Janet Yang-Rohr (left) worked with Speaker Mike Madigan's team on "disenfranchising" primary opponent Denika McMillen (right).
Janet Yang-Rohr (left) worked with Speaker Mike Madigan's team on "disenfranchising" primary opponent Denika McMillen (right).
Naperville Democratic hopeful for the Illinois State House Janet Yang-Rohr was advised on how to deflect voter concerns over her affiliation with House Speaker Michael J. Madigan (D-Chicago), and told that she should work with Madigan's team on "disenfranchising" her black Democrat primary opponent by challenging her nominating petitions.
That's according to Yang-Rohr's notes from a meeting with Madigan communications consultant Jon Maxson. She typed and sent the notes to herself using her Naperville School District email account, making them accessible via a Freedom of Information Request.
According to Yang-Rohr, the meeting was Nov. 30, 2019. Maxson has worked for Madigan for 11 years.
Yang-Rohr was not able to bounce Denika McMillen, a Naperville social worker, off the ballot. But she handily defeated her in the March 2020 primary, winning 10,246 votes to McMillen's 4,364.
Maxson advised Yang-Rohr "how to talk about petition challenges" of McMillen. She noted the conversation under a headline, "disenfranchising Denika."
Yang-Rohr is challenging incumbent state Rep. Grant Wehrli (R-Naperville) in the general election. She notably attacked Wehril as a “misogynist” after he pointed out her reliance on Madigan.
Yang-Rohr is a proponent of raising income taxes. In fact, the anticipated $3,000 per household annual state income tax increase on DuPage County residents is a central part of her campaign platform.
Yang-Rohr also supports a ban on gasoline-powered cars and natural gas ranges and furnaces throughout the state as part of Illinois’ “Green New Deal” bill.
The 41st House District includes parts of DuPage and Will counties including the communities of Naperville, Warrenville, Du Page, Lisle, Wheatland and Winfield.
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