Chicago City Wire

Rep. Sean Casten (D-Illinois) had a choice to make.

He chose to remain silent despite an outrageous social media post from a fellow Democrat. Republican Chris Robling, who has seen a lot of Illinois politicians in action, said what the freshman congressman didn’t do or say speaks volumes.

Hadiya Afzal, a Democratic Party nominee for the DuPage County Board District 4 seat, scuttled her campaign with a single Facebook post on July 26. She said a video of a law enforcement officer in Portland being hit in the face with a projectile during a riot was hilarious to her.

Chris Robling | File Photo

“I’ve been watching this on repeat for 15 minutes and laughing every single time,” Afzal posted.

The reaction was swift. While Afzal originally claimed her words had been “taken out of context,” she soon apologized and left the race.

"As a young activist, I made the decision to run for office in DuPage County Board District 4 to bring progressive policy changes for the community I grew up in and care deeply for," she wrote. "Early Sunday morning, I posted a personal Tweet regarding the protests in Portland, Oregon. My post was in poor taste and doesn't reflect the values I was raised with and hold dear. I do not support or condone violence in any form. I appreciate and support the role that law enforcement plays in keeping our communities safe."

While several Democrats denounced the post, Casten was silent. That comes as no surprise to Robling, a longtime Republican Party activist who has often commented on Illinois politics.

“Sean Casten cannot bring himself to denounce violence or corruption,” Robling said. “No wonder he is a Democrat.”

He alleges the 6th District congressman is following the lead of others on the left fringe of the Democratic Party who are pulling their party into support for outrageous behavior this spring and summer.

“The lawlessness and violence of Democrat-backed groups like Antifa and BLM, in Portland and elsewhere, make Casten’s silence a somber statement of support for whatever the Left demands,” Robling said.

This is not the first time Casten has gone silent when harsh comments were made by people on his side of the political debate.

In 2019, DuPage Policy Journal asked him for a response on Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin’s statement that the Republican Party should be “burned down with no survivors.”

“What we should be doing is shunning these people,” Rubin said of Republicans on MSNBC’s “AM Joy.”  “Shunning, shaming these people is a statement of moral indignation that these people are not fit for polite society."

Casten’s office declined to offer a response.

The reporter also asked Casten his thoughts on Antifa, Black Lives Matter and other far-left groups and their use of harsh language and, at times, violence. Casten did not comment.

Robling said the congressman is clearly in thrall to the left.

He is the founding principal of Clearspan Strategic LLC, where he uses his expertise and experience in many fields to assist clients.

The company website describes Robling as a noted industry adviser who has worked in “regulatory, finance, media, public and government relations contexts. Experience in infrastructure, agriculture, water, real estate, pharmaceuticals, petroleum, cybersecurity, education, finance, among others.

He is a graduate of Georgetown University and the Northwestern University Law School.