Please Pick Me Up, I’m FREE Take me into the There is much to be learned in these pages Voting Booth with you Winter / Election - 5770/2010 CHICAGO’S MOST RESPECTED JEWISH PUBLICATION O’Brien, Brown Preckwinkle and Stroger head to the wire for President of the Cook County Board Steve Bernstein “not qualified” Abbey Fishman- Romanek “ethical violater” BRING SHAME! Larry Suffredin Epstein and Bender aims for headline outstanding Arie Friedman, MD third term Republican for Illinois 10th Congressional District Jewish Judicial www.friedman2010.com on County Lineup “I do not often make an endorsement in a Party primary, but if you live in the 10th district in Illinois, I encourage you to support Dr. Arie Friedman in the Republican primary.” – Richard Baehr, Chief Political Correspondent, American Thinker Board “Arie Friedman MD, candidate for the 10th district Republican Congressional slot is one of the brightest new stars to come onto the Jewish political scene in quite some time. His path in life shows repeated excellence and outstanding achievement.Arie His unabashedly Friedman, MD Complete Election proud and accurate stance on Israel is a breath of fresh air. Friedman is open lengths better than his opposition. Jewish Chicago strongly and enthusiastically endorses Arie Friedman MD for Congress.” – Avy Meyers, Jewish Chicagoand David Ratowitz Guide Inside Pediatrician are two of Navy Pilot Four Jewish Elliot Richardson Desert Storm Veteran Republican leads the Democratic Solomon Schechter Graduate Congressional Charge for Israel Father of Five in the 10th Congressional Candidates Vote February 2 in the Republican Primary Early Voting Begins January 11 Paid for by the Campaign to Elect Arie Friedman Terrence J. O’Brien will use his management experience to cut wasteful spending, curb rising taxes and end the poor management in Cook County government. • Fighting for meaningful property tax relief • Immediately repeal the 1% sales tax increase • Overhaul the budget & reduce spending • Stop the corruption of “pay-to-play” politics • End unethical hiring practices • Demand openness & a transparent budget process • Bring back good paying jobs that high taxes are driving away • Increase dialogue & cooperation among all Cook County Offices & Departments PUNCH #96 For more information and to get an O’Brien yard sign to show your support for common sense and ethical government in Cook County, visit our website at www.ObrienForCookCounty.com or call us at 312-733-8003. Paid for by O’Brien for Cook County 662 W. Grand Ave., Chicago, IL 60654 Jewish Chicago Election Analysis by Avy Meyers Punch Illinois has the earliest election in the nation this year -- February 2 -- five days before #181 Elect Super Bowl Sunday. Early voting this year started January 11 and runs through January 28, according to election lawyer James P. Nally. He informs us that “there are 51 voting sites in Chicago, JUDGE THOMAS V. and city residents who are registered to vote are able to vote in the location of their choice. Suburban voters have 43 locations to choose from. Chicago polling places can be found on the Chicago Board of Elections Website. The Cook County Clerk’s Website lists all the suburban locations.” Under this new provision of the state election code, eligible voters may still register or update their records during the grace period, but only at election board headquarters, LYONS and they must vote during that same visit. Nally adds that “Grace period voting runs through January 21. Chicago voters must register and vote in person at the Chicago Board of Elections, 69 W. Washington, 8th floor. Suburbanites would go to the Cook County Clerks Office, 69 W. Washington, 5th floor.” For many of us, the primary is the real election. Many of the Republican candidates in the city are just token candidates, although it is apparent that the backlash to Democratic rule occurring in the U.S. may create some serious upsets. In Cook County there is only one judicial race in which a Republican is running, and there are actually two from that party. I am not going to preach too much about registering and voting here because if you weren’t interested in politics, you would not have picked up this publication. Make sure you check out the Judicial Section of Jewish Chicago. There are some phenomenally excellent Jewish sitting judges and candidates vying for office. There is also some that should have the good sense to remove themselves from the ballot rather than create a huge public embarrassment. Before I get started with the candidate rundown, it is important for everyone to know the criteria we used in making our endorsements. Just being Jewish is not enough, not even close to enough. If a Jewish candidate is Fairness, Integrity and Experience pitted against a non-Jewish candidate, and all things are equal in terms of their ability to do the job, there won’t necessarily be an endorsement. APPOINTED BY THE ILLINOIS There are some non-Jews who have done an absolutely superb job of taking care of SUPREME COURT - 2008 both Jewish concerns and the community. They will most certainly be endorsed, and yes, even against Jewish opposition. If a Jewish candidate is well-qualified for the office, but does not take care of real Jewish concerns for his or her constituents, he or she will not Rated Qualied, Recommended or be endorsed. Highly Recommended by ALL Bar Associations If there is no real benefit to the Jewish community in a race, it may not be touched. for Circuit Court Judge There are political experts in regular newspapers and other media who can perform that function. This is a Jewish newspaper and I focus on Jewish concerns. The bottom line is that Jewish Chicago looks for candidates of quality for the community as a whole who will take care of Jewish concerns as they arise. The primary Education Jewish concerns are on a national level and concern Israel. • B.A. Northwestern University Liberal, conservative, left wing, right wing—Jewish Chicago is not a fan of any of these. • J.D. Loyola University Chicago - School of Law Practical solutions to real-life problems is the best way to go. The only “ism” I am into is Judaism. Experience Advertising in Jewish Chicago has nothing to do with who gets endorsed. People who • Former Assistant State’s Attorney and attorney know me understand that. Compare the ads and the endorsements, and it is obvious that in private law firm many endorsed candidates placed no ads, and there are advertisers who are not endorsed. • Over 22 years of experience in both civil litigation State Senator Ira Silverstein bought the most expensive ad, the back cover in the 2008 and criminal law primary issue, and he didn’t care for our “shame on you, Ira” comment. Tough luck. • Lead attorney on over 50 jury trials in both State In the judicial races, I am totally dependent on input from sitting judges and leading and Federal Court, as well as hundreds of bench lawyers who I call on for endorsements. If a friend of mine is running, and the panel trials. Presided over dozens of trials and motions as a Judge chooses someone else, he or she gets the Jewish Chicago nod, though I may vote for my • Selected as one of Illinois’ Super Lawyers friend. by Law & Politics I am hosting a live one-hour election preview show on CANTV-19, Sunday morning January 20, that will be co-hosted by Chicago’s leading election lawyer, Jim Nally. The • Voted by peers as a member of Leading Lawyers Network program is being produced by Sonny Hersh and will most likely air on YouTube within a day as a two-part show. Go to our Website at http://ntnm.org/, or go to YouTube and Bar Rating - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED search sonnyhtv. Decalogue Society of Lawyers Earlier this year, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart named by Time magazine as one of ENDORSED BY THE COOK COUNTY the 100 most influential people in the world, nominated me for the Illinois State Crime DEMOCRATIC PARTY Commission’s 2009 Community Outreach Award for the TV show, and I actually was presented the award at their June banquet. JUDGE THOMAS V. ● U.S. Senate There are five Democratic candidates for the U.S. Senate, three who could be LYONS considered serious. State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias is young, good-looking, and DEMOCRAT • CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY energetic. A former pro basketball player in Greece and someone who has been friendly (O’MALLEY VACANCY) with President Obama created some buzz early in his term. He is a member of the family www.electjudgelyons.com that owns Broadway Bank and underwent considerable criticism for loans he approved Punch 181 to known members of the Mafia. Paid for by Elect Judge Lyons. Giannoulias has assembled a good team of experienced campaign professionals and Punch 111 Re-elect Larry Suffredin In a new term I want to: 1) Make the Independent Health Board permanent so it can continue to protect and maximize our health resources 2) Separate the Forest Preserve Board from the County Board to insure environmentally proper policies continue to be established; 3) Reduce the sales tax by another .50% 4) Work with a new president to make the whole County government more responsive to best practices so that we may lower taxes while still providing better service. I have played a key role in 1) Revising the Shakman Decree and working to insure that hiring and promotion issues are free of political influences 2) Creating an Independent Health Board to cut waste in our extensive health care system and to expand services to the increasing number of citizens who depend on them 3) Establishing best land restoration practice to protect our Forest Preserves 4) Codifying all the laws of the County and Forest Preserve and making them available online 5) Establishing transparent rules for budgeting to make it easier for citizens to see how tax dollars are spent 6) Protecting people against overly high real estate assessments and taxes by holding 36 seminars on how to appeal assessments to the Cook County Assessor and Board of Review.