* The second-place finishers in the gubernatorial primary were both on Chicago Tonight last night. They answered several questions about the budget, but at the end of the program, host Elizabeth Brackett asked Sen. Kirk Dillard whether lt. governor Jason Plummer, a fellow Republican, should release his tax returns. Here’s Dillard’s response…
“I think public officials should release their tax returns, and Jason Plummer, a fine young man, you know, I think, is going to have to figure out how he releases his tax returns.”
Dillard’s remarks come at about the 20-minute mark…
* The Pantagraph editorialized on the subject today…
In a Dec. 4 editorial on this topic, we referred to comments made by Joseph J. Thorndike, contributing editor of the website TaxAnalysts, on the value of presidents and presidential candidates making their tax returns public.
The reasoning applies to candidates for governors, too, and is worth repeating: “Public returns can reveal points of inconsistency between a candidate’s public rhetoric and his private finances. Which is no small thing, especially when a candidate makes a point of targeting tax avoidance.”
Arguing that releasing the information invades a candidate’s “privacy” is not a persuasive argument.
When an individual chooses to seek public office, particularly high public office — such as governor or lieutenant governor — their expectations of privacy should shrink considerably.
When running for statewide office, that includes recognizing that their income tax returns shouldn’t be private — not if candidates want to demonstrate a commitment to openness and transparency.
The latest rumble I’m hearing is that Attorney General Lisa Madigan ought to release her returns before the Democrats call on Plummer to do the same. That’s kinda weird, since she’s not running for governor and her opponent hasn’t offered up his own returns and demanded she do the same. Also, it’s not just Democrats calling on Plummer to disclose. Dillard is no Democrat, and the Pantagraph is no Democratic paper.
* And the trend is spreading…
After releasing his own federal and state tax returns to the Daily Herald, Republican congressional candidate Joe Walsh is calling on Democratic U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean to do the same. […]
A Bean spokesman said information about her finances can be found on her U.S. House financial disclosure forms, which are public. Scheurer said he’s keeping his tax return under wraps because of privacy concerns.
Walsh has ignored Scheurer and instead is focusing on Bean.
“Republicans and Democrats alike running for offices from the U.S. Senate and governor on down have released their tax returns,” Walsh said in a recent e-mail. “Rep. Bean clearly thinks she shouldn’t be held to the same standards of transparency and full disclosure. She is wrong.”
That’s not helpful to the Brady/Plummer ticket, which Walsh supposedly is supporting.
* Meanwhile, Sen. Bill Brady missed almost half the floor votes taken in the closing days of the spring session…
GOP nominee for governor Bill Brady recently missed more than 200 votes as a state senator during the waning weeks of the legislative session, a Daily Herald review of voting records found. […]
Hundreds of roll call votes from the hectic two-week period covering late April and early May are riddled with Brady omissions. The Bloomington state senator missed 207 votes during that period and cast 239.
For instance, Brady, who’s campaigned heavily against taxes, missed a rare chance to actually end a tax. He’s not recorded as voting on a proposal to do away with the sales tax imposed by the DuPage Water Commission. That proposal is now in Quinn’s hands.
Here’s the list. Oddly enough, Brady cast only two votes on April 27th. Both of those votes were for bills supported by the Humane Society, which whacked Brady for his “puppy and kitty killing” bill.
* In other campaign news, Greg Hinz explains why he doesn’t cover third-party candidates all that much…
Part of the reason is philosophical: I don’t believe in spending much time or ink on folks who have no chance to win. It’s hard enough to get most voters to pay even minimal attention to election races, and I hate to distract them.
- Stallion - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 11:24 am:
Am I alone in saying that I am not all that interested in the candidates tax returns ? The majority of voters are more concerned about their own day to day living than they are about someone elses taxes..
- Rich Miller - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 11:25 am:
Stallion, I think you are nearly alone.
- Vote Quimby! - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 11:26 am:
Today’s Friday….how about a 3-hour window today to allow reporters to view Plummer’s tax returns at the Litchfield R.P. Lumber?
- Responsa - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 11:32 am:
I saw the channel 11 show last night. Those two “second place finishers” came across pretty well.
- John Bambenek - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 11:36 am:
For all the crap Adam Andrzejewski got, people are certainly following his lead on the tax return issue. He was the only one talking about it during the primary.
Just sayin’
- CircularFiringSquad - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 11:43 am:
Wow someone actually admits to watching Chicago Tonight — using a fake name.
Still wondering if Jason “Daddy’s Deduction” Plummer really filed a return. SOme CPA say he could still be a like on Daddy’s return.
Yikes
- Scooby - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 11:45 am:
I can understand missing votes in the run up to the Feb primary, but what’s with missing votes in April and May? Especially since he’s clearly in town if he’s still making the occasional vote?
And in light of his state service being his only taxable income, isn’t there added pressure to actually make the votes?
- just sayin' - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 11:48 am:
This is a good example of why the GOP in Illinois is poised for yet another November spanking, while the GOP has a good election nationwide. It’s the arrogance and sense of entitlement. “Screw you, we don’t have to do anything to earn your vote. It’s our turn. Blagojevich is bad and Alexi’s bank failed, so you have to put us back in.” That’s the attitude coming from Brady and Plummer. Voters can sense that.
Simon, Quinn and Brady have released their returns. Of course Plummer has to. It’s the height of stupidity to expect this will just go away. The standard has been set for gov and lt. gov. Someone needs to explain to Jason he’s not working in dad’s lumber yard anymore.
- shore - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 11:56 am:
plummer is running on a platform of change and open discussion. his bluster contradicts that. game over.
also at 27, most people do not decide to or have the means to work for 1 dollar a year for 4 years and its important to know how he will be supporting himself for 4 years.
- Whatever - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 11:59 am:
Is anyone else tired of Dillard? Leave it to Ch. 11 to give “the losers” a platform to pontificate.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 12:04 pm:
Hey Stallion, I’m still with you. The only thing I have left is my Spartan Greek background. You know, a mere 300 vs. thousands in opposition. Who knows, maybe there are 300 of us left in Illinois? 30? 3?
I still believe that disclosing tax returns, medical records, prescription medication, hat and shoe sizes, and other matters that everyone postures about while claiming inordinate importance for disclosure is still nonsense and private information.
If I’m the last person in this state holding this position, then so be it.
- John Bambenek - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 12:04 pm:
Has Simon released her returns? I don’t recall seeing a news article, but in her case, it’s mostly public income anyway.
- Montrose - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 12:05 pm:
*Has Simon released her returns? I don’t recall seeing a news article, but in her case, it’s mostly public income anyway.*
Yep. No one cared. Exactly what would have happened if Jason had released them without fanfare.
- D.P. Gumby - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 12:07 pm:
Any chance Whitney will develop into a real alternative?
- just sayin' - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 12:10 pm:
The other thing I found interesting from that Chicago Tonight segment was Dillard NOT being wishy-washy on the budget, the need for cuts, and opposition to tax increases.
If Dillard could keep it together and man-up like that all the time he would be the nominee right now and the GOP ticket wouldn’t be struggling like a squad of third stringers.
- Eubie - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 12:18 pm:
I think that making it a political necessity to make your tax eturns public is yet another unfortunate and significant deterrent to getting the best and brightest to run for public office. Would you want to photocopy YOUR tax return and pass it around the office, let alone send it out in a press release? Hell no. What else are we going to start demanding from candidates because we think it might be helpful in weighing their candidacy? Why not make them disclose their spending habits? “Let’s see your checkbook ledger, Mr. Brady - or are you trying to hide something?” How about past personnel records and performance evaluations from prior employers? Wouldn’t that be helpful too? Can we see your email records, please? Who do you talk to on the phone and sned text messages to? That could be helpful in determining what kind of public official you’d be. I think that as a society, we’ve become obsessively nosy, and we love to play “gotcha” with public officials. I think it’s a bogus, illegitimate issue.
- Rich Miller - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 12:21 pm:
Eubie, take a deep breath, please. Nobody’s asking for that other stuff.
Also, you and quite a few others are reacting as if this tax return disclosure thing is something new to politics. Maybe you haven’t noticed, but it’s been going on for quite a while now. Y’all act so put-upon by the normalities of a modern campaign. It is, frankly, bizarre. Actually, I think this freak-out has more to do with hyperpartisan spin than anything else.
It’s 2010, not 1910. Deal with it.
- Rich Miller - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 12:26 pm:
As an addendum to my above comment, click here for a story about how both Dawn Clark Netsch and Jim Edgar released their tax returns during the 1994 campaign.
No whining, no hesitation. They both just did it. What a refreshing memory that is.
- Steve-O - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 12:27 pm:
Let’s point one thing, Plummer isn’t running for governor either. I know, I know, he’s going to be “second-in-line”. However, who is the current second person in line? Lisa Madigan.
So, the current actual second-in-line doesn’t have to release hers, but the Republican nominee to become second-in-line…who is not a current elected official…has to release his?
Sounds liks a pretty powerful double standard to me.
One other thing, though he would be second-in-line, Plummer wouldn’t be able to draft legislation, vote on legislation or sign legislation. So, why shouldn’t everyone in Springfield who actually does those things be pressured to release their tax returns?
I think Pat Quinn could show some true leadership by demanding all elected officials in Springfield, not just random Republican nominees for office, release their tax returns, if he feels it’s so important.
- Rich Miller - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 12:27 pm:
Here’s one from the 1990 campaign…
Illinois` two contenders for the governor`s office in the November elections paid 1989 state and federal income taxes totaling more than $22,000, according to copies of their tax returns released Monday.
- Rich Miller - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 12:29 pm:
===So, the current actual second-in-line doesn’t have to release hers===
Whoever said that? Has Brady or her actual opponent called on her to release her tax returns? Has anyone other than a couple of blog commenters?
- Fairplay - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 12:31 pm:
So if Jason release’s his tax returns what are you going to talk next? Will you come anywhere close to a real issue?
I wonder about Brady missing votes doesn’t sound right.
So has Quinn got his budget passed yet or voted on was his 2010 budget anywhere close to balanced sure causing a hell of a lot of problems for schools and local governments suppose you might talk about that? Hmmmmm
- Rich Miller - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 12:33 pm:
Fairplay, this is a real campaign issue. Deal with it.
- nice try - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 12:35 pm:
Eubie, nice demonstration of the slippery slope fallacy. Yes, require candidates to release their tax returns and pretty soon we’ll have dogs and cats living together.
Actually no one is making any of these candidates release their returns. But Plummer’s out of sync now with the standard that’s been established for this race. He doesn’t have to disclose, and by the same token we don’t have to stop wondering what’s he hiding.
We’ve got one governor in prison and another probably headed there. If you think it’s unreasonable to expect a little extra disclosure from these candidates then you’re way behind the times.
Plummer’s already lost this debate and it doesn’t matter how often Brady or Plummer supporters come on here to pretend otherwise.
- Rich Miller - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 12:37 pm:
Since Illinois candidates have been releasing their tax returns since at least 1990, and no slippery slope has followed, we can assume that Eubie’s fear-mongering is either emanates from ignorance, partisan spin, or legitimate fear about what is really in those Plummer files.
- Mike - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 12:39 pm:
There is a reason candidates file statements of economic interest. If tax returns are that important, then they should change the law to require tax returns be turned in with candidate filings. If Democrats have been that outraged at the lack of candidate transparency, they had 8 years of the Governor’s office, state house, and state senate. Where is the outrage they have gone this long and not changed the law to require tax returns if this is such a problem?
If you really want to know where a politician’s interests lie, then you need to know not only what companies they work for, but also who their companies do business with. That includes not just businessmen like Brady and Plummer, but also Lawyers including but certainly not limiting Madigan. Tax statements don’t even begin to tell the whole story, and this belief that taxes will produce the ah ha! moment “investigators” seek is ridiculous at best.
By not revealing tax returns, the only real outrage comes from media and Dems who think they can score political points.
As for Walsh, Walsh is trying to play the same amateur hour game after he has been getting spanked in the media lately without a break.
The media is simply playing into Quinn’s smoke and mirrors game to distract from the State Budget and the murder charge of a Quinn early release prisoner.
- Steve-O - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 12:40 pm:
Unemployment still over 11%, real unemployment over 20%, and the unemployment rate for those in the lowest income brackets is at 30%. We have a budget deficit of around $13bil, 20,000+ teachers being laid off, etc. But let’s focus on the tax returns of a nominee for an office that everyone on this blog was deeming “unimportant”, “useless”, etc and wanted to eliminate.
Let’s continue to chase rabbit trails and take the focus off the issues that 99% of the citizens of this state really care about.
- Both Sides Now - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 12:40 pm:
Eubie, I bet state employees aren’t exactly thrilled that the general public can now get copies of their performance evaluations through the Freedom of Information Act either. Yet they can, and the general rank and file state employee has much less to do with decisions about how Illinois is run than the Governor, Lt. Gov, or other constitutional officers. I think it’s only appropriate candidates for office should release their tax returns.
- Rich Miller - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 12:45 pm:
Steve-O, there is a long budget post up right now, which you have yet to comment on.
We have one of those budget posts every day. You, on the other hand, have not commented on a budget post since May 7th, when you said the state ought to cut its budget by $13 billion.
In fact, you have commented on just that one budget post all year. All your other 2010 comments have been on campaign posts, except for one gun-related post and Gitmo.
So, you have no leg to stand on whatsoever. The rest of us are focusing on the budget while you are focusing solely on politics.
Get over yourself, dude.
- BigTwich - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 12:47 pm:
“Since Illinois candidates have been releasing their tax returns since at least 1990, and no slippery slope has followed,”
Then again see where we have gotten to since 1990.
- Small Town Liberal - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 12:49 pm:
I thought liberals were supposed to be the bleeding hearts, what is with everyone blubbering for Plummer and Brady about this? Its politics, you people are acting like the Democrats just invented negative campaigning.
- SangamoGOP - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 12:49 pm:
The point that seems to be missed by some is that if Plummer had released his returns, his focus, that of his campaign and that of the voters would be of issues that need to be addressed. However, Plummer has decided to adopt a course that puts him at odds with the dictates of an Illinois campaign for Gov/LtG. It is simple. If he didn’t want to release his returns, he should not have run.
- Mike - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 1:03 pm:
I am asking an honest question to both sides here, and I am genuinely interested in this subject.
To those wanting the returns to be released:
Even if a candidate releases their tax returns, what are you interested in reading on them that is not already revealed in their statements of economic interest?
If you had this information, what about this information do you feel would compel someone to step down from elected office?
To those who say he does not need to reveal the tax returns:
It is obvious that we still have a corruption problem in Illinois Politics from the top down, even with candidates voluntarily releasing their tax returns, and filling out statements of economic interest…
What would you propose as a solution to understanding where a candidates true economic interests stand?
- Rich Miller - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 1:04 pm:
===If you had this information, what about this information do you feel would compel someone to step down from elected office?====
Not sure what you mean by that. We’re not looking to compel anyone to resign anything.
- Mike - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 1:08 pm:
Clarification: What I mean is this, releasing the information is meant to be a check on their special interests.
What info on the tax returns would you see would severely harm their ability to honestly govern that we already do not know from their statement of economic interest? Do you feel this information should disqualify someone to be an elected public official (in a subjective sense, not legal)?
- Rich Miller - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 1:09 pm:
Mike, we did not know by looking at Brady’s Statement of Economic Interest that he paid no income taxes for two years.
- dupage dan - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 1:14 pm:
Enough, now. The fool should just release the returns. Ok, I get that it’s irrelevant and unfair - so what? Release it downstate with a 3 hour window and do it just before the weekend. Everyone will kvetch about it for a few days - marvel at how much the trust fund baby makes - and then it will go away. ENOUGH SILLY STUFF!
- Mike - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 1:15 pm:
Failing to file a tax return is a crime. After filing, if you are not required to pay taxes then where is the issue or crime? If it was, the IRS has all the information they need to take him down.
If he didn’t pay based on illegal means, the IRS has all the information they need.
There are many business owners, sole proprietors, and individual taxpayers who pay no taxes. There are many who receive refunds for the taxes they did pay during the year.
- Western IL - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 1:15 pm:
Rich, you seem pretty defensive today. This is a real campaign issue - to you. What do you think statements of economic interest are for? I agree with Steve @ 12:27.
Your argument doesn’t make sense - only direct opponents can call on someone to release their returns? Hogwash. You’ve been beating the heck out of this issue.
You’ve called Plummer out, now you can show some leadership. Call everyone in Springfield out - let’s see a story or article. Its either all or none…this double standard is obvious.
- more of this - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 1:17 pm:
Sagn gop - i thought both brady and plummer were saying they weren’t releasing their returns and then all of sudden brady flops and releases. At least plummer is staying with his word and not releasing them, i give him credit on that. Again, this is quinns biggest issue to focus on - he doesn’t even call on his own party candidates to release theirs.
- Rich Miller - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 1:20 pm:
===he doesn’t even call on his own party candidates to release theirs. ===
That was either the most disingenuous comment ever posted here or the most politically ignorant. Congrats.
- just sayin' - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 1:21 pm:
I’m amazed at how obtuse the Brady/Plummer camp is about this. Plummer is going to have to throw in the towel eventually and disclose, and the embarrassment will only be bigger the longer he waits.
(Oh, maybe I should help out the Brady/Plummer people. My online thesaurus lists these other words for “obtuse”: dull-wiitted, simple-minded, imperceptive, thickheaded, stupid, slow, insensitive.)
- Rich Miller - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 1:22 pm:
===You’ve called Plummer out, now you can show some leadership.===
Actually, I’ve asked the governor for more tax records and I’ve asked the Lisa Madigan campaign for hers.
That ought to keep the Plummer story going for a while longer. lol
Careful what you wish for in politics, dude.
- Rich Miller - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 1:24 pm:
And I don’t think I’m being defensive. I’d like to see some quotes on that. What I am doing is challenging you whining goofballs to see the light.
- Mike - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 1:25 pm:
Western IL, Rich did call out other candidates back on April 15th.
- Small Town Liberal - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 1:28 pm:
- You’ve been beating the heck out of this issue. -
Do you people not understand what Mr. Miller does? This blog is about politics, and when politicians do things that are politically stupid, Rich writes about it.
- Ghost - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 1:36 pm:
IL has been mired in influence pedling by outside business interestes across party lines through two successive govenors. Plummers tax returns, amongst other things, would fairly provide some insight on whom may have influence over him.
We demand reform and transparnecy, plummers battle cry, unless it is plummer. The non-disclosure is fair gam as it suggests Plummer is not truly supportive of transpranecy after all.
BTW you hav to appreciate the irony of two wealthy buisness men running on a platform that IL is unfriendly to business….while being able to front hundreds of thousands of dollars derived from their business’s to support their campaigns.
- Mike - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 1:39 pm:
The stupidity of actions is relative, and open for debate.
Everyone here does need to give Rich credit that he actually responds to and challenges his readers on their opinion.
Most news sites don’t actively monitor their blog posts and allow crazy posts to go unchallenged. This is Rich’s business model and its a lot more interactive than most media outlets try to be.
There are very few journalists that take this risk.
- Mike - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 1:50 pm:
Ghost,
The statement of economic interest is more detailed on understanding where outside influence can come from than a tax return would have.
If anything, I think Rod Blagojevich and George Ryan proved that revealing your tax returns shows nothing.
In both cases we had the tax returns, we had the statements of economic interest, we even had a list of their campaign donors and it was only after the damage was done they paid the price.
We learned nothing from that paperwork that would have warned us of their bad intentions.
- Rich Miller - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 1:51 pm:
===proved that revealing your tax returns shows nothing===
That’s because Rod only released the first page of his return.
- stating the obvious - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 1:52 pm:
Jason Plummer and his dad spent a fortune crowing in mailers and on tv during the primary that Jason was “THE ONE” who was all about transparency and good government.
Well now we find out Jason is THE ONE who doesn’t live up to his own hype.
- Small Town Liberal - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 2:00 pm:
- Jason Plummer and his dad spent a fortune -
Lets be fair here, we don’t really know what a fortune is to Mr. Plummer because we don’t know what his income is…
- Ghost - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 2:01 pm:
The answers to the statement of economic interest are now always complete and do not encompass as much background as tax returns.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 2:05 pm:
Rich, you have done a bang-up job trying to convince “some” that this IS an issue, wether they want it to be or not …
Folks, keep in mind, Plummer stated he wanted quartery transperancy on elected officials and income.
Plummer also said he would take no state salary while unemployment is at double digits, so how does he make that money?
And finally, How does a 27 year old, with jobs that were interships, until he works for Daddy, have the income to loan $350k to a campaign, $50K of it last taxing year?
All legit questions, all can be answered … with the release of the tax returns….
- ShadyBillBrady - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 2:05 pm:
Mike
That’s not true. A SEI doesn’t show numbers and is actually pretty vague. A tax return on the other hand is very detailed and provides a lot more information.
And, Ghost, some added irony … not only are they two “wealthy businessmen” who apparently have done pretty well in business in Illinois - well enough to loan hundreds of thousands to their campaigns - but they’re also out there talking about the huge out-migration of businesses to other states. Yet, neither of their business have up and left for other states.
I wonder how many Illinois Republicans saw Dillard in this video and thought to themselves how much they wish they would have voted for him. I thought he handled himself and the issues very well.
And for the record, Rich does not seem defensive at all. He’s right on the money with his responses.
- Mike - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 2:10 pm:
True to Blago’s taxes, but do you believe having the remaining pages would have stopped him?
Every pay to play scheme was traced back to his campaign donations.
For the politicians who were paid in personal bribes were never stupid enough to report that on their tax returns or statements of economic interest.
Even if their companies are given extra business as a result of political kickbacks, personal tax returns do not reveal where the income was made, only that income was made.
You would only get that kind of information from corporate accounting statements, which I know every political candidate and company would object to.
- MrJM - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 2:11 pm:
“Jason Plummer: A Fine Young man, You Know”
Now that is a winning campaign slogan.
– MrJM
- Mike - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 2:16 pm:
The personal tax return only shows in the income made from a business, whether from dividend payments of ownership, or professional services.
You can be invested for millions of dollars in a business. If your business loses money, or makes nothing, your tax return will make it look like that business is not an interest of yours because income taxes are only concerned with what income you made, not your holdings.
The statement of economic interest reveals what you need to know about a candidate: what are you invested in; and if you are an employee or sole proprietor professional; who is paying you income; are you doing business with a government entity, etc.
- Rich Miller - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 2:19 pm:
===If your business loses money, or makes nothing, your tax return will make it look like that business is not an interest of yours because income taxes are only concerned with what income you made, not your holdings. ===
Wrong.
- Rich Miller - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 2:22 pm:
===but do you believe having the remaining pages would have stopped him?===
Nothing would’ve stopped him. I’ve written that over and over again. He didn’t stop even though he knew for years that the G was after him, for crying out loud.
But at least we would’ve known where his wife’s money was coming from. That would’ve been a major thing.
- Mike - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 2:26 pm:
Ok, lets take the Bill Brady scenario, he had businesses listed on his tax return, but showed losses or no income. It doesn’t mean those businesses aren’t an interest of his.
The businesses he made nothing from are still an interest of his, and these are already reported on the statement of economic interest because the statement specifically makes you report holdings in companies.
- Mike - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 2:28 pm:
#
- But at least we would’ve known where his wife’s money was coming from. That would’ve been a major thing.
Agreed, but then change the disclosure law to also apply to spouses and dependents, and that would have revealed the same thing.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 2:32 pm:
Mike,
Every Guv candidate since 1990 has disclosed …Jason is better than all those others who were compelled to disclose?
- VanillaMan - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 2:35 pm:
Plummer + This Issue = 0
Plummer + Brady = 1
Brady + This Issue = 1
Question: What is the value of Plummer?
If you are a Republican, the answer is 0.
If you are an Independant, the answer is 1.
If you are a Democrat, the answer is 3,784,090.
- Mike - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 2:38 pm:
Oswego Willy, here is my question I asked at 1pm. It has nothing to do with Jason or any other candidate being better than the system. We already agreed that there are candidates from both parties that do not reveal their tax returns in executive offices
Even if a candidate releases their tax returns, what are you interested in reading on them that is not already revealed in their statements of economic interest?
What info on the tax returns would you see would severely harm their ability to honestly govern that we already do not know from their statement of economic interest? Do you feel this information should disqualify someone to be an elected public official (in a subjective sense, not legal)?
- VanillaMan - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 2:39 pm:
Brady just voted to amend his Puppy bill so that unwanted puppies and kitties are not euthanized - just given to his running mate to raise.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 2:42 pm:
Mike,
He is taking no money from his elected office, if elected, if unemployment is double-digits … so, where is his money coming from, special interest?
Plummmer, himself, wants quarterly reporting for elected officials, so … no he is too cool to just be transparent.
Sometimes, your words come back to haunt you … well, …
- Rich Miller - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 2:42 pm:
Mike, you can nitpick all you want, but without those tax returns we would not know that Bill Brady the tax fighter didn’t pay taxes for two years. Get off it.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 2:44 pm:
And Mike … this senerio could take place with a less than honest candidate following the “loaning” campaign money, and not knowing the candidates real income…
From my post yesterday:
“Who is to say if another candidate, at another time, in another race, gets a “loan” from an unsavoy person, completely different than Jason, but a “loan” just the same, then that candidate claims the “loan” as theirs in a campaign … should the voters worry where the monies are actually coming from?”
This issue IS real …and is hurting Brady
- Mike - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 2:54 pm:
Ok, so if he has enough money to live off of for the next 4, potentially 8 years without collecting a state paycheck, one years worth of income taxes will not tell the entire story.
If he had a bad financial year last year (as Bill Brady had), it will answer fewer questions.
If he plans on living off his savings account, the income tax statement will tell you nothing.
If he plans on living off his business earnings and retaining his position with the family business, then this should be revealed on his statement of economic interest.
My point is this, I am not directly defending Plummer, I am not defending him as a partisan hack, otherwise I would be throwing your same arguements at Lisa Madigan, but I actually agree with her right to withhold her taxes.
People claim this is a “standard” that candidates have upheld since 1990. My question is why do you believe this standard should only be held to the governor’s office? Why not to all elected officials?
My point is that Statements of Economic Interest will tell you way more about a candidate than a tax return will for the purpose of political special interests. There may need to be some reforms for expansion of information collected on them (as Rich pointed out responding to me earlier that Patty Blagojevich was not required to report anything), but in the end, this system with minor reforms is still relevant.
- Rich Miller - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 2:56 pm:
==but in the end, this system with minor reforms is still relevant.===
That’s like saying if the grass was blue the sky might be green. We don’t have those laws on the books, Mike, so you go with what you got.
- John Bambenek - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 2:59 pm:
Illinois’ Statement of Economic Interests is notoriously brief compared to many other equivalent filings required by other states and the federal government for political candidates.
The SEI wouldn’t show, for instance, if someone gave a candidate a six figure “gift”. If it wasn’t used for campaign purposes, it wouldn’t be required to be disclosed via campaign finance laws either.
Rod’s influence peddling didn’t show up on his tax returns because he wanted to take his personal “benefits” after he left office. The money was held in “escrow” so-to-speak.
In the end, it makes it harder to hide bribes, influence peddling and conflict of interests. Then it becomes the job of us, the voters, to do something about it. We know Madigan has a huge conflict of interest when it comes to, say, property taxation. Information is a tool, it’s up to us to use that tool in an appropriate manner.
That said, I’ve drafted legislation specifically to require disclosure of the full tax return and all schedules for anyone running for our holding a state office.
- John Bambenek - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 3:02 pm:
Also, there is no real enforcement or auditing mechanism for the SEI. Sure, you could be fined up to $1,000 for making false statements, but that ain’t perjury. The IRS, on the other hand, does have SOME (ineffective) mechanisms for catching misstatements, does do an audit and the penalties for tax evasion aren’t insignificant.
Now, an alternative might be, say a random 10% mandatory audit of SEI filings. That might be a decent reform too.
- Ghost - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 3:06 pm:
Mike his income tax retunrs will show his savings acounts amd any business where he shows no income, but say that bsiness pays for his house, car, phone and covers all his expenses.
The statement of economic interest will not show anything if he cliams he it is a loss without income to him. In fact pretty much everything you descirbe as being hidden is hiddenfrom the statement of economic interest, but would be revelaed on a tax form…. inclding thenumbers.
The economic interest ask for the individuals conclusions about what falls into certain catagories…tax returns have the actual numbers and entities identified, including saving account interest income and so forth.
- stating the obvious - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 3:10 pm:
This thread illustrates the problem with a lot of Republicans in Illinois and why they so often lose. They come on here to defend the indefensible because they think they are helping their candidates, when in reality they are only hurting their own cause.
This fight is over. Plummer’s lost. He is going to release his tax returns, or else score this race as a win for Quinn-Simon right now.
But yet we still see the Plummer and Brady people coming on here with really whiny, completely lame excuses. Not very smart politically and not very Republican if you ask me.
Maybe Republicans want more guns so they can keep shooting themselves in the foot more frequently, if that’s possible.
- John Bambenek - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 3:13 pm:
I’m somewhat less-than-convinced that the Illinois Gubnatorial race hinges only on the issue of whether the LtGov candidate releases his tax returns or not…
I’d have wanted them both to release their tax returns and schedules. For that matter, but them online. And both could have handled the issue far better. But to suggest that this somehow means that it’s over and Brady/Plummer will lose by Alan Keyes margins is somewhat absurd.
- conda67 - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 4:34 pm:
The tax returns mean nothing.
- wordslinger - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 5:08 pm:
He’s going to have to do it. I was surprised that Brady, who’s never stopped running for governor, took every tax break he could get. A lot smarter and richer guys than him paid extra in taxes to avoid the bad publicity.
He grief these guys are getting is costing them more in bad pub. than the taxes would have. Unfair. Maybe.
How about this. Can either Plummer or Brady prove they were not born in Kenya?
- stating the obvious - Friday, May 21, 10 @ 7:47 pm:
If the tax returns mean nothing then he should have no problem releasing them.
- VanillaMan - Saturday, May 22, 10 @ 3:26 pm:
The big question becomes, what does the GOP do with Plummer?
He is eye candy. Since no one took up my suggestion to put him on a flat boat full of hogs and send him down the river with them to grow a beard, get a tan and build up his muscles for photo ops - then try this!
Put him in a canoe. Have him paddle his way down all the rivers in Illinois to show support for our waterways. Give him a backpack and have him hike across the state, picking up litter, cleaning up the roads, and hauling out garbage. Limit him to discussions regarding the environment.
Take advantage of this 27 year old 6′whatever young dude and turn him into something sexy. The only thing the media loves to do more than tear down a GOP candidate is to report on a sexy young person who has a great tan, smile and riding shirtless in a canoe.
If he wins, eliminate the Office he holds to save millions annually.