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* Let’s look at how Jason Plummer’s refusal to disclose his income tax returns was managed. Here’s Plummer’s statement…
“The voters of Illinois are fundamentally concerned with making a clean break in our state. As we have sadly seen all too often in Illinois, voters also need to know any potential conflicts that a public official might have. My campaign has committed to putting the names of every one of my donors online, going beyond what the law requires. I have also ensured that my Statement of Economic Interest fully reflects any potential conflicts as the law requires.
“As a candidate for Lieutenant Governor, I personally believe, like many other statewide candidates and public officials in Illinois, that the issue of releasing individual tax returns is often used to serve as a political distraction by those who can not answer the real issues that voters care about. I will continue to fully offer donor information and information on any potential conflicts, but I will not be providing individual tax return information.
“Right now, Illinois needs a sound budget more than anything else. We need a governor who will provide leadership, not more of the Blagovjevich/Quinn politics of the past. I stand with the voters of Illinois who demand leadership and real answers to the problems our great state is facing. That is what I will continue talking about in this campaign.”
* The explanation from the Bill Brady campaign to the AP…
John Hoffman, a spokesman for the Brady-Plummer campaign, said Plummer has filed his taxes and did not seek an extension. He would not say how much Plummer paid the government.
* The Pat Quinn campaign’s full response…
We have learned a lot about the Brady/Plummer ticket since April 15.
First, they had a chance to come clean and disclose their taxes and instead they chose to cover up and hide.
Second, Brady only agreed to disclose his returns after Gov Quinn pushed him to do so.
Third, Brady kept hiding, even as he disclosed. The public was not afforded the opportunity to view his returns and access was extremely controlled and limited.
Fourth, we learned that Senator Brady thinks taxes ought to be paid by someone else. As a wealthy business person who also draws a nice salary as a state senator, Senator Brady avoided paying income taxes. And we learned that he doesn’t pay payroll taxes on his campaign staff. While not paying taxes - he still made sizeable loans to his campaign.
Now Jason Plummer has refused to disclose his taxes to voters of the state. Is it possible that he didn’t pay any taxes, as well? Or is there something else? What is he hiding?
Governor Quinn and Sheila Simon have championed ethics reform and accountability in government. They understand that there are no degrees of transparency. After the last two scandal-plagued administrations, voters and taxpayers want to be sure of the openness
and honesty of their public officials. If Jason Plummer can’t meet that test — Illinois residents deserve to know why.
* And the goo-goo…
Many voters have come to expect full financial disclosure from political candidates, especially in the first election after Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s impeachment, said Cindi Canary, director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform.
“I think it’s unfortunate, because Mr. Plummer isn’t yet a widely known candidate,” Canary said. “In this election cycle in particular, voters have good reason to really want to scrutinize the candidates, both where they stand on the issues and how they conduct themselves personally.”
Rate ‘em…
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 10:22 am
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Leave it to Quinn to compose a five-paragraph composition.
Hamburger!
Comment by George Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 10:31 am
Here is my rule: If you are running for Governor or become Governor because the incumbent dies or is impeached, show us your tax returns. If you aren’t one of those two things, we shouldn’t care.
Comment by Skeptical Cynic Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 10:32 am
Blub…blab…blub…blab….”but Dad told me I couldn’t.”
Comment by A Viewer Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 10:32 am
Keep it simple:
“There is no documentation of the Republican ticket paying a cent in income taxes last year.”
or
“Rod Blagojevich was accused of using public office for personal gain. We want to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”
or
“The question remains whether Jason Plummer filed his own taxes, or whether he is still counted as a dependent.”
Comment by George Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 10:34 am
Try to stick to the analysis and avoid rehashing everything we talked about here yesterday. Thanks.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 10:35 am
All responses are terrible.
Additionally, here is what I want to know:
Umm… that is precisely what the law requires.
Comment by George Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 10:40 am
If Plummer was holding out after Brady held out disclosing, he might be ok. There’s blood in the water now. Quinn and the goo-goos are trying to hit on a point of perceived vulnerability… for now, its working.
However, once June 3rd gets here, all of this will be forgotten. We’ll see 6 or so weeks of the Rod show, wall to wall. Once it’s over, assuming the voters are aggrevated by poking at an old wound, they aren’t going to remember this after the trial. It’ll be about Rod, who helped Rod, who was helped by Rod and who will show themselves as the anti-Rod. And jobs.
The candidate who shows they can break from the Blagojevich era the best, who convinces people they can bring back jobs and a sound economy and who can actually govern the state will be at an advantage. Right now, I’m not sure there is a clear winner on that front, but that case has to be made after the Rod-show anyway.
Comment by John Bambenek Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 10:44 am
Plummer LOANED $350,000 … of HIS money … to his campaign. OK, so …
If you disclose every transaction in your campaign, and by happenstance you get, oh lets say … $350,000 from a donor, a PAC, etc., doesn’t there need to be a vetting of EXACTLY where that monies came? In the case of a PAC, was it their fundraising or membership dues? Corporate - the Board of Directors, by vote or their Governmental Affairs office? … an individual - How exactly does that individual MAKE their money? … Hmmmm.
The “release” by Plummer - It’s a typical “Look at the clouds, but not at me” type of statement, not addressing the issue, but golly, I am fighting … for … YOU. At 27, and interning, … oh, exuse me “working” … for Heritage Foundation and Senator Peter Fitzgerald, he must have made a mint! … Or … after just 2 interships, did his Daddy give him a title to “justify” a bankroll … or did they just skip all the appearances and just bankroll the kid?
One way to know where the money trail lays ….
Tax
Returns …..
Plummer owes us NOTHIING .. but we, the public, who him our trust …but look at the clouds, because there is no way we will find out about the sweet money making he had as an “employee” at the lumber company.
“Daddy, I got a date tonight, can you spare … $350,000?”
I think the lead in this story is that you loan yourself $350K, you are 27, you only can claim working for your Daddy as a job that could even remotely justify you, yourself, loaning that money … care to elaborate or make transparent?
The statement, or lack there of, will not clarify the monies, but the tax return should could …so the statement is awful.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 10:45 am
Ratings.
Plummer’s reasoning: Weak. Pivoting straight to “Quinn is Blagojevich” when people are talking about an issue as specific to your candidacy as your personal tax returns won’t work.
Quinn’s react: As to be expected. They are justified in their attack. Why not whack him if he’s going to withhold information about himself. They forgot to ask one question in the “what’s he hiding” section though. Did Plummer even hold a job last year? Has any one actually checked on that?
Canary’s react: ooey gooey. Should have hit him much harder. This is a big deal.
Come on Brady/Plummer…how could you be so stupid as to go down this road again? The story was FINALLY going away about Bill’s returns. Sheesh.
Comment by heet101 Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 10:45 am
quinn’s campaign - I’d rate a B+ on how they are using it. They make a strong case, but an overly wordy one, and buried the best part - “Now Jason Plummer has refused to disclose his taxes to voters of the state. Is it possible that he didn’t pay any taxes, as well? Or is there something else? What is he hiding?” They are getting media attention with the story, so ultimately they are succeeding.
Brady/Plummer campaign: D+ - Plummer’s statements do as good a job of possible as explaining their openness and sneaking in the Blagojevich/Quinn line. What should be worrisome to repubs is that the way the statements came out, they don’t seem to be coordinating this. Plummer and his spokesperson should be getting their marching orders from the Brady campaign.
Comment by Robert Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 10:46 am
Goo-Goo: B+
Notes that Plummer is an unknown quantity and that any information about him and his finances is not only welcome but necessary for Illinois voters to consider him a serious alternative to Paul Simon’s daughter.
Quinn: B-
I _really_ don’t like the First, Second, etc. format. It makes a list of talking points look like a list of talking points. Even though those points are legitimate, their value is greatly diminished by the clunky presentation.
Brady: B-
Short. Get’s the “yeah but” counter out there. Doesn’t address the issue. But at least it was short.
Plummer: D-
Needs a great deal of work. Clearly cribbed from Mr. Brady. Apparently the student has not been paying attention to the class discussion regarding Mr. Brady’s multiple and partial answers to the tax question. If Mr. Plummer had been paying attention, he would know that Mr. Brady received an Incomplete for his answer.
Copying another’s unsatisfactory answer is not a strong indicator of good judgment.
– MrJM
Comment by MrJM Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 10:46 am
It real reason is that right now employees of his dads lumberyards are being told what their pay raise for the year is going to be. Since they will be getting little to nothing of an increase and will be unhappy to start with the last thing his dad needs is Jasons salary to be the talk in all the lumberyards. Its really that simple
Comment by RP Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 10:46 am
The whole schtick about “the people of Illinois care about jobs and the budget, not these distractions” is so hackneyed. It’s the last refuge of a scoundrel. It’s what someone says who is clearly hiding something.
What’s really disturbing about this is that Team Brady/Plummer obviously sat in their little bubble and convinced themselves that Brady’s trainwreck on this same issue went well.
This is especially not good coming after young Jason got caught doing some pretty major inflation of his resume.
Comment by just sayin' Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 10:49 am
All you need to do is look at the headline from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
“Illinois Republican lt. gov. candidate Plummer says MYOB on his taxes”
MYOB = “Mind Your Own Business”
Oof.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 10:52 am
The scary thing for Plummer is that his choice to not disclose his taxes is the ONLY thing voters know about him. Pretty silly way to introduce yourself to the voters.
If Plummer is being serious about full disclosure, he should start talking about all those large personal loans he made. Don’t commit to transparency if you can’t back it up.
Comment by jonbtuba Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 10:53 am
Plummer: A lot of misdirection, but it really doesn’t get him anywhere. He’s now made himself an issue. F.
Brady: Short and sweet. That’s about all they can do. A, under the circumstances.
Quinn: Predictable and a little over the top. C.
Goo-goo. Predictable. G.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 10:54 am
Plummer: B- Not without it’s merit. He needed however to use the old Obama twist, “…a distraction…”, “…not the focus…”, “Listen…” - Plummer would find it easier to be heard if he copied the President.
Quinn: C- Predictable. Nice spin, but unsurprising.
Canary: A- The best. She gives us a reason and that is the point of the entire conversation. She does so in one paragraph. Well done!
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 10:54 am
Ok, to the others …
Hoffman … D+ - You just went through this with Bill, the only way I could go “C” is if Clarke and Co. knew zero about this, and the Kid decided to just let it out there, then Hoffman gets a “C” for the response, but an “F” on handling the candidates.
Quinn .. solid B - the statement could have been an A but there is no holding the feet to the fire on Plummer, and in reality, Quinn does nothing to give the story more legs for more days …
ooey gooey … B - You made a point, now are you going to push it to the point of making anything happen? … dunno if there is any “there” there … too much relying on the press, but the Kid is not off the hook, so a B.
All that being said … Plummer, … this ain’t going away.
Bill got forced to disclose, and the way he did it made the media a bit edgy … think you will get a pass?
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 10:55 am
After the whole blow up with Brady and taxes, there’s just so much blood in the water. Sorry Jason Plummer–it isn’t going away. The sooner you ante up the returns, the sooner you can go back to previous programming.
Illinois GOP theme:
Let’s whine day and night about sky high taxes, but whether we actually pay them or not is our own business!!
train111
Comment by train111 Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 11:00 am
Little Lord Fauntleroy is a disaster.
Comment by LincolnLounger Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 11:01 am
Plummer said: “I stand with the voters of Illinois who demand leadership and real answers to the problems our great state is facing.”
Where is the leadership? A leader, who is running for office, puts the info out there including tax and financial information. A leader doesn’t decide for voters what is and what isn’t a “distraction.”
Where are the answers? Brady/Plummer, like their GOP colleagues in the IL GA and Congress, have offered no answers to problems facing Illinois or the nation. Brady/Plummer would be wise to put out a specific budget - detail the cuts, detail the priorities, and defend the decisions.
Voters want leadership. That is leadership.
Comment by SangamoGOP Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 11:01 am
Good Grief!
I’ve said it in the past on this site and elsewhere and I’ll say it again. I don’t care if the candidate is a Democrat or a Republican. I don’t think that releasing tax returns is an obligation of a candidate or an office holder to the public. Nor should we demand such a release.
The Quinn response omits the fact that he did a “Brady” on his own tax return release last year, making him a hypocrite on this issue.
Brady should have stuck to his guns and not release his returns if he felt that strongly about it. Now his release of his returns, no matter how limited, puts Plummer in a bad light, a light that he should not be in by any stretch of any imagination.
With the State facing huge financial issues and early prisoner release issues resulting from a lack of finances, and a huge backlog of bills for services, many of whom are in desperate need of such services, we are debating what?
Let the State Legislature or the Federal Congress enact legislation which mandates full disclosure of tax returns for everyone running for office or currently holding a public office. Or allow them to be disclosed under a form of a freedom of information act?
Then debate the subject.
Otherwise, it is the RIGHT of anyone running for office to keep their private financial tax returns PRIVATE just like any other ordinary citizen has that right.
Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 11:01 am
Has the Brady/Plummer campaign released their budget for the State of Illinois, or are they keeping that secret too?
There seems to be a logical disconnect in Plummer’s response if the answer to him not releasing his tax returns is that the voters are really concerned about the budget. But he won’t release his plan for the budget either.
It seems like you either have to run on policy or who you are. If a candidate doesn’t answer the policy questions and he doesn’t answer the personal questions, why should anyone support him/her?
Comment by Carl Nyberg Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 11:01 am
we see them late friday before the start of memorial day weekend and that the issue is no earned income–all passive, dividends, etc.
Comment by just guessin Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 11:10 am
While I agree w/Mr Atsaves re the need to know from a strictly obligatory standpoint, perception is the MAIN issue at this point of any political campaign. Plummer gets a D- because he can’t figure out that this story will NOT go away until he releases the returns. Right now, PQ is twisting in the wind over the DoC mess and the tax issue will only distract the MSM from the main event. Brady releasing his brought momentary focus on his tax liability (or lack, thereof) but folks have moved on (after the returns were disclosed, of course). What about this don’t you get, Mr Plummer? Do you think the reporters are going away in a few days if you stick it out? Oh, Prunella.
Comment by dupage dan Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 11:36 am
If someone is paying no taxes on a legitimate tax return it just means they has a damn good accountant.
Comment by Mr. Ethics Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 11:43 am
Governor Quinn makes a good point when he says “Senator Brady thinks taxes ought to be paid by someone else.” “As a wealthy business person who also draws a nice salary as a state senator, Senator Brady avoided paying income taxes.”
Not everyone can afford to hire people to figure out every loop hole in the tax system to keep from paying taxes.
Like Leona Helmsly would say “We don’t pay taxes. Only the little people pay taxes.”
First Brady authors a bill to allow mass extermination of up to ten puppies in a gas chamber and then we find out he doesn’t pay taxes like the rest of us little people.
Is Bill Brady the King of Mean?
Comment by (618) Democrat Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 11:46 am
He’s in a bit of a trick bag with this:
*Plummer spokeswoman… said tonight that Brady’s campaign was consulted in the decision. “He’s not changing his mind,” she said of Plummer.*
If he changes his mind, he looks weak and naive, an issue already on voters minds (those who are paying attention, I suppose). And if he sticks to his guns, well then, the narrative continues.
Seems like an odd issue on which to draw a line in the sand.
Comment by quicknote Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 11:52 am
Gee, what a shock that Louis G. Atsaves, a Republican Party township chairman, would try to cover for Brady and Plummer.
“With the State facing huge financial issues and early prisoner release issues resulting from a lack of finances, and a huge backlog of bills for services, many of whom are in desperate need of such services, we are debating what?”
Oh, I dunno, maybe we’re trying to find out if any of these candidates have relationships or conflicts of interest that will make Illinois an even bigger embarrassment down the road? Just a thought.
Quinn, Simon, and Brady released their returns (sort of in Brady’s case). What they woulda, coulda, shoulda done is irrelevant at this point.
Common sense should tell Plummer that he can’t get away with being an outlier. The standard for this race has been set.
Comment by just sayin' Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 12:02 pm
Louis, js makes a good point. We have a budget post up now and it’s ready for your comments. Since you complained about this post, perhaps you should share with us your budgetary brilliance.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 12:04 pm
To me, the lack of serious budget alternatives from Brady/Plummer and the GOP as a whole is way bigger than taking legal tax breaks (as bad as that might look).
How the heck can you run for governor and not present an alternative budget? That’s the biggest part of the job.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 2:42 pm
Plummer: F - ; after Brady took body blows over not paying taxes but having lots of cash laying about the silence is deafening. i.e. Plummer is another wealthy business man paying no taxes.
Brady: D taking the positions the IL business need less taxes, when you and your running mate have never paid! while cutting services to those who need healh care looks very bad, responding by ignoring the issue is not a confidence builder.
Quinn: B for rambly, but he made some good points. He really need a focused campaing strategy, where is is new manager? Sound bites, its all about the sound bites.
Comment by Ghost Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 2:45 pm
I don’t think Brady or Plummer should provide any more Tax information until Quinn is forced to give a full accounting of his for the last four years.
Comment by Fairplay Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 2:49 pm
Fairplay, that’s a good point. Earlier today, i asked for copies of PQ’s returns covering all the years that Brady released. I was promised them. We shall see.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 2:51 pm
I think there may be a bigger story here. From the Illinois Bd. of Elections website, check out these loans from Jason to his own campaign:
Plummer, Jason
101 Knights Bridge Ln
Edwardsville, IL 62025 $25,000.00
1/26/2010 Loan Received
Plummer for Illinois
Plummer, Jason
101 Knights Bridge Ln
Edwardsville, IL 62025 $150,000.00
1/6/2010 Loan Received
Plummer for Illinois
Plummer, Jason
101 Knights Bridge Ln
Edwardsville, IL 62025 $125,000.00
1/19/2010 Loan Received
Plummer for Illinois
Plummer, Jason
101 Knights Bridge Ln
Edwardsville, IL 62025
Occupation: Vice President
Employer: RP Lumber $50,000.00
9/23/2009 Loan Received
Plummer for Illinois
That’s some pretty serious cabbage being loaned by a kid who’s been out of college like 4 years.
I’m not accusing anyone. But a reasonable question might be, is it possible dad just gave son the money, so that someone other than dad could contribute to the campaign? Tax records would likely show any inconsistencies, and maybe that’s why Jason’s stonewalling on the returns.
Again, I’m not accusing anyone of anything. But it’s fair to speculate when Jason won’t do even the level of disclosure that his running mate’s done.
Just sayin’.
Comment by just sayin' Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 4:38 pm
Just Sayin’s numbers are confirmed here:
http://bit.ly/Plummer2Plummer
– MrJM
Comment by MrJM Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 5:47 pm
Congrats, deleted anon, you just got yourself banned for life.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 6:33 pm
Fairplay, would three hours in a Springfield office be enough time for you? Or do you want paper copies of Quinn’s in your hands?
If we’re gonna play the tit-for-tat, then Brady should match Quinn on 2009. Then we can talk.
The fact is Brady released his for multiple years because he thought it would help him make his “but look at all the taxes I paid in the years I was raking it in” argument. If he would have only released the 2009 returns it would have looked REALLY bad instead of just really bad.
Comment by ShadyBillBrady Wednesday, May 19, 10 @ 7:46 pm
Rich thanks;
Shady thats why I asked about the multiply years because I think Cap fax has posted that Quinn did the same kind of 3 hour “look see” last year, just another case of fairplay what was Quinn hiding?
Comment by Fairplay Thursday, May 20, 10 @ 6:21 am
I probably wasn’t very clear, fairplay.
So Quinn did a “look-see” for 2008. We’ll give Brady his “look-see” for 2008 as well. Since Quinn and Simon released all for 2009, let’s ask the same of Brady/Plummer. Sounds fair to me.
Although, I’m equally interested in seeing what Quinn’s include for the last handful of years.
My point, however, is that Brady revealed his back several years not to “out-do” Quinn but to try to provide cover for himself. Hard to make the “public-sector ruling class” argument if you only release 2009 and reveal your income was, well, from the public. Hard to rail against government intrusion and stimulus spending, when, well, you directly benefited, etc.
But to the actual question of the thread, since I don’t wanna be deleted either, as I rather enjoy it here …
Plummer: not sure why the response came in writing; just make a statement and be done. But then again it may be in writing so the message could actually be uh, ummm, ah, ummm, clear and controlled.
Brady: interesting the Brady camp is trying to distance themselves. Seems the Plummer folks said they consulted with Brady’s team, and seems like Brady is always wanting to tie Quinn to Blago as if they were a “team” … so seems like the Brady response should be stronger in support of JP? But it’s tough to undo what’s been done - still can’t fathom why they didn’t do whatever they chose to do in tandom.
Quinn: a little ramlbing, but hits the talking points and stays on message … shows some discipline, at leaste relatively so.
Comment by ShadyBillBrady Thursday, May 20, 10 @ 8:59 am