UPDATED: Cowardly Suzanne Elder Scrubs Campaign Video

LIKE A SOVIET PROPAGANDA MINISTER, Suzanne Elder has made great effort to scrub her words from the historical record. Why? Because she was harshly critical four years ago of State Sen. Heather Steans, who is a powerful apparatchik of the Illinois and Chicago Democrat power mills. Since losing to Steans, however, Elder has sucked up to both Steans and to the Democrat establishment that she publicly called corrupt earlier. Ooops, that was embarrassing, and so Elder has had her campaign video ripped from YouTube and other sites. Imagine a former candidate who ran for governor, US Senate, mayor, or any other office pulling down campaign ads and not allowing the public to use them. It's cowardly, it demonstrates a profound hypocrisy, and it's just so damned Soviet.


"What did they say in February 2008 about Heather Steans? Back then, Steans was hand picked by the Democrat Machine to replace Carol Ronen in the 7th District State Senate race. Interviewed in this video are Suzanne Elder, who ran unsuccessfully against Steans, and Jeff Smith, who is currently running for State Representative in the 18th District." ~ Originally posted 12/19/2009

Ashamed of Her Own Words: Cowardly Suzanne Elder
doesn't want you to see her 2008 campaign video

UPDATE, JANUARY 2012:  Suzanne Elder has proven herself to be a dishonest, cowardly revisionist of the public historical record. Like her Soviet counterparts who removed unpleasant truths from text books and people's memories, Elder has been busy removing her own actions from the public record.

The video that was posted here on December 19, 2009 was "Virtual Democracy Presents Suzanne Elder." It was a campaign ad. There is no other way to consider the video. It was released while she was running for office, and it featured Elder and several locally well known Democrats bad-mouthing Heather Steans.

One of those Democrats who dissed Heather Steans is Jeff Smith, who has done legal work for Elder. He was also running in the Democrat primary for the 17th House District (IL) until he suspended his campaign for mysterious reasons on January 12, 2012.

Elder has been sucking up to her one-time rival, IL State Senator Heather Steans, for a couple of years now. Because the video featured statements that were highly critical of Steans, Elder filed a copyright complaint with YouTube, claiming that she owned the copyright to the video. However, this video was a campaign ad, and copying it to post here or on YouTube falls under Fair Use in exactly the same way that you or I could freely post an old campaign ad for Al Gore or George Bush. Elder has been busy wiping out any record of what she once loudly said in order to get elected. Today, she suppressed the truth because it makes it hard for her to work within the corrupt Democrat Machine in Chicago and Illinois.

Elder was quite willing to make those statements, and to present anti-Steans statements by others, back in 2008. Now that she's cozy with the Democrat Machine corruptocrats again, the video is an inconvenient irritation. I have little doubt that Steans and the Machine put pressure on Elder to get the video taken down. You can see the email, below, that YouTube sent to me on her behalf.



THE EMAIL FROM YOUTUBE

Date: Wed, Dec 21, 2011 at 1:14 PM
Subject: Video removed - Copyright Infringement

Dear rogersparkbench:

We have disabled the following material as a result of a third-party notification from Suzanne Elder claiming that this material is infringing:

Virtual Democracy Presents Suzanne Elder
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYoCTAyVKh8

Please Note: Repeat incidents of copyright infringement will result in the deletion of your account and all videos uploaded to that account. In order to prevent this from happening, please delete any videos to which you do not own the rights, and refrain from uploading additional videos that infringe on the copyrights of others. For more information about YouTube's copyright policy, please read the Copyright Tips guide.

If one of your postings has been misidentified as infringing, you may submit a counter-notification. Information about this process is in our Help Center.

Please note that under Section 512(f) of the Copyright Act, any person who knowingly materially misrepresents that material was disabled due to mistake or misidentification may be liable for damages.

Sincerely,

— The YouTube Team

BLAGOJEVICH GUILTY ON 17 COUNTS

June 27, 2011 - 2:55 PM, CHICAGO - BLAGO IS GUILTY. The jury has convicted former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich on 17 of 20 counts against him in his retrial.

From AP: This time, the 12 jurors voted to convict the 54-year-old Blagojevich on 17 of 20 counts after deliberating nine days. He also faces up to five additional years in prison for his previous conviction of lying to the FBI.

Blagojevich was acquitted of soliciting bribes in the alleged shakedown of a road-building executive. The jury deadlocked on two charges of attempted extortion related to that executive and funding for a school. More at Associated Press...

RELATED:
IL Senator Heather Steans Lies About Blagojevich Connections - CNB

New Madigan Mailer Slams Steans for Blago Ties and Lying - CNB

Campaign Flyer Links Steans to Blago Pay-to-Play -CNB

Heather Steans Is Afraid To Debate Adam Robinson

IL State Sen. Heather Steans

Illinois State Senator Heather Steans (7th District) is a coward. A lying coward, to boot. Her latest display of spinelessness comes in the form a broken promise to debate challenger Adam Robinson in a forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters. She said she would previously, but now says she won't.

Robinson's campaign manager, Caitlin Huxley, told Chicago News Bench that Steans has "backed out of any future event by refusing to name a date, location or return calls from the League of Women Voters or from us."

Steans has shown her cowardice in the past, as when she avoided a candidates forum back on January 25 just before the primaries.

As reported here by Sean Vera, Steans's Democratic challenger Jim Madigan and Republican Adam Robinson appeared at Loyola's Rogers Park campus on January 25 and debated the issues. Steans was invited but was a no-show. The debate between Robinson and Madigan was lively and civil; both men did well for themselves. It would have been nice of bank heiress and Blago-enabler Heather Steans to show up then, but that would have required courage.

Steans does not do well in a debate, you see, and after getting trounced by Madigan she seems more comfortable hiding at home. Watch videos of Jim Madigan owning Heather Steans in a debate on January 6. You almost feel sorry for the inept Steans, who could not remember one of her own bills. That's probably why she avoided another humiliating encounter on January 25.

In a press release issued today, Adam Robinson calls Steans a lying coward. I'm paraphrasing Robinson, of course. Although he did not use the phrase "lying coward," he would be justified in doing so. "Incumbent Illinois State Senator Heather Steans has reneged on an accepted invitation to participate in a town hall-style meeting with challenger Adam Robinson," says the release, which then quotes Robinson's campaign manager Caitlin Huxley. “Two weeks ago, Heather Steans called me personally to indicate that she would participate in a town hall event with Adam Robinson, so long as the event was hosted by a neutral third party,” says Huxley. “The League of Women Voters stepped up to host this event, but the Steans campaign has literally ignored all requests to set a date.”

Huxley added that "Senator Steans is backing out on an accepted invitation from the League of Women Voters." She calls it a "disturbing turn of events. It sure says a lot about how hard she’s willing to work to earn votes – not very, apparently."

Robinson said that “Senator Steans is doing a huge disservice to the residents of Edgewater, Rogers Park, Uptown, Bowmanville, Buena Park and Andersonville by refusing to participate in an open, honest discussion of critical issues facing Illinois. Voters in the 7th District should know that I remain ready to debate the issues with Senator Steans - any time, any place."

Robinson is running on a platform that calls for "policies that cut wasteful spending, increase jobs, and promote transparency." Find out more at http://www.electadamrobinson.com/.

RELATED: 

• Part 1 of 5: Jim Madigan Criticizes IL State Sen. Heather Steans (Videos) 
• Robinson Challenges Heather Steans On Quinn's AFSCME Deal CNB 
• Is Sen. Steans Lying About Evergreen Healthcare Involvement? CNB 
• Campaign Flyer Links Steans to Blago Pay-to-Play CNB 
• Heather Steans Lies About Hubby's Blago Connections CNB 
• Sen. Heather Steans Lied on Her Resume CNB 
• Heather In A Corner Lake Effect News

Adam Robinson's New Campaign Video Hits Home

Adam Robinson is the guy running against incumbent Heather Steans for Illinois State Senate (7th District). Steans, a wealthy northshore resident and huge contributor to Rod Blagojevich, is a tax-and-spend Democrat who has taken big donations from corporations. Robinson, in contrast, is squeaky clean and wants to reign in the wasteful ways of Springfield. Says he, "It's time for government to be held accountable, to spend our money wisely, and to act with people's best interests in mind. It's time for transparency and good governance in Illinois." Indeed, and it's also time to kick out the Blago-Quinn-Corruption Crowd, including Steans. (More about Robinson at his website.)

Robinson Challenges Heather Steans On Quinn's AFSCME Deal

Adam Robinson is openly challenging State Senator Heather Steans to explain her position on Governor Quinn's suspicious AFSCME deal. Robinson is the Republican nominee who is running against Steans, the incumbent Machine Democrat, in the 7th State Senate District. He called Steans's position on Governor Quinn's AFSCME deal "an election-year sell-out that hurts Illinois." The AFSCME deal provides further proof that the Democrat Party of Illinois is in bed with Big Union leadership, and puts their interests ahead of Illinois. In what may be his hardest hitting press release to date, Robinson questions the sincerity of Democrats like Quinn and Steans to bring fiscal responsibility to Illinois, which is in a severe financial crisis. Adam Robinson is a small business owner and community advocate whose campaign platform calls for "policies that cut wasteful spending, increase jobs, and promote transparency." See his website at http://www.electadamrobinson.com/. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PRLog (Press Release) – Sep 22, 2010 – Adam Robinson, the challenger for Illinois' 7th District State Senate seat, today called on Senator Heather Steans to state her position on Governor Quinn's AFSCME deal, as reported by Crain's Chicago Business. Under the tentative agreement reached this week, Quinn would agree not to lay off any of 50,000 unionized state workers, or close any facilities where they work, until at least mid-2012. The announcement of this deal came only days after the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees endorsed Quinn for governor. "This is yet another shameful example of Illinois' long-standing culture of corruption. Here we have a sitting governor who, trailing significantly in his bid for re-election, has decided to sell Illinois taxpayers down the river in order to pick up votes. Haven't we had enough of this nonsense? "With Illinois facing a $13B budget deficit, the last thing Quinn should be doing is locking us into a deal that prevents our state from taking necessary steps to trim the state workforce or close facilities. Our district's social service agencies have been decimated by budget cuts over the past two years. Should we be wasting our limited resources unnecessary state facilities, or on the services that 7th district residents care about?" "I call on my opponent to state her position on this shameful and irresponsible deal, which is nothing short of an election year sell-out. Voters deserve to know whether my opponent stands with them, or with the union bosses who are milking taxpayers for every last dollar - at the expense of our neediest residents." RELATED: Brady On Quinn, Union Deal: Election Year Pay-To-Play ‎Decatur Tribune Contractors Gave Blago $80,000 (Steans Gave Him $200,000) CNB Quinn and Brady clash over AFSCME deal‎ ABC7Chicago.com Union official: Quinn agrees to freeze retiree health costs‎ State Journal-Register AFSCME snubs Speaker Madigan, backs Gov. Quinn Capital Fax Blog Quinn AFSCME reach no-layoff deal: QuincyNews.org QuincyNews.org Robinson Campaign Comments on Sen. Steans' Investment in Troubled Nursing Home CNB Heather Steans Lies About Hubby's Blago Connections CNB Sen. Heather Steans Lied on Her Resume CNB Heather Steans Gets New Contribution from Health Insurance Company CNB Pay-To-Play, Joe Moore and Heather Steans CNB Sen. Heather Steans, Money Whore CNB

August 19 IL State Budget Town Hall Meeting

There will be a "State Budget Town Hall Meeting" on Thursday, August 19 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. at St. Augustine College, 1333 W. Argyle, Chicago (map). That's in Edgewater, Chicago's 48th Aldermanic Ward. Those who attend will be treated to a blurring of facts about the FY 2011 Illinois Budget. The meeting, sponsored by State Senator Heather Steans and State Representative Greg Harris, both "progressive" Democrats, promises a cavalcade of excuses from both as they try to act as if they've had nothing to do with the nightmarish situation of the state's budgetary crisis during their years in the Legislature. There will also be presentations by the Civic Federation and Center for Tax and Budget Accountability. A cautious and tense Q& A session will follow. RELATED: Unbalanced State Budget Triggered Downgrades Civic Federation Report: Illinois Budget Crisis Worst in Nation Chicago Public Radio Heather In A Corner Lake Effect News

Robinson State Senate Campaign Driving Numbers in IL-7th

Adam Robinson's campaign for Illinois State Senate (7th) is driving a measurable shift in voter support in this traditionally unchallenged district. Robinson, a moderate Republican, is running against Machine Democrat Heather Steans. Steans and her husband Leo Smith were major enablers of Rod Blagojevich over the years. In a recent survey, 55% of independent voters indicated that they would support Robinson in November. PRLog (Press Release) – Jul 26, 2010 – Adam Robinson's State Senate campaign released results from their voter survey for the week-ending July 24th. Results obtained through the Robinson campaign's internal poll show that his campaign is driving a measurable shift in voter support in this traditionally unchallenged State Senate district. When asked which candidate they were most likely to support in November, 55% of independent voters surveyed indicated that they would choose Adam Robinson over the incumbent. In a sign of voter dissatisfaction with the political status quo, 45% of Democrat primary voters surveyed indicated that they will support Robinson in November. This sizable lead among independent voters and the strong support within base Democrats indicates that Robinson is well-positioned for the November 2nd general election. For the seven day period of 7/18 through 7/24, the Robinson campaign made 37,426 calls to registered voters in the 7th district, setting a new 2010 record for the most outreach calls made by a candidate for the General Assembly by over 7,000 dials. These live-operator survey calls were made by campaign volunteers and were not "robo calls." Adam Robinson, the independent-minded challenger to the Illinois State Senate's 7th district seat, commented on these latest survey results. "These numbers are confirmation of what we've known for months - voters in the 7th district are tired of politicians who waste their money, cut the programs they care about, and punish taxpayers for their failure to govern effectively. Our support is a testament to our community and its willingness to stand up and say, 'enough is enough!' We're working hard earn the people's trust, and our message is clearly resonating." Entrepreneur , small business owner and community advocate Adam Robinson is the challenger for Illinois State Senate, 7th District (far north Chicago). Adam's platform calls for policies that cut wasteful spending, increase jobs, improve public education, and deliver full transparency in government. Find out more at www.ElectAdamRobinson.com and visit Adam's Press Room. RELATED: Robinson Campaign Comments on Sen. Steans' Investment in Troubled Nursing Home Madigan Calls for Full Steans Investigation, Alleges Corruption Contractors Gave Blago $80,000 (Steans Gave Him $200,000) Heather Steans Lies About Hubby's Blago Connections Heather Steans' Husband Goes Nuts in a Gay Bar Sen. Heather Steans Lied on Her Resume Sen. Heather Steans, Money Whore

Robinson Campaign Comments on Sen. Steans' Investment in Troubled Nursing Home

Adam Robinson, Republican challenger for Illinois State Senate's 7th District, comments on incumbent Democrat Heather Steans's stake in Evergreen Healthcare Center, a troubled southwest suburban nursing home that has faced repeated citations for serious patient neglect, allegedly contributing to two deaths. PRLog (Press Release) – Jul 01, 2010 – Adam Robinson, challenger for IL State Senate's 7th District, commented on today's report that his opponent, Heather Steans, has divested her ownership stake in Evergreen Healthcare Center, a troubled southwest suburban nursing home that has faced repeated citations for serious patient neglect, including medical failures that allegedly contributed to multiple patient deaths: "Today, the Chicago Tribune reported that my opponent has divested her ownership interest in a senior care facility whose repeated citations for patient neglect have allegedly led to the deaths of several patients. My opponent has recently touted herself as an advocate for nursing home reform, but this horrific situation at Evergreen tells a very different story. Illinois voters are sick and tired of politicians who say one thing but do another, and are especially fed up with lawmakers who think that the rules apply to everyone else but them. The fact that nearly 20% of Evergreen Healthcare Center was owned by the Steans family while Senator Steans was drafting her nursing home reform bill presents a serious conflict of interest and suggests that additional scrutiny is warranted. Even after this debacle, the Steans family has chosen to keep a 15% ownership stake in a nursing home facility whose license has been revoked by state authorities. Despite the numerous allegations of patient neglect and multiple patient deaths, Evergreen Healthcare Center is - amazingly - contesting this revocation. My opponent's lack of transparency on this issue is concerning, and she seems to be communicating to voters that her family's investment portfolio is more important shutting down this nightmare of a facility. At the very least, the horrific events at Evergreen call into question whether Senator Steans can be trusted as an advocate for Illinois Seniors, and serves as yet another embarrassing example of our state's culture of political self-dealing. Illinois, its seniors, and their loved ones deserve better." Entrepreneur , small business owner and community advocate Adam Robinson is running for Illinois State Senate, 7th District. His platform calls for policies that promote small business, improve public education, promote transparency in government, and ensure equality for all. Find out more at http://www.electadamrobinson.com/.

Is Sen. Steans Lying About Evergreen Healthcare Involvement?

Sen. Steans

We think she might be. Illinois State Senator Heather Steans has said some odd things about her involvement with a troubled local nursing home facility and the company that owns it. Chicago News Bench has found troubling connections between a member of Evergreen Healthcare Center's management and Heather Steans, as well as Steans’s father Harrison and sister Jennifer.

UPDATE: Family Settles Bed Sore Lawsuit Against Troubled Nursing Home Oak Lawn Patch, Jan. 15, 2013

On June 16 it was reported by the Chicago Tribune that “State health authorities have moved to revoke the license of a southwest suburban nursing home part-owned by state Sen. Heather Steans because of repeated citations for serious patient neglect.”

Trib reporters David Jackson and Gary Marx wrote that “Steans does not have any operational role in the facility, Evergreen Health Care Center in Evergreen Park.” Okay, that’s believable. But they also wrote that Steans “said she has drawn little or no income from what she described as her small ownership stake in companies that manage the home.”

That's where Heather Steans leads us into the realm of the not-so-believable. In fact, Steans seemed to contradict herself in the June 16 Tribune article, which said that Steans said the facility had "taken corrective action."

Poor Heather Steans said she did "not have any operational role in the facility,” but she had the quick answer that the facility had "taken corrective action." How would she have known that? She might have made a phone call. As a state senator who claims to care about nursing homes, one would think that she would regularly call management to find out what's going on, and maybe even drop in now and then to make sure everything is good for the residents. Apparently, that didn't happen.

Or she might have heard it directly from Neele E. Stearns, Jr. (That’s Stearns, with an “r”. Heather’s last name has no “r”.) We’ll learn about Neele in a moment.

On June 30, Marx and Jackson wrote a followup article. They reported that Sen. Heather Steans “divested her ownership stake in a troubled southwest suburban nursing home that has faced repeated citations for serious patient neglect, including medical failures that allegedly contributed to two patients' deaths.”

Neele Stearns, Jr., is the Chairman of Financial Investments Corporation (FIC), FIC is, in effect, the Steans’s company. Heather’s sister Jennifer is FIC’s President. Harrison Steans is FIC’s Chairman of the Executive Committee. He formed FIC in 1967 for the purpose of acquiring the Hyde Park Bank & Trust Company. (http://www.fic-cep.com/fic-history.php)

Neele Stearns, Jr. is also listed as management for “Evergreen Healthcare Center LLC” (see graphic at left; click to enlarge).

Neele Stearns, Jr. is not only close to Harrison and Jennifer Steans through FIC in Chicago. In Arizona, FIC Advent Corporation listed its directors as Jennifer W. Steans, Harrison I. Steans and Neele E. Stearns, Jr. FIC Advent Corp. was created for purposes of real estate and seems to have been dissolved in March, 2010 and is "not in good standing" with the State of Arizona. See here, here, here and here.

Neele also sits on Friends of Heather Steans, and contributed $3,000 to her from 2007 through 2009. Heather is a "progressive" Democrat, clearly not the kind of candidate to whom Neele would normally contribute. Has Neele Stearns, Jr. given assistance to Heather Steans only as a favor to Harrison Steans?

Neele Stearns, Jr. is a conservative and has donated to conservative politicians. He seems to favor conservatives/Republicans and has donated to McCain-Palin, Mitt Romney and the IL GOP. However, Stearns served/serves on the Friends of Heather Steans committee.

Neele is also listed as management for Evergreen Healthcare Realty, LLC (see graphic at left; click to enlarge). We are not aware of any involvement by Heather Steans with that company.

None of the Steans - Harrison, Jennifer or Heather - are the type of people to carelessly toss their money away. It pushes the limits of credibility to think that any of them, including Heather, would invest in any company that would not give them some kind of return for their money. That return could be financial, or influence, or both. Heather Steans told the Tribune on June 16, however, that she “has no operational role in Evergreen Healthcare Center” and gets “little or no income from what she described as her small ownership.”

If that’s the case, why would she have invested in Evergreen? For fun? Out of boredom?

Furthermore, we have seen that Neele Stearns, Jr. is close to the Steans family. Are we to believe that Stearns would not have said anything about the pending problems faced by Evergreen Healthcare Center, LLC to Harrison, Jennifer or Heather? And if he did mention it his coworkers Harrison and Jennifer, would they not have said something to Heather? Maybe, maybe not, but this raises a big question: What did any of the Steans know, and when did they know it? If they truly knew nothing, what does that say about how well the Steans can trust Neele Stearns?

Heather Steans filed her Statement of Economic Interests with the Illinois Secretary of State on April 29, 2009. The statement asks filers to “List the name and instrument of ownership in any entity....in which the ownership interest held by the person at the date of filing is in excess of $5,000 fair market value or from which dividends in excess of $1,200 were derived during the preceding calendar year....”

She listed “Evergreen Healthcare Realty LLC” (on her Attachment A), and listed her “Instrument of Ownership” as “Membership Interest in LLC.” She listed “Evergreen Healthcare Realty LLC” (on her Attachment C), and listed “Position Held” as “Investor.”

It is important to note that Heather Steans was required to list both Evergreen entities only because her ownership interest was “in excess of $5,000 fair market value” and/or because she got “dividends in excess of $1,200....during the preceding calendar year” (2008).

Yet, she claims that her involvement with Evergreen Health Care was minimal and that she has “drawn little or no income” from her investments of at least $5,000. Perhaps she thinks these are insignificant amounts. Perhaps Heather Steans, a wealthy woman from a wealthy family, is just putting what would be considered a large amount of money by the average person into her rich girl perspective. Perhaps.

The ties to Evergreen, then, run deep and long. The tale that Heather Steans is spinning is difficult to swallow. If we are to believe her, she invested but not a lot of money, she doesn’t know what’s going on at a nursing home that she owned a part of, and the investment didn’t return any real gains to her. Perhaps she could offer you a good deal on a bridge in Brooklyn, too.

Beat The Democrat Machine In IL-7th State Senate District

Help Adam Robinson defeat Machine Candidate Heather Steans in the 7th Illinois State Senate District. Let's throw out Steans, a Blagojevich crony who was hand picked by the Machine and its operatives. Steans and her husband Leo Smith contributed at least $180,000 to Rod Blagojevich over the years. Some estimate it to be over $200,000. Indeed, Steans is one of the Democrats who enabled Rod Blagojevich. You want "change?" Here's your chance, people. Visit Adam's website, learn about him, and consider clicking on that "Donate" button to help this guy go up against the big money vested interests of the Machine. Also see: Adam Robinson on Facebook and Adam Robinson on Twitter (@adrobins) Adam writes: Over the past several months, I’ve heard one consistent theme from people throughout my district – CUT THE WASTE. The majority of residents support my plans to implement zero-base budgeting in this state, and to place a statutory cap on spending increases. Voters also agree that the time has come to stop wasting taxpayer money on bureaucracy and bloat, and start focusing our limited resources on essential services like education and social services. Despite a $13 billion budget deficit and some $5 bill in unpaid bills from last year, state lawmakers opted to head home for the summer without taking any substantive steps to avert a complete financial meltdown in Illinois. Can you imagine running your household finances like Springfield manages your tax dollars? Read more here... Heather Steans has been part of the bad management in Springfield. It's time to fire her. RELATED: Heather Steans still taking money from Health Insurance companies Heather Steans Lies About Hubby's Blago Connections Sen. Heather Steans Lied on Her Resume Videos of Jim Madigan Owning Heather Steans See Heather Carry Water For The Machine. Contributions from Heather Steans & husband to Rod Blagojevich (pdf) Heather Steans' Husband Goes Nuts in a Gay Bar Flashback to Elder and Smith on Heather Steans Senator Heather Steans, For The Children

First Campaign Video from Steans Challenger Adam Robinson

Adam Robinson is challenging incumbent Heather Steans (Democrat) to represent the Illinois State Senate's 7th District seat, which encompasses much of Chicago's northeast side.  Robinson announced the release of his first campaign video ad in a May 3 press release (see it here). That video (below) is beautifully crafted, but offered nothing of substance. I will have commentary on it later this week.

Does Sen. Heather Steans Hate Children?

Adam Robinson is the Republican candidate for Illinois State Senate in the 7th District. He is running against incumbent Heather Steans (a Democrat). He wrote the following piece about school choice - and Steans' opposition to it.

State Senator Heather Steans

Votes Against School Choice

- by Adam Robinson

On Thursday, March 25, the Illinois Senate passed a bill that would offer tuition vouchers to 22,000 elementary school children enrolled at the worst performing schools in Chicago’s public system. The bill (SB 2494), drafted by Democrat State Senator James Meeks (D-Chicago), enables families to use these vouchers at any parochial or private school that admits their child.

At its core, this bill is about giving parents in neighborhoods with perpetually failing elementary schools a choice in how their children are educated. The result: parents get choices, kids get a better education, and CPS is held accountable for their inability to deliver a quality product.

To call this bill a landmark would be an understatement. For years, Chicago Public Schools have failed the communities in which these “bottom 10%” schools operate. Should the bill pass the Illinois House, these 22,000 Chicago children – mostly from poor families – will have access to a better education and the brighter economic future that improved schooling can bring. Notably, these goals will be accomplished without spending one dollar more in tax revenue than was already allocated by the General Assembly.

Said Meeks of the bill, "It was for the bottom 10 percent of failing schools. Who could begrudge students in a failing school a chance to get out if they want to get out?"

Who would deny 22,000 children and their parents the right to a quality education?

Incumbent State Senator Heather Steans, that’s who.

Despite overwhelming and bipartisan support for SB 2494, Steans voted against it, casting a vote for maintaining the status quo and for keeping kids in failing schools.

With her “no” vote on SB 2494, Sen. Steans has turned her back on the 22,000 kids in these failing schools, and has instead opted to side with the teachers unions in an attempt to preserve their support. Steans has said that she voted against the bill because she claimed it underfunded Special Education programs, but pardon us if we don’t believe a word of it, Senator.

Why the skepticism over her reason for voting “no”? Could it be the $5,500 in campaign cash she received from the Illinois Education Association’s political action committee? Or maybe the $3,500 in cash she pocketed from the Illinois Federation of Teachers? Perhaps it was the $1,750 in contributions given to her by her friends at the AFL-CIO? Or maybe it was the $6,000 in contributions received from AFSCME?

Steans raked in $16,750 from teachers unions since 2008, giving her 16,750 reasons to vote against the 22,000 kids who are stuck in Chicago’s worst elementary schools. That’s 16,750 reasons to tell parents, “tough luck, folks,” while preserving the sources of all that campaign cash.

When he faced the ire of these same teachers unions after introducing this bill, what did State Senator James Meeks do? He mailed them their money back. All of it. That’s called principled leadership.

What did State Senator Heather Steans do? She chose the unions over the kids, and voted against school choice. That’s called selling out.

If you believe, like I do, that parents - not a massive state bureaucracy – are best able to choose the education that meets their child’s needs, then join me and my fight for positive change and common ground reforms that empower and improve our communities! Just head to www.ElectAdamRobinson.com to get involved and show your support today. I can’t do this without you!

RELATED:

Now, Heather Steans Faces THIS Guy
Robinson "Thrilled" About Promised Red Light Camera Hearings

Sen. Heather Steans Lied on Her Resume
Campaign Flyer Links Steans to Blago Pay-to-Play
Heather Steans Lies About Hubby's Blago Connections

Video - Jim Madigan Slams Heather Steans

Heather Steans Gets New Contribution from Health Insurance Company

Videos of Jim Madigan Owning Heather Steans
Heather Steans, Miracle Peddler

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Robinson "Thrilled" About Promised Red Light Camera Hearings

February 17, 2010 - The recent protest against red light cameras in Chicago has had a fast and far reaching effect, all the way down to the state capitol in Springfield. Yesterday, Illinois State Senate Transportation Committee Chairman, Senator Martin Sandoval (D-Cicero, 12th District), created a Subcommittee on Red Light Cameras, which will hold public hearings on SB 2466, a bill to ban red light cameras statewide. Sandoval promised - in the official record - that those hearings would be held within two weeks. The Red Light Camera Protest on Valentine's Day was attended by a number of local political candidates. One of those is Adam Robinson (photo), Republican candidate for Illinois State Senate in the 7th District. I asked him for his thoughts on the Sandoval announcement. Here's what Adam Robinson wrote to me: "I was thrilled when I saw that Senator Sandoval agreed to hold public hearings on SB 2466. I applaud our community's residents for taking action and making their voices heard. Without the outpouring of citizen support for this bill that occurred over the past week, SB 2466 would have been buried like so many other good ideas that die in committee down in Springfield. People hate these cameras - they're unsafe, and they're just another underhanded tax forced on our neighborhoods by disconnected lawmakers. The voters of the 7th District want these things removed, now. I'm glad that we were able to force the Transportation Committee to listen." Robinson also posted a statement at his Facebook page. Robinson has been a vocal opponent of the red light cameras for a long time, and will continue to support efforts to ban them in Illinois. (Robinson's opponent, incumbent Heather Steans, has not made any statement about the cameras. My own guess is that Steans will remain silent on this important issue.) RELATED: IL Senate Hearings to Ban Red Light Cameras "Within Two Weeks" Sen. Sandoval Promises Public Hearings On Red Light Cameras Video of Red Light Camera Protest in Chicago Leave a Comment * Conservative T-Shirts * Follow CNB on Twitter * RSS Feed

Now, Heather Steans Faces THIS Guy...

UPDATE, AUGUST 6, 2010: Does RINO Adam Robinson Hate Mormons? Before I get to an open letter from Heather Steans' NEW opponent, let me say this: On February 2, nearly two thirds of the voters in the Illinois 7th Senate District showed that they are either unaware of the corruption of Machine-backed Heather Steans, or they don't care. I prefer to think that it's an unawareness of who Heather Steans really is - and what she is - that caused so many good people to make such a profoundly bad choice yesterday. Steans beat a good man in the Democrat primary, and Jim Madigan is to be congratulated for having the guts to go up against the entrenched and dirty politicians of his own party, those who have dominated and tainted the politics of Chicago, Cook County and Illinois for so long. But Steans was not re-elected yesterday, she was only nominated to run for re-election. The real contest is for the November vote, and before she can say she's been re-elected she will have to defeat this guy: Republican reformer Adam Robinson. SEE UPDATE, AUGUST 6, 2010: Does RINO Adam Robinson Hate Mormons? Robinson wrote this letter to voters: To my friends and neighbors in the Illinois 7th Senate District, First and foremost, please join me in congratulating State Senator Heather Steans for her win in yesterday’s Democratic primary election. I would also like to take a moment to congratulate Jim Madigan for his vigorous and people-centric effort to win the nomination. Both campaigns fought hard, and the community benefitted from their exchange of ideas. In November, you’ll choose your next State Senator. For the first time in a generation, the IL-7th Senate seat will be legitimately contested in the general election. As an independent-minded, fiscally responsible, and socially moderate candidate for this office, I am honored to have the opportunity to earn your trust over the next nine months. The days of the Chicago political machine being able to take your vote for granted are over. The citizens in our community are hurting. Jobs are scarce, and the ineptitude of our state government has led Illinois to the brink of financial insolvency. Meanwhile, your elected officials enrich themselves and their insider friends with fat pensions and lucrative government jobs. Budgets for entitlement programs explode, while Springfield balances the budget on the backs of those without political clout. In short, the system is broken. But I’m running to change that. I believe in my heart that there are things upon which we can all agree, regardless of political affiliation:

People come first, always.

We should be creating jobs, not destroying jobs.

Elected officials should be honest and forthright. No exceptions. Ever.

Our public education system is a mess, and it’s failing our kids. It’s time to address this problem with actions, not words.

Our government must ensure equality for all citizens, regardless of their race, religion, or sexual orientation.

The level of violent crime in our community is simply unacceptable. We need more dollars for public safety, now.

Our social service programs should focus on our neediest residents, extending a helping hand to these individuals and families. Finding common ground – that’s what my campaign is all about. I don’t care about political ideology, I care about good ideas. And I’m prepared to listen to and act upon good ideas, no matter the source. You deserve nothing less from the people whom you elect to serve your interests. How’s that for a change? So, here’s to you, the residents of the IL-7th, and to a new beginning for our community. Together, let’s unleash the potential of our neighborhoods and work together to solve the enormous challenges before us. Let’s find common ground. It would be my great honor to serve as your next State Senator, and I thank you for giving me the opportunity to do so. Sincerely, Adam Robinson Candidate for Illinois State Senate, 7th District adam@adamrobinsonforsenate.com http://www.adamrobinsonforsenate.com Leave a Comment * Conservative T-Shirts * Follow CNB on Twitter * RSS Feed

Why I'm Supporting This Gay Chicago Democrat

It's Primary Election Day in Illinois. In the state's 7th State Senate District, two Democrats are facing off today. One is a wealthy, corrupt, Machine-backed who currently holds the seat. Her name is Heather Steans, and she bought her way into office during the 2008 special election by means of years of contributing a total of more than $200,000 to Rod Blagojevich and other corrupt party hacks. Steans' challenger two years ago, Suzanne Elder, had no real organization and insignificant amounts of money, and was not able to get her message out. Elder would not have been a good senator anyway. Although she may have been sincere about wanting to end corruption, she would have done nothing to curb the insane tax-and-spend mentality of Springfield. Cue Jim Madigan (he's not related to those Madigans, thank you). Madigan is an openly gay attorney (Barack Obama was one of his law professors), and he is a social liberal. He gained some fame and much experience working to promote gay-related causes in Illinois. Let me pause here for a moment to say that I have no issue with Madigan's sexuality - or anybody else's, for that matter. I've been wrongly called homophobic in the past. I am not. I have political differences with most of my gay friends (yes, I have few of those), but I have never disliked anybody just because they were gay. That's not what being a conservate is about. So, why would I - a conservative blogger and former Assistant Media Director of the American Conservative Union - be supportive of Jim Madigan? The answer is not that complicated: I support Madigan in the Democrat primary election because he is far and away the better choice over corruptocrat Heather Steans. We'll see what happens after today. There is only one Republican running in today's 7th District State Senate primary, and that's Adam Robinson. Being unopposed, it's a certainty that Robinson will be the opponent of either Madigan or Steans on February 3. Madigan brings basic Democrat values to his campaign (most of which I am opposed to), and is the best choice for Democrat voters who are sick of being told how to vote by the Machine. He's got the great courage to go up against that establishment of corruption and to call them out on it (see this video). It's a rarity in politics today, particularly amongst Illinois Democrats, for a candidate to not just pay lip service to reform but to actually want it. When I interviewed Madigan for a series of videos, he spent two hours with me in conversation. He impressed me as a person of immense intelligence and sharp memory. He is very likable, with a sense of humor that allows him to laugh at himself. Both Robinson the Republican and Madigan the Democrat are social liberals. Both favor "marriage equality" for gay people, but both favor lower sales taxes and are generally far more sane fiscally than the Democrat Machine that Steans represents. Steans is a do nothing senator who gets her name attached to bills and takes credit for "hard work." Steans has enabled Blagojevich in the past, then turned on him only out of political necessity and self-preservation. I believe that neither Madigan nor Robinson would have acted that shamefully. Looking at the big picture, Robinson and Madigan are very similar on many key issues. Madigan is not a single-issue candidate, and emphatically says that while gay rights issues are important to him, there "is so much more on the table" that needs to be dealt with, including the lowering of sales taxes. Let's get back to Madigan, however. Robinson is a story for later. Madigan's bio tells us that he "grew up in an Irish Catholic family as the eldest of three boys in a small rustbelt town called Niles, Ohio. Jim’s father ran the local AMVETS organization. Jim’s mother babysat children in the family home for extra money." Madigan holds on to the small town values of family, hard work and respect for others. Contrast that to the self-important, entitled, higher-than-thou attitude of wealthy Heather Steans. While Madigan gave two years of his life to pro-bono work, Steans brags about hosting a couple of ineffectual "public safety" meetings over the past two years. Steans boasts about starting "positive loitering" groups in the rough Uptown neighborhood, and falsely claims that this has made some areas "crime free." Yesterday, Feb.1, a 15-year old boy took a bullet in the arm as he walked to school in Uptown. Gang warfare, meanwhile, has continued unabated during all of Steans' term thus far, and there is no indication that her "efforts" have curbed it. That said, I support Jim Madigan because Steans simply must be tossed out. He is not merely the better candidate (Steans has dodged forums and hasn't really hit the streets), Madigan is also the better person. More honest, not corrupt, genuinely caring about the people. Could Madigan defeat Robinson in the general election in November? Who can say? Robinson is also very bright and just as articulate as Madigan. Both seem like rational men, and are in the same age group. It would be a fascinating contest to watch. To repeat myself, all three people - Steans, Robinson, Madigan - are rather similar on social legislation issues. (To be fair to Madigan, he brings geniune concern to them, as opposed to Steans' opportunistic approach.) It's the fiscal policies that set Steans' apart from Madigan. Steans equals more of the same disastrous policies that have put Illinois billions of dollars into the red. Madigan would actively work to reverse that. Yes Madigan is, overall, a liberal. But as a conservative, I look at him this way: He is not just the lesser of two evils in the Democrat primary. He is also the better of two human beings. One can only choose from the choices presented to him. Conservatives in Chicago know this all too well, and it is our duty to support palatable Democrats when that's all we are offered. The alternative is to allow the Machine to keep on winning, and that doesn't help Republicans or Democrats. RELATED: Lake Effect News - Heather Steans was handpicked by former 7th District State Senator Carol Ronen to fill her seat after she resigned mid-term in October 2007. Since she first announced her candidacy for Ronen’s seat in 2007, two major issues have haunted her. One of those major issues is the accusation that “the fix was in” when she suddenly emerged as the heir apparent to Carol Ronen’s seat, just days after Ronen announced her intention to resign before the November filing deadline for state candidates. The other major issue involves the major amounts of cash that she and husband Leo Smith contributed to Rod Blagojevich’s campaign fund for years. Steans has sidestepped or avoided questions about that, and the press has essentially given her what seems to be a pass on the issue. Full Article... Videos of Jim Madigan Owning Heather Steans Heather Steans Gets New Contribution from Health Insurance Company Sen. Heather Steans Lied on Her Resume 48 Reasons to Oppose Heather Steans Blogger Ejected From Bitter Victory Party Heather Steans' Husband Goes Nuts in a Gay Bar TOTAL NON-RECALL: IL SENATE SAYS "SCREW YOU" Leave a Comment * Conservative T-Shirts * Follow CNB on Twitter * RSS Feed

New Madigan Mailer Slams Steans for Blago Ties and Lying

More tough words from reformer Jim Madigan. He's running against the Machine-backed incumbent, Heather Steans, in the Illinois State Senate 7th District. Madigan's latest flyer, mailed to residents of late last week, points out that Steans (actually pronounced "stains") is "so desperate to hold onto her Senate seat that she'll do anything. Even lie." (Click on the images to enlarge them.) Those are strong charges, but Madigan details the lies from Steans and dismantles them with facts. Also see "Campaign Flyer Links Steans to Blago Pay-to-Play" and "Heather Steans Lies About Hubby's Blago Connections." Leave a Comment * Conservative T-Shirts * Follow CNB on Twitter * RSS Feed

New Campaign Flyer from Evil Clown Heather Steans

Chicago - I was walking down the street today and just about jumped out of my boots when I saw the lovely photo (right) of Illinois State Senator Heather Steans (7th District) giving me that evil clown grin. It was so unexpected, and - I swear this is true - I spotted it in a trash can. I was waiting for the light to change, and the can was next to me. (Yes, we'll get into substance, but first indulge me.) 

Laying on top of the rest of the trash was the latest Steans flyer, literally staring up at me. I jumped back, stared at it, poked it with a stick, then plucked it out. I took it home, scanned it, then burned it. Tip: Click on images to enlarge them.  

I used to love messing with photos of Steans just to make her look goofy. After looking at this flyer, however, I think I'll give that up. They say truth is stranger than fiction, and the real Heather looks goofier than anything I could come up with in manipulation. 

Okay, Some Substantive Criticism... 

Yes, yes, the above was childish. All in fun, but this is a serious state senate race. Let's look at the substance of this flyer. Steans is running against a bright young lawyer named Jim Madigan in the Democrat primary, February 2. Madigan is untainted by the political Machine. He has not taken big money, as Steans has. Steans gives us the same old crap in this flyer. 

On the cover, just above the evil clown grin, Steans demonstrates that she is completely unaware of current events and of how pissed off most Americans are about the nonsense in Washington. "I support President Obama's efforts to reform health care. But we can't wait for Congress to act." Perhaps she is aware of the national mood and she's simply as stupid as I've always suspected. 

The voters of Massachusettes recently elected Scott Brown (R) over Martha Coakley (D) to fill the seat held by the late Ted Kennedy. Why? Because the people do NOT support Obama's efforts to "reform" health care, as did Martha Coakley, as does Heather Steans. Another reason: The people, the voters, were sick of having "reform" shoved down their throats with virtually no transparency. In short, they wanted Congress to wait. Ah, but Heather Steans says hurry up, we can't wait for Congress to act. 

Newsflash: Massachusetts didn't wait either, having passed their own "reform" under Governor Mitt Romney. 

The results of that rushed "reform" in Massachusetts, ironically, contributed heavily to the defeat of Coakley because the "reform" in Massachusetts did not control rising costs. To add irony to irony, the citizens of Massachusetts had what Washington called "Cadillac" quality coverage, which meant that they would have been taxed through their catheter tubes had "Obamacare" passed as written. Massachusetts voters said, in effect, if you don't like our health care mess, you'll hate the version that Congress has in mind. Even in Washington, it was a bipolar situation until the Brown win: The reform bill produced by Pelosi's House did not meld with Reid's Senate version. So Heather Steans lobs mindless platitudes like "we can't wait" without considering the fact that many Democrat leaders, including Howard Dean, are urging just that and more. Scrap both the House and Senate versions, they say, start over, but first concentrate on fixing the economy. Steans seems oblivious to this harsh reality.

The inside spread of the expensive flyer (money is no object to Steans), she continues with her health care chant. "Heather Steans fought to expand health care in Illinois," it says. And how is that working out for you? "She took on the big insurance companies..." blah, blah, blah. Really? How hard did she take on Humana Health Insurance to get that $1,500 contribution via Human PAC? 

As opponent Jim Madigan asked, "I wonder what reform was left on the table in order to ensure that the campaign cash would keep flowing from insurance companies?" Steans also notes that she has a "100% Pro-Choice Record" but does not qualify that: Does she also support the live-birth abortions that Barack Obama supported during his time in Springfield?

The back page of the flyer shows Steans strolling down a street talking with a constituent. I gotta say, I've never seen Steans walking down the street and I live in the 7th District, but she wants us to believe that she's out patrolling the byways and talking to everyone all day. Uh huh. "Heather Steans is working with police and community leaders," the flyer says, "to keep our families safe from crime and gun violence" and that "Heather believes it's time to move past talking about curbing violence. She's doing something about it."

Oh? Steans has done nothing more than make token gestures and giving a few unconvincing "public safety meetings." The results have been insignificant, if that much. After a July, 2008 meeting, Heather Steans said that her "positive loitering" initiatives had made several areas of Uptown "crime free." Crime "free" means no crime. Not a reduction, but an elimination of crime. "Free," not "reduced." 

When the audience was allowed to ask questions at another public safety meeting on May 12, 2009, I asked Steans to name the specific areas or corners that she had made "crime free," and to tell us if they are still "crime free today." She hemmed and hawed for a moment, then admitted that she should not have said "crime free." Steans was ready to not specify the locations, however, so I called out to her to do so. She mentioned a strip "near" a park, but couldn't be more specific. She couldn't even name the park. Meanwhile, violent crime continues in Uptown and throughout Chicago. Just get a police scanner and turn it on any day or night, and you'll hear the horrific, bloody non-results of Steans and her self-proclaimed efforts to "do something about it." 

Lies, half truths, exaggerations. Taken together, that's the most frightening aspect of this Steans flyer - and all of her flyers. It's even more frightening than her evil clown smile. 

RELATED: 

• Senator Goes Missing: Last Seen Hiding Under Her Desk 
• More posts about Heather Steans

Senator Goes Missing: Last Seen Hiding Under Her Desk

Written by Sean Vera, 

Loyola College Republicans

Steans, Heather

After Heather Steans last performance in a debate, we were all itching to see her get whomped once more. But, alas, our dreams are dashed. 

Good ol' Sen. Steans is apparently too busy to come and talk to the people who she supposedly represents. What a shame. But, her Democratic challenger Jim Madigan and Republican Adam Robinson will be at Loyola's Rogers Park campus Monday, January 25th to debate the issues and show the people of the district that there is a better choice than a bank heiress who is a corrupt Blago-crat who allegedly purchased her Senate seat. 

The Loyola College Republicans are hosting this event, details of which can be found here (and below). The back-story that led up to this point is particularly of note. The College Republicans hosted a forum like this in December. 

We invited all 3 candidates and were co-sponsoring the event with the Loyola College Democrats. However, once Sen. Steans declined our invitation (citing a CTA Red Line meeting which, if you attended, would realize that her presence was not required), the College Dems president (who is a good friend of the Senator), unilaterally withdrew the organization's support of the event and accused the College Republicans of being "unprofessional" and claiming that the event was creating a "climate of bipartisanship." 

Although patently false, the College Republicans agreed to host a second forum at the beginning of Loyola's spring semester in order to have the senator attend. Again, the Steans' campaign dragged their feet for weeks until the College Republicans were forced to set a date and time...one that the Senator was, you guessed it, conveniently unavailable. 

So, Heather Steans won't be there tomorrow. Her stench of her alleged corruption, however, will be lingering in the air. 

State Senate Candidate Forum #2 (7th District) 

Date: Monday, January 25, 2010 Time: 6:00pm - 8:30pm 

Where: Life Sciences Building Auditorium Loyola University Campus 1060 W Sheridan Road Chicago, Illinois 

RELATED: 

• State Senator Heather Steans is a Coward 
• New Campaign Flyer from Evil Clown Heather Steans 
• More posts about Heather Steans 

Campaign Flyer Links Steans to Blago Pay-to-Play

This is priceless, indeed. The latest campaign flyer from Jim Madigan, received Jan. 20, 2010.

Madigan is running against incumbent Heather Steans, 7th IL State Senate District in Chicago.

Both are Democrats running in the February 2, 2010 primary election. Click images to enlarge, or click to see the flyer as a PDF.

New Heather Steans Campaign Posters

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