Update: Mr. Claypool was mistakenly referred to as candidate for President of the Cook County Board. The corrections was made. I apologize for the error.
Forrest Claypool is running as an “independent” candidate for Cook County Assessor. He touts himself as a reformer. A reformer in Chicago is nothing more than a guy who can fall into a sewer and come out wearing a well pressed brown suit. So here is something interesting.
Forrest Claypool's office is in the same storefront as the 47th Ward Democratic Committee. The office is located at 4239 N. Lincoln Avenue. The 47th Ward Democratic Committeeman is long time Chicago Alderman Eugene Schulter. His ward office is right next door. Schulter is part and parcel of- read owned by- the Chicago Democratic Machine. In other words, a political hack. A grifter and a boodler. This says a lot about the independent reformer, Forrest Claypool. Why would a so called reformer even be associated with a Chicago Democratic alderman, let alone share office space with one?
It is funny and sad at the same time. People like Quinn and Claypool tout themselves as reformers, mavericks, independents. They fool people with their platitudes of change. Then one finds out they are joined at the hip with the Machine. It is actually a disgrace.
Now there have been reform Democrats in the recent past. One of them was a thorn in the side of the mayor and his fellow aldermen. He was well respected by the media, reform minded citizens, the legal community, and, well, everyone. There was seismic shock when the reformer was indicted for taking bribes. From an associate of organized crime, no less. There was pity, mercy, and an outpouring of goodwill when he was convicted. When he was released from prison, he received a near hero's welcome. Every now and then the media runs a puff piece sob story about him. Remember the last great reformer in the same mold as Claypool and Quinn? A brown suited goo goo? Former Alderman Larry Bloom?
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