Sex, Drugs and Violence: All in One Illinois Politicians Divorce File
by John BambenekIn what quickly became the headline story from the results of the Illinois Primary on February 2nd, Scott Lee Cohen was nominated as the Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor. This charming gentlemen spent around $2-$3 million of his own money to win the election. Here is where things get weird.
Dem Lt Gov Candidate Scott Lee Cohen
The Chicago Tribune, in writing on his victory, immediately highlighted he was charged with domestic battery. Then news came fast and furious. He was a chronic user of anabolic steroids. He was abusive to his wife and children and even went so far as to try to “force himself” on her. He held a knife to his prostitute girlfriend’s throat. As he was spending millions running for office, he was a dead beat dad falling behind on child support payments he obviously could afford. His divorce file was found and put online. Those documents were not even sealed.
This, of course, presents a huge problem for Illinois Democrats. The Lt. Governor runs independent in the Primary but in the General the Governor and Lt. Governor are paired. Governor Pat Quinn is, understandably, less than pleased. However, by law, there is no way to get rid of the Lt. Governor candidate unless that person drops out. To say the Democrats are in a state of panic is to put it mildly.
Beneath the headline grabbing story are two questions. Why did the press miss this and how did this person still manage to win a Primary?
It is not credible to believe the media did not know about this. All of these salacious tidbits are public record in court files. As stated above, they also started running this story the second Cohen was the Primary winner. The divorce records weren’t sealed and most dockets for cases are online. They knew but they sat on it.
Why? If the media snipes a candidate in the early primary campaign for items such as this, it’s maybe front page news for a day. Right now the media has got a full fledged firestorm they helped cause which they are using to sell papers. They’re broke and this is the kind of scandal the media thrives on. So much for the sainted Chicago media.
The other question is how in the world could this happen? The field of Lt. Governor for the Democrats included some high-profile names. The powerful House Speaker backed Rep. Art Turner. Several state senators also ran including Senator Ricky “Hollywood” Hendon who provided great comic relief with his radio advertisement. In the end, credible politicians were beaten by a guy who abused his wife, used drugs, and apparently tried to cut a hooker. Republicans may be tempted to laugh at this, but for a decade we couldn’t beat these guys but Mr. Slice and Dice eat their lunch. That should say something about the state of the party.
Sen. Terry Link (one of the candidates for Lt. Governor) says he warned people about these records. There doesn’t appear to be an public evidence of that save perhaps a phone call to Gov. Quinn’s campaign. In the end, no one made this public. Not the media, not his competitors and not the Republicans. The voters gave this guy the nod because he spent a few million and had yard signs up from hell and back.
There’s something seriously wrong that this got this far, but then again, this is Illinois.
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62 Comments
Typical of Chicago style politics. Perhaps the rest of the state can become a counterbalance in the future? We can hope!
More Libtard Dem karma coming home to roost.
Can't wait for November – we WON'T forget any of this.
Of course, with his high standards he could be in jail in the not too distant future!
It's Illinois. What else is new?
This is messed up. I am from Chicago and voted on a republican ballot. I don't think this guy will win nor will Quinn. People are already getting pissed here in Illinois. I have a feeling Illinois will swing red.
This is messed up. am from chicago and voted on a republican ticket. Quinn will lose and so will this guy. I have a feeling Illinois will swing red many here are mad as hell.
Maybe he plans to lose and is just angling for a role as Obama's Domestic Violence czar.
HA HA HA, Stupid progressives, evil does a pretty good job of covering up incompetance but this is over the top.
Trouble in paradise? How exquisite!
They are going to run this guy out before the election. He'll step aside. Then they can put a hand picked perfect canididate in his place.
I see the proglib thumb trolls are out in force today. Have fun losers! Ha Ha Ha!
man o man.
Why did the press miss this and how did this person still manage to win a Primary?
This charming gentlemen spent around $2-$3 million of his own money. He spent it buying ads sold by the media.
C'mon America where is the integrity and accountability?? Guys like this have no business in a public office. Kick him to the curb with the rest of the trash!
It's just his Teddy Kennedy starter kit. And yes, typical Chicago dim pol MO.
I read somewhere (here?) yesterday that Cohen is the proud possessor of a GED. I don't know about y'all up there in Illinois, but we sorta like having our politicians with a little more substance to their résumés. Just sayin'….
Hmmm. Dirty laundry from a candidate's Chicago family-court files suddenly go viral at an opportune politica moment. Who does that remind me of? Lemme see……
When does the "Blaggo" trial start?
"Why did the press miss this?"
Really, you have to ask? The press has not been doing their job for eons and they've gone unchallenged. Criminals, not subjected to press inquiry, have gotten sloppier about covering their tracks. THAT is what is going on.
"Perfect candidate"? The Dems?
Surely, you jest!
"Why did the press miss this…?" Let me pose an answer…. The press (Main Stream Media, aka Old Media) perhaps missed this on purpose just as they missed the chance to vet Obama thoroughly. What do we expect from a press that continually does the democrats' bidding? That might be the more prescient question!
There will be a special "Dem Moonbat" line for ex-congressman at the unemployment lines come Nov. 3rd.
Imagine a "cleaned-up Chicago"?
In the past that was as unimaginable as a "People's Seat" from Massachusetts.
Just so you know, if Cohen is forced out the ticket will be filled by Kingmaker Michael Madigan and his IL Dem Party leadership pals.
The last time we had that problem Alan Keyes was picked by the IL GOP hacks to run against Barack Obama. Keyes did poorly (record-breaking poorly) and Obama went to Washington.
(Cue Paul Harvey…)
This calls for an "I'm sorry" and a week in a therapeutic counseling program, then he should be good to go.
Illinois: warm, moist rat-hole of America.
Nice journalism Tribune and Sun-Times. Ain't no way you didn't know, but in the end, I guess it's good because the Democrats are going to get squished in the Goobernatorial election.
But again it really goes back to the People of Illinois – they keep getting poop because they keep electing poop.
The perfect Democrat? Well, dead ones have been voting for many years. Maybe they will run a dead candidate this time…just to be fair.
He was voted in and the Democrates didn't want him, they wanted one of the other bozos to win the primaries. So, they are throwing him under the bus to get him out of the race. That is how obummer got elected senator in chicago, by exposing others dirty laundry, until he was the only one standing (and then no one vetted him). Chicago wake up, they are playing you.
You are right on, with your statement.
This story does not make sense to me. With the explosion of conservative blogs and news sites (like this one), if all this information was public knowledge, I think what is more surprising is NOT that the national/mainline media missed it, but that the conservative citizen-reporter network did. What's up with that?
Chicago, YOUR Chickens are a COMMIN Home to ROOST. Good luck with your great LT Gov. Yall come back now.
Isn't there a wing in the Illinois state Prison for Democrat Politicians?
I am from elswhere. I thought Quinn didn't have the outward appearance of corruption. How is he doing?
Good Luck on the counterbalance in the future Chicago. But you still have that Hope and Change thing going..
Hi, I'm glad I don't live in Illinois anymore. Personally, I believe that the best chance of improvement for Illinois is to secede from Chicago. Yes, the real capitol is in Springfield, but none of the power is. If West Virginia can do it, the roughly 100 counties that aren't in the Chicago Metropolitan area can secede from the state. The biggest loss will be Cubs…
Chicago sets the bar so everyone else can trip over it.
Well Lt. Governor office really means nothing, Blagojevich and Quinn never spoke to each other while they served the state in the governor, lt. governor roles.
As soon as Celebrity Apprentice ends
My only problem is that this came out now instead of just before the main election. The Democrats have time to spin and fix this.
Obama is running second in the Democrat primary for senator and it looks bad for him
In comes the Chicago press and expose his opponent's wife beating incident and Obama wins.
Next Obama is in a tough race in the general election with his Republican rival.
Again, in comes the Chicago press and expose his opponent's divorce documents and again Obama wins.
Meeting in the Chicago press offices: "Let's put this thing out there now so we can recover by November"
How about people from Chicago doing their own work and not letting a paid for corrupt news organization spoon feed you. In other words, do your home work, get it out there and EDUCATE your self. Do you just go to a doctor with out getting references???? You probably do more research on who will fix your car than your political candidates. I am not being harsh, my father was born in Chicago and his generation did not stand for this type of business. Waking up is hard to do, being stupid is easy, so much for the tough Chicago way of life.
Nice to see that the liberal Illinois Lame Stream Media has the same enthusiasm for responsibly vetting local democrat candiates that the National Media used to put the imbecile in the White House!
Seriously, John? "Why did the press miss this? "
The press do not check the backgrounds of Democrats because they are too busy digging throught the trash of the Republican candidates, interviewing ex-wives and ex-girlfriends of the Republican candidates, writing stories of rumors found on left-wing blogs about Republican candidates, etc. Did you not learn anything from the Sarah Palin and Scott Brown campaigns? These reporters are too busy saving America from the mean Republicans to bother checking up on their fellow travelers!
Another thug for the Democrats. The Party of Thugs.
Problem is that Quinn became Gov after Blago was thrown out of office. If Quinn manages to PO Mike Madigan, then guess who gets to play Gov. Of course, that's assuming Quinn will win, but the way the public feels about him and Springfield, those chances aren't good.
Whoever thinks the Chicago Tribune had no clue about this doesn't understand how Chicago works. The Trib knew full well, because they don't miss much (think Crestwood water, the U of I admissions scandal). Rather, by not making this public until after the primary, they greatly increased the chances that we won't have to tolerate Quinn as a governer (the Tribune does not think much of Quinn, very obvious in the editorials leading up to the primary). Those who might have voted for Quinn might think twice if it means putting the likes of Scott Lee Cohen in office as well. And the Trib is really a Republican paper at heart.
Here's my take on all of this: I think Madigan wants Dillard in as Gov. as payback for having endorsed Obama back in 08. That is why the votes are taking so long to get counted in the R race between Dillard and BRadley, an outsider – they need to find the ones sitting in a trunk in Berwyn. And oh, shock, of shocks – there will be just what Dillard needs. Watch and see.
Madigan is the one who put Blago up – Quinn was the Lt Gov, and Blago hated him. Madigan is the one who put Cohen up. Where was the press? All this stuff about him could have been found out in one phone call to a private eye for $75 in a basic background search, and yet no one bothered to do this. And then, whoa, this was in BOTH papers next morning. Uh, huh.
They'll fill it with Hynes!
Exactly, Ralph—thanks for the reminder.
They opened Jack Ryan's sealed divorce documents, too…..
yet we still don't know what the One's grades were in college…..it pays to be a Democrat, as every sin is buried.
The Stimulus slush fund ought to have enough cash in it to reimburse a few million. They will get him out of the race. Trust me.
You need to see the bigger picture on this story. Obama won the senate seat in Chicago by exposing the other candidates dirty laundry, so people like you would get all upset and kick the other candidate off the race. He was the only one left standing, and then no one vetted him.
And Oh, by the way, Chicago, Stupid is as Stupid Does, you got what you voted for now live with it or fix it.
Let this be a warning to all. Know the candidate before you vote. Don't take them at their word. Rebublican of Demo they will lie. Check their background before you pull the lever. Their is scum on both sides of the fence.
Seriously, there's a bigger deadbeat over at the NSA – my ex husband was appointed by Pres. Bush to Director of Operations of NVTC and he's been with the NSA for 30 years – biggest deabeat in washington
Owes about $200,000 in child support – so seriously Steven W. Grimaud has got Scott Cohen beat by miles.
Hmmm, maybe.
Someone who could not win on his own, but was a perfect "side kick" candidate without any baggage.
Someone who would obey orders from the machine and not get uppity.
I wonder… What's the going price of a LT Governor's seat …. ?
Especially a nominated seat the voters have no choice in … ?
Why would conservatives want to alert libtards that one of their candidates can't win?
Ah, Implosion! How wonderful…passing the popcorn, who has the beer?
The local media were more than willing to dig through sealed divorce records of Blair Hull and Jerry Ryan to clear a path for Obama during his 2006 Senate.
Fortunately the Illinois Republicans picked a guy who is the polar opposite of Cohen to run for Lt. Governor. Jason Plummer is a young businessman and an Intelligence Officer in the Naval Reserves. He's a true blue (or red, I suppose) conservative who has pledged not to accept a salary until the state's unemployment is below 10% and the economy is back on track. Check out his website http://www.JasonPlummer.com It will be nice to have a candidate to vote FOR, instead of just voting against the Chicago machine.
If this scandal can be prolonged till the main election in November, then Obama will have to come to Illinois and try to help quinn and cohen. If he does that then we know that they already lost.
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Shari74@gmail.com (Shari Hodges of Garden Grove, CA) is nuttier than my grandma's fruitcake. Google her email address and read all the CRAZY stuff she's put out in cyberspace!