80 Comments - Oswego Willy - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:09 am: The most disappointing aspect is that the Autonomy of the ILGOP GA, individually and collectively… …they have a price. In this very specific instance, in this very specific vote, I am with Local 150, all day, every day, and twice on Sunday. - anon - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:16 am: Good for Bruce. Someone had to step forward to turn this crapfest around. There are only so many vehicles to drive off the cliff before the city of Chicago and our state collapse. - archimedes - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:17 am: I believe you are mistaken. That money was for the bobcat bill - not the right to work agenda… - foster brooks - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:18 am: Just finished taking my state ethics exam, this looks like bribery according to that test the oeig puts out.lol - Arsenal - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:19 am: ==Someone had to step forward to turn this crapfest around.== Yeah, but since Governor Rauner focused on score-settling with unions and counted on phoney-baloney pension savings, we’re still waiting for someone to do so. - illinoised - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:22 am: I agree with foster brooks. - Flavurful - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:25 am: == illinoised - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:22 am: I agree with foster brooks.=== Me too. - Casual Observer - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:25 am: So, part of Rauner’s ethics reform is to prevent state employees from contributing to the executive branch. But it’s ok for the executive to contribute to state employees (the GA)? The hypocrisy would be embarrassing to most. The HGOP’s and SGOP’s should refuse his money as a bloc. Please, stand up to this man. - Frenchie Mendoza - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:25 am: I realize this is how it works — but I hope some — a few — GOPers will put the interests of their constituents and the state over the interests of some uninformed, uncharismatic rich guy who happened to buy his way into state government. - Sage - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:25 am: These contributions could have waited until after the close of session. Individually, the contributions are relatively modest in size, and potentially raise more perception problems than they do create unity. With at least $40M waiting in the wings to be spent on the Rauner agenda, do GOP legislators really need an immediate $5,000 reminder? - Big Joe - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:28 am: I’m with Foster Brooks on this one. - Jack Stephens - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:32 am: It’s pretty obvious Bruce has 400k in 1st Amendment “Rights”….the rest of us, not so much. What is wrong with this picture? - Politix - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:33 am: I almost hesitate to say this but this hearing and vote restored my faith in our elected leaders. I’m so thankful for the legislators who referred to their own constituencies’ desires for RTW. So thankful for Lou Lang who acknowledged what it must be like for middle class workers reading the papers each day. So thankful Rauner was finally publicly called out for showering the GOP with campaign cash and just before a vote. So thankful for the single House Republican who voted No. Of course I was most thankful for Sandack’s outstanding temper tantrum. Nicely done, sir. - CharlieKratos - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:33 am: This seems like it would be much more of an optics problem if the mainstream media chose to focus on it. Other than the Tribune, is there any other reason why most don’t seem willing to tackle this? - Anonymous - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:33 am: Does the U.S. Attorney in either Chicago or Springfield have the will to open an investigation? A few subpoenas would stop this practice before it became institutionalized — even if indictments didn’t result. - SoILL - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:34 am: Who all got the checks?? Is there a list? - Huh? - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:36 am: How is any different than what got Derrick Smith in trouble? Somebody paying a politician to perform a service, in this case the service is to vote in a particular manner for a particular bill. - Anonymous - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:37 am: SoILL - Every.Single.Republican. - PolPal56 - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:38 am: Sold themselves cheap, they did. Are they going to line up, hands out, for their little bribe for each and every vote? “Please, Sir, I want some more.” - Almost the Weekend - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:38 am: Two things that stand out. Nobody likes doing call time, especially when you are in the minority of a blue state. Without having to do call time, the GOP has plenty of more time for official work or leisure if you want to look at it another way. The second is this could have been avoided if the campaign finance reform law written several years ago didn’t leave out a large loophole allowing state parties to give/accept unlimited amounts of money to candidates. At the time it was written I can’t imagine several people knew of the name Bruce Rauner. If this isn’t the definition of blowback I don’t know what is. - Frenchie Mendoza - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:39 am: Yes — I’d like to see a list of the GOP folks that were cut checks on the eve of the RTW vote. - Cheswick - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:39 am: “…doling out $400,000 to GOP lawmakers this week, a Rauner aide said.” And “… included $10,000 to Senate Republican leader Christine Radogno of Lemont.” Meaning to their campaign funds, right? I’m sure the Trib writers are so used to the political scene, they simply left out that detail. Because if he’s giving the money to lawmakers, personally, we have major, major problem. In any event, I agree with Brown. How can Rauner not see the hypocracy of his own corruption. He has become that which he rails against. - Not it - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:41 am: Democratic legislators have experience that at the end of the day, no matter what, DPI and the Speaker or the President will save them. Republican legislators don’t have that experience because the Republicans don’t usually have the same resources, so Rauner probably felt the need to comfort them that he would come to their rescue similarly to the way the Speaker always does. - Not it - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:43 am: Mistype- add “and/or President” to that last sentence. - Ghost - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:44 am: So employees cant receieve “gifts” to avoid the appreance of buying government action….. But the govenor can give cash for the purpose of buing governemtn action…. Where is batman, we found two-face….. - girllawyer - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:45 am: Does anyone else remember when the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment) was pending in the Illinois legislature and a representative from a supporting group gave a legislator her card on which she had written “$1000 for your support” Said lobbyist promptly was charged by Sangamon County State’s Attorney Bill Roberts with bribery or maybe attempted bribery. She pled guilty. How is this different? - AC - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:46 am: Republicans in Illinois should be mourning the loss of their independence, and dreading what franchise politics will bring. It is good news for television stations and their owners, and Raunerites, but no one else. - Louis G. Atsaves - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:49 am: The Governor of Illinois is a “special interest group?” LOL! Democrats huffing and puffing about Republicans contributing to Republicans? So they will reject Democrat contributions to themselves in the future? LOL! Only in Illinois. Sadly. - Namaste - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:51 am: Anyone have a link to Sandack’s “speech” during yesterday’s RTW debate? - Oswego Willy - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:53 am: The Governor of the state of Illinois; “We are encouraging the Republicans to stay strong together,” Rauner told reporters Thursday without mentioning his campaign donations to members of the Republican caucuses. “To have more influence in the process we need to stay unified, and that’s a message I’ve been saying that for the entire process and that’s important.” …To have more influence in the process… Yep, no ethical question there; Give money, exert influence. One co-equal exerting influence, with an exacting monetary amount. - Politix - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:53 am: Namaste - See above. Rich posted a link. - BlameBruceRauner - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:54 am: Reminds me of the scene in Animal-House. “Thank you sir may I have another”. Rauner slapping benjamins into the coffers of his pledges. He needed to get some support and turned to his good old buddy cash! - relocated - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:58 am: He couldn’t even funnel the money through a leadership PAC. Not only does it have the optics of a bribe, but the mechanics of one as well. The timing of this isn’t accidental, he’s flaunting it. - Phil - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:58 am: If AFSCME or the IFT spread 400k among the Dem members a week before a pension vote, it would be a front page news in the Tribune, with a screaming editorial inside asking the US Attorney to investigate. - AnonymousOne - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:58 am: Sounds like a special interest group to me. Is this legal? Talk about corruption? - Politix - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 9:58 am: ==Democrats huffing and puffing about Republicans contributing to Republicans? So they will reject Democrat contributions to themselves in the future? LOL!== Guess you’ve forgotten Rauner’s “anyone who contributes $ to Democrats are corrupt special interests” thingy. - girllawyer - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 10:00 am: I was in error. She (Wanda Brandstetter of N.O.W.) was tried and convicted. The conviction was affirmed on appeal. Love that Google thing. - Tommydanger - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 10:01 am: Money can’t buy everything, but it can at least buy the GOP caucus. - Anonymous - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 10:02 am: Are there any exceptions to 18 U.S.C. 666 for Governors? - Casual Observer - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 10:05 am: Shouldn’t he be trying to buy votes that can help him? By leaving DEMs off the gravy train, isn’t he assuring a majority resistance to his agenda? I just don’t see how he thinks this helps his cause. - Anonymous - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 10:09 am: This is just memorial the should name a day after that - Arsenal - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 10:11 am: ==Shouldn’t he be trying to buy votes that can help him? == Probably should also have tried to buy a Yes vote or two. - Jocko - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 10:13 am: Would that be called hush money or slush money? - Wordslinger - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 10:14 am: “That’s a lot of money for a legislator like you. Anyone asks, you got it rollin’ craps in Metropolis…..” - Buzzie - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 10:15 am: Any comments from Radogno or any of the other recipients? If each one received $400,000 that would kind of make sense, but it seems silly they would be willing to open themselves to negative commentary for such little money. Plus, these kind of actions become great campaign material for their opponents in future elections (some of which will begin gearing-up in a matter of months). At least for some of these Republican legislatures, who reside in competitive blue-red districts these “donations” from an unpopular Governor, might result in some of them not having to plan for future Spring legislative sessions in Springfield. - Buzzie - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 10:16 am: Oooops—-legislators, not legislatures. - forwhatitsworth - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 10:19 am: If Rauner only had to spend $400,000 for the 37 present votes, it looks like the Republicans can be bought at a pretty cheap price. This same cheap price is what Rauner wants for all union workers in his “right to work” baloney and his race to the bottom. - Ex Suburban Mayor - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 10:22 am: I bet the Owl received a bigger chunk . He is hungry - Wordslinger - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 10:25 am: A quick review based on news reports: – $20 million plus in the guv’s campaign fund. – $4 million plus in his Turnaround Illinois fund – $14 million plus in that ILGO “progressive” front fund. Don’t sell yourself cheap, legislators. You can smell the free-speechifyin’ a-cookin’ all over the state. - Chicago Cynic - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 10:26 am: So $400,000 bought all those present votes. I wonder what the price tag is to get them to vote yes. - JS Mill - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 10:30 am: =It’s pretty obvious Bruce has 400k in 1st Amendment “Rights”….the rest of us, not so much. What is wrong with this picture?= Depends on who you are asking, but I think a lot. =Democrats huffing and puffing about Republicans contributing to Republicans? So they will reject Democrat contributions to themselves in the future? LOL!= While I rarely agree with you I think it is challenging to take the Speaker and other Democratic legislators very seriously when they huff and puff. They lost the moral high ground on that one years ago. =The Governor of Illinois is a “special interest group?” LOL!= Actually, yes. He has been a large contributor for many years with specific interests. That makes him one of those “special interests” he so often decries. Only he is talking about the ones that support average, everyday people, not businesses (and yes, there are average, everyday people involved in business too but he is supporting ownership and major stockholders). He said he was going to be honest and do it differently, no more politics as usual. Except, he is playing moneyball politics as usual and that makes him a hypocrite. - Demoralized - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 10:31 am: Louis: Don’t you think it’s a little more than hypocritical for the Governor to be lamenting about campaign contributions from certain groups while at the same time doling out hundreds of thousands of dollars in an effort to influence the votes of Republicans? If you can’t see the hypocrisy in that they you are beyond help. - Anonin' - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 10:32 am: “Agreein’ with Brown” a very smart move. BTW is there and explanation for the Guy/Gal differential…should we call Tier I/Tier II? Can some make additional or wider “turns” than others. Hope inquirin’ minds can ask. - Wordslinger - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 10:33 am: Louis, thanks for your objective, non-personal-interest take on the subject. - Frenchie Mendoza - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 10:34 am: If I were a GOP legislator — at least one that any business savvy whatsoever — I’d ask Rauner to pony up a good deal more money for my vote. Otherwise, I might agree with my colleagues across the aisle. I’d also like to see the costs associated with a “present” versus a “yes”. Seems like Rauner has these calculated down to the dollar. - Bill White - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 10:40 am: As of June 1st 60/30 changes to 71/36 and the core political question becomes how many of those 71 votes need to be HGOP votes before the Speaker pulls the trigger and passes a veto-proof budget. If various HGOP members play their cards right, they can extract HUGE campaign contributions from the Rauner war chest. As I posted in the other thread, perhaps the HGOP should form a union. - walker - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 10:49 am: Louis Atsalves: With respect. The overall dollar amounts and timing are out of pattern to anything the Dems do during a legislative session. An entirely new ball game has been introduced by Rauner. Very clear, and specific messaging via dollars right now. There might be unstated assumptions in the air about future campaign support, in exchange for backing the Dem caucus leadership, but money directed at specific legislators doesn’t flow before a key vote. - Anon - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 10:51 am: Righteous indignation is a shield held by hypocrites. - Louis G Atsaves - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 10:53 am: @worslinger and @demoralized: I understand your concerns about Governor “special interest group” Rauner and his actions. Funny how Democrats are now howling in indignation that Republicans are contributing to Republicans. Taking that outrage to its most logical conclusion, that means those same Democrats will refuse contributions from fellow Democrats. I am a Republican. Never denied it in all the years I have been posting here. But someone had to point out the nonsense of Governor Rauner being referred to as “a special interest group” and the faux outrage of Democrats over the contributions. No one else around here picked up on the reference to Rauner being a “special interest group?” Notwithstanding the hilarity of this hypocritical behavior, my comment about Illinois politics being “sadly” infected by this nonsense remains unshaken. - Past the Rule of 85 - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 10:54 am: So now we know a “present” vote costs around $10,500. What’s the cost to get a legislator to take a stand and vote yea or nay? I assume it’s a lower cost if you’re paid by a corrupt union boss rather than an upstanding corporate titan. - Wordslinger - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 10:55 am: BW, I highly doubt either Madigan or Cullerton have any interest in passing a “veto-proof budget.” Why would they? They want the governor to own the budget, and he will. - Politix - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 11:00 am: Louis, are you able to acknowledge the hypocrisy of a man who has spent months calling unions corrupt for donating to Democrats who protect their interests when he does same for Republicans who support his interests? - Louis G Atsaves - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 11:00 am: @walker, I enjoy your comments. Your point is well taken. But what “key vote” are we talking about here? The Tribune and nearly everyone else called it a “mock vote.” Anyone doubt that if Governor “special interest group” Rauner submitted language for a bill there, it would have normally been buried in committee? Mock votes. Mock outrage. Symbolic threats. Theatrical politics at its best/worst depending on which side of the fence you are standing at any given moment. Any adults in the room out there? I keep asking. If there are, it is really, really time for you all to step forward. - The obvious - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 11:01 am: Rich I agree wholeheartedly with your comments. Thanks for the good piece. Objective and fair. - Bill White - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 11:01 am: @Wordslinger To the extent you are correct (and I hesitate to disagree) then I find myself wanting to know what happens if there no budget is passed. At the federal level we’ve seen continuing resolutions and shut-downs but what happens at the Illinois level? - Wordslinger - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 11:07 am: Louis, spin yourself silly and pretend this is nothing new, you’re on the team. But I assure you my thoughts on Rauner’s GA late-session shopping spree would be exactly the same if it had been done by Quinn, Blago, Ryan, Edgar, Thompson, Walker….. - Oswego Willy - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 11:11 am: === Anyone doubt that if Governor “special interest group” Rauner submitted language for a bill there, it would have normally been buried in committee?=== I thought the Governor would want his agenda voted on. If not, why go all over the state wanting asking his agenda be passed? Ok, let’s see, how many “green”… Rauner could’ve saved himself $400K this time if the end goal was never having any part of his agenda voted on. Your rationale means Rauner’s legislative agenda is; Hope it gets stuck in committee? - Anonymous - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 11:14 am: Word, give Louis a break. Rauner gave his wife a sweet gig, gotta keep him happy. - Louis G Atsaves - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 11:17 am: @Oswego Willy: aren’t you the person here who keeps counting noses for Rauner bills to succeed in the House? And who keeps reminding everyone of how Rauner bills will come up short? @wordslinger: thanks for your assurances there. For a moment I thought you fell off the train. - walker - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 11:17 am: Louis: Thanks. Your take could be right on this one, but a lot of “key votes” should be coming in short order this month. - Langhorne - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 11:19 am: Did one of the govs daughters get married recently? Did he call each legislator into the back room at Saputos to get their checks? Seriously, were the checks made out to legislators, or their campaign committees? Were they delivered to official offices, or campaign offices? Nevertheless, it is crass in the extreme. You cant hold a fund raiser on a session day, but the gov can shower checks on the help. The negative optics will live on for a while. - Oswego Willy - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 11:27 am: === And who keeps reminding everyone of how Rauner bills will come up short?=== ‘Don’ Sandack? I’m still confused. Rauner demands his agenda be passed. Ok, let’s vote. The biggest failures if this Administration are simple and quite glaring; The Legislative Shop and the Press Shop. Between not being able to seem like a trustworthy partner, they now can’t stop vote after vote like this… …and a Press Shop that wasted time today, emailing the victory in Arthur, IL. If your are part of these crews, you are failing the governor. Daily. Congratulations. - Louis G. Atsaves -, I said from Day 1, this Adminstrations most important members are the LLs and the Press Shop. The goals were simple and achieveable; Fix FY2015 as a partner, work to get structured roll calls for FY2016, and get a contract with the Unions by May 31st. Focus there, successes will be plentiful. Between RTW slide shows, and specific Union busting with Fair Share, the Legislative and Press Shops failed the governor, by letting him govern as a true believer, not the Executice in divided government. Sandack is such the glaring example, “who” else can be the face of this failure? “Who”, “who” else? - Apocalypse Now - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 12:00 pm: Well stated Louis G Atsaves. - RNUG - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 12:08 pm: == but I hope some — a few — GOPers will put the interests of their constituents and the state over the interests of some uninformed, uncharismatic rich guy == I believe one GOP rep did yesterday. - PublicServant - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 12:16 pm: I’ll be personally standing by with a shovel, and pounding the pavement for Poe, should Rauner attempt to bury him. - Rod - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 12:19 pm: Politix Lou was great and he was great at his annual golf event last held at the Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa in Galena, IL as I recall. In 2012 for example Rep Lang raised $873,923 in total campaign contributions and in 2002 $1,370,879. Politics is a rough game Politix and Rep Lang plays for keeps. The truth is the Governor had better do better than $400,000 for his crew if he wants to play against Lou. - Politix - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 12:40 pm: Lou deserves every dollar raised and more. He is a smart and thoughtful public servant and widely respected on both sides of the aisle. - Arsenal - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 12:51 pm: ==Anyone doubt that if Governor “special interest group” Rauner submitted language for a bill there, it would have normally been buried in committee?== My word, yes, absolutely, me, I do. I do not see, and doubt you can show me, how Governor “Special Interest Group” Rauner (apt nickname, I dig it!) could submit a RTWFL-Zone bill with language different enough from what was voted on yesterday that it would change the political calculus for MJM. So long as the Governor’s hypothetical language allowed RTWFF-Zones, MJM and the House Dems would still oppose it. They would still be angry about the Good Friday cuts. They would still want to show Rauner who is boss. They would still want to demonstrate to the unions that they got their backs (so keep sending the dough-re-mi!). And so long as the Governor’s hypothetical language allowed RTWFF-Zones, pro-union Republicans would still be pinched- perhaps more so, because if it was Rauner’s real bill, he might put more financial teeth on it, though union opposition would remain the same. And MJM and the House Dems, of course, have incentive to pinch pro-union Republicans (or any other kind of Republican). The only real difference between this bill and Governor Rauner’s hypothetical “real” language is that presumably he’d have gotten a COUPLE green lights for the “real” language, and thus saved himself the embarrassing headlines. But the bill still would have been called, it still would have failed. But it would have been better for the Governor. - Rod - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 2:20 pm: Politix I agree Lou Lang is knowledgeable especially about gaming and mental health issues. But just looking at the campaign contributions over 1996 to 2014 shows that he he has raised over $6 million in campaign funds. Is any State Representative really worth that kind of money, I mean they are supposed to be citizen legislators working only part time. Jim Durkin the Republican leader in the House has raised from 1996 to 2012 about $1.3 million. The point of this is Rauner’s contribution of $400,000 is really a joke when we are talking about this kind of money. If Rauner wants to take on the heavy hitters like Rep Lang and the Speaker or leader Currie this money is a joke, Rep Lang knows that too. His speech was knife twisting that may have been somewhat justified given where all of this seems to be headed. - Team Sleep - Friday, May 15, 15 @ 3:17 pm: And yet the irony here is that, with all of this angst flowing throughout this threat, the Trib Cash tracker shows that just today Speaker Madigan’s campaign apparatus logged $27,000 from 10 contributors. $10,000 of that was from AT&T, which I believe is pushing for a telecom rewrite during the 99th General Assembly. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.