BY MIKE CETERA
State Sen. Chris Lauzen, here's your answer.
The Chicago Tribune on Friday ran a story about politicians using their clout to get tickets to the Rose Bowl, which will feature the Fighting Illini versus the USC Trojans. A Tribune blog entry expanded on that story with what appears to be a near verbatum conversation with Lauzen, who took acception exception to a reporter questioning why he called the U of I's president's office to inquire about getting tickets.
Lauzen said he did not use a connection to get the tickets, but did call the university president’s office to ask how to go through the process.“Sure, where else am I going to call?” Lauzen said....
“Just think what Oberweis will do with this,” Lauzen said.
Hours later, Oberweis spokesman Bill Pascoe put out a sort-of tongue-in-cheek statement, which reads in part:
"Most people seeking Rose Bowl tickets, I would submit, wouldn't think to call the Office of the President of the University of Illinois. The very fact that Chris Lauzen's first -- and, clearly, only -- thought was to call the Office of the President further proves the point that we've made on earlier occasions -- 15 years in Springfield, 15 years in the George Ryan-Rod Blagojevich mindset, has corrupted Chris Lauzen's thinking. He can spend all the money he wants denying that he's a Springfield Insider -- but no amount of money is going to change the truth, and he just proved our point."
I'm not sure if Lauzen's thinking has been corrupted, though he sure looks silly here. The Oberweis camp, however, is right on at least one point. Most of us schmoes would have to call Ticketmaster or a broker to get tickets. As an Illinois alum, I only wish I could call the university president to secure tickets to the football team's biggest post season appearance in more than two decades.
Lauzen keeps on touting his 15 years as a politician. From where I'm standing what this state and country needs are less professional politicians, not ones who speak out of both sides of their mouths and then can't even give us the common courtesy to say they made a mistake. And then to be so glibb about it. “Sure, where else am I going to call?” A man of the people? I don't think so.
Let's cut the drama here. Lauzen was going to pay full face value on the tickets. 135 bucks each and pay his way out to California (since he was going anyway to see his in-laws, with his family, for the 26th year in a row). If you or I, or another constituent, asked him for tickets, he would have called the same contact at U of I and inquired on our behalf.
LMAO... Ok, whatever you say Jon.
The drama is with the JOIN / Lauzen camp. Lauzen is a career POL.
Two things,
Think of the field day Foster (or whomever wins on the democratic side of this race) will have with Lauzen's comments if he ends up the nominee.
Also would the response be the same from the Lauzen defenders (or attackers) if it was Linda Holmes who asked for the tickets instead?
Face it, Sen. Lauzen gave his political opponents a bit of a gift with this, like it or not.
"Most of us schmoes would have to call Ticketmaster or a broker to get tickets. As an Illinois alum, I only wish..."
Parro, if you are an Illinois alum and actually had to buy tickets in the past, most people wouldn't think to call Ticketmaster. They would call the athletic department office.
Do newspaper reporters ever use their press access to get into things the rest of us have to pay for? Parro, before you throw stones, have you or anyone you know at the Beacon ever done that?
As for this story, I think it's being way overblown. It's not what Blago did with Hannah Montana tickets.
CETERA RESPONDS:
Bill,
Dave Parro didn't write this post. I did. The byline at the top of the post is usually a giveaway.
It's been awhile since I bought tickets (I attended the Michigan game this year, but a friend of mine bought the tickets). Prior to this season, anyone could walk up to Memorial Stadium on the day of the game and buy tickets. That's what happens when your team is lousy. And if the athletic department is where everyone else calls, well that's where Sen. Lauzen should have called as well.
As for your question about reporters, it's unethical for a reporter to use a press pass to gain entry if he or she isn't there to cover the event. I'm not naive enough to think it hasn't happened, but it's not condoned.
It is a big deal when someone with access the general public can't get doesn't realize the treatment he has been given is "special," even if he did pay for the tickets.
"Lauzen, who took acception to a reporter questioning"
That should be exception, as in disagreed. Acception means received, as in what Lauzen did with the tickets by pulling strings and many alumni without access to strings could not do. Yes, I do take delight in regularly catching the Beacon in such things. It happens far to often. While I'd like to blame the Republicans and No Child Left Behind, it started long ago.
CETERA RESPONDS:
Grammarian,
Thanks for the catch. Unfortunately, mistakes -- grammatical or otherwise -- happen. Take your own post for example.
"It happens far to often."
That should be TOO, as in to an excessive extent or degree.
Happy New Year!
Cetera, thanks for pointing out you wrote the criticism of Lauzen instead of Parro.
Under "don't believe everything you read in the media" banner, I did some 2 second research into this matter and learned many state officials, including Emil Jones, Rod Blagojevich and Tom Cross are all among those that were in contact with the President's office.
And, most importantly, the President's office itself says the appropriate and "proper" channel for elected officials is to contact their office.
Lauzen, in particular, wasn't getting free tickets. He's the only one that has offered to skip the opportunity.
I think it would be interesting to compare the personal and professional ethics of reporters and politicians.
Bill, Could you tell us from whom you got this information in regards to the President's office stating "the appropriate and "proper" channel for elected officials is to contact their office.". This statement sounds out of context to me. I would like to know if they are referring to elected officials who may need special services or just every elected official who wants a ticket.
Cut the drama?? If this was a case where another candidate decided to call, inquire, and receive Rose Bowl tickets regardless of if they paid for them or not, you can bet Lauzen would have been the first one on his ethical high horse. I find it extremly hypocritical as well as insulting to each and every one of his constituents. And, to say that politics is a crappy business and he never should have ran?!? Well, if it's so horrible, get out of it. You're not doing any of your constituents a favor. No one feels bad for the life he's chosen. If he was really as poor off as he makes it sound, he wouldn't have $325,000 to donate to his own campaign. We all need to put away the violins, take a step back and re-evalutate the whole situation.
The point here is that politicians have certain "ins" that the regular population does not have. However, I would venture to say that there are several other people (as I'm sure large donors to the University) that are afforded the same presidential treatment.
Sarah, Well said. I have to agree with your opinions.
B. Matilda, For me the issue is not that politicians have certain "ins" it's that Lauzen who decries other politicians taking advantage of their positions and then does the same thing. Obviously he knew it wasn't the smartest thing to do as he is the one who stated “Just think what Oberweis will do with this,”. I know it's a small thing, but a lot of small things can add up.
Question: Where do you buy tickets?
Answer: From someone who sells tickets.
Question: Where do you go for a political favor?
Answer: To someone who is impressed with your title and has some influence.
I do not believe that this action on Lauzen's part can be read as anything other than him trying to take advantage of his position as an elected official. And throwing Blago and his Hannah Montana tickets out there as a justification is a copout. It's the same thing, and Blago has taken his hits for that.
So, Jon, don't throw out this "you or I would have done the same thing" rationalization. That's BS and you know it. And, Jon, even you know better than to call the president's office for such favors.
Chris didn't attend the U of I, so he had no reason to believe that, "Hey, I'm an alumnus, I donate money, maybe they'll do me a favor."
If Sen. Temper Tantrum really believed what he was doing was going throught the proper channels, he wouldn't have been so defensive. He knew damn well he was wrong. Calling the president's office can only be read one way: he wanted a political favor. Because when you call the honchos, you drop your name, knowing the title "Senator" pulls weight. (That's all he's really done in Springfield anyway: throw his weight around for 15 years whith nothing to show for it.)
If he really wanted to do this the right way, he would have had his son, a USC student, go through the USC athletic ticket office. Or he could have called the U of I ticket office.
This is just more evidence that being a career politician has gone to Chris' head and electing him to Congress would be a monumental mistake.
This might be a small thing, but it's hipocracy on Lauzen's part and it's illustrative of his overinflated opinion of himself.
I'm surprised Chris didn't shove his finger in the reporters face, drop a couple of F-bombs and make threats.
Heard the first radio ad on WGN this morning from the Milk Dud on this issue. I'm guessing it won't be the last.