The president returned to his hometown yesterday. Given the excitement that generally surrounds the time when the Obamas return to Chicago, you might have expected it to be the talk of the town.
You might, but not yesterday. Yesterday, Chicago -- and the 2nd Congressional District -- was consumed by the news that Jesse Jackson agreed to plead "guilty to unlawful use of campaign funds" and his wife agreed to plead guilty to one count of tax fraud. How the mighty have fallen.
Jackson is "the third consecutive 2nd District congressman to leave office as the result of a scandal." In 1989, 2nd CD Congressman Gus Savage was accused of trying to force himself on a female Peace Corps volunteer working in Zaire. "She was quoted as saying, 'He tried to force me to have sex with him.'" After the House Ethics Committee issued a report, Savage lost in the 1992 Democratic primary to Mel Reynolds. Congressman Reynolds resigned three years later after being convicted of statutory rape for engaging in a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old campaign volunteer that began during the 1992 campaign.
With this special election, the 2nd Congressional District has the opportunity to turn away from this history of tawdriness and elect someone with impecible ethical and moral standards. Yet, during the campaign, we find the one of the candidates is already being questioned about her ethical standards. Chicago Fox News reports that Toi Hutchinson has followed in Jackson's footsteps by employing a member of her family.
When I first posted a link to this story on Facebook, Toi's husband notes that "Toi followed the law in this area, made all documents transparent, and paid under market rate for scheduling in her office." Here's the problem. As Paul observed, I had worked with Toi (as well as Robin) on her campaign, and I knew that Toi's mother was helping out. But I hadn't realized that her mother was being paid, nor -- more importantly -- that her mother was supposed to be acting as her campaign scheduler.
In fact, on the number of occassions that I asked Toi to come to events, I never once was directed to Toi's mother as the keeper of her calendar. That distinction was held by Toi herself (although Toi's campaign manager scheduled a blogger event in her first campaign for state senate). In fact, Toi gave me an altogether different explanation for the role that her mother played in her campaigns.
But that wasn't the point. People had been questioning the monthly payments to Sandi Jackson from Jesse's campaign account for years -- especially since "he repeatedly won re-election handily, with no opposition or minor competition at best." Toi's monthly payments from her campaign account to her mother continued even when Toi was in Springfield full time and there was no campaign to speak of. In fact, Toi's explanation to me (that her mother was caring for her children when she was working) is far more reasonable than the contention that her mother was a full-time campaign scheduler when there was no campaign (Toi has had no primary opponent and only token opposition since she started paying her mother).
But Robin Kelly's ethics are unimpeachable. There is a reason why the other state senators who represent parts of the 2nd Congressional District have endorsed Robin -- they know that they can trust Robin to carry to Washington the needs of the district and to put the people of the 2nd CD first while she serves in Congress. There is a reason why three current Members of Congress have endorsed Robin -- because they know that they can trust Robin to get things done and won't have to worry that Robin could fall into the same ethical and legal quandaries as the past three Members of Congress from the 2nd have. And there's a reason why Markos and the Daily Kos community have gotten behind Robin -- because we can trust Robin to stand by her principles. We won't have to convince Robin to change her mind because of some horrific event in a far-away place (the number of gun-related deaths in Chicago was already at horrific levels; it's hard to believe that it was the Newtown tragedy that caused Toi to change her mind about gun violence). We can trust that Robin shares our values now, and will act on them, now and in the future.
Toi Hutchinson has expressed disappointment about the course of this campaign. She has noted that “Robin not only endorsed me in my re-election last year but even contributed money to my campaign." Those of us who know the major candidates in this race will note the irony of Toi's high mightiness. As I have said (repeatedly), Toi had not only supported Robin for Congress in this special election, but actually attended Robin's first organizing meeting for this special election. Just as Toi changed her mind about supporting the NRA positions on gun control, she changed her mind about supporting Robin for Congress. We can't trust a fickle Toi, but we know that Robin will hold to her principles through thick and thin, no matter what. We can trust that Robin will keep her head about her. Danny Davis thinks that Congressman Jackson "got carried away" and we hear similar things about Toi (who's nickname in Springfield is "Ross" because she's considered a diva) now. Why should 2nd CD voters take a chance when we have a solid, respected, ethical reformer on the ballot in Robin Kelly?
We can act on our principles by supporting Robin Kelly through the final 10 days of this special election. In doing so, we can send a message to the country that the gun safety issue is not only a common concern for America, but that it is a winning issue, as well. Filby had a great idea: to donate $12.14 in honor of "The Connecticut Effect."
Please donate now to Robin Kelly to send a message to Congress that we need Gun Safety Reform NOW!
If you live in the area around Illinois' 2nd Congressional District, why not put on your boots and help out with GOTV? This next week they will need your help! If you are interested in helping out get out the vote, let me know.
Let's not wait for the next tragic massacre to protect our children and our country from this ongoing nightmare of gun violence in our streets, schools and neighbors...