Posted by Barton Lorimor (@bartonlorimor)
* Gov. Quinn yesterday in Collinsville…
Gov. Pat Quinn says he’d like to see private donations factor into funding a possible Barack Obama presidential library in Illinois.
The Chicago Democrat told reporters in Collinsville on Thursday that the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and Library in Springfield has provided a major economic boost, particularly with tourism.
* Gov. Quinn a few days ago in Chicago…
Gov. Pat Quinn is throwing his support behind a proposal to spend $100 million in state funds to sweeten Chicago’s bid for the Obama presidential library and museum.
The state is grappling with budget woes, but Quinn said Saturday the spending would be “an important investment.”
He pointed to the state’s financial support for the Lincoln library in Springfield, saying “it’s paid tremendous dividends in terms of tourism.”
* The Governor was in Collinsville to talk up a loan program for first-time home buyers. The Rauner campaign has called the program a rehashing of a previously administered program…
Rauner’s campaign said Quinn’s visit was a campaign maneuver that featured a recycled idea. Rauner’s camp noted that Quinn launched a similar program, called Illinois Home Start, in 2009, and Quinn’s predecessor, Rod Blagojevich, launched a similar program called the I-Loan Mortgage in 2005.
Shortly after the Governor was wheels up in Marion after hosting a similar event there, Rauner hit him again for the Shakman suit…
“After claiming he would bring transparency to state government, Pat Quinn is blocking the public from learning the truth about his administration’s Blagojevich-style state job patronage scheme,” he said in an emailed statement.
More…
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner is calling on Gov. Pat Quinn to release documents related to a federal complaint alleging improper hiring in the Illinois Department of Transportation.
Rauner told The Associated Press Thursday that Quinn should keep promises of transparency by making public documents supposedly detailing hiring issues. He says Quinn is continuing Illinois’ history of corruption and cronyism.
Rauner tells AP he hasn’t hired friends, family or allies.
The Governor’s camp has yet to give a strong response to the hits he has taken from the Republican challenger over the last couple of days. In the absence of a response, the media is feeding on Rauner’s attacks and the Shakman case…
IDOT says it stopped hiring “staff assistants” after questions were raised last year, and 50 positions were reclassified as nonexempt after an audit of job responsibilities. “Moving forward, these re-classified positions will be hired through the Rutan process.”
That’s not good enough. Not even close.
Why should workers get to keep jobs that they obtained by clout, without regard for qualifications, and at the expense of those who applied through legal channels?
The bigger question: How many of them are there — not just at IDOT, but throughout state government?
The governor ought to be demanding some answers. Instead, it’s Shakman.
A political round-up…
* 10th District heats up for a close congressional rematch
* Pekin woman on GOP National Committee predicts bounceback led by Rauner
* Remap spat: Aldermen differ on Sandburg Village development
- wordslinger - Friday, Apr 25, 14 @ 8:55 am:
–Rauner tells AP he hasn’t hired friends, family or allies.–
Geez, not a one?
- RNUG - Friday, Apr 25, 14 @ 8:56 am:
Must have gotten around to reading the poll results.
- OneMan - Friday, Apr 25, 14 @ 8:57 am:
Well I guess we should be happy Quinn doesn’t want the Illinois taxpayer to pick up the entire tab.
- Union Man - Friday, Apr 25, 14 @ 9:04 am:
Gov. Pat Quinn says he’d like to see private donations factor into funding a possible Barack Obama presidential library in Illinois.
He is so back an forth. We need a leader not some wishy washy, oh I said this but mean this. Get a spine.
- Formerly Known As... - Friday, Apr 25, 14 @ 9:16 am:
Thank heavens for small miracles.
Way to go Governor. Quite the past 24 hours you are having yourself.
- Norseman - Friday, Apr 25, 14 @ 9:44 am:
Word, Rauner doesn’t seem to remember anyone he hires.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Apr 25, 14 @ 9:57 am:
===Rauner tells AP he hasn’t hired friends, family or allies.===
I then will be very interested to see if Schrimph, or any single paid “Ally” joins the “Rauner Administration.
Attention: those allied with Rauner for Governor…do not expect to be rewarded a spot in the New Adminstration. You are not doing it for a job, so don’t expect one if Both Rauners win.
This was a public service provided by OW, partner in AWillyWord Consulting and Write-In Candidate for Illinois Governor, 2014.
- A guy... - Friday, Apr 25, 14 @ 10:07 am:
===Gov. Pat Quinn says he’d like to see private donations “”factor into”" funding a possible Barack Obama presidential library in Illinois.===
Amazing. Truth is truly stranger than fiction. It’s nearly impossible to make this stuff up. After 2 days of public reaction and editorials, this is where he lines up. Just. Wow.
- Walter Mitty - Friday, Apr 25, 14 @ 10:20 am:
OW… I am sure he will pivot.. That is in private sector.. HA HA… Seriously though, isn’t PQ the bigger story here OW?
- Robert the Bruce - Friday, Apr 25, 14 @ 10:23 am:
Gov. Quinn had to consult his two political consultants, Pat and Quinn, on this one. Pat told him that he needed a good African American turnout to win, so support the library. Quinn told him that in times of tight budgets, suburban voters don’t want to spend money on anything, and he might lose some swing votes if he was pro-library.
So Gov. Quinn was understandably confused.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Apr 25, 14 @ 10:33 am:
- Walter Mitty -,
As a advocate of “The 60/40 Loan Plan”, (- Norseman -, issue a release, please.) Quinn going from “all in” to ===…Gov. Pat Quinn says he’d like to see private donations factor into funding…=== is a big and important shift in the discussion, but Quinn did not say 100% private funding. That, the going from “all in” to “all private funding” would be far more dramatic.
For Rauner to, as per usual, stating something that leaves a room for error of nil in hiring, it brings into play the pure poltical take of the new Shackman lawsuit.
If Rauner’s Crew was even remotely paying attention to who their Principle is, the correct response would be.
“Coming from the private sector, there are big benefits in hiring who you want, to do the job you want, within the HR parameters of your company. I hired people I knew had vast experience, and even some with less experience. My company could do that.
Pat Quinn abused the public trust. Big difference. These hires put citizens in a position to question whose interest does Pat Quinn cater to, the people’s or his own,
Being part of a private sector hiring, I can see quite clearly the difference.”
That is far more honest, and IS the story by Rauner stating what he did about his own hiring.
Extremes lead to only one to refute. Rauner has Quinn on this, why state something so Dopey to be seen as so political?
- Walter Mitty - Friday, Apr 25, 14 @ 10:43 am:
OW… My hope is, you will bill that response at the rate of $10,000 per hour… And it took at least 20 hours… Stop giving it away for free!!!!!!!!! That’s bottom of the purse change for his wife… Geez… If you have an allergy to cash, I am offering my services as your shell company head…
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Apr 25, 14 @ 10:52 am:
- Walter Mitty -,
-AA - handles all the Billing, I just got 3 emails, a text, and a voicemail from him on that subject.
No one listens, but it makes it fun here, doesn’t it? If you appreciate it, that is enough for me.
“Once - Norseman - has the release ready for the “60/40 Loan” plan, I look forward to hear from the legislative leaders for their input to make it even better.”
- Walter Mitty - Friday, Apr 25, 14 @ 11:00 am:
Darn You AA!!! I work cheap AA…. Assistant to the Assistant Manager at the movie theatre is not just for Fast Times at Ridgemont High its’ okay for me too….
- Langhorne - Friday, Apr 25, 14 @ 11:06 am:
so pat quinn (sort of, maybe) opposing bond funds for the library shows he is against minorities too, just like the republicans? waiting for madigan to clarify that.
my opposition softened somewhat, based on schnorfs comment, that the debt service would be around $7 mil per year. thats a more manageable number. but it should be conditional, related to private fundraising meeting certain goals. the state money should not be used for up front expenses, like design, land acquisition, etc, unless private funding is locked in.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Apr 25, 14 @ 11:07 am:
- Walter Mitty -,
Send the résumé to - Norseman - after my inauguration. Unlike both Rauners, I will fill my exempt spots in my Administration with highly qualified allies. Exempt spots - Qualified appointments.
To the Post,
Andy Shaw and Shackman are not going to go away with this, so at some point, like yesterday, Quinn’s governmental Crew needs to craft something, and the Campaign Crew needs to find a way to glom on it.
Daylight is burning…
- Arthur Andersen - Friday, Apr 25, 14 @ 11:44 am:
Walter, consider your resume on file. Now Willy, about that free advice…
- A guy... - Friday, Apr 25, 14 @ 11:59 am:
That’s quite a Consulting Firm you got going. Only in Illinois…
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Apr 25, 14 @ 12:09 pm:
- AA -, we’ll work in other states, right?
If they include Golf, airfare is negotiable.
Oh no, not only in Illinois.
To the Post,
If the homeowners loan program is a “recycled” idea, what new ideas does Rauner then … have?
Can’t call out “ideas” and give none…well I guess you can, but…
Sounds like a career politician with the rhetoric there Bruce.
- shore - Friday, Apr 25, 14 @ 1:09 pm:
Half of the us senate has been elected within the last 6 years. We’ve seen 2 congressional wave elections in 8 years and another handover of power in the us senate is looming in 2014 and if the gop wins this fall then probably in 2016 too. This isn’t exactly a moment where you have elected officials other than those named madigan, winning and staying in power until life ends.
- Just The Way It Is One - Friday, Apr 25, 14 @ 4:02 pm:
Whether Pat Quinn was to get that $100 Million or not (and I’d THINK it doubtful he would, but ya never KNOW in this Political Battlefield of the Place we call HOME!), at the very least, ya just KNOW that in publicly announcing his longing to have the Library built here (howEVer it’s financed, and $100 Mil in funding at least makes it clear PQ is serious about it), the Governor’s just GOT to be, at least in part, softening that seat cushion for our current–and still QUITE popular in Illinois–”Mr. President,” to come to sit down next to the Governor on the Stage next to him somewhere this Fall in “Crunch Time” for his Re-Election Bid and deliver another feisty, fiery Endorsement Pitch/Appeal to the Voters to keep Pat Quinn in Office–just like he did last October on the Midway Plaisance at that humongous Outdoor Rally in October, 2010–not to mention for PQ to continue to necessarily foster the process for Mr. Obama to put-together some effective Radio (and/or TV) Commercials for the Guv–like the POTUS ALso did for him in the Fall of 2010…!
- Just The Way It Is One - Friday, Apr 25, 14 @ 4:04 pm:
That was meant to read above, “…just like he did one October at the U of C on the Midway Plaisance…!”