McHenry County Blog

First, the disclaimer.

I ran as the Libertarian Party candidate against Jim Ryan and Rod Blagojevich in 2002. I got so few votes that it did not affect the outcome. Ryan would have lost whether or not I had been in the race as a third party candidate.

After that race, I started writing articles for Illinois Leader. When my name became known as a reporter through the internet, I started getting calls from a man in Cumberland County about how a politically powerful Republican judge, Robert Cochonour, had looted a community foundation. He wanted me to write a story.

I got lots of information from him.

But this was a big story. I couldn’t wrap my arms around it with everything else I was doing.

I told him he really needed folks at a paper like the Chicago Tribune to take it on.

Low and behold, the Tribune did so…in a two-part story. Reporter Michael Higgins wrote the stories.

First there was a front page story on June 19, 2005. You can buy it here.

I remember a second article the next day, but can’t find it in the Tribune archives.

Then, on August 3rd, the crooked judge testified under threat of losing the sweetheart deal that Jim Ryan cut with him right before Ryan left office in 2003..

So, what about that “sweetheart deal?”

Take a look at the press release from Ryan’s office, dated January 3, 2003. The 2002 election was two months before. Ryan’s staff was packing up his office mementos.

January 3, 2003, press release from Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan, headlined, "Former Cumberland County Judge (Robert Cochonour) Pleades Guilty to Theft of Thousands of Dollars in Charitable Funds." There is no mention in the press release that the Republican Paty judge, a former state's attorney, will get to keep pensions for holding both offices.

The release announces that Cochonour “stole” funds from the Jay E. Hayden Foundation. It mentions he was a Circuit Court judge.

It doesn’t mention that the judge got to keep his pension as a former state’s attorney and to get his pension for being a judge.

An August 3, 2005, article by the Tribune’s Higgins says,

“The plea deal is crucial for Cochonour–and unpopular with many in Cumberland County–because it allowed him to keep a judicial pension of $76,650 a year.

“He also gets a pension of nearly $19,000 a year as a former Cumberland County state’s attorney, according to the transcript.”

If Jim Ryan is nominated Tuesday to be the flag carrier for the Republican Party, can you imagine the television commercial based on this plea bargain?

It could be a twofer.

I’m too cheap to buy the article, but my Cumberland County contact insisted there were elements to the fraud that involved Cochonour in his role as a judge. If so, prosecution could have resulted in his losing both of his public pensions, just as George Ryan did when convicted of a felony.

So, the case could be used to attack Ryan’s integrity.

And, then there is the pension angle.

The state is projected to have real problems paying its pension burden and here Ryan is allowing (how would such a commercial describe Ryan?) “a crooked Republican crony” (?) to keep “not one, but two” pensions.

That’s one reason I don’t think Jim Ryan can be elected governor.

= = = = =

As I was finishing this article, Jim Ryan called.  He sounded really tired.

Cartoon used in 2002 to capture the refusal of Jim Ryan and Rod Blagojevich to debate Cal Skinner. The two power party candidates conspired to avoid the Illinois League of Women Voters' debate, one which Skinner qualified for by polling over 5% in the Daily Southtown's over 1,000-person survey.

He was no more willing to talk to me today than he and Blagojevich were to debate me in 2002.

Twice Ryan mentioned “corruption:”

“…our culture of corruption…

“I’ll end corruption in Springfield.”

I’ll give him one point.

A Ryan administration starting in 2011 is bound to be less corrupt that one would have been had it started in 2003 when Ryan’s biggest lifetime contributor Stuart Levine would have been appointed to the same boards (the Downstate Teachers Retirement System and the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board) by Ryan that Blagojevich appointed him to.

You can’t convince me that Levine would not have been trying to cut the same illegal deals under a Ryan Administration that he did under Blagojevich.

= = = = =
Lots of other political stories here.

One of the men I ran against in the 2002 Libertarian Party candidate for governor has been indicted.

You remember him.

The laughing stock of Illinois, if not yet convicted felon, Rod Blagojevich.

The other one was Republican Jim Ryan.

They both had a lot in common.

Both were chickens.

I called them “JimRod, the Two-Headed Chicken.”

The cartoon you see above by Alex Raffi was commissioned by the campaign.

We also had various people—some of whom still probably wish to remain anonymous—wearing a two-headed chicken suit. The second head was floppy and I never did decide which head represented which candidate.

Ryan and Blagojevich not only refused to debate me, deliberately deciding not to participate in the Illinois League of Women Voters after I met the League’s qualification of having polled higher than 5% in a third party poll (the 1,000 person Daily Southtown newspaper poll), but they were not even brave enough to walk past me on the way to one of their “power party” only debates.

I remember the WGN-TV one vividly.

Upon learning that I was standing at the front entrance of the studio (JimRod and picket sign wielding supporters having been banished to the street entrance), both candidats’ vans drove all the way around the parking lot—they wouldn’t even drive past the entrance—to a side studio door to enter the building.

When the gathered non-WGN camera folks figured out what was happening, there was a rush to the eastern edge of the building to get their shots.

I wonder if Ryan will deign to debate others who file for the GOP nomination for governor.

First the disclaimer.

As the Libertarian Party candidate for governor, I ran against Rod Blagojevich in 2002. I got whomped, receiving just 2% of the vote.

Democrat Blagojevich, one of whose chief fund raisers, Tony Rezko, is a Federal felon awaiting sentencing and another, Christopher Kelly, is awaiting trial on Federal tax charges, beat the Republican Party candidate Jim Ryan, whose chief fund raiser and contributor Stuart Levine is also a Federal felon for soliciting kickbacks from Mercy’s Crystal Lake hospital contractor, by more than my two percentage points, so it’s tough to direct responsibility to me for Ryan’s loss.

(Looking at that sentence’s construction, can you tell I took German?)

Both of them were chickens in the campaign. See

Jim-Rod, the Two-Headed Chicken, Comes Home to Roost

JimRod, the Two-Headed Chicken Comes Home to Roost – Part 2

JimRod, the Two-Headed Chicken Comes Home to Roost – Part 3

With Levine’s proven bent toward corruption, I wonder how much better Illinois governance would have been had Ryan been the 2002 victor.

But, back to what I hope Blagojevich will do.

I hope he will cut a deal with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, agreeing to tell about all the corruption he knows.

That might perhaps appeal to him since many of those he would finger are probably quite willing to push the Governor out of office.

First the disclaimer.

As the Libertarian Party candidate for governor, I ran against Rod Blagojevich in 2002. I got whomped, receiving just 2% of the vote.

Democrat Blagojevich, one of whose chief fund raisers, Tony Rezko, is a Federal felon awaiting sentencing and another, Christopher Kelly, is awaiting trial on Federal tax charges, beat the Republican Party candidate Jim Ryan, whose chief fund raiser and contributor Stuart Levine is also a Federal felon for soliciting kickbacks from Mercy’s Crystal Lake hospital contractor, by more than my two percentage points, so it’s tough to direct responsibility to me for Ryan’s loss.

(Looking at that sentence’s construction, can you tell I took German?)

Both of them were chickens in the campaign. See

Jim-Rod, the Two-Headed Chicken, Comes Home to Roost

JimRod, the Two-Headed Chicken Comes Home to Roost – Part 2

JimRod, the Two-Headed Chicken Comes Home to Roost – Part 3

With Levine’s proven bent toward corruption, I wonder how much better Illinois governance would have been had Ryan been the 2002 victor.

But, back to what I hope Blagojevich will do.

I hope he will cut a deal with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, agreeing to tell about all the corruption he knows.

That might perhaps appeal to him since many of those he would finger are probably quite willing to push the Governor out of office.

Starting Friday, McHenry County Blog has outlined the history of chicken heartedness of Illinois’ current Governor Rod Blagojevich, the one that Tribune columnist John Kass now calls “Governor Dead Meat.”

The article two days ago described why and how JimRod, the Two-Headed Chicken, was introduced first in Chicago in the Plaza below the Tribune Tower and, then, in front of the Coronado Theatre. The one yesterday told how Blagojevich entered the Old State Capitol in Springfield for a debate sponsored by the Illinois Broadcasters Association by ducking down the stairs into the underground garage to avoid passing JimRod.

A trip to Springfield’s Old State Capitol followed for a debate between the two power party candidate in front of radio microphones.

Jump ahead to the WTTW debate.

It was miserable weather and we had a hard time getting someone to wear the chicken suit even though no one would know who was subjecting himself to such degradation.

We were are the main entrance handing out information.

The two power party candidates decided to go in the back door.

Lt. Gov. candidate Pat Quinn came in the front door and he and I had a pleasant conversation. I first ran into him, so to speak, when he worked in Cary for Fox Valley Systems. I taught him about appealing real estate assessments. He got fired for talking on the phone while he should have been working, the company owner told me.

Fast forward to the WGN debate.

The station manager banished JimRod, the Two-Headed Chicken, and anti-Peotone Airport demonstrators, to the edge of the driveway, but allowed me to stay at the main entrance. He was not a pleasant man.

All the other TV stations’ cameras were there.

A black SUV went came in the entrance and circled around the back of the parking lot. It pretty much went past my car, I was parked so far back.

All of a sudden the cameramen went rushing to the side of the building.

It turns out that both Ryan and Blagojevich didn’t want to walk past me into the WGN studios.

Even though JimRod was 200 feet away.

That night was my only experience with Rahm Emanuel. As he walked by, my impression was that he was the coldest fish I had ever seen. He wouldn’t take my literature.

So, I wasn’t surprised when, in May, 2003, Blagojevich went down the back elevator in the Capitol and through the basement to the parking lot entrance next to the garbage dumpster.

But, the “ignore Skinner” strategy worked, as you can see by the vote totals printed in the Daily Herald Wednesday.

Clicking on an image will enlarge most of them.

Starting Friday, McHenry County Blog has outlined the history of chicken heartedness of Illinois’ current Governor Rod Blagojevich, the one that Tribune columnist John Kass now calls “Governor Dead Meat.”

The article two days ago described why and how JimRod, the Two-Headed Chicken, was introduced first in Chicago in the Plaza below the Tribune Tower and, then, in front of the Coronado Theatre. The one yesterday told how Blagojevich entered the Old State Capitol in Springfield for a debate sponsored by the Illinois Broadcasters Association by ducking down the stairs into the underground garage to avoid passing JimRod.

A trip to Springfield’s Old State Capitol followed for a debate between the two power party candidate in front of radio microphones.

Jump ahead to the WTTW debate.

It was miserable weather and we had a hard time getting someone to wear the chicken suit even though no one would know who was subjecting himself to such degradation.

We were are the main entrance handing out information.

The two power party candidates decided to go in the back door.

Lt. Gov. candidate Pat Quinn came in the front door and he and I had a pleasant conversation. I first ran into him, so to speak, when he worked in Cary for Fox Valley Systems. I taught him about appealing real estate assessments. He got fired for talking on the phone while he should have been working, the company owner told me.

Fast forward to the WGN debate.

The station manager banished JimRod, the Two-Headed Chicken, and anti-Peotone Airport demonstrators, to the edge of the driveway, but allowed me to stay at the main entrance. He was not a pleasant man.

All the other TV stations’ cameras were there.

A black SUV went came in the entrance and circled around the back of the parking lot. It pretty much went past my car, I was parked so far back.

All of a sudden the cameramen went rushing to the side of the building.

It turns out that both Ryan and Blagojevich didn’t want to walk past me into the WGN studios.

Even though JimRod was 200 feet away.

That night was my only experience with Rahm Emanuel. As he walked by, my impression was that he was the coldest fish I had ever seen. He wouldn’t take my literature.

So, I wasn’t surprised when, in May, 2003, Blagojevich went down the back elevator in the Capitol and through the basement to the parking lot entrance next to the garbage dumpster.

But, the “ignore Skinner” strategy worked, as you can see by the vote totals printed in the Daily Herald Wednesday.

Clicking on an image will enlarge most of them.

When I was running on the Libertarian Party ticket against Democrat Rod Blagojevich and Republican Jim Ryan for governor in 2002, they both acted like chickens.

The rules of the game in previous statewide elections were that the Illinois League of Women voters sponsored one of the debates. The League had said that anyone who got 5% in a recognized poll would be included.

Knowing that, in our campaign Ted Semon, my campaign manager, started running radio ads in August. Then the Daily Southtown took the largest poll of the year—about 1,000 respondents.

Low and behold, the newspaper had me polling over 5% the week.

So what did the power party candidates decided to do?

The next week they decided to stiff the League of Women Voters.

With more state governmental experience than my two opponents combined, you will excuse me if I concluded that they were afraid to debate me.

The two decided to have the first debate in Rockford.

Just the two of them.

By then, we had come up with the two-headed chicken idea and a Rockford establishment produced the costume.

The week before the election, we repeatedly ran this ad in the cheap Rockford radio market:

Radio Ad – Chickenman 1

JimRod: Brauch, bro-brok.

Announcer 1: It’s Chickenman. It’s Chickman.

Announcer 2 No, it’s not. It’s JimRod, the two-headed chicken who running for Governor. Let’s listen in.

Jim: Not Skinner. Not Skinner.

Rod: Won’t debate. Won’t debate Skinner.

Announcer 1: What are they talking about?

Announcer 2: Sounds as if JimRod doesn’t want to debate Cal Skinner, the Libertarian Party candidate for Governor. I wonder why.

Announcer 1: I don’t know. Maybe JimRod is afraid Skinner will bring up some new ideas.

Announcer 2: Well, new ideas are something JimRod certainly doesn’t have, but nobody’s voting for Skinner.

Announcer 1: That’s not what the polls say.

Announcer 2: Why won’t the Rockford paper and TV station let Cal Skinner debate?

Announcer 1: I guess they’re all afraid of new ideas.

Announcer 3: Vote Libertarian for a change.
Vote Cal Skinner for a REAL CHANGE.

Skinner: Paid for by Skinner4Governor.org,
Reece Reed, Treasurer

Announcer 3: Stay turned to this station when JimRod, the two-headed chicken running for governor says, “The sky is falling. The sky is falling.”

We previewed JimRod in front of the Tribune Tower before driving to Rockford.

UPI reported it like this:

“‘We have selected a two-headed chicken to symbolize our opponents Jim Ryan and Rod Blagojevich for two reasons,’ Skinner said. ‘First because Jim and Rod have so many positions that are so similar. Secondly, because they refused to include us in the gubernatorial debates.’”

We got to the debate site early enough to park across the street from the theater, but police forced us to more to the side street after they saw the signs on the SUV.

Of course, both Rod and Jim went in the back door of the Coronado.

A tall man who shall remain nameless became Jim-Rod, the Two-Headed Chicken. As I and others handed out literature, he entertained those coming into the Coronado Performing Arts Center, explaining who he was.

And this back door behavior continued throughout the campaign.

JimRod’s next debate appearance was in Springfield at the Old State Capitol for the radio debate.

JimRod, was being worn proudly this time by Peoria’s Jeff Trigg (who was invaluable in the campaign). I and others stood on the north side of the Capitol. We picked it because most of the TV trucks were parked there.

It just so happened that Rod’s supporters were on that side. Jim’s were at the front of the building on the south side.

Rod’s car pulled up, but Rod didn’t enter the Old State Capitol above ground.

He snuck down the sidewalk stairs to the parking garage.

The reason, of course, is that no politician knows how to deal with ridicule.

He didn’t want anyone to take his picture with the guy in the two-headed chicken costume.

Want to get under the thick skin that most politicians have?

Ridicule him or her.

Tomorrow – Still more evidence that Rod Blagojevich and Jim Ryan were chickens.

Finally, Part 3.

When I was running on the Libertarian Party ticket against Democrat Rod Blagojevich and Republican Jim Ryan for governor in 2002, they both acted like chickens.

The rules of the game in previous statewide elections were that the Illinois League of Women voters sponsored one of the debates. The League had said that anyone who got 5% in a recognized poll would be included.

Knowing that, in our campaign Ted Semon, my campaign manager, started running radio ads in August. Then the Daily Southtown took the largest poll of the year—about 1,000 respondents.

Low and behold, the newspaper had me polling over 5% the week.

So what did the power party candidates decided to do?

The next week they decided to stiff the League of Women Voters.

With more state governmental experience than my two opponents combined, you will excuse me if I concluded that they were afraid to debate me.

The two decided to have the first debate in Rockford.

Just the two of them.

By then, we had come up with the two-headed chicken idea and a Rockford establishment produced the costume.

The week before the election, we repeatedly ran this ad in the cheap Rockford radio market:

Radio Ad – Chickenman 1

JimRod: Brauch, bro-brok.

Announcer 1: It’s Chickenman. It’s Chickman.

Announcer 2 No, it’s not. It’s JimRod, the two-headed chicken who running for Governor. Let’s listen in.

Jim: Not Skinner. Not Skinner.

Rod: Won’t debate. Won’t debate Skinner.

Announcer 1: What are they talking about?

Announcer 2: Sounds as if JimRod doesn’t want to debate Cal Skinner, the Libertarian Party candidate for Governor. I wonder why.

Announcer 1: I don’t know. Maybe JimRod is afraid Skinner will bring up some new ideas.

Announcer 2: Well, new ideas are something JimRod certainly doesn’t have, but nobody’s voting for Skinner.

Announcer 1: That’s not what the polls say.

Announcer 2: Why won’t the Rockford paper and TV station let Cal Skinner debate?

Announcer 1: I guess they’re all afraid of new ideas.

Announcer 3: Vote Libertarian for a change.
Vote Cal Skinner for a REAL CHANGE.

Skinner: Paid for by Skinner4Governor.org,
Reece Reed, Treasurer

Announcer 3: Stay turned to this station when JimRod, the two-headed chicken running for governor says, “The sky is falling. The sky is falling.”

We previewed JimRod in front of the Tribune Tower before driving to Rockford.

UPI reported it like this:

“‘We have selected a two-headed chicken to symbolize our opponents Jim Ryan and Rod Blagojevich for two reasons,’ Skinner said. ‘First because Jim and Rod have so many positions that are so similar. Secondly, because they refused to include us in the gubernatorial debates.’”

We got to the debate site early enough to park across the street from the theater, but police forced us to more to the side street after they saw the signs on the SUV.

Of course, both Rod and Jim went in the back door of the Coronado.

A tall man who shall remain nameless became Jim-Rod, the Two-Headed Chicken. As I and others handed out literature, he entertained those coming into the Coronado Performing Arts Center, explaining who he was.

And this back door behavior continued throughout the campaign.

JimRod’s next debate appearance was in Springfield at the Old State Capitol for the radio debate.

JimRod, was being worn proudly this time by Peoria’s Jeff Trigg (who was invaluable in the campaign). I and others stood on the north side of the Capitol. We picked it because most of the TV trucks were parked there.

It just so happened that Rod’s supporters were on that side. Jim’s were at the front of the building on the south side.

Rod’s car pulled up, but Rod didn’t enter the Old State Capitol above ground.

He snuck down the sidewalk stairs to the parking garage.

The reason, of course, is that no politician knows how to deal with ridicule.

He didn’t want anyone to take his picture with the guy in the two-headed chicken costume.

Want to get under the thick skin that most politicians have?

Ridicule him or her.

Tomorrow – Still more evidence that Rod Blagojevich and Jim Ryan were chickens.

Finally, Part 3.