Wikipedia

Sean M. Morrison

Sean M. Morrison is an American politician currently serving as Cook County commissioner from the 17th district and the chair of the Cook County Republican Party.

Sean Morrison
Morrison in 2015
Chair of the Cook County Republican Party
Incumbent
Assumed office
April 14, 2016
Preceded byAaron Del Mar
Member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners
from the 17th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
July 26, 2015
Preceded byLiz Gorman
Personal details
Political partyRepublican
SpouseLora
Children2
EducationMoraine Valley Community College

Early life and education

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Morrison was born in 1967 or 1968.[1]

Morrison attended Moraine Valley Community College, a two-year college, majoring in business and accounting.[2][3][4]

Private-sector career

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Early career

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Morrison began working in the security industry in 1986, working as a district loss prevention manager for seven years.[5][2]

Morrison Security

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Morrison is the CEO and founder of Morrison Security (the full corporate name of the company being "Morrison Security Corporation, Morrison Security Group & Morrison Investigations Inc.")[5] Morrison founded the company in 1993, starting as an owner and partner.[5][2] He held the positions of president, director of operations, and vice president of operations.[5] In 1999, he became the sole proprietor of the company.[5][2]

Morrison has claimed that Morrison Security has in excess of 800 employees and subcontractor employees.[6]

Morrison has served on the boards of a number of security organizations.[4] He has been a member of the American Society of Industrial Security, Illinois Security Chiefs Association, and the Associated Detectives of Illinois.[4]

Morrison's business partner Richard Peters founded Associated Construction Management as a sister firm to the Morrison Security.[7]

In August 2013, Anthony Martin, a top executive of the company was arrested by Orland Park police officers under the charges of "solicitation to meet a child", for having attempted to solicit sex from a minor via text messages. Despite this, Morrison allowed Martin to remain on the job, managing 450 employees.[6] In 2014, Morrison wrote a letter to a Circuit Court of Cook County judge John J. Hynes, arguing that Martin should be allowed to work out of state despite being a defendant in a pending criminal case. He argued that Morrison, a decade-long employee of the company, was, "instrumental in running" the company.[6] Nineteen after Morrison wrote the letter to the judge, on a business trip to Colorado, Martin was arrested for using the internet to again attempt to solicit sex from an underage girl, being caught in a sting operation in which the Jefferson County District Attorney's office had an investigator pose online as a 14-year-old girl.[6] After this second arrest, Morrison fired Martin.[6] Martin ultimately pleaded guilty in Colorado, being given a six-year suspended sentence before being transferred to Illinois, where he was sentenced for his initial crime to a three-year prison sentence.[6] In June 2018, the Chicago Sun-Times published a story on all of this.[6]

Sean Morrison Entertainment

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Morrison ran an entertainment company called Sean Morrison Entertainment.[8] It was an Illinois limited liability company.[9] The company was involved in the production of the Ultimate Women Challenge, with Morrison financing it.[9][10][11][12]

Nonprofit work

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In 2009, Morrison co-founded and funded "Operation Restoring Innocence", a 501(c)(3) organization which focuses on rescuing and recovering exploited and missing children.[5] Morrison received the LEADS "Humanitarian of the Year Award" in 2011 for his work.[5]

Political career

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In 2007, he was nominated to serve as an Illinois delegate at the House Republican Trust Candidate's Convention.[3]

In In 2010 and 2012, Morrison ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for the Cook County Board of Review's 1st district, losing both times to Dan Patlak.

On October 14, 2015, Morrison was announced as an Illinois state co-chair of John Kasich's presidential campaign.[13]

Cook County Commissioner

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On July 22, 2015, Morrison was appointed to finish the unexpired term of Elizabeth Ann Doody Gorman, who had resigned as Cook County commissioner from the 17th district in order to accept a private sector job.[2]

In April 2016, Morrison secured a grant of naloxone to supply for the Cook County police departments.[14][15]

In October 2016, Morrison and all three other Republican members of the Cook County Board of Commissioners voted against a paid sick leave mandate which the Cook County Board of Commissions passed, all arguing that the county lacked the home rule authority to enforce employment or labor mandates. After its passage, Morrison denounced it, proclaiming, "this is illegal."[16]

Morrison opposed the sweetened beverage tax passed by the Cook County Board of Commissioners on November 10, 2016.[17][18] Morrison would lead a successful effort to repeal it in October 2017.[19][20]

In 2018, Morrison was elected outright to a full term by a narrow 1.14% margin over Democrat Abdelnasser Rashid.[21]

Morrison has been a strong supporter of charter schools, but has received some scrutiny for his support of ones that have been regarded as failing.[22]

Morrison introduced a proclamation that would honor April as "Arab American Heritage Month". It passed unanimously at the Cook County Board of Commissioners' March 20, 2019 meeting.[23]

In 2019, when a bill that would have seen the Board of Commissioners urge the Illinois General Assembly to pass HB2495 (The Reproductive Health Act), Morrison voiced his "pro-life" stance.[24]

In 2019, Morrison cast the lone vote against the 2020 Cook County budget.[25]

In 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Morrison co-sponsored legislation by Scott R. Britton which would enable the county to share the addresses of individual that had tested positive for COVID-19 with police and fire chiefs in the county's various jurisdictions.[26]

In 2022, Morrison's predecessor, Liz Gorman, announced her intention to challenge Morrison in the 2022 Republican primary.[27] Morrison defeated Gorman in the primary.[28] Morrison won reelection narrowly in the general election.[29] With his 2.58% margin of victory, Morrison was the only Republican nominee to win any of Cook County's partisan races in the county's 2022 election.[30]

Republican party leadership roles

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Morrison serves as committeeperson for the Palos Township, thereby chairing the Palos Township Republican Organization.[31] He has served in this position since January 19, 2012, having been appointed by Cook County Republican Party chairman Sig Vaznelis to hold the committeeperson position formerly occupied by Lee Roupas.[32][3][33] He was reelected to the position in 2014 and 2018.

Morrison serves as Republican state central committeeman for Illinois's 3rd congressional district.[34]

On July 24, 2013, Morrison was appointed by Cook County Republican Party chairman Aaron Del Mar as Cook County Republican Party deputy chairman, a position he would continue to hold until being elected chairman himself in April 2016.[4][35]

Chairmanship of the Cook County Republican Party

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On April 14, 2016, Morrison was elected by his fellow Cook County Republican committeemen to serve as chairman of the Cook County Republican Party. His predecessor, Aaron Del Mar, opted not to seek reelection to the position, and had given his support for Morrison, who had been his deputy chairman, to be made his successor.[35] He was reelected in April 2018 and April 2020.[36][37]

In September 2017, Morrison criticized Republican Illinois governor Bruce Rauner for signing HB 40, which removed a provision that excluded abortions, induced miscarriages, and premature births from the list of services provided under the State's medical assistance program.[38][39]

In 2018, Morrison urged Republicans not to vote for Arthur J. Jones, a neo-Nazi that received the Republican nomination for Illinois' 3rd congressional district after running unopposed in the Republican primary. He urged Republicans to instead abstain from voting in the congressional race.[40] As the election neared, Morrison announced he and Illinois Republican Party chairman Tim Schneider would record a robocall urging people against voting for Jones.[41]

Morrison got into conflicts with Chicago Republican Party president Chris Cleveland, who would ultimately resign as Chicago Republican Party chairman in late-2019.[42][43] Morrison attracted criticism from Cleveland for not appointing individuals to fill vacancies for several Chicago ward committeepeople positions.[42] In January 2018, Chicago Republican Party chairman Chris Cleveland attempted to appoint "acting" committeepeople, drawing a harsh rebuke from Morrison who accused Cleveland of attempting to "usurp the statutory authority" of the Cook County Republican Party.[42][44] Also in January 2018, Morrison criticized Cleveland for having endorsed Jeanne Ives, the primary election challenger to incumbent Republican governor Bruce Rauner in the 2018 Illinois gubernatorial election.[42]

After Bruce Rauner shared revelations that he had considered abandoning his candidacy for reelection as governor following his underperformance in the 2018 Republican gubernatorial primary, Morrison criticized Rauner as having abandoned his campaign and the party. He also criticized Rauner for failing to expand mail-in voting and early voting, as he had promised, steps that may have boosted Republican turnout in the 2018 election.[45]

Under Morrison, the Cook County Republican Party filed a lawsuit in August 2020 to block the state's new laws surrounding mail-in voting, which aimed to increase access to mail-in voting amid the COVID-19 pandemic.[46][47][48]

In the aftermath of the 2021 United States Capitol attack, Morrison released a statement which condemned the "disgraceful and lawless behavior", and which also compared it to the George Floyd protests,[49] a comparison that other Republicans also made, and a comparison that critics have argued draws a false equivalence.[50][51][52]

Personal life

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Morrison lives in Palos Park, Illinois with his wife Lora, who is a registered nurse.[2] He and his wife have two daughters.[2]

Awards

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In 2005, he received the Ronald Reagan Republican Gold Medal.[53]

Morrison received the LEADS "Humanitarian of the Year Award" in 2011 for his work with Operation Restoring Innocence.[5]

For his work to repeal the county's "soda tax", Morrison was one of twenty-three 2018 recipients the Tax Foundation's "Outstanding Achievement in State Tax Reform" award.[54]

Electoral history

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Cook County Board of Review

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2010 Cook County Board of Review 1st district Republican primary[55]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Patlak 48,218 52.51
Republican Sean M. Morrison 43,600 47.49
Total votes 91,818 100
2012 Cook County Board of Review 1st district Republican primary[56]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Patlak (incumbent) 59,778 53.68
Republican Sean M. Morrison 51,577 46.32
Total votes 111,355 100

Cook County Board of Commissioners

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2018 Cook County Board of Commissioners 17th district Republican primary[57]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Sean M. Morrison (incumbent) 16,189 100
Total votes 16,189 100
2018 Cook County Board of Commissioners 17th district election[58]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Sean M. Morrison (incumbent) 61,572 50.57
Democratic Abdelnasser Rashid 60,195 49.43
Total votes 88,590 100
2022 Cook County Board of Commissioners 17th district Democratic primary[59]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Sean M. Morrison (incumbent) 11,615 57.05
Republican Elizabeth "Liz" Doody Gorman 8,745 42.95
Total votes 20,360 100.0
2022 Cook County Board of Commissioners 17th district election[30]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Sean M. Morrison (incumbent) 55,426 51.29
Democratic Daniel T. Calandriello 52,638 48.71
Total votes 108,064 100

Palos Township Republican Committeeman

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2014 Palos Township Republican committeeperson[60]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Sean M. Morrison (incumbent) 3,318 100
Total votes 3,318 100
2018 Palos Township Republican committeeperson[61]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Sean M. Morrison (incumbent) 2,623 100
Total votes 2,623 100
2022 Palos Township Republican committeeperson[59]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Sean M. Morrison (incumbent) 2,885 100
Total votes 2,885 100

References

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  1. ^ "NewsSean Morrison Named GOP Committeeman for Palos Township". www.seanmorrisongop.com. 19 January 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "About Sean". Elect Sean Morrison. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  3. ^ a b c "Sean M. Morrison -- Cook County Board Of Review, 1st District Commissioner -- Chicago Tribune editorial board questionnaire". primaries2012.elections.chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d "Cook GOP Chairman Del Mar Announces New Appointments". Cook County Republican Party. 24 July 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h "About Us". Morrison Security. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Brown, Mark (18 June 2018). "County pol defends vouching for employee charged in child sex case". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  7. ^ Poretus, Liza (29 June 2005). "FOXNews.com - Iraq's New War Zone: American vs. American - U.S. & World". Fox News. Fox News. Archived from the original on 23 May 2007.
  8. ^ "The Real Sean Morrison". Chicago Now. 18 February 2012. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  9. ^ a b "Case: 1:11-cv-02462 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS, EASTERN DIVISION SEAN MORRISON ENTERTAINMENT LLC, an Illinois Corporation, Plaintiffs, v. O'FLAHERTY HEIM EGAN & BIRNBAUM, Ltd. A Wisconsin Corporation, NICHOLAS D. THOMPSON, ) HEATHER CLARK, ANGELA HAYES, BARB HONCHAK, ANGELA MAGANA, MICHELLE OULD, PATRICIA VIDONIC, and KAITLAN YOUNG , Defendants. No. MISAPPROPRIATION OF TRADE SECRETS, AND TORTIOUS INTERFERENCE WITH PROSPECTIVE ECONOMIC ADVANTAGE JURY DEMANDED" (PDF). tsi.brooklaw.edu. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  10. ^ Jungen, Anne (19 April 2011). "La Crosse lawyer, firm sued for $2M in reality show case". La Crosse Tribune. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  11. ^ "ULTIMATE WOMEN CHALLENGE - Sean Morrison Entertainment, LLC Trademark Registration". USPTO.report. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  12. ^ Gardner, Eriq (14 April 2011). "Reality TV contestants sued for revealing outcome". Reuters (in Portuguese). Retrieved 16 November 2020.[dead link‍]
  13. ^ "Organization of Kasich for America - Staff, Advisors and Supporters". www.p2016.org. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  14. ^ "Commissioner Morrison announces grant program to provide local law enforcement with life-saving auto injector pens for heroin overdoses". Cook County Republican Party. 5 April 2016. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  15. ^ "Commissioner Morrison announces grant program to provide local law enforcement with life-saving auto injector pens for heroin overdoses". seanmorrison.com. Sean Morrison, Cook County Commissioner. 5 April 2016. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  16. ^ Quig, A.D. (6 October 2016). "Cook County Board Wrap: Paid Sick Leave Passes Despite Division, $13 Minimum Wage Introduced". thedailyline.net. The Daily Line. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  17. ^ "Sean M. Morrison: Why the Sun-Times endorses him for Cook County Board". Chicago Sun-Times. 14 October 2018. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  18. ^ "Massive beverage tax hurts Cook County residents". Cook County Republican Party. 11 November 2016.
  19. ^ Hanania, Ray (11 October 2017). "Soda pop war sends shockwaves through Cook County". Suburban Chicagoland. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  20. ^ Schulte, Sarah (7 October 2017). "Deal reached to repeal Cook County sweetened beverage tax, commissioner says". ABC7 Chicago. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  21. ^ "Cook County and The City of Chicago General Election November 6, 2018 Combined Summary" (PDF). Cook County Clerk's Office. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  22. ^ Minnis, Glenn (23 March 2020). "Sean Morrison stands behind charter schools--including failing Chicago Virtual". South Cook News. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  23. ^ "April proclaimed Arab American Heritage month by Cook County Board". Suburban Chicagoland. 24 March 2019. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  24. ^ "Cook Co Commissioner Sean Morrison leads effort to stop abortion resolution". Illinois Review. 10 June 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  25. ^ "Commissioner Sean Morrison opposes new 2020 budget for Cook County". Suburban Chicagoland. 22 November 2019. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  26. ^ Uphues, Bob (28 April 2020). "County board delays action on sharing COVID-19 info". www.rblandmark.com. Riverside-Brookfield Landmark. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  27. ^ Slowik, Ted (January 18, 2022). "Gorman takes on Morrison in GOP primary; third Democrat seeks Sims' county board seat". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  28. ^ "Sean Morrison (Illinois)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  29. ^ "Last Republican standing wins County Board race, but control of former GOP seat still undecided". Chicago Sun-Times. 9 November 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  30. ^ a b "Tabulated Statement of the Returns and Proclamation of the Results of the Canvass of the Election Returns for the November 8, 2022 Gubernatorial General Election Held in Each of the Precincts in Cook County, Illinois Including the City of Chicago" (PDF). www.cookcountyclerkil.gov. Cook County Clerk. 2022. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  31. ^ "Township Committeemen". Cook County Republican Party. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  32. ^ "Palos GOP's Morrison elected and sworn in to succeed Orland's Gorman on Cook County Board". Sean Morrison, Cook County Commissioner. 23 July 2015.
  33. ^ "Sean Morrison Named GOP Committeeman for Palos Township". 20 January 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  34. ^ "Cook County GOP Chairman and IL-03 State Central Committeeman Sean Morrison Issues Statement on Engaging Republican Voters In IL-03". ILGOP. 9 February 2018. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  35. ^ a b "Sean Morrison Elected Chairman of the Cook County Republican Party". Cook County Republican Party. 14 April 2016. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  36. ^ "Sean Morrison Unanimously Re-elected Chairman of Cook County Republican Party". Cook County Republican Party. 19 April 2018. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  37. ^ "Cook County GOP Chairman Sean Morrison Unanimously Re-elected at County Convention". Cook County Republican Party. 16 April 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  38. ^ "Chairman Morrison's Statement on the Signing of HB 40". Cook County Republican Party. 29 September 2017. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  39. ^ "Illinois General Assembly - Bill Status for HB0040". www.ilga.gov. Illinois General Assembly. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  40. ^ Slowik, Ted (7 July 2018). "Slowik: When the Illinois GOP says 'Don't vote for the Nazi' instead of 'Vote for the Democrat'". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  41. ^ Sfondeles, Tina (4 March 2020). "Illinois GOP targets Holocaust denier Arthur Jones with 'Say No To The Nazi' ads". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  42. ^ a b c d "Cook County GOP chairman slams Chicago GOP for endorsing Ives over Rauner". Illinois Review. 12 January 2018. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  43. ^ Hinz, Greg (30 September 2019). "Chicago's GOP boss is calling it quits". Crain's Chicago Business. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  44. ^ "Cook County GOP Chairman calls out illegitimate actions by Chicago GOP Club leaders". Suburban Chicagoland. 12 January 2018. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  45. ^ Hanania, Ray orri (14 December 2018). "Sean Morrison slams Governor Rauner for abandoning GOP". Suburban Chicagoland. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  46. ^ Pearson, Rick. "Cook County GOP sues to block state's enhanced vote-by-mail efforts" (10 August 2020). chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  47. ^ Hudson, Wendell (10 August 2020). "Lawsuit aims to stop expansion of mail-in voting". Crain's Chicago Business. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  48. ^ Tareen, Sophia (10 August 2020). "Lawsuit: Illinois expanded mail voting is partisan 'scheme'". AP NEWS. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  49. ^ Slowik, Ted (8 January 2021). "Column: Cook County GOP leader condemns 'lawless behavior' at Capitol, urges Republicans to focus on ideals". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  50. ^ Brantley-Jones, Kiara (16 January 2021). "False equivalency between Black Lives Matter and Capitol siege: Experts, advocates". ABC News. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  51. ^ Bump, Philip (15 January 2021). "Analysis | The false comparison between last summer's protests and what happened at the Capitol". Washington Post. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  52. ^ Watson, Julie (14 January 201). "Comparison between Capitol siege, BLM protests is denounced". Associated Press. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  53. ^ Eaton, Fran (19 January 2010). "Board of Review race becomes battle between Cook's North and South". Illinois Review. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  54. ^ Hanania, Ray (1 November 2018). "Sean Morrison recognized by national Tax Foundation for fighting tax hikes". Suburban Chicagoland. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  55. ^ "Combined Summary Report - Primary Election Cook County Primary February 2, 2010" (PDF). Cook County Clerk's Office. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  56. ^ "Combined Summary Cook County Primary Election March 20, 2012" (PDF). Cook County Clerk's Office. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  57. ^ "Cook County and The City of Chicago Primary Election March 20, 2018 Combined Summary" (PDF). Cook County Clerk's Office. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  58. ^ "Cook County and The City of Chicago General Election November 6, 2018 Combined Summary" (PDF). Cook County Clerk's Office. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  59. ^ a b "Cook County & City of Chicago Primary Election June 28, 2022 Combined Summary" (PDF). Cook County Clerk. 2022.
  60. ^ "POST-ELECTION REPORT Inside the Numbers: Gubernatorial Primary Election Suburban Cook County March 18, 2014" (PDF). Cook County Clerk. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  61. ^ "March 20, 2018 Gubernatorial Primary Election 2018 Post Election Report" (PDF). Cook County Clerk. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
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