The following is a "final" message from Joel Pollak, his "thank you" note to voters and supporters in his battle against Rep. Jan Schakowsky in Illinois's 9th Cong. District. Pollak is a class act and ran a brilliant campaign. Unfortunately, Joel Pollak lost. Less than one in three voters in that district, apparently, are rational enough to understand how radically socialist Jan Schakowsky is, or how destructive her policies have been.
UPDATE, Nov. 5, 2010: (Video) Pollak Tells Tea Party To Stay The Fight; Slams Schakowsky
That said, we look forward to Pollak's next political move (I'm betting there will be one). He's established himself as a first-rate campaigner, a deep thinker with a firm grasp of the issues, and one helluva nice guy. So while Joel Pollak has written us a "thank you" note, it is we who owe him a debt of gratitude for having the courage to take on a battle that he must surely have known he had little chance of winning. We thank Joel Pollak for speaking truth to power, challenging the status quo, shaking up and waking up a lot of the voters in the 9th District, and for the opportunity to know that young people of his quality and stature walk the land. Thank you, Joel Pollak, for giving us hope.
Joel Pollak's "Thank You" message, followed by his concession speech:
This morning, I woke up early to meet commuters at the train station, as I have done for the past five months. My wife Julia joined me at the Park Ridge Metra--not to ask for votes, but to thank everyone for their support.
It was wonderful to see familiar faces, and share smiles and hugs. I am so proud of what our campaign has done for the people of our district. Winning would have been sweeter, but running has been a great blessing!
I never imagined that by standing up to Barney Frank last April at Harvard that I would have the chance to stand up for the people of our district, and for so many Americans. Our campaign has given courage to those who were once afraid to raise their voices. We have not just been part of a national movement; we helped create it and push it forward. I am so grateful for what we have achieved--and for what is yet to come!
I want to thank each and every person who has helped our campaign--going door to door, making phone calls, stuffing envelopes, hosting coffees, putting up signs (and now taking them down again), and just being there for us.
I also want to thank all those who donated to our campaign, and made it possible for us to provide the strongest and best alternative for our community. You gave so generously, and our democracy is stronger for it!
There are a few regrets--aside from the result. This morning, the hosts on WIND 560 AM asked me how my conversation with Jan Schakowsky went last night. The truth, I told them, was that I hadn’t spoken with her at all. Our campaign called hers twice, then I left a message conceding the election. There was no return call, no acknowledgment of the choice made by over 50,000 people in the 9th congressional district.
It was, unfortunately, a fitting end to Schakowsky’s campaign.
I respect the choice made by two-thirds of the voters, and I respect the effort made by my opponent to earn their trust. Yet I do not respect--nor should we tolerate--the means by which she sought it. I am less concerned about the false and negative mailings, the last-minute funding for long-neglected local needs, and the behind-the-scenes political maneuvers than I am about the clear ethical violations she committed in this election.
In September, Schakowsky claimed credit for saving Devon Avenue from “going dark” by stopping foreclosures by United Central Bank. The reality is that she intervened at the behest of influential political contributors who were responsible for multiple loans, few of which involved property on Devon. In my view, Schakowsky violated the ethics rules of the U.S. House of Representatives. I will continue to pursue that complaint.
Yesterday, Schakowsky electioneered inside several polling places inside the district, handing out candy to election judges and greeting voters inside the “campaign free zone.” She even discussed helping an election judge obtain a congressional internship. That is simply unethical, and possibly illegal. Her behavior did not swing the result, but showed a clear disregard for the integrity, privacy, and fairness of the electoral process.
Then there is the ShoreBank scandal, which reinforced the idea that Chicago politicians exist to reward their political cronies and contributors. Our campaign succeeded in stopping a federal or state bailout of ShoreBank, but not an insider buyout by Wall Street firms under pressure from Schakowsky. The Inspector General of the FDIC is already investigating, and I intend to provide whatever assistance I can to the inquiry.
These ethical concerns remain, even after all the votes have been counted. In the days ahead, as we wind up our operation and prepare for the next challenge, I will continue to fight corruption, to stand up for the people of the 9th congressional district, and to be a voice in support of the new leadership our country has elected. We have not brought about a fresh start--not yet--yet we have given our country a fighting chance at renewal.
Below, I have included the published version of my concession speech from last night. Thank you to all who stayed to celebrate with us, even after a long day and a difficult outcome!
I have not yet made a decision about running in 2012, yet I have decided to keep our campaign’s infrastructure going. We will stay in touch, and we will let you know when we have decided to take the next step, as well as what that next step will be.
For now, I wish to offer my deepest thanks once again for your devoted help and friendship throughout this wonderful campaign!
And for the many political struggles that lie ahead, here and elsewhere, I offer a passage from the Bible that has given me strength and comfort often throughout this campaign:
“When...you see horse and chariot--a people more numerous than you--you shall not fear them, for the Lord your G-d is with you...” (Deuteronomy 20:1)
With best regards,
Joel
*** *** *** *** *** ***
Concession Speech - Joel Pollak - November 2, 2010 - Skokie Holiday Inn
Ladies and gentlemen: Thank you all for all that you have done. Tonight’s result is not what we hoped to achieve, but this campaign has been all--or almost all--that we hoped to create. I have called Rep. Jan Schakowsky to congratulate her on her victory. She campaigned hard, and worked to earn the trust of our district for another term. I did make clear that I objected to some of her tactics. That is a subject for another night.
Tonight, across our state and our nation, voters are repudiating the radical agenda that this Congress enacted. That struggle is not over. We cannot allow our government to keep expanding its control of our economy. We cannot allow our government to spend our nation into financial collapse. We cannot allow our government to undermine the security of our democratic allies by attempting to appease our authoritarian enemies.
There are many hopeful candidates throughout America that are celebrating tonight. There are many that join us in our disappointment. But we have all been part of an historic effort by the American people to restore the values of our Constitution and the institutions of our democracy. We have elected new leaders who will represent the people to Washington, and not Washington to the people. That is cause to celebrate.
We have much to celebrate in our own campaign as well. We smashed all previous fundraising efforts in our district, by nearly 10 to 1. We recruited more volunteers and built a bigger online campaign than any campaign had done here before. Most of all, we provided a real choice to the people of our district--and a real voice. We spoke directly to the people of our district, when the local media would not convey our message.
We showed that there is a political cost to siding with radical organizations like J Street. We exposed corruption across Chicago and prevented a bailout--the only campaign to have done so, anywhere in America. We listened to people who had never been heard before--and we helped them hold their representative accountable. This campaign was not a contest of personalities, but a contest of ideas. I am proud of it--and proud of you.
I am so grateful to the many thousands of people who contributed to our effort and lent a hand. I would especially like to thank Alan Dershowitz, Paul Ryan, Vivica A. Fox, Tevi Troy, and Gary Sinise for lending their voices to our effort. I would like to thank the many volunteers who worked so hard alongside us each and every day. And I would like to thank my outstanding, inspiring campaign staff. You have honored yourselves tonight.
Most of all, I would like to thank my parents, Raymond and Naomi, and especially my wife, Julia. This campaign involved so many sacrifices, and she bore them with strength and courage. She is my Airman--always ready to face the greatest challenge to defend the greatest principles. She is true to the heroism of her Hebrew namesake, Yael. Thank you again, to all who fought alongside us for the fresh start that our district deserves .
Showing posts with label 9th Cong District Illinois. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 9th Cong District Illinois. Show all posts
So Long For Now, Joel Pollak, And Thank You
The following is a "final" message from Joel Pollak, his "thank you" note to voters and supporters in his battle against Rep. Jan Schakowsky in Illinois's 9th Cong. District. Pollak is a class act and ran a brilliant campaign. Unfortunately, Joel Pollak lost. Less than one in three voters in that district, apparently, are rational enough to understand how radically socialist Jan Schakowsky is, or how destructive her policies have been.
UPDATE, Nov. 5, 2010: (Video) Pollak Tells Tea Party To Stay The Fight; Slams Schakowsky
That said, we look forward to Pollak's next political move (I'm betting there will be one). He's established himself as a first-rate campaigner, a deep thinker with a firm grasp of the issues, and one helluva nice guy. So while Joel Pollak has written us a "thank you" note, it is we who owe him a debt of gratitude for having the courage to take on a battle that he must surely have known he had little chance of winning. We thank Joel Pollak for speaking truth to power, challenging the status quo, shaking up and waking up a lot of the voters in the 9th District, and for the opportunity to know that young people of his quality and stature walk the land. Thank you, Joel Pollak, for giving us hope.
Joel Pollak's "Thank You" message, followed by his concession speech:
This morning, I woke up early to meet commuters at the train station, as I have done for the past five months. My wife Julia joined me at the Park Ridge Metra--not to ask for votes, but to thank everyone for their support.
It was wonderful to see familiar faces, and share smiles and hugs. I am so proud of what our campaign has done for the people of our district. Winning would have been sweeter, but running has been a great blessing!
I never imagined that by standing up to Barney Frank last April at Harvard that I would have the chance to stand up for the people of our district, and for so many Americans. Our campaign has given courage to those who were once afraid to raise their voices. We have not just been part of a national movement; we helped create it and push it forward. I am so grateful for what we have achieved--and for what is yet to come!
I want to thank each and every person who has helped our campaign--going door to door, making phone calls, stuffing envelopes, hosting coffees, putting up signs (and now taking them down again), and just being there for us.
I also want to thank all those who donated to our campaign, and made it possible for us to provide the strongest and best alternative for our community. You gave so generously, and our democracy is stronger for it!
There are a few regrets--aside from the result. This morning, the hosts on WIND 560 AM asked me how my conversation with Jan Schakowsky went last night. The truth, I told them, was that I hadn’t spoken with her at all. Our campaign called hers twice, then I left a message conceding the election. There was no return call, no acknowledgment of the choice made by over 50,000 people in the 9th congressional district.
It was, unfortunately, a fitting end to Schakowsky’s campaign.
I respect the choice made by two-thirds of the voters, and I respect the effort made by my opponent to earn their trust. Yet I do not respect--nor should we tolerate--the means by which she sought it. I am less concerned about the false and negative mailings, the last-minute funding for long-neglected local needs, and the behind-the-scenes political maneuvers than I am about the clear ethical violations she committed in this election.
In September, Schakowsky claimed credit for saving Devon Avenue from “going dark” by stopping foreclosures by United Central Bank. The reality is that she intervened at the behest of influential political contributors who were responsible for multiple loans, few of which involved property on Devon. In my view, Schakowsky violated the ethics rules of the U.S. House of Representatives. I will continue to pursue that complaint.
Yesterday, Schakowsky electioneered inside several polling places inside the district, handing out candy to election judges and greeting voters inside the “campaign free zone.” She even discussed helping an election judge obtain a congressional internship. That is simply unethical, and possibly illegal. Her behavior did not swing the result, but showed a clear disregard for the integrity, privacy, and fairness of the electoral process.
Then there is the ShoreBank scandal, which reinforced the idea that Chicago politicians exist to reward their political cronies and contributors. Our campaign succeeded in stopping a federal or state bailout of ShoreBank, but not an insider buyout by Wall Street firms under pressure from Schakowsky. The Inspector General of the FDIC is already investigating, and I intend to provide whatever assistance I can to the inquiry.
These ethical concerns remain, even after all the votes have been counted. In the days ahead, as we wind up our operation and prepare for the next challenge, I will continue to fight corruption, to stand up for the people of the 9th congressional district, and to be a voice in support of the new leadership our country has elected. We have not brought about a fresh start--not yet--yet we have given our country a fighting chance at renewal.
Below, I have included the published version of my concession speech from last night. Thank you to all who stayed to celebrate with us, even after a long day and a difficult outcome!
I have not yet made a decision about running in 2012, yet I have decided to keep our campaign’s infrastructure going. We will stay in touch, and we will let you know when we have decided to take the next step, as well as what that next step will be.
For now, I wish to offer my deepest thanks once again for your devoted help and friendship throughout this wonderful campaign!
And for the many political struggles that lie ahead, here and elsewhere, I offer a passage from the Bible that has given me strength and comfort often throughout this campaign:
“When...you see horse and chariot--a people more numerous than you--you shall not fear them, for the Lord your G-d is with you...” (Deuteronomy 20:1)
With best regards,
Joel
*** *** *** *** *** ***
Concession Speech - Joel Pollak - November 2, 2010 - Skokie Holiday Inn
Ladies and gentlemen: Thank you all for all that you have done. Tonight’s result is not what we hoped to achieve, but this campaign has been all--or almost all--that we hoped to create. I have called Rep. Jan Schakowsky to congratulate her on her victory. She campaigned hard, and worked to earn the trust of our district for another term. I did make clear that I objected to some of her tactics. That is a subject for another night.
Tonight, across our state and our nation, voters are repudiating the radical agenda that this Congress enacted. That struggle is not over. We cannot allow our government to keep expanding its control of our economy. We cannot allow our government to spend our nation into financial collapse. We cannot allow our government to undermine the security of our democratic allies by attempting to appease our authoritarian enemies.
There are many hopeful candidates throughout America that are celebrating tonight. There are many that join us in our disappointment. But we have all been part of an historic effort by the American people to restore the values of our Constitution and the institutions of our democracy. We have elected new leaders who will represent the people to Washington, and not Washington to the people. That is cause to celebrate.
We have much to celebrate in our own campaign as well. We smashed all previous fundraising efforts in our district, by nearly 10 to 1. We recruited more volunteers and built a bigger online campaign than any campaign had done here before. Most of all, we provided a real choice to the people of our district--and a real voice. We spoke directly to the people of our district, when the local media would not convey our message.
We showed that there is a political cost to siding with radical organizations like J Street. We exposed corruption across Chicago and prevented a bailout--the only campaign to have done so, anywhere in America. We listened to people who had never been heard before--and we helped them hold their representative accountable. This campaign was not a contest of personalities, but a contest of ideas. I am proud of it--and proud of you.
I am so grateful to the many thousands of people who contributed to our effort and lent a hand. I would especially like to thank Alan Dershowitz, Paul Ryan, Vivica A. Fox, Tevi Troy, and Gary Sinise for lending their voices to our effort. I would like to thank the many volunteers who worked so hard alongside us each and every day. And I would like to thank my outstanding, inspiring campaign staff. You have honored yourselves tonight.
Most of all, I would like to thank my parents, Raymond and Naomi, and especially my wife, Julia. This campaign involved so many sacrifices, and she bore them with strength and courage. She is my Airman--always ready to face the greatest challenge to defend the greatest principles. She is true to the heroism of her Hebrew namesake, Yael. Thank you again, to all who fought alongside us for the fresh start that our district deserves .
Schakowsky's Cowardly Campaign
Schakowsky, like so many other Democrats, has been both dodging and twisting the truth. Rather than face her opponent in an actual debate (rather than a non-confrontational forum), Schakowsky steadfastly refuses to debate Joel Pollak in the race for the 9th Congressional District seat in Illinois. Worse yet, Schakowsky has been running a campaign of disinformation and outright lies, as friend Keith Liscio noted in a fine column on October 24:
To anyone listening to the steady stream of misinformation emanating from the campaign of Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D), it would seem that she’s handily thumping her opponent, Republican nominee Joel Pollak, in debates for the 9th district seat. A recent post on her campaign website, for instance, was headlined: “Jan Trumps Pollak at KINS Debate.” There are two problems with this mischaracterization of the event, however..... Full post at Chicago Conservative Examiner.
Pollak has invited Schakowsky to debate him at a Town Hall meeting that is scheduled for Wednesday, October 27th, at 7:00 p.m. at the Holiday Inn at 5300 W. Touhy Ave. in Skokie. Thus far, Schakowsky's campaign has not accepted. As of today, Schakowsky's campaign is still lying about it. Pollak wrote about this yesterday and offered "proof" is Schakowsky's dishonesty. An excerpt:
My opponent is trying to duck Wednesday’s debate by pretending that she’s debated me already. She refused to debate all year; participated in “forums” that were explicitly not debates; then claimed credit afterwards for “debating” me (never beforehand).
She’s lying to her own supporters, some of whom are calling on her to accept my invitation to debate this Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Skokie Holiday Inn at 5300 W. Touhy. She wants it both ways–to avoid a real debate, while pretending she’s had one.
Here’s the proof that Schakowsky is lying–the full 6-part correspondence between my campaign and hers on the subject of debates. You will note that Schakowsky’s campaign manager, Alex Armour, never once refers to the “forums” as “debates.” The invitation to debate remains open, though we have yet to receive a response....
The Pollak post then reproduces email exchanges between Schakowsky's Campaign Manager, Alex Armour, and Ashley Kain, Pollak's Campaign Manager. You can read it all here.
Just a thought: Lynn Sweet reported on October 11 that "Alex Armour said that Republican Candidate Joel Pollak's statements in the debate showed clearly that his right wing views are inconsistent with the progressive values of the 9th District."
Armour is partly correct about the values of the 9th District. Let's turn his statement around: Democrat Schakowsky's far left wing views are inconsistent with the mainstream and conservative values which are also present within the 9th District. Armour's statement assumes that everyone the 9th is a "progressive" who agrees that more spending and higher taxes are the solution to our current economic malaise. That is simply not true; as with any other district, there is a diversity of opinion in the 9th, where the Schakowsky support resides primarily in the eastern portion among the "lake front liberals." Visit the western portion of the 9th District and you'll see quite a lot of Pollak yard signs.
In fact, as Fred Dardick wrote recently, there are at least "20 Reasons Why Jan Schakowsky is Unfit for Congress," all of which should worry every voter in the 9th District -- whether they are one of Armour's "progressives" or otherwise.
RELATED:
Why won't Jan Schakowsky debate? Chicago Tribune
Why won't Jan Schakowsky debate Joel Pollak? HillBuzz
Jan Schakowsky: First You Lose, Then You Misquote American Thinker
Pollak, Schakowsky Spar Over Campaign Finance, Support of Israel Skokie Patch
20 Reasons Why Jan Schakowsky is Unfit for Congress Canada Free Press
(Video) Schakowsky On Defense At 10-10-10 Forum Chicago News Bench
Pollak Taunts Schakowsky's Campaign Manager at Big Fundraiser Chicago News Bench
To anyone listening to the steady stream of misinformation emanating from the campaign of Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D), it would seem that she’s handily thumping her opponent, Republican nominee Joel Pollak, in debates for the 9th district seat. A recent post on her campaign website, for instance, was headlined: “Jan Trumps Pollak at KINS Debate.” There are two problems with this mischaracterization of the event, however..... Full post at Chicago Conservative Examiner.
Pollak has invited Schakowsky to debate him at a Town Hall meeting that is scheduled for Wednesday, October 27th, at 7:00 p.m. at the Holiday Inn at 5300 W. Touhy Ave. in Skokie. Thus far, Schakowsky's campaign has not accepted. As of today, Schakowsky's campaign is still lying about it. Pollak wrote about this yesterday and offered "proof" is Schakowsky's dishonesty. An excerpt:
My opponent is trying to duck Wednesday’s debate by pretending that she’s debated me already. She refused to debate all year; participated in “forums” that were explicitly not debates; then claimed credit afterwards for “debating” me (never beforehand).
She’s lying to her own supporters, some of whom are calling on her to accept my invitation to debate this Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Skokie Holiday Inn at 5300 W. Touhy. She wants it both ways–to avoid a real debate, while pretending she’s had one.
Here’s the proof that Schakowsky is lying–the full 6-part correspondence between my campaign and hers on the subject of debates. You will note that Schakowsky’s campaign manager, Alex Armour, never once refers to the “forums” as “debates.” The invitation to debate remains open, though we have yet to receive a response....
The Pollak post then reproduces email exchanges between Schakowsky's Campaign Manager, Alex Armour, and Ashley Kain, Pollak's Campaign Manager. You can read it all here.
Just a thought: Lynn Sweet reported on October 11 that "Alex Armour said that Republican Candidate Joel Pollak's statements in the debate showed clearly that his right wing views are inconsistent with the progressive values of the 9th District."
Armour is partly correct about the values of the 9th District. Let's turn his statement around: Democrat Schakowsky's far left wing views are inconsistent with the mainstream and conservative values which are also present within the 9th District. Armour's statement assumes that everyone the 9th is a "progressive" who agrees that more spending and higher taxes are the solution to our current economic malaise. That is simply not true; as with any other district, there is a diversity of opinion in the 9th, where the Schakowsky support resides primarily in the eastern portion among the "lake front liberals." Visit the western portion of the 9th District and you'll see quite a lot of Pollak yard signs.
In fact, as Fred Dardick wrote recently, there are at least "20 Reasons Why Jan Schakowsky is Unfit for Congress," all of which should worry every voter in the 9th District -- whether they are one of Armour's "progressives" or otherwise.
RELATED:
Why won't Jan Schakowsky debate? Chicago Tribune
Why won't Jan Schakowsky debate Joel Pollak? HillBuzz
Jan Schakowsky: First You Lose, Then You Misquote American Thinker
Pollak, Schakowsky Spar Over Campaign Finance, Support of Israel Skokie Patch
20 Reasons Why Jan Schakowsky is Unfit for Congress Canada Free Press
(Video) Schakowsky On Defense At 10-10-10 Forum Chicago News Bench
Pollak Taunts Schakowsky's Campaign Manager at Big Fundraiser Chicago News Bench
Brunch With Gary Sinise and Joel Pollak!
Join actor Gary Sinise this Sunday, Oct. 17 for the "Road To Victory Brunch" as he supports Joel Pollak in the 9th Congressional race of Illinois. The brunch is at the beautiful Hyatt Regency at 151 E. Wacker Drive, alongside the Chicago River with its magnificent views.
Sunday, Oct. 17, 2010, 10:00 am - 12:00 noon
Hyatt Regency, Plaza Ballroom, 151 East Wacker Drive, Chicago
Info: Call 224-217-9669
Register by clicking the button below
IT'S A BUSY DAY FOR JOEL! Join him on Sunday night in West Rogers Park for the Candidates Forum with Jan Schakowsky. Details: Pollak-Schakowsky Forum, Sunday, Oct. 17
(Video) Schakowsky On Defense At 10-10-10 Forum
This video, reports Founding Bloggers, "is a preview of our full report on the recent candidates’ forum in Illinois’ 9th congressional district between Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and her Republican challenger, Joel Pollak." It's a great teaser, and we can't wait for the full version. As you watch the video, you'll see Schakowsky's convicted felon husband, Robert Creamer, hovering in the background. More from Founding Bloggers, and also see "Pollak and Schakowsky face off at LWV candidate forum" at Examiner.com.
Face to Face But No Debate: Pollak & Schakowsky, Oct. 10
There will be a forum this coming Sunday, October 10 at which Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky and her Republican challenger Joel Pollak will share a stage. The forum is sponsored by the League of Women Voters and will be held at Niles North High School (details below). That's nice, but it's not a debate. Schakowsky thus far has refused repeated requests by Pollak to face him in an actual debate in the heated race in the 9th Cong. District.
Is Schakowsky afraid to debate Pollak? Probably so, inasmuch as Pollak is a brilliant speaker with a razor sharp mind. Schakowsky, in contrast, has nothing to offer in a debate other than her tired Marxist platitudes.
Then again, perhaps Schakowsky is not afraid to go head to head with Pollak. Perhaps she's simply so arrogant that she feels she doesn't need to debate, and that she doesn't need to bother. Judging from the attitude of Alex Armour, her Chief of Staff and Top Apparatchik.
Armour dropped his pants and showed the whole world his filthy anti-American arse via Twitter back in mid-August. Armour's "tweet" revealed what some of us have known about him for a long time: Like his boss Schakowsky, Armour has nothing but contempt for the American people and the U.S. Constitution. Moe Lane posted about Armour's tweets in a piece with the amusing headline, "Meet Alex Armour, Jan Schakowsky’s (D, IL-09) CoS." There, Lane links to a screenshot of an offensive tweet by Armour.
As for meeting Alex Armour, those of you who have been reading Chicago News Bench since October, 2006 are already familiar with him. We've covered him quite a few times over the years. Some of you will recall that Schakowsky loaned Armour to her good friend, Alderman Joe Moore, during his vicious re-election fight of 2002. Armour was key to helping Moore pull off all kinds of dirty tricks then.
Here are the details about the October 10 Pollak - Schakowsky forum, courtesy of the Pollak For Congress campaign:
Sunday, October 10th
2:00 - 3:00 p.m. (doors open 1:30 p.m.)
Niles North High School
9800 N. Lawler, Skokie IL 60077
Sponsored by: League of Women Voters
Jan Schakowsky won't debate (yet)--so this is your best chance to see both candidates on the same stage, answering questions about the issues that matter most to the people of our district!
We need to have a large, disciplined presence. That means we need YOU to be there!
Doors open at 1:30 p.m. and there is no advance seating, so be sure to be there VERY early--we don't want to let Schakowsky stack Niles North the way she stacked Niles West last year!
We also need our supporters to observe the forum rules carefully. This forum will be "won" in the audience, not just on stage, and we want to set an example of leadership.
NO signs may be posted on school property. NO campaign buttons, and no clothing or accessories displaying candidate names may be worn in the forum. NO responses from the audience to candidates will be permitted. NO video recording or photography will be allowed, aside from credentialed media. Please observe these rules, even if "they" don't.
The first round of questions will be asked by the League of Women Voters, and the second round will be asked by the audience. Only written questions, collected by ushers and screened by a panel, will be allowed. The forum will provide blank index cards and pencils.
We will have a table with campaign literature in the hall outside the forum.
And we will keep pushing for REAL debates--where the candidates can actually challenge each other's views, and answer more than a few screened questions!
Questions? Please email our campaign at info@pollakforcongress.com.
Is Schakowsky afraid to debate Pollak? Probably so, inasmuch as Pollak is a brilliant speaker with a razor sharp mind. Schakowsky, in contrast, has nothing to offer in a debate other than her tired Marxist platitudes.
Then again, perhaps Schakowsky is not afraid to go head to head with Pollak. Perhaps she's simply so arrogant that she feels she doesn't need to debate, and that she doesn't need to bother. Judging from the attitude of Alex Armour, her Chief of Staff and Top Apparatchik.
Armour dropped his pants and showed the whole world his filthy anti-American arse via Twitter back in mid-August. Armour's "tweet" revealed what some of us have known about him for a long time: Like his boss Schakowsky, Armour has nothing but contempt for the American people and the U.S. Constitution. Moe Lane posted about Armour's tweets in a piece with the amusing headline, "Meet Alex Armour, Jan Schakowsky’s (D, IL-09) CoS." There, Lane links to a screenshot of an offensive tweet by Armour.
As for meeting Alex Armour, those of you who have been reading Chicago News Bench since October, 2006 are already familiar with him. We've covered him quite a few times over the years. Some of you will recall that Schakowsky loaned Armour to her good friend, Alderman Joe Moore, during his vicious re-election fight of 2002. Armour was key to helping Moore pull off all kinds of dirty tricks then.
Here are the details about the October 10 Pollak - Schakowsky forum, courtesy of the Pollak For Congress campaign:
Sunday, October 10th
2:00 - 3:00 p.m. (doors open 1:30 p.m.)
Niles North High School
9800 N. Lawler, Skokie IL 60077
Sponsored by: League of Women Voters
Jan Schakowsky won't debate (yet)--so this is your best chance to see both candidates on the same stage, answering questions about the issues that matter most to the people of our district!
We need to have a large, disciplined presence. That means we need YOU to be there!
Doors open at 1:30 p.m. and there is no advance seating, so be sure to be there VERY early--we don't want to let Schakowsky stack Niles North the way she stacked Niles West last year!
We also need our supporters to observe the forum rules carefully. This forum will be "won" in the audience, not just on stage, and we want to set an example of leadership.
NO signs may be posted on school property. NO campaign buttons, and no clothing or accessories displaying candidate names may be worn in the forum. NO responses from the audience to candidates will be permitted. NO video recording or photography will be allowed, aside from credentialed media. Please observe these rules, even if "they" don't.
The first round of questions will be asked by the League of Women Voters, and the second round will be asked by the audience. Only written questions, collected by ushers and screened by a panel, will be allowed. The forum will provide blank index cards and pencils.
We will have a table with campaign literature in the hall outside the forum.
And we will keep pushing for REAL debates--where the candidates can actually challenge each other's views, and answer more than a few screened questions!
Questions? Please email our campaign at info@pollakforcongress.com.
Pollak Charges Sun-Times of "False Accusation"
October 1, 2010 - The Pollak for Congress campaign has contested a false allegation made by the Chicago Sun-Times in today’s editorial endorsing Jan Schakowsky for the 9th district.
“The Sun-Times was wrong to say that Joel Pollak ‘completely runs afoul of the truth...in his effort to portray Schakowsky as insufficiently pro-Israel,’” noted Ashley Kain, Pollak’s campaign manager.
“That is completely false. The Sun-Times cannot prove it. If you accuse someone of being untruthful, you had better be able to point to something they have said or done that is untrue. Apparently, the Sun-Times has confused its opinion with its facts.
“Joel has always told the truth about Jan Schakowsky’s stance on Israel. He has publicly acknowledged (e.g. at his town hall meeting in Skokie on Aug. 12) that her voting record is good. Joel has, however, criticized Schakowsky's silence on certain key issues, and her questionable views and alliances. His exact position, as reflected in a statement he published on September 17th, is as follows: ‘Jan Schakowsky is not anti-Israel, but she is clearly failing to lead on Israel.’
“His evidence is the fact that Schakowsky has said (Pioneer Press, Sep. 16) that she wants the U.S. to pressure Israel into making more concessions, that she has failed to speak out against the Obama administration’s confrontational approach to Israel, and that she has failed to indicate that she would support a military option against the Iranian regime if necessary to protect the U.S. and Israel.
“Joel has also pointed out that Jan Schakowsky held a fundraiser with the anti-Israel and antisemitic Helen Thomas (May 2010); traveled to embrace Manuel Zelaya, the anti-Israel and antisemitic former leader of Honduras (November 2009); and took tens of thousands of dollars from the far-left group J Street, which opposes Israel at every opportunity and which was recently revealed to be supported by George Soros and foreign donors. Those are not pro-Israel actions.
“Voters can judge for themselves whether Schakowsky’s views and behavior are pro-Israel enough for the 9th district. But nothing Joel has said about Schakowsky’s stance is untrue.
“We do not agree with the editorial's opinions about Joel or his opponent, but we are not protesting those--only the completely false statement about Joel's portrayal of his opponent's views on Israel. Joel has stuck to the facts. In the spirit of fairness and accuracy, the Sun-Times must issue a correction.”
From a Pollak For Congress press release, October 1, 2010
RELATED:
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Pollak, Robinson Team Up For "Super Sunday" Campaign
Joel Pollak and Adam Robinson are getting together to do a big literature distribution push on Chicago's north side. They are seeking to pull 40 people off their easy chairs for this neighborhood walking event to cover the entire 7th State Senate district in one day. Joel Pollak and Adam Robinson are Republican nominees for office.
Robinson (right) is running against incumbent Heather Steans (D) for Illinois State Senate in the 7th State Senate District.
Pollak (left) is running against incumbent Jan Schakowsky (D) for Congress in the 9th Congressional District. The 7th State Senate District is within the 9th Congressional District.
Volunteers are urged to join the district-wide canvassing effort on Sunday, September 19th. They need drivers to help transport volunteers in their effort to canvass 500 households. If you can't drive, the campaigns help volunteers get hooked up with a driver and canvassing team.
This is two events in one: One group will meet at the Starbucks at 5300 N. Clark Street (at W. Berwyn on Sunday at Noon and will canvass until 4:00 p.m. Each driver will be given a map and a list of addresses by his or her team captain. Each driver will then guide a squad of volunteers as they deliver the Pollak and Robinson campaign literature. The other group will meet at 10:00 a.m. at the Pollak Campaign Office at 8722 W. Dempster, Niles (sign up here). They will use the same game plan and will work until somtime between 3-4:00 p.m. Best part: There will be a party afterward at 4:00 p.m. at the Pollak Campaing Office.
- For the "Starbucks Group," contact Caitlin Huxley, Campaign Manager for Adam Robinson for Senate, at 312-841-0172.
- For the "Pollak Campaign HQ Group," please sign up here. Call the office at 224-217-9669 or email Paulie at paulie@pollakforcongress.com for more information and to confirm your participation.
Joel Pollak Holding Town Hall Meeting on Sept. 16
PARK RIDGE, IL - Joel Pollak, Republican candidate for the 9th Congressional district of Illinois, will hold his third town hall meeting on Thursday, September 16th from 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. The meeting is open to all, will be held in Park Ridge at the South Park Recreation Center at 833 Talcott Ave.
The meeting will be hosted by FOX News Contributor and radio host on Chicago’s WYLL radio, Sandy Rios.
“While Jan Schakowsky mocks with derision and laughs with glee at the thought of destroying the American healthcare system, Joel Pollak brings a serious and able intellect to restoring it. This long ago ceased to be a battle between Republicans and Democrats...it is a fight for the survival of the nation,” said Rios, who is the President of Culture Campaign. “Destructive Leftists like Jan Schakowsky must go and candidates who will fight FOR this country like Joel Pollak must prevail.”
A serious challenger to decades of single party domination, Joel is offering a fresh start, well-conceived, practical, non-ideological solutions to the problems of our time—recession, pervasive joblessness, escalating government debt, increasingly brazen foreign enemies and increasingly anxious foreign friends. This town hall is one of a series for Joel to hear what is on the minds of all the voices in this diverse district that ranges from Evanston to Des Plaines.
At previous town halls in Evanston and Skokie, he fielded hard questions and sometimes passionate arguments from both supporters and devotees of his opponent. On the massive unemployment in the nation in the district, Joel advocated the following positions:
“Job creation must be Congress’s most urgent priority. I will propose an investment tax credit and lower business taxes and capital gains taxes to help businesses invest in new capital to create new jobs. . . I will oppose laws and government interference that hurts economic recovery and destroy jobs. . . We need to show entrepreneurs that the U.S. is once again a nation committed to free enterprise, job creation and economic growth.”
Joel will answer every question, down to the very last one. Like previous town halls, this promises to be a packed house.
The above is from a Pollak For Congress press release, Sept. 14, 2010
For further information, contact Shalom Klein: shalom@pollakforcongress.com or 773-547-3822
Best Quote About Schakowsky We've Seen All Week
We found this on the Pollak For Congress website:
"What's the difference? Jan Schakowsky is proud to vote 'whatever Charlie Rangel votes.' Joel Pollak is prepared to be representative of his constituents." ~ Michael J. Hanley, Park Ridge, Daily HeraldMr. Hanley's comment was in a letter to the editor of the Herald on Sept. 7. He also wrote: Last summer I tried to attend the town hall meeting sponsored by U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky at Niles West High School. It was "sold out." What I later learned was that the meeting was filled with members of the Service Employees International Union and other activists bused in who were rowdy, intimidating and disruptive. Today, Joel Pollak had a fundraiser where his supporters were respectful, educated and, more importantly, residents of the 9th Congressional District. Mr. Hanley managed, in one short letter, to sum up the difference not only between Schakowsky and Pollak, but between their supporters as well. ALSO SEE: SEIU's Jan Schakowsky Must Be Scared to Death of Joel Pollak Windy Citizen Goonmaster Jan Schakowsky Must Be Scared to Death of Joel Pollak Chicago Daily Observer Pollak/Paul Ryan vs. Chicago SEIU/ACORN Schakowsky Backyard Conservative Schakowsky Town Hall Backyard Conservative Schakowsky's Astroturf vs. Joel Pollak Chicago Tea Party 9th District Candidate Takes on Powerhouse Evanston Patch
Pollak Creaming Schakowsky In Poll
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) was trailing far behind her challenger, Republian nominee Joel Pollak. We're asking readers, "Who will you vote for in the IL 9th Cong. District?"
The responses after a week of polling, as of mid-afternoon today: Pollak 76.6% to Schakowsky's meager 21.28%. You can vote in the poll too: Find it in the first sidebar on Chicago News Bench.
Joel Pollak Makes Formal Pledge, Reveals His Platform
We all hear campaign promises. Blah blah blah, right? How many candidates, though, are willing to put those promises in writing as a pledge? Not many, but Joel Pollak has done just that. Pollak is the Republican nominee for U.S. Congress in the 9th district of Illinois, and he's running against incumbent Jan Schakowsky.
In a September 8 email blast, Pollak officially released his "Pledge to the People of the Ninth Congressional District." The email states that this pledge "forms the core of his platform."
"The ideas in the Pledge will be my top priorities in my first term in the U.S. House of Representatives," Pollak said. "Each of them is straightforward and achievable, and each is a step along the way to creating jobs, fixing health care and protecting national security."
Pollak didn't just sit down and make this stuff up. Rather, they came about as the result of Pollak's "listening tour" earlier this summer. Watch a video of the people he spoke with - and listened to. Suggestions by 9th district residents gave him the basis and inspiration for his Pledge. "I wanted to listen to the people first," Pollak said. "I'm glad I did, because there are many fresh ideas in the Pledge that were new to me." (Watch a video of the folks that Joel listened to below.)
The text of the Pledge follows:
I pledge to pursue the following legislative proposals in the 112th Congress, based on suggestions from residents of the District during my extensive listening tour:
- Investment Tax Credit - Allow businesses to deduct 10% of each investment in new capital from their taxable income. Investments by large firms in small businesses and start-up companies will be eligible for the credit. (Ken Hechtman, Skokie)
- Restore Impoundment - Grant the President the authority, through a line-item veto or by amending the Impoundment Control Act of 1974, to spend less than the amount that Congress has appropriated for any given purpose. (Cora Thomson, Glenview)
- Replace AMT with flat-rate option - End the Alternative Minimum Tax, which hurts an increasing number of middle-income families, and allow taxpayers to choose between a simple, flat-rate and the current system. (Jason Mugnaini, Park Ridge)
- Wind Down Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac - Break up and reform the two mortgage giants and move them away from the government guarantees that have distorted the housing market and scarred our financial system. (Jeremy Kohn, Evanston)
- Work Incentives for the Unemployed - Require enrollment in job retraining or community service as a condition for extended relief; waiting period for initial benefits to encourage saving; declining payment scale over time. (Lori Diversey, Park Ridge)
- Repeal §9006 of ObamaCare - Immediately repeal provision of ObamaCare that requires small businesses to file a 1099 form with the IRS for purchases of goods over $600—even purchases from corporations. (Linda Forman, Evanston)
- Sustainable Health Reform - Allow people to buy health insurance across state lines, and give federal courts discretion to award costs against litigants bringing frivolous malpractice claims. (Ken Hechtman, Skokie / Peggy Shapiro, Lincolnwood)
- Military Option on Iran - Resolve that the United States will support Israel, militarily and diplomatically, if Israel determines it must pursue a pre-emptive strike on Iran; make clear that an attack on Israel is an attack on the U.S. (Serene Velasco, Uptown)
- Supplemental EIS for O’Hare - Encourage a supplemental Environmental Impact Statement process to mitigate the negative impacts of airport expansion on the community, with the city and suburbs as joint participants. (Paul Hartjen, Park Ridge)
- Restore Opportunity Scholarships - Undo the termination of the successful school voucher program in Washington, D.C., and re-establish it a model for school choice in the rest of the nation’s urban school districts. (Diane Gorman, Park Ridge)
Actress Vivica Fox Takes Joel Pollak Back To School
The Pollak for Congress campaign will welcome Hollywood actress and producer Vivica A. Fox to the 9th district of Illinois for a back-to-school event on Labor Day. Students that attend the event will receive complimentary educational gear.
The event, “Back to School with Vivica A. Fox” will feature a discussion with Ms. Fox about her career and the importance of education in our community. Fox, a native of Indiana, hopes to send a positive message to young people in the 9th District.
“Stay in school and always put your best foot forward as your future is depending on it,” she said. “Doors will open much easier for you if you have a good education to fall back on!”
Joel Pollak, Republican nominee for U.S. Congress in the 9th District of Illinois, welcomed Fox to the community.
“I'm delighted to welcome Vivica Fox back to the Midwest. From film to television, from acting to producing, she's done it all,” said Pollak. “She's an inspiration to young people in our district, and an example of what education and hard work can accomplish. It is a great privilege to share her message with our community!"
The event will take place on Monday, September 6, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Martin Luther King Lab Magnet School at 2424 Lake Street, Evanston, IL.
(Videos) Joel Pollak's Sept. 1 Speech and Paul Ryan's Endorsement
From the successful fundraising luncheon at the Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago, September 1, 2010: In the first video here, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) endorses Joel Pollak in his congressional run against encumbent Jan Schakowsky. In the second video, Pollak's speech. (There were no teleprompters anywhere in the room.) Warner Todd Huston writes, "If you want to attend the next Pollak for Congress event, Joel Pollak will be welcoming acclaimed actress Vivica A. Fox to Evanston on September 6th. Pollak and Fox will be discussing the importance of education at Evanston Township High School from 11AM to 1PM." For more about Pollak's luncheon and Paul Ryan at Warner's Publius' Forum blog... For more information on Pollak for Congress visit http://www.pollakforcongress.com.
Joel Pollak's speech at the Sept. 1 fundraiser:
Best Stupid Protest Sign at Pollak-Ryan Luncheon Today
This is priceless. Protesters from MoveOn.org and Citizen Action/Illinois stood across the street from the Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago at noon today, where U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) spoke at a fundraiser for Joel Pollak.
I asked this woman if I could take her picture. Sure, she said. I did, and then I told her, "You misspelled squander."
Her quick-witted response: "How do you spell it?"
The protesters are upset about Ryan's "Roadmap For America's Future." Lurking nearby was Rep. Jan Schakowsky's campaign manager, Alex Armour (more about him in a later post.) Pollak is running against uber-liberal Schakowksy in 9th Illinois Congressional District. See our own video mashup of Pollak taunting Schakowsky's campaign manager
MoveOn.org To Protest Pollak - Ryan Luncheon
I'm not sure what MoveOn.org will be protesting at tomorrow's gathering of Republicans at the Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago. Sure, the dynamic Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI) will be talking about his endorsement of Joel Pollak in his run against incumbent Jan Schakowsky. Perhaps MoveOn has a problem with the right of free assembly? Free speech? Both? Yes, but specifically they're upset about Ryan's "Roadmap For America," which is aimed at "saving MediCare." We'll find out on Wednesday, September 1 - I'll be there, sitting at the Press Table, but you can bet I'll get there early to mingle with the communists - excuse me, progressives - milling about out front as they follow Aunty Jan's marching orders. Time for MoveOn to grow up and actually move on. Even most liberals are getting fed up with their tired old tactics.
Here is the amusing email press release sent out this morning by the Pollak For Congress campaign:
A few remaining tickets can still be purchased for tomorrow's Pollak for Congress fundraiser with Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI). It is one of the most highly anticipated political events of the year.
If you don’t believe us, just ask the people at MoveOn.org and Citizen Action/Illinois. [Editor's note: For more about these two George Soros-funded groups, visit Marathon Pundit.]
Our friends from the radical left have decided to join the fun Wednesday afternoon by protesting outside the event at the Four Seasons Hotel.
An email sent out to a list of MoveOn.org subscribers is encouraging members to take part in a one-hour demonstration (crowds are rented by the hour) to “protest the dismantling of Social Security and Medicare.” According to the email, our luncheon is kicking off “a national tour” by Republicans.
“Would have been nice if someone told us,” said Field Director Paul Miller. “Now I have to wear socks to the luncheon.”
Our opponent, incumbent Democrat Jan Schakowsky, sits on the Policy Council of Citizen Action/Illinois. Her husband, Robert Creamer, used to lead the organization until he resigned amidst an FBI investigation of charges of bank fraud and tax evasion, for which he later went to federal prison.
Regardless, the Pollak for Congress campaigns welcomes and encourages our fellow Americans to use their free speech and peacefully assemble outside the Four Seasons Hotel. We also encourage them to read the document they are protesting. (It helps.)
We wish our friends on the far left a safe protest, and hope they will also respect our right to assemble and exercise free speech.
Tickets for this event are still available at
http://www.pollakforcongress.com/paulryan.
Sorry, MoveOn.org and Citizen Action/Illinois - no free lunches provided!
I love a candidate who has a sense of humor, don't you?
RELATED:
MoveOn.org to protest Pollak fundraiser in Chicago Illinois Review
Rep. Paul Ryan Joins Joel Pollak at Sept. 1 Luncheon in Chicago Chicago News Bench
A distasteful move by MoveOn.org Los Angeles Times
Pollak Throws Pie In Schakowsky's Face Chicago News Bench
MoveOn Launching Effort to Censor Fox News in Public Places Weasel Zippers
ShoreBank Fails, Schakowsky Goes Nuts
U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) pushed hard, very hard, to save her favorite Chicago bank. All her huffing and puffing and pleading and threatening couldn't save ShoreBank. This weekend, Schakowsky and her minions are crazy mad about this huge and very public failure of Schakowsky's influence.
Schakowsky and her supporters are lashing out this weekend like crazy people, going so far as to have a supportive political action committee order the disruption of a campaign event by her Republican opponent Joel Pollak. It's a tactic more suited to the student senate campaign of a petulant 10th grader, but sadly typical of Democrats like Schakowsky.
ShoreBank's website today shows the FDIC's notice (https://www.sbk.com/).
According to the FDIC's Friday, August 20 press release, "This evening and over the weekend, depositors of ShoreBank can access their money by writing checks or using ATM or debit cards. Checks drawn on the bank will continue to be processed. Loan customers should continue to make their payments as usual."
The Wall Street Journal reports that, "Regulators seized ShoreBank Corp. on Friday and agreed to sell assets to a team led by the community lender's executives and backed by several large U.S. financial firms. The bank closure, which is the 114th of the year in the U.S., caps months of uncertainty for a $2.16 billion Chicago bank that had ties to the Obama administration and deep roots on Chicago's South Side. The new institution will be known as Urban Partnership Bank and led by William Farrow, a former First Chicago Corp. executive who was ShoreBank's president and operating chief at the time of its failure." More at Wall Street Journal...
That WSJ article continues with:
"The attempts to save ShoreBank were complicated by calls for inquiries into the assistance offered by the nation's largest banks. Republican lawmakers have questioned whether the Obama administration pressured the big banks for help. The White House has said it didn't pressure the lenders. Rep. Darrell Issa of California, the top Republican on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, will request a probe by the FDIC of ShoreBank, a spokesman said Friday."
Schakowsky was a major player on the side trying to save ShoreBank. During her campaign for re-election in the 9th District of Illinois, her opponent Joel Pollak has often used the ShoreBank to highlight Schakowsky's corruption and thuggery. A May 14 article written by Pollak, for example, "Sachs + Schakowsky + Shorebank = Shakedown" at BigGovernment.com, addressed the shady manner in which Schakowsky was trying to save ShoreBank:
"...Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein has been calling Wall Street friends to cough up $125 million to save ShoreBank, which faces federal closure next week. Rep. Jan Schakowsky suggested in January that Illinois taxpayers foot the bill. That would have been the first state-led bank bailout in U.S history. The idea was abandoned–so it appears the government is shaking down Goldman Sachs instead.... ShoreBank has close connections to the Obama administration, including controversial figures such as former 'green jobs czar' Van Jones. Its executives have contributed in the past to Rep. Schakowsky and other Illinois politicians. ShoreBank did not just make loans in poor communities–there are other local banks that do that without getting into trouble–but also specifically made loans that the recipients had little hope of repaying."
More reasons why Schakowsky was so eager to save ShoreBank are listed in a January 19, 2010 press release from Pollak, as posted at Backyard Conservative:
"The answer may lie in the history of campaign contributions by ShoreBank executives and employees. Federal Election Commission records reveal that ShoreBank executives and employees gave thousands of dollars to Rep. Schakowsky and Sen. Durbin. They also gave heavily to Barack Obama's presidential campaign. Indeed, Crain's Chicago Business reports that "President Obama and the first lady are former neighbors of ShoreBank executives. Other ShoreBank-related contributions include Democrats across the country and left-wing organizations such as MoveOn.org. The ShoreBank bailout would seem to be more of the same Blagojevich-style, pay-to-play politics that Illinois has suffered under for too long."
Schakowsky is not the only Democrat who is upset by the failure of ShoreBank. Community organizer Barack Obama is probably ticked off as well, as noted by ZeroHedge.com:
By keeping ShoreBank artificially alive for far longer than it deserved, the assets amortized far more than they would have had it been taken into receivership by a non-conflicted bank, and thus the final cost to taxpayers would have been far less. As it stands, Goldman and 11 other banks are receiving a multimillion dollar gift to conduct a portfolio liquidation run-off of ShoreBank's assets, while merely making sure existing deposits are serviced. At least we now know just how truly angry at Wall Street Obama is.
We noted here, back in May, that the failure of ShoreBank would probably "cause Obama to go ballistic on Wall Street."
It should be noted that although regulators seized Chicago's ShoreBank on Friday, "Ilwaco-based ShoreBank Pacific was not included in the closure." So reports The Chinook Observer, which reports that ShoreBank has multiple corporate identities. "FDIC will absorb total losses of about $367.7 million in the deal. The bank burned through a bundle of money in the collapse of the real estate bubble." HOWEVER, an August 22 article at Portland Business Journal reported that OneCalifornia would acquire ShoreBank in a stock purchase agreement, announced on Saturday evening, August 21. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The FDIC is part of the federal government, which means that taxpayers - you and I - will "absorb" those losses. Sadly, there is no reason to believe that Urban Partnership Bank will be any less tied in to the corrupt Green Mafia than was ShoreBank. It will likely still have the same stink of oligarchical elitism.
As noted by Bill Zielinski at ProblemBankList.com, "Although the Government did not directly bail out ShoreBank, after reviewing the manner in which ShoreBank was closed and then resurrected by regulators, it appears that a 'stealth bailout' for the owners of ShoreBank was conducted. Providing direct cash from the TARP to ShoreBank would have been highly visible and controversial. Instead, ShoreBank was recapitalized through loss-share guarantees from the FDIC and a $367.7 million loss taken by the FDIC insurance fund."
Joel Pollak, of course, wasted no time in putting out a press release on August 20 about ShoreBank and Schakowsky Connection:
"The money for the management buyout comes from the big Wall Street banks whose arms were twisted by the Obama administration, through intermediaries like Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL). Meanwhile, the government and the taxpayers are saddled with the responsibility of dispensing with ShoreBank’s bad assets. We are the victims of an insider deal, done at the highest levels of the administration and the Democratic Party. The ShoreBank bailout-turned-buyout is a corrupt collusion between Washington and Wall Street that will not create jobs or investor confidence in Chicago’s low-income communities. It will sustain the terrible idea that poor communities must depend on patronage to survive."
True, but that's exactly how the Democrats like it.
RELATED:
ShoreBank fails; will be reincarnated as Urban Partnership Bank Chicago Business
ShoreBank update: A shutdown…and a quick, smelly reincarnation Michelle Malkin
Failure Of Obama's Pet ShoreBank Costs Taxpayers $368 Million... ZeroHedge.com
ShoreBank to be seized by feds Marathon Pundit
ShoreBank to be Split and Saved? National Legal and Policy Center
ShoreBank, praised by Democrats, closed Friday by regulators The Hill
Glenn Beck Dissects The ShoreBank Matrix Chicago News Bench
Failing ShoreBank, Cap-And-Trade and Jan Schakowsky Chicago News Bench
ShoreBank: Too Green To Fail? Central Illinois 9/12 Project
Pollak Throws Pie In Schakowsky's Face
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| The Ladies Love Joel Pollak |
One of those actions is a call by Schakowsky's campaign to disrupt a Pollak event this coming Sunday. Rather than ring his hands about it, Pollak has ingeniously turned it around and tossed it right back at The Schak - like a pie in a clown's face.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Pollak campaign welcomes Schakowsky supporters to “Women For Pollak” event on Sunday, August 22
August 20, 2010 - A political action committee from outside the 9th District that supports incumbent Democrat Jan Schakowsky has told its members to “show up” and disrupt Joel Pollak’s “Women for Pollak” campaign event in Skokie this Sunday. The Joint Action Committee for Political Affairs (JAC PAC), which is based in the 10th District suburb of Highland Park, sent an email to supporters accusing Pollak of running a “smear campaign” and asking recipients to “show him we know better.”
Pollak, the Republican nominee for the 9th district congressional seat, welcomes JAC PAC’s attendance. “While our event will be devoted to issues facing women from the 9th District, we welcome members of JAC PAC to participate in our discussion," he said. "We are a diverse community, with diverse views, and all will be treated with mutual respect."
The “Women for Pollak” event will be held on Sunday, Aug. 22, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Holiday Inn at 5300 W. Touhy Ave., in Skokie (MAP). Award-winning journalist Mary Laney will host, and entertainment will be provided by celebrity comedian Caryn Bark.
POST SCRIPT: I received this insightful email from a friend who is a local political insider. He describes himself as a Democrat. He was asked recently whether he thought Jan Schakowsky is too powerful to beat, "given the fact that she usually racks up nearly 70% of the vote." He wrote to me about that:
"Not really. All that means is that Schakowsky's good at getting out her loyal followers to vote. Don't forget that the turnout is typically pathethic - 30% most of the time and rarely approaching 50% of registered voters. So that doesn't mean that most of the "eligible voters" in the 9th are in favor of her candidacy, it only means that she's good at getting out HER people to the polling place."
Schakowsky, of course, is a darling of the local Chicago Democrat Machine. She also has heavy union support (SEIU, for example) and can count on money and foot soldiers from them. Pollak has an uphill battle, certainly, but his campaign has been so well run and gotten such good publicity that it's safe to say he has strong name recognition in the 9th Congressional District. Perhaps enough people in the 9th are fed up with the insane Schakowsky-supported super-sized federal government and its totalitarian approach to legislation that this Novemember - just maybe - Schakowsky will be defeated.
Joel Pollak Featured On Front Page of Boston Globe
Joel Pollak is undoubtedly the best shot we've ever had at unseating Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL, 9th District).
Click image to see full pdf version of the Boston Globe front page...
Pollak has become something of a national sensation among conservatives and Republicans. He is featured on the front page of the August 19, 2010 issue of The Boston Globe. Read the article here...
Pollak, a young man with wisdom beyond his 33 years, has been running an aggressive and powerful campaign, going after Schakowsky for her anti-jobs policies and big-spending voting record.
Why is a Massachussetts newspaper writing about an Illinois congressional race? Because Pollak first gained national fame in his now-legendary confrontation with Rep. Barney Frank, a Masschussetts Democrat. You can see a video of that heated exchange here...
Rep. Paul Ryan Endorses Pollak For Congress
The other day, Joel Pollak promised some "exciting news" - and he delivered. Pollak, the Republican challenging Rep. Jan Schakowsky in the 9th Congressional District of Illinois, has received a very significant endorsement from Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI).
Ryan, the ranking member of the House Budget Committee, is a rising star in the GOP. He is an exceptional speaker and not afraid to put himself in front of a controversial issue (watch the video below, in which Ryan calls Obamacare "the mother of all unfunded mandates," and backed it up with facts).
Pollak is also a rising star (bio). His run for Congress has already been getting a lot of attention by the national media, and for good reason: Pollak's initial claim to fame came from his 2009 verbal challenge to Barney Frank (see video), but that's been eclipsed by his campaign to take the 9th Congressional seat away from Jan Schakowsky, the radical far-Left incumbent.
A press release from Pollak (July 16) said the following:
I am pleased to announce that Rep. Paul Ryan will travel to the 9th district to join our campaign at a very special event on Wednesday, September 1, 2010.
Mr. Ryan is the ranking Republican on the House budget committee, and authored the “Road Map for America’s future,” a bold new plan to restore our financial health.
Fred Barnes of the Weekly Standard said: “If Republicans adopt [Paul Ryan’s] road map as their basic ideological blueprint, it offers them the prospect of a landslide in the midterm election this year, followed by victory in the presidential election in 2012.”
I am a great admirer of Mr. Ryan, and will follow his example as a young leader in the next Congress. His participation is a tremendous show of confidence in our campaign.
On the president’s fiscal commission, Mr. Ryan frequently spars with my opponent, Jan Schakowksy, whose far-left economic policies are killing jobs in the 9th district.
Mr. Ryan’s visit will also mark the culmination of my “Pollak Pledge Tour” around the district. I will present Mr. Ryan with the best new ideas suggested by local residents.
More details about the event with Paul Ryan will be available at PollakForCongress.com and on the Pollak Facebook page.
Also See:
Alan Dershowitz to endorse Joel Pollak in Illinois' 9th Marathon Pundit
Interview With Rep. Paul Ryan (Neil Cavuto) Real Clear Politics
Paul Ryan v. the President Wall Street Journal
Schakowsky's Big Lie About Jobs
July 1, 2010 - Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky lied? The wife of convicted felon Robert Creamer telling untruths? Really? Joel Pollack, the Republican running against Mizz Schakowsky in the 9th Congressional District of Illinois, released a hard-hitting statement this afternoon:
On FOX News today, my opponent, Jan Schakowsky, stated:
“This administration, this Congress, is set to create more jobs in 8 months than net jobs created in the last 8 years of the Bush administration. I know a lot of people say that’s not true. Check it out.” (See "Schakowsky Defends Dems' Handling of the Economy" on FoxNews)
So I did.
In the last 8 months, the U.S. economy created 1.2 million net jobs. In the 8 years of the Bush administration, the U.S. economy created 4.4 million net jobs. (Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
So Ms. Schakowsky is wrong.
Furthermore, since the Obama administration took office, the U.S. economy has lost 2.8 million net jobs. And since Nancy Pelosi took over Congress in 2007, the U.S. economy has lost 6.6 million net jobs.
So Ms. Schakowsky is wrong, again.
If we measure private sector jobs alone, we find that the U.S. economy lost nearly 700,000 net jobs under the Bush administration (after gaining nearly 4 million before the recession began).
Under the Obama administration, the U.S. economy has lost 3.4 million private sector jobs.
So Ms. Schakowsky is wrong, again.
In the 8 months since October, the low point of the recession, our economy has added about 500,000 private sector jobs. But comparing that number to net jobs under Bush is worse than comparing apples to oranges.
We might as well simply count the 4 million private sector jobs created under Bush and ignore the fact that those jobs disappeared. Ms. Schakowsky’s argument is therefore dishonest.
Perhaps Ms. Schakowsky is basing her numbers on rosy projections from the Obama administration, or Pelosi’s talking points. The American people have quickly learned that we cannot trust those numbers.
In February 2009, for example, Ms. Schakowsky promised that the stimulus bill would boost jobs in Illinois by 148,000. Since then, Illinois has actually lost over 144,000 jobs.
The people of the 9th district know that Ms. Schakowsky’s claims about jobs are simply false. Perhaps she believes in the “big lie” theory--that if you tell a lie big enough and often enough, people will believe it.
Well, we aren’t buying it. We are tired of the big lies on jobs. And it is becoming clear that the only way to create jobs in our district is to vote out Jan Schakowsky, and vote for a fresh start.
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