The race to the bottom accelerates
Wednesday, Sep 10, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Oh, for goodness sake…
Pay to Play Insiders Reward One of Their Own: Rauner
Rauner receives campaign cash at fundraiser hosted by man who voted with convicted fixer Stu Levine to give Rauner’s firm $50 million in state pension business
This morning, billionaire gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner was the beneficiary of a campaign fundraiser hosted by Jim Bruner, who along with convicted political fixer Stu Levine voted to give Rauner’s GTCR $50 million in state pension business in 2003. The fundraiser was held at the Sangamon County Republican Headquarters, the location where convicted felon William Cellini endorsed Rauner in April.
Um, wait. Is the Illinois Freedom PAC actually claiming that Jim Bruner was in on the alleged scam?
* We continue…
Rauner was joined at the fundraiser by scandal plagued New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who is under fire for allegedly mixing public pension business with political fundraising.
“Bruce Rauner is the clear choice of pay-to-play insiders because he’s one of them,” said Neal Waltmire. “Rauner won’t shake up Springfield, he’ll shake down taxpayers.”
So, again, are they saying that Bruner was in on the scam? Let’s continue to find out…
According to federal prosecutors, there was an “illegal deal” involving Stu Levine, William Cellini, and then-Governor George Ryan to re-appoint Bruner to the Teachers Retirement System (TRS).
Actually, according to the US Attorney’s office: “The government notes that it does not have evidence that Bruner was aware of the deal that Cellini struck with Governor Ryan on Bruner’s behalf.” And Bruner forcefully denied any such knowledge.
* Back to the press release…
Bruner became chair of the TRS board and helped approved the deal for Rauner’s firm. Bruner also later donated $10,000 to Ryan’s legal defense fund. Ryan, Levine, and Cellini were eventually convicted on corruption charges.
Man, is that ever a stretch.
* This is truly getting ridiculous. First we have Rauner demanding that the governor sever all ties to somebody whose e-mails were subpoenaed (and who made it through the entire Blagojevich administration without suffering so much as a single, solitary scratch), and now this.
Do you know who else hosted that fundraiser? Jim Edgar. Yeah, man, that was a really corrupt little crowd.
…Adding… From commenter Arthur Andersen…
The President of the IEA made the motion to approve the TRS money for GTCR in 2003 and voted for the motion.
Quinnsters, is she corrupt, too? #SitUpStraight
- Levois - Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 2:29 pm:
So the campaign hasn’t gotten ugly yet?
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 2:34 pm:
Wait, are you saying Jim Edgar is in on it too? Wow.
We’re still drfting slowly downward, with no bottom in sight.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 2:38 pm:
With Lavin and now this, both campaigns are putting a lot of effort into distracting, confusing and low-return “issues.”
I doubt if any other media pick up either story.
Both campaigns are becoming unglued. If you get all breathless and scandalized over nothing, you lose credibility and dull the edge of your A-material.
Time to regroup and focus.
- 4 percent - Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 2:38 pm:
Given that Pat Quinn likes to quote the bible for his pet programs, I’d remind him that Jesus told the people that wanted to stone the woman who was caught in adultery that who was without sin could cast the first stone.
- walker - Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 2:41 pm:
Ludicrous.
Was the caterer in on it too?
Does anyone believe this crap will have any impact on anyone?
- Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 2:46 pm:
Normally the first one to hit the bottom goes “splat”.
In this case, they seem to think the first one to the bottom “wins”.
- anon - Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 2:47 pm:
Bruner and Cellini go way back to their Illinois College days..lots of smoke..not sure about fire
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 3:03 pm:
Fellow bloggers please take note!
We are witnessing the first “Seven Degrees of Bruce Rauner” and “Seven Degrees of Pat Quinn” political campaigns games!
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 3:06 pm:
Therefore since Quinn and Rauner have a number of 0, Levin has a number of 1.
If any candidate can trace a criminal to 0, (Rauner or Quinn), from a 1 - they LOSE.
OK - HMMM…
Does Quinn know any criminals?
Didn’t he run twice on a campaign ticket with some guy with hair who ended up in prison?
Blago!
That’s it!
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 3:14 pm:
It is only a matter of time before someone issues a press attacking themselves.
- sangamon gop - Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 3:17 pm:
Uhhh…the event was at the Sangamo Club, not the GOP headquarters. Has Quinn and his staff been checked out of Springfield for so long they can’t even find their way around? PS…Saputo’s is actually the party headquarters (both parties) in Springfield! PPS…the governor’s mansion is the big house downtown with a pool in the basement.
- John A Logan - Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 3:25 pm:
Rauner has not denied being on the grassy knoll! Film at 11.
- Anonymoiis - Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 3:27 pm:
==PPS…the governor’s mansion is the big house downtown with a pool in the basement.==
And occasionally the top floor
- Peoria guy - Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 3:27 pm:
Surely it cannot get any worse the next 7 weeks. And don’t call me Shirley!
- Anon. - Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 3:32 pm:
“Given that Pat Quinn likes to quote the bible for his pet programs, I’d remind him that Jesus told the people that wanted to stone the woman who was caught in adultery that who was without sin could cast the first stone.”
PQ: Rauner threw the first stone!
Rauner: Did not!
PQ: Did too!
and so on until . . . well, I hope it ends come November.
- MrJM (@MisterJayEm) - Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 3:39 pm:
Speaking as someone who cannot imagine a set of circumstances under which I would ever vote for Bruce Rauner, this line of attack is offensively idiotic.
– MrJM
- Wally - Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 3:48 pm:
I would like to see where Cellini endorsed Rauner. Proof???
- DuPage Bard - Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 3:49 pm:
We are still over 50 days out, both sides are only going to get worse. This is actually pretty sad that the race for Governor of the 5th largest State is coming to a whole bunch of name calling and finger pointing. What is this the US Congress?
- LincolnLounger - Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 3:52 pm:
Wally: See SJ-R.com.
- Tim Snopes - Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 3:53 pm:
What’s wrong with pointing out the playas? These are playas.
- Try-4-Truth - Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 3:57 pm:
I met Paul Begala once. He was giving a “talk” in Chicago. After his speech he opened it up for questions. One person asked him about negative campaigning. He said that he loved negative campaigns. He made the analogy that if you could only have one choice for 4 years, Coke or Pepsi, you better believe that those two companies would be “negative as hell” against each other.
Politics is zero sum. It’s all or nothing. 1 or 0. I wish Judy Bar Topinka would have fought this hard against Blago.
I’m a big believer in the concept that elected officials are a crude model of the people that they represent. If this negative stuff didn’t work, no one would do it. In short, you get what you vote for.
I’m not bothered by negativity. But, the lies that go unchecked in today’s media world, I have a big problem with. I guess that’s why I come to Capitol Fax.
- Rhino Slider - Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 4:10 pm:
Come on people, make this interesting. How is Tony Rezko involved????
- Wally - Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 4:23 pm:
LincolnLounger—–IIRC, Rauner was upset that Cellini was in the room when he gave a talk and BR wasn’t aware he was present. Cellini didn’t say much and didn’t get negative when told Rauner was upset.
Am I fairly accurate?
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 4:56 pm:
Got caught up in other stuff this afternoon…
These Campaign Crews need to regroup.
I am almost at the point where I roll my eyes at the links and connect the dots tin foil hat wearing that passes off as campaign “education”
Dopes!
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 5:17 pm:
It is going to get much, much worse the closer we get
to the election and the tighter the numbers get.
If you would like to feel a little better about all of this check out some archival info from 19th and early 20th century elections and political op ed work. It is in many ways even uglier.
- Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 5:21 pm:
The President of the IEA made the motion to approve the TRS money for GTCR in 2003 and voted for the motion.
Quinnsters, is she corrupt, too? #SitUpStraight
- Been There - Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 6:21 pm:
I have met Pat Quinn
I have met Bruce Rauner
I have met Rod Blagojevich
So we are all guilty.
Except for the hair.
- Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 10:34 pm:
Oh, and expert anon 2:47, Bruner and Cellini “do go way back to their Illinois College days.”
Except that Bruner was in sixth grade when Cellini graduated from IC.
Another Quinnster Fail. The only smoke there is coming out your caboose.
- Truthteller - Thursday, Sep 11, 14 @ 6:05 am:
Bruner was reappointed to a non-paying position on the TRS Board at the behest of Bill Cellini because he was raising money for George Ryan’s defense fund.
This raises three questions:1) Why was Bruner raising money? 2) Why did Cellini want Bruner on the TRS Board of Trustees? 3)Is Bruner giving money to Rauner because he thinks Rauner is going to shake things up or because he thinks the shakedown from the Ryan days will be resumed?
- Backwards - Thursday, Sep 11, 14 @ 9:24 am:
‘Come on people, make this interesting. How is Tony Rezko involved????’
Lavin was CFO for Tony Rezko, who was convicted of various money laundering crimes. Let’s see, the CFO of a convicted money-laundere, what could possibly be the connection?
- used2beGOP - Thursday, Sep 11, 14 @ 3:29 pm:
“William Cellini endorsed Rauner in April.” I think that is a lie.