Challengers lining up to replace Dan Lipinski

Needless to say Congressman Dan Lipinski has been a deep disappointment. Nothing like his father or maybe just like his father, he was handpicked by his father, William O. Lipinski. Dan's troubles cover two major areas. The first is his voting record, which is pathetically weak on the War in Iraq. That's natural, though, as his father was a diehard Reagan Republican and he can't totally remove those conservative roots from his blood. Dan votes Bill, and Bill votes conservative.

The second problem is his representation in the congressional district and his capricious attitude towards the communities he services. In Oak Lawn, in particular, where a heavy handed hypocrite, Jerry Hurckes, runs politics amok! Hurckes is not only Lipinski's "Chief of Staff" but also his political enforcer. Hurckes, a trustee holdout like Steve Rosenbaum, are the last survivors of the old Ernie Kolb Machine that, as it turns out, failed to properly monitor the rights of Oak Lawn taxpayers. So many wasted spending practices they approved were later uncovered by Kolb's eventual successor, Dave Heilmann, the only bright thing to come to Oak Lawn in decades.

Hurckes and Rosenbaum are hypocrites who have done everything possible to block Heilmann's reform efforts. Worse, Rosenbaum is a terrible whiner, someone who I respected years ago only to learn he is such a disappointment. Hurckes and Rosenbaum really don't deserve to hold office and should be removed, but thanks to Lipinski, Hurckes remains in office. Rosenbaum is up for re-election soon.

Politicians are judged by the company they keep. And you have to judge Lipinski by his allies in Hurckes and Rosenbaum.

For background on the Lipinski races, here is a link to DEMOCRACY FOR AMERICA blog which does a good job of profiling the first candidate to announce a challenge to Lipinski, Mark Pera of Western Springs.

http://www.blogforamerica.com/view/21525

Here is a story on a second candidate, Jim Capparelli, to announce against Lipinski in the February 5, 2008 Democratic primary which is not that far away, written by my colleague at the Southwest News-Herald, Dermot Connolly:

http://www.swnewsherald.com/news_frontpage/2007/07/072507olbv_lipinski.php

I'll have much more to say about Lipinski, Hurckes and Rosenbaum in upcoming print columns and on this blog.

Pera sounds like a legitimate candidate but I will have to do more vetting to explore the motivations and background of Capparelli. No one should put it past Lipinski to front a candidate to divide the anti-Lipinski votes.

Capparelli has some background issues that raises all these concerns. He worked for Il. Attorney General Lisa Madigan (whose father is one of Lipinski's staunchest supporters and has never shunned backing a vote-divider in the past). He has absolutely no background in running for office, but has the backing of his extended family. Sounds like some local political clout?

Here is what another blogger, the Prairie Blue State blogger, writes about Capparelli and makes some great points:

http://www.soapblox.net/chicago/showDiary.do?diaryId=3238

-- Ray Hanania