* This e-mail was received by a public schools official…
From: Christina Hibbert
Sent: Friday, August 12, 2016 2:33 PM
Subject: State Fair invite
Good afternoon,
My name is Christina Hibbert, and I am hoping you will stop by and see me at the Coors Light tent at the State Fair Wednesday, August 17. I have a VIP bag, which includes a T-shirt, beer tickets, can coozie, etc., specially for you!
I am the Government Affairs Outreach Coordinator for Illinois Policy. We are an independent research and education organization that generates public policy solutions aimed at promoting personal freedom and prosperity in Illinois. We would like to connect with you to learn about issues you face as a local official. Our goal is to target policies to help you flourish and better serve taxpayers.
Please RSVP by calling or texting me at xxx-xxx-xxxx to be added to the list of VIPs and include your T-shirt size. Your VIP bag will be ready for you when you arrive.
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out. Thank you for your service. I look forward to hearing from you!
Respectfully,
Christina Hibbert
Government Affairs Outreach Coordinator
Illinois Policy Institute/Illinois Policy Action
Thoughts?
* Related…
* Selfie opportunities, yes, but not as much free stuff at elected officials’ fair tents
* Gov. Rauner says he’s reviewing all options for private fundraising for state fairgrounds
* Illinois State Fair cleanup mostly completed after flooding
* Illinois State Fair cancels Monday truck and tractor pulls
- 47th Ward - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 3:50 pm:
And they want access to the press box in the Capitol? Although it would make handing out the gift bags easier…
- Cubs in '16 - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 3:51 pm:
New messagin’ strategy I reckon. And for a T-shirt, beer tickets, and coozie, who wouldn’t take Christina up on her offer? /s
- Deft Wing - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 3:53 pm:
She says she works for “Illinois Policy” and identifies both “Illinois Policy Institute/Illinois Policy Action” as her employer.
So those entities really are one and the same. Hmm.
- Honeybear - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 3:55 pm:
I’d push an old lady in the street for a free t-shirt. IPI’s got the swag.
- Cubs in '16 - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 3:56 pm:
“I have a VIP bag, which includes a T-shirt, beer tickets, can coozie, etc., specially for you!”
New messagin’ strategy I reckon. “specially”? That’s folksy.
- JoeMaddon - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 3:57 pm:
Wait. Are they the awesome Madigan/Obey shirts? I want one!!
- Stones - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 3:59 pm:
I guess a million doesn’t buy much these days.
- Dee Lay - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 3:59 pm:
Hopefully they have those sweet sweet Madigan OBEY shirts…./s
- Reality Check - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 4:01 pm:
Imagine what they would say about anyone else trying to ply public officials with free alcohol.
- Huh? - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 4:02 pm:
Isn’t there something about accepting gifts from lobbyists in the Ethics law? Oh wait, may not apply to other governmental agencies that are not directly under the thumb of 1.4%.
- JS Mill - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 4:02 pm:
Honeybear, you absolutely slay me!
To the post-Free beer? Where do I sign up for the charter school property tax relief initiatives?
- downstate commissioner - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 4:05 pm:
My invitation must be floating in the clouds…
Do they have to wear the t-shirt at the fair? Will buxom young ladies be changing shirts at the bar?
Kind of lost track after mention of the free beer tickets…
Buying a person a beer is one thing, advertising it is another.
Shucks Rich, you should have printed the phone number, then copied the whole message to channel 20 just to see what would happen…
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 4:05 pm:
I do for the t-shirt but stay for the silliness.
Great, another thing to add to my “Wish List”
Letter signed by Speaker Madigan with his world famous “closing” repremanding me in some way…
Letter signed by Goldberg, snarkily cutting me down to size, with flair…
Now I need an IPI t-shirt.
I would add a “ck” email, but that might be being too greedy, considering…
Do the IPI coozies come in more than one color?
…
To the Post,
I respect they’re trying something, but in reality, I remember their rally in May, and the Labor Rally in May in Springfield…
Tillman still has extra Madigan t-shirts… (Which I want to add to my wish list now too!)
You take the goodies and vote accordingly. - OW
- Ron Burgundy - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 4:05 pm:
At least they didn’t call it a beer voucher to select the beer of their choice.
- Arthur Andersen - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 4:07 pm:
JSM, check your e-mail, you may be on the list!
I hope I never run into Honeybear while I’m rockin’ a sweet USN t-shirt…
- Shark Sandwich - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 4:10 pm:
Nothing untoward here; to be a bribe it has to be a ‘thing of value’, which Coors tickets clearly are not.
- A guy - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 4:13 pm:
I read it twice. It doesn’t say the beer tickets are for this particular state fair. Hmmmm
/s
Is it just me or are the “coozies” designed to get our friends on the D side of the aisle to stop by? lol
- Cheryl44 - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 4:17 pm:
If the t shirts aren’t organic cotton I’m not interested.
- Triple fat - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 4:21 pm:
A guy- I guess you’re saying the R’s don’t need coozies because they guzzle the beer so fast that it will never get warm… I’m guessing that’s what you meant.
- BK Bro - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 4:22 pm:
IPI knows how to party.
- Anonymous - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 4:22 pm:
Not interested in the fair this year because of all the muck and mire. And the storm aftermath, too
- Earnest - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 4:34 pm:
I’m going to hold out until they start offering things from the fancy wine club.
- Thunder Fred - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 4:35 pm:
Hopefully someone can get a picture of the coozies and post it on this site so someone else can track down where it’s made and then there can be hundreds of well thought out and well reasoned posts about it. I’m giddy and tingly with the prospect.
- A. Nonymous - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 4:38 pm:
How did they get the email list for LOCAL elected officials?
Sheesh.
- Michelle Flaherty - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 4:42 pm:
Remember when George Ryan’s use of swag at the Fair seemed criminal?
- Demoralized - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 4:42 pm:
==We are an independent research and education organization==
I think they are using the term “independent” rather loosely here.
- Anonymous - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 5:18 pm:
@AA- I checked, no such luck. I have to say that I am pretty disappointed!
- Norseman - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 5:26 pm:
IPI doing it’s (cough, cough) independent bit to drum up folks for gov’s day at fair.
AA go Navy!
- Just Me - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 5:30 pm:
Better make sure they report the gifts.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 5:32 pm:
Seems like a perfect pairing.
Coors is synonymous with right wing shill think tanks, having launched the Heritage Foundation and the American Enterprise Institute.
In the 80’s, Coors was notorious for supporting anti-Union efforts, particularly right-to-work.
That reputation has ebbed, which makes you wonder who over at Coors thought it was a bright idea to give the Illinois Policy Institute a bunch of free swag to hand out?
- G'Kar - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 5:41 pm:
Having just returned from the Great Taste of the Midwest in Madison, the best beer festival in the country, I am not particularly tempted by Coors Light tickets.
- Winnin' - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 6:16 pm:
Reportable political gifts.
Be like Madigan. Don’t accept gifts period. Especially from groups proffessin’ to be holier than thou.
- weltschmerz - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 6:42 pm:
Doctors get this kind of stuff all of the time and it doesn’t influe… aagh. Sorr, snorted coffee through my nose again.
- Christopher Moltisanti - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 7:19 pm:
You’d have to be a pretty big coozie hound to give up your contact info for such a light-weight swag bag.
- Paul S - Monday, Aug 15, 16 @ 10:59 pm:
Dear public school official, I know school is starting so grab a Coors before all the little kids come beating down your door.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Aug 16, 16 @ 8:38 am:
DO NOT DRINK THE FREE KOOL-AID
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Aug 16, 16 @ 8:39 am:
Come over to the Dark Side.
We have free crap in a bag.
- Lynn S. - Wednesday, Aug 17, 16 @ 2:06 am:
Curious what list of “local” elected officials they sent this to. I’m on a school board almost 90 miles away from Springfield, and I didn’t get invited to this. Sorely disappointed, but it’s a busy week and I don’t have time to pout…
(Plus, I want some young beefcake to help me change into my IPI t-shirt. If I promise to give my beer tickets to you, Rich, will you not ban me from the blog for objectifying the young men like that?)