Dick Simpson (politician) explained

Office:Chicago Alderman from the 44th Ward
Term Start:1971
Term End:1979
Predecessor:William Singer
Successor:Bruce Young
Birth Place:Houston, Texas, U.S.
Alma Mater:University of Texas at Austin
Indiana University (PhD)
Profession:Professor, author, politician, activist, political consultant, filmmaker

Dick Weldon Simpson (born 1940) is an American professor, author, politician, activist, political consultant, and filmmaker who formerly served as a Chicago alderman from 1971 through 1979.

Simpson is considered to be a progressive.[1] An independent associated with the lakefront liberals during his time on the Chicago City Council, he ran in 1992 and 1994, unsuccessfully, as a challenger to incumbent Democrat Dan Rostenkowski in that party's primary for Illinois's 5th congressional district.

From 1967 until 2022, Simpson was a professor of political science at the University of Illinois at Chicago. From 2006 until 2012, he served as the head of the university's political science department. Simpson has also worked on political campaigns and as a government advisor. He has written an extensive amount of published material on the subject of government and politics.

Early life

Simpson was born in 1940 in Houston, Texas. He was an only child. His first name is Dick, rather than "Dick" being a nickname for Richard, as it commonly is. Simpson's family lived in a middle class household.

Participating in the civil rights movement, Simpson took part in a 1960 stand-in protest.[2]

Simpson graduated from University of Texas in 1963. He received his PhD from Indiana University.[3] He spent some time in Sierra Leone completing research for his doctoral dissertation. While living in Africa, he wrote to his adviser specifically requesting for him to find him a job in a large city with racial conflict, as Simpson desired to be part of the progressive political transformation of a city.

Early career

Simpson began teaching as a political science professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) in 1967.

During the 1968 Democratic Party presidential primaries, he first became Eugene McCarthy's campaign manager for Illinois's 9th congressional district, then was promoted to his statewide Illinois campaign manager, a role he held up through the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Simpson participated in protests held during the convention.[2]

In 1969, Simpson managed the successful 44th Ward aldermanic campaign of William Singer, a reform-minded independent liberal.[4] [5] Singer, a 29-year old political newcomer, won an upset victory over a candidate supported by the city's Democratic political machine.[6] Singer's victory was by a very narrow 427 votes in the runoff election against an opponent backed by the Democratic Party organization.[7] [8] Singer's election was seen as ushering in an era of prominence for the city's lakefront liberal voting bloc.[9]

Simpson was a cofounder of the Independent Precinct Organization, where he also served as executive director.[10] [11]

Aldermanic career

Simpson served two terms as a Chicago alderman for the 44th Ward, from 1971 through 1979.[12] [13] [14]

Election campaigns

Simpson was first elected in 1971 in an open race. Incumbent 44th ward alderman William Singer was redistricted into the 43rd ward.[15] [16] [17] In the redistricting that took place before the 1971 election, the 44th ward was redrawn to include less of the heavily Jewish and politically independent lakefront, and to include more of the heavily Democratic areas to the west, making it a harder district for Simpson to win as an independent than it had been for Singer to win as an independent. Nevertheless, Simpson defeated the city's Democratic machine to win election to the 44th Ward seat, defeating James B. Kargman. Kragman had carried the support of the city's Democratic Party, as well as the endorsements some prominent Democratic politicians, such as Adlai Stevenson III and Sidney R. Yates.[18] Simpson was supported by lakefront liberal voters.[19] Simpson ran on a platform that advocated for community control of municipal programs such as urban renewal. Community groups of the 44th ward were in the midst of a dispute with the city over urban renewal at the time of the election. The third candidate originally on the ballot in the 1971 race, Laura C. Keith, withdrew weeks before the election and endorsed Simpson.[20]

Simpson was reelected alderman in 1975, again defeating an opponent supported by the city's Democratic Party organization, Edward Marsalek. Weeks ahead of the election, a third candidate, Wesley Pucinski (the brother of then-41st ward alderman Roman Pucinski) withdrew from the race and endorsed Marsalek.[21] The Committee for and Effective City Council, a group founded to support the election of "independent" candidates to the Chicago City Council, endorsed Simpson and twelve other aldermanic candidates (including fellow incumbents William Cousins, Anna Langford, and John Hoellen) on the same day that Pucinksi withdrew.[21]

Tenure

As an alderman, Simpson remained a political independent. He was among a handful of liberal alderman on the Chicago City Council. He was an advocate of political reform.[22] He was supported by the lakefront liberals.[19] Throughout his tenure, Simpson remained a professor in political science at the University of Illinois at Chicago.[23]

During his time on the City Council, Simpson was a critic of Richard J. Daley.[24] After he was elected alderman in February 1971, alderman-elect Simpson endorsed Daley's Republican opponent Richard Freidman in the 1971 Chicago mayoral election (for which the general election was held in April).[25] Daley and Simpson first directly butted heads early into Simpson's tenure as an alderman, when, on July 27, 1971, he questioned Daley's proposed appointment of Thomas Keane Jr, son of Daley's City Council floor leader, alderman Thomas E. Keane, to the city's Zoning Board of Appeals.[10] He questioned the conflict of appointing Keane Jr., vice-president of Arthur Rubloff & Co., one of the city's largest real estate firms.[10] [23] There were other instances where heated arguments erupted between Simpson and Daley.[26] [27] In once instance, Simpson angered Daley so severely that Daley attempted to have the City Council's sergeant at arms force Simpson back into his seat.[28]

Simpson became the leader of the minority bloc of independents on the Chicago City Council. As such, Simpson came into conflict with Michael Bilandic, first during Bilandic's stint as Daley's floor leader on the City Council, and later when Bilandic took office as mayor after Daley's death in office.[23] Simpson and fellow independent alderman Martin J. Oberman were the only two aldermen to vote against the resolution appointing Bilandic to hold the mayoralty after Daley's death.[29] Like with Daley, he frequently stood in strong opposition to Bilandic during Bilandic's mayoralty.[30]

Being in the minority opposition to mayors Daley and Bilandic, Simpson's proposed legislation were usually defeated.[30] In some instances, the ideas he proposed in legislation were taken by alderman who were aligned with the majority supporting Daley, who then proposed the same ideas in pieces of legislation without Simpson's name attached.[30] One of the few pieces of legislation Simpson managed to pass as an alderman was an ordinance which would prevent banks and insurance companies that do business with the city from practicing redlining.[27] [23] [31] The resolution, which Simpson had feared would have little chance of passing, was passed on June 26, 1974, in a unanimous 44–0 vote after it was amended by Daley-aligned alderman Paul Wigoda.[31] Another piece of legislation that Simpson saw passed was a November 1977 resolution calling for an investigation into figures utilized the previous summer to justify an 11.7% fare increase to the city's taxis. This came after former city commissioner Jane Byrne alleged a city hall "conspiracy" to raise the rates of taxis. The resolution creating this investigation, proposed by Simpson and fellow independent aldermen Ross Lathrop and Martin J. Oberman, was passed unanimously by the council.[32] The investigation was later ended by a Chicago City Council vote of 40–3 in April 1978 to accept the investigative committee's majority report over the minority report written by Simpson, Lathrop, and Oberman as investigative committee members.[33] While few wholesale pieces of legislation authored by Simpson were passed, Simpson saw occasional success in making amendments to legislation.[23]

In March 1977, Simpson and fellow aldermen Dennis H. Block, Ross Lathrop, Martin Oberman proposed a piece of legislation that would have established community zoning boards in each of the 50 wards of the city.[34]

Simpson established a "ward assembly" for the 44th Ward.[35] [10] This was a form of direct democracy within the ward, which was dismantled after the Democratic machine later regained control of the 44th Ward seat.[10] It was one of Simpson's 1971 campaign promises that he would establish such an assembly if elected alderman.[20] Similarly, some other independent candidates that year had made similar campaign pledges.[27]

In 1978, Milton Rakove, a professor of political science at University of Illinois at Chicago, characterized Simpson's approach to being an alderman as, "an academic idealist at loose in the arena of politics, who cannot and will not make the compromises a true politician must make."[36] Decades after Simpson left the council, journalist and news editor Bruce Dold remarked,

Retirement from the City Council

Simpson opted against seeking reelection in 1979.[35] [37] He endorsed independent candidate Bruce Young, the director of the Jane Addams Center at Hull House, to succeed him.[35] [17] Young pledged, as a candidate, to support existing legislation and ordinances that Simpson had proposed on issues such as redlining, the creation of a code hearing bureau, starting an independent audit of the city's finances, and the establishment of a commission on governmental integrity.[17] Young's opponent was John McCaffrey, who had the backing of the city's Democratic Party.[17] Young won election but resigned soon after taking office, citing "personal reasons".[14] [35]

Post-aldermanic career

Following his retirement from the Chicago City Council, Simpson has continued to remain involved in Chicago's political discourse. Bruce Dold has remarked that Simpson, "has remained a trusted [political] critic for decades." Among his activities, he has worked as a political consultant, written about politics, run for United States Congress, and taught politics as an educator. In 2015, Ben Jarovsky of the Chicago Reader observed that Simpson has remained a political outsider and continues to assail corruption in Chicago's politics.[28]

Professor and political scientist

Until retiring in 2022,[38] Simpson continued to teach as a professor at UIC.[11] [12] From 2006 until 2012, Simpson was head of the political science department.[39] He was also a Great Cities Scholar and a Humanities Institute Fellow at UIC[11] and served as director of the university's Preparing Future Faculty Program. In his professorial career, he formerly served as and executive board member of the Illinois Political Science Association,[38] serving for some time as its president. He also worked as co-editor of the Illinois Political Science Review. Simpson participated in annual studies conducted by UIC to measure how independently alderman are voting from the mayor.[40] He was also involved in authoring studies by UIC that ranked cities and states in the United States by their level of corruption.[41]

Simpson has also become a respected political analyst.[42] He was, for three years, a monthly op-ed columnist for the Chicago Journal, and was subsequently a monthly columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times.[11] Simpson has also been a filmmaker.[43]

In 2022, Simpson retired as a professor and was named a professor emeritus.[44]

Politics

In 1979, Simpson served as an advisor on the mayoral transition team of Jane Byrne.[11] [23] [30] He also served on the mayoral transition team of Harold Washington in 1983.[11] Simpson was involved in a number of political campaigns in the 1980s, such as the campaign of Ron Sable for Simpson's former 44th Ward aldermanic seat.[27] He also ran the organization I CARE (Independent Coalition Against Reagan Economics), which opposed the economic policies of President Ronald Reagan.[45] Simpson endorsed Timothy C. Evans in the 1989 Chicago mayoral special election.[13] Simpson was involved in Woody Bowman's campaign for Illinois Comptroller in 1990.[27] [46] Simpson also worked on both the unsuccessful 1990 Cook County State's Attorney campaign of Ray Smith and the successful 1990 campaign of Jack O'Malley for the same office.[27] After the 1990 elections, Simpson served on David Orr's transition team for Cook County Clerk as well as Jack O'Malley's transition team for Cook County State's Attorney in 1990.[11]

Simpson was twice an unsuccessful candidate for United States congress.[1] Simpson first ran against Dan Rostenkowski in the Democratic primary for the redrawn 5th congressional district in 1992.[47] Posing the greatest reelection challenge Rostenkowski had faced, Simpson won approximately 43% of the vote against Rostenkowski.[48] [49] [50] Rostenkowski, chairman of United States House Committee on Ways and Means, was considered among the nation's most powerful congressmen.[47] Simpson ran on a platform of congressional reform, including support for term limits.[27] His campaign platform also focused on women's rights, universal health care, economic recovery, and senior citizens issues.[11] Simpson also pledged to recreate a version of his 44th ward assembly in the congressional district.[27] During the campaign, he aggressively criticized Rostenkowski.[49] In February 1993, Simpson announced that he would file a formal complaint against Rostenkowski with the Federal Election Commission and the House Ethics Committee urging them to investigate $37,750 in spending by Rostenkowski's American Leaders Fund, alleging Rostenkowski had illegally used funds from this group to aid his reelection campaign.[51]

Simpson again challenged Rostenkowski for the Democratic nomination in 1994. At the time, Rostenkowski was under grand jury investigation, and was also being challenged for the nomination by John Cullerton.[52] Simpson and Cullerton were joined in challenging Rostenkowski by former alderman Michael Wojik and LaRouche movement member John McCarthy.[53] In 1994, Simpson criticized Rostenkowski as corrupt and criticized him for votes such as his vote in support of extending the Hyde Amendment.[52] [54] Simpson placed third behind Rostenkowski and Cullerton.[50] Simpson ran on many of the same issues in 1994 that he had in 1992.[11]

For the 2000 Illinois Democratic Party presidential primary, Simpson was an alternate delegate candidate for Bill Bradley's campaign.[11]

Simpson served on Lisa Madigan's transition team for Illinois Attorney General in 2003.[11]

In the 2004 United States presidential election, Simpson served first as a member of the Issues Committee of Carol Moseley Braun's campaign, and subsequently as a surrogate for the John Kerry campaign.[11]

After Langdon Neale retired from the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners, Simpson applied in December 2015 to fill the seat.[22] [55] His candidacy for the position was endorsed by Danny K. Davis, Mike Quigley, Joe Moore, and David Orr.[13] He was one of seven finalists for the position.[13] Judge Timothy C. Evans, who was in charge of appointing Neale's replacement, ultimately chose to instead appoint Jonathan T. Swain.[56]

Simpson supported Chuy García's candidacy in the 2015 Chicago mayoral election.[38] Simpson was considered the earliest significant figure to support the campaign Lori Lightfoot in the 2019 Chicago mayoral election.[57] He formally did so on August 21, 2018.[58] Simpson helped then-candidate Lightfoot to write a plan which included putting an end to the practice of aldermanic prerogative and banning outside employment of aldermen.[57] For a long while, Simpson was considered the most prominent individual to have endorsed Lightfoot, still being considered such as late as mid-January 2019[59] (just over one month a week before Lightfoot would place first the first round of the election).[60] Lightfoot would go on to be elected mayor.[57] After Lightfoot became mayor, Simpson worked to advise her on ethics reform.[24] Simpson voiced his support for Lightfoot's unsuccessful 2023 reelection campaign.[61]

In 2021, Simpson participated in an effort run by a coalition of civic groups which formed an independent citizens commission that would draw a city council ward redistricting map, producing an alternative proposal to the ward map that would be drawn-up by members of the Chicago City Council itself as part of the council's decennial redistricting. Simpson was a member of the selection commission that would choose the citizens to participate in the effort.[62]

Electoral history

Congressional

Bibliography

Books authored

Simpson has been an author or co-author of more than twenty books. These include:

Title Year published Other authors Publisher Cite
Who Rules?: Introduction to the Study of Politics1971Penn State University Press[63]
Winning Elections: A Handbook in Participatory Politics1972Swallow Press[64] [65]
Strategies for Change: How to Make the American political Dream Work1975George BeamSwallow Press[66]
Neighborhood Government in Chicago's 44th Ward1979Rick Kohenen and Judy StevensStipes Publishing Co.[67]
Political Action: Key To Understanding Politics1984George BeamSwallow Press[68]
The Politics of Compassion and Transformation1988Swallow Press[69]
Chicago's Future in a Time of Change1988Stipes Publishing Co.[70]
The Crazy Quilt of Government: Units of Government in Cook County1994Linda MollUniversity of Illinois Press
Rogues, Rebels, And Rubber Stamps: The Politics of the Chicago City Council from 1863 to the Present2001Westview Press[71]
Inside Urban Politics: Voices from America's Cities and Suburbs2003Pearson/Longman[72]
The Struggle for Power and Influence in Cities and States2011James Dunlap Nowlan, Betty O'ShaughnessyLongman[73]
The city, Revisited: Urban Theory from Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York2011Dennis R. JuddUniversity of Minnesota Press[74]
Twenty-First Century Chicago2012Cognella Academic Publishing[75]
African Democracy and Development: Challenges for Post-conflict African Nations2013James Dunlap Nowlan, Betty O'ShaughnessyLongman
Local Politics and Mayoral Elections in 21st Century America: The Keys to City Hall2014Sean D. Foreman, Marcia L. Godwin, Melissa Marschall, Carlos E. Cuéllar, Joseph P. Caiazzo, Melissa Mourtistsen, Betty O'Shaughnessy, William J. Miller, Robert J. Mahu, Lyke Thompson, Fernando J. Guerra, Brianne Gilbert, Larry D. Terry II, Steven P. Erie, Vladimir Kogan, Nazita Lajevardi, Scott A. Mackenzie, P. Frances Gouzien, David C. KimballRoutledge[76]
Corrupt Illinois: Patronage, Cronyism, and Criminality2015Thomas J. GradelUniversity of Illinois Press[77]
Chicago is Not Broke: Funding the City We Deserve2016Thomas Gradel, Jackson Potter, Jamie Kalven, Ron Baiman, Hilary Denk, Amara Enyia, Jonathan PeckTom Tresser and CivicLab (Chicago)[78]
Winning Elections in the 21st Century2016Betty O’ShaughnessyUniversity Press of Kansas[79]
Teaching Civic Engagement Across the Disciplines2017Elizabeth A. Bennion, Elizabeth C. Matto, Alison McCartneyAmerican Political Science Association[80] [81]
The Good Fight: Life Lessons from a Chicago Progressive2017Golden Alley Press[82] [83]
Democracy's Rebirth: The View from Chicago2022University of Illinois Press[84]
Chicago’s Modern Mayors: From Harold Washington to Lori Lightfoot2024co-edited by Betty O'ShaughnessyUniversity of Illinois Press[85]

Articles

Simpson has published hundreds of journal articles, magazine articles, opinion pieces, book chapters, and book reviews.[37] [86] [87] Simpson was, for three years, a monthly op-ed columnist for the Chicago Journal, and was subsequently a monthly columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times.[11] He also formerly was co-editor of the Illinois Political Science Review.[82]

Journal articles

Journal articles
Article title Date/year published Journal
Notes
The Future of Chicago: A Blueprint for Political Change[88] Focus/Midwest
Neighborhood Empowerment and Urban Management in the 1980s1983co-authored by Eric S. Moskowitz
Neighborhood Empowerment and Urban Management in the 1980s1983co-authored by Eric S. Moskowitz
Council Coalitions and Mayoral Regimes in Chicago1999co-authored by Tom Carsey
Campaign Contributions and Mayoral/Aldermanic Relationships: Building on Krebs and PelisseroSeptember 2001Co-authored by Sean Hogan
Chicago's Uncertain Future Since September 11, 2001September 2002co-authored by Ola Adeoye, Ruben Feliciano, and Rick Howard
Forty Years of the Civil Rights Movement in ChicagoJune 1, 2006Poverty & Race
Twiley W. Barker, 83, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Illinois at Chicago, died July 13, 2009October 2009"In memoriam" co-authored by Richard Johnson and Kevin Lyles
Frank TachauApril 2011"In memoriam" co-authored by Richard Johnson and Sultan Tepe

Book reviews

Book reviews
Article title Date/year published Journal
Notes
Small and Large Together: Governing the Metropolis. By Howard W. Hallman. (Beverly Hills, Calif.: Sage Library of Social Research, Vol. 56, 1977. Pp. 288. $14.00, cloth; $6.95, paper.)September 1979
The New Citizenship: Unconventional Politics, Activism, and Service. By Craig Rimmerman. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1997. 154p. $45.00 cloth, $15.95 paper.December 1997
Metropolitics: A Regional Agenda for Community and StabilityWinter 1998
The American Mayor: The Best and Worst Big-City LeadersWinter 2000
When Corporations Leave Town: The Costs and Benefits of Metropolitan Job SprawlSpring 2001
Race, Neighborhoods, and Community Power: Buffalo Politics, 1934-1997; Kraus, Neil Simpson, Dick.Fall 2001
Book Review: Political Branding in Cities: The Decline of Politics in Bogota, Naples, and Chicago, by Eleonora Pasotti. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2010. 304 pp. $90.00 (cloth)2011
The Art of the Watchdog: Fighting Fraud, Waste, Abuse, and Corruption in Government by Daniel L. Feldman and David R. Eichenthal. Albany, State University of New York Press, 2014. 353 pp. $29.95.Fall 2014
New York and Los Angeles: The Uncertain Future, edited by David Halle and Andrew A. Beveridge. New York: Oxford University Press, 2013. 590 pp. $34.95 paper. .May 2015

Other academic work

Other academic work
Article title Date published Publisher Notes
The Political Evolution of Two African Towns1968Indiana UniversityDoctoral dissertation
The New Daley machine: 1989 – 2004July 2004University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political ScienceCo-authored by Ola Adeoye, Daniel Bliss, Kevin Navratil, Rebecca Raines
Chicago City Council’s Newly Found Independence Chicago City Council Report May 7, 2003 – December 7, 2005January 15, 2006University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political Science and the Great Cities InstituteCo-authored by Elias Cepeda, Socrates Harisiadis, Sharmeen Hussain, Sumaira Hussain, Kevin Navratil, James Renzetti, Tom Sdralis
From Daley to Daley: Chicago Politics 1955 - 2006 Dick SimpsonMay 2006Great Cities InstituteWorking paper
Chicago's City Council's Increasing Independence: Chicago City Council Report May 7, 2003 – November 15, 2006December 27, 2006University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political ScienceCo-authored by Tom Kelly
The Independent Caucus: Breaking the Rubber Stamp Mold: Chicago City Council Report May 21, 2007 – May 13, 2008May 13, 2008University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political Science and Developing Government Accountability to the PeopleCo-authored by Tom Kelly and Pasquale Neri
Curing Corruption in Illinois: Anti-Corruption Report Number 1February 3, 2009University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political ScienceCo-authored by Thomas J. Gradel, Andris Zimelis with Kirsten Byers, and Chris Olson
The Depth of Corruption in Illinois: Anti-Corruption Report #2May 13, 2009University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political ScienceCo-authored by Thomas J. Gradel and Andris Zimelis with ith Kirsten Byers, David Michelberger, Chris Olson, and Nirav Sanghani
Cook County Wars Cook County Board of Commissioners Report February 23, 2007 – December 1, 2009December 15, 2009University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political ScienceCo-authored by Tom Kelly
Teaching Political Engagement2010American Political Science Association
Afterword: The Future of Sierra Leone2010Palgrave MacmillanAfterward of the book Sierra Leone Beyond the Lomé Peace Accord
Corruption in Cook County: Anti-Corruption Report #3February 18, 2010University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political Science and the Better Government AssociationCo-authored by Thomas J. Gradel and Tom Kelly with Kenneth Chow, Alexandra Kathryn Curatolo, Emily Gillot, David Michelberger, Marrell Stewart, and Andris Zimelis
Patronage, Cronyism and Criminality in Chicago Government Agencies: Anti-Corruption Report #4February 2011University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political ScienceCo-authored by Thomas J. Gradel with Erica Adams, Alex Jakubowich, Mark Lund, Inna Rubin, Cori Smith, Salwa Shameem, Paris Tsangaris, and Melissa Mouritsen Zmuda
The Last of the Daley Years Chicago City Council Voting Report #5 May 21, 2007 – January 13, 2011March 2011University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political ScienceCo-authored by Thomas J. Gradel, Tom Kelly, James Nell, Cori Smith, and Missy Mouritsen Zmuda
Chicago and Illinois, Leading the Pack in Corruption: Anti-Corruption Report #5February 15, 2012 University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political Science and the Illinois Integrity Initiative of the University of Illinois’ Institute for Government and Public AffairsCo-authored by Douglas Cantor, Thomas J. Gradel, Melissa Mouritsen, James Nowlan, and Zmuda David Sterrett
Green Grass and Graft: Corruption in the Suburbs: Anti-Corruption Report #6June 22, 2012University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political ScienceCo-authored by Thomas J. Gradel, David Sterrett, Melissa Mouritsen Zmuda with Doug Cantor, Emily Marr, Mike Ramirez, Ely Sarmiento, and Nick Yodelis
Crime, Corruption and Cover-ups in the Chicago Police Department: Anti-Corruption Report Number 7January 17, 2013University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political ScienceCo-authored by Thomas J. Gradel, John Hagedorn, Bart Kmiecik, David Sterrett, Melissa Mouritsen Zmuda with Tricia Chebat, Justin Escamilla, Dalibor Jurisic, Magdalena Waluszko, and Ivana Savic
Continuing The Rubber Stamp City Council: Chicago City Council Report #6 June 8, 2011 - February 13, 2013April 8, 2013University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political ScienceCo-authored by Melissa Mouritsen Zmuda
The Cook County Board in the Preckwinkle Era Cook County Board of Commissioners Report December 16, 2010 – April 16, 2014June 3, 2014University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political ScienceCo-authored by Thomas J. Gradel, Kelly McKevitt, and Melissa Mouritsen Zmuda
Rahm Emanuel’s Rubber Stamp City Council: Chicago City Council Report #7 June 8, 2011- November 15, 2014December 9, 2014University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political ScienceCo-authored by Beyza Buyuker and Melissa Mouritsen
Chicago, Still the Capital of Corruption: Anti-Corruption Report #8May 28, 2015University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political ScienceCo-authored by Thomas J. Gradel, John Johnson, and Melissa Mouritsen
2015: A Banner Year in Illinois Corruption: Anti-Corruption Report #9March 10, 2016University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political ScienceCo-authored by Thomas J. Gradel, Ion Nimerencu, and Leslie Price
A More Active City Council: Chicago City Council Report #8 June 17, 2015 – April 13, 2016May 23, 2016University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political ScienceCo-authored by Maria Estrada, Thomas J. Gradel, Ion Nimerencu, and Catie Sherman
DuPage County Board Voting Analysis December 14, 2014 – December 12, 2017February 28, 2017College of DuPage and University of Illinois at Chicago Departments of Political ScienceCo-authored by Thomas J. Gradel and Melissa Mouritsen with Sergio Bauza, Marissa Frank, Gabrielle Lassen, Jake Rouka, Sarlota Vitolyte and Jennifer Wade
Chicago’s Evolving City Council Chicago City Council Report #9 June 17, 2015 – March 29, 2017May 17, 2017University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political ScienceCo-authored by Thomas J. Gradel, Maureen Heffern, and Ponicki Allyson Nolde
The Cook County Board During President Preckwinkle’s Second Term Cook County Board of Commissioners Report December 2014 – December 2017January 25, 2018University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political ScienceCo-authored by Thomas J. Gradel and Zahra Keshwani
Continuing Corruption in Illinois: Anti-Corruption Report #10May 15, 2018University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political ScienceCo-authored by Thomas J. Gradel, Marco Rosaire Rossi, and Katherine Taylor
Chicago City Council and The Mayor: Big Questions on the Threshold to Change: Chicago City Council Report #10 April 19, 2017 – November 14, 2018December 12, 2018University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political ScienceCo-authored by Thomas J. Gradel and Marco Rosaire Rossi
Corruption in Chicago and Illinois: Anti-Corruption Report #11February 11, 2019University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political ScienceCo-authored by Thomas J. Gradel and Marco Rosaire Rossi
Chicago Still the Corruption Capital: Anti-Corruption Report #12February 17, 2020University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political ScienceCo-authored by Michael Dirksen, Thomas J. Gradel, and Marco Rosaire Rossi
From Rubber Stamp to a Divided City Council: Chicago City Council Report #11 June 12, 2019 – April 24, 2020April 28, 2020University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political ScienceCo-authored by Thomas J. Gradel and Marco Rosaire Rossi
More Blue More Female More Bipartisan: DuPage County Board Voting Analysis #2 December 13, 2016 – September 8, 2020October 23, 2020College of DuPage and University of Illinois Departments of Political SciencePrimary author was Melissa Mouritsen; co-authored with Simpson, Thomas J. Gradel, Leslie Price, Muhammad Abuarqoub, Abdi Ali, Mariano Ballines, Nick Beausoleil, Bilal Hannoun, Lum Haxhiu, Lina Househ, Julie Hughes, Jeffrey Knutson, Ryan Kuhlmann, Michael Kwasnik, Michael Magel, Daniel Nichols, William Parrilli, Carinne Risch, and Jaime Zavala
Corruption Spikes in Illinois: Anti-Corruption Report #13February 22, 2021University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political ScienceCo-authored by Thomas J. Gradel and Marco Rosaire Rossi
Emanuel and Lightfoot City Councils: Chicago City Council Report #12 June 12, 2019 – May 18, 2021May 18, 2021University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political ScienceCo-authored by Thomas J. Gradel and Marco Rosaire Rossi
Corruption Continues Through the Coivd-19 Pandemic: Anti-Corruption Report #14May 7, 2022University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political ScienceCo-authored by Thomas J. Gradel and Marco Rosaire Rossi
City Council Buries its Rubber Stamp: Chicago City Council Report #13 June 12, 2019 – March 23, 2022June 7, 2022University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Political ScienceCo-authored by Thomas J. Gradel and Marco Rosaire Rossi

Opinion and commentary articles

Opinion and commentary articles
Article title Date published Publication Notes
Don’t let digital campaign tools undermine democracyAugust 10, 2016Chicago Sun-TimesCo-authored by Betty O’Shaughnessy
Support for Trump will fade when people feel the pinchJanuary 24, 2017Chicago Sun-Times
The legacy of Harold Washington 30 years after his sudden deathNovember 24, 2017Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago voters, do you want change — or more of the same?March 18, 2018Chicago Tribune
Schock: Possibly illegal, probably unethical and definitely IllinoisSeptember 5, 2018Crain’s Chicago Business
Ald. Ed Burke corruption charge is a challenge to voters: Elect a better City CouncilJanuary 4, 2019Chicago Tribune
Is the Chicago machine 'dead, dead, dead'? Don't plan the funeral yet.May 31, 2019Chicago Tribune
Four big moments in politics coming to Chicago and Illinois in 2020December 30, 2019Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago’s still the nation’s corruption capital — and Blagojevich is the poster boyFebruary 27, 2020Chicago Sun-TimesCo-authored by Tom Gradel
Is that democracy in Chicago’s City Council? What a welcome change.April 28, 2020Chicago Tribune
Chicago’s next ward map can change a neighborhood’s fate. Let the people draw the lines.April 5, 2021Chicago TribuneCo-authored by Chris Kanich and Kathleen Yang-Clayton
Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the City Council — finally, a taste of democracy in ChicagoMay 19, 2021Chicago Tribune
Youth rally in the midterms to carry on the fight for democracyDecember 7, 2022Chicago Tribune
Youth rally in the midterms to carry on the fight for democracyDecember 7, 2022Chicago Tribune
It’s good for the city to 'Bring Chicago Home' and help those who are homelessFebruary 19, 2024Chicago Sun-Times

Other written work

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Caine . Paul . Dick Simpson on His Life as a Chicago Progressive . WTTW News . 2 June 2020 . en . 11 January 2018.
  2. Web site: Dick Simpson • Golden Alley Press . Golden Alley Press . 3 June 2020 . en.
  3. Web site: Simpson, Dick W. . pols.uic.edu . Political Science Department of the University of Illinois Chicago . 16 March 2023.
  4. Book: Cohen . Adam . Taylor . Elizabeth . American Pharaoh: Mayor Richard J. Daley - His Battle for Chicago and the Nation . 2001 . Little, Brown . 978-0-7595-2427-9 . 69, 309–311 . en.
  5. Web site: O'Donovan . Caroline . Why has Chicago had so many Democratic mayors? . WBEZ Chicago . 3 June 2020 . en . 2 October 2012.
  6. Web site: Galloway . Paul . Bill Singer: Political Maverickl Now Practicers Law of Clout . Chicago Tribune . 27 November 2022 . March 31, 1985.
  7. Rakove . Milton . Bill Singer ___ On the outs with the regular Democrats, he'll be heard from again By Milton Rakove . Illinois Issues . February 1978 . 19 . 27 November 2022.
  8. Web site: Kifner . John . Daley Maintains Council Control . The New York Times . 27 November 2022 . 28 February 1971.
  9. Web site: Davis . Robert . '70s Lakefront Liberal Becomes the Craftsman of Teacher Contract . Chicago Tribune . 27 November 2022 . July 31, 1981.
  10. Web site: Rossi . Marco Rosaire . Chicago's experiment in radical democracy . New Frame . 2 June 2020 . 23 January 2020.
  11. Web site: Dick Simpson biography. September 28, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090928000830/http://www.suntimes.com/news/simpson/bio-simpson.article. January 1, 2001. Chicago Sun-Times.
  12. Web site: Dick Simpson HuffPost . www.huffpost.com . HuffPost . 2 June 2020 . en.
  13. Web site: Brown . Mark . Brown: Are you still an outsider when insiders back you for Election Board? . Chicago Sun-Times . 2 June 2020 . en . 12 December 2015.
  14. Web site: Centennial List of Mayors, City Clerks, City Attorneys, City Treasurers, and Aldermen, elected by the people of the city of Chicago, from the incorporation of the city on March 4, 1837 to March 4, 1937, arranged in alphabetical order, showing the years during which each official held office. . December 24, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180904052355/http://chsmedia.org/media/fa/fa/LIB/AldermansList.htm . September 4, 2018 . dead .
  15. Web site: McLaughlin . Joseph . Cohen Has Democratic Backing in 46th Ward . Newspapers.com . Chicago Tribune . 8 March 2021 . en . subscription . 28 Jan 1971.
  16. Web site: Friedman Urged to Oppose Mayor Daley . Newspapers.com . Chicago Tribune . 8 March 2021 . en . subscription . 23 Nov 1970.
  17. Web site: Toolan . Sean . Independence is issue in 44th Ward . Newspapers.com . Chicago Tribune . 8 March 2021 . en . subscription . 29 Mar 1979.
  18. Web site: McLaughlin . Joseph . Schreiber . Edward . Race Won by Mrs. Langford . Newspapers.com . Chicago Tribune . 8 March 2021 . en . subscription . 25 February 1971.
  19. Web site: McClell . Edward . How Lakefront Liberals Became Milwaukee Avenue Progressives . Chicago magazine . 23 April 2020 . en . 22 November 2019.
  20. Web site: 'Voice of People' Is Main Issue in 44th Ward Aldermanic Race . Newspapers.com . Chicago Tribune . 8 March 2021 . en . subscription . 4 Feb 1971.
  21. Web site: Schreiber . Edward . Back Marsalek Wesley Pucinksi quits 44th Ward race . Newspapers.com . Chicago Tribune . 8 March 2021 . en . 6 Feb 1975.
  22. Web site: Joravsky . Ben . Rahm's nightmare: Dick Simpson is applying for Chicago's election board . Chicago Reader . 2 June 2020 . en . 11 December 2015.
  23. Web site: Collin . Dorothy . Simpson recalls day Daley blew up . Newspapers.com . Chicago Tribune . 8 March 2021 . en . 12 Apr 1979.
  24. Web site: Spielman . Fran . Former Richard J. Daley critic defends Lightfoot for keeping aldermen 'reasonably frightened' . Chicago Sun-Times . 2 June 2020 . en . 20 May 2019.
  25. Web site: Simpson, Bacon Back Friedman . Newspapers.com . Chicago Tribune . 11 March 2021 . en . 6 Mar 1971.
  26. Web site: Bogira . Steve . Oh, to have those fighting independents back . Chicago Reader . 3 June 2020 . en . 23 January 2012.
  27. Web site: Ervin . Michael . The Simpson Strategy . Chicago Reader . 3 June 2020 . en . 5 September 1991.
  28. Web site: Joravsky . Ben . Rahm's nightmare: Dick Simpson is applying for Chicago's election board . Chicago Reader . 17 March 2023 . 11 December 2015.
  29. Web site: Mehler . Neil . Davis . Robert . Bilandic chosen as mayor . Newspapers.com . Chicago Tribune . 11 March 2021 . en . 29 Dec 1976.
  30. Web site: The people who will give advice to Mayor Byrne . Newspapers.com . Chicago Tribune . 8 March 2021 . en . subscription . 5 Apr 1979.
  31. Web site: Hagan . Bob . City council passes anti-redlining law . Newspapers.com . News Journal (Chicago, Illinois) . 8 March 2021 . en . subscription . 2 Jul 1974.
  32. Web site: That taxi fare 'plot'... . Newspapers.com . Chicago Tribune . 8 March 2021 . en . subscription . 23 Nov 1977.
  33. Web site: Davis . Robert . City Council's probe of cab fare hike ends . Newspapers.com . Chicago Tribune . 8 March 2021 . en . subscription . 22 Apr 1978.
  34. Web site: City Hall report . Newspapers.com . News Journal (Chicago, Illinois) . 8 March 2021 . en . subscription . 24 Mar 1977.
  35. Anastaplo . George . Neighborhood Government in Chicago's 44th Ward . DePaul Law Review . Winter 1981 . 30 . 2 . 549 . 2 June 2020.
  36. News: Rakove . Milton . Bill Singer . 3 June 2020 . Illinois Issues . 19 . February 1978.
  37. Web site: Simpson, Dick W. Political Science University of Illinois at Chicago . pols.uic.edu . University of Illinois Chicago . 2 June 2020.
  38. Web site: Rockett . Darcel . Dick Simpson, a fixture in Chicago's political and academic spheres for more than 50 years, is retired and looking forward to life outside a UIC classroom. . Chicago Tribune . 29 November 2022 . September 23, 2022.
  39. Web site: Kapos . Shia . City Council getting a remake . Politico . 29 November 2022 . en . September 6, 2022.
  40. Web site: Blumberg . Nick . UIC Study: City Council Becoming Less of a 'Rubber Stamp' . WTTW News . 2 June 2020 . en . 31 May 2016.
  41. Web site: Cherone . Heather . Chicago Ranks No. 1 — Again — In Corruption: Report . WTTW News . 11 March 2021 . en . 23 February 2021.
  42. Web site: Blagojevich praises, endorses Trump as justice reformer . Star Tribune . Associated Press . 2 June 2020 . 19 February 2020.
  43. Web site: Is the Machine Dead? The Future of Chicago Politics . www.nprillinois.org . NRP Illinois . 2 June 2020 . en . 19 June 2019.
  44. Web site: Rockett . Darcel . Dick Simpson, a fixture in Chicago's political and academic spheres for more than 50 years, is retired and looking forward to life outside a UIC classroom. . Chicago Tribune . 7 March 2024 . 23 September 2022.
  45. Web site: Horist . L. P. . Open season on presidents . Newspapers.com . Chicago Tribune . 8 March 2021 . en . subscription . 9 Dec 1981.
  46. Web site: Karwath . Rob . REP. BOWMAN SAYS HE'LL RUN FOR STATE COMPTROLLER . Chicago Tribune . 3 June 2020 . 24 March 1989.
  47. News: Galvan . Manuel . Dick Simpson takes on Rostenkowski in new 5th Congressional District . 2 June 2020 . 25 . Illinois Issues . February 1992.
  48. Web site: Reshaped political district puts Rostenkowski on campaign trail . Newspapers.com . Chicago Tribune . 8 March 2021 . en . subscription . 16 January 1992.
  49. Web site: Hardy . Thomas . Big field helps Rosenkowski . Newspapers.com . Chicago Tribune . 8 March 2021 . en . subscription . 18 January 1994.
  50. News: Walsh . Edward . ROSTENKOWSKI TRIUMPHS EASILY . Washington Post . 2 June 2020 . 16 March 1994.
  51. Web site: Rostenkowski foe is back . Newspapers.com . Chicago Tribune . 11 March 2021 . en . 19 Feb 1993.
  52. Web site: Gratteau . Hanke . TRUTH GETTING LOST IN PRIMARY BATTLE AS CULLERTON, FOES SPIN THEIR YARNS . chicagotribune.com . Chicago Tribune . 2 June 2020 . 11 March 1994.
  53. Web site: Hardy . Thomas . Rostenkowski leads, but Cullerton keeps pace . Newspapers.com . Chicago Tribune . 8 March 2021 . en . subscription . 7 Mar 1994.
  54. Web site: Hardy . Chrystal Caruthers and Thomas . ABORTION-RIGHTS GROUPS, SIMPSON SINGLE OUT ROSTENKOWSKI'S VOTE . chicagotribune.com . Chicago Tribune . 2 June 2020 . 7 July 1993.
  55. Web site: Former Alderman Dick Simpson Applying for Board of Elections Commissioner . NBC Chicago . 2 June 2020 . 11 December 2015.
  56. Web site: Chief Judge Evans announces new election commissioner . Circuit Court of Cook County . 2 June 2020 . UK . 4 January 2016.
  57. Web site: McClell . Edward . What the 2020 Dems Can Learn From Chicago . Chicago magazine . 2 June 2020 . en . 27 June 2019.
  58. Web site: Spielman . Fran . With Dick Simpson at her side, Lightfoot proposes ethics reforms . Chicago Sun-Times . 3 June 2020 . en . 21 August 2018.
  59. Web site: Black . Curtis . Is Lori Lightfoot really the progressive candidate? . Chicago Reader . 4 June 2020 . en . 17 January 2019.
  60. Web site: Mayoral election in Chicago, Illinois (2019) . Ballotpedia . 11 March 2021 . en.
  61. Web site: Spielman . Fran . Rubber stamp no more? City Council sheds reputation under Lightfoot, new report shows . Chicago Sun-Times . 30 January 2023 . en . 7 June 2022.
  62. Web site: Laurence . Justin . The City's Ward Boundaries Are Decided By A Few Powerful Aldermen. What If Maps Were Drawn 'For Chicagoans, By Chicagoans' Instead? . Block Club Chicago . 9 August 2021 . en . 10 March 2021.
  63. Web site: Simpson . Dick W. . Google Books . Who Rules?: Introduction to the Study of Politics . Swallow Press . 29 November 2022 . en . 1971.
  64. Book: Simpson . Dick W. . Winning Elections: A Handbook in Participatory Politics . 1981 . Swallow Press . 978-0-8040-0365-0 . 2 June 2020 . en.
  65. Web site: Winning Elections: A Handbook in Participatory Politics. Signed by Dick W. Simpson by Dick W. Simpson on Kurt Gippert Bookseller . Kurt Gippert Bookseller . 2 June 2020.
  66. Book: Simpson . Dick . Beam . George . Strategies for Change: How to Make the American political Dream Work . 1975 . Swallow Press . 0804006962 . 1st.
  67. Anastaplo . George . Neighborhood Government in Chicago's 44th Ward . DePaul Law Review . Winter 1981 . 30 . 2 . 16 March 2023.
  68. Book: Simpson . Dick . Beam . George . Political Action: Key To Understanding Politics . 1 February 1984 . Swallow Press . 978-0804008358.
  69. Book: Simpson . Dick . The Politics of Compassion and Transformation And Transformation . 1 August 1988 . Swallow Press . 978-0804009034.
  70. Book: Simpson . Dick . Chicago's Future in a Time of Change . 1993 . Stipes Pub. Co . 0875634419 . 1993.
  71. Book: Simpson . Dick . Rogues, Rebels, And Rubber Stamps: The Politics of the Chicago City Council from 1863 to the present . 2001 . Westview Press . 978-0813397634 .
  72. Book: Simpson . Dick . Inside Urban Politics: Voices from America's Cities and Suburbs . 13 December 2003 . Pearson/Longman . 978-0321095671 . 1st.
  73. Book: Simpson . Dick . Nowlan . James Dunlap . O'Shaughnessy . Betty . The Struggle for Power and Influence in Cities and States . 2011 . Longman . 978-0-321-10518-9 . 2 June 2020 . en.
  74. Book: Simpson . Dick . Judd . Dennis R. . The City, Revisited: Urban Theory from Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York . 2011 . University of Minnesota Press . 10.5749/j.cttts735 . 978-0-8166-6575-4 . NED - Newition .
  75. Book: Simpson . Dick . Twenty-First Century Chicago . 1 July 2012 . Cognella Academic Publishing . 978-1609277673.
  76. Book: Local Politics and Mayoral Elections in 21st Century America: The Keys to City Hall . 9781317578932 . Foreman . Sean D. . Godwin . Marcia L. . 20 November 2014 . Routledge .
  77. Book: Gradel . Thomas J. . Simpson . Dick . Corrupt Illinois: Patronage, Cronyism, and Criminality . 2015 . University of Illinois Press . 10.5406/j.ctt13x1m17 . 978-0-252-07855-2 .
  78. Book: Simpson . Dick . Gradel . Thomas . Potter . Jackson . Kalven . Jamie . Jamie Kalven . Baiman . Ron . Denk . Hilary . Enyia . Amara . Peck . Jonathan . Chicago is Not Broke: Funding the City We Deserve . 2016 . Tom Tresser and CivicLab . 978-1-365-10977-5 . 2 June 2020.
  79. Book: Simpson . Dick . O’Shaughnessy . Betty . Winning Elections in the 21st Century . 2016 . University Press of Kansas . j.ctt1bpm9p3 . 978-0-7006-2276-4 .
  80. Book: Simpson . Dick . Teaching Civic Engagement Across the Disciplines . 1 September 2017 . American Political Science Association . 978-1878147561.
  81. Web site: Dick Simpson • Golden Alley Press . Golden Alley Press . 29 November 2022 . en.
  82. Web site: Simpson, Dick W. Political Science University of Illinois Chicago . pols.uic.edu . University of Illinois at Chicago . 29 November 2022.
  83. Book: The Good Fight: Life Lessons from a Chicago Progressive . 978-0998442945 . Simpson . Dick . 19 October 2017 . Golden Alley Press .
  84. Web site: Simpson . Dick . UI Press Dick Simpson Democracy's Rebirth . www.press.uillinois.edu . University of Illinois Press . 29 November 2022 . en.
  85. Web site: Chicago's Modern Mayors . www.press.uillinois.edu . University of Illinois Press . 7 March 2024 . en.
  86. Web site: Is the Machine Dead? The Future of Chicago Politics . www.nprillinois.org . NPR Illinois . 11 March 2021 . en.
  87. Web site: SIU's Paul Simon Institute to host Chicago political expert, author Dick Simpson . SIU News . 7 March 2024.
  88. . Simpson . Dick . The future of Chicago: a blueprint for political change . Focus/Midwest . 11 . 73 . 16–22 .