Shaws deny Jackson namesake ploy

Shaws deny Jackson namesake ploy

Illinois Sen. William "Bill" Shaw (D-15th) and his identical twin brother, Cook County Board of Review Comm. Robert Shaw Sunday denied running a 68-year-old Robbins resident who has the same name as Rep. Jesse L. Jackson Jr. (D-2nd) for office, but they say they are backing a candidate they hope will defeat the congressman.

Senator Shaw told the Chicago Defender he is running Yvonne Christian-Williams, an attorney, against Rep. Jackson but, in denying charges of ballot confusion by the congressman with the entry of the Robbins candidate in this race, he wants to know who put Rev. Anthony Williams in this race. "Now, that's the question," quipped the senator.

Shaw, who is also mayor of Dolton, said he is backing Christian-Williams because Jackson "is not taking care of business" in his district. He resents Jackson's writing a book and spending more time in Washington than Chicago.

"He doesn't even have an office in Chicago where the people need the help the most and we're tired of him sending this white boy to answer questions. We didn't elect him."

Accustomed to getting and surviving a lot of political heat, the colorful twins, who will turn 65 on July 31st, voiced outrage over the Jackson's anger of having competition in the upcoming congressional race.

While Rep. Jackson said the so-called phantom Jackson didn't exist, the candidate surfaced over the weekend. During his first press conference held over the weekend at the Ramada Hotel, 17400 S. Halsted, Homewood, the Robbins candidate and his attorney, Evangeline Levison, claimed his candidacy is legitimate.

Levison said she is "not aware of the Shaws backing" her client and that the senator is backing another candidate. "I'm not aware of any connection there," she stated.

While ducking questions from reporters, the Robbins candidate simply said: "I exist." "I am here today because there are questions about whether I do exist. Well, I do exist and I'm here in the flesh."

Claiming to be a lifelong resident of Robbins, Jackson said "I expect to win" but neither he nor Levison, who was the attorney that represented then Dixmoor mayoral candidate Donald Luster, an ex-felon who went on to win his race, would give any background on Jackson.

Both the senator and his brother denied knowing the Robbins candidate with the commissioner saying: "People have run against me in every election and I've been able to survive this. Put your record out there against the opponents and people make the judgments. That's what we do in America.

"There have been two Shaws on the ballot for a long time here and we've gotten elected and reelected. I trust the people," the commissioner said. "This is much to do about nothing. There are a lot of Jesse Jacksons...a lot of Robert Shaws. This (Robbins) Jackson had his name longer than" either the congressman or his father, the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr.

"All is fair in love and war," Comm. Shaw quipped.

Shaw told Rep. Jackson to "put his record on the line and stop making bogus allegations and get re-elected, if he can."

Calling Jackson "inept," Shaw said: "We pay him $145,000 a year and he has to write more books to raise him some more personal money... he doesn't care about the people."

Article Copyright Sengstacke Enterprises, Inc.

Photo (William Shaw and Yvonne Christian-Williams)