WBEZ | Bobby Rush

Illinois pols swear they aren't communists

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 02:55:00 -0600

Three quarters of the candidates in Illinois for the U.S. House have signed a loyalty oath to the United States. The optional form, submitted along with ballot paperwork, asks candidates to swear they're not communists.

LOYALTY OATH: Read it (PDF)

You can rest assured that candidates signing the oath don't plan to teach or advocate for the overthrow of the government, and that they're not affiliated with any communist groups or communist-front groups.

The oath used to be mandatory, but a federal court decision four decades ago made it optional. And while communism isn't much of a campaign topic these days, the loyalty oath is still popular.

The signees, according to the state election board, include 56 current candidates for Congress in Illinois, including all incumbents except for Bobby Rush and Jan Schakowsky.

"As a loyal American I did not submit a loyalty oath because it is an unconstitutional vestige of McCarthyism and a direct violation of the fundamental values that make America great," Schakowsky explained in a statement.

Three of Illinois' four state legislative leaders signed the loyalty oath, with Senate President John Cullerton the only exception.

A signed oath was included among the paperwork by two presidential candidates on the ballot in Illinois: former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and the former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania, Rick Santorum. The others who filed - President Barack Obama, Texas U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and former Louisiana Gov. Charles "Buddy" Roemer - did not turn in the loyalty oath.

WHO SIGNED IT? Full list from election board (PDF)

Illinois U.S. House District	Candidate	Loyalty Oath
1	* Bobby L. Rush (D)	Not filed
1	Clifford M. Russell, Jr. (D)	Filed
1	Jordam Sims (D)	Filed
1	Fred Smith (D)	Filed
1	Raymond M. Lodato (D)	Not filed
1	Harold L. Bailey (D)	Filed
1	Frederick Collins (R)	Filed
1	Donald E. Peloquin (R)	Filed
1	Jimmy Lee Tillman II (R)	Not filed
2	* Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. (D)	Filed
2	Deborah "Debbie" Halvorson (D)	Filed
2	James H. Taylor, Sr. (R)	Not filed
2	Brian Woodworth (R)	Filed
3	* Daniel William Lipinski (D)	Filed
3	Farah Baqai (D)	Filed
3	Arthur J. Jones (R)	Filed
3	Richard L. Grabowski (R)	Filed
3	Jim Falvey (R)	Filed
4	* Luis V. Gutierrez (D)	Filed
5	* Mike Quigley (D)	Filed
5	Dan Schmitt (R)	Filed
6	Leslie Coolidge (D)	Not filed
6	Geoffrey Petzel (D)	Filed
6	Tim Ritter (D)	Not filed
6	Maureen E. Yates (D)	Filed
6	* Peter J. Roskam (R)	Filed
7	Jacques A. Conway (D)	Filed
7	* Danny K. Davis (D)	Filed
8	Raja Krishnamoorthi (D)	Filed
8	Tammy Duckworth (D)	Not filed
8	Robert Gregory Canfield (R)	Not filed
8	Richard Evans (R)	Not filed
8	* Joe Walsh (R)	Filed
9	* Janice D. Schakowsky (D)	Not filed
9	Simon Ribeiro (D)	Not filed
9	Timothy C. Wolfe (R)	Filed
9	Susanne Atanus (R)	Not filed
10	Vivek Bavda (D)	Filed
10	Brad Schneider (D)	Not filed
10	Ilya Sheyman (D)	Filed
10	John Tree (D)	Filed
10	Aloys Rutagwibira (D)	Not filed
10	* Robert Dold (R)	Filed
11	Bill Foster (D)	Filed
11	Jim Hickey (D)	Filed
11	Juan Thomas (D)	Filed
11	* Judy Biggert (R)	Filed
11	John A. "Jack" Cunningham (R)	Filed
11	Diane M. Harris (R)	Filed
12	Brad Harriman (D)	Filed
12	Christopher Miller (D)	Filed
12	Kenneth Charles Weizer (D)	Filed
12	Rodger Cook (R)	Filed
12	Jason Plummer (R)	Filed
12	Theresa Kormos (R)	Filed
12	Teri Newman (R)	Not filed
13	David M. Gill (D)	Filed
13	Matthew J. Goetten (D)	Filed
13	Michael Firsching (R)	Not filed
13	* Tim Johnson (R)	Filed
13	Frank L. Metzger (R)	Filed
14	Dennis Anderson (D)	Filed
14	Jonathan Farnick (D)	Not filed
14	* Randy M. Hultgren (R)	Filed
15	Angela Michael (D)	Not filed
15	* John M. Shumkus (R)	Filed
16	* Adam Kinzinger (R)	Filed
16	* Donald A. Manzullo (R)	Filed
17	Greg Aguilar (D)	Filed
17	Cheri Bustos (D)	Filed
17	George Gaulrapp (D)	Filed
17	* Bobby Schilling (R)	Filed
18	Steve Waterworth (D)	Not filed
18	Matthew A. Woodmancy (D)	Filed
18	* Aaron Schock (R)	Filed
18	Darrel Miller (R)	Not filed

(* indicates incumbent member of Congress)

Illinois legislators react to death of bin Laden

Mon, 02 May 2011 12:21:00 -0500

Illinois lawmakers are weighing in on news that U.S. forces have killed Osama bin Laden.

U.S. Rep. Don Manzullo, R-Ill., said Monday morning that the death of Osama bin Laden has been a long time coming.

"We hope and pray it doesn't happen, but you have to brace yourself to be even more guarded against people who may try to bring about acts of retaliation," Manzullo said.

Manzullo said the U.S. is dealing with terrorists who are madmen and don't think straight because they believe it's spiritual to kill people.

Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, said in a written statement that bin Laden's death is not an end to terrorism, but is a clear warning to America's enemies.

U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., called the death "an important demonstration of the will and steadfast determination of the American people."

But U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert, R-Ill., cautioned that this isn't "an occasion where we can throw up our hats and take a victory lap." Biggert said the threat of terrorism remains real and Americans must stay vigilant.

Illinois' congressional delegation reacts to weekend shootings

Sun, 09 Jan 2011 19:09:00 -0600

Some members of Illinois' delegation to Congress are calling for a toned-down political rhetoric after the mass shootings in Arizona over the weekend.

Local congressmen are expressing sadness and outrage at the weekend shooting in Arizona that left at least six people dead and wounded 14 others, including U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.

First-term Republican Congressman Robert Dold of Illinois said the "deplorable actions of one" won't affect the ability of U.S. representatives to do their jobs.

Illinois U.S. Senator Mark Kirk, a Republican, says many members of Congress are on edge because of the shooting.

"We certainly will work with the police force of each town that we're in," Kirk said. "Alert them to the meeting, prepare them in advance just in case there's any temptation by a local wacko to do a copycat kind of thing."

Kirk said he hopes partisan rhetoric in national politics is toned down.

Meanwhile, Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Evanston, said she agrees. Schakowsky added it's time to look at the different gun laws around the country.

"I think that the easy accessibility to all kinds of people who shouldn't have guns is something that we need to discuss," she said.

Still, both Schakowsky and Kirk said they won't change their visibility to constituents.

Illinois Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. said there are troubled and desperate people watching television and listening to the radio and reacting to heated political rhetoric. "And they're becoming very and increasingly anxious to do something about 'taking their government back,'" Jackson said. "This is our government. This government belongs to all of us. Some of this rhetoric, I believe, is contributing to an anxiety in this country that's unnecessary."

The Senate's number-two Democrat, Illinois' Dick Durbin, told CNN that toxic rhetoric can lead unstable individuals to believe violence is an acceptable response.

Illinois Congressman Bobby Rush said he's "very concerned" about his own safety and the safety of other representatives following the attack.

The Chicago Democrat told The Associated Press the climate for political leaders is bad, particularly for those who've supported President Barack Obama.

Giffords has described herself as a former Republican and current moderate centrist Democrat.

Rush said he's told those around him to be more vigilant, but said he doesn't plan to scale back on any public appearances.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.