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| Representative Derrick Smith (D) 10th District Biography: Full-time state legislator; Associates Degree in Liberal Arts from Malcolm X College; B.S. in Business Administration from DePaul University; member of the St. John's Grand Masonic Lodge; trustee of Union Missionary Baptist Church; married (wife, Valarie), has three sons and six grandchildren. |
Illinois politician Derrick Smith and his bribery woes
By Rob Janicki
Here's a little Illinois political contortion that deserves at least some cursory attention, if for no other reason than, to provide a little humor for the day or to illustrate just how low Chicago style politics can really sink.
Derrick Smith, a Democrat, currently Illinois 10th District House member, has won his party's primary. That would seem like good news for Smith and the Democrat party, especially considering that Smith's opponent in the Democrat primary was reported as a life long Republican. Come again? Yes, Smith's opponent in the Democrat primary was a supposedly a Republican, Tom Swiss, who promised to caucus with the Democrats should he win the 10th District House seat. Huh?
Does this sound just a little odd? Just wait a few moments, as this is only the beginning of a three ring circus called Chicago politics.
Smith's opponent, Tom Swiss, a white man, posted billboard advertising using African Americans in the 10th District, for a photo backdrop. The 10th District is heavily African American, giving the implication that he, Swiss, was black, according to those who viewed the advertising. Still more.
Examiner
[...] Derrick Smith was arrested recently by federal agents for allegedly accepting a $7000 cash bribe. [...]
The week before the primary election Smith was arrested by federal law enforcement agents on a grand jury indictment for bribery. Smith was caught accepting a $7000 cash bribe. So, here we have a primary candidate running in the Democrat primary a week after he was indicted and arrested for bribery. Can the irony get any better?
[...] Smith (D–Chicago), who was appointed to the House in 2011, was busted by the feds after allegedly accepting $7,000 to write a recommendation letter for a daycare center he thought was seeking a state grant. [...]
Had enough yet? It only gets better in this epic saga of Chicago style politics.
Smith was originally appointed to the 10th House district to fill a vacancy created when the elected representative was appointed to fill a state senate seat.
ABC
[...] Smith replaced Annazette Collins, D-Chicago, who filled a vacancy in the Senate. But in that primary race, Collins lost to Patricia Van Pelt Watkins, who gained momentum from a failed 2011 run for Chicago mayor.
With 95 percent of precincts counted in the district on Chicago's west side, Van Pelt Watkins had 54 percent to 46 percent for Collins. [...]
Does this remind anyone of an episode of the Three Stooges? Okay, here's the punch line to this comedy act.
[...] There is no question about the fact Derrick Smith will be pushed out after the primary election and the Democratic Ward Committeeman will slate a candidate for the November election.
The 27th and 28th Ward committeemen will have the most say in this matter, since it is based on a weighted vote total in the 10th district. [...]
This is one of those good news, bad news stories. Unfortunately, it's democracy that suffers in the end, when party politics overrides all else.
Good story. Now, if they are keeping Smith until the fall, how much money is he being paid and can he draw a partial pension as par t of a payoff? Will he get healthcare until Doomsday? Does he get to keep his gas card? What do you think?
ReplyDeleteSmith will be taken care of by the Chicago Democrat machine, assuming that he doesn't wind up in federal prison first. Smith will probably decide to withdraw as the Democrat candidate in the IL 10th District rather than being removed by the Democrat Central Committee. That will be the price he will have to pay up front to be taken care of on the back side.
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