Only in Illinois

After our primary last week, some rather shocking news broke about the Dem nominee for Lieutenant Governor, Scott Lee Cohen. (Shocking for most places I should say, but about a 6 on the Illinois Shock-o-meter.)

Turns out that Cohen, a former pawnbroker, was accused in 2005 of beating the hell out of his wife (now his ex-wife), and was also accused of abusing anabolic steroids during their marriage. Also alleged is that after confessing to extra-marital affairs, he tried to force his then-wife to have sex with him. When she refused, he flew off in what she refers to as typical rage.

Those accusations came from her during their 2005 divorce case. Other peculiarities surfacing during the last week reveal that Cohen, allegedly, has a rather peculiar fetish involving prosthetic limbs, and according to his ex-wife, a real thing for feet.

In 2005, Cohen was arrested on charges of domestic battery by his then-girlfriend, Amanda Eneman. In the charges filed, Miss Eneman, 29, said that Cohen held a knife to her throat and also that he held her down in bed, presumably against her will. The charges were later dismissed when Miss Eneman failed to appear in court.

It has also come to light that Cohen failed to make child support payments during his run for the Dem nomination for Lieutenant Governor, choosing instead to sink more than $2 million of his own cash into his campaign.

In the last few days, Illinois Dems ranging from Governor Pat Quinn (Cohen's running-mate in the fall general election), Senator Dick Durbin, and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan have all called for Cohen to step down, while Chicago Mayor Richard Daley has refused to call for Cohen's head saying "It’s a constitutional dilemma. Once you get elected in the primary, no mayor, no newspaper, no citizens can ask you to resign because I don’t like you anymore." (Boy that Richie is quite the quote machine, isn't he?)

It should be noted that Cohen has called on both his ex-wife, and his ex-girlfriend to come forward and speak at length about the accusations. Both have refused.

Also worth mentioning is the fact the while Cohen and Eneman were living together following the Cohen's marital break-up, Miss Eneman was arrested for prostitution,  pleaded guilty, and was given one year probation. Cohen insists that he knew Eneman was a massage therapist at Eden in Glenview, but was completely unaware that she was a prostitute, or of her arrest....while they were living together.

In what has to be the ultimate insult added to injury, in a statement released today by prominent lawyer and Tiger Woods mistress spokesperson, Gloria Allred, the former massage therapist, former Cohen mistress, and convicted prostitute Amanda Eneman....has called for Cohen to step down saying "He's not fit to hold public office."

That's gotta do some damage.

Meanwhile, Illinois Republicans still haven't nominated a candidate for Governor, with State Sen Bill Brady holding roughly a 400 vote lead over Kirk Dillard, and Dillard refusing to concede. Despite the fact the voting took place last Tuesday, there are still over 11,000 absentee ballots to be counted, and Dillard feels that he may still pull this thing out.

I'm not heavy into predictions when it comes to politics, especially the politics of Illinois, but I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that this fall, we're going to elect a Republican Governor, either Brady or Dillard, and a Republican Senator, Mark Kirk.


*** 2/8/10 UPDATE****- Scott Lee Cohen, Democratic Nominee for Illinois Lieutenant Governor withdrew from the General Election at an emotional press conference held during halftime of last night's Super Bowl. With his son Jabba bawling at his side, Cohen cited a conversation he'd had with Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan as the tipping point. Somehow, after a week of widespread public ridicule, it took a conversation with uber-Dem-insider Madigan to convince Cohen that he was "hurting the Illinois Democratic Party." It just doesn't get weirder than this story. Seriously, a Lieutenant Governor's race that draws national attention? Bye bye Scott, and good riddance. Tell Jabba to lay off the Krispy Kremes.