AP News, December 20th, 2006
When the longtime Cook County Board president suffered a stroke and couldn't run for another term, he anointed a successor: his son, a Chicago alderman.
And when a longtime Chicago City Council member recently gave up his post, his daughter was appointed to the job.
Declaring herself fed up with all the nepotism, a woman filed papers this week to run for City Council. Her name: Sandi Jackson, wife of Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and daughter-in-law of the Rev. Jesse Jackson.
Chicago politics seems to practice the royal form of succession.
"It's our political culture," said University of Illinois at Chicago political science professor Dick Simpson.
And it starts right at the top.
If Mayor Richard M. Daley wins re-election in February and serves the full term, he will outpace his legendary father, Richard J. Daley, who served for 21 years before dying in office. Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich is the son-in-law of a powerful Chicago alderman, and statewide officeholders Lisa Madigan and Dan Hynes both followed famous Chicago fathers into politics.
Jackson is challenging Alderman Darcel Beavers, whom Daley appointed last week to replace her father, a veteran City Council member who is joining the Cook County Board. Jackson acknowledges her famous name will help but says at least she is working for votes, rather than landing a seat by appointment.
"It helps get me attention, but it's not going to get me elected if I don't go out and do the work," Jackson said.
Jackson's congressman husband came close to putting his name on the Feb. 27 Chicago ballot as well. He considered running against Daley for mayor but took himself out of contention after the Democrats gained control of Congress in the November elections.
Politics as the family business doesn't just happen in Chicago. On the national scene there are the Kennedys and the Bushes. Tennessee has the Fords, Indiana the Bayhs, and Minnesota the Humphreys.
Simpson said the practice of appointing relatives to political posts can deny the voters their right to choose the best candidate.
Allegations of political nepotism dominated this fall's election for Cook County Board president. When John Stroger retired in June after a suffering a stroke, he asked that his son, Alderman Todd Stroger, replace him on the November ballot _ a request that was granted by Democratic leaders.
His Republican opponent made nepotism a campaign issue and questioned Stroger's qualifications. But Stroger went on to win in the overwhelmingly Democratic county.
At City Hall, Beavers, who worked for a dozen years as her father's chief of staff, said taking over for him is no different from the No. 2 at a company taking over when the boss retires. She said the Feb. 27 election will put to rest any questions of nepotism over her appointment.
"The people will decide who they want to represent them," she said.
