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* Wall St. Journal, emphasis added…
Since the November election, Mr. Rauner’s campaign committee has raised more than $21 million, with nearly all of the money coming from Mr. Rauner, Mr. Griffin and Richard Uihlein, chief executive of a Wisconsin-based packaging company.
The committee on its own appears to be outpacing the combined total raised by more than 30 governors starting four-year terms in 2011, according to state-level data aggregated by the National Institute on Money in State Politics. Similar data isn’t yet available for governors elected in 2014 because of state-by-state filing requirements.
In addition to his campaign committee, Mr. Rauner has a newly formed political-action committee that has raised $4.25 million in recent weeks from Mr. Zell and him.
A committee formed by Democrats with ties to the business community also has entered the budget fray, frustrated with the current party leadership. So far it has taken in $8.5 million from five individuals, including Sam Zell’s wife, Helen, and Texas billionaire John Arnold, according to state campaign finance records.
“It creates a very different environment where you have a small number of wealthy individuals who come in—and in a very short time—create a huge presence,” said Kent Redfield, a professor emeritus of political studies at the University of Illinois at Springfield.
[h/t: Wordslinger]
Rauner would say he’s just trying to break the stranglehold of the special interests, and that ain’t gonna be cheap. But that assumes Rauner and his wealthy pals are on the right path for Illinois.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 10:29 am
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Great catch by - wordslinger -,
It’s not Republicans or Democrats.
It’s Rauner and those in the “Us” Camp, and everyone else in the “Them” Camp…while Rauner’s Raunerites are…
…”outpacing the combined total raised by more than 30 governors starting four-year terms in 2011…”
The ILGOP is no more. The “cost-benefit” of owning a state, the checkbooks are still talking.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 10:36 am
special interests n. 1. Groups aligned with the Democratic Party seeking favor with state government. 2. Does not include billionaires who donate to legislators in order to impose their economic philosophy on the state.
Comment by nona Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 10:37 am
It also assumes that Rauner and his wealthy pals are not themselves a special interest. They are. But he’s already shown that it’s one set of rules for him, another sent for everyone else.
Comment by State employee Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 10:41 am
What is the right path for IL? The Dems need to answer that question soon.
Comment by Mama Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 10:47 am
Might he even be aiming for the real battle of shutdown then recall, which made his hero, Scott Walker, a national figure?
The number is so big that we are hard-pressed to spend the whole war chest in legislative warfare.
Really sobering to realize that a couple of months’ income, from only two or three people, might impact the political realities of a whole state.
Comment by walker Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 10:56 am
Wordslinger always reads the whole piece, and often researches, before he comments. Thanks.
We all should be so good.
Comment by walker Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 10:59 am
===real battle of shutdown then recall===
Recall is basically a mirage in this state. No Republicans are gonna vote for that in the GA…
The recall of the Governor may be proposed by a petition signed by a number of electors equal in number to at least 15% of the total votes cast for Governor in the preceding gubernatorial election, with at least 100 signatures from each of at least 25 separate counties. A petition shall have been signed by the petitioning electors not more than 150 days after an affidavit has been filed with the State Board of Elections providing notice of intent to circulate a petition to recall the Governor. The affidavit may be filed no sooner than 6 months after the beginning of the Governor’s term of office.
The affidavit shall have been signed by the proponent of the recall petition, at least 20 members of the House of Representatives, and at least 10 members of the Senate, with no more than half of the signatures of members of each chamber from the same established political party.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 11:01 am
Thank you, Rich.
Recall isn’t even remotely on the radar.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 11:06 am
I don’t think this will happen in IL, but a well planned takeover of the a state by “outsiders” has happened before.
North Carolina
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/10/10/state-for-sale?currentPage=all
It’s not pretty, but it has worked before.
Comment by jacketpotato Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 11:08 am
Good ole Kent….wonder if he remembers the last time the billionaire brain trust waddled into SPI?
They conned all hands into believin’ the best way to reform schools was to make it harder to strike.
Sheer genius that made a huge difference.
Comment by Anonin' Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 11:08 am
Thank you for the head slap, Rich. I lost my mind for a minute, trying to figure out how to spend a $30Million war chest in the next two years.
Comment by walker Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 11:17 am
- walker -,
To be fair to yourself, the Post and the amount of monies discussed, it IS mind-boggling to think $30 million could be out there soon.
Much respect.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 11:20 am
===mind-boggling to think $30 million===
Could be 50.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 11:23 am
===Could be 50.===
Now I’m nauseous and mind-boggled, lol
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 11:28 am
Rauner is like New Coke.
How much did they spend trying to peddle that crap?
Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 11:50 am
State of Illinois- a wholly owned subsidiary of GTCR
Company motto “We put the “a” in Capitol.”
Comment by Come on man! Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 12:54 pm
$30 Mil just doesn’t get you what it used to.
Comment by A guy Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 2:39 pm
This is nothing new, in principle. Only the order of magnitude has changed.
Comment by Keyser Soze Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 2:52 pm
==- A guy - Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 2:39 pm:==
That’s your defense? Having ten times as much as your opponents “doesn’t get you what it used to”?
Comment by Precinct Captain Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 2:59 pm
Why is rauner and his pals not a special interest grp?
They have a speci interest typemagenda of breaking unions, lowering wages and putting individual employees into retiremnt plans that pay per person fees and more money to investment firms then the current system pays.
Comment by Ghost Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 3:17 pm
No PC, not a defense at all. I’ve lived long enough to hear all of the bellyaching over money in the system and how that influences the outcome. If it’s money supporting your view, it’s not so outrageous. The other side has more and it’s suddenly a catastrophe. Maybe you didn’t see or hear about mailings and phone calls the Speaker commissioned in the last few weeks. And Local 150 sending out mass mailings. Didn’t hear your contempt for any of that. Heck, the Speaker even planned votes around his mailing program (not the other way around) Your contempt was…silent.
He’s got an agenda. It’s not hidden. He’s promoting it and using the resources he has to do it. He won an election because more than half the voters are as fed up as he stated he was in his campaign. He’s re-enforcing that message. I get it. You don’t like it.
Comment by A guy Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 3:19 pm
A guy
My beef with the Governor isn’t that he is doing this. It’s that he’s doing this while at the same time calling the monetary involvement of other groups corrupt. He needs to pick a lane and stick to it. Either all money is corrupt or it isn’t. You can’t have it both ways.
Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 3:22 pm
==The other side has more and it’s suddenly a catastrophe.==
Actually, the issue is that it’s a THIRD side.
Comment by Arsenal Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 3:24 pm
Demo, your point is a better one. As has been stated by the owner of this site, he’s a believer in what he’s doing. It’s not just for show. I’d prefer to see the term “corrupt” not thrown around so loosely. Heck, there’s enough of it, you don’t have to. But everything and everyone is not corrupt. There needs to be more care taken in this area.
Comment by A guy Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 3:34 pm
===Maybe you didn’t see or hear about mailings and phone calls the Speaker commissioned in the last few weeks. And Local 150 sending out mass mailings.===
Or the $400K Rauner gave to all GOP members to stay out of having a “problem”… hours… before a vote? lol
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 4:17 pm
Heard about that too. Also heard, no one was surprised as it was foreshadowed 6 months ago. Hint: they’ll get more as they get closer to their elections. Don’t say no one told you.
Comment by A guy Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 4:34 pm
There was a BBQ on Lake Springfield too. No big deal. Just a lot of nice folks getting together a day before session to experience some fellowship. All the nice folks happened to be Dems and lobbyists. Amazing coincidence.
Comment by A guy Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 4:36 pm
Some media types are going to get rich.
I’m not sure what you’re selling in a summer media campaign during a non-election year, unless it’s just Bruce-branding. I imagine he could get talked into spending money on that, lol.
Otherwise, what’s the call to action? Vote against your state rep 18 months from now? How does that help pass your agenda this summer?
Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 5:12 pm