Lectures about party loyalty are especially hypocritical coming from a guy like Berrios who twice jumped party lines, crossing over to the Republican side to support former Govs. Jim Edgar and George Ryan. Was it principle that made him abandon his party’s nominees, as it is in the case of those supporting Claypool? Sorry, no principles involved. He got some patronage jobs — and he was not the only Democratic committeeman to cut similar deals.
Compare this to when David Hoffman attacked SEIU. SEIU wasn’t accused of any wrongdoing, yet Hoffman decided to attack a reliable progressive ally as corrupt when there was no evidence of such. Hoffman was attacking SEIU on a false premise.
Rose sums up the underlying problem with Berrios:
This year’s assessor’s race is comparable to that dramatic year — a battle for the soul of the local Democratic Party, if it can be said to have one. If those who cross over for Claypool help him win, the Democratic Party will ultimately be better off without Berrios, whose venal conflicts of interest reflect the very worst aspects of the machine.
That would be real party loyalty.