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Shit is starting to fly in the 2nd Ward. (If candidate Larry Doody were in the runoff, the number of potential poop-themed jokes would be truly astronomical.) During the campaign, the local chapter of the National Organization for Women rescinded their Fioretti endorsement, citing a five-year-old case in which a female court reporter filed for an order of protection against Fioretti, who was then a practicing lawyer — charges that were eventually vacated. Now NOW has reconsidered, saying that those charges had “no basis in fact,” and has re-endorsed Fioretti. But that hasn’t stopped incumbent Madeline Haithcock.
Over the weekend, Haithcock put out a mailing charging Bob Fioretti with being a stalker. Fioretti has filed a temporary restraining order against her, but she is standing by her allegations that he is a "stalker of women," telling the Sun-Times that Fioretti is "the one who harassed [that woman]. She was afraid. If somebody is terribly afraid of you, you're called a stalker. I didn't make this up."
Adding to Fioretti's headache are former challengers Larry Doody and David Askew, who recently endorsed Haithcock. Citing guided development and a "smart growth" perspective, as well as provisions for ample parking in the ward, they say that she is "the best choice in the runoff on issues that most concern their supporters." Both men have spoken with Haithcock about the issues raised in the campaign, which she called "spirited," and are urging their supporters to back her, according to a joint press release. "She understands the concerns of people who supported me," said Askew, and "she is going to fight for us on parking, affordable housing and continued job development," said Doody.
Regardless of what happens in the hearing on April 3 (a scant two weeks before the vote) over the mailings, Fioretti seems to have his hands full playing defense to Haithcock's methodical and classic approach to this challenge. Whether or not he can activate and maintain his base and turn out a larger vote than her remains to be seen.
Bernie Stone's son, political renegade and occasional pundit Jay Stone, called the 2nd Ward for Fioretti. Stone's analysis is predicated on Fioretti getting substantially more votes than Haithcock in the municipal election. If every person that voted for Doody and Askew votes for Haithcock, then she swamps Fioretti. But that's not likely. Sure, Haithcock can turn out the vote, but it's a fair bet that some portion of of the Doody/Askew vote will go to Fioretti. Stalker charges are serious (Blair Hull, anyone?), but five-year-old, dropped "charges"? Here's hoping that voters in the second ward are paying closer attention to issues of substance.
Image via Villagers with Torches.
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Doody Askew? That sounds like a serious problem
I dunno why you say Fioretti "was then" a practicing lawyer, I was seeing him in court all the time before the campaign started. In fact, last time I saw him he gave me a "Fioretti for Alderman" handout, just a few months ago.
But I don't know what's weirder - the thought of Fioretti as a stalker, or the thought of somebody being sexually obsessed with Fioretti. I mean, he's got that funky hair thing going. Look at it here:
capitalfax.blogspot.com/2007/03/pulling-fioretti.html
It's not so much that Fioretti was accused of stalking, but that he seems obsessed with power -- over women, and now (he hopes) over the 2nd Ward. This guy will say anything, and I'd bet he'd do anything, to satisfy his thirst for power. We're in a tough spot, because if Fioretti loses, he'll probably sue the entire 2nd Ward! If he wins, God help us!
NOW pulls endorsement of aldermanic candidate
By Mickey CiokajloTribune staff reporterPublished April 2, 2007, 10:25 AM CDT
The National Organization for Women's Chicago chapter has again pulled its endorsement of 2nd Ward aldermanic candidate Bob Fioretti, saying he misled them regarding his relationship with a woman who filed an order of protection against him in 2003."We are extremely disappointed in Mr. Fioretti, and because we can no longer be confident about the accuracy and honesty of his statements, we are withdrawing our endorsement," Mary Przekop, spokeswoman for the organization's political action committee, said in a statement released this morning. Fioretti is challenging Ald. Madeline Haithcock in the April 17 runoff election.
NOW's move comes three days after a Chicago Tribune story showed that Fioretti's explanation of his relationship with the woman conflicted with the public record.Fioretti has said that the woman began harassing him after she saw him at work in courtrooms. Fioretti is a lawyer, and the woman is a court reporter.But the Tribune story highlighted a court document that Fioretti filed seeking to have the protection order lifted. The document stated that he and the woman had had a past "dating relationship."His campaign later said Fioretti and the woman were friends who saw each other at social events over the years but declined to comment further, other than to say the court documents "speak for themselves." Fioretti's campaign did not have an immediate comment this morning.In NOW's statement, the group said it had relied on information provided by Fioretti in making its endorsement. Prior to the Tribune story, the group was not aware of the document noting the "dating relationship" between the two."Chicago NOW originally endorsed Mr. Fioretti based on the information he provided to us, but we now have discovered that he misled Chicago NOW regarding his relationship to the woman who filed the emergency order of protection," Przekop said in the statement. "Mr. Fioretti has been less than forthcoming and after days of inquiries to his campaign we still do not know why."NOW originally endorsed Fioretti but pulled its endorsement just days before the February municipal election after learning of the order of protection that was obtained against Fioretti in August 2003.Fioretti finished first in the six-candidate field with 28 percent of the vote, followed by Haithcock with 21 percent. Because neither won a majority, they will meet again in the runoff.Shortly after the Feb. 27 election, Chicago NOW re-endorsed Fioretti, noting that a judge vacated the protection order and saying the allegations had no basis in fact. The group acknowledged that it had not interviewed the woman.In the statement released Monday, Chicago NOW said it would endorse neither candidate in the 2nd Ward race."We want to use this unfortunate situation as an opportunity to encourage true women's advocates to run for office in Chicago," Przekop said. "After this bleak episode, we are more committed than ever to recruiting woman-friendly candidates for the next election