Illinois GOP Central Committee Cancels Meeting

Written by Lennie Jarratt, ChampionNews.net

Late Friday night, the GOP Central Committee canceled their meeting to oust Pat Brady. In an email from 10th Congressional District Committeeman Mark Shaw, the reason provided was the lack of response from Chairman Pat Brady on whether he would attend the meeting in person or by phone.

From: Mark Shaw
Sent: Friday, March 08, 2013 10:17 PM
To: Illinois Republican State Central Committee
Subject: Rescheduling of March 9, 2013 State Central Committee Meeting

Dear GOP Leaders:

The March 9, 2013 State Central Committee Meeting is being rescheduled because the State Chairman has not responded to our request that he be present in person or by telephone for the meeting. Details about the new date, time and location of this meeting will be sent out to all of you once they are finalized. We are sorry for the late notice but we wanted to give the Chairman every opportunity to respond to our request that he be present in person or by telephone at this meeting.

Respectfully,

Chris Kachiroubas (C.D. 6)
Eugene Dawson (C.D. 8)
Mark Shaw (C.D. 10)
Barbara Peterson (C.D. 11)
Jerry Clarke (C.D. 15)
Bob Winchester (C.D. 19)

Once again, GOP leadership has failed the rank and file Republicans. It has shown itself to be a bunch of spineless unprincipled politicians who care more about their own power and influence than about doing what is right for the party.

Besides the Central Committee, the following GOP leadership have come out in support of Pat Brady:

• U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk
• former Gov. Jim Edgar
• former Gov. Jim Thompson
• State Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka
• State House Minority Leader Tom Cross
• State Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno

Pat Brady himself is blaming Michael Madigan.

And while saying he has no direct proof, Brady believes Madigan or his minions are pressuring Dorgan to cast an anti-Brady vote as revenge for the “Fire Madigan” campaign Brady devised last year. That campaign included setting up a website last fall that sold an array of goods emblazoned with the “Fire Madigan” logo, including dog t-shirts.

“The math adds up,” Brady said of the possible Madigan link. “This is not an original thought by me. This is what a lot of people suspect is going on.

“No one has ever publicly taken him on,” Brady said of Madigan.

If you look at the evidence, this statement by Brady is ludicrous. Brady was in charge of the party that couldn’t help Bill Brady win the Governor race in 2010 during a decidedly Republican year. In 2012, Pat Brady led the downfall of the Republican Party to both a super minority in both the State House and Senate. With this dismal track record, Madigan would be helping Brady remain GOP Chairman for life, not trying to get rid of him.

There is one notable example of stalwart Republican Leadership on the Central Committee. That member is State Senator Jim Oberweis. He has stood on principle in spite of opposition. He has pointed out the failed leadership of Pat Brady. When calling the Central Committee members, you may want to thank State Senator Oberweis for being a leader among the rest of the Gumbies in the GOP.

Oberweis said Brady’s involvement in Republican primaries last fall, including the Kane County board chairman race, was problematic, but his gay-marriage stance taken without consulting the state GOP organization was “the final straw.”

“When you start publicly lobbying against a plank in our state and national party platforms, without even discussing with or advising the board of directors, I think he’s gone too far,” Oberweis told the Chicago Sun-Times.

Below is the contact information for the GOP Central Committee.  Please contact them and let them know your feelings.