I am very pleased to be the recognized Green Party candidate for Cook County Board President. I declared my candidacy on October 17 and met several times with Green Party members. I was delighted to be embraced by the group. Green Party members provided counsel and support for my run. 15 Green Party members circulated petitions for me. All told, 75 people volunteered to help me get on the ballot.
I would not challenge a recognized Green Party candidate. After I declared, I learned that Frank Coconate was another Green Party candidate for this office and that he had gathered a considerable number of signatures. When he heard that I was running, he generously decided not to submit his petitions, saying that I was the stronger candidate. Had he decided to stay in the race, I would not have challenged him because he was a known and respected ally of the Green Party. I said so publically and meant it.
On November 2nd I learned that Sean Burke, 31, of Westchester, had also filed for Cook County Board President as a Green. No one in the Illinois Green Party had heard of Mr. Burke. Why had Mr. Burke not contacted the party leadership after deciding to run? Trying to find out something about him, Green Party members performed a web search and discovered he owned the web address for the Cook County Young Democrats. Phil Huckleberry, the State Chair, left a message for Mr. Burke and later Alberto Bocanegra, Jr., the Cook County Chair, also left a message. Mr. Burke did not return their calls.
I discussed the situation with Green Party members and other advisors who cited cases where people had run as Green Party members with the intention to drain resources from creditable Green candidates. The Machine has taken note of the Green Party and it’s entirely appropriate to protect the party from candidates who are running to mess with us. I and some of my mentors and Green Party allies believe that the party needs to protect itself from people who want to run as a Green but who do not hold to the core values of the party, are not reformers, are not fighters, who are serving the Daley-Stroger Machine and who actually want to damage viable Green party campaigns.
Continue reading Why I Challenged Sean Burke
