2nd District Candidate McKinley Spent 20 Years in Prison for Violent Crimes
Paul McKinley says his former violent crimes were a product of the environment in which he was raised, and now he wants to fight back so others don’t follow in his footsteps.
2nd District Republican candidate Paul McKinley hopes to beat frontrunner Robin Kelly for the seat of defamed former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., but his record of criminal history may make the already uphill battle even steeper.
McKinley spent nearly 20 years—almost a third of his life—in state prison after he was convicted of “burglarizing a store, pistol-whipping a man for his watch and robbing a woman of $60 at gunpoint,” the Chicago Tribune reports. Now, he says he’s running as an “ex-offender running to save the next offender.”
Reporters tried questioning McKinley about his former offenses Monday, but he responded with some hostility and accused one reporter of being a racist.
"Those white folks told you to dig as deep as you could," McKinley told the Tribune. "They're trying to say I'm a second-class citizen. I'm not a second-class citizen. You can't hurt me. Put it all out there."
According to McKinley, his former behavior is a product of the environment he grew up in—one he now intends to challenge as he proceeds with his campaign.
Doug
3:14 pm on Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Thats the way to start the campaign off on the right foot..
Dinkum
3:35 pm on Tuesday, March 5, 2013
"Those white folks told you to dig as deep as you could," McKinley told the Tribune. "They're trying to say I'm a second-class citizen. I'm not a second-class citizen. You can't hurt me. Put it all out there."
Eh, you don't have to dig too deep PM to know your history.
This guy is a PR nightmare. And he talks like he's still in prison.
Juvenal
4:25 pm on Tuesday, March 5, 2013
<<They're trying to say I'm a second-class citizen. I'm not a second-class citizen>>
Dude, you're a Republican in the Second Congressional District. That's more like steerage class. But at least you prove the old adage about Irish surnames on Cook County Ballots. Too bad your opponent is Irish (sounding) too.
Ima Copp
5:18 pm on Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Gets no better than this
Jennifer Novak Chan
9:31 am on Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Did the Republicans really have to make it so EASY for Robin Kelly to win?
Dinkum
10:56 am on Wednesday, March 6, 2013
A Demo winning in D2 was a given. This tells you the Repub didn't care and want to distance themselves from this election (nothing new there).
Edward Husker
9:34 am on Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Hello Indiana!
Tracey Love
11:32 am on Wednesday, March 6, 2013
I'm sure there are better republican representatives than this clown. Although Mrs. Kelly wasn't my primary choice I think she should face better competition than this guy, he's 20x worse than Alan Keyes! All he will do is mud sling, nothing to offer other than unintelligible platitudes!
Dinkum
1:58 pm on Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Well, there were better Repub candidates in the primary TL, but they didn't get enough votes (that alone is telling, isn't it?).
There is another view here. The Repub came upon a brilliant strategy. Given the majority of D2 voters continue to elect criminals (see Jackson and Reynolds), maybe we give them an ex-felon?
OK PM, I just "put it all out there".
Jason Brennan
11:48 am on Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Really? If this guy gets nominated there is no way I could ever bring myself to support EITHER of the 2 major parties or anyone who calls themselves one of them. Are there not enough NON- criminals who would do the job well enough that we had to pick this guy? I understand the idea of reform, I really do, but for someone with a criminal record like this guy has just being allowed to walk the streets again and not going back to prison anymore should be enough for him.
BUTCH
12:21 pm on Wednesday, March 6, 2013
No one should have supported any of the 2 major party candidates for years though in fairness there were more honest GOP a few cycles back the 2 Ill is a total wasteland now, thanks to the departed Manny Hoffman who created Mel Reynolds and then threw him under the bus in a deal with his bankster buddies who had to get rid of Gus Savage not that he was a good guy far from it he just did not take orders from BANKSTERS! in 20 years OR SINCE REDISTRICTING i did not hear a peep of outrage, the bind were leading the blind in a dog -pony show that was there for those who have a brain to question! So what will Kelly do or what difference does it make if this ex con goes to DC? For starters he knows and wants what he thinks he is entitled to.KELLY knows she immediately went to the bankster banquet to get her orders, Follow the money folks.
The Manny conspiracy involved JJJ , the wife, both going to a Fed country club,Mel who did his time, Rosty also and also departed, ERV did time so did Chuck Panici but was also railroaded by Manny who died in beautiful Sarasota, Mel could have told us the true story choose to be smart this time and is getting handouts again from Manny's bankster bud's.
And we have the killing fields, blight and more blight while Kelly is off getting her orders from the banksters at the AIPAC dinner, the whole district is in a drug induced coma! so be it! Not a single 2 dist voter who takes a DEM or GOP primary ballot has a clue and get what's coming to them!
James Bond
4:00 pm on Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Hey McKinley, so how many "white folks" votes did you just lose, Really Classy Sir.