Oh, this is rich, isn't it?In the primary elections coming out of Illinois the other day, the Democrats have put forth a nominee for lieutenant governor, Scott Lee Cohen, who is:
1) A pawnbroker (perhaps a suitable occupational background for Chicago politics yet hardly something you want emblazoned across the headlines.)
2) A fellow who, at this very moment, is still going through a messy divorce, one which once saw him prohibited by court order from even being near his wife because of her charges of domestic abuse. He has not denied those charges but has admitted that he was messed up at the time on anabolic steroids. The divorce case also includes charges of Mr. Cohen's philandering, volatile behavior, frightening their four children, and threatening Mrs. Cohen verbally and physically.
3) A fellow who has had troubles paying his fair share of federal taxes and, as a result, has had to pay penalties to the government.
4) A fellow who has a record of mismanaging his own finances as well as when a mortgage company had to threaten foreclosure on his $650,000 home because he was in arrears to them for more than $23,ooo.
And, don't miss this one. 5) The above Scott Lee Cohen is the same fellow who was arrested 4 and 1/2 years ago (shortly after he separated from his wife) for roughing up his girlfriend and holding a knife to her neck! Paramedics treated the woman (15 years younger than her brutal beau) for a bump on the hand, minor wounds on her hand and "mild abrasions from [a] knife wound." The charge was dropped, however, when the woman (who had just been found guilty of prostitution) failed to show up in court to testify. Says Cohen of the matter. "She never came to court and the charges were dismissed. I realized this relationship was not healthy for me. I ended it, and we parted amicably." (Well, after the police separated them anyhow.)
I have a feeling even Illinois voters are going to think their relationship with Scott Lee Cohen won't be "healthy" either. Look for the Republicans to swing this one to their column.
