Why not start now Don?
Two items:
(1) Insiders of the Gordon campaign are less than thrilled that Craig Blowhardt is acting as their blogosphere cheerleader. Which must have the Joe Moore camp more than thrilled.
(2) Insiders of the Gordon campaign revealed to me that immediately after it became clear that Don Gordon would face Moore in a run-off, lots of big money started pouring in.
With that in mind, I must quote a man that I would normally disagree with: David Fagus, 49th Ward Democrat Committeeman. Fagus asks a legitimate question:
There will be an influx of new media attention, new interest in the community, new dollars and new bodies into the race. This is Don Gordon’s opportunity to enact his pledge to not utilize dollars from developers, realtors and others who might want a zoning change. He has said he will start in 2011, but if it is a real commitment why not start now Don? Do you think nobody else will take money from these people because you don’t in 2011. Or Don, are you planning on using the incumbency of your office to overwhelm challengers in 2011? If its wrong as you state to take money from these people, then it is wrong today, not in 2011.
I am not pro-Moore. But good points are good points. And Don Gordon's statement reminds one of John Kerry explaining that he "actually voted for the $86 million before I voted against it."
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What utter hypocrisy on the part of David Fagus - the ultimate Cook County Shadow Master and Democratic Party Machine Leach. To say his name is to hear the sucking sound of a fat do nothing government patronage worker masquerading as a middle manager, living far beyond the value he brings to the tax payer in return for shilling and campaigning for the likes of Joe Moore – most likely while he is on the public time clock.
ReplyDeleteAnd you Tom – once a young campus Reaganite – how far you have fallen from your youthful principals if you would give credence to this pretzel logic. How can you possibly raise moral issues with the likes of Nancy Pelosi or Hillary Clinton, and then give philosophical support to the twisted prevarications of a Chicago Machine squid like Fagus? From kickback parking at the Block building to his kickback job in county government, he should stand as the poster-boy for everything that is wrong with Chicago patronage politics.
Tom – your guy (Jim G) is a good fellow – he raised good issues – Don Gordon has listened to those issues, and agrees with many of them – Jim lost – its time for you and all of Jim’s supporters to jump on over to the winning team and help bring real progressive change to the 49th – and at the same time bring to a permanent end any possibility of Joe Moore ever attaining higher office and doing to the rest of the country what he has done to our neighborhood.
To un-spin all this foolishness, I will clearly explain what Don Gordon has promised to do. But first, let’s put this entire Fagus nonsense in the bright light of day.
Don raised something in the area of $40k, and happily, with that tiny amount of money, has helped to force a run-off. Joe raised something in the area of $450k (not counting drug dealer cash, which Joe forgot to put on his D-2). Joe had influence to sell, and his D-2 numbers reflect it. Don had no influence to sell, and furthermore, he declared early on he never would be for sale. His numbers reflect it. Why? Because, if elected, he would no longer take donations. The Jay Johnsons of the world have no incentive to try and buy him today. Don is not for sale today and will not be for sale in the future. But it is clear – Joe Moore has been vacuuming up hundreds of thousands of dollars in declared and undeclared donations for the last two years. His influence is for sale to all comers. And Joe Moore has been buying votes at $10 a shot. The cost of a grocery store cash card – the cost of a pathetic bingo card. Don needs an office and telephones and the most basic organizational structure to prevail on April 17th. He hasn’t been vacuuming up cash with promises and threats for the last few years. It is nonsensical to expect that he would not accept donations in his attempt to rid the 49th of this strangling machine presence. He hasn’t been in office for 4 years to set aside future campaign expenses, nor has he had four years to gain the understanding and support of a firm majority of the voters here. It will take a few years before people realize what profound lies Joe Moore and his operatives have spun for so long. It will take less time for people to realize what a decent man Don Gordon is.
Over the next four years, Don has pledged to act as the only campaign contributor to his re-election in 2011. That money will come from his aldermanic salary, which will, I believe, be his only substantive source of income. Other than his own contributions, he will not accept donations. It is very very simple – Don will not be for sale – his office will not be for sale – Zoning will not be for sale – Don Gordon’s protection will not be for sale to slum lords and drug dealers. The Jay Johnsons of this world will not be free to run slums in the 49th that kill innocent children a half dozen at a time, knowing that they have already bought the alderman’s support and protection. My God Tom – who is the friend of the poor? One of Joes’ best pals (Johnson) killed an entire family and then ran and hid behind Joe’s skirts – and Joe stood up in front of the press and told us all what a fine fine fellow Johnson was.
Don Gordon WILL NOT be on the take – as is Joe Moore every waking minute of the day.
Don Gordon WILL NOT sell influence – as does Joe Moore.
Don Gordon WILL NOT shake down legitimate business people through intimidation – as does Joe Moore.
Don Gordon WILL NOT build a massive undisclosed (and quite illegal) slush fund of cash - much of which comes from gang and drug operations which Moore then shields from the law. Moore uses that cash to buy votes, buy gimme cash cards at Dominick’s, and to pay for his army of otherwise unemployed poor people who electioneer and intimidate at the poles. What would Joe do on election day if these folks had decent jobs instead of being poor and forgotten? Is their vote worth a $10 cash card? Is their vote and 14 hours standing in the cold on election day worth $100? That is exactly what their vote and their human dignity is worth to Joe Moore. Mr. “Fighting for a living wage”. What an unspeakable cynical hypocrite. Nothing but an old style tried and true machine politician.
So Fagus and company are feeling the pressure, and will try anything to discredit Don Gordon. Joe Moore and his thugs will be trying every dirty trick, and telling any lie they can think of to somehow maintain their strangle hold on the businesses in the ward, the renters in the ward, the poor folks in the ward, the less advantaged in the ward. They will use scare tactics, racial slurs, misrepresentations, and lies. They will break the voting and campaign contribution laws. They will most very likely do worse.
The truth is obvious. So obvious, that if a person does not see, it is simply because they want to believe the lie.
Don Gordon has earned our support over the past 25 years. It is time the community stood up and said Rogers Park can be a much better place for everyone living here. Tom, you should do your part to help bring about this constructive change.
Vote for positive change, honest and transparent government in the 49th ward on April 17. Vote for Don Gordon.