* The Sun-Times has a statement from the attorney for a Dan Rutherford employee who has made allegations against the gubernatorial candidate. Rutherford has blamed Bruce Rauner for being behind the case. But the lawyer flatly denies it…

“My client came to me a couple of weeks ago with serious and real allegations concerning Mr. Rutherford.” […]

“This morning, Mr. Rutherford chose to make this matter about politics — probably because the facts are so troubling. I have nothing against Dan Rutherford, and have no horse in the governor’s primary race.” […]

“My client had initiated a claim with the Inspector General of the Treasurer’s Office before coming to me,” Svenson said in her statement. “After investigating the evidence, we elected to contact Mr. Rutherford’s office directly. Mr. Rutherford’s general counsel and in-house counsel both expressed a strong interest in keeping the matter private, and also expressed an appreciation for our willingness to do so. We were exchanging information and negotiating on a good-faith basis for days until as recently as yesterday. These types of negotiations are, in my experience, common with regard to the Treasurer’s office and have nothing to do with politics or the gubernatorial primary.”

I’ve also been working this story and have serious doubts that the Rauner campaign had anything to do with the attorney in question or the case itself. From what I know at the moment, the person who referred the accuser to that attorney had no relationship with the Rauner campaign.

So, if the “blame Rauner” aspect blows up, then what happens if the actual allegations surface?

Oof.