In a move that is raising eyebrows, the new Cook County Republican Chairman Sig Vaznelis has appointed Sean Morrison the Palos Township Republican Committeeman. What makes this appointment interesting is the fact that Morrison is also running for Commissioner of the Cook County Board of Review against incumbent Republican Dan Patlak, who is publicly questioning Morrison's GOP credentials.
Morrison's Republican bona fides have been an issue since he first appeared on the ballot in 2010. Chicago Board of Elections records show that until recently Morrison voted in Democrat primaries only. And Illinois State Board of Elections records reveal contributions by Morrison to a Democrat Ward alderman, the 19th Ward Democrat Organization, and most recently to Democrat Terrence O'Brien, "the 'Democrat machine' candidate" who ran for Cook County Board President against Republican Roger Keats.
Explaining his appointment of Morrison as Republican Committeeman, Vaznelis said, “I believe Cook County Republican party’s platform is more business friendly and we need leaders from the business community to step up, work with us and be heard in Cook County and in Illinois. Removing all outside factors, just looking at vision and business backgrounds made Sean the choice for Palos.”
Patlak and other Party leaders disagree with Vaznelis' reasoning, and note that until his 2010 campaign Morrison had no record of participation or investment in any state or local Republican volunteer organization, which they say makes him both unqualified and suspect.
The appointment is another battle in a war that has been brewing between two factions within the Cook County Republican Party -- the "North" led by GOP leaders like Ruth O'Connell (who is backing Patlak), and the "South" led by Liz Gorman (who is backing Morrison).
The "North" and "South" last met in the battle for Chairmanship of the Cook County Republican Party, in which O'Connell faced off against Vaznelis, who was backed by Gorman and ultimately won; creating speculation that Vaznelis' appointment of Morrison is payback for Gorman's help getting him elected.
Needless-to-say, the appointment is being seen by some Republican leaders as ill-timed and poor judgement by Vaznelis, whose job responsibilities include Party unity and neutrality in GOP primary races. And many fear this appointment of Morrison may spark an election-year battle in the ongoing war within the Cook GOP.
