From the mailbag
Thursday, Oct 10, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I received an e-mail from John Tillman in response to my post yesterday about the Illinois Policy Institute’s lobbying practice…
Rich,
I’ve only done a cursory look so far but as far as I can tell this resolution from the state AFL-CIO on Obamacare hasn’t been released to the public yet….if it has we may have missed it. Where did you see it? Up to now it isn’t on their website unless I’ve missed it, and it doesn’t turn up on Google searches either. Perhaps they sent it to you directly?
How did Abdon make his pitch to you for this hit job and was he the only one?
Nevertheless, I don’t think it disproves Paul’s point.
And we are in a great win-win now - when you criticize us, we hear about it and it increases our fundraising. When you ignore us people notice and it has the same effect. And when you compliment us it still has the same effect.
Oh, and about that lobbying, we are required to register as lobbyists by IL law, which has a highly narrow definition of what a lobbyist is though you somehow make that sound bad. I’ve always said every citizen and business has a right to lobby. I proudly wear the label of a lobbyist for free enterprise, fiscal sanity and the Founding Principles. You imply there is something wrong with being an advocate but you advocate every day. Ironic.
By the way, shall I start saying “journalist” Rich Miller every time I refer to you? LOL.
Next time you have to buy the beer.
John
–
John Tillman
CEO
Illinois Policy Institute
* He added a postscript a while later…
As you certainly know, it can be tough to prove a negative, but I just fed the first clause into Google, and it spit back two entries. Both were Cap Fax.
So where did you receive this or find it? And is the way you put this post together proper “journalistic” practice?
Methinks you are a lobbyist with an agenda. At least we are transparent about ours. Our output reflects it every day and is there for anyone of fair mind to judge.
As I explained to him, I received a copy of the AFL-CIO’s resolution on Tuesday afternoon from a labor union.
As to the stuff about Abdon, my response was unprintable. I don’t play that way.
Also, I never implied there was anything wrong with being a lobbyist. Heck, most of my subscribers are lobbyists. Lobbying is a constitutional right, and lobbyists way too often get a bad rap.
But if you run a lobbying outfit, why masquerade as a journalistic outfit? Who’s hiding what?
- Curious - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 9:59 am:
Just wondering, is what Illinois Policy Institute does as “journalists” parallel what SEIU does as Progress Illinois?
- Nearly Normal - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 10:01 am:
Nothing wrong with being a lobbyist in my book. Not being upfront about it IS wrong. Writing articles and not being upfront with where they are originating is also wrong.
I write emails and letters and also make telephone calls to legislators and others about issues. I also make visits to legislators at their home offices and in Springfield.
I even tell others to do it too. Use real facts and not emotions to discuss issues.
It’s called Citizen Lobbying and everyone should do it. Nothing wrong there.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 10:02 am:
===parallel what SEIU does as Progress Illinois?===
SEIU is technically a sponsor of that website. So I don’t think they’re direct employees.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 10:02 am:
…Also, PI is pretty good about pointing that out whenever they write about SEIU.
- Reality Check - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 10:06 am:
And Progress Illinois doesn’t try to place its content in actual news outlets.
- Mr. Jim Lahey - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 10:11 am:
man…talk about being salty
- wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 10:12 am:
Tillman has uncovered a sinister Grand Conspiracy of immense proportions. He’s meddling with forces he can’t possibly understand.
What was the “hit” part of the “hit piece?” Pointing out an error in fact? Questioning whether a newspaper should disclose articles originate from a lobbying group?
Your dastardly plot is doomed to failure, Miller, if you can follow the logic here:
–And we are in a great win-win now - when you criticize us, we hear about it and it increases our fundraising. When you ignore us people notice and it has the same effect. And when you compliment us it still has the same effect.-
People notice when they’re ignored and send money? That’s…. something, I guess.
You. Will. Fail. Miller.
- Lobo Y Olla - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 10:12 am:
“I don’t play that way.”
Glad to hear it. I’ve heard people covered on this blog make that same aspersion in the past. Glad to hear it’s just sour grapes.
- UISer - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 10:12 am:
What I hate is when Springfield media (WICS, WMAY, WTAX) have Tillman on and they say he is from a non-partisan group. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Tillman runs his own PAC for goodness sake!
- Fed up - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 10:17 am:
Rich,
Well you skew left and post blogs so maybe, he has a little point but, what you do on your blog is you business and people pay to read it so good for you.
- too obvious - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 10:17 am:
What has IPI actually accomplished beyond padding the pockets of its insiders with big salaries?
That’s right their “journalism” arm did publish a reckless piece a couple of years ago about a state rep they falsely claimed couldn’t hold office because of a past criminal conviction.
- walkinfool - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 10:19 am:
“We are a lobbyist with an agenda” states the CEO.
Well at least that’s been cleared up, for the “Illinois Policy Institute”, with all their so-called research studies.
I once had hope for them as a source. If I hadn’t found specific errors in some of their data, arithmetic, and analyses early on, I wouldn’t be so angry with being naively misled by their name.
They are just one step up over the Heartland Institute, which produces a lot of obvious foolishness, but that’s not good enough.
- Frank - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 10:20 am:
The problem isn’t so much with the IPI, it’s with the newspapers who run Scott Reeder’s stuff and make it appear like he’s an independent journalist. Anything he writes should be in the op-ed section with an editor’s note explaning what the IPI is.
The IPI is more or less honest about their bias and the fact they are totally in the tank with the GOP. And Progress Illinois is pretty straight about their bias on the other side of the spectrum. Andy Shaw and the BGA are a different story. They lobby, produce “news” content for several media outlets, and raise money from corporations that have financial interests in legislation and public policy decisions — all while claiming to be “independent.” Lot’s of ethical red flags there.
- Belle - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 10:28 am:
We all have opinions…blogs or not. I think you do a pretty decent job of staying in the middle.
- Old and In The Way - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 10:34 am:
Is it just my niavitae or does the use of the name Illinois Policy Institute sound misleading or somewhat less than honest? To me an “institute” is an objective unbiased research entity or educational organization. Hardly the province of the IPI.
- Priceless! - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 10:41 am:
To Tillman…when you are defending you have lost! Keep up the good work Rich! Anytime you can expose the nefarious activities of groups like IPI and other self-serving organizations you provide a necessary service. Thanx!
- Anonymous - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 10:45 am:
@RichMiller creates war with @JohnTilllman. Tillman’s donations go up and Miller sells more subscriptions. Classic. Who devised this over beers?
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 10:46 am:
Looking into social media, I see that the AFL-CIO is definitely not supporting the GOP, no matter what problems it has with Obamacare, and no matter how conservatives try to use union dissatisfaction with the ACA as a reason to attack it.
The AFL-CIO sees people like Tillman and the GOP as working solely for the benefit of wealthy individuals and corporations.
- otoh - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 10:48 am:
==Since he mentioned the Illinois angle, I thought I’d point out that Director of Labor Kersey missed what should’ve been a noteworthy development.==
Fair enough to say they can’t have missed what was not made public. When I read it I had the impression it was a presser they should have caught. Not the case.
Go ahead and buy him a beer.
- Dirt Diver - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 10:56 am:
I stopped reading their materials a while ago, because such materials are littered with slanted falacies. Talk to any government agency in Illinois and most will tell you that IL Policy Institute is their most frequent FOIA requestor. So despite all the FOIA requests, the institute is still printing bogus information. Either they are intentionally falsifying information, or they are incompetent. Whatever the answer is, eliminates any credibility.
Good thing they are funded by one of the weathliest (souless) families in the world though.
- Try-4-Truth - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 11:03 am:
- Fed up - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 10:17 am:
“Rich,
Well you skew left and post blogs so maybe, he has a little point but, what you do on your blog is you business and people pay to read it so good for you.” —–
Ummm, what? Rich skews left? Good luck with that.
- Wyatt - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 11:09 am:
LOL, the SOS says they’ve spent $4,266.63 on lobbying.
- Bemused - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 11:40 am:
It would seem Tillman is essentially saying
What do you mean this Sheep outfit looks bogus?
Well Um, we think it may have been done Union so that is the problem.
Besides, if you overlook the Fangs we are spot on.
- Chris Wetterich - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 11:49 am:
That’s the thing with the Illinois Policy Institute and the Franklin Center: They purport to be independent and nonpartisan, but you know the conclusions they’re going to draw before they draw them and the only facts they’ll include in their reports are ones that will make their point.
Now, to varying degrees, there are a lot of groups like that in state government. The IPI/Franklin folks would point to the Center for Budget and Tax Accountability. It’s true that no one is surprised, for instance, when Ralph Martire proposes that the solution to a problem is a tax increase.
But we all know who’s paying Ralph’s salary. The unions are listed as funders on CTBA’s website. We know that his numbers get peer-reviewed by experts of several political persuasions. And Ralph doesn’t lobby, nor has anyone in his organization since 2007.
The reason there’s such distrust of the IPI and the Franklin Center is because their funding is kept secret. There have been enough reports of alleged outsized ties to the Kochs that it makes you question even the core, ideological drive behind the group. It’s similar to the Koch’s attempt to control the Cato Institute in 2012 (Google it if you’re not familiar). Does IPI/Franklin’s analysis truly stem from a Libertarian, free-market perspective or is it really about helping the people who write the checks?
Those of us who are journalists need to do a lot better job of defining who these people are when we quote them. And I say that as a person who has quoted IPI in stories and published their opeds.
I drew the line, though, at running Reeder’s columns. His title, “journalist in residence,” is an attempt to give a level of legitimacy to IPI’s arguments that we wouldn’t give to a lobbyist writing an oped. If Reeder were to admit he’s now a person that advocates for a set of positions and ideology favored by his employer, like any other journalist-turned-lobbyist or PR pro (I’m thinking particularly of friends of mine like Ryan Keith or Aaron Chambers), that would be one thing.
But to continue with this charade that he’s just a reporter who considers all sides of an issue and - presto! - just happens to conclude that every tax increase is bad, teachers are lazy, incompetent people with jobs for life and government is always wasteful is nonsense and everybody at the Capitol knows it.
As for Progress Illinois, SEIU’s top brass has a big say in hiring their editor, so, likewise, they have grayed that line between journalist and advocate.
- MrJM - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 11:52 am:
In 2013, believing that it is possible and desirable to have a functioning government constitutes “skewing left”.
– MrJM
- Just Me - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 11:52 am:
I agree that a lobbyist cannot also be a journalist. A lobbyist has an agenda, presumably a journalist does not.
Note- The Illinois Press Association lobbyist does not get a press badge.
- Curious - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 11:58 am:
The editor of Progress Illinois said a couple of years ago that he works for SEIU - the union funds PI about $150,000 annually. Would assume that would be considered a little more than a substantial sponsorship.
- PoolGuy - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 12:15 pm:
methinks lobbyists may enjoy pirate speak over legalese
- jake - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 12:18 pm:
Nobody knows who funds the Illinois Policy Institute as they keep their donor list secret. One might be wrong in guessing about specific funders, but their agenda is quite transparent.
- Ahoy! - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 12:33 pm:
–But if you run a lobbying outfit, why masquerade as a journalistic outfit? Who’s hiding what?–
It helps them with fundraising, how they are a 501 C 3 is beyond me. It seems like a good policy initiative would be to tighten the rules on 501 C 3 organizations to ensure they are actually doing charitable work. There’s an awful lot of political organizations disguised as charitable organizations.
- Lefty Lefty - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 12:46 pm:
From the PI website FAQs:
–Who are your sponsors?
Our sole sponsor at the moment is the SEIU Illinois Council.–
Seems pretty transparent.
- Cheswick - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 12:49 pm:
Sorry if I should already know this, but didn’t Scott Reeder used to be a journalist? Or am I confusing him with someone else?
- Lefty Lefty - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 12:50 pm:
From the IPI website FAQs:
–DO YOU LOBBY GOVERNMENT?
The Institute is primarily a research and educational organization. We do make judicious use of a provision within federal law that allows organizations like ours to promote good ideas to decision makers on a limited basis.
Illinois law requires Institute staff who engage and educate elected officials to be registered lobbyists, and we comply with that requirement.–
That first paragraph seems to tap-dance around the FAQ. In fact, so does the second.
- Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 12:58 pm:
=== As to the stuff about Abdon, my response was unprintable. I don’t play that way. ===
Good. Journalists should always push back hard on those subtle “suggestions” from politicians and staffers about how to do their jobs. Sadly, most just ignore it to avoid creating an uncomfortable moment with a possible source.
- Arthur Andersen - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 1:18 pm:
Good for you, Rich.
I’m personally still trying to find the “friend” who signed me up for all their publications and mailing lists. Getting rid of them is like getting gum off your shoe.
- Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 1:27 pm:
=== Just wondering, is what Illinois Policy Institute does as “journalists” parallel what SEIU does as Progress Illinois? ===
Not sure about Progress Illinois, but the Illinois Policy Institute draws many parallels to the Center for American Progress in this regard. They are both “nonprofits” that underwrite “news” outlets as well as lobbying efforts.
Whether or not some of the CAP’s “thinkprogress” articles are directly reprinted in mainstream outlets, their work has most definitely driven coverage and been cited, quoted and linked in mainstream news articles. See, for example, this 2010 article: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/11/palin_palling_around_with_terr.html
Or consider the manner in which their editor describes their work from this politico article: http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=457AC8FB-18FE-70B2-A86D597FB968DCC6
“Shakir describes Think Progress’s mission as helping to “educate and inform our side and, I think, the media” about the tactics of the right.
Judged by the standard of influencing the conversation, Think Progress is flourishing.”
They both clearly seek to influence the public discourse via their “think tank” operations, lobbying efforts and the media.
- D P Gumby - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 1:29 pm:
Great…Kanye and Kimmel make up and Rich has to go start a new feud!
- Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 1:30 pm:
And here’s something from an objective source more directly focusing on “Progress Illinois”: http://features.journalism.org/non-profit-news/#progress-illinois
“Launched in 2008, Progress Illinois, is a news site seeking to “add a progressive voice to the Illinois political media sphere.” It was launched with a founding sponsorship from the SEIU Illinois State Council. It also generates some revenue from advertising. Progress Illinois was named the top political blog by MidwestBusiness.com in September 2008.”
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 1:32 pm:
None of those examples you folks are using even come close to what IPI is doing here. They have Illinois News Service, which is being used by papers all over the state, and a “resident journalist,” whose columns are printed in several papers. They also tried, and failed, to get into the House and Senate press boxes. Why? Because they’re a lobbying outfit.
- Juvenal - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 1:37 pm:
@Lefty -
the second paragraph is balderdash.
You dont need to be a registered lobbyist to “educate.”. You do need to be a refistered lobbyist to advocate, for or against the passage of a particular piece of legislation, if that is your job.
Maybe IFI’s “journalist in residence” can tell us what specifically IFI is lobbying for or against or where they get their money from. Isn’t that what in-bedded reporters do? Give ya the inside scoop?
- Just sayin' - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 2:26 pm:
Illinois Policy Institute pretends to be a conservative/libertarian think tank because that’s where they can get their money. I don’t think Tillman, Dan Proft, or any of the rest actually believe in anything other than lining their pockets and increasing their power. And why not use chumps like Dick Uihlein to do it? All of their organizations exist for one purpose - to skirt campaign finance laws. That’s why they aren’t advocates for campaign finance reform.
- Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 2:29 pm:
All I know for certain is that it’s bogus on both sides to be masquerading as neutral, nonprofit observers and news sources.
Both IPI and CAP hide their donors and clearly have partisan agendas. They should not be categorized as “nonprofits”, but rather lobbying organizations or partisan organizations. Same with SEIU’s group.
At the very least, no large media outlets should be running their stuff, quoting their stuff or citing their stuff as coming from an objective source.
If anything, they should appear as opinion pieces in the editorial pages or as quotes from partisans with a (D) or (R) next to their name.
- laughing - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 3:27 pm:
Look out Rich, Johnny Tillman is making it rain in the 312! Million$ for IPI, over 20 6-figure staffers and counting. Arguably the largest lobbying outfit in the state. So, why has no reporter taken a hard in depth look at who they really are? Instead media outlets give them a free pass and run their opinion as if it’s unbiased. The Watchdog needs a Watchdog.
- Maxine - Thursday, Oct 10, 13 @ 6:38 pm:
John Tillman is not playing nice and his opinion of you and what you do is way off. As a matter of fact….I hear a low growl coming from the Capitol Fax pup! Grrrr.