Senate

Warner Todd Huston

Ill. Dem Senate Candidate Took Credit For ‘Job Creation,’ Now Illinois is 3rd Worst in Job Loss

August 23, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Like his president and his party, the Democrat Senate candidate for Illinois, Alexi “the Mob Banker” Giannoulias, is quick to claim that they have “created jobs” with the various and sundry, and continuing “stimulus” bills. But now that Illinois has been reported as having lost the third most amount of jobs nationwide, will Giannoulias take credit for that too?

Back in July, Giannoulias appeared on Fox Chicago TV and told us all that he was proud to have helped “create jobs” in Illinois.

I’m also proud, not only have we helped create jobs here in Illinois, but I’m the only candidate who has actually fought for jobs. When they were going to close Hartmarx, a company that’s been around for over 100 years, 600 good-paying jobs, as State Treasurer I stood up to them, we fought to save those jobs.”

But even Obama’s own Washington establishment is reporting that Illinois lost the third most amount of jobs in July, the very month that Giannoulias was claiming that HE had created jobs in Illinois.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the largest over-the-month employment decreases in non-farm payroll were in North Carolina, New Jersey, and Illinois

So, since good ol’ Alexi is so willing to take credit for “creating” jobs — jobs that don’t seem to have been created at all — is he equally as willing to own up to the job loss in Illinois? If not, why not?
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Ill. Dem Senate Candidate Took Credit For ‘Job Creation,’ Now Illinois is 3rd Worst in Job Loss”

Alexi Giannoulias - Barack Obama - Budget - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Elections - Freedom - GOP - Government - Health - House of Representatives - Law - Liberals - Lobbyists - Mark Kirk - Nancy Pelosi - President - Regulation - Republicans - Stimulus - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Who is ‘Extreme’ Again, Mr. Obama?

August 19, 2010 by

The National Republican Senatorial Committee put out a good one…

It seems beyond question that President Obama and his Party are not in good stead with the American public these three months ahead of the election. A majority of Americans even feel that the Democrats are too extreme. Can the GOP make hay on this fact? This ad sure does a good job of trying anyway.

Alexi Giannoulias - Campaign Finance - Chicago - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Elections - Government - Illinois - Islam - Islamofascism - Liberals - Religion - Terrorism - Warner Todd Huston

Ill. Dem. Senate Candidate Being Funded by Terror Connected Financier?

August 17, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Daniel Halper asks a whopper of a question, one that could cause quite a lot of trouble for Democrat Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias of Illinois. Halper reveals that one of Giannoulias’ donors is a man connected with a foundation with link to terror organizations.

Sahloul is the former president of the Mosque Foundation, a Bridgeview mosque that has numerous links to terrorist organizations. The Mosque Foundation contributed roughly $400,000 to four Islamic charities that were later shut down by the federal government for links to terrorism. According to the Chicago Tribune, the organizations receiving funds were: the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, the Benevolence International Foundation, the Islamic American Relief Agency, and Global Relief Foundation.

Apparently the Mosque Foundation’s Imam led an effort to raise $50,000 to help with the legal costs incurred by Sami Al-Arian, a University of South Florida professor who was convicted of raising money for terrorism in Palestine.

So what about this? Is Alexi Giannoulias taking money from a group with certain connections to terrorism?

Is the what Illinois wants as their representative in the Senate?
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Ill. Dem. Senate Candidate Being Funded by Terror Connected Financier?”

Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Government - Liberals - Senate - South Carolina - Warner Todd Huston

BREAKING: SC Democrat Senate Candidate Indicted on Felony Obscenity Charge

August 13, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Oh-noes… the Democrats may have thought they had a “quirky” candidate running for Senate in South Carolina in the person of one Alvin Greene. But I doubt they thought they were about to have a candidate indicted on felony obscenity charges. This is, however, what they’ve ended up with regardless

On August 12, a grand jury handed down an indictment of Alvin Greene over a November incident that happened on the campus of the University of South Carolina.

Greene was arrested in November after authorities say he approached a student in a University of South Carolina computer lab, showed her obscene photos online, then talked about going to her dorm room.

I suppose you have to hand it to Greene. He’s a Democrat in a hurry. After all, most Democrats have the good sense to wait until they are elected before getting indicted. THIS guy is ahead of the usual Democrat curve!
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BREAKING: SC Democrat Senate Candidate Indicted on Felony Obscenity Charge”

Banks - Budget - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Elections - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Hilarious: Lefty Threatens to Sue Illinois Political Blog

August 13, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

This is pretty funny… well, not so funny if you are The Illinois Review, one of our fine political news blogs in Illinois. Apparently billionaire Nadhmi Auchi has sent a threatening letter to the blog demanding that they delete an August 9 post linking Auchi to Democrat Senate candidate Alexi “the Mob Banker” Giannoulias.

The letter issued by attorneys Carter-Ruck demands that the August 9 piece be removed due to “defamatory and untrue allegations.” The letter also says that Carter-Ruck thinks that the source for the blog post was the Observer (of London) and the New York Times.

Apparently the nitwits at Carter-Ruck didn’t actually READ the post in question, however. The actually source for the blog post is clearly featured at the top of the body copy. Any fool can see that the blog post came “from the IL GOP,” as is noted on the actual post itself. This is a press release from the Illinois Republican Party, not an Illinois Review authored piece.
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Hilarious: Lefty Threatens to Sue Illinois Political Blog”

Alaska - GOP - Republicans - Senate - Warner Todd Huston

Alaska Senator Ted Stevens Confirmed Dead in Plane Crash

August 10, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Governor Palin has tweeted the following about the tragic plane crash: “Heartbreaking Bristol Bay plane crash. Alaska’s heart surrounds loved ones. More info coming in; pls pray for Dillingham rescue this morning.”

It has been confirmed by former Senator Ted Stevens’ family that he has perished in a plane crash near Dillingham, Alaska.

Former NASA Chief Sean O’Keefe was also aboard the plane but it appears he and his son survived the crash.

Oddly, years ago Senator Stevens survived another plane crash in which his beloved wife died.

At this reporting there are four survivors but the Alaska National Guard has not identified them.

Senator Stevens served from 1968 to 2009 when he at last lost a re-election bid. He was the longest serving Republican Senator in history. Stevens was 87.

Chicago - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Liberals - Mark Kirk - Rod Blagojevich - Senate - Warner Todd Huston

Temporary Senator Burris Challenges Special Election for Temporary Senator

August 6, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

It seems like a story written by a bad Hollywood script writer, but Illinois Senator Roland Burris is today challenging a federal judge’s decision to block any more candidates from being added to the ballot of the special election that has been ordered to fill the last few weeks of this Congressional session. Burris wants to be on that ballot but the judge said that only party nominees from the primary are allowed to be on the special election ballot.

First of all the whole thing is confusing. When Barack Obama vacated his Senate seat to take the White House, disgraced Governor Rod Blagojevich underwent a decision process to fill that seat that ended up getting him indicted. Blago gave the seat to long-time Illinois politico Roland Burris. Burris’ appointed term is up on election day but that would leave Illinois without a second Senator for the last 60 days of the legislative session. So, a federal judge declared that Illinois would have to vote on both a special election to seat a Senator for 60 days as well as the regular election for the full term starting after that in 2011.
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Temporary Senator Burris Challenges Special Election for Temporary Senator”

Campaign Finance - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Government - House of Representatives - Liberals - Senate - Warner Todd Huston - Washington D.C.

Democrat Lobbyist Charged With Campaign Contributions Violations

August 6, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Paul Magliocchetti, president of the lobbying firm PMA Group Inc. of Arlington, Virginia, was arrested on August 5 and charged with using friends and family to make illegal campaign contributions in order to skirt federal campaign finance laws.

His firm has been under investigation since 2009.

In a statement the Justice Department alleged, “Magliocchetti orchestrated a scheme to make hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal conduit and corporate federal campaign contributions in an effort to enrich himself and PMA by increasing the firm’s influence and prestige.”
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Democrat Lobbyist Charged With Campaign Contributions Violations”

Alexi Giannoulias - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Media - MSNBC - Senate - Warner Todd Huston

MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell: Giannoulias Not the Best Candidate for Senate

August 6, 2010 by

Alexi “the Mob banker” Giannoulias is facing a whisper campaign from Democrat insiders that he is not the right candidate to run for Barack Obama’s old Senate seat. Maybe that whisper is a roar because even the left-wing cabler MSNBC is reporting that people are asking of Giannoulias is the right candidate for the Democrats.

Chicago - Congress - Elections - Government - House of Representatives - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Mark Kirk - Republicans - Senate - Warner Todd Huston

Chicago Mag: Kirk’s Ex-Wife Says a ‘Svengali Figure’ Influencing Him

August 5, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Chicago Magazine has conducted an extensive interview with Kimberly Vertolli, Illinois GOP Senate candidate Mark Kirk’s ex-wife, and the woman makes an interesting charge against one of Kirk’s current campaign operatives, Dorothy “Dodie” McCracken

Vertolli says that the campaign staffer is the one that came between them causing their divorce and is a “Svengali figure” in her former hubbies life.

Vertolli refused to assert that McCracken is in a romantic relationsjip with Mark Kirk, but she did say the woman is a “pernicious influence” on the candidate.

Here is the exchange:
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Chicago Mag: Kirk’s Ex-Wife Says a ‘Svengali Figure’ Influencing Him”

Arizona - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - GOP - Government - Liberals - Republicans - Senate - Warner Todd Huston

Sharron Angle Ad: Nevada’s Property Rates Plummeted Under Harry Reid

August 4, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Sharron Angle released her newest TV ad slamming Harry Reid for presiding over the falling home values in Nevada.

Over the last few weeks the Angle campaign has seen an influx of new, more veteran campaign wranglers head out to Nevada to help in her campaign.

There have been a lot of complaints just after her primary win that the Angle campaign was reticent to listen to folks outside her own circle and opportunities have been lost to push her message successfully. She’s made some small errors but perhaps this loose campaign is tightening up.

Recently Angle has taken on some more seasoned campaigners. Jerrod Agen formerly of Rudy Giuliani’s campaign signed onto to Team Angle and last month she took on some other more seasoned hands such as John Yobb and other consultants.

Angle is no where near out of the race, though, despite some bumps in her efforts thus far. Polls show she is about even with Harry Reid so she has a lot of time to roar back and capture the seat. Polls showing the two at a tossup is really far worse news for Reid than it is for Angle. For an incumbent to be even with an opponent traditionally augers ill for the incumbent’s chances of re-election.

It would be quite an event if Republicans could “Daschle” the Democrat Majority Leader in the Senate, for sure.
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Sharron Angle Ad: Nevada’s Property Rates Plummeted Under Harry Reid”

Budget - Congress - Economy/Finances - Eric Cantor - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Republicans - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

House Republicans: Help Us Cut Spending

August 3, 2010 by

This is from Eric Cantor, the House Republican Whip…

The YouCut project is focused on solutions – when we ask for ideas to cut spending, we don’t ask if it is a Republican idea or a Democrat idea, we just ask if it is a good idea.

This week’s YouCut item had the promise of bipartisanship. Last week, four House Democrats proudly announced their own ideas for spending cuts – we took one of their ideas and offered it on the House floor for a vote. We didn’t change their proposal.
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House Republicans: Help Us Cut Spending”

Alexi Giannoulias - Banks - Chicago - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Elections - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Senate - Warner Todd Huston

Democrat ‘Mob Banker’s’ Bank Loaned $23 Mil to Tony Rezko

August 2, 2010 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

Tony Rezko has been at the root of many of Illinois’ worst cases of government corruption and influence peddling with ties that go back decades. He’s been tied to President Obama, indicted Governor Rod Blagojevich, and now Senate Democrat candidate Alexi Giannoulias whose family bank loaned the crook almost $23 million.

Worse, the Giannoulias family bank made the loan to Tony Rezko’s development group long after he’d become “politically radioactive,” as the Chicago Sun-Times puts it.
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Democrat ‘Mob Banker’s’ Bank Loaned $23 Mil to Tony Rezko”

Alexi Giannoulias - Campaign Finance - Chicago - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - GOP - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Liberals - Mark Kirk - Republicans - Senate - Warner Todd Huston

Ill. Dem Senate Candidate Still $200,000 in Debt From Primary

July 30, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

So far, the biggest negative that has stuck against Illinois Democrat Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias is that he is a poor money manager. The worst is that he was an officer in a family bank that has since gone under due to shady loans to mobsters — to the tune of $20 million in unpaid debt — and other bad banking practices . And now we can add another poor financial situation to Alexi’s already groaning deficit accounts: he’s still $200,000 in debt for his recently completed primary campaign.

As reported two weeks ago, Giannoulias has under performed in campaign fundraising so far in comparison to his GOP opponent, Mark Kirk.
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Ill. Dem Senate Candidate Still $200,000 in Debt From Primary”

Congress - Democracy - Democrats/Leftists - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Liberals - Republicans - Senate - Warner Todd Huston

Now Congress Is Fighting Over Sports Teams

July 29, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

In one of those “it’s gotten so bad that…” stories, McClatchy’s James Rosen reported today that Congress is so rife with partisan warfare that they can no longer even agree to sign onto each other’s harmless resolutions that celebrate sports teams for one success or another.

“The once-routine resolutions honoring hometown squads or stars sailed through Congress for years with nary a discordant note or vote — but no more,” Rosen gravely wrote.

Rosen went on to reveal that our elected officials are finding resistance to their once easily passed resolutions meant to honor local, hometown sports teams in both the House and the Senate.

So what is going on?
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Now Congress Is Fighting Over Sports Teams”

Alexi Giannoulias - Campaign Finance - Chicago - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - GOP - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Liberals - Mark Kirk - Republicans - Senate - Warner Todd Huston

WGIL: Giannoulias Says He’ll Take Lobbyist $$ for Campaign

July 23, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Despite claims made earlier in his campaign, Democrat candidate for Senate Alexi Giannoulias has said that he’ll be quite happy to take campaign donations from lobbyists as he vies to take Barack Obama’s old Senate seat this year.

WGIL News reports that Giannoulias claimed earlier in the campaign that he wouldn’t take donations from lobbyists. However, Giannoulias limited the scope of that claim to encompass only federal lobbyists and political PACs. He has taken donations from state lobbyists.

The difference between a state lobbyist and a federal lobbyist seems vague with Giannoulias, but he claims there is a difference.
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WGIL: Giannoulias Says He’ll Take Lobbyist $$ for Campaign”

Alexi Giannoulias - Campaign Finance - Chicago - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - GOP - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Liberals - Mark Kirk - Republicans - Senate - Warner Todd Huston

Illinois ‘Mob Banker’ Can’t Raise Money?

July 16, 2010 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Hill is reporting that Democrat Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias is having trouble raising money, which is amusing because as a failed banker he gave away millions to a pair of mobsters that never paid back the “loan”

The Hill reports that Giannoulias “struggled to raise money in the aftermath of his family bank’s collapse in April.”

Giannoulias has raised only some $900,000 since March 31 — the bulk of it in June. His Republican opponent, Mark Kirk, collected close to $1 million that same month. And Kirk was dealing with his own scandal — the fallout from inaccuracies in reporting his Navy service record at the time.

Giannoulias raised less than half of Kirk’s total, and the Republican now has almost a four-to-one cash on hand advantage.

If you’ll recall — and the Hill notes — that VP Biden recently ambled into town to raise finds for the Democrats “mob banker” but apparently even “no body messes with” Joe Biden isn’t able to help Giannoulias.
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Illinois ‘Mob Banker’ Can’t Raise Money?”

Alexi Giannoulias - Campaign Finance - Chicago - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Senate - Warner Todd Huston

Ill. Dem. Senate Candidate Raising $$ From Trial Lawyers in Canada

July 13, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Illinois Democrat candidate for Senate, Alexi Giannoulias, wasn’t too keen of admitting it but he was in Vancouver, Canada over the weekend at a fund-raiser at a trial lawyer’s convention. Along with a dozen other Democrats, the candidate was in Canada to rake in thousands in donations from trial lawyers who know what side of their bread is buttered, for sure.

Chicago Sun-Times reporter Lynn Sweet has all the details at her Scoop blog. But suffice to say that the Giannoulias campaign did not report the whereabouts of their candidate until the National Republican Senatorial Committee sent out a press release urging reporters to grill the Giannoulias campaign.
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Ill. Dem. Senate Candidate Raising $$ From Trial Lawyers in Canada”

Business - Capitalism - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - GOP - Government - Jobs - Liberals - Nevada - Republicans - Senate - Unemployment - Warner Todd Huston

Sharron Angle For Senate Ad: Harry Reid’s Unemployed Nevada

July 9, 2010 by

Republican Sharron Angle is trying to unseat Senate Democrat Majority Leader Harry Reid. in Nevada. Her poll numbers look good so far.

Here is her first TV ad: Help is on the Way!

Defeating the Democrat Majority leader would be sweet, indeed. I hope everyone supports Sharron Angle.

http://www.sharronangle.com/

Alexi Giannoulias - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Chicago - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Government - Illinois - Senate - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Ill. Dem Senate Candidate Giannoulias a ‘Mob Banker,’ Now ‘Flat Out’ Liar

July 7, 2010 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

The sniping between Republican Mark Kirk and Democrat Alexi Giannoulias is beginning to get to full steam these days and Democrat Giannoulias isn’t handling it all very well. As a bank executive, he’s gone from dissembling about his efforts to loan mobsters $20 million that his bank then lost, to now as a candidate lying about his desires to raise taxes.

The latest Giannoulias gaffe comes as a result of his announcement of his tax returns. It seems that he declared a personal business loss that negated his entire tax bill and so Giannoulias paid no federal tax in 2009. Yet, as Mark Kirk says, even as Giannoulias wants to raise all our taxes, he skates by himself without paying any at all!

For his part, the Ginnoulias campaign says that the candidate never said he wants to raise our taxes. They say that Kirk is lying about it. This newest claim makes Giannoulias himself to be a “flat out” liar as far as Illinois political watchdog Rich Miller is concerned. After all, Miller has the video to prove that Giannoulias has said that he wants to raise taxes.
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Ill. Dem Senate Candidate Giannoulias a ‘Mob Banker,’ Now ‘Flat Out’ Liar”

Chicago - Congress - Elections - GOP - Government - Illinois - Mark Kirk - Republicans - Senate - Warner Todd Huston

Even With Troubles GOPs Kirk Raises $2.3 Mil

July 1, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

While the media has been all aflutter about Illinois Senate candidate Mark Kirk’s bio flap, even as the media has been sternly shaking a finger at the man he’s somehow raised $2.3 million in campaign cash.

According to the Kirk campaign he raised $1 million in June alone as the news over his bio inflation was at its height.

So far, Kirk has raised $9 million for the race and is starting some new TV ads.

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Even With Troubles GOPs Kirk Raises $2.3 Mil”

Chicago - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - GOP - Government - Illinois - Liberals - Mark Kirk - Navy - Republicans - Senate - Warner Todd Huston

Politico: Five Questions for Mark Kirk

June 29, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Mark Kirk has really made himself look foolish and if he loses this election it will be because of his ridiculous missteps on his biography. Why he felt the need to overstate his bio is anybody’s guess, but he did it. And not just once but at least five times. Politico details the bio inflation Kirk has perpetrated in a new piece headlined “Five questions for Mark Kirk .”

They say that Kirk was “once a favorite,” intimating that his stock has dropped. That is essentially true, but in my estimation Kirk has plenty of time to get past this if he handles it right and I think he’s still the favorite even with this foolishness because Alexi “the Mob Banker” Giannoulias has equally problematic bio problems — not the least of which was the $20 million that he and his bank lent to two known mobsters that never paid back the loan.

Politico presents five questions that they feel that Kirk must answer in a straightforward manner or expect to lose credibility as a candidate.
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Politico: Five Questions for Mark Kirk”

Chicago - Congress - Conservatives - Elections - GOP - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Republicans - Senate - Warner Todd Huston

Ill. Senate Race: Accusations Fly About Niecestro’s Republican ‘Flake’

June 23, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

(New info updated at the end of the post)

Doug Ibendahl of RepublicanNewsWatch has named the “flake” operative that Senate candidate wannabe Mike Niecestro claimed screwed him out of enough signatures to file his independent candidacy papers this week. Ibendahl claims it was none other than former comptroller candidate William Kelly. I spoke to Kelly today about the accusations.

Mr. Kelly says that Niecestro’s claims that his whole independent bid fell apart because of Kelly’s failure to come through with the promised signatures is puzzling. “He didn’t even give me the final go ahead to do it until five days before the filing date,” Kelly told me.

Five days to get 25,000 signatures is not feasible, for sure.
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Ill. Senate Race: Accusations Fly About Niecestro’s Republican ‘Flake’”

Alexi Giannoulias - Congress - Conservatives - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - GOP - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Mark Kirk - Republicans - Senate - Warner Todd Huston

(Ill. Senate Race) Niecestro Says ‘Flake’ Denied Him Petition Signatures

June 23, 2010 by 2 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

Conservative businessman Mike Niecestro has been making noise about running for the U.S. Senate against GOP candidate Mark Kirk for at least a year. Even just a few weeks ago he amped up his noise machine to say that he had the ballot petition signatures needed to make a run for the office as an independent.

But yesterday the filing time came and no Niecestro papers were to be seen. He told reporters that one of the operatives that promised him thousands of signatures didn’t even get him a single one. ABC’s Charles Thomas reports that Niecestro said the politician in question is “known as a ‘flake’ in GOP circles.”

This quote raises major concerns about the seriousness of a Niecestro campaign. If Niecestro knew the guy he was relying on to put him over the top in petition signatures was a well-known “flake,” then why did Niecestro rely on him in the first place? If Niecestro was putting all his eggs in a “flake’s” basket, this seriously calls into doubt Niecestro’s planning capabilities, doesn’t it?
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(Ill. Senate Race) Niecestro Says ‘Flake’ Denied Him Petition Signatures”

Alexi Giannoulias - Campaign Finance - Chicago - Congress - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Government - Illinois - Liberals - Senate - Warner Todd Huston

Aide to Alexi ‘Mob Banker’ Giannoulias Manhandles Videographer

June 20, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

OK, OK, this one has been making the rounds all last week. It shows one of Illinois Democratic Senate candidate Alexi “The Mob Banker” Giannoulias’ staffers pushing around a videographer who was trying to get a look at who was attending a private fundraiser.

Yeah its uncomfortable to watch, but I have to come down on this in a way that is a bit out of orthodox from all the other conservative websites railing about this video. In fact, that’s why I hadn’t posted about it until now.

I just don’t think it’s a big deal that Giannoulias’ people wanted to keep a private function… well, private.

It was a reserved section, it was a by-invite event not open to the general public and the cameraman wasn’t on the guest list. As much as I think Giannoulias is a crook, deserves to be beaten in the election, and would make a horrible Senator if he wins, I think Giannoulias should be able to expect to see a private fundraiser remain private without being harassed about it all.

As far as this one incident goes, I don’t see any there, there. But, I’ll post it anyway and you decide.
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Aide to Alexi ‘Mob Banker’ Giannoulias Manhandles Videographer”

Budget - Chicago - Congress - Conservatives - Economy/Finances - Elections - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Senate - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

New Entrant into Ill. Race for U.S. Senate?

June 12, 2010 by 3 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

Greg Hinz of Crain’s is reporting that there’s a new candidate about to enter the race for Barack Obama’s old senate seat and he says he’s already got both the petition signatures and $1 million to spend on the race. He is west side mortgage broker Mike Niecestro.

The self-funded, self-proclaimed “disgusted Republican” and conservative says that there isn’t any difference between the two current candidates.

“There is no difference between Mark Kirk and Alexi Giannoulias,” Mr. Niecestro said in an e-mail. “Mark Kirk would not support the Arizona (immigration) law. I will. Mark Kirk voted for cap and trade. …I am a disgusted Republican who has had it with the people the party throws at us.”

Well, there’s no real way to dispute Mr. Niecestro’s characterization of Mr. Kirk. I have always called him a 45 percenter. Kirk votes with Republicans only 45 percent of the time on the major issues. He leans center left, not center right.

Nicestro is running as an independent but he is also running as a conservative. In fact, his slogan on the main page of his website is, “a conservative voice who will put government back in the hands of people like you…”

http://niecestroforsenate.com/index.php/home
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New Entrant into Ill. Race for U.S. Senate?”

Budget - Chicago - Conservatives - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Liberals - Senate - State Government - Steve Rauschenberger - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Steve Rauschenberger Officially Launches Bid for 22nd District State Senate Seat

June 7, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Steve Rauschengerger held the State Senate seat of the 22nd District for many years until he bowed out to make a run for Governor in 2006. Since that time Rauschenberger imagined that he had hung up his political hat, never to run again. That was until the current General Assembly retired for the Summer without a final budget. It was then that he knew he had to run again.

“This is the worst situation in Springfield I can ever imagine,” Rauschenberger said after his kickoff address to a crowd of about 75 people in his Elgin campaign office on Douglas Avenue. The Chicago-based leadership “felt politics were more important” than coming up with a balanced budget, Rauschenberger said.

“There are 48 other states that have a balanced budget,” Rauschenberger said, noting that the only other state in as dire a situation as Illinois is California, which has a $16 billion budget deficit.

Good luck to Mr. Rauschenberger.
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Steve Rauschenberger Officially Launches Bid for 22nd District State Senate Seat”

Chicago - Cook County - Democrats/Leftists - Dick Durbin - Government - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Rod Blagojevich - Senate - Warner Todd Huston

Obama Chief of Staff Emanuel Subpoenaed For Blago Trial

June 2, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

It has been confirmed that Rahm Emanuel, Obama’s chief of staff, has been subpoenaed by Rod Blagojevich’s defense team in his upcoming trial the Sun-Times is reporting.

Blago defense team Shelly Sorosky told the Times, “Yes, he’s been subpoenaed by the defense,” and went on to call Emanuel a “critical witness.”

Sorosky said there are two areas of interest involving Emanuel: the alleged attempted extortion of Emanuel by then-Gov. Blagojevich and the U.S. senate seat selection concerning now-White House adviser Valerie Jarrett.

According to Sorosky, the blago team has subpoenaed a whole retinue of Washington types for just-in-case needs. Already they’ve subpoenaed Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.

Former Governor Blagojevich is under indictment for attempting to sell Barack Obama’s vacated illinois Senate seat.

The trial is now empanelling the jurors and the trial will soon be under way.
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Obama Chief of Staff Emanuel Subpoenaed For Blago Trial”

Congress - Elections - Gays - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Illinois - Illinois State Government - Liberals - Lobbyists - Mark Kirk - Republicans - Senate - Warner Todd Huston

Gay Blogger Claims Mark Kirk (R, IL) Told Him He’s Gay

June 2, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Michael Rogers has made an unsavory name for himself “outing” gay politicians. Today he has targeted for his next “outing” operation GOP Illinois Senate candidate Congressman Mark Kirk. It’s something Rogers says he’s known since 2004.

Why has Rogers waited some six years to “out” Kirk? Because, Rogers says, Kirk recently announced his support for the Pentagon’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy that keeps gay members of the military serving under a cloud of silence about their sexual preferences. Kirk has said that he does not want DADT repealed and Rogers thinks that is an affront to Kirk’s supposed gay compatriots.
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Gay Blogger Claims Mark Kirk (R, IL) Told Him He’s Gay”