I’m glad I am not the only one steaming about this. Marin reminds us of all the recent examples of Nepotitis in Chicago politics:

Congressman Bill Lipinski was the picture of health through his primary race in the spring of 2004 only to be stricken with nepotitis mid-summer. The onset of the disease coincided with the deadline for ward committeemen to slip his out-of-state professor son, Dan, onto the November ballot where his opposition was a ringer the Lipinski forces had already planted on the Republican side of the ballot.

Nepotitis leaves nothing to chance.

Then, of course, we had the double-header over at the Cook County Board in 2006. President John Stroger, felled by a stroke, stayed on the primary ballot until, once again, summer rolled around and with it, the deadline for ward bosses to install his son, Todd, on to the November ballot. Meanwhile, interim County Board President Bobbie Steele, whose pension was about to skyrocket with her momentary occupation of the president’s post, had her own bout of nepotitis resulting in another quick resignation and installation of her own son, Robert, in his mother’s commissioner seat.

Marin tried to call Emil Jones III about his recent good fortune:

What does Emil Jones III have to say about his candidacy for his dad’s seat?

Nothing.

He has not returned Sun-Times’ phone calls or e-mails. Why? President Jones’ spokeswoman, Cindy Davidsmeyer, said Tuesday by phone from Springfield that Emil III is “still a private citizen, not on the ballot yet. That’s the way he’s conducting himself.”

Incredible. Way to go Carol.