32 Comments - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jul 14, 14 @ 1:46 pm: When you pay the band, you call the tune… The ILGOP leverage buyout is almost complete. - Anon - Monday, Jul 14, 14 @ 1:50 pm: I wonder what the $$ for the State Party is for? He can prop it up, but it’s still basically a shell with only a couple of people on staff, a shared office with Kirk’s operation Their calendar of events doesn’t even have GOP Day at the Fair or their upcoming fundraisers on it. Embarrassing, really. - anon - Monday, Jul 14, 14 @ 2:00 pm: Rauner didn’t just buy out the Illinois GOP. He bought out the tea party leaders as well. I betcha they were pretty cheap. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jul 14, 14 @ 2:01 pm: ===I wonder what the $$ for the State Party is for?=== To leave little doubt who is in charge, and who is calling the tune to be played. Actually no different than when CFE or CFR would cover payroll by “donating”. However, Rauner’s sudden “Love” for all things ILGOP at a tune of $750K by his campaign is an eye-popper. The precedent is there, CFE and CFR use to cover payroll and expenses at times, I just can’t remember either going $750K in one pop. It’s a hammer; We own you guys. - Chicago Cynic - Monday, Jul 14, 14 @ 2:03 pm: IMA is behind Rauner? Wow, I’m so surprised. - OneMan - Monday, Jul 14, 14 @ 2:03 pm: You are complaining because he gave to the party? Really? - anon - Monday, Jul 14, 14 @ 2:10 pm: Yeah and We Ask America is the Illinois Manufacturers Association polling arm. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jul 14, 14 @ 2:15 pm: ===You are complaining because he gave to the party? Really?=== - OneMan -, Bruce Rauner is all about ROI. If he owns what the ILGOP can do via funds, all the better. No different than CFE or CFR. That is how the ILGOP rolls; the GOP Guv candidates, or sitting governors’ crews run the ILGOP, and with no Guv candidate the last 2 years, the stewardship went to Kirk’s Crew. - OneMan - Monday, Jul 14, 14 @ 2:22 pm: OW == Bruce Rauner is all about ROI. == 95% of all large political donors are about ROI… Do people really think large donors, be they individuals, unions, PACs or whatever are not driven to some degree about ROI on their donations as it were. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jul 14, 14 @ 2:33 pm: - OneMan -, All that happened here was has happened over the past 24 years, but by going at $750K, Rauner is leaving little doubt he is going to control it, fund it, and no one can get close to changing that. The rich irony is that over 1 year, Rauner has co-opted the ILGOP, and got it cheap, and with little resistance, with no history of any GOP love at that type of level. That’s all. He owns it. He wants the ILGOP to return that investment. No different than a leverage buyout. - Louis G Atsaves - Monday, Jul 14, 14 @ 2:49 pm: OW: Let’s give Rauner credit for giving some serious money to the ILGOP. He could have easily ignored the ILGOP and spent that cash on anti-Quinn TV ads. He seems to be thinking more long term (rebuilding the party) instead of just short term (i.e. getting himself elected). Considering he is involved in a red hot race, that is pretty admirable. - wordslinger - Monday, Jul 14, 14 @ 2:54 pm: Tom Siebel’s a big hitter in both IT engineering and philanthropy, one of the biggest. Still, when I saw his name all I could think about was that “National Geographic” special where they re-enacted his getting tuned up by an elephant while on safari in Tanzania. Tuned up but good. Dude’s way lucky to be alive. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jul 14, 14 @ 3:01 pm: ===OW: Let’s give Rauner credit for giving some serious money to the ILGOP. He could have easily ignored the ILGOP and spent that cash on anti-Quinn TV ads.=== All that has happened here is consolidation of party power. It’s not about anything else. Goes back over a quarter century. It’s not ideology, or unity or even party structure. “I own it. It’s ours.” That is how the ILGOP rolls. All this happening after securing the nomination is insuring there is no doubt, with his chosen chairman, who is running the ILGOP. - Yellow Dog Democrat - Monday, Jul 14, 14 @ 4:09 pm: OneMan: He did say that one-third of GOP lawmakers are corrupt, so it is kinda odd to see him go all in. Not surprising, just odd. Glad to see my “buyout” meme has caught wind. And remember, this is a buyout not a bailout or a rescue mission. Upside: Rauner and the GOP can now start telling the leaders on the far right to take a leap. - Apocolypse Now - Monday, Jul 14, 14 @ 4:46 pm: Look for more money to go to the ILGOP to fund races for candidates to pick up some state house and senate seats. @OW-I am shocked. Just completely shocked a party leader/politician is trying to consolidate power and gain control. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jul 14, 14 @ 4:55 pm: - Apocolypse Now -, I gave examples of 24 years of this going on, that is what the GOP Nominee usually dies, just not thus intense. Dope. ===Look for more money to go to the ILGOP to fund races for candidates to pick up some state house and senate seats.=== Unless his RaunerPAC wants to support a Democrat, like he said his PAC would do, and freeze out one of the GOP Caucuses(?). - steve schnorf - Monday, Jul 14, 14 @ 5:04 pm: I don’t see sin in a candidate with resources giving substantial contributions to our state part. I will try to watch how that money is spent. If it’s spent primarily on the gov’s race then it’s really just an investment in himself. If it’s spent on GOTV efforts, targeted help for Senate and house races, etc, then it is an investment in the party, which benefits him but also others on the ballot. - Yellow Dog Democrat - Monday, Jul 14, 14 @ 6:04 pm: Let’s keep in mind, $750K is chump change for Rauner. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jul 14, 14 @ 6:06 pm: ===Let’s keep in mind, $750K is chump change for Rauner.=== 3 1/2 days of work. - Honest Abe - Monday, Jul 14, 14 @ 7:48 pm: If Bruce Rauner will not show his tax returns how can we as citizens of this star trust him. - Almost the Weekend - Monday, Jul 14, 14 @ 8:01 pm: This money is going to Tom Cross, Judy Baar Topinka, and possibly other State Senate and State Rep who WILL SUPPORT Rauner’s agenda. The rest will go to GOTV, and possibly several mailers. Agree with OW classic Rauner, buying a business for real cheap, and building it the way he wants to build it just like he did at GCTR. This time he won’t be making a profit, but will be creating political clout - wordslinger - Monday, Jul 14, 14 @ 8:14 pm: Somebody had to give the state GOP some money. They had less than $200K on hand in their last quarterly filing. What are you going to do with $200K statewide, except use it to try and raise more money? The state Dems, on the other hand, had more than $2 million in the bank their last quarterly. As someone who’s lived here all his life, that’s just weird. The big hitter corporate types, docs, bigfoot lawyers, etc., who used to support the GOP have really let their wallets do the talking in recent years. - Valerie F. Leonard - Monday, Jul 14, 14 @ 8:21 pm: Why was George Ryan demonized for his alleged role in the license plate scheme that led to the Willis’ children’s deaths, and Rauner is excused for investing in several companies whose management’s negligence has led to several people’s deaths and serious harm? There is a double standard, and money seems to answer all things Rauner. - 1776 - Monday, Jul 14, 14 @ 8:50 pm: @Valerie… You can do better. Are you holding Pat Quinn to the same standard for the deaths and injuries occurring in state facilities during his tenure? If you respond and say yes, then I’ll give you credit but I’m guessing your touting the same talking points sent out by the Quinn campaign. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jul 14, 14 @ 9:12 pm: ===Are you holding Pat Quinn to the same standard for the deaths and injuries occurring in state facilities during his tenure?=== Hmmm. ===…but, I’m guessing your touting the same talking points sent out by the Quinn campaign.=== Aren’t the state facilities a talking point by Rauner’s Crew? - Yellow Dog Democrat - Monday, Jul 14, 14 @ 10:56 pm: 1776: As I said elsewhere, bad things happen. I judge leaders largely on how they react when bad things happen. So, let’s be clear: George Ryan was never held accountable for the deaths of the Willis children. His conviction was for quashing the investigation afterward and for steering contracts in exchange for bribes. Quinn responded to Tinley by closing it, Joliet DJJ by closing it, Tamms by closing it, and Illinois Violence Prevention Authority by closing it. Again, we have yet to hear from Rauner what action he took when he learned of the neglect and abuse at Rauner Inc. sounds like nothing. Look, I understand the difference between accepting blame and accepting responsibility., and admit it is a fine line. But voters want a governor who believes the buck stops at the governor’s office…not down the hall and to the left. - Attorneys Spelling In Peoria Il - Tuesday, Jul 15, 14 @ 4:00 am: I don’t even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was good. I don’t know who you are but certainly you’re going to a famous blogger if you are not already Cheers! - Lawyers Guns And Money Peoria Il - Tuesday, Jul 15, 14 @ 6:44 am: Wow, wonderful blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you made blogging look easy. The overall look of your site is wonderful, let alone the content! - the Patriot - Tuesday, Jul 15, 14 @ 8:27 am: It is a basic move to fund the Party. If elected he needs a base in the legislature. I would like to see a true breakdown of how much Rauner gives to the party vs. How much Madigan gives to his through control of the party purse and various other funds he controls. Rauner is using Madigan’s book. If you want them to vote with you, be sure they know where their campaign money comes from. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jul 15, 14 @ 10:05 am: ===It is a basic move to fund the Party. If elected he needs a base in the legislature.=== No. Rauner has said he would support with a RaunerPAC Republicans and Democrats, supporting Raunerite ideals. The funding is just completing the co-opting of the ILGOP. ===Rauner is using Madigan’s book. If you want them to vote with you, be sure they know where their campaign money comes from.=== No. The RaunerPAC is for that. 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