Analyzing Joe Moore's SEIU Money

Andrew Sharp is getting paid $53,000 for consulting to Joe Moore, courtesy of the SEIU Illinois Council PAC. It's listed as an "in kind donation" for "political consulting and mailing." There is no mention, of course, of "annihilating" the Gordon camp, because by any measure Moore just squeaked by. Half the voters in the 49th Ward are questioning the veracity of the last Tuesday's election, so even that is questionable. All that money and expertise for 200 votes! In total, Moore's D2s show 89 receipts for SEIU money, totaling $155,958.01. (Do you think Joe feels like he might owe them a favor or two? Nah.) The SEIU donations were made 1999-2007. Here's how the $155,958 breaks down: SEIU Illinois Council PAC, 111 W Wacker Dr, Ste 2500, Chicago $106,324.01 All of this was donated to Moore's campaign committee in 2007. We're not sure where that extra penny came from, but apparently this union doesn't care about its members' pennies. This money could have purchased a lot of basic health care or emergency food for members in need. Will their investment in Joe Moore help the average SEIU member? How was the money used? The D2 lists it overwhelmingly for "field work," with a lot of "staff work," and "research." None of those descriptions really tell us anything. When researcher Andrew Sharp passed himself off as Seamus the Irishman last Wednesday, was that "field work" or "research," or both? There was also "live calls to voters," provided by The Clinton Group in Washington, D.C. twice for a total of $5231.63. (The D2s can be a slog to read, but the stuff you find is fascinating.) We couldn't find anything listed as "mail fraud," "bingo bribery" or "disinformation." SEIU Local 1, 111 E Wacker Dr, Ste 2500, Chicago $9,500.00 Except for $500 in 2004, all of this came to Moore in 2006 and 2007. SEIU Service Employees Illinois Council, 1165 N. Clark St., Chicago $3,884.00 All donated to Moore in December, 2006. SEIU Local 880 PAC, 1024 Elysian Fields, New Orleans, LA 70117 $36,250.00 (includes $3,250 from 1999-2004) Apparently this New Orleans chapter of SEIU cares more about the 49th Ward than they do for their still-struggling neighbors in hurricane-ravaged bayou country. This money could have paid rent for a year for six to eight apartments, or a heck of a lot of canned food.

Weird Joe Moore Tales

Update: Andrew Sharp is getting paid $53,000 for consulting to Joe Moore, courtesy of the SEIU Illinois Council PAC. It's listed as an "in kind donation" for "political consulting and mailing." In total, Moore's D2s show 89 receipts totaling $155,958.01 from the SEIU. (Do you think Joe feels like he might owe them a favor or two?)

BIZARRE ENCOUNTER
WITH ANDREW SHARP
A TOP JOE MOORE ADVISOR FROM WASHINGTON D.C. IS STILL HANGING OUT IN ROGERS PARK, DAYS AFTER THE ELECTION. HE IS ACTING VERY STRANGELY. (CLICK FOR FULL STORY)

How Deep Is Your Love?

WARNING: This woman is Kathy Sprattling, former Ginderske staffer turned Joe Moore mercenarie. She may be in the company of Andrew "Seamus" Sharp, a known top gun of Joe Moore. If you must, approach with caution.

Kathy, what do you tell your daughter about ethics and self respect now that you've sold out to a man you spent months calling a "shit" and a "killer" for his association with the now infamous Jay Johnson?

If asked to, would you be willing to perjure yourself for Joe Moore? (Just asking.)

BIZARRE ENCOUNTER WITH ANDREW SHARP

CLOAK AND DAGGER ACTIVITY BY MOORE GOONS, SPECIAL REPORT

"Andrew Sharp has provided clients nationwide with general consulting and strategy to annihilate the opposition." http://www.andrewsharp.net/

“Politics is war without bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed.” ~ Mao Tse-Tung, Chinese Communist dictator (1893 - 1976)

“Politics is war without bloodshed.” ~ Andrew Sharp, top Democrat political consultant

CHICAGO (RPB News) - Cloaks and daggers in Rogers Park. This just gets curiouser and curiouser, folks. Remember the photo of those two suits getting the VIP welcome from Joe Moore as they entered his campaign office on March 10? Some of you laughed at RPB for that, but we now know who they are. Seems RPB’s instincts were correct. They were some of Joe’s big guns, one local, one from out of state.

As I wrote yesterday, Alderman Joe Moore brought in a lot of big guns to help him retain his seat on Chicago’s City Council as alderman of the 49th Ward. Really big guns.

Last Wednesday, one of those big guns sought me out.

It was a bizarre experience for me and it was bizarre behavior by one Andrew Sharp, big gun political consultant from D.C.

I was sitting at the bar at Morseland around 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday, having a bite to eat and conversing with my good friend Vince. The bartender, Marcus, came to me and said that two guys sitting down the bar wanted to buy me a beer “if you’re Tom Mannis.” Well, sure, but give me a Coke instead because I’m too tired for alcohol, I told Marcus. I got the Coke pronto and continued to speak with Vince.

About 20 minutes later, one of the men came over and introduced himself. It is important to note at this point that he asked me to keep his name “off the record,” but he did tell me that he was one of the suits walking into Moore’s campaign office in the photo. I assured him that I would not reveal his name, and RPB keeps a promise. The man, whom I shall call “Bob,” chatted me up in a friendly way. Wouldn’t mind having that beer with him sometime. Bob is local guy, and is very active politically, and he said he hopes to “do business” with me “in the future” because he thinks I'm a good writer. Flattery won't get you anywhere, pal.

Thanks for the compliment, Bob, but no dice. I’d sit down over a beer with you anytime. But “do business” with you? You don’t work for a scum like Joe Moore and then expect RPB to “do business” with you, even if it’s selling lemonade. You don’t skulk around bars asking for me and then expect me to “do business” with you. You don’t associate with a scum who quotes freeking Mao Tse Tung and expect me to “do business” with you.

That is all I will reveal about Bob. RPB honors "off the record" promises. But no such promise was made for the Other Guy.
 
The other guy got no promises from RPB, and even if he had, he lied to me, so all is fair play. The other guy gave his name as “Seamus,” and said he was an Irishman living in the Old Town neighborhood of Chicago. “Seamus” (SHAY-muss) affected a convincing Irish accent. But he was a fraud.

Andrew Sharp, aka "Seamus"

“Seamus” is Andrew Sharp, big gun political consultant for Joe Moore. This encounter was bizarre for several reasons:

1) The runoff election ended 27 hours before Andrew “Seamus” Sharp and Bob sought me out at Morseland.
2) Sharp, based out of Alexandria, VA just outside Washington, D.C., was seen jogging along the lakefront yesterday morning (Saturday, April 22). Why is he still in Chicago?
3) Why is Andrew Sharp posing as "Seamus" the Irishman?
4) “Bob” admitted to asking around for me. Why? To “do business” with me? To assure that I would not reveal his identity in the photo? (Is he that ashamed of his association with Moore?)
5) Did “Bob” and Sharp hope to send a subtle, indirect message to me to back off of my coverage of the Moore camp by letting me know that they know where I hang out?
6) If they are doing this to me, who else might they be skulking after?
7) Why are they skulking around Rogers Park days after the election? What are they so concerned about? Is there some kind of “damage control” that they are working on?

RPB asks you to be on the lookout, especially for Andrew Sharp. People living near either of Joe Moore’s offices – keep your cameras ready. And let us pray that Andy Sharp believes that “politics is war without bloodshed.” He's acting a bit deranged lately.

JOE MOORE'S MAGINOT LINE

“Politics is war without bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed.” ~ Mao Tse-Tung, Chinese Communist dictator (1893 - 1976) Who are the "big guns" national-level political consultants, hacks and other outside supporters brought in to support a guy who represents a tiny two-square mile piece of Chicago? Here is a quick look at some of the "big guns" brought in to help 49th Ward Alderman Joe Moore in his battle to retain his seat on Chicago's City Council. Moore is well known nationally, primarily for his activities with antiwar groups and local anti-goose liver (foie gras) legislation. Nevertheless, he is just an alderman, and that begs the question: Why so much outside money, so much outside consulting talent, and so much effort by the DNC put into play just to retain a local councilman? RPB invites you – and all readers – to share information or stories about these or other of Moore’s people. There are literally thousands of people around the nation who are members of their local city council or village board. Some of them, in Los Angeles or New York for example, have as much local sway as Moore does. No doubt some or most are more intelligent than Moore. Who are some of the big players from outside of the 49th Ward, some even from outside of Illinois, that were brought in to keep Joe Moore in place? Joe Moore is well-connected guy. He is a member of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), which is headed by Howard Dean. Moore's campaign office is in a space shared with Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (Democrat); Schakowsky is one of the most powerful members of Congress. Schakowsky’s “blogger” and campaign hamster Alex Armour is near the top of Moore’s food chain, although he may have recently been replaced by this guy: Andrew Sharp, big time political consultant Andrew Sharp Consulting 210 South Union St. Alexandria VA 22314 Main phone : 202-448-6198 Fax : 636-533-5300 http://www.andrewsharp.net/clients.php The Moore people keep reminding us that the election is over. So then why is secretive high-powered political consultant Andrew Sharp hanging around the hood? His usual digs are Alexandria, Virginia right outside of Washington, D.C. Maybe the high crime in Rogers Park reminds him the nation’s capital. Andy was brought in to salvage a flagging campaign. Again, big guns. Andy’s client roster includes the DNC itself, as well as a local favorite, John Stroger. He’s a high profile political strategist and tactician, yet there is virtually nothing on the web about him, which is weird. Very weird. Most guys in his position would want tons of news coverage; news searches on various search engines show NOTHING for the guy. Creepy. “Politics is war without bloodshed. For a dozen years, Andrew Sharp has provided clients nationwide with general consulting and strategy to annihilate the opposition.” Quote stolen from Mao Tse Tung, on Sharp's web site. Alex Armour Schmuck with a newly worked-in mustache and political consultant. Also a “blogger” (although we’ve seen very little evidence of it except for a couple of bad stealth blogs). This weasle was a big shot in the last Jan Schakowsky congressional campaign, yet here he is schlepping for a lox like Joe Moore. Alex Armour was ordered in to the 49th Ward by the Deaniacs at the DNC. What, you think he volunteered to work on an aldermanic campaign after tasting the big time with Schakowsky? For more on Armour, see The Alex Armour Files and Nice Work If You Can Get It. Jan Schakowsky, Congresswoman, Gal Pal, Confidant With her convicted criminal husband Robert Creamer in tow, Jan the Man has been a big cheerleader for Joe, sharing a campaign office next to an abandoned tavern by the train tracks, over by dere. Jan and Joe’s ex-wife (Moore’s divorce papers are sealed) have been best pals for over 18 years. Joe and Robert used to exchange checks back and forth frantically. Robert got caught and convicted. Joe is still not an ex-con – yet. See Joe Moore's Loans to a Criminal. Howard Dean, Chair, Democratic National Committee (DNC) Nuff said. This nutbag is more reviled amongst rank and file Democrats than George Bush is. But he controls the DNC. Lots of dots in this puzzle, and DNC is one big dot with a lot of lines connecting to it. Todd Stroger, President, Cook County Board Todd is more reviled by the average citizen of Cook County than Howard Dean is. But Andy Sharp, the DNC and the other conspirators are all pals. Todd endorsed Joe. Joe endorsed Todd. What a lovefest. SEIU (Service Employees International Union) These goons, 1.8 million strong, would back a rapid skunk if they thought it would help their agenda. (I’m curious: How many of their member are forced to pay dues to a union that supports political causes and politicians that the membership does not like?) SEIU members were seen violating electioneering rules on election day, April 17. There were a bunch of them in the ward, just as there were over a hundred other outsiders hustled in for pay to push Moore literature and generally hang around looking lost. All those outsiders, by the way, is a big fat admission by Moore that he can’t find enough support from within the community he is supposed to represent. That’s pitiful. See Polling Violations by SEIU. ACORN Criminals. Labor law violators. Racketeers. Flouters of election laws nationwide. And there are dozens of court cases to prove those charges. ACORN zombies were seen skulking around the 49th Ward’s CTA stations handing out poorly written, poorly produced crap and lies to commuters. A few examples of ACORN’s shenanigans: “In Ohio , ACORN and its affiliate Project Vote submitted registration cards that had the highest rate of errors for any voter registration group. In Colorado , two ex-ACORN employees were convicted of turning in false registrations.” (Source: http://www.rottenacorn.com/index.html) Again, outsiders. For more on ACORN, see Shelling ACORN and Judge Him By The Company He Keeps.

Voting Problems? Duh.

Like we didn't already know... For the third election in a row, officials had trouble transmitting votes electronically. Some ballots had to be driven downtown. Chicago Board of Elections officials insists their people and equipment performed 'better' than February, but there were still glitches that delayed results. Ballots from a handful of city precincts are being counted again Wednesday afternoon, double checking the accuracy of the final vote. STORY at ABC-7...

49TH WARD: YOUR HELP URGENTLY NEEDED

ROGERS PARK: YOUR HELP IS NEEDED IMMEDATELY. Since the 49th Ward runoff election on Tuesday, April 17, many Rogers Park voters have been sharing stories about alleged fraud and unethical activity at or near the polls. WE NEED YOU TO HELP IMMEDIATELY, AND WE NEED IT BEFORE TUESDAY, APRIL 24. HERE'S HOW YOU CAN HELP: PHOTOGRAPHS If you have a photo that you think even might show something, send it to Rogers Park Bench at rogersparkbench@yahoo.com. Hey, if you prefer, send it to another blogger (see list below). CELL PHONE PHOTOS can be directly emailed to rogersparkbench@yahoo.com YOUR VOTING EXPERIENCE Did you see any of the following: - Election Judges or Poll Watchers urging people to vote for a particular candidate. - Election Judges or Poll Watchers urging people to use the electronic voting machines if paper ballots were also available. - Campaign signs within the 100-foot demarcation line (inside the blue cones). - A Candidate talking with voters inside the polling place. - Anything similar to the above. ANYTHING ELSE! - Do not feel limited by the list above! If you have ANYTHING that made you feel uncomfortable or seemed improper, LET ME OR ANOTHER BLOGGER KNOW IMMEDIATELY: Rogers Park Bench >> send to: rogersparkbench@yahoo.com (Tom) 24/7 North of Howard Watchers (Toni) Rogers Park Neighbor (Jocelyn) Broken Heart of Rogers Park (Craig)

Hey Business Community: Welcome to Morse Avenue

There is a wonderful project happening on Morse Avenue in Rogers Park, Chicago. Construction has begun, and on Thursday the owners put up some nice signs on the front door, an improvement over the previous spray-painted address numbers. Less than 36 hours later, one of our many village idiots decided that it would be too much work to piss on a fire hydrant, so he scrawled some graffiti on a sign instead. Welcome to Morse Avenue, Mr. and Ms. Business Owner. Welcome to Rogers Park. Welcome to the Land of Moore.

Swiftboating the 49th Ward

Of note on Broken Heart today: * The 49th Ward Residents Got 'Swift Boated' All this talk of who raised what this election season was so out of hand. It became the talk of the internet. Then the whisper campaigns started. And let's not forget the secret 'pink postcard' mailers. 'Swift Boat' this, 'Swift Boat' that. This guy gave this to this guy, so that guy's got to be this guy in disguise. Confused? Sure, that's how it was planned. Talk about being 'Swift boated'. That's exactly what happened to the residents of the 49th ward. FULL ARTICLE...

Joe Moore's Math Mess

"Ald. Joe Moore (49th), the sponsor of the big-box wage ordinance, faced a difficult election. For the runoff alone, Moore received $199,324—nearly two-thirds of his contributions—from organized labor," according to the Chicago Tribune today. Joe Moore managed to whine on Tuesday night during his "victory speech" about his defeating a "well funded" Don Gordon campaign. This was not just a deliberate mispresentation, it was darkly amusing. But Moore himself accidentally admitted as much weeks earlier in one of his own campaign fliers. You know - those fliers that cost upwards of $10,000 each. Some of you may recall the one in which Moore's propagandists claimed, in a big banner headline, that a "big money Republican" (local philanthropist David Herro) gave Gordon $60,000. True enough, he did. But the accidental - and incredibly stupid - admission that Gordon's campaign was poorly funded came just after that, when the same flier said that the $60,000 accounted for "70 percent" of all of Don Gordon's campaign donations. You don't have to be a math professor to realize that Herro's $60,000 would be 70% of $85,714.00 (60,000 divided by 0.7). Keep in mind that the very Moore flier that proclaimed this cost over $10,000 to produce. "Well funded" campaign? Hardly. And Moore admitted it in that flier.

Neck And Neck In the 49th Ward

Technorati Rankings, as of 7:37 p.m., April 20, 2007 The 'Broken Heart' of Rogers Park Search this blog Rank: 152,156 (131 links from 30 blogs) http://technorati.com/blogs/http://morsehellhole.blogspot.com Rogers Park Bench Search this blog Rank: 152,156 (104 links from 30 blogs) http://technorati.com/blogs/http://rogersparkbench.blogspot.com Rogers Park Rake Search this blog Rank: 368,522 (71 links from 13 blogs) http://technorati.com/blogs/http://morosehellhole.blogspot.com

Dodging 101

Peggy Noonan on the Virgina Tech shootings pulls no punches and drills deep into the underlying problems in what she refers to as, "the heartlessness of our media and therapy culture." The literally white-bearded academic who was head of the campus counseling center was on Paula Zahn Wednesday night suggesting the utter incompetence of officials to stop a man who had stalked two women, set a fire in his room, written morbid and violent plays and poems, been expelled from one class, and been declared by a judge to be "mentally ill" was due to the lack of a government "safety net." In a news conference, he decried inadequate "funding for mental health services in the United States." Way to take responsibility. Way to show the kids how to dodge. The anxiety of our politicians that there may be an issue that goes unexploited was almost--almost--comic. They mean to seem sensitive, and yet wind up only stroking their supporters. I believe Rep. Jim Moran was first out of the gate with the charge that what Cho did was President Bush's fault. I believe Sen. Barack Obama was second, equating the literal killing of humans with verbal coarseness. Wednesday there was Sen. Barbara Boxer equating the violence of the shootings with the "global warming challenge" and "today's Supreme Court decision" upholding a ban on partial-birth abortion. One watches all of this and wonders: Where are the grown-ups? FULL COLUMN...

49th Ward Vote Uncertain

JUST A REMINDER: DON GORDON HAS NOT CONCEDED. Now then, many in the embattled 49th Ward of Chicago question the veracity of the April 17 vote. I'm not saying it was fixed; I personally have no evidence of this, other than a number of photos and videos that show Joe Moore cheating, handing out cash, shaking hands with old folks as they voted and other smarmy items. In round numbers, Moore took half the vote in February, and again got half three days ago. Moore spent, by varying estimates, from $600,000 to $1.5 million on a campaign to stay on as a lowly alderman in a two-square mile area. Despite all the money, all the lies, all the imported foot soldiers, and the genius of Boy Wonder Alex Armour, Moore's vote tally did not improve by any statistically significant percentage. On the other hand, Don Gordon went from 29 percent in February's election to virtually 50 percent this week. AND HE HAS NOT CONCEDED.

Joe Moore's Victory Rally

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-070419aldermen,1,810548.story?coll=chi-news-hed From the Chicago Tribune yesterday, an amusing piece about a victory rally. 49th Ward Alderman Joe Moore, who barely managed to garner 50% of the vote in a runoff election April 17, despite exponentially outspending challenger Don Gordon, was talking like a champion. A word of advice to "Uncle Joe" Moore: Duck. Newly elected aldermen attend victory rally The crowd also cheered the re-election of Ald. Ricardo Muñoz (22nd), who will probably get union help in his 2008 bid for Congress, and Ald. Joe Moore (49th). Muñoz and Moore were among only five aldermen who did not circulate nominating petitions for Daley's re-election campaign. "I can sincerely say it's great to have you," Moore told his new colleagues. "I know for a fact that there are no rubber stamps in this room." FULL LOAD OF CRAP... Enjoy it while you can, Mr. Moore.

Joe Moore in Two Parts

Joe Moore, Parts I and II

Bizarre video at AlderTrack

Joe Moore to Replace Frank Kruesi at CTA?

A reader writes this interesting suggestion: "With Frank Kruesi resigning, wouldn't it be interesting to suggest that in place of Ron Huberman, the Mayor nominate Joe Moore as head of the CTA - after all, Joe seemed to think that he could fix the problems with the help of his CTA riding pal Kevin... " Yes, who better to fix our delapidated "third world" transportation system, eh? Kruesi resigns as CTA president The Southern, IL - CHICAGO - Chicago Transit Authority president Frank Kruesi resigned Thursday amid a massive railway reconstruction project and complaints about service ... CTA Boss Resigns NBC-5 - The president of the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) announced his resignation Thursday, amid the start of a massive reconstruction project. Mayor Richard Daley recommended that the CTA board replace Frank Kruesi with Daley's chief of staff, Ron Huberman.

Discussing Don Gordon (with RogersParkBooster)

NOTE: RogerspParkBooster has – again – demonstrated a fine writing ability. RPBooster’s comments (below) are long but well worth reading. I have inserted my own responses as “NOTE:” throughout. RogersParkBooster has left a new comment on your post "Why not start now Don?": What utter hypocrisy on the part of David Fagus - the ultimate Cook County Shadow Master and Democratic Party Machine Leach. To say his name is to hear the sucking sound of a fat do nothing government patronage worker masquerading as a middle manager, living far beyond the value he brings to the tax payer in return for shilling and campaigning for the likes of Joe Moore “most likely while he is on the public time clock.” NOTE: I agree that we should all work against the Democrat Party Machine. And you Tom “once a young campus Reaganite” how far you have fallen from your youthful principals if you would give credence to this pretzel logic. How can you possibly raise moral issues with the likes of Nancy Pelosi or Hillary Clinton, and then give philosophical support to the twisted prevarications of a Chicago Machine squid like Fagus? From kickback parking at the Block building to his kickback job in county government, he should stand as the poster-boy for everything that is wrong with Chicago patronage politics. NOTE: First, as noted in the piece you are responding to, I would not normally agree with David Fagus. Frankly, I believe he is as dishonest as they come. But now and then even a hack like Fagus can ask a legitimate question. To repeat that legitimate question is hardly giving “philosophical support” to Fagus and his Machine. Look through the archives of my blog and you will see that I have been rather unkind to Fagus & Friends, and will give them no passes in the future. Second, I was never a “young campus Reaganite.” I never claimed to be! I graduated college nearly four years before Ronald Reagan was sworn into the Presidency for the first time. I said I was a conservative student activist, yes, but working on strictly local campus issues; my group did not get involved in national issues. Tom “your guy (Jim G) is a good fellow; “he raised good issues.” Don Gordon has listened to those issues, and agrees with many of them. “Jim lost” its time for you and all of Jim’s supporters to jump on over to the winning team and help bring real progressive change to the 49th “and at the same time bring to a permanent end any possibility of Joe Moore ever attaining higher office and doing to the rest of the country what he has done to our neighborhood. NOTE: Which “winning team?” The one that got 29% of the votes? Or the one that got 49.33% of the votes? Last time I checked, Adams and Ginderske were parts of a trio that, combined, garnered just over 50% of the vote. When you say “team,” are you omitting those voters? Or do you only mean the 29% that voted for Don Gordon? To un-spin all this foolishness, I will clearly explain what Don Gordon has promised to do. But first, let’s put this entire Fagus nonsense in the bright light of day. Don raised something in the area of $40k, and happily, with that tiny amount of money, has helped to force a run-off. Joe raised something in the area of $450k (not counting drug dealer cash, which Joe forgot to put on his D-2). Joe had influence to sell, and his D-2 numbers reflect it. Don had no influence to sell, and furthermore, he declared early on he never would be for sale. His numbers reflect it. Why? Because, if elected, he would no longer take donations. The Jay Johnsons of the world have no incentive to try and buy him today. Don is not for sale today and will not be for sale in the future. But it is clear “Joe Moore has been vacuuming up hundreds of thousands of dollars in declared and undeclared donations for the last two years. His influence is for sale to all comers. And Joe Moore has been buying votes at $10 a shot. The cost of a grocery store cash card “the cost of a pathetic bingo card. Don needs an office and telephones and the most basic organizational structure to prevail on April 17th. He hasn’t been vacuuming up cash with promises and threats for the last few years. It is nonsensical to expect that he would not accept donations in his attempt to rid the 49th of this strangling machine presence. He hasn’t been in office for 4 years to set aside future campaign expenses, nor has he had four years to gain the understanding and support of a firm majority of the voters here. It will take a few years before people realize what profound lies Joe Moore and his operatives have spun for so long. It will take less time for people to realize what a decent man Don Gordon is. NOTE: You wrote, “Don raised something in the area of $40k, and happily, with that tiny amount of money, has helped to force a run-off.” You seem to forget that there were two other men running, and together they forced the run-off. Had Ginderske and Adams not been in the race the picture would be very different today. Four years from now Alderman Gordon may face a DNC-backed opponent with unlimited cash. Then what? What you say sounds good, but why isn’t Don out there saying this himself? If Don goes out and says this loudly, it “will take less time for people to realize what a decent man Don Gordon is.” But again, “if elected, he would no longer take donations.” John McCain worked very hard to reform campaign contributions. Now that he’s running for President, however, he has indicated that those laws are really not so hot and he will be skirting around them every way he can. It’s like a guy out stealing hubcaps and assuring us during the theft that once he gets these little babies put on his own car he will never, ever, cross-my-heart do this again, really, trust me. Suggestion: Don Gordon should give away ALL developer donations and corporate donations to the same Little League groups that Joe Moore claims that he gives campaign cash. Now THAT would make a statement and would, frankly, be worth twice the value of the cash in the public relations points he would gain. Over the next four years, Don has pledged to act as the only campaign contributor to his re-election in 2011. That money will come from his aldermanic salary, which will, I believe, be his only substantive source of income. Other than his own contributions, he will not accept donations. It is very very simple “Don will not be for sale “his office will not be for sale “Zoning will not be for sale “Don Gordon’s protection will not be for sale to slum lords and drug dealers. The Jay Johnsons of this world will not be free to run slums in the 49th that kill innocent children a half dozen at a time, knowing that they have already bought the alderman’s support and protection. My God Tom “who is the friend of the poor? One of Joes’ best pals (Johnson) killed an entire family and then ran and hid behind Joe’s skirts and Joe stood up in front of the press and told us all what a fine fellow Johnson was. NOTE: For round figures, Don Gordon would gross $113,000 as an alderman. After taxes, he would be left with approximately $73,450 (at 35% tax rate). I assume that Don and Bonnie Gordon buy groceries, buy toilet paper, gasoline, pay electric bills, gas bills, property taxes, sales taxes, pay automobile insurance, health insurance, and on and on and on and by time you take out all of those expense, RPBooster, how much money will Don Gordon have left? Not enough to mount another campaign, that’s for sure. One good mailer costs upwards of $10,000. One! So after Don Gordon has saved up $30,000 after four years in office, what kind of campaign will he be able to run? Not a very effective one, especially if he faces a well financed opponent in four years. Unless Don can access at least $200,000 of personal wealth in four years, his promise of a donation-less campaign in 2011 is ridiculous. Don Gordon WILL NOT be on the take as is Joe Moore every waking minute of the day. NOTE: Define “on the take.” You mean like taking money from developers? Don Gordon WILL NOT sell influence as does Joe Moore. NOTE: Define “sell.” It’s not always money, you know. Favors can be bartered with no exchange of cash. Don Gordon WILL NOT shake down legitimate business people through intimidation as does Joe Moore. NOTE: Says you. How do we know? Don Gordon WILL NOT build a massive undisclosed (and quite illegal) slush fund of cash - much of which comes from gang and drug operations which Moore then shields from the law. Moore uses that cash to buy votes, buy gimme cash cards at Dominick’s, and to pay for his army of otherwise unemployed poor people who electioneer and intimidate at the poles. What would Joe do on Election Day if these folks had decent jobs instead of being poor and forgotten? Is their vote worth a $10 cash card? Is their vote and 14 hours standing in the cold on Election Day worth $100? That is exactly what their vote and their human dignity is worth to Joe Moore. Mr. Fighting for a living wage. What an unspeakable cynical hypocrite. Nothing but an old style tried and true machine politician. NOTE: Wow, as much as I loathe Joe Moore, even I would not accuse him of being funded by gangs and drug operations. You’re right about the Dominick’s cash cards, but can you prove that Moore is on the take from gang drug lords? Jeez, if you have the proof, man, go to the Feds with it! So Fagus and company are feeling the pressure, and will try anything to discredit Don Gordon. Joe Moore and his thugs will be trying every dirty trick, and telling any lie they can think of to somehow maintain their strangle hold on the businesses in the ward, the renters in the ward, the poor folks in the ward, the less advantaged in the ward. They will use scare tactics, racial slurs, misrepresentations, and lies. They will break the voting and campaign contribution laws. They will most very likely do worse. NOTE: Fagus, Moore and Company is undoubtedly feeling some pressure, but let’s not kid ourselves. This is a speed bump on Joe Moore’s road to Bigger Things. Are we to believe that Gordon and Company are not feeling pressure? Of course they are; I hope they are, for they would be fools not to. Is Joe Moore a known liar? Yes. Has he flouted election law? Yes. And yet virtually half of the voters voted for Joe Moore. Look at my precinct map, which I colored red and maroon for Joe and greens for Don. Unless every single Adams voter and every single Ginderske voter comes out again and, again, votes against Moore, Don cannot win. That will not happen. That is not my hope, it is a prediction. I hope I am wrong. But know this: Between now and April 17, inertia will set in. Voters who are not already bored with the election will be. The turnout will be smaller than it was on February 27. That works to Moore’s advantage. Can Don win? In theory, yes. But he and his organization have a lot of work to do, and if they change their tactics and strategy NOW they can pull it off. Problem is, Don is not asking the right people for advice. A number of voters know Gordon lieutenant Michael Harrington, who is probably more of a political liability than he is a vote getter. Harrington is seen as being even farther to the left than Moore and his false Progressives are. Like it or not, I am not the only conservative in the ward. Harrington should be dumped forthwith, publicly and loudly. The truth is obvious. So obvious, that if a person does not see, it is simply because they want to believe the lie. NOTE: The truth is often, but not always, “obvious.” One obvious truth is that Joe Moore has a huge Machine behind him. Don Gordon does not. More inconvenient truths: Joe Moore will continue to use unethical means of electioneering; one hopes that Don Gordon will continue not to. Joe Moore has a bigger name recognition and – believe it or not – is trusted by more voters than Don is. This is undeniable, as proven by Moore’s 49% to Gordon’s 29%. If you don’t see this, it is simply because you want to believe a lie. An effective coach will – must – criticize his players’ performance harshly and without prejudice. A writer needs an editor who is willing to hurt the writer’s feelings in the course of constructive criticism. To continue to sell Don Gordon as the be-all, end-all final solution to our problems is foolhardy. He needs constructive criticism as much as he needs your support. Don Gordon has earned our support over the past 25 years. It is time the community stood up and said Rogers Park can be a much better place for everyone living here. Tom, you should do your part to help bring about this constructive change. NOTE: He’s done a piss-poor job of telling us how he has “earned our support.” RPBooster, I agree that 16 of Moore is too much. Please do not misunderstand me. Gordon is preferable to Moore. I ask these questions because, like so many, I honestly seek satisfactory answers. I haven’t gotten them yet. Good slogans just don’t cut it. But let’s keep the dialog and conversation open. Please write again. Vote for positive change, honest and transparent government in the 49th ward on April 17. Vote for Don Gordon. NOTE: That’s a good slogan.