Oppo dump
Thursday, Aug 28, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the Rauner campaign. Sorry for the length. Blame them. But there is some interesting stuff here…
Over the last week, Pat Quinn has led voters to believe he took decisive action to end patronage hiring at the Illinois Department of Transportation by laying off those who were illegally hired. The State Journal-Register published the list of people who Pat Quinn claims he laid off.
But a review of last week’s Inspector General report, the State Comptroller’s website and state hiring records reveals that dozens of people who were illegally hired by IDOT as “staff assistants” are still working at IDOT and were not part of Quinn’s announced lay-offs.
“This already looks like another broken promise from Pat Quinn,” Bruce Rauner said. “You’ve got to wonder if this is just another charade. Instead of throwing people under the bus, we need a new driver.”
Here’s a look at just three of the dozens of examples:
Employee 201
“Employee 201” Is Identified In The Illinois Executive Inspector General’s Report As The Daughter Of Chicago Alderman Gene Schulter. (“In re: Ann Schneider, Gary Hannig, Matthew Hughes and Michael Woods, Jr – OEIG Final Report, Office Of The Executive Inspector General, 8/22/14, p. 143)
Monica Schulter, Gene Schulter’s Daughter, Is Identified In Press Accounts As Having Been Hired As A “Staff Assistant” At IDOT. “The hires made under the questionable ‘staff assistant’ process include Monica Schulter, daughter of former Chicago Ald. Eugene Schulter (47th). She was hired as a staff assistant in 2010, and now makes $58,000 as an assistant to IDOT’s top administrator, Ann Schneider. When reached by phone, Monica Schulter declined to answer questions, however Eugene Schulter did.” (Patrick McCraney, “Clout Hiring Persists Under Quinn,” Better Government Association, 8/14/13)
Schulter Does Not Appear On The List Of Illegal Hires Being Fired By IDOT As A Result Of The Inspector General Report. (IDOT Layoffs List, State Journal-Register, 8/27/14)
Schulter Is Still Listed As Being Employed By IDOT. (Employee Salary Database, Illinois Comptroller, Accessed 8/28/14)
Employee 140
“Employee 140” Is Identified In The Illinois Executive Inspector General’s Report As A Former District Scheduler For Congressman Phil Hare Who Left Hare’s Office In March Of 2010. “In addition to the examples discussed above, the OEIG investigation uncovered another Rutan-exempt Staff Assistant, Employee 140, who worked for Congressman Hare immediately prior to joining IDOT. Employee 140 began employment with Mr. Hare in 2007 as a District Scheduler and held that position until March 2010.” (“In re: Ann Schneider, Gary Hannig, Matthew Hughes and Michael Woods, Jr – OEIG Final Report, Office Of The Executive Inspector General, 8/22/14, p. 75)
Employee 140’s Duties Included Producing Spreadsheets And Planting Trees. “Employee 16 told the OEIG that as a Staff Assistant, Employee 140’s duties included producing spreadsheets and other computer-generated documents and assisting in the Services Development area. In that capacity, Employee 140 planted trees and performed other preventative maintenance tasks.” (“In re: Ann Schneider, Gary Hannig, Matthew Hughes and Michael Woods, Jr – OEIG Final Report, Office Of The Executive Inspector General, 8/22/14, p. 75)
IDOT Employee Andrew Waeyaert Was Employed By Phil Hare Until March 12, 2010, And Was The Only Hare Employee To Leave In March Of 2010. (Statement Of Disbursements Of The House – January 1, 2010 to March 31, 2010, U.S. House Of Representatives, p. 1266)
Waeyaert Does Not Appear On The List Of Illegal Hires Being Fired By IDOT As A Result Of The Inspector General Report. (IDOT Layoffs List, State Journal-Register, 8/27/14)
Andrew Waeyaert Is Still Listed As Being Employed By IDOT. (Employee Salary Database, Illinois Comptroller, Accessed 8/28/14)
Employee 139
“Employee 139” Was A Former Phil Hare District Scheduler, Hired In March OF 2010, And Was Hired By IDOT Following Hare’s 2010 Loss. “Employee 139’s employment application indicates he began work for Congressman Hare as a District Scheduler in March 2010 and left that position because of Mr. Hare’s 2010 election loss. Employee 139 began employment with IDOT in the Bureau of Personnel Management, but transferred to District 2 of the Division of Highways on March 28, 2011. The Internal Personnel Request authorizing his hire into the Staff Assistant position was signed by former Director of Finance and Administration Matt Hughes and former Bureau Chief of Personnel Management Mike Woods, Jr.” (“In re: Ann Schneider, Gary Hannig, Matthew Hughes and Michael Woods, Jr – OEIG Final Report, Office Of The Executive Inspector General, 8/22/14, p. 74)
Employee 139 Developed And Implemented Training Classes, And Did Not Perform Duties Listed In The Staff Assistant Position Description. “Investigators questioned Administrative Services Manager for District 2 Employee 16 about the duties Employee 139 performed in Safety and Training after his transfer. Employee 16 stated Employee 139’s duties included developing and implementing training classes. According to Employee 16, Employee 139 did not perform duties reflected on the Staff Assistant position description.” (“In re: Ann Schneider, Gary Hannig, Matthew Hughes and Michael Woods, Jr – OEIG Final Report, Office Of The Executive Inspector General, 8/22/14, p. 74)
IDOT Employee Derek Jones Began Working For Hare On March 15, 2010, And Was The Only Hare Employee To Be Hired In March Of 2010. (Statement Of Disbursements Of The House – January 1, 2010 to March 31, 2010, U.S. House Of Representatives, p. 1265)
Jones Does Not Appear On The List Of Illegal Hires Being Fired By IDOT As A Result Of The Inspector General Report. (IDOT Layoffs List, State Journal-Register, 8/27/14)
Derek Jones Is Still Listed As Being Employed By The Illinois Department Of Transportation. (State Employee Salary Database, Illinois Comptroller, Accessed 8/28/14)
64 Comments
|
Rauner doubles down
Thursday, Aug 28, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Oy…
“General growth”? C’mon. Does he even have a clue about the sky-high rate of growth we’d need to cut $8 billion in taxes and raise spending on education, infrastructure, IDNR and any other ideas he comes up with?
And if he’s gonna cut lots more than the few million he’s already proposed, then we at least deserve an outline about what he’ll be targeting.
70 Comments
|
Back in the news
Thursday, Aug 28, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Remember the story I posted not long ago about how a guy had thoroughly bamboozled Springfield’s top lobbyist, Gov. Pat Quinn, House Speaker Michael Madigan, David Axelrod’s son and many others? Well, that guy was indicted yesterday…
A Chicago man fraudulently raised $160 million from Chinese nationals who invested in his purported plan to build a convention center complex with hotels near O’Hare International Airport, the U.S. attorney’s office in Chicago announced Wednesday.
Charges were lodged Wednesday against Anshoo Sethi, 30, who was the founder and managing member of A Chicago Convention Center LLC, which told investors it planned to build a hotel and convention center on 3 acres of land east of O’Hare.
The indictment alleges that between January 2011 and February 2013, Sethi defrauded 290 Chinese investors and deceived the U.S. government in its review of visa applications through false statements and representations.
According to the indictment, foreign nationals may obtain a certain kind of visa if they invest money in domestic projects. Sethi solicited Chinese investors interested in obtaining this visa to invest at least half a million dollars apiece, plus a $41,500 administrative fee.
* Around 10:30 this morning, I received this e-mail from the Cheri Bustos campaign…
BREAKING NEWS: Bobby Schilling’s Controversial “Visa for Sale” Program Dominating Illinois Headlines with Indictment
Last night, a high profile indictment for fraud involving Bobby Schilling’s controversial “Visa for Sale” program was filed. Schilling himself has also been recently scrutinized for using his influence as a former Member of Congress to cash in big, selling U.S. residency to wealthy foreign nationals.
The release referenced an earlier Bustos release…
After getting elected thanks to the help of executives that get rich off of wealthy foreign investors, ex-Congressman Bobby Schilling stood up in support of the controversial “Visa for Sale” program. Now he’s making a six-figure salary working for the same executives that helped him get elected.
“If this is what Bobby Schilling means by ‘leading by example,’ then what should Illinois working families expect next?” said Jeremy Jansen, Bustos’ Campaign Manager. “Schilling not only voted to give tax breaks to corporations shipping Illinois jobs overseas and fled a public meeting with workers whose jobs are now in China, but after losing re-election Schilling walked out of Congress into a six-figure job selling American visas to wealthy Chinese investors that pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to game the immigration system.”
* Schilling’s campaign responded a few moments ago…
Cheri Bustos Steps In Cowpie
Bustos co-sponsored a bill in January that would make EB-5 program permanent
Clumsy attempt to change subject backfires
Bustos campaign melting down in desperate bid to divert attention from
Bustos’ broken promise to give back 10 percent of her salary
EAST MOLINE, Ill.—Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (D-East Moline) lashed out mindlessly today by attacking Bobby Schilling (R-Colona) for supposedly “selling visas.” The EB-5 program that Bobby Schilling’s employer, CMB Regional Centers, operates under is renewed by Congress every three years, and this past January, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos co-sponsored legislation to make the EB-5 program permanent. How’s that for hypocrisy?
H.R. 15, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, has nearly 200 co-sponsors in Congress, including Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. The bill “makes the EB-5 visa regional center program permanent.”
Yes, you read that correctly—today Cheri Bustos lashed out against a program she co-sponsored. The program has incredible bipartisan support and even includes support from Bustos’ mentor, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-Illinois).
The EB-5 program does the exact opposite of outsourcing jobs. For far too long, American wealth has been invested overseas, creating jobs in countries all over the world. The reason Senator Durbin and others in Congress support the EB-5 program is to lure foreign investment to the United States, creating new American jobs here at home.
Under the EB-5 program, CMB Regional Centers in Rock Island has helped create more than 90,000 new American jobs and helped add more than $7 billion in economic activity to rural and high unemployment areas throughout the United States of America.
Bustos’ claim that the program is “selling visas” is ridiculous because selling visas is illegal. It seems Bustos’ desperate campaign doesn’t know much about her record in Congress because today they attacked a U.S. government program that Congresswoman Bustos has passionately supported by co-sponsoring a bill in Congress to make the EB-5 program permanent.
Cheri Bustos cannot have it both ways. If she thought the EB-5 program was a bad idea, she should not have sponsored legislation to make it permanent. Either she thinks the voters of Illinois are not paying attention, or she thinks we are too stupid to notice that she is lambasting a program she has previously supported for political gain. Clearly her sudden revelation that the EB-5 program is a work of evil is politically motivated by her need to change the subject from her broken promise to give back 10 percent of her congressional salary.
Schilling campaign manager Steven Shearer commented, “One wonders what caused Cheri Bustos to make another unforced error of this magnitude. Out here in farm country it’s called stepping in a cowpie.”
And it’s not even September.
17 Comments
|
Question of the day
Thursday, Aug 28, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Chicago Tribune editorial board took a look at the reporting on the NRI and IDOT messes and concluded…
The governor’s spokespeople invariably use the words “zero tolerance” to defend his response to the unfolding disasters.
Besides replacing Schneider at IDOT, Quinn has ordered the agency to abolish the “staff assistant” position. Last week, IDOT fired 58 people whose jobs were improperly classified and created a merit board to oversee hiring.
Quinn also signed legislation meant to toughen the rules governing state grants and prevent some of the problems that occurred with his own bungled anti-violence program. And he ordered all state agencies to cooperate with investigators.
Quinn took those actions as the headlines and audits and subpoenas exploded around him. That’s not zero tolerance. It’s CYA.
* The Question: “Zero tolerance” or “CYA”? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
surveys
37 Comments
|
* Bruce Rauner was asked yesterday whether he thought that education should receive more money from the state. His response…
“I do believe it should have a higher percentage coming from the state, yes I do.”
* He also said this…
“We should have billions of dollars every year as part of our budget process…(to) maintain and expand our infrastructure,” Rauner said.
Rauner said he can do this by ending diversions from the Road Fund. However…
The state puts gasoline taxes and vehicle fees into the road fund. Last year, a state audit found that $1.5 billion was diverted from the road in the 2012 budget year. Auditors, however, cited as diversions such items as $419 million in debt payments to cover previous construction projects as well as millions of dollars more salaries and benefits for workers involved in related project work.
In addition, $26 million in subsidies for the state’s Amtrak routes and nearly $18 million for the Regional Transportation Authority to cover reduced fares came out of the road fund that year.
* And, of course, there was his pledge this month to increase funding for IDNR.
And he’s gonna do all that how? By slashing taxes, of course.
Right.
Tell me another fairy tale.
59 Comments
|
Frackers loving them some Bruce
Thursday, Aug 28, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This probably shouldn’t be a surprise. Kurt Erickson…
But with the rules for fracking still not finalized, oil producers, drilling companies and geologists who work in the industry are shunning the governor and putting their money behind the gubernatorial campaign of wealthy Republican businessman Bruce Rauner.
On July 9, dozens of oil company officials attended a fundraiser for the Republican at a Mount Vernon restaurant.
Records show the political newcomer netted nearly $240,000 for his stop at the Rare Chop House that day, with most of the largesse coming from companies that have been waiting for the state to get the permitting process up and running. […]
Nelson Wood, a Mount Vernon-based oil producer who co-hosted the fundraiser, said his colleagues are tired of being idle.
“We just think Bruce Rauner will be the better choice. There’s a lot of consternation out there,” Wood said Wednesday. “The governor should have gotten this going a year ago.
With all these delays, their frustration is totally understandable.
15 Comments
|
* His opponent is already on the air. Announcement…
U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis’ (R-Ill.) campaign today released its first television ad for the 2014 general election.
The ad, titled “Coach”, once again features Davis’ football team, the same players, including his twin boys, he’s been coaching for nearly 10 years. In the ad, Davis talks about his success in coaching a winning football team at home, and the need to change Washington to get things done for the families of central and southwestern Illinois.
In Washington, Rep. Davis is a part of the No Labels Problem Solvers and has been named to the “Governing Caucus”, a coalition of 30 House Republicans willing to join a majority of House Democrats to pass major legislation, by the National Journal. Additionally, in the National Journal’s 2013 Vote Ratings, Davis was ranked the 220th most liberal and the 212th most conservative House member.
The ad begins today.
* Ad…
* Script…
I’m Rodney Davis.
As your Congressman, I’ve had the honor of being part of a team that’s working hard, and getting results.
I’m of course talking about the football team I coach when I’m home every weekend. Go Tornadoes!
As far as DC goes, the only thing they’re good at is creating problems.
I’m working to change that…
…to get things done for hardworking taxpayers…and the next generation.
22 Comments
|
Caption contest!
Thursday, Aug 28, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Illinois Review…
On August break, Illinois Congressman Aaron Schock and representatives of the Global Poverty Project in New York visited with USAID/India representatives, who led a tour of sanitation improvements in a Delhi slum settlement Tuesday. The location is one of 200 slum settlements throughout India being supported by Health of the Urban Poor activities that provide water and sanitation improvement and awareness at Chanakyapuri.
Schock also met with India’s new Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi…
I spoke to a group of contractors last week in Peoria. Schock spoke after me, so I stuck around. He gave some incredibly thoughtful answers to some difficult questions that went beyond the usual Beltway Speak crud.
Anyway, I thought you might wanna know that before you begin your humorous rants. Not that it will probably matter anyway, but, you know, just sayin…
45 Comments
|
Today’s number: 9 percent
Thursday, Aug 28, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* William Lazonick in the Harvard Business Review…
Five years after the official end of the Great Recession, corporate profits are high, and the stock market is booming. Yet most Americans are not sharing in the recovery. While the top 0.1% of income recipients—which include most of the highest-ranking corporate executives—reap almost all the income gains, good jobs keep disappearing, and new employment opportunities tend to be insecure and underpaid. Corporate profitability is not translating into widespread economic prosperity.
The allocation of corporate profits to stock buybacks deserves much of the blame. Consider the 449 companies in the S&P 500 index that were publicly listed from 2003 through 2012. During that period those companies used 54% of their earnings—a total of $2.4 trillion—to buy back their own stock, almost all through purchases on the open market. Dividends absorbed an additional 37% of their earnings. That left very little for investments in productive capabilities or higher incomes for employees.
“Very little” would be 9 percent.
44 Comments
|
* From a press release…
Just in time for Labor Day weekend, Quinn for Illinois released a new television ad highlighting Republican billionaire Bruce Rauner’s cruel proposal to cut the minimum wage, which would take $2,000 dollars a year out of the pockets of workers. The new ad hits airwaves this morning.
“What kind of man would do that?” the narrator asks.
The answer is Rauner, who during the Republican primary proposed a $1-per-hour cut to the state’s minimum wage, which he said would make Illinois “competitive.”
Using business practices that included massive layoffs, outsourcing jobs overseas and even outright fraud, Mr. Rauner has amassed incredible riches, including $53 million in 2012 alone.
* The ad…
Working on getting the script.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Rauner campaign response…
Pat Quinn released a new television advertisement today falsely claiming that Bruce Rauner wants to cut the minimum wage.
Fact Check:
Bruce Rauner’s Jobs and Growth Plan includes a component on how to raise the minimum wage:
“Rauner Reforms: To provide working families and teens relief from Pat Quinn’s economic policies, the state of Illinois should implement a phased-in minimum wage increase, coupled with workers’ compensation and lawsuit reforms to bring down employer costs.This strategy will ensure that businesses can succeed while at the same time providing more economic opportunity for thousands of Illinois residents.” (Bring Back Blueprint: Jobs and Growth Agenda, p17)
The Chicago Tribune published an op-ed written by Bruce Rauner on how to raise the minimum wage:
Raising the national minimum wage would raise the level in Illinois and in our neighboring states, eliminating our competitive disadvantage. I support that.
Without action from Washington, I would favor increasing Illinois’ minimum wage if we also adopt creative solutions to avoid further damage to our state’s already shattered business climate. That can be done by providing incentives to small businesses to help offset the added costs. It can be done through workers’ compensation reform, tort reform and elimination of other impediments to job growth. (Bruce Rauner, “How to Raise the Minimum Wage,” Chicago Tribune, 1/9/14)
*** UPDATE 2 *** Man, Rauner really has a lot of extra staff…
Looks like Quinn both “outsourced” his stock photos to other states and Canada and used people who don’t have minimum wage jobs (server room technician)
Woman at coffee shop: http://www.gettyimages.ca/detail/photo/coffee-shop-and-cafe-in-high-falls-called-the-last-royalty-free-image/164420051 NOTE: this photo is from a coffee shop in High Falls, NY
Man in front of computers: http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/proud-server-room-technician-high-res-stock-photography/488217717
Photographer is Seattle based http://www.jettaproductions.com/models
“We shoot on location in the Seattle/Tacoma/Kitsap Peninsula areas”
Cashier at hardware store: http://www.istockphoto.com/photo/cashier-at-hardware-store-15121609
Photographer is Canadian: http://www.istockphoto.com/profile/lsophoto
Woman behind reception desk: http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/portrait-of-woman-behind-reception-desk-high-res-stock-photography/140967517
Photographer is from NYC: http://www.allisonmichaelorenstein.com/#/profile
63 Comments
|
Now, that’s a lede
Thursday, Aug 28, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I don’t know Kim Geiger at the Tribune, but I sure like her style. Check out this lede…
State Sen. Jim Oberweis, who won the Republican primary for U.S. Senate this year without facing his opponent in a single televised debate, found himself on the other side of that issue Wednesday as Sen. Dick Durbin agreed to meet him in just one TV debate before the Nov. 4 election.
She put that relevant and admittedly zinging context right up top. Good stuff. More…
It was not long ago that Oberweis, himself fairly well-known in Republican political circles, rebuffed invitations to debate his primary opponent, first-time candidate Doug Truax. Oberweis and Truax met for only one debate, which was not broadcast beyond the retirement community where it took place.
Oof.
* But, Sen. Durbin really ought to agree to more than one televised debate. C’mon, dude, you’re a big boy. Start acting like it…
Oberweis, a Republican businessman from Sugar Grove, had proposed seven televised debates between himself and Durbin, a veteran lawmaker and the Senate’s second-ranking Democrat.
Durbin’s campaign countered by offering what it described as four joint appearances, including one TV debate, a radio debate, a meeting with the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board and a candidate forum with downstate farmers.
23 Comments
|
Comments Off
|
Comments Off
|
|
Support CapitolFax.com Visit our advertisers...
...............
...............
...............
...............
...............
...............
|
|
Hosted by MCS
SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax
Advertise Here
Mobile Version
Contact Rich Miller
|