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* Background is here and here if you need it. Chinta Strausberg at the Crusader…
[House Speaker Chris Welch’s] targeting [of Rep. Mary Flowers, D-Chicago] for political defeat is shocking to Black leaders like Alderman David Moore (17th) who told the Chicago Crusader, “It’s not what they are doing to Mary Flowers. It’s what they are doing to Black women. So, when you start attacking Black women especially, and they use Black men, it’s a problem.
“They cannot find anything wrong with her record and the work that she has done,” Moore said. “So, they tell lies, and you try to put a bad light on a Black woman. I’m standing up as a Black man not only in protecting her, but letting other people know when you come after a Black woman, you got to come through David Moore.”
Asked how he felt about Welch putting up more than $500,000 to support an unknown candidate to defeat Flowers, Moore said, “It’s a waste of money.”
Senator Mattie Hunter (D-3rd) said she too is “shocked and appalled at what’s going on with our senior leader. She’s committed herself to her district over 40 years. It seems seniority doesn’t matter anymore. So many younger folks are willing to just disregard that and disrespect our leadership and take them out. It’s totally unfair, and I don’t like it at all.”
* Rep. Flowers also brought up this topic to the Crusader…
Saying she was just trying to respect and protect him, Flowers also told Welch privately about one staffer who Flowers said had begun to look like Adolf Hitler. When Flowers talked to the staffer, whom she had known more than 20 years, and asked about his appearance, Flowers said he just laughed so she forgot about it.
That isn’t nearly the entire picture. From Welch’s letter to Flowers last year…
Specifically, in a Caucus meeting on Tuesday, May 2, you used language widely recognized as a slur intended to divide people - including members of our own Caucus - based on their national origin. In this same meeting, you compared the appearance of a staff member to Adolf Hitler. You declined to offer the caucus a sincere apology for either comment when asked. This was not the first time you made derogatory comments toward colleagues and staff.
At a Caucus meeting earlier this year, when several members expressed that they felt bullied or insulted by you, you dismissed their concerns and attempted to further belittle them in front of colleagues and staff.
One private remark like that about a staff member is not enough to get anyone kicked out of leadership and caucus meetings. This was about a pattern of behavior toward her legislative colleagues and other staff members.
That being said, Welch’s primary campaign against her has been so negative that I’ve been wondering if it might create a backlash.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 11:21 am
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Every elected member of the General Assembly should be ashamed they are allowing this to happen to Leader Flowers. You could be next. The staff around this should be applauded as well. Three cheers for Senator Hunter for standing up the the bully Speaker Welch.
Comment by Wild Flower Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 11:35 am
Did I miss the part where there was any evidence to support the claim that Welch’s challenge to Flowers was based on her race/gender?
Comment by What? Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 11:40 am
==…. Flowers said had begun to look like Adolf Hitler.==
How does someone begin to look like Adolph Hitler? Is it something someone catches, like Covid?
Comment by Mr. Green Genes Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 11:44 am
Must of found madigans playbook
Comment by Rabid Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 11:46 am
=== How does someone begin to look like Adolph Hitler? ===
I believe it was a comment directed at the staffer’s mustache.
Comment by Hannibal Lecter Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 11:54 am
Here is a question for you all. If Welch allowed Flowers’ behavior to go unchecked, how would that play out to his caucus? Just curious as to who the real audience is here.
Comment by Capitol Observer Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 12:05 pm
===If Welch allowed Flowers’ behavior to go unchecked, how would that play out to his caucus?===
Horribly
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 12:07 pm
I was a little surprised to see an ad on tv (for a state senate race?)this morning by Flower’s opponent, but he has the cash to do it and it was not pro him. Can’t even remember his name. It was totally anti Mary Flowers. Not surprised by some circling the wagons.
Comment by levivotedforjudy Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 12:07 pm
Mary Flowers treats people badly. She particularly treats staff badly. She is abusive. She berates her colleagues. She refuses to engage in any productive conversation about how to correct her behavior. If she worked in any major corporation in America, she would have had an HR file inches thick and been let go a long time ago. I understand that elected office is different but it does not mean treating staff in an abusive manner should be allowed to run unchecked.
Seniority does not give you the right to bully people mercilessly and expect there to be no repercussions. I thought the recent trials of the Madigan crowd has at least demonstrated that times are changing dramatically.
So I have no sympathy for Rep. Flowers. She could have engaged the Speaker constructively on these issues. She could have done what every person who goes to a job every day and has to get along well with their colleagues does - treat others with a modicum of respect and dignity. The idea that the Speaker doesn’t respect back women is absurd. And those making that claim should be made to answer whether they have sympathy or respect for the staff Rep Flowers has treated so abysmally. Or should they just be expected to shut up and take it?
Comment by Around the Bend Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 12:15 pm
It sure would be nice to be able to replay Flowers and Gabel vocally sparring on the floor which led to Flowers’ demotion without having to file a FOIA request. Yes the record exists, I would like to view a replay. West Virginia has replayable legislature proceedings, why doesn’t Illinois without having to file FOIA?
Comment by Macon Bakin Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 12:16 pm
Maybe her being in office for 40 years is part of the problem. Why are these boomers so hesitant to give up power?
Comment by Anon Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 12:17 pm
Rep. Flowers is often rude and condescending, which makes her difficult to work with. She rambles and filibusters to the point where people tune her out, even if she’s right. She lost effectiveness a longtime ago and her constituents aren’t being well served. However, most won’t see that and many will likely vote for her because they simply see an older woman being bullied by “the man”. Chicago doesn’t see what Springfield sees.
Same with MJM. Some Springfield types may have wanted a change, but his district was perfectly happy with him, so he kept coming back.
Comment by Chito Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 12:18 pm
=She’s committed herself to her district over 40 years.=
SOME, some of her district. There are significant areas of her district that are ignored.
=It seems seniority doesn’t matter anymore=
If your behavior is as ridiculous as hers is, why should it be allowed? Because seniority? Take that argument and apply it to someone else like Mapes (I know he wasn’t a legislator) and because he was around a long time that is ok. I think not.
Comment by JS Mill Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 12:20 pm
“Why are these boomers so hesitant to give up power?”
Because they aren’t qualified to do anything else, they need the money, and they think they are never going to die.
It’s the Anti-Cocoon.
Comment by Save Ferris Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 12:33 pm
I only worked in House Dems for one session but truly could not bring myself to stay after experiencing how some members, including Flowers, treat staff members. Several of us in the office cheered when Welch’s letter came out.
Comment by Former Staffer Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 12:34 pm
In my opinion, allowing Flowers to go unchecked would have certainly been more harmful to Welch as a leader.
Comment by Springfield Watcher Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 12:37 pm
===they need the money===
Her pension would be well over $200K per year. She’s actually been losing bigtime money for years by staying in office.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 12:38 pm
The article in the Crusader is worth a read.
I was surprised to read that 1.2 million was raised by Welsh Etc, to defeat Mary Flowers. That is an incredible amount of money.
When I see leader Welsh spent that much money to basically crush and silence the longest serving Black Women in the GA, a lady that stood with Harold Washington for Mayor, someone with about a 90% record supporting labor and someone who worked for Civil Rights for decades and decades it makes me wonder what has become of the Democratic Party that I have been supporting for decades.
Hat tip to State Senator Hunter and Alderman Moore. Hopefully they can help elect Mary and we can put this embarrassing episode behind us.
Comment by Back to the Future Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 12:39 pm
===which led to Flowers’ demotion===
lol
If you think that’s what did it, you might wanna think again.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 12:39 pm
No different than what has happened in the private sector. It’s getting harder and harder for execs to shield their abusive middle managers. More and more just they get tossed overboard when their dirt comes to light, because middle managers are a dime a dozen and if they don’t there will be downstream risks for the organization.
I guess my point is it’s not nearly as easy to get away with abusing employees in a white collar setting as it was 10 years ago. Welch seems to be reacting to that reality.
Comment by Larry Bowa Jr. Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 12:54 pm
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: Mary Flowers is a horrible legislator. She does not work well with others, she antagonizes expert witnesses during committee hearings and speaks over them. She derails conversations. I say all of this as a former staffer who had to sit in on committee hearings.
I can assure you that the Speaker was approached MANY times by MANY different members of the House. As outlined in his letter, he approached her multiple times to ask that she fix her behavior. She refused.
Rep. Flowers’ time in the GA is coming to its natural conclusion. And I find it so bizarre that Ald. Moore is speaking out and insinuating that there is some sort of discrimination at play when the Speaker is Black too.
This is a necessary move–and I have a feeling that the unions took the lead at the direction of Speaker Welch, not the other way around.
Comment by Lakeview Looker Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 12:54 pm
Flowers was not a nice or well-respected person when I dealt with her years ago. I doubt she improved. I don’t know Welch, but he seems on target here.
Comment by Norseman Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 1:01 pm
===The article in the Crusader is worth a read.===
You’d probably make a better case if you hadn’t repeatedly misspelled the House Speaker’s name.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 1:17 pm
I think that this is the right move. I’m nearby & the opponent’s signs are on lawns, which points to unions & the local elected officials organizations helping to canvass.
Comment by Chris in ChiTown Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 1:23 pm
No member should verbally abuse staff, they work tirelessly on behalf of the entire caucus.
But if the bar is “mean to staff” then I am not sure how many members will be left under the dome….
Comment by Wobblies United Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 1:24 pm
===But if the bar is===
It isn’t. And stop trying to lower it.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 1:25 pm
Has to be pretty bad conduct for the Speaker to be willing to take on such a high degree of heat.
Comment by Cermak Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 1:26 pm
Rich
You are right about that.
Fat fingers and spellcheck are my poor and sad excuse.
Comment by Back to the Future Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 1:27 pm
There are better ways to control members than to take them out in a primary. Sorry, I’m not defending Flowers behavior. What I do find insulting is Welch’s behavior and ganging up on Flowers. Members should be worried he can do the same to them someday when he doesn’t like what they are doing. And there are plenty of boomers in the GA. Feigenholtz comes to mind. I believe she arrived in the early 1990’s. That is over thirty years here.
Comment by Better water Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 1:29 pm
I’ve found there are two sides to Rep. Flowers. She can be warm, charming and really funny when she wants to. She’s often asked how my family members are and what they are up to.
At the same time, I’ve felt her wrath in committee on multiple occasions when she went after state agency staff who were testifying on bills.
We had a state agency staff member who left the witness table in tears after Rep. Flowers accused her of murdering an individual who died in group home. Our staff member was trying to explain the process of how allegations of abuse or neglect are reported.
Our staff member had nothing to do with enforcement and was simply a policy person. To this day that agency staff member will not testify.
Flower’s attack was nothing less than bullying and taking advantage of staff member who could do little to defend themselves.
Comment by Give Me A Break Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 1:33 pm
Give Me a Break is on target. Rep. Flowers can be quite nice if you aren’t in her crosshairs. If you are, Watch out or you’re in for a scathing attack that will definitely get personal.
I think most of us have respect for her longevity and some of the legislation she has gotten passed. If you’re just looking at her legislation, she means well. But her manner with staff and lobbyists -and it sounds like with members too- is often mean and unnecessary. That makes it hard to want to honor or work with her. Not surprising they’re fielding someone else for the district.
Comment by Lazy Millennial Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 1:54 pm
== 90% record supporting labor and someone who worked for Civil Rights for decades==
“No” on Marriage Equality and ERA are pretty big meatballs hanging from your fork of delusion.
Comment by Nope. Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 1:57 pm
–She does not work well with others, she antagonizes expert witnesses during committee hearings and speaks over them. She derails conversations.–
“Antagonizes” witnesses is being kind. In addition to colleagues, also Flowers routinely abused witnesses for years. Years and years.
MJM let her.
Finally, Welch had to courage to call a halt to her loose canon abuse.
Comment by King Louis XVI Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 2:06 pm
=There are better ways to control members than to take them out in a primary.=
He clearly tried to avoid that but Flowers didn’t listen and make the necessary adjustments. And she isn’t being “ganged up on” this is a campaign and this is how they work. She should of thought more about her own behavior if her feelings are so easily hurt.
Comment by JS Mill Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 2:08 pm
Calling a military veteran Hitler in public (not once but twice) should, in my opinion, be a much bigger story. I am and always will be Team Staff. They work tirelessly and deserve more respect than this. We teach preschoolers not to comment on people’s appearances. And slowly they begin to get it and hopefully act accordingly. I still have this conversation with middle schoolers. I don’t think we should expect to need to have it with adults. Racism, sexism, ageism, all the -isms, homophobia, harassment, othering, and name calling have no place under the Dome. It’s disgraceful and I’m guessing personally harmful to this person, and I hope apologies have been made. They should be public. Who else would get away with this?
Comment by ugh Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 2:36 pm
– Our staff member had nothing to do with enforcement and was simply a policy person. To this day that agency staff member will not testify.
Flower’s attack was nothing less than bullying and taking advantage of staff member who could do little to defend themselves.—
I have similar memories. Rep. Flowers telling lifelong education administrators, teachers, principals that they “hate children.” State Superintendnet Chris Koch testifying in committee (couldn’t find a nicer man who cared more about students in IL) and being blamed by the Represenative for an unpluggled oil pipe leak in the Gulf of Mexico, basically saying it was his fault it was happening for not educating someone in IL who could stop it. I’m guessing if there were a gathering place for these kind of comments coming from one member over the years, the list would be pretty noteworthy. I think people laugh at the ridiculousness of some of these comments, but like the person says above, sometimes it has an actual effect on people, on staff who can’t defend themselves, on a veteran publicly called Hitler or decent public servants who are just trying to testify in committees to help the General Assembly do their work. In 2024 this just isn’t acceptable work behavior and thankfully incoming staff “gets it” and won’t allow the Dome to be this kind of work environment any longer.
Comment by ugh Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 2:48 pm
“Her pension would be well over $200K per year.”
That’s absolutely nuts. I made $3,600 for 16 years of elected service. No pension, healthcare, or other perks. And I begged them to cut the $3,600 to $-0-.
Comment by Save Ferris Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 3:13 pm
Finally. Thank you Sen Hunter and Ald Moore. Finally someone has had the courage to be statesmen and stand up to this utterly disgusting campaign. It’s appalling. It’s shameful. And I hope Mary Flowers wins and gets the last laugh. I hope other members find their political courage and they speak truth to power, too. If you don’t want to because you fear retribution, then there’s something else you can do: call Rep. Flowers, offer her some encouragement. Maybe even ask for a call sheet. She’s working her tail off, she is everywhere in the district right now. She been to our family members homes, they’re voting for her. There’s still time to help right a very egregious wrong and rebuff this corrupt and dishonest character assassination.
Comment by ;) Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 3:18 pm
people are taking her no vote on the ERA out of context. That ERA vote from 2018 has proven to be nothing more than an empty act of political theater. Political virtue signaling at its most obnoxious. That that is the best Marty Moylan’s campaign staffers (check the A-1 Board of Election reports before you start) could come up with against Flowers is a testament to Rep. Moylan’s shallow engagement with gender justice issues
Comment by feminist buzzkill Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 3:40 pm
===no vote on the ERA out of context===
A no vote is a no vote.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Mar 8, 24 @ 3:42 pm