities to align efforts between the IMD and the OZ Consortium.” An investment strategy document is attached.
Sunday, July 4, 2021 – New Orleans mayor’s office awards contract to investment firm JLC Infrastructure. The mayor’s office copies Burciaga in the email.
Wednesday, July 22, 2020 – Valencia lobbies Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to review her “strategy and prospectus” for the Illinois Medical District, which had already signed a deal with her husband’s firm.
Thursday, October 1, 2020 – Valencia attends Accelerator for America advisory council Zoom call with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. Shamina Singh, Founder & President, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, was also in attendance.
Thursday, October 29, 2020 – Valencia receives an email from Accelerator for America about a Memorandum of Understanding and “investment strategy” with Obsidian Investment Partners for the Illinois Medical District project.
Monday, December 14, 2020 – Valencia rejects a meeting with Chicago Alderman Michael Scott to discuss the Illinois Medical District project because she doesn’t have the MOU yet. Scott’s wife Natashee Scott was previously Valencia’s senior advisor.
Monday, September 20, 2021 – Kazmi Advisors LLC signs lobbying contract offering “political advising” and “relationship management” to Ohio-based OB365 LLC (Orange Barrel Media LLC).
Friday, September 24, 2021 – George Burciaga connects New Orleans city officials with Anna Valencia and suggests that she help promote the city ID program which would provide “access to city services, relief funding and banking services.”
Saturday, September 25, 2021 – Valencia enlists the help of her Chief of Staff and two other government aides to join the conversation.
Monday, September 27, 2021 – Valencia aide schedules a meeting with the mayor of New Orleans’ office for the next month.
Tuesday, December 14, 2021 – City of New Orleans dismisses ‘conflict of interest’ accusations that Ignite Cities was rigging smart city contracts.
Thursday, January 21, 2021 – City of New Orleans asks Burciaga for help explaining the “scope of services” in a smart cities project.
Monday, January 24, 2022 – Kazmi lobbies the City of Chicago Parks Department on behalf of Orange Barrel Media (aka Orange Barrel Media) and offers some sort of revenue sharing deal.
Tuesday, January 25, 2022 – Chicago Park District official describes Kazmi’s pitch as “primarily a marketing opportunity for the OBM company.”
Monday, February 14, 2022 – Kazmi reaches back out to Park District officials and says he is “putting together possible locations with revenue numbers.”
Tuesday, March 15, 2022 – NBC 5 Chicago reports Valencia and Kazmi failed to disclose his income as a lobbyist.
Wednesday, March 16, 2022 – Valencia “admits to honest mistake” in omitting husband’s lobbying income in ethics forms, according to NBC 5 Chicago. Ethics complaint filed against Valencia and Kazmi for failing to disclose lobbying clients.
Friday, March 25th, 2022 – NBC 5 Chicago reports Valencia modified ethics forms to note husband’s lobbying income.
Friday, April 1, 2022 – US Ignite LLC files lawsuit against Ignite Cities alleging trademark and patent infringement.
Monday, April 4, 2022 – Target 3 investigators ask the Valencia campaign why Kazmi’s lobbyist registration documents are missing important information about his role on a state board.
On three separate occasions, Kazmi registered as a lobbyist and did not disclose his position on a state board. As a result, his name did not appear on the Secretary of State’s lists of lobbyists who hold public office. The law states lobbyists could face fines or potentially be barred as a lobbyist in Illinois for each violation.
The Secretary of State’s office does not respond to questions seeking comment about Kazmi’s incomplete registration forms.
Tuesday, April 5, 2022 – The Illinois Medical District tells Target 3 it is “no longer considering” installing the digital kiosks. A spokesman says, “Logistical challenges were encountered that made it difficult to implement the project.” He explains a snazzy promotional video that was updated to include digital kiosks “started as an imagined vision of the long-term goal.” He says it “shouldn’t have been an assumption that we were going to include every single thing in that video.”
Wednesday, April 6, 2022 – Kazmi amends his state lobbyist registration form to note that he serves on a state board on Governor Pritzker’s Youth Budget Commission.
Thoughts?
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 10:10 am
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
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The most golden of opportunities for Republicans to win a statewide race.
Comment by Independent Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 10:14 am
The lazy and slow Valencia campaign and crew are now going to need to introduce Valencia *after* so much of her oppo seems to be getting earned press before Valencia’s Crew has thought to… engage…
So unimpressive this whole campaign… top to bottom.
Another week… still nothing out there to try to introduce Valencia. Well, unless you count the continued barrage towards her and the… “campaign responses”
Not impressed… the impression remains poor… and daylight is burning.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 10:16 am
=== The most golden of opportunities for Republicans to win a statewide race.===
… and Treasurer.
The GOP with Milhiser and Demmer… could be a big night with a GOP Nominee for governor not toxic… Alexi and Frerichs are weak, Valencia is blowing her chance, seemingly every day?
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 10:24 am
I have multiple thoughts.
It’s amusing that “rising star” Valencia turns out to be a cheap hustler. You need to wait to get to the big time before cashing in, silly.
I’m probably leaving SoS line blank.
I’m angry that Mark Maxwell is leaving Illinois.
Comment by Excitable Boy Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 10:27 am
===Thoughts?===
Never email.
Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 10:36 am
The GOP with Milhiser and Demmer… could be a big night with a GOP Nominee for governor not toxic… Alexi and Frerichs are weak, Valencia is blowing her chance, seemingly every day?
You Assume Milhiser wins the R Primary, if he does how’s his Trump connections (nominated and appointed by Trump) going to play north of I80?
Comment by Are Ya Kidding Me? Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 10:40 am
Think it makes Valencia look a lot less like the Anti-Alexi.
Gift for the R’s.
Comment by SAP Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 10:45 am
===You Assume Milhiser wins the R Primary===
I’m not assuming anything, but the resources afforded Milhiser over Brady, until I see polling, tough not to see Milhiser as a real possibility to be the nominee.
===if he does how’s his Trump connections (nominated and appointed by Trump) going to play north of I80?===
Alexi is a toxic candidate, already losing statewide when voters are told of who Alexi is, now add ten absent years of being a rainmaker for big banking.
I’d like to see that race.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 10:45 am
It gets messier when you realize that Valencia lives in the medical district. It’s not just about a client, it’s also about elevating her property value and doing things to benefit at the expense of her neighbors.
Comment by Fascinating Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 10:50 am
=== I’d like to see that race. ===
The fact remains that Pritzker’s job approval numbers look pretty strong, unemployment nationally is the lowest it has been since Eisenhower, and that political terrain makes it a long, long uphill climb for any of the down ballot candidates running statewide.
Comment by Thomas Paine Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 10:51 am
Agree on the loss of Mark Maxwell but I imagine Illinois elected officials won’t miss him.
Comment by E town Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 10:55 am
A Republican is going to win the SOS, nobody is going to want to vote for Alexi nor Valencia come November.
LOL at OW trying to connect this with Frerichs. Didn’t have this on my bingo card.
Comment by Almost the Weekend Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 10:56 am
Who vetted Valencia? A lot of people got behind her, but no one looked into her husband’s business connections and her actions?
Comment by Lincoln Lad Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 10:57 am
=== The fact remains that Pritzker’s job approval numbers look pretty strong===
A weaker GOP Gubernatorial Nominee helps the Dem ticket, as Illinois could see a lesser Red Wave with Trumpian silly atop the ticket… but Alexi and Frerichs still are weak, and still can’t grasp that their own negatives matter?
===and that political terrain makes it a long, long uphill climb for any of the down ballot candidates running statewide.===
Irvin, $180 million, and a bankrolled ticket reminding folks Frerichs wants a discussion to tax retirement income… that Alexi’s shady bank history includes deals with folks named “Jaws”… Alexi already was rejected by voters when they knew who he was
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 10:57 am
===trying to connect this with Frerichs. Didn’t have this on my bingo card.===
Folks are going to scatter down ballot races. The easier Dems make that scattering, the more folks will see a Treasurer who wants to discuss taxing retirement income.
Valencia isn’t just damaging herself, the down ballot idea to keep people voting Dem stopping at SoS allows Frerichs to be more vulnerable than he already is.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 11:00 am
===The lazy and slow Valencia campaign and crew ===
Not the words I would use to describe the problem, but I definitely agree this is the root of the problem for Anna Valencia as a candidate. Funding can be so much of an issue that they perhaps did not have an opportunity to do a proper vetting procedure or hire someone to perform opposition research on their own candidate to identify their weak spots and it is not uncommon for a candidate to not necessarily recognize that something that is not actually inappropriate can still look inappropriate or be construed as being very inappropriate by political spin that is “true from a certain point of view.”
The campaign, or some unaffiliated friends of the campaign need to extensively contrast Anna Valencia against her opponents in a positive light, even if it means some negative campaigning. Anything a Democrat might say about Alexi or might say about Anna is going to not be nearly as bad as what the GOP will say if there’s blood in the water. We’ve got a couple of months to work these kinks out and get ready for the GOP messaging against the candidates.
If I were a Republican I would rather run against Absent Alexi who has almost completely avoided any aspect of Illinois politics since he lost and during the Trump administration where many people had an “all hands on deck” experience Alexi’s leadership, Alexi’s voice, Alexi’s activism, and Alexi’s deep pockets were absent from the political landscape and that is on it’s surface at least a little concerning. I appreciate losing a statewide public office and then throwing in the towel. Running for public office is not fun and people are going to say a lot of mean things about you, even people who like you, even people who vote for you, even people that financially support your campaign. What typically happens is after a loss a candidate will rebrand themselves as a some kind of community activist in order to stay involved with the things that mattered to them, or to at least pretend those things actually mattered to them if we’re being cynical and that just didn’t happen and I think we can all pick our favorite examples of people who have successfully done that, even quite recently.
This is Anna’s race to lose and her team may need to take a moment to regroup and address some of the divots of her candidacy before they are firmly portrayed as major pitfalls.
Comment by Candy Dogood Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 11:08 am
Between this and the Clarity Partners item it’s like she helps her friends use the office as a cookie jar
Comment by The Most Anonymous Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 11:09 am
Is it me or does this read like a whole lot of nothing? This is just an oppo dump memo with no context or connection, right?
City Clerk’s office does nothing improper.
City Clerk launches CityKey. It’s seen as a model to emulate. People want City Clerk to come talk about it. She does.
Kiosks contract signed with IMD, but not fulfilled because the concept did not work. No money spent by IMD or City Clerk’s office on the kiosks.
Park District also doesn’t like the kiosks project - passes. No contract or money spent.
Lobbyist forms filled out incorrectly (this is a bit sloppy).
Am I missing something?
Comment by 47thWard Denizen Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 11:20 am
I’m dumbfounded at the info coming out about Valencia and her husband’s business. And her campaign’s inept handling of the hits. Wow.
Comment by Suburbanon Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 11:24 am
The attack on Valencia is valid and she looks bad. But isn’t the ilgop playing a dangerous game here? It seems Irvin has some interesting conflicts that are only just starting to come to light and he will get hammered by hourly ads in the general.
Valencia better have a good response if she wants to stay in the race.
With regard to Alexi- if he gets to the general, I am starting a political ad agency because the money is going to be breathtaking.
Comment by JS Mill Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 11:41 am
==Is it me or does this read like a whole lot of nothing?==
Kazmi and McKinney can argue ’synergy’ all they want…it sure as heck looks like ‘pay to play’.
Unfortunately for Valencia, if you’re explaining, you’re losing.
Comment by Jocko Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 11:43 am
===Is it me or does this read like a whole lot of nothing?===
A lot of it seems like Morty Seinfeld getting impeach from the Pines of Mar Gables condo board.
Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 11:43 am
She is a mess…how can we trust someone like her to run the SOS office in Illinois?
Comment by B Team Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 11:46 am
JS Mill - so ilgop should not attack Valencia on this issue so Pritzker will lay off Irvin on similar issues? Hard to understand how this increases risk on Irvin beyond what already exists.
Comment by Lew Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 11:54 am
This is a very strange game. The only way to avoid conflicts of interest is not to play. - WarGames, parodied.
But current and potential Illinois politicians just can’t help themselves from insider deals, quid pro quos, and the like. Even if they are truly legal and above board, their very appearance just confirms for the average citizen how dirty Illinois politics and government is at all levels.
Comment by thisjustinagain Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 12:06 pm
“John Milhiser released the following statement on this latest update: . I have spent my career investigating and prosecuting crime and corruption, and as Secretary of State I will end this culture of corruption that has been allowed to continue during the Pritzker Administration.”
Hmm: first question; John, how are you going to do that as SOS?
Are you saying that Jesse White and his Administration is Corrupt?
Second question: You state that you will, as SOS, now stop ALL the corruption in Illinois why didn’t you do that asSangamon County State’s Attorney and/or as Trump’s appointed US Attorney?
Comment by Are Ya Kidding Me? Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 12:13 pm
Maxwell admirers can heap all sorts of praise on him. But it seems Maxwell and WCIA have an ethical obligation to say specifically who dug up the research for them. Or did I miss it. While many bloggers here can guess who dug up the dirt, the average Joe won’t. Know.
Comment by Medvale School for the Gifted Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 12:23 pm
=== Folks are going to scatter down ballot races. ===
I am pretty sure that Frerichs got a higher present of the vote in 2014 and 2018 than the guys at the top of the ticket.
To the degree that folks split the ticket down ballot, it seems to be working in Frerichs’ favor and not against him.
No need to belabor the point, I think we will just have to agree to disagree on this one.
We’ll know soon enough.
=== it sure looks like pay-to-play ===
The fundamental problem with the story is that no one is against kiosks that generate revenue for government.
Unlike red light cameras.
Valencia is basically being accused of partnering with her husband to generate tens of millions in revenue for the taxpayers, with no downside that I can see reported.
There is no actual harm here.
Comment by Thomas Paine Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 12:24 pm
=== To the degree that folks split the ticket down ballot, it seems to be working in Frerichs’ favor and not against him.===
Voters have yet… to learn… Frerichs wants to discuss taxing retirement income.
If you’d like to discuss voters or how they are gonna look at Frerichs or what the past has been with Frerichs… that was before Frerichs wanted to discuss taxing retirement income… and the Fair Tax Flop using “Frerichs” to defeat it.
Now Frerichs gets to try to deny it all without Rutherford-ing himself.
Can’t deny he said it. Nope.
I’m pretty sure seniors will be reminded if Demmer gets GriffinBucks.
We’ll know soon enough.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 12:28 pm
==There is no actual harm here.==
Did they do it for free? How generous of them. Dr. Suzet McKinney must’ve opened the Starbucks out of her love for coffee.
Comment by Jocko Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 12:39 pm
=== Voters have yet…===
Well, voters know that Frerichs is a Democrat, and they assume that a democrats want to raise taxes, but if you think that telling them 500 times something they already know from the D after his name on the ballot makes a difference…whelp okay.
Pretty sure Democrats are passing $1.4B in tax cuts this week that Frerichs is loudly going to support, and Demmer? We will see.
You go ahead and put your money on “Taxing retirement” and I will put my money on “Overturning Roe v Wade” and we will see what happens.
Comment by Thomas Paine Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 1:05 pm
Another great Pritzker board appointee nugget at the end of thet timeline. Pritzker needs to come out with a statement about potential unethical behavior by Valencia and her husband. Otherwise, as her situation gets more toxic, Pritzker’s endorsement of her will be hung on him like a cheap suit jacket. He may even want to rescind his endorsement. Valencia is amateurish.
Comment by Favorably reported Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 1:06 pm
- Thomas Paine -
I thought we were gonna agree to disagree, no?
I kid, I kid..
===Well, voters know that Frerichs is a Democrat===
… who wants to discuss taxing retirement income?
===whelp okay.===
‘Bout that… then maybe Frerichs should just own his own words.
Why won’t Frerichs just own it? It’s an odd idea this first thought, given all you’re saying is owning it, and yet Frerichs won’t.
If Frerichs wants to say “Hey, I’m a Dem, so you shouldn’t be surprised I want to tax you, or discuss taxing your retirement…”
===Frerichs is loudly going to support===
Can’t deny then if asked… “didn’t you want to discuss taxing retirement income?”
I’d probably not cheer, yell, say a peep about taxes if I were Frerichs.
=== You go ahead and put your money on “Taxing retirement”===
It helped defeat the Fair Tax… soundly… thanks to Frerichs.
The ads were “everywhere”
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 1:13 pm
===I’m probably leaving SoS line blank.===
Not if Milhiser is the GOP nominee. The only way I’d vote for him is if his opponent was David Duke-ish / Arthur Jones-esque.
The prospect of a loyal soldier of the Sangamon County Republican Party in charge of hiring at SoS brings to mind the excesses of Thompson’s patronage system. Remember, SoS has a Merit Commission, not a Civil Service Commission, which means they don’t have to comply with Rutan or Veteran’s Preference.
Comment by Anyone Remember Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 1:40 pm
The campaign’s responses are hysterical. “House of cards” lol.
Comment by Fly on wall Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 1:48 pm
Alexi did not “disappear” or desert anything. He was the lead on Governor Quinn’s Community College commission, for one.
https://www.rcreader.com/news-releases/governor-quinn-taps-alexi-giannoulias-lead-illinois-community-colleges
Truly, as of today, Alexi is the front runner and Anna’s me-too lineup of endorsers are blushing with embarrassment.
Comment by Covid DoWell Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 2:02 pm
- Covid DoWell -
Governor Quinn was “seven years” ago, your cite… that was 2011. Yikes.
Alexi was silent during all of the Rauner years, nowhere to be found during the Trump years, if Alexi was on a milk carton, not only would milk have spoiled, if it were butter, cheese, maybe a fungus to be a penicillin type “wunderdrug” by now, Alexi made no appearances, it seems, unless rain making for big banking?
Take your time, but find an article from the 2020s, only 2 years old or less.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 2:08 pm
OW:
Do you really believe that more than seven likely democratic primary voters actually care that Alexi was “absent” during the Rauner years?
Comment by Bluffton Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 2:28 pm
===Do you really believe===
What it does do is reinforce that the embarrassing loss to Kirk and the subsequent Alexi MIA is a guy not really engaged in anything but… Alexi.
It’s Valencia’s job to make that argument, not me, but the real fact that Valencia and her Staff and Crew can’t do much of anything but write angry emails refuting allegations… that’s not too great.
So there’s that, lol
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 2:32 pm
All of this aside, which after reading it three times feels like more bark than bite IMO, Alexi has the worst oppo book of any Dem candidate running for office. The question is who has the best narrative to win in Nov in this climate. I still don’t think it’s him. If all you can rely on is having a friendship with Obama then that’s only going to go so far in a general.
Comment by Shytown Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 3:47 pm
=== Can’t deny then if asked… “didn’t you want to discuss taxing retirement income?” ===
“The Illinois Chamber of Commerce wanted to tax retirement income instead of raising taxes on millionaires, I told them “I am happy to discuss it” even though I am personally opposed.”
“I have always believed you have to be willing to talk with people you disagree with.”
Done. Over. Right?
Again: Demmer is an anti-Trump conservative, much like Kinzinger, except that Demmer was anti-Trump all the way back in 2016.
Don’t get me wrong, Demmer is gonna crush it in Lee County, but where is his base outside of that?
Comment by Thomas Paine Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 5:00 pm
- Thomas Paine -
Are we still agreeing to disagree?
=== “The Illinois Chamber of Commerce wanted to tax retirement income instead of raising taxes on millionaires, I told them “I am happy to discuss it” even though I am personally opposed.”
“I have always believed you have to be willing to talk with people you disagree with.”
Done. Over. Right?===
Now put that in an ad refuting a barrage.
===Don’t get me wrong, Demmer is gonna crush it in Lee County, but where is his base outside of that?===
Seniors and those likely over 40 who are fearful of someone who is dangerous to taxing retirement income?
Happy Friday. Be well. It’ll be interesting come the summer.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Apr 8, 22 @ 5:07 pm
Can Valencia and her ethics-skirting husband just go away? Can they just make like a tree..?
Comment by I will repeat Saturday, Apr 9, 22 @ 7:23 am