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“With warmest personal regards”

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* From the twitters…


House Revenue & Finance Committee regarding Gov. Rauner staffer salaries is set to begin in a few minutes. #twill

— Zach Bernard (@zachbernard29) June 30, 2015

This hearing was scheduled last week as well, but nobody from the Governor's Office showed up. They said the hearing was a sham. #twill

— Zach Bernard (@zachbernard29) June 30, 2015

Rep. Bradley calls the committee to order, roll is taken. We were handed a letter from the Governor's Office stating they will not attend.

— Zach Bernard (@zachbernard29) June 30, 2015

Rep. Bradley asked if anyone would testify, crickets followed. He calls this a "sad sign of the times" that nobody will testify. #twill

— Zach Bernard (@zachbernard29) June 30, 2015

Rep. Bradley: "This is not going to go away." Repeated three times. #twill

— Zach Bernard (@zachbernard29) June 30, 2015

Dems upset @GovRauner cutting budget but spending + on salaries; second time Gov's office doesn't attend committee and sends letter instead

— Amanda Vinicky (@AmandaVinicky) June 30, 2015

* Here’s the letter, which is packed full of snark from the Snark Prince himself…

Dear Representative Bradley:

Thank you for your recent letter of June 26, 2015. I am pleased to respond.

On June 23, 2015, you convened a hearing of the House Revenue Committee purportedly to review information regarding administration personnel compensation. However, when the hearing convened, you stated that the information in question was not yet available. Following a lengthy recess, a hastily constructed memorandum emerged filled with glaring errors and factual inaccuracies. Specifically, your June 23, 2015 memorandum:

As you may know, 35 minus 28 equals 7. Given your support for a budget out of balance by $4 billion, finding errors in basic arithmetic is not a great surprise.

After receiving your most recent letter, we conducted a review of total personnel compensation costs across all agencies under our Administration’s control. In comparing state payroll records from February through May 2014 to February through May 2015, we found that Governor Rauner spent $4 million less than Governor Quinn on compensation. This data is publicly available through the Illinois Comptroller’s website. Additionally, I would remind you that Governor Rauner does not take a salary or a pension.

While Governor Rauner has taken unprecedented steps to reduce costs, including cutting his own office budget by 10%, you and your colleagues are scheduled to receive an automatic pay raise tomorrow. As you are aware, HB 4225 would prevent legislators’ automatic cost-of-living adjustment from taking effect in Fiscal Year 2016. Without this legislation, you will get an automatic pay raise - and because you voted for and helped enact SB 274 last year, you are guaranteed to be paid even without a state budget. Rather than holding more sham hearings and issuing poorly constructed memorandums, we urge you to bring HB 4225 to the floor without delay.

As always, our Administration stands ready to negotiate in good faith with legislative leaders to reach a bipartisan agreement on Governor Rauner’s compromise proposals. I urge you to come back to the negotiating table so that, together, we can Turnaround Illinois.

With warmest personal regards,

Richard A. Goldberg
Deputy Chief of Staff for Legislative Affairs

* Video

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 11:44 am

Comments

  1. well done, Richard Goldberg!!!!

    Comment by Lee Dixon=Arsenal legend Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 11:46 am

  2. This Goldberg character is such a charmer. Is he capable to writing something that is constructive instead of making himself look like a jerk?

    Comment by Stones Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 11:47 am

  3. Frat Boys gotta get their Bro on.

    Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 11:48 am

  4. Well done

    Comment by Peoria Guy Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 11:48 am

  5. The lapdog responds! He is basically saying, I am too good to testify in front of the hearing.

    Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 11:49 am

  6. The “Turnaround Agenda:” snark, out of control staff salaries, and offshoring of employees. Keep shakin’ Bruce!

    Comment by Precinct Captain Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 11:52 am

  7. Did I miss the part where we hired spokesmen that were in junior high? How rude and unprofessional to write a letter like that.

    Comment by Thoughts Matter Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 11:53 am

  8. There are few who like a good snark letter more than me. Very few.

    It’s fun, it’s breezy, it ridicules the errors, it mocks the facts that turn out to be not factual at all.

    To say I enjoy it, that might not fully express it’s playful and pointed shot that really brings it home for me.

    If it were a comment found here, oh man, that’s restaurant quality.

    As for the Executive deciding this is the route, knowing full well at minimum, 24 Democratic votes will be needed, soon and for the next 18 months, nothing gets passed that chamber without Democratic votes…

    Goldberg better not go too far that the animosity after the budget can’t be reeled in.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 11:53 am

  9. “our Administration stands ready to negotiate in good faith” yes, your snarky letter shows that.

    Comment by Wildcat D Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 11:53 am

  10. “On tonight’s Celebrity Death Match, we’ll see a major brawl between Simple Country Lawyer John Bradley and Uptight Upstart Rich Goldberg!”

    Comment by Team Sleep Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 11:54 am

  11. Goldberg is so right on this one, and I even double checked, 35 minus 28 does equal 7 exactly, no more no less.

    Comment by Horseshoe Henry Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 11:54 am

  12. MR GOLDBERG! GRAPE SHOT ACROSS THEIR QUARTERDECK IF YOU PLEASE!

    AYE AYE CAPTAIN RAUNER!

    Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 11:57 am

  13. “As you may know, 35 minus 28 equals 7. Given your support for a budget out of balance by $4 billion, finding errors in basic arithmetic is not a great surprise.”

    The truth hurts.

    Comment by Anon Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 11:57 am

  14. That’s some roll call. Maybe time to sell those chairs with the caveat “like new”.

    Comment by A guy Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:01 pm

  15. Where is the sham and phoney in the letter?

    Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:02 pm

  16. “Sham” and “Phony” refuse to work without an FY16 contract.

    Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:04 pm

  17. Dionne Warwick says it best when you post in ALL Caps….Walk on by.

    Comment by A guy Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:04 pm

  18. Didn’t we read that it was legally (or perhaps even constitutionally) mandatory for the governor to receive a salary and pension?

    Comment by Forgottonia Republic Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:04 pm

  19. Well written snark, which I appreciate.

    But here’s the bottom line: even with the humor, this was written from the perspective of someone who believes they have the upper hand. With his supposed experience, you would think he would know better.

    Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:05 pm

  20. State employees, know that “Very truly yours” in the letter to you means just as much as the “With warmest personal regards” in this letter.

    Comment by AC Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:05 pm

  21. Can we get someone to write a Richard Goldberg Memo Generator app/website? Cause this stuff is bleepin goldin!

    Comment by Name Withheld Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:06 pm

  22. “including cutting his own office budget by 10%,” Right…because their headcount is now under DHS.

    Comment by Skeptic Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:07 pm

  23. Goldberg should use his math skills to balance the governor’s proposed budget.

    And his detective skills to find it, since it’s been on the milk carton since February.

    Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:08 pm

  24. Richard A. Goldberg, graduate of Antonin A. Scalia Junior High.

    Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:08 pm

  25. Entertaining, but childish, given the circumstances.

    Still, I hadn’t noticed that legislators were up for a pay raise eff. tomorrow. Distressing to me that we are giving these extremely, permanently flawed Illinois state politicians more $$$, after their abysmal performance this year and in past years. Especially when most of them seem to be spending much of their time trying to avoid taxing the rich. And that’s what I’ll remember about this letter.

    Comment by Cassandra Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:10 pm

  26. Anyone else notice the “After receiving” paragraph is complete misdirection — addresses total personnel costs across all agencies
    With that misdirection tainting the letter, Goldberg’s tone is especially galling!

    Comment by zonz Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:10 pm

  27. has anyone started a Twitter account as an homage to his snarkness?

    Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:11 pm

  28. AC, to me it had echoes of MJM’s traditional sign-off…

    With kindest personal regards, I remain

    Sincerely yours,

    MICHAEL J. MADIGAN

    Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:11 pm

  29. Interesting tape to watch.

    Especially listen to Rep. David Harris, representing the Republicans. He clearly does not view this committee, or this specific hearing, as some kind of “sham,” to be shown pure and arrogant disdain.

    Harris does claim not to have been shown a document that was publicly available but not handed to him personally, but that’s an old delay tactic. No problem there.

    Richard Goldberg is playing to the “I hate them all” audience with his tone in the letter. What a strange choice to be in charge of Legislative Affairs.

    A better choice would have been to have Schrimpf play the bad guy and write such insulting letters, and have a legislative affairs person to smooth over the differences when the time comes to work together.

    Comment by walker Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:15 pm

  30. Looking for @FakeRichardGoldberg to be created in 3…2…1…

    Comment by Name Withheld Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:17 pm

  31. AA wrote a few letters like that back in the day. I never sent them, though.

    Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:17 pm

  32. Richard Goldberg would be a heck of a Cap Fax commenter.

    Comment by Robert the Bruce Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:22 pm

  33. ===…echoes of MJM’s traditional sign-off…

    With kindest personal regards, I remain

    Sincerely yours,

    MICHAEL J. MADIGAN===

    I’m guessing it’s a “riff” off that music.

    If I’m going to be mocked, especially by the Speaker, I want “The Closing”, and no Auto-Pen, lol

    Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:23 pm

  34. This is a bit off topic, but budget related…if the state goes into a temporary shut down, what happens to the likes of outside counsel for various cases impacting the state? Yes, I am specifically talking about the Rutherford stuff (which I was stunned to learn stands at $153K in legal bills) but generally, there are other cases where the state uses these types of lawyers. Just an observation/question.

    Comment by Downstate GOP Faithless Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:25 pm

  35. AA, you must be from the same “old school” I came from. The snark, appropriate or not, stayed in the drawer.

    Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:28 pm

  36. === Richard Goldberg would be a heck of a Cap Fax commenter. ===

    He and a bunch of the frat boys probably are already commenters using multiple nicknames.

    Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:30 pm

  37. ==He and a bunch of the frat boys probably are already commenters using multiple nicknames.==

    The other frat boys, probably. The snark in his letter is better than what I see here from them.

    Comment by Robert the Bruce Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:33 pm

  38. That Goldberg’s tone and tactics are encouraged by the most senior level of the Rauner administration demonstrates that there is only Plan A: crushing victory. There is no Plan B, because if there were, it would not be possible for Goldberg to be so overtly disrespectful and contemptuous, merrily setting bridges to a co-equal branch of government afire.

    This should give thoughtful GOP lawmakers some pause to consider for how long it is in their best interests, and the long term interests of the party, to go along with a winner-take-all stratagem. What if we lose?

    Comment by Willie Stark Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:34 pm

  39. $

    Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:34 pm

  40. - Norseman- and - AA -,

    Agreed. Staff has no place in the snark business in letters to the elected, in the course of both doing their “jobs”, and especially as a public document of ridicule.

    Elected to elected, sure, if both want their signatures under the snark, absolutely.

    The letter is what it was intended to be, a snarky answer to what the writer felt was not a constructive way to do the People’s Business.

    I enjoyed the dripping sarcasm, but its rationale to be sent, and sent as a document by Staff of the Executive to a GA Committee, that’s for somone above my pay grade to decide.

    It was delicious, up to the real point it really does nothing positive, even as a response.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:34 pm

  41. Gee, I think it’s pretty funny. A little humor may be in order at the moment.

    Comment by Keyser Soze Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:37 pm

  42. Funny…but foolish to send.

    Comment by Robert the Bruce Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:40 pm

  43. So due to the State having a large number of employees with over 35 years experience retire total compensation levels have been reduced shows what? If you would look at each of Quinn’s years in office you would most likely see a decrease in annual compensation from February thru may of the preceding year . This is because it takes time to replace qualified personnel

    Comment by Umm like Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:42 pm

  44. I did not know “shake-up” meant obnoxious staff…

    Comment by D.P.Gumby Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:43 pm

  45. Unprofessional at a time when the Governor needs to publically show that he takes his job seriously.

    Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:46 pm

  46. Who was the guy that wrote the letter in anger to the elected official suggesting an unnatural act and the letter actually got sent?

    Old timers, help me out.

    Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:53 pm

  47. Inappropriate, childish, unprofessional.

    The Dems need to get their shiz together, too, from the sound of it.

    We deserve so much better than this.

    Comment by Politix Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:54 pm

  48. ===After receiving your most recent letter, we conducted a review of total personnel compensation costs across all agencies under our Administration’s control.===

    That’s the total agency staff levels. He’s responding with a logical fallacy to address the governor’s staff compensation. I get that folks are excited about the snarky letter, but he’s changing the topic and not addressing the concern.

    Comment by Anon Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:57 pm

  49. Willy,

    I agree with your comments completely, but as usual your observations omit the acknowledgement of the end game.

    Bradely is never going to vote with Rauner. Rauner has Bradley marked for 2016 because Bradley consistently votes Madigan one, himself 2, and his district 3. Rauner loses nothing by going after him.

    Rauner is a jerk, and I don’t like what I guess is his management style, But if you want to go after someone who is as accomplished as he is, you better bring the A game.

    Rauner knows those were some stupid talking points from the Speaker anyway, so he can chip away at Bradley for 2016 and take his shot at the Speaker indirectly.

    I stand by my comment last week. We haven’t even really started the war, much lest began to negotiate the peace. Buckle down, it is going to get worse before it gets better.

    Comment by the Patriot Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 12:59 pm

  50. On one hand you want to see the Deputy Chief of Staff for Legislative Affairs act more cordial and show legislators respect. On the other hand, I don’t think Illinois legislators really deserve that respect as I hold them in the lowest regards. This is just sad to watch either way.

    Also, is referring to the governor’s staff as “frat boys” the new talking points from the Democrats? I must have missed that memo.

    Comment by Ahoy! Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 1:01 pm

  51. - the Patriot -, with respect.

    No worries, I’m trying to see an end game to the budget crisis and what the next 18 months and 32 months (equal in government and governing to 6 lifetimes…) will be like working collectively with all Democrats, given Goldberg’s propensity to choose snide of sincere, even with the given set of circumstances.

    It’s all good. I’m not myopic to the politics at play, I’m choosing to see the fallout first, in this instance, in the governing, while in the prism of co-equal branches, and Staff, and…

    Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 1:07 pm

  52. AA, I don’t recall. I do remember that Prescott used to dictate some flaming letters to folks. Thankfully, he had a great secretary who toned them down before mailing.

    Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 1:13 pm

  53. Norseman, this will come to me. I think it was a Thompson era agency head.

    Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 1:16 pm

  54. Nice piece…well written. He is basically saying, “Quit wasting our time and money and this political grandstanding”, not “I am too good to testify in front of the hearing”.

    I would like to see Bradley’s response.

    Comment by worn out Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 1:17 pm

  55. Ahoy! It’s the Governor that I’m referring to as a frat boy. Someone else used the term and it fit so well. Republicans aren’t the only ones allowed to define people with great sound bites or snarky comments. You do know that don’t you?

    Comment by Umm like Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 1:18 pm

  56. My guess would be Greg Coler. He was the type. Just Goggled him and found this:

    http://www.tampabay.com/news/greg-coler-who-led-florida-health-and-rehabilitative-services-is-dead-at-65/1077576

    Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 1:22 pm

  57. Snark? Perhaps. Overly so? I don’t know. Calling the Governor’s office to hearings without even a modicum of actual preparation - let alone arithmetic - his hardly professional. That our legislators ARE getting a pay raise irrespective of their actions or inactions hardly makes them sharing in any sacrifices. One of the comments above mentioned legal/Constitutional obligations. Article VIII, Section 2(b) of the Illinois Constitution prohibits a deficit budget (let alone a $4 billion deficit budget): ” The General Assembly by law shall make appropriations for all expenditures of public funds by the State. Appropriations for a fiscal year shall not exceed
    funds estimated by the General Assembly to be available during that year.” In this context, given our Legislature’s illegal acts (certainly unconstitutional) I find the comments directed at the Governor’s Deputy Chief of Staff disingenuous. Sometimes snark is most certainly deserved. Especially in a State that has been deprived of good and responsible government (or at least willing to adhere to our Constitution) for too long.

    Comment by Concerned citizen Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 1:22 pm

  58. === I enjoyed the dripping sarcasm, but its rationale to be sent, and sent as a document by Staff of the Executive to a GA Committee, that’s for somone above my pay grade to decide.

    It was delicious, up to the real point it really does nothing positive, even as a response. ===

    Pretty much this.

    Amusing to be sure.
    Counter-productive as well, however.

    And I tend to agree with Patriot on his conclusions: I don’t care for Governor Rauner nor for his management style, such as it is; but this battle has only just begun, and it’s likely to get worse before it gets better.

    Comment by thunderspirit Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 1:24 pm

  59. Breaking News….

    “Math is still hard”.

    Comment by Judgment Day Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 1:28 pm

  60. - Concerned citizen -,

    Section (a) of tgat Article of the Constitution dictates that the Governor is responsible for the budget. Got that?

    Further, Rauner’s own budget in February, balanced?

    You think on that, k?

    Also, Rauner coulda AVed the budget and cut out $4 billion, right? There’s no need for revenue?

    Yikes.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 1:39 pm

  61. ==As you may know, 35 minus 28 equals 7. Given your support for a budget out of balance by $4 billion, finding errors in basic arithmetic is not a great surprise.==

    Do they enjoy being complete jerks? I mean, is this guy this arrogant and condescending in real life? Does this goofball really think that he is setting up a good atmosphere for negotiations by making such childish insults towards legislators. This guy is the most disrespectful person I think I’ve seen in a long time when it comes to speaking to members of the General Assembly. I’d ban this guy from ever appearing at a committee again.

    Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 1:42 pm

  62. ==AA wrote a few letters like that back in the day. I never sent them, though.==

    IIRC, Lincoln used to write and re-write angry letters until he got them exactly right, and then would tear them up. Nice to know Illinois can still make ‘em according to that model. You, too, Norseman.

    Comment by Anon. Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 2:18 pm

  63. I’ve managed a staff in a highly contentious and stressful environment. I would have fired or had a very unpleasant conversation with any staffer who sent such a churlish letter to an elected official–unless of course they did so at my direction/blessing, in which case I would have fired myself.

    Comment by Tommydanger Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 2:20 pm

  64. I watched the whole hearing. I highly recommend it. Indicates quite well the level of dysfunction in Springfield. After a 6 month session with no budget agreed to or revenue forecast this committee is spending it’s time investigating the salaries in the Governors office. I have yet to see it disputed and this info is on the comptrollers website but the Governor did cut his budget. The GA did not and voted itself a pay raise for a job well done

    If the Democrats have proof that contradicts this, they should release that information to the Governor and the Republicans instead of running a hearing designed to embarrass the Governor. I don’t see a lot of respect for the Governors office and they shouldn’t be surprised to see none returned to them.

    Comment by Lucky Pierre Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 2:46 pm

  65. Lucky: “respect” and “decorum” are different beasts.

    Comment by Skeptic Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 2:52 pm

  66. Personally I’m really enjoying this guy. I don’t agree with much of what he writes/says (other than 35-28=7 which I’m pretty sure is correct), but man I appreciate the snarky humor.

    That said, I’d be willing to be that letter directly led the Speaker to excommunicate Mr. Goldberg and his ilk from the House floor. Oh well - snark has consequences.

    Comment by Chicago Cynic Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 2:53 pm

  67. Rude, sophomoric and disrespectful to other elected officials. Rauner and his superstars clearly don’t care about anyone they view as beneath them, which means most of us. They should be ashamed.

    Comment by Anon Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 2:55 pm

  68. I am totally certain that if I had ever penned such a letter to the speaker that my tenure would be done. it’s beyond partisan, it’s just mean and childish and unprofessional. maybe his editor was absent from work that day.

    Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 3:21 pm

  69. Who knew you could hurt feelings so easy over there? Wow.

    Comment by A guy Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 3:32 pm

  70. A guy — you’re joking, right?

    We once had a news conf scheduled in the blue room. I got a call from the comms person for one of our constitutional officers who wanted to know whether they could have the room to do a news conf the previous hour. Being new on the job and wanting to be obliging, I said sure.

    Well, their event was delayed, and a radio reporter stayed afterward to interview the principal, in the blue room.

    Meanwhile, our chief of staff is pushing me to get our event started before the cameras disappeared. So I very politely waited for a break in the conversation, then asked the reporter and the constitutional officer if they could continue the interview outside so we could get started. (Please keep in mind that I had bent over backwards to accommodate them.)

    Well, the constitutional officer was so upset that he called my principal and demanded that I be fired summarily.

    so “who knew you could hurt feelings so easy over there”? anybody who has worked in politics or government for more than 10 seconds.

    Comment by Soccermom Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 4:09 pm

  71. I personally wouldn’t let it “hurt my feelings.” But I would view it as extremely disrespectful.

    Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 4:32 pm

  72. This is what Illinois has been reduced to?

    Comment by Formerly Known As... Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 4:37 pm

  73. Yes, FKA, this is where we are. It’s Pee Wee Herman land. “I know you are but what am I?”

    Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 4:43 pm

  74. == Soccermom - Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 4:09 pm:

    A guy — you’re joking, right?===

    I was. You get me. Kinda.
    Been around enough of “them” long enough to know how slight a sleight can be and still register on the Richter scale.

    BTW, remain smitten and totally taking your side on any altercation of this nature.

    Comment by A guy Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 4:48 pm

  75. Norseman, I don’t think it was Coler or his protégé Tristano. Did we have a “colorful” guy at EPA?

    Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 5:25 pm

  76. AA, I can’t recall. I found a list of folks appointed Thompson to see if that helps you remember.

    http://www.lib.niu.edu/1979/ii790332.html

    Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 5:34 pm

  77. Demoralized, Pee Wee Herman land it is lol. That was perfect.

    And this really will be a long, hot summer if they continue this way.

    Comment by Formerly Known As... Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 5:34 pm

  78. Geez how could I forget this-it was a letter from John Kramer.

    Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 5:55 pm

  79. I almost suggested Kramer. Thompson did have a lively crew.

    Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 6:00 pm

  80. Mr. Goldberg - Well done. I might have to reconsider the negative first impression!

    A few others - might want to start the clock. You’re counting down your time as representatives and probably you’re political careers. It’s only sad if not deserved.

    Comment by Not the A Team Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 7:02 pm

  81. Norseman-

    “Dear Official A:

    In response to your request dated 7 October 1979, the Department offers the following response:

    $@”@$#*+=#!

    Sincerely,

    And that was all she wrote.

    Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 7:45 pm

  82. - Not the A Team -,

    You stay classy.

    Congratulating classless acts are sometimes worse than being the offender…

    Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 7:45 pm

  83. That claimed 10% cut in the Governor’s office budget will become 110% on July 15th. Pay day for the Governor’s office for the first 2 weeks in July will be July 15th
    Hope the super stars received the memo about bridge loans….
    http://www.ioc.state.il.us/index.cfm/resources/general-resources/2015-pay-schedule/ see page 10

    Comment by DuPage Grandma Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 9:17 pm

  84. This is better than a soap opera, Let’s call it “As Bradley whines…”

    Comment by the old man Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 10:19 pm

  85. As we’re in Lincolnland your obedient servant R Goldberg would have been much more profound

    Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jun 30, 15 @ 11:43 pm

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