* Bruce Rauner has been paying most of his campaign staff through a payroll service named Paylocity. Illinois Review took a look…
In the last quarter of 2013, Rauner’s campaign wrote checks for over $184,000 to Paylocity, effectively hiding the names and remuneration of his staff and consultants.
The only hint of staff expenses in the most recent Rauner filings are in the form of travel reimbursements to campaign director Chip Englander and staffer Kelley Folino. The report also shows $10,000 paid to Blue Cross Blue Shield for campaign staff health insurance.
The Illinois State Board of Elections told Illinois Review they’d not been asked about this before, and thought it may warrant further investigation. The practice is illegal on the federal level according to FEC rules.
Rauner had no comment when queried about the practice. However, Dillard campaign manager Glenn Hodas told IR, “This is just another case where Rauner needs to come clean with GOP voters. You can’t bend the rules just because you don’t like them. The question is … what is Bruce trying to hide?”
The Democratic Party of Evanston also used Paylocity as recently as a year ago.
But this is an odd, and possibly illegal way of doing business.
* Steve Shearer, who has formed a PAC to go negative on Rauner in the GOP primary, sent out this statement…
Candidates just can’t do what Rauner did. If you have a campaign credit card from Visa and charge a bunch of different expenses on it, you can’t just list a payment to “Visa” for the amount and not list a full description of each charge. Rauner is hiding things. Rauner has to play by the same rules as everyone else on campaign finance transparency.
Maybe Rauner and his campaign are too used to operating a C4 where all contributions and expenditures are anonymous. Running a campaign for Governor does not allow a candidate to be able to decide what to make public about campaign finances and what to hide.
Rauner had people on his payroll in January 2013 when he didn’t form his committee with the SBE until March 2013. If those staffers salaries and consulting fees were reported as they should have been back then, the caps would have been blown last winter instead of this past fall. Up until fall, Rauner carefully declared that he only gave his campaign $249,000, avoiding the $250,000 threshold that would blow the caps.
This is deliberate obfuscation from a candidate portraying himself as a reformer and the opposite of business as usual. Well, it is the opposite of business as usual because no one before has been so corrupt as Rauner to actually hide who his campaign is paying, how much and when. It is the opposite of transparency and reform. It is corrupt.
*** UPDATE 1 *** This is a clear violation of the statute…
10 ILCS 5/9-11) (from Ch. 46, par. 9-11)
Sec. 9-11. Financial reports.
(a) Each quarterly report of campaign contributions, expenditures, and independent expenditures under Section 9-10 shall disclose the following: […]
(13) the full name and mailing address of each person to whom an expenditure for personal services, salaries, and reimbursed expenses in excess of $150 has been made and that is not otherwise reported, including the amount, date, and purpose of the expenditure
*** UPDATE 2 *** State treasurer candidate Mike Frerichs appears to be doing the same thing. Naughty, naughty.
* Related…
* ADDED: Rauner now says he will be part of public broadcasting/League of Women voters debate next Thursday in Peoria
* IL GOP warns Quinn to keep Democratic Governors Assoc. out of GOP primary
* Decatur Herald & Review editorial: THUMBS DOWN! To Republican candidates for governor, who seem to be intent on making a controversy out of something they’ve all done in some manner. Candidate Bruce Rauner is being criticized for exerting pressure to get his daughter into a high-profile Chicago public high school. Rauner is firing back that several of the other candidates were involved in seeking admission help for students trying to get into the University of Illinois. As despicable as it is, influence peddling is a way of life in Illinois politics. We’re reminded of something about folks in glass houses shouldn’t be throwing rocks.
* Videos show contradictory responses by Rauner regarding “clout” question
* Rauner, Rutherford turn fiery at candidate forum: “Kirk you’ve taken hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars,” from unions, Rauner said, looking at Dillard. Rauner then turned to Rutherford and began: “Dan you’ve taken a lot..” “That is not correct, Bruce Rauner,” Rutherford interrupted. “No, Bruce Rauner don’t do that. That’s not correct … You have no right to put out false information out there.”
* Rauner targeted by his opponents at Republican candidates’ forum: Rauner later hit Brady with his 2010 loss to the candidates’ common enemy, Gov. Quinn. “You lost to the worst governor in America, and we’ve gotten a mess as a result,” Rauner said.
* Rauner is focus of GOP governor candidate jabs
* VIDEO: Republican candidates for governor square off at GOP forum
* Republican candidates talk politics in Riverside
* Cahill: Rauner’s gift to biz: a minimum wage hike: It’s one thing when a left-leaning populist like Mr. Quinn comes out for a minimum wage increase. His arguments are taken with the usual grain of salt accorded to standard line items in the liberal agenda. But the idea gains more credibility when a Republican candidate for governor, especially one seen as closely aligned with business, speaks favorably about it (even with qualifiers).
* Jim Nowlan: Minimum wage remark stirs political pot: As for Illinois politics and the minimum wage, I predict that mega-bucks candidate Rauner will have the campaign dollars to shift the focus before the March primary off the subject and onto term limits, his favorite horse to ride. All the while, Rauner has handed Gov. Quinn a potent little guy versus big guy issue to carry into the fall general election, regardless of who wins the GOP primary. There are a lot more little guys than big guys.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 10:16 am:
“Why is Rauner hiding staff salaries?”
Because I am really on his Staff
Codename: Raunerbot 1
- OneMan - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 10:22 am:
Wonder if this is a clever plot or just confusion on the part of Rauner’s staff. Guess we will know soon enough.
- Roadiepig - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 10:26 am:
Posted this on one of yesterday’s entries, but since it’s mentioned above:
A little off subject, but the Decatur Herald and Review gave the little three R’s a “thumbs down” for attacking poor Baron for clouting his daughter when they had done “similar” things themselves. Good too see that they haven’t made their minds up on who they want to be then next governor. Guess its time to stop paying for that far right rag too ( dropped my Chicago Tribune 25 year subscription last year for the same reason. No reason supporting those who spread false information to the public and enjoy taking my life savings away from me)
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 10:27 am:
- OneMan -,
You don’t have a history of hiding things like Bruce Rauner, and not think that hiding who is working as part of the Rauner Crew is part and parcel of that.
Wouldn’t Rauner be proud of who is working on his campaign? Who he “snagged”?
My tin-foil hat is a fitted hat, thanks, but hiding who is part of the paid Crew, with the way Bruce Rauner lives, works, campaigns, makes me think, this ain’t no oversight.
Wonder if the RGA had to desclosed who worked for them …you know? Maybe someone who worked for the RGA would know how that all works, you may think…
- justsayin' - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 10:29 am:
Good job of reporting by the Illinois Review. It is about time they criticized Rauner. It must be difficult for them with John Tillman and Proft as contributors. No wonder there is resistance to calling this candidate out. I find the excuses for Rauner on the clouting issue with Walter Payton laughable. First he called Duncan, then he didn’t call Duncan. First he’s a reformer, then “it’s OK cause everyone did it.” The other GOP candidates wrote letters - that didn’t guarantee admission for anyone. But Rauner’s kid got in because Payton Prep and Duncan knew there would be money attached. Pure self-interest and arrogance. The cake was Eric Zorn slobbering all over himself to excuse Rauner. Come on.
- Arthur Andersen - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 10:30 am:
Willy, you weren’t supposed to tell. Hope we don’t get fired.
Payroll Code Name: MoneyBin
- cover - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 10:32 am:
After reading the last 2 days’ various posts on Rauner’s business practices, I’m starting to think that a vote for Rauner is basically a vote for Mr. Potter. That’s not to say any of the other 3 GOP candidates (or Gov. Quinn for that matter) are George Bailey, but wow…
I’m reminded of the adage that while there may not be anyone to vote “for”, there is always someone to vote against. That seems to be the point of the AFL-CIO’s statement against Rauner - and I can’t remember a time that a major endorsement player like that issued essentially an anti-endorsement.
- wordslinger - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 10:35 am:
Maybe Stu Levine is still on the payroll. Legacy cost.
Rauner’s gaming the system. That’s what he does.
Rules are for people without without a moat surrounding their Central Park penthouse.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 10:37 am:
To: MoneyBin
From: Raunerbot 1
Oops. My bad.
Look for the Hollow Black Queen on the chess board, when the lightbulb is in a knot, for further instructions.
To the Post,
A lack of understanding of the the Payton Prep controversy, and equating that with the U of I issue shows laziness, and blindness to realities of personal clout over 7000 Chicago kids, and recommendation letters, possibly by the “3″.
Only “educatiion” on “Bruce Rauner” will allow facts to go beyond main stream media, who seems to love them some “Bruce Rauner”, like John Kass, who not too long ago, couldn’t stomach a fake Carhartt fraud.
- langhorne - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 10:40 am:
the rules dont apply to BVC, unless he wants them to. you dont need to know who he pays, what he pays, when he pays. just move along. time to change the subject.
- Norseman - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 10:42 am:
Does his campaign staff get a 401k too?
- Johnny Q. Suburban - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 10:48 am:
I don’t get the upside for Rauner here. Why bother to hide who’s on his staff? The only thing I can think of is maybe he has a Rahm staffer or two working for him?
- Samurai - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 10:48 am:
The video footage from Bruce to the shot of Stuart Levine leaving the Dirksen Federal Courthouse is priceless.
- BoBo - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 10:50 am:
Usually, people use payroll services because it is easier. They take care of all the tax reporting and documentation ect. There are times when, even the Baron, may not be hatching a sinister plot.
- OneMan - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 10:51 am:
There are better ways to hide you is working for you than paylocity (which would get noticed) vs XYZ consulting or other stuff that would be not has obvious…
- medium rare - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 10:52 am:
” You can’t bend the rules just because you don’t like them. The question is … what is Bruce trying to hide?”
The real question is: “What are Bruce Rauner’s political enemies trying to find?”
The real answer: anything they can possibly find to smear his character.
Might as well call it the way it is…Bruce Rauner’s enemies aren’t trying to defeat him on philosophies of governance. Nope, they’re just throwing every resource they have to try to manufacture some scandal.
Keep trying very very hard, folks. It’s too bad you guys didn’t work this hard to govern Illinois effectively.
- Jimbo - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 10:57 am:
The ultimate cloak and dagger insider campaigning to clean up Springfield. That’s rich!
- AnonymousOne - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:01 am:
Yeah, that’s exactly what we’d like from a future governor………..total transparency.
- Anonymous - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:08 am:
Wow. Hiding payroll details AND possibly blowing the cap before reporting it? Go ahead. Tell us that he didn’t know about the latter either. (Must be tough learning how to balance a deposit account again.)
- too obvious - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:09 am:
Rauner can’t even abide by the simple laws. This is most definitely a clear violation of the Illinois Election Code.
- warhed - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:10 am:
Obfuscate, mislead, misdirect and lie is politics in general and Illinois in particular….This state is going down the rabbit hole quickly and is becoming the laughing stock of the nation. But dont worry, just vote for the tired old inept pol-bags who bleed this state dry and will retire in Florida or Arizona. Rauner may be our best hope. Put your jealousy aside boys.
- Anonymous - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:11 am:
=Wouldn’t Rauner be proud of who is working on his campaign? Who he “snagged”?=
Why yes, Willy. You’d think both he and the staffer would be bragging about it. lol
- James formerly from Wrigley - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:12 am:
Why did it take so long to notice? His report for Q2 2013 filed July 15, 2013, does the exact same thing. He has been doing this for three quarters now; that detail is somehow not in The IR’s article.
Can it really be that big of a deal if nobody noticed for 6 months?
- wordslinger - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:16 am:
–Can it really be that big of a deal if nobody noticed for 6 months?–
Yes.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:16 am:
- James formerly from Wrigley -,
1) Timing. People are now starting to pay attention.
2) Pattern. You see it once, you see it twice, you bring it up in January, can’t say, “it’s an oversight”.
3) “Gotcha” filing stuff dosen’t get the sizzle unless there is that pattern, if a campaign was going down that road. Campaigns hate to go after filing irregularities because one missed address, or a mistake on the accusers part makes the accusation weak and “typical politics”
My thoughts …
- Anonymous - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:17 am:
If it’s all the same to the others, if I somehow wind up on the payroll (even if I’m not doing any work for the campaign), I’d like the code name Mr/Ms MoneyPenny. And if the person determining the salary assumes that the codename includes both me and a spouse…well, the more the monier, I suppose.
That was OBVIOUSLY SNARK being used an example as to why transparency in these matters seems appropriate. (Which some people surprisingly do not understand; and that’s a concern.)
- wordslinger - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:20 am:
That Decatur Herald and Review editorial is really messed up. A defense of “despicable influence peddling?”
- Mason born - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:27 am:
Well Darn it he can’t very well have a line item for CapFax trolls now can he!!! Jeesh Stop making it so hard to buy a primary!!!
- AFSCME Steward - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:27 am:
medium rare
Are you really serious ? This guy has been making a fortune off the state as the ultimate insider & now claims he has all the answers because he is an outsider ? And just what is his philosophy of governance ? Is it take all I can when it’s there for the taking ? Is it I’m rich and powerful, so everything I do is justified ? Is it the laws apply to everybody except me ? Perhaps if his philosophy of governance was a great as you claim he wouldn’t be parading around with his $18.00 watch pretending to be just another regular guy. The reason he is getting all the scrunity is he’s a fraud. He’s not what he says he is & if he gets into office will use the Governorship for more personal gain, just as his track record suggests. There are serious questions regarding his character. These are legitimate questions, not smears against him.
“The real question is: “What are Bruce Rauner’s political enemies trying to find?”
The real answer: anything they can possibly find to smear his character.
Might as well call it the way it is…Bruce Rauner’s enemies aren’t trying to defeat him on philosophies of governance. Nope, they’re just throwing every resource they have to try to manufacture some scandal.”
Keep trying very very hard, folks. It’s too bad you guys didn’t work this hard to govern Illinois effectively.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:30 am:
===Bruce Rauner’s enemies aren’t trying to defeat him on philosophies of governance. Nope, they’re just throwing every resource they have to try to manufacture some scandal.===
Ethics and how you do your business is not a “philosophical difference in governing?”
Doesn’t Baron von Carhartt want to run the state “like a business”?
Is this how we expect Bruce Rauner to do business?
Maybe we can guess who is on his Staff as governor too? lol
===Rauner may be our best hope. Put your jealousy aside boys.===
Jealousy? Best Hope?
Selling out to someone who can not run as his true self, and creates this Baron von Carhartt who takes on everything, but is part and parce of inside politics and Clouting, and insider deals, and in a GOP primary, has strong peersonal ties to Rich Daley, Rahm Emmanuel and DNC donating and insider deals with other governors like Ed Rendell.
Jealous, no.
Made to feel sick by the lack of integrity, for me, yeah …
- Anonymous - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:31 am:
=Might as well call it the way it is…Bruce Rauner’s enemies aren’t trying to defeat him on philosophies of governance.=
I believe that there’s an unwritten rule that says you have to 1) disclose your “philosophies”, and 2) hold on to a particular position on an issue for more than a week in order for an opponent to be able to do that.
Dan Proft isn’t working for Rauner, is he? If he is, I’d like to know.
- OneMan - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:33 am:
== The real question is: “What are Bruce Rauner’s political enemies trying to find?” ==
Well there are a couple of things, one is that some of the true believers(tm) are not happy with Bruce’s social issues views (nor those of his wife) and they are looking to see if there are people who they consider ‘with them’ who are working for him so they can no longer be considered ‘with them’
Well if he has ‘insiders’ on the payroll it kind of hurts his whole outsider argument.
Staffers that could be used to blunt arguments against his opponents. I was involved in a congressional race and had my name used in a cable access show (I was a minor local party official) because I was working for one candidate and another candidate had hired a much more senior party official and had gotten flack for that.
It plays into his fiscal conservative argument depending on how much he is paying people. Remember the flack Blair Hull got for some of his salaries. So if he is paying his driver XYZ the TV ad of (Bruce thinks a teacher making X is overpaid but is comfortable paying Y to the guy who drives him around).
Yeah a lot of it is inside baseball, but some folks love inside baseball..
- wordslinger - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:34 am:
===Bruce Rauner’s enemies aren’t trying to defeat him on philosophies of governance. Nope, they’re just throwing every resource they have to try to manufacture some scandal.===
What resources?
What philosophies?
I’ve seen reporting of facts. If you see scandals in those facts, so be it. They’re hardly manufactured.
- Anonymous - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:40 am:
=Well Darn it he can’t very well have a line item for CapFax trolls now can he!!! Jeesh Stop making it so hard to buy a primary!!! =
No, but here’s a downside to volunteer blogging: some creative candidate can certainly claim another’s efforts as the work their busy staffer is doing for them.
From a consulting firm’s perspective, that’s just beyond believable. From a candidate’s perspective, I believe that could be an even bigger issue.
- justsayin' - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:40 am:
BTW - still waiting for IR to do the story on Rauner’s $500K to the Illinois Policy Institute and the $$$$ hundreds of thousands to Jack Roeser. I haven’t seen any of that but I imagine Tillman-Proft and Roeser’s sponsorship of the IR website has something to do with that.
- Snucka - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:42 am:
Nobody noticed JJJ’s campaign finance reports for a couple of years either. How’s that working out for him?
- Hans Sanity - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:46 am:
I suspect the Rauner blitzkrieg of media buys will make Illinoisans more likely to vote AGAINST him than for him.
Supporters of Brady, Rutherford, and Dillard (BRD) should be thankful they can’t afford the clumsy, heavy handed, & over-priced TV ads that the Rauner campaign is generating.
Supporters of BRD should be more concerned about how workers on their campaigns will get a message more nuanced than This, That, and Other Questionable Rating Agencies Waiting For A Thorough Investigation of Motives and Methods say everything about our state is THE WORST.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:47 am:
===I suspect the Rauner blitzkrieg of media buys will make Illinoisans more likely to vote AGAINST him than for him.===
Um, I don’t think that has ever happened.
- walker - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:47 am:
Seems like something a business would do to handle payroll. No biggie.
As for PACs which are not transparent as to their ultimate sources of funds — that’s a real problem.
- Norseman - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:48 am:
=== Might as well call it the way it is…Bruce Rauner’s enemies aren’t trying to defeat him on philosophies of governance. Nope, they’re just throwing every resource they have to try to manufacture some scandal. ===
Politicians lie all the time about how they would govern. They promise to fix problems and improve everyone’s lives. One of the most glaring examples of such a lying politician is an ex-gov sitting in a federal prison right now. That fraud was also good at using money to drown out opponents.
To judge a candidate, one must look at his/her actions and past record. That’s what is happening now. People who do more than watch and blindly believe the advertisements are finding his actions and past record disturbing. They find reason to fear that he will continue the dysfunction that has plagued state government over the last 11 years.
- wordslinger - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:49 am:
–Supporters of Brady, Rutherford, and Dillard (BRD) should be thankful they can’t afford the clumsy, heavy handed, & over-priced TV ads that the Rauner campaign is generating.–
Lol, if that’s the game plan, it’s working!
- Northsider - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:49 am:
This has been bothering me for some time, but it really bothered me watching the debate yesterday. Why does such a well educated man consistently drop his g’s?
- Pete - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:50 am:
Oswego Willy then turned to Pete and began: “Pete you’ve done a lot of trolling..” “That is not correct, Oswego Willy,” Pete interrupted. “No, Oswego Willy don’t do that. That’s not correct … You have no right to put out false information out there.”
- hisgirlfriday - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:51 am:
H&R that’s just EMBARRASSING!
Not only is the editorial factually flawed by falsely saying all the candidates did the same thing, but it betrays so much cynicism about politics and politicians (rather than healthy skepticism) that it makes one wonder why anyone should care to read their paper’s coverage of politics at all because apparently nothing is at stake in the elections because they’re all crooks. Oh if that’s the case then I just won’t subscribe to a daily newspaper anymore because they have nothing important to tell me. And it’s crap writing by using a glass houses cliche to boot.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:54 am:
- Pete -,
Having an arguement with even a Faux “me” still leaves the Rauner facts as they are, and unanswered as they continue to be.
I am a bit more snarky, I try to add a touch of humor, and then try to leave a question.
You can work on it…
- Pete - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:56 am:
I thought renaming the Rauner-Rutherford argument into a Pete-OW farse was the clever part.
Apologies.
I’ll regroup, rent some space, call paylocity, and get back to by the next reporting quarter.
- Anonymous - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:57 am:
=Seems like something a business would do to handle payroll. No biggie.=
No biggie? I suppose that “corrective action” is then being taken to disclose the details and to ensure that’s corrected moving forward, or is that “no biggie,” either?
- Grandson of Man - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 11:58 am:
“This state is going down the rabbit hole quickly”
Not really. We passed pension reform twice, which is supposed to save taxpayers hundreds of millions over the next 30 years (you do rememoer our children’s children, right?), our pension debt is stabilizing due to strong returns on investments, we had improving jobs numbers at the end of the year, we passed SSM and legalized medical marijuana. Mayor Emanuel helped broker a deal with unions to keep convention business in Illinois.
Speaking of Rauner’s campaign money, I’d say he’s wasting some of it on the trolls who post here. I mean, really, can’t you do anything else but spit out talking points?
- Curious - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 12:02 pm:
There is a chance that Rauner is paying his out-of-state consultants an exorbitant amount of money and he doesn’t want to look like an idiot. Wouldn’t be surprised if there a few DC addresses on his payroll, so he wants to avoid the stories that come with that.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 12:03 pm:
I think Rauner is trying to hide the fact that he is only paying his staff $7.25 an hour.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 12:04 pm:
- Pete -,
I got it …but …
“I don’t know. I guess I realize that I’m just Oswego Willy.
As much as you wanted me to be Dan Rutherford, I’ll *always* be Oswego Willy.”
- Hans Sanity - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 12:08 pm:
— Um, I don’t think that (spending more and getting fewer votes) has ever happened –
Maybe not.
I was thinking of Blair Hull and read that he spent $29 million in that 2004 Dem Senate primary. No doubt he got more votes than he would have had he not spent a dime.
Don’t know how much Obama spent.
- Anonymous - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 12:11 pm:
“Obfuscate, mislead, misdirect and lie is politics in general and Illinois in particular…”
“Politicians lie all the time about how they would govern. …”
Please let’s use the technical legal term for this type of language - poofery
- Budget Watcher - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 12:12 pm:
Certainly Bruce Rauner has not and will not live his life like most of us who are not super-wealthy. He seemingly employs the use of his wealth as a means to privileges and opportunities that only a select few will ever know. Does this mean his methods are despicable, unethical, or even immoral? I suppose that’s for each of us to decide as we ponder our political choices.
I accept him for what he is which is, an arrogant individual who has been very successful at becoming rich and one who has accumulated allies who are either wealthy themselves or who can be manipulated by the wealth he possesses. This may sound like I’m bitter of his success which is not necessarily my intent. I admittedly have resented someone who has to wear Carhartt jackets and $18 watches to try to convince me that he’s like me. He’s not like me and that’s OK. Ultimately we each may have to decide whether to vote for an ineffective man-of-the-people or an ultra-successful financier who cares very little for the everyday concerns of the masses of usin the lower and middle classes. That’s disheartening to me.
- MrJM - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 12:13 pm:
“Bruce Rauner’s enemies aren’t trying to defeat him on philosophies of governance.”
Bruce Rauner demands pension reform!
Bruce Rauner denounces pension reform!
Bruce Rauner wants the minimum wage lowered! Bruce Rauner wants the minimum wage raised!
So many “philosophies of governance” to choose from!
– MrJM
- Anonymous - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 12:13 pm:
Of course Rauner his hiding his staff salaries. Why? It’s Rauner’s Rules 24/7.
https://twitter.com/RaunerRules
- Walter Mitty - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 12:16 pm:
I suppose it’s a story. It helps pin a narrative or attempt to. Or, The Evanston D’s did the same thing and it has never come up. Clearly, it is fine tooth comb time. If illegal, it could really be the death spiral. If not, seems like a business like way to handle payroll. The fact is, for a first timer, he is leading in the polls and has built an organization from scratch. Money, Yes. Funny if names come out and the idea came from a democrat from Evanston… Uh, that’s working across party lines…right?
- DuPage Rep - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 12:17 pm:
===I think Rauner is trying to hide the fact that he is only paying his staff $7.25 an hour.===
Now that is funny.
- hisgirlfriday - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 12:26 pm:
I’m guessing his people are just incompetent with the Paylocity stuff although I admit I’ve been curious who he has staffing him for a while.
One thing I noticed last fall was he had a donation from Dave Heller “one of the top political media consultants and campaign strategists in the Democratic Party” (albeit listed on the A-1 as employed in his capacity as owner of the Quad Cities River Bandits) and wondered if he was on the payroll.
- William j Kelly - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 12:27 pm:
Maybe Staurt Levine is on the payroll and needs some hush money?
- langhorne - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 12:30 pm:
i want details on staff and consulting salaries, so i can see how much he paid for:
-wardrobe consultin’
-speech consultin’
-fly fishin’ guide (meeks and how many others?)
-public opinion pollin’
-runnin’ petitions
etc.
- Meanderthal - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 12:34 pm:
What does the State Board of Election law require candidates to do in this situation?
Put another way, is it permissible to use a third party payroll/HR administrator? If so and the campaign expenditure is to the third party administrator and not the employee directly isn’t that about the best you can do from a reporting standpoint?
I was a treasurer for a time for a campaign commitee and figuring this stuff out was a pain in the neck.
- chad - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 12:42 pm:
The Legal Stuff.
The Rules of the State Board of Elections provides as follows on the issue of paying a conduit for expenses, which in turn pays othher entities:
“An expenditure to a payee who is in whole or in part only a conduit for payment to another, such as a political consultant or a credit card issuer, must include by way of detail or separate entry the amount of funds passing to each vendor, business entity or person to receive funds from the payment, together with the reason for each disbursement and the beneficiary of the disbursement.” The citation is 26 Illinois Administrative Code pt. 100, subsection 10070(c).
Seems clear to me that Rauner has directly and knowingly violated the Rules of the Board.
- AFSCME Steward - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 12:46 pm:
Don’t forget watch repair & Carhartt dry cleaning expenses.
“i want details on staff and consulting salaries, so i can see how much he paid for:
-wardrobe consultin’
-speech consultin’
-fly fishin’ guide (meeks and how many others?)
-public opinion pollin’
-runnin’ petitions
etc.”
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 12:49 pm:
Rauner Crew,
Maybe at some of your rallies, you give tickets away at the door, don’r sell them, and the winning ticket gets a new Carhartt. Make it part of his Carhartt gimmic for everyone to participate?
You can expense it.
Lemons …lemonade?
- Juvenal - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 12:52 pm:
On a side note:
Has anyone else noticed how silent the Better Government Association and Cindi Canary have been?
You’d think with all the hinkiness going on regarding Rauner’s campaign financing, Andy Shaw and Cindi Canary would be tripping over each other in the news media.
Not a peep from them.
- Walter Mitty - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 12:55 pm:
Seems as if Pat and DLard dropped now and backed DRUFF… They have a window of possible vulnerability… That would require being what seems best for the “party” … It’s there right to stay, which I still agree. But with Oswego Prep, I am for wage increase, I am against it, payroll (real or perceived)…It’s strike while the iron his hot time… Could you imagine to end the week with one or both laying it all out?
- Anonymous - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 12:57 pm:
=…separate entry the amount of funds passing to each vendor, business entity or person to receive funds from the payment, together with the reason for each disbursement and the beneficiary of the disbursement.”=
Greatest level of granularity: “person.” (And I don’t believe they’re referring to a corporation based on the context or wording.) Seems pretty clear.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 1:01 pm:
Cindi Canary left a long time ago.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 1:06 pm:
Question;
Has anyone been dinged on breaking that statute, and if so, has the offense been brought to a swift conclusion within a campaign cycle?
- Percival - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 1:08 pm:
There is an arrogance to Bruce Rauner that is emerging. He did not bother to put on a tie for the last forum - was he too “hip” for that? (Clothes make a statement about one’s level of respect for an event, as in you don’t wear shorts and gym shoes to your best friend’s wedding.) Then there are his serial, blatant self-contradictions. One gets the impression that he doesn’t care about them, since his money is going to blow ths race out. Now there is the payroll reporting, which us an obvious dodge. Anyone who has worked with D-2 campaign finance reports knows that the goal is complete transparency. So regardless of whether they knew the actual administrative provision or not, the preparers of those entries had to know or suspect that they were dodging requirements. I guess they think they are above the rules.
- Mason born - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 1:09 pm:
===Bruce Rauner’s enemies aren’t trying to defeat him on philosophies of governance. Nope, they’re just throwing every resource they have to try to manufacture some scandal==
Judging from the update Rich just posted they manufactured this through the board of Elections before Rauner ever announced. Seems like they didn’t need so many resources after all.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 1:10 pm:
===There is an arrogance to Bruce Rauner that is emerging. He did not bother to put on a tie for the last forum -…===
I am not going to ding him too much on that, but will say…
You go for a job interview, you wear a suit and tie.
Just saying.
- Juvenal - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 1:12 pm:
LOL. No wonder I havent heard from her in awhile.
Thanks Rich. Did she take Sunshine Project with her?
To the Update:
Ouch.
Owie.
Decatur H&R will probably have “Rauner Violated Campaign Law” on its front page tomorrow, right?
- wordslinger - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 1:21 pm:
Rauner is on the Civic Leadership Committee of the Better Government Association.
- Anonymous - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 1:22 pm:
I did a cursory search and found a 2012 pdf entitled “Lesson Learned…” by Cynthia Canary and Kent Redfield and a handful of cases that were appealed between it looks like between 2010 to and including 2012.
- Walter Mitty - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 1:22 pm:
Unless one drops out…And maybe they believe they have a chance with this news…? Hey, we are not insiders… We got a juggernaut off the ground quickly… “Hey, I ain’t no insider look at my watch and jacket I guarantee y’all.” Defense… Why shouldn’t it? Ya figure you put that little box under your pillow at night, the Guarantee Fairy might come by and leave a quarter, am I right, Ted?The point is, how do you know the fairy isn’t a crazy glue sniffer? “Building model airplanes” says the little fairy; well, we’re not buying it. He sneaks into your house once, that’s all it takes. The next thing you know, there’s money missing off the dresser.. I seen it a hundred times.
- Anonymous - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 1:25 pm:
=Rauner is on the Civic Leadership Committee of the Better Government Association. =
Well then: he should be considered about his own behavior.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 1:26 pm:
===Rauner is on the Civic Leadership Committee of the Better Government Association.===
Every time I read it, I laugh.
To the Update,
If one of the “3″ or the “2PACS” are going to make a “case”, get some Ad time, and don’t overcomplicate it.
If they can get the Press (TV) to dig a little, that couldn’t hurt, but you can’t just issue a press release and leave it there. I hope to see some more movement, when the time is right on this.
- Anonymous - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 1:26 pm:
That obviously should have been “concerned.”
- Anonymous - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 1:33 pm:
“How much money will it take to put this behind us?” - Bruce
www.twitter.com/RaunerRules
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 1:36 pm:
Cinci, either get control of your ‘puter or stop posting tweets anonymously.
Your IP address has spammed me more than enough today.
- Chad - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 1:36 pm:
OW:
The answer to your question can only be given by the board. However, look at my earlier posting. The cited administrative rule that the Board adopted shows they discussed this very specific policy. There is no ambiguity — Rauner is in direct violation. The Rauner legal push-back will be that the Board rule goes beyond their statutory authority. To summarize, Rauner will argue that the payroll conduit is a “person” according to a definition in the statute. Perhaps that legal argument can be used by Rauner to overturn the Board disclosure rule, but that puts him in the position of advocating that disclosure should be more restricted.
This is a clear over-step. His only way to avoid an avalanche of legal and public relations problems is to immediately amend the report and blame his staff. Given what we have seen, he will try to waive it off and this will become a huge issue.
- Political Neophyte - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 1:39 pm:
RaunerBot1 and Money Bin, stop talking about Boss Rauner unless you praise him.
Sincerely,
The Carhartt Jacket.
P.S. The dagger is on the field. The crow flies at noon.
- Anonymous - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 1:39 pm:
Cincy, huh? Hmpf.
Technically, not complaining, Rich. Just making an observation.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 1:39 pm:
- Cinci - lol,
Buddy, BTW, if you, by happenstance, know the person Tweeting;
STOP with the “RIN…”
That word is toxic. It turns me off, especially, and the person tweeting looks simple-minded to what is actually going on. Stop the “RIN …”
If you know the tweeter I mean …lol
- Percival - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 1:41 pm:
OW, call me Old School, but when you are at a serious event where you are asking a state of 12 million people to choose you as their leader in a position that grants the power to change many lives with the stroke of a pen, and you are sharing the stage with three opponents who have been elected by their fellow citizens in multiple occasions when you have not been elected once, you don’t show up “casual.” Your comment raises an interesting question on Rauner’s internal view: does he see himself as asking for a job, or instead is he allowing the populace the opportunity to tender it to him? There is a difference.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 1:45 pm:
For the “3″ and “2PACS”
“John has a long Moustache”
- Percival -,
Thanks, appreciate that.
The question remains …”Hay, or no Hay”
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 1:59 pm:
===”when you are at a serious event where you are asking a state of 12 million people to choose you as their leader …, you don’t show up “casual.” ===
Ding. Ding. Ding.
“Shaking up Springfield, ‘Ties’ optional?”
- hisgirlfriday - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 2:02 pm:
@OswegoWilly
A brief search hasn’t turned up any cases related to the specific provision for persons receiving expenditures. 9-11(a)(13).
Somebody sued to try to get volunteer time making a website declared an unreported in-kind contribution in violation of 9-11(a)(4) - Sorock v. ISBE - Claim rejected.
A GOP opponent sued Liz Gorman over several years old old loans to her good govt. Group originally reported from businesses but changed to her husband in alleged violation of 9-11(a)(8) - Thompson v. Gorman - ISBE eventually cleared her two years after the complaint was filed.
Somebody sued over D-2 reports alleged to be unsigned by a campaign treasurer re: 9-11(e) -Zurek v. ISBE - rejected by ISBE
- Norseman - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 2:02 pm:
For you Willy:
http://youtu.be/ePzwg0LyYL0
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 2:07 pm:
- Norseman -
You “get” me, lol
- hisgirlfriday -,
Great, thanks.
So the point is… if someone is going to “Beef”, the case is going to take quite a while to shake if Rauner “fights” it, or, Rauner admits “fault of his Staff”, gets dinged, or takes all the heat, gets dinged, but up to the others to keep the legs on the story.
I like those choices. Good luck all, no snark.
- RNUG - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 2:27 pm:
The more I learn about the Baron, the more he looks to me like an entitled GOP version of Rod Blagojevich
- Linus - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 2:42 pm:
Bingo, RNUG: That’s exactly the impression that’s been haunting me for weeks now.
- Mason born - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 2:49 pm:
–The more I learn about the Baron, the more he looks to me like an entitled GOP version of Rod Blagojevich–
Best description so far!! Just need to skin a black muskrat and glue it onto his head we’d have a twin.
- Arthur Andersen - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 2:56 pm:
Willy, Rauner said after that event “I don’t like ties,” Wonder what he wears to high-society events? Tux, no tie? Carhartt and tux pants? Who knows?
Funny, when he was running around raising money for his GTCR funds, he seemed to tolerate them just fine. And all of his “G’s” were still in place, know what I’m sayin’?
I have no use for phonies, hypocrites, or liars. This guy hits the trifecta of terrible and every day he rolls along moves us closer to four more years of Captain Squeezy. Yuck.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 3:00 pm:
===And all of his “G’s” were still in place, know what I’m sayin’?===
Meh.
Ever hear Gov. Thompson speak in southern Illinois?
- Arthur Andersen - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 3:00 pm:
RNUG, missed your post while typing. You are on to something there, bud. The similarities are almost creepy.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 3:08 pm:
All “On Point”, but the G dropping pales to a brand new Carhartt, $18 watches, and $200K at a time for insider Clouting. Just me. ” Rauner is wearing his fraud image, literally.
I hope everyone forgets our code names - AA -, we can’t mess up payroll.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 3:12 pm:
Sen. Frerichs? lol
Can he blame Cross for this yet?
- Smoggie - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 3:14 pm:
Regarding the Blago comment of Mason Born –
No, Bruce is not even close.
We sometimes forget just how bad of a person Blago was. The guy shook down a children’s hospital.
Rauner is a guy with a ton of money, an ability to give a nice speech to small group, and a desire to do a lot of really cool things for some really rich people. He’s also a guy that does not seem to respond well under the real pressure of a campaign (or at least he didn’t on the wage issue).
That might make him a bad gov., but he’s not an evil little * like Blago.
There’s a huge difference between the two, and comparing them only serves to make us forget the real nature of Blago.
- Smoggie - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 3:22 pm:
On the issue of dropping the “g” and Oswego’s comments on the $18 watch.
I’m still not clear why Rauner thinks that might be relevant.
I’ve got a $4,000 Hublot, a $1,200 Movado, and a $150 Nike watch.
If I put on the Nike, does that mean that I’m able to connect with blue collar workers that day?
To me, it means I can time a lap around the track. And if I go with the Hublot, have I suddenly lost touch? Or does it just mean that I’m going with the watch that looks more casual of the two watches I wear for business?
An $18 watch means nothing other than “watches are not important to me.” Rauner seems to think it says more. I guess the voters will tell us if they agree.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 3:25 pm:
- Smoogie -
Having your Suburban Denied New Trier Daughter over..,
7000 Chicago children, who were on a “wait list”,…
And follow that up with $200K ..,
Blago-esque, plain and simple.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 3:26 pm:
Smoggie, that’s quite a collection.
- Smoggie - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 3:27 pm:
Rich, it says a lot about me, doesn’t it?
Apparently Rauner would think so.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 3:28 pm:
- Smoggie -,
You would have to take a pay cut to be governor!
Hmmm…
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 3:30 pm:
For the rich, watches are fashion statements. And Rauner’s watch is a specific sort of fashion statement.
- Arthur Andersen - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 3:31 pm:
-Ever hear Gov. Thompson speak in Southern Illinois?-
All the time. You forget how old AA is lol. Point well made.
- Smoggie - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 3:32 pm:
Oswego,
You raise a good point about the Payton thing.
That one does come close to Blago-like.
But I still think a Payton thing would be just another day for Blago, while for Rauner it would be sort of a desperate move to help his kid.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 3:35 pm:
When you have Arne Duncan’s phone number, and use it to Clout you kid, that ain’t desperate, that is knowing you are insider.
Lets be realistic.
- Mason born - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 3:36 pm:
Smoggie
The comparison wasn’t mine to begin with. However there is more than a little truth in it.
As for the Muskrat pelt making them twins that was supposed to be a joke. Ever seen a Muskrat?
- wordslinger - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 3:42 pm:
–For the rich, watches are fashion statements. And Rauner’s watch is a specific sort of fashion statement.–
Exactly.
Check out the NYT or WSJ. The pages are filled with high-end watch ads.
- Jimmy CrackCorn - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 4:24 pm:
Anyone have a clue why Bruce just made it rain on Mark Batinick (aka the Batman, around these parts)?
20K today in an open primary!!
http://www.elections.il.gov/CampaignDisclosure/CommitteeDetail.aspx?id=25530
- Cincinnatus - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 4:35 pm:
Rich,
You cannot possible tell me or it’s my computer. I’ve been in meetings all day. IP is a different story, that, I don’t control…
- Juvenal - Friday, Jan 17, 14 @ 4:46 pm:
Rauner serves in a leadership role at the Better Government Association?
K-O, now I guess I know why we havent heard a peep from Andy Shaw about Rauner, Levine and the $1 million pension deal.
If Bruce’s last name were Stroger, Berrios or Madigan, Andy Shaw would have issued three press releases already.
Next question: how much money do you figure Rauner has given the BGA?
I am gonna go with $100K.
Perhaps Andy Shaw can answer that question too.