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* From an ILGOP press release…
Happy Career Politician’s Day!
Celebrate with a selfie featuring our Snapchat filter at the fair or grab one of our new Dick Durbin buttonsThe Democratic Party in Illinois has doubled down on the status quo, with its most prominent politicians, Mike Madigan and Dick Durbin, vowing to oppose term limits.
Dick Durbin has reportedly been talking to Madigan about running for Governor.
It’s no surprise then that Durbin would stop to kiss Mike Madigan’s ring – he’s just another career politician whose held power for 33 years.
Dick Durbin voted against term limits in the Senate[1].
Durbin went on record saying, “For some members of Congress… 20 years in office is not long enough.”
NO WONDER DURBIN OPPOSES TERM LIMITS
HE’S TOO BUSY MAKING MONEY OFF HIS ELECTED OFFICEDick and Loretta Durbin have reported a net worth of $1.75 million[2].
How? Dick Durbin funneled millions in government kickbacks to his wife’s lobbying clients[3].
ETHICS EXPERTS HAVE CALLED THE DURBIN’S LOBBYING SCHEME “TROUBLING” [4]
If you’re among the 80% of Illinoisans that support term limits, show your support today by taking a Snapchat at the fair and showing off one of our Dick Durbin or Mike Madigan career politician buttons!
Millions in kickbacks? If the party really believes that, then perhaps they should have somebody file an ethics complaint.
* Footnotes 3 and 4 lead to this Tribune article…
Meredith McGehee, policy director at the Campaign Legal Center and an expert on ethics in lobbying, said the Durbins’ arrangement deserved a thorough airing.
“If you’re going to become a lobbyist, part of the deal is, everything you do is going to be gone over with a very bright light, and it should be,” she said. “So I don’t think there’s anything inherently wrong, but it is inherently worth very close scrutiny, and the burden really should be on them to show that there aren’t conflicts.”
Craig Holman, a lobbyist and expert on government ethics at Public Citizen, a watchdog group, said that even though the Durbins have complied with Senate ethics rules, he found the circumstances “troubling.”
Holman perceived an “indirect” conflict of interest in Durbin securing or announcing federal money for his spouse’s clients. “It doesn’t run afoul of any of the congressional ethics rules or federal conflict-of-interest laws, but it does raise red flags in the sense that Durbin is getting credit for awarding grants or earmarks to some of the clients of his wife,” he said.
Also, his latest tax returns shows that his wife made $43,202 last year.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 9:44 am
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Yawn.
Comment by illinoised Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 9:45 am
If the Ill. Repub party (Rauner) are doing this now, then their polling must show the same as the D’s already know, which is Durbin would be a very good candidate against the Emperor.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 10:07 am
It’s troubling, perceived, and raises red flags. I gotta say something, but really got nothing.
Comment by zatoichi Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 10:10 am
Only 43 large, wonder who the primary bredwinner is. Gosh N ow I feel sooo bad for them……
Comment by A Citizen Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 10:10 am
$1.75 million for 33 years of work? Rauner makes that much every couple weeks.
Comment by DuPage Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 10:15 am
Hastert had much more than that. The amount makes Durbin look honest.
Comment by Last Bull Moose Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 10:19 am
Desperate guilt by association dog whistles from a captain and crew on a sinking ship. If Rauner and friends devoted as much time to governing as they do to press releases they might have something other than dust on the accomplishments ledger.
Comment by Precinct Captain Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 10:20 am
Hey, IL GOP, you’re advocating for unconstitutional action. The states and Congress lack the authority to change qualifications for members of Congress without an amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
U.S. Term Limits, Inc. v. Thornton, 514 U.S. 779
Powell v. McCormack, 395 U.S. 486
Comment by MissingG Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 10:22 am
Not only do they lack authority, if Durbin were term limited as US Senator, he could still run for Governor.
With this term limit campaign, the Republicans seem to be begging Durbin to run for Governor, by saying he has spent too much time in the Senate.
Well at least the ILGOP is providing some comedic entertainment for Democrat day.
Comment by A Jack Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 10:46 am
The Durbin’s are worth less than $2M and we’re to believe that they are scamming us?
Comment by Belle Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 10:57 am
Troubling is when Big Brain runs a bank in GA that leads the nation in issuing subprime loans that defaults or when the head of the racing board ran a firm convicted of the biggest accounting fraud in the history of the nirthern district of illinois
Comment by Annonin' Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 11:26 am
Ah, Republicans railing against “career politicians” and conveniently forgetting Congressman John Shimkus, who promised to serve 6 terms and NO MORE. He’s currently running for his 12th.
Comment by Unimpressed Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 11:36 am
OMG. The net worth thing is hilarious. They are near retirement age. I would certainly HOPE that they have at least that socked away in retirement funds. My parents, who are solidly middle class (teacher and accountant) have that much in their retirement funds too, because they saved for it over a lifetime of 9-5 working.
Comment by Pawn Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 11:41 am
I am no Dick Durbin fan but I’ve worked with his wife numerous times over the years and always found her to be a joy to work with, and her clients have never been the big-name types. If she wanted to make money she could have made a lot more.
Comment by Not It Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 12:05 pm
Pretty hilarious from the party ran by the guy who hired Stu Levine to get TRS money.
Anyone caught up with Stu since he got out?
Comment by Daniel Plainview Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 12:25 pm
Rauner made more in inc tax savings in 1 yr by using his position to keep the lower tax rate in place then Durbins entire net worth. just sayin.
Comment by Ghost Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 1:05 pm
Is the IL GOP really going the net worth route when the Governor has a net worth in the hundreds of millions of dollars? Seriously? $1.75 million is poor using that benchmark.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 2:34 pm
That was me above
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 2:35 pm
Durbin was Illinois’ workhorse for Illinois public universities when congressionally directed initiatives were part of the annual federal budget. He brought home millions in federal research and other funding for public higher ed. To suggest he did this work to benefit his wife who lobbied for EIU at the state level is ridiculous. I pray he runs and obliterates this incompetent and immoral regime.
Comment by anon Thursday, Aug 18, 16 @ 9:58 pm