Thread: IL:Sheriff Curran 'disenchanted' with Dems

Party switch matter of 'conscience', sheriff says
Curran 'disenchanted' with Dems
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December 15, 2008
Jim Newton jnewton@scn1.com


Declaring himself a Republican, Curran cited Chicago-based machine politics and the current situation with Gov. Rod Blagojevich as motivating factors.“I do not think there is any hope for the Democratic Party in this state or this county,â€

Why is the whole world based on "Republican" or "Democrat"....
Why can't people go with the flow and go with what they believe in..... NOT 100% this way or 100% that way...?

[b].State Sen. Terry Link, D-Waukegan, responded by dismissing Curran as a “publicity houndâ€

How about that... Sheriff Curran's jail is in downtown Waukegan. So his actions will affect my town.

Background: In Summer 2006 Waukegan police applied for 287g under tremendous protest and national coverage. Later in December Sheriff Curran applied for 287g and THEN announced it. He learned. A local OBL activist group asked to meet with him to demand guidelines as to who he would arrest and/or deport under this and he refused!

Here is a link to some video. This is a big story in a way as it shows dissatisfaction with one party and how they are handling issues. We have talked on the board about the shift taking place in 2010.

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Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran's Switch to GOP a "Matter of Conscience"; 'No Hope in the Democratic Party' (UPDATED x3)
While down in Springfield today, the fallout from Rod Blagojevich's arrest and the possible courses the General Assembly may take in dealing with it, were just beginning to develop, some fallout of a related sort was taking place up here in Lake County.

This morning, Sheriff Mark Curran held a press conference in a packed room at Lake County Republican Headquarters to announce his switch from the Democrats to the Republicans.

Curran stated emphatically several times that his switch was a "matter of conscience" and he said "My conscience will not allow me to stand by and be a member of the Democratic Party any longer."

The presser was attended by many past and present politicians, including former gubernatorial candidate and AG Jim Ryan, Congressman Peter Roskam, State's Attorney Michael Waller, State Rep. Eddie Sullivan, Jr., State Senator-elect Dan Duffy, former Lake County Board Chairman Bob Depke, County Clerk Willard Helander, County Treasurer Bob Skidmore, Congressman Mark Kirk's Chief of Staff Eric Elk, and Lake County Republican Chairman Daniel Venturi.

Curran spoke for about 10 minutes and said, "I'd hoped to fight for change within the Democratic party, I'd hoped to bring the Democratic party back to the ideals it once stood for. But as I stand here today, I do not believe that it is a possibility. I certainly do not believe that it is a possibility in the State of Illinois, and I certainly do not believe that there is any hope in the Democratic Party in this state or in [Lake] County."

Curran also took a swing at beleaguered Governor Rod Blagojevich and the Democratic party for supporting him, saying "When Rod Blagojevich ran against this man [Jim Ryan], once again, you didn't hear anybody stand up five years ago and say, 'you know what, Rod Blagojevich is nothing other than a hack Chicago politician, and he's not good for the state.' No, they all stood behind him as though he was reformer. It's a boldface lie to think that somebody who comes out of that ward boss system is going to be a reformer. It's a boldface lie, and we should quit telling those lies."

Here's Curran on "Conscience":

http://teamamerica10th.blogspot.com/200 ... chive.html