State Rep. Lou Lang and Gov. Pat Quinn speaking after the press conference today.
(Chicago, IL) — November 6, 2009. Illinois Democratic lawmakers State Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago), Deputy House Majority Leader Lou Lang (D-Skokie), and State Senator Ira Silverstein (D-Chicago) today endorsed Governor Pat Quinn in the Illinois 2010 Democratic primary for governor over Comptroller Dan Hynes at a press conference on Chicago’s North Side.
Hynes, a constituent of Fritchey’s, had endorsed Fritchey’s opponent, State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago), in the IL 5th congressional special election to succeed Rahm Emanuel in February. Oops.
Fritchey is also the 32nd Ward Democratic Committeeman. He is leaving the state legislature to run for the Cook County Board seated being vacated by Commissioner Forrest Claypool.
Chicago Tribune reporter Monique Garcia at today's press conference.
Lang, who is also the Niles Township Democratic Committeeman and Executive Vice President of the Cook County Democratic Party, had emerged as a critic of Quinn in the State House during the spring legislative session, but Lang has now swung firmly behind Quinn.
The Chicago Tribune‘s headline writer, however, cast the Quinn endorsements, which also included 33rd Ward Alderman Dick Mell, as “Quinn gets backing from former Blagojevich allies“.
Ouch.
Monique Garcia, who covered the press conference at the Ann Sather’s restaurant in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood, wrote a more balanced story lead, referring to the Fritchey and
State Rep. John Fritchey and Gov. Pat Quinn at today's press conference.
the others as the “… Democratic leaders who once hailed and later feuded with his running mate and predecessor, Rod Blagojevich.”
The Tribune editor just provided material for a TV attack ad by the Hynes campaign or the GOP.
In fact, Fritchey, Lang, and Mell were early Blagojevich opponents long before it was politically fashionable. Fritchey and Lang led the impeachment effort against Blagojevich in the House–but get tagged as “allies”.
Oh, well.
Silverstein is also the 50th Ward Democratic Committeeman.
In addition to Hynes, Quinn faces attorney Ed Scanlan of Oak Park and William “Dock” Walls in the Democratic primary on February 2, 2010.
Gov. Pat Quinn
David,
John Fritchey’s endorsement of income-tax-hike-advocate & state employees’ union (AFSCME) pawn Pat Quinn shows that John Fritchey is not serious about protecting Illinois’ taxpayers from wasteful government spending.
Both these men care more about buying union support with state taxpayers’ money, than they do about balancing our budgets without tax increases.
All this is why I’m seeking John Fritchey’s open State House seat as a Republican.
By the way, you can’t get Real Reform in Springfield with any of the 3 Democrat candidates for Fritchey’s open State House seat…because they’ll all have to do Speaker Madigan’s bidding.
Thank you,
Scott Tucker
Posted by Scott Tucker | November 7, 2009, 3:47 PMScott,
You’re wrong. John Fritchey voted against the recent income tax increase bill in the House.
Thanks for reading.
David Ormsby
Posted by David Ormsby | November 9, 2009, 1:19 PM