Chicago's black politicians building own dynasties

In light of the story regarding Emil Jones wanting to hand his seat to his son. The son might have to sit for election for the state Senate, effectively replacing his father on the ballot since Jones intends to retire after the end of his current term. Story from the AP:

In a city where the mayor holds the job his father once did, politics can seem little different from the early years of the legendary Democratic Machine. But the faces of political privilege, long dominated by white ethnic groups, have changed as powerful black politicians unabashedly use their clout to build new dynasties.

The next in a long line of successions has been set in motion by Illinois Senate President Emil Jones, one of Barack Obama's first political mentors, who in announcing his retirement this week made it clear he wants his son to take his seat.

It's the latest twist on the "it's our turn" catch-phrase popular when Chicago elected its first black mayor in 1983, said Laura Washington, a professor at Chicago's DePaul University.

"It also means it's our turn to be as corrupt and irresponsible to the democratic process as their white predecessors have been," said Washington, who also is a Chicago Sun-Times columnist.
...
Democratic leaders obliged when late Cook County boss John Stroger retired after suffering a stroke and asked that his son replace him on the ballot, an election the younger Stroger eventually won. An influential black Cook County commissioner also paved the way for her son to take her seat when she retired two years ago _ just weeks after winning re-election.

And a powerful black Chicago alderman got his daughter on the City Council when she was appointed to replace him by Mayor Richard Daley, only to lose an election for a full term to U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson's wife.

Still, at least one observer contends Jones' move to pass on his seat could be used to hurt another black politician whose career he helped nurture: Obama.

The Democratic presidential candidate has downplayed his connections to the unsavory side of Chicago politics, but Jones' blatant move could put them back in the spotlight for Obama's critics.

"People are going to sit up and say, 'Wow, (Obama's) coming out of this,'" said Dominic A. Pacyga, a professor at Chicago's Columbia College.

While your at it today, a couple of local aldermen will help to make a decision as to whether or not Emil Jones, III (he's being referred to as Threemil over at the CapFax) will take his father's slot on the ballot. You will see that in this "letter" to the outgoing Senate President from Kristen McQueary of the SouthTown. You can read about the anoinment of Threemil at the CapFax.