Mc Kenna has already been replaced with the worst possible choice. Pat Brady, from the George Ryan administration who stated to Chris Lauzen:
http://www.championnews.net/article.php?sid=1876
Meanwhile, another bully in the form of Republican National Committeeman Pat Brady was sent out to personally attack State Senator Chris Lauzen.
It’s the same old thing. Bullies are sent out to try and decapitate and discredit the reform leaders. It’s about the only thing our decrepit Illinois GOP excels at anymore. It’s been that way for years.
Pat Brady’s attack on Chris Lauzen came in the form of an interview Brady did recently with Rick Pearson of the Chicago Tribune. Lee Hoffer, a fine Republican and a retired Air Force Colonel, has already done an excellent job setting the record straight. But I wanted to add some additional observations.
In that Tribune article from April 26th, Brady actually has the nerve to suggest that Lauzen should “take a deep look” at whether he wants to remain in the GOP. Why?
Because Lauzen wants to give every Republican a voice again in their own Illinois Republican Party via SB600?
Brady, appearing on Don Wade & Roma this am compared Kirk’s run for the US senate as the greatest thing since sliced bread. Kirk, who voted for Cap and Trade is in no way a conservative. By the way I think Kirk is the Wade’s congressman which may explain Kirk’s many appearances on their show. On a personal note, now that you got your feet wet how about trying again, your needed...
http://www.theusmat.com/
Our 5-year state party chairman, Andy McKombine, er, I mean, McKenna, announced his immediately resignation out of the blue yesterday morning (hmmm?), and within hours the state party had named a replacement, Illinois’ RNC committeeman Pat Brady. They didn't even miss a beat in updating their website to reflect this ( http://www.weareillinois.org/learn/chairman.aspx ) Does anyone else find it strange that it takes these guys weeks to find a replacement candidate for U.S. Senate but they can find a replacement chairman for their party within hours?
Chicagolady is right, of course, that Pat Brady is the LAST person rank-and-file conservatives would want as state party chairman. Brady is a total combiner and close buddies with our previous RNC committeeman, Bob Kjellander, who is knee deep in corruption and has the feds on him. Brady wants to purge the party of Chris Lauzen, Steve Rauschenberger, Pat O’Malley, Dan Proft, and any other reformers. Brady's even more of a Kirk cheerleader than McKenna was. And no, Pat Brady is NOT related to governor hopeful/State Senator Bill Brady (Bill Brady, thankfully, has stayed away from endorsing Kirk so far), but he IS a first cousin of State Rep. Dan Brady, a combine RINO and a rival of Bill Brady's.
Pat Brady has only been RNC committeeman for 8 months, and now he's chairman as well? I had assumed that this would be impossible due to RNC rules. I guess not. The way it works is that each state gets 3 votes on the RNC — 1) The state party chairman, 2) the national committeeman, 3) the national committeewoman. As of Jan. 2009, for Illinois that was Andy McKenna, Pat Brady, and Demetra DeMonte. Does our state get only two votes now? Is Pat Brady's vote double weighted? Is Pat Brady stepping down as RNC committeeman so a replacement can named for him on the RNC? Someone explain to me how all this works.
I'd like to say I voted for Steve Raunschenberger for RNC committeeman during last year's state party convention, but the IL GOP made sure the “election” of RNC committeeman was done behind closed doors by the state central committee, so on the final floor vote our only “choice” was Pat Brady or nobody. I did loudly call out “NAY!” on the floor but McKenna, as chair, ruled the AYES had it by voice vote...though it seemed to just about everyone there that the “NAY” vote was louder.
It's rather depressing in Illinois. I've always believed the GOP can be fixed from within but in our state that seems like an impossible task to achieve. The combine makes sure the fix is in before anyone even realizes there's a vote.
In related news, it does look like we finally have a credible Republican opponent for senile incumbent Jesse White next year — Robert Enriquez, a Honduras-born Hispanic Republican who's a decorated marine vet. But there's rumors on Illinois Review that this guy is part of the combine as well and in bed with Blago and State Rep. Linda Chapa-Lavia (D-Aurora). I hope not.