A Facebook group entitled “Karen Lewis for Mayor of Chicago” posted an offensive comment Sunday that brought back reminders from Rahm Emanuel’s first campaign for congressman.
In 2002 Rahm Emanuel was in a very tight Democratic primary race for the 5th District Congressional seat. One of his seven opponents was former Illinois State Rep. Nancy Kaszak. Kaszak was endorsed by the President of the Polish American Congress, Ed Moskal. At a campaign appearance that I covered Moskal told me that those who supported Emanuel had accepted “thirty pieces of silver” for that support. When I reported the quote, the Emanuel campaign called it anti-Semitic. Kaszak lost support after Moskal’s quote was reported and Emanuel won the primary, launching his career as an office holder.
The comment on the Karen Lewis for Mayor of Chicago carries the same “thirty pieces of silver” charge.
I contacted Karen Lewis and the Chicago Teachers Union and it issued this response:
"The Chicago Teachers Union has no affiliation with that page and does not endorse its contents."
-Ronnie Reese, Member Communications Coordinator
The website has been up since last September. The page as of Tuesday, Aug. 19 has more than 1,740 likes. It says its mission is to elect Karen Lewis Mayor of Chicago. The website does assist in putting together events for supporters of Lewis.