Do you believe in magic?
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* If you believe this about the Sun-Times’ newest EXCLUSIVE POLL…
The survey also showed Quinn was hurting when it came to the women vote – with 38 percent of the women polled saying they’d vote for Quinn when compared to 55 percent of women backing Rauner.
And if you believe that Jim Oberweis is leading Dick Durbin among women 50-41…
And if you believe this…
The survey, conducted Wednesday in live telephone interviews by McKeon & Associates, shows Quinn and Rauner each with 45 percent of the Downstate vote – a segment of the state that’s traditionally loyal to Republicans.
[Actually, I think that’s supposed to be southern Illinois.]
And if you believe that Gov. Pat Quinn is leading among males 53-30…
And if you believe that Tom Cross is taking 27 percent of the African-American vote and is leading Mike Frerichs among Latinos 40-37…
Well, then it truly is silly season and I feel sorry for you.
* This is the same newspaper, you may recall, which published (on its front page, no less) the results of a 2006 poll showing Rod Blagojevich leading Judy Baar Topinka by 30 points, 56-26.
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* From Andy Stone at Facebook…
In the hotly contested Illinois governor’s race, both Governor Pat Quinn and challenger Bruce Rauner have agreed to hold Facebook Q&As and answer questions directly from the voters. Each Q&A will happen on WLS-TV/ABC7Chicago’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/abc7chicago.
Gov. Quinn will hold his Facebook Q&A on Wednesday, October 29, at 8 p.m. CT / 9 p.m. ET.
Bruce Rauner will hold his Facebook Q&A on Thursday, October 30 at 8 p.m. CT / 9 p.m. ET.
Using Facebook’s Q&A tool, people from across Illinois will have the opportunity to ask a question of Governor Pat Quinn and challenger Bruce Rauner and watch the conversation play out in real time.
More information below:
https://www.facebook.com/abc7chicago/photos/a.419473366161.196130.165583971161/10152861092066162/?type=1
* Meanwhile WTTW is planning to use social media to enhance its US Senate debate coverage tonight. From Jay Smith, Supervising Producer, Chicago Tonight…
Hi Rich,
I hope you are well. I wanted to let you know that our forum with Dick Durbin and Jim Oberweis will be live streamed on our web site [tonight.] It will also be aired on Public TV and Radio stations statewide, including:
TV: WQPT – Quad Cities, WSIU – Carbondale, WILL – Champaign/Urbana, WTVP – Peoria, WEIU- Charleston
Radio: WBEZ - Chicago, WVIK – Quad Cities, Tri States Public Radio – Macomb, WGLT- Normal, WSIU – Carbondale, WNIU – Dekalb/Rockford, WUIS – Springfield, WCBU – Peoria.
We also will have a twitter stream widget on our web site, pulling in selected live tweeted commentary. Let me know if you’re going to be live tweeting and we can pull you in to that tool. We are also experimenting with using some Twitter content during the program.
Take care,
Jay
WTTW.com. The debate begins at 7 o’clock.
* And, finally…
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Question of the day
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* A friend snapped this pic and sent it to me earlier today…
Apparently, it’s one of those “mixed marriages.”
For those of you who don’t know, freshman Rep. Marty Moylan (D-Des Plaines) is attempting to fend off hard-charging opponent Mel Thillens (R-Park Ridge) in the 55th House District.
* The Question: Caption?
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Circling back on guns, gay marriage
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* When I first posted this ad, it was still just a YouTube video, but some of you thought it was one of the better ads of the season. Well, the Gun Violence Prevention IE PAC (G-PAC) says it raised $200,000 to get the spot on the air in Chicago. That ain’t much, particularly since the airwaves are absolutely packed right now with campaign commercials. But it might be striking enough to stand out…
* Meanwhile, from Equality Illinois…
After the Illinois House failed to pass the marriage bill in May 2013, Equality Illinois announced its Fight Back for Marriage campaign, making the commitment to spend $500,000 by the November 2014 election in the face of threats from marriage opponents to defeat the bill and oust the legislators who supported it.
By the end of the 2014 election cycle, the organization will have spent over $610,000, including:
Over $150,000 in direct contributions to candidates by the Equality Illinois Political Action Committee, the political arm of Equality Illinois,
Nearly $100,000 in a sophisticated information campaign to educate the electorate, and
An unprecedented targeted get-out-the-vote effort, with more than 400 Equality Illinois PAC volunteers making more than 60,000 persuasion, identification, or turn-out phone calls in support of Gov. Pat Quinn and other LGBT-supportive candidates
Discuss.
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* Joe Cahill on Gov. Pat Quinn’s month-long goodies tour…
But lately Mr. Quinn has authorized some big-money discretionary grants to companies that agree to expand in Illinois. Like Amazon, many had strong business reasons to add staff here without state funding. This month alone, the governor gave a total of $22 million to four Illinois-based companies. We’re talking direct transfers of state money here, not loans or tax credits.
I know what you’re thinking, because I’m thinking the same thing: The governor is giving away our money to generate favorable headlines about new jobs in Illinois a month before voters decide whether or not to give him another term.
The commerce spokesman acknowledges a halo effect. “In most cases, I think the timing largely had to do with the companies and when they were able to go forward,” he says, but adds, “We have a good story to tell — and do I want to tell it before Nov. 4? Yes. Is that a crime?”
Joe doesn’t identify the spokesman and agrees with the spokesman that it’s not illegal.
I dunno about that. At minimum, an admission like this is bound to create an uproar over an inappropriate mixture of government and campaigning at DCEO.
And, really, what kind of a doofus admits to election day motivations for pushing state corporate subsidies out the door after the lousy year his governor has had with the 2010 NRI program? And less than a week before election day at that?
This ain’t good, campers.
*** UPDATE *** From the Rauner campaign…
“Pat Quinn is already under federal investigation for misusing millions in October of 2010, and now it looks like he’s pumped out half a billion dollars this month to boost his campaign once again. He’s throwing around taxpayer money in October in the hopes of raising your taxes in November. Throwing around more money in the last six days won’t change the harm Pat Quinn has caused Illinois over the last six years.” - Rauner spokesperson Mike Schrimpf
And adds…
As of today, Pat Quinn has doled out nearly $500 million in the last four weeks. In the last two days alone, he doled out $36 million.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Well, at least now we know who the doofus is. From an AP report posted yesterday…
While Amazon’s Misener said the timing of his company’s announcement was “a complete coincidence,” a spokesman for the state Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity said that agency had been in regular contact with Cronus Chemicals hoping the announcement would happen before the election.
“We have some good news here, and, yes, we wanted everybody to know about that before the election,” DCEO spokesman David Roeder said. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.”
How brazen can he get?
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Rate JBT’s TV ad
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This is her positive ad. She’s also running a “response ad,” but I don’t yet have that one. Anyway, here you go…
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Stupidly illegal
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This is just one more reason from the mountain of reasons why Gov. Pat Quinn should never have allowed Chicago aldermen to pick which groups would get anti-violence program money in 2010. Too many aldermen really are this goofy, or worse…
A Chicago alderman may be in hot water after she offered people the chance to win prizes if they vote.
Fifth Ward Alderman Leslie Hairston has since pulled the post off her Facebook page, but not after it caught the attention of the Cook County State’s Attorney. […]
The post on the alderman’s Facebook page went up Monday telling residents they could win raffle prizes if they go to the polls.
Hairston’s instructions: “Vote–you’re eligible no matter the candidate, then put their name and contact information on the back of their voter receipt…. And stop by the Fifth Ward office and drop it off.”
Among the raffle prizes were gift cards from area businesses, including Walgreens, Potbelly’s and Starbucks. Plus, $100 visa gift cards.
* From the state election code…
Sec. 29-1. Vote buying.
Any person who knowingly gives, lends or promises to give or lend any money or other valuable consideration to any other person to influence such other person to vote or to register to vote or to influence such other person to vote for or against any candidate or public question to be voted upon at any election shall be guilty of a Class 4 felony.
Pretty darned clear.
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Keep calm and comment on
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The morning videos have mostly worked as intended - giving most of us something to agree on before proceeding with the divisive events of the day.
Even so, things are starting to get a little tense in comments as election day draws ever nearer.
* I’ve enjoyed covering and watching this campaign season more than any in my lifetime. I wasn’t sure why until this morning, when I was hanging out with Oscar the Puppy. He’s kept me calm, he’s allowed me to laugh at the absurdities without getting overly worked up.
So, here’s a pic I took not long after I had that little revelation…
Feel any better?
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A big Wednesday oppo dump
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Uh-oh…
A campaign committee formed last week to support the Libertarian Party candidate for governor is headed by a convicted felon.
The Liberty for Illinois committee has sent out direct mail pieces in support of gubernatorial candidate Chad Grimm’s third party bid against Republican Bruce Rauner and Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn.
The committee, which has received all of its $200,000 in funding from the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150, is headed by Michael Bonivel, of Chicago, who spent at least two years in prison on two separate drug-related convictions.
Bonivel’s involvement in the race for governor is the latest twist in a push by the Operating Engineers to dilute support for Rauner among conservative voters. The Joliet-based labor organization already gave Grimm $30,000 to help tilt a hotly contested race in Quinn’s favor.
* Yikes…
Court documents reveal that Bruce Rauner personally authorized a transaction which appears to have involved the flushing away of state pension money as part of a plan designed to allow Rauner and his fellow GTCR principals to escape liability in nursing home lawsuits.
* Hmm…
I recently briefly examined GTCR’s SEC filings. Below are my observations about the industry generally and Rauner’s firm specifically. […]
The litany of permissible conflict of interest scenarios (many of which are commonplace throughout private equity) detailed in Bruce Rauner’s firm SEC filings, should be disturbing to any so-called sophisticated investor. Unfortunately, public pensions routinely consent to such potentially harmful conflicts either because they don’t read, don’t fully comprehend the oblique disclosures, or simply don’t care that politically-connected insiders may be profiting at the expense of stakeholders.
…Adding… One more…
But this story of how someone appeared to get a job with political pull and then ended up on the payroll of the state’s Executive Ethics Commission does have a certain only-in-Illinois quality to it.
The story involves a woman named Gretchen Tucka. She was referenced several times as “Employee 218″ in a report by Illinois Executive Inspector General Ricardo Meza that absolutely excoriated IDOT, charging that hundreds of people had been improperly hired by the department under Govs. Rod Blagojevich and Pat Quinn.
…Adding… I know I said “one more,” but here’s another one…
Before entrusting anti-crime program funds in North Lawndale, the Quinn administration acted on the advice of then-Ald. Sharon Denise Dixon (24th), picking the non-profit Better Boys Foundation as the “lead agency” for NRI in North Lawndale.
In February, the Illinois auditor general’s office reviewed about $388,000 that the Better Boys Foundation oversaw and concluded that 46 percent of the money went for what “appeared to be unallowable” expenses or there was no documentation to back up what was done with those dollars.
On Tuesday — more than eight months since the auditor general’s report was completed — a state spokeswoman said the foundation provided it with documentation and “we are in the process of reviewing it to determine if any funds will need to be recovered.”
In any case, two top foundation executives are no longer in their jobs. That’s because both former executive director John Holton and LaTonya Lumpkin — whose resume notes that she directed NRI in North Lawndale for the Better Boys Foundation — have landed jobs in Quinn’s administration. They were put in positions exempt from merit-hiring, anti-patronage rules, state records show.
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Will it help or will it backfire?
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The National Journal on Bruce Rauner’s persistent outreach to African-American voters…
Democrats are perplexed by Rauner’s strategy, assuming it’s as much a play to win over moderate suburban white voters as it is to actually win over black votes. Even one in-state Republican operative wondered why Rauner was spending valuable October campaign time in overwhelmingly Democratic precincts, given that he needs to win over undecided suburbanites in more politically-competitive territory.
“What Rauner is trying to do is taking a 90-10 electorate, and making it 88-12,” said a former adviser to Rahm Emanuel about the Republican’s focus on black voters. “That’s a waste of your time when there’s a 60-40 [suburban] electorate that you can make 50-50.” […]
Even Republicans working for Rauner privately acknowledged that despite their candidate’s optimism, they’re not going to reshape long-standing voting patterns that have consigned Republicans to a sliver of the black vote. His campaign has set a goal of winning 20 percent of the vote in Chicago, something that can be accomplished with only small inroads among minority voters. But they also hope that by highlighting Rauner’s minority outreach, he’ll improve his showing among softer Republican voters—like married women in the suburbs and moderates. The Chicago Tribune poll, which showed Rauner narrowly ahead, reported that his gains had “been driven primarily by white suburban women, a voting bloc considered socially moderate but fiscally conservative.”
Indeed, Rauner is part of a leading wave of candidates who are beginning to engage in minority outreach, even if it doesn’t render immediate political dividends. Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus has prioritized minority outreach in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election, and has opened field offices meant to reach African-American voters in Ohio, North Carolina, Michigan, and Florida.
* If it was all just a made-for-TV show to convince suburban women that he’s an open-minded moderate, then I might agree. But Rauner’s campaign and the IL GOP are also doing quite a bit of other outreach that suburban women won’t ever hear about, including significant amounts of direct mail, black and Latino radio/TV ads, etc.
He is, in other words, forcefully and repeatedly reminding the Democratic Party’s base that there’s an election going on. It would be akin to Democrats blanketing Wheaton with a high-dollar, shotgun-style GOTV program.
Not to mention that African-American preachers - as a class - aren’t exactly beloved by the hardcore Republican “base.” There’s some downside for Rauner here.
But, hey, maybe it’ll work. I give him credit for the outreach, at least. He has, without a doubt, forcefully expressed more high-profile concerns about the economic and social justice plights of minorities than most any other Republican we’ve seen in this state. Props for that.
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* From the Weekly Standard…
Two Illinois voters say their attempts to vote early for Republicans on an electronic voting machine were registered as votes for Democrats—and they say have the video evidence to prove it.
* The video is starting to go viral…
But scroll down through the hype and you get to this…
Eventually, both voters were able to vote for the Republican candidates, as they say they preferred. They said the screen appeared to be poorly calibrated, so that while pressing anywhere in the box for a Democrat registered a vote for the Democrat, only pressing the bottom half of the Republican box did so for the Republican. The only way to make the correct vote, they said, was to press the incorrectly checked box to “uncheck” it, then press low in the Republican’s box. The voters say they were able to figure this out without calling over an election judge for help.
If you watch the video again, you can see that the person pressed right on the line dividing the two candidates. And they figured it out without assistance.
* More…
Jon Schweppe, a spokesman for the Schilling campaign, says he called an official on the Illinois state board of elections on Friday afternoon about the voters’ complaints.
“I spoke with Bruce Brown at the Illinois State Board of Elections,” Schweppe says. “He called me back about an hour later after speaking with the Rock Island County Clerk’s office. He told me he suggested a full recalibration to fix the problem. He said it was a common problem and easy to fix.”
This really needs to be addressed by the State Board of Elections. Calibrations errors are easily overcome, but why are the machines going out of calibration in the first place? Shouldn’t there be regular testing throughout each day of voting if this is a problem?
* Also, a judge ruled against the GOP about another issue in the county…
Rock Island County Clerk Karen Kinney addressed concerns about her handling of absentee ballots after a judge ruled in her favor Monday.
Kinney’s office has been the target of a Republican Party attack that not only is she opening ballots early and counting them but that her voting machines are calibrated in such a way that switches votes from Republican to Democrat.
Rock Island County Circuit Judge Lori Lefstein denied the GOP’s emergency injunction on the counting of absentee ballots.
“There is nothing wrong in this office,” Kinney, a Democrat, said afterward.
Keep in mind that the county clerk is facing reelection, and the unions have been pushing early voting very hard in RICO, so a bit of misdirection and over-playing of relatively minor problems is to be expected, like this press release from the IL GOP…
ILGOP Demands Action After Vote-Switching Video Surfaces
In wake of shocking vote-switching video in Rock Island County, ILGOP demands clerk stop pretending voting machines are calibrated correctly
Schneider: “The Illinois Republican Party will take any and all necessary legal action to ensure that every single voter’s voice is heard.”
Rock Island, IL – The Illinois Republican Party expressed shock and outrage over a video that surfaced today showing voting machines in Rock Island County calibrated to switch votes from Republican to Democrat.
The Rock Island County Clerk had previously dismissed multiple complaints of vote-switching as false and has yet to address a plan to fix her voting machines following the incident captured in the video.
“Earlier this week, we expressed deep concerns over reports of early voting machines in Rock Island County calibrated in a way that switches people’s votes from Republican to Democrat – similar to recent reports out of Cook County,” ILGOP Chairman Tim Schneider said. “The Rock Island Clerk ignored our concerns and claimed no problem existed. Following today’s shocking video, we renew our call on the Rock Island Clerk to immediately investigate the calibration of voting machines in the county. The Illinois Republican Party will take any and all necessary legal action to ensure that every single voter’s voice is heard.”
Despite the over-heated rhetoric, it can’t be said enough that if these machines have screen calibration problems then local officials need to make sure they’re tested throughout the day.
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* Bruce Rauner was asked yesterday what risk Illinois was placed in by Gov. Pat Quinn’s refusal to support an Ebola-related travel ban. His response…
“I think its’ a very significant risk. Why should we allow foreigners coming from the three countries where the Ebola virus is widespread? It’s a massive problem. Why should we allow them to get visas and come to the United States? We should do everything we can to protect American citizens, Illinois citizens from this virus.”
* Kinda harsh language, which I then used in a question posed to Rauner’s press secretary…
Since Quinn can’t legally stop foreigners from coming to Illinois, how is his non-support of a travel ban imperiling Illinoisans?
* His response…
The citizens of Illinois expect their governor to advocate on their behalf with the federal government to improve quality of life and defend their safety. Just as he advocates for an Ebola travel ban, Bruce will advocate for many federal actions that benefit Illinois, including comprehensive immigration reform, federal disaster assistance and funding for the Army Corps of Engineers. Governor Quinn should reconsider his opposition to an Ebola travel ban.
Your thoughts on this? Would it make much difference if Quinn broke with the administration and called for a travel ban?
* Meanwhile, the Tribune editorialized for a travel ban…
But if we’re going to err, let’s err on the side of caution. Given the lethality of Ebola and the virus’ 21-day incubation period, a quarantine rule for medical professionals and others who have had contact with the disease in those high-risk countries seems reasonable.
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Good morning!
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I hope you’re ready for a rock ‘n soul morning jolt here, kids, because you just gotta crank it higher…
Feeling that should make you move
Sounds that should help you groove
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A really dumb way to run a railroad
Tuesday, Oct 28, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This is what happens when you don’t adequately train your petition circulators or you hire stupid people. Illinois Review…
Last Saturday, Liberty News’ Eric Odom encountered an individual collecting signatures for Democrat Alderman Bob Fioretti, who is running for Mayor of Chicago against Rahm Emanuel.
While Odom made it clear to the Fioretti backer that his residence is Virginia and not Chicago, the man was determined to get Odom’s signature — even though it would be illegal.
* If you watch the video, the circulator is just clueless. The guy says he’s not registered to vote in the city. That means he can’t sign the petition. The signature would be tossed out by an opposing campaign. But the doofus circulator persists anyway…
Oy.
By the way, Michael Kolenc, formerly of the failed petition drive to get the remap reform amendment on the ballot, e-mailed me to say he’s not managing Fioretti’s campaign. That’s true. He’s a Fioretti political adviser.
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* There should be legal penalties for this…
/snark
*** UPDATE 1 *** The staffer takes the fall…
*** UPDATE 2 *** I think the Rauner folks may be a bit on edge about this. They sent over a link to this video from July which shows the candidate ordering a hot dog at Portillo’s with “everything.” It’s about 30 seconds in…
* From Portillo’s menu…
With everything includes: mustard, relish, freshly chopped onions, sliced red ripe tomatoes, kosher pickle and sport peppers piled onto a perfectly steamed poppy seed bun.
So, he appears to be clean.
But, still, somebody wants ketchup on a hot dog, make them order their own darned hot dog.
Also, check out the results for a Twitter search of Rauner and Ketchup. This thing went viral in a hurry. No wonder they had the rapid condiment response team cranked up to full pour.
What a world.
*** UPDATE 3 *** As you can see by clicking the YouTube link above, the video “has been removed.” But you can still watch it at the Daily Herald’s site by clicking here.
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Kinda overblown
Tuesday, Oct 28, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* ZOMG…
* The perpetually hyper master of the Internet hyperlinks to a YouTube video as proof…
* OK, one of the main participants in that video is Paul McKinley, who got 4 percent of the vote in Chicago running as a Republican against Robin Kelley during the 2013 special election.
Another is Harold “Noonie” Ward, who ran unsuccessfully for MWRD in 2012 and once claimed that the city and state governments “allow” Mexican drug cartels to distribute drugs in Chicago.
Another is Mark Carter, who appeared in yet another of these “Rebel Pundit” videos last January saying the president should resign.
In other words, this isn’t new. Many of the same folks did mainly the same video back in January. Why this is all of a sudden “news” is known only to the meltdown king and, perhaps, CBS 2…
Long considered stalwarts for Democratic candidates in Illinois, are African Americans now turning on the party?
GOP Governor candidate Bruce Rauner is touting his support among influential black pastors in Chicago–including Corey Brooks and James Meeks–against Democrat Pat Quinn.
Now a video on You Tube appears to illustrate growing anger with Democrats at the state, local and national levels.
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Ve haf vays of making you vote
Tuesday, Oct 28, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Democratic Party of Illinois has a really creepy early voting mailer…
If you can’t read that second page, the party gives fair warning…
We will be reviewing our records after the election to see who turned in their ballot and may contact you to ask about your voting experience. Please do not disappoint us.
Um, wow.
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*** UPDATED x1 *** Afternoon video/ad dump
Tuesday, Oct 28, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Let’s start with something I don’t normally do - post legislative ads in the public section. But Steve Reick, who’s running against Rep. Jack Franks (D-Woodstock), asked if I had seen his cable TV buy. I hadn’t, but I checked and found a $1961 buy on the lists I post every day for subscribers.
He has two ads, but here’s one of them, which features the Democrat that all Republicans love to hate…
His other ad is here.
* Meanwhile, Gov. Pat Quinn’s brother narrates a video about his family. It’s called “Notepad”…
* Here’s one called “‘Former Acting President’ for Gov. Pat Quinn”…
* Moving over to Congress, the NRCC’s new TV ad paints Brad Schneider as a partisan and part of the problem…
* American Unity PAC joins in and pairs Bob Dold with Mark Kirk…
* House Majority PAC says Bob Dold is too far right…
* The NRCC also has two new ads attacking Bill Enyart. Both tie him to President Obama. “Calls”…
“Plain”…
* Congressman Enyart also has a couple of new ads. “Choice”…
“Post”…
That ought to keep you occupied for a while.
*** UPDATE *** The Congressional Leadership Fund says they’ve bought $500K on St. Louis broadcast TV to air this ad attacking Enyart. Word’s been going around that the race is tightening up, by the way. Watch it…
* More videos…
* 1864 stumping
* Governor Quinn, Senator Durbin and Amazon Announce 1,000 Full-Time Jobs in Illinois
* Governor Quinn Announces Coyote Logistics to Expand in Illinois, Create 500 New Jobs
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Yet another caption contest!
Tuesday, Oct 28, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* A buddy took this photo of myself and Sen. Dick Durbin at the Illinois State Fair and finally sent it to me this week.
Yes, I know we already have one caption contest going, but who can resist this?…
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* The patented Pat Quinn close kicks into a higher gear. ABC 7…
Amazon plans to bring 1,000 full-time jobs to Illinois.
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin called the plan a $75 million investment in the state. Amazon officials have not decided on a location but will begin site visits. The online seller plans to open its first facility in the state next year.
Top draws to the state include the area’s transportation network and skilled workforce, according to a release from Quinn and Durbin. They say Amazon will have the chance to expand.
The hiring starts next year in Illinois, according to Amazon, and the company plans on having 1,000 employees in the facility by 2017.
* AP…
A chemical company has chosen a site in eastern Illinois over one in Iowa for a $1.4 billion fertilizer plant, and plans to establish its U.S. headquarters in Chicago, two officials familiar with the decision said Monday.
Cronus Chemicals LLC will build the plant near Tuscola, about 20 miles south of Champaign, Illinois, the officials confirmed separately. They spoke on condition of anonymity because neither was authorized to discuss the decision ahead of an official announcement by state, local and company officials expected Wednesday in Tuscola.
The plant will produce the nitrogen-based fertilizers, urea and ammonia, and will employ about 175 people, the officials said. Construction is expected to begin in the spring and will take about three years, creating about 2,000 temporary jobs. The Chicago headquarters will employ about 25 more, the officials said.
So, we beat Iowa, eh? I hope we didn’t pay too much to beat them because they way outbid us last time.
Still, this reminds me of something.
What was it?
* Oh, right, it was a Tribune editorial entitled “Bye-bye, jobs” from 2012, when Iowa won a bidding war over a different fertilizer plant because, apparently, Illinois sucks…
If anyone in Chicago or Springfield still denies that this state’s sorry record of corruption and taxpayer debt is costing Illinois excellent jobs, take it from billionaire Nassef Sawiris.
The University of Chicago grad heads a global firm, Orascom Construction Industries, the biggest company in Egypt. He has set out to build a giant new plant to make fertilizer from natural gas in America’s agricultural heartland.
Illinois and Iowa competed aggressively for the $1.4 billion project, which will create hundreds of precious, stable, good-paying jobs. Both states offered lavish incentives. […]
Nevertheless, he chose Iowa for his investment, at a site just four miles from the Illinois border. […]
This is a terrible loss for Illinois. Once it’s built — the biggest capital investment ever in Iowa — this massive fertilizer plant can’t move. It is a long-term bet for Orascom, and a long-term source of jobs, related commerce and tax revenues for the Hawkeye State.
One can’t help but wonder if the Trib will now editorialize about this win over Iowa.
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Keeping things in perspective
Tuesday, Oct 28, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Zorn highlighted this tweet…
“More Americans have been married to Kim Kardashian than have died from Ebola.”
Can you think of any other such comparisons?
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Local 150’s mail starts hitting for Grimm
Tuesday, Oct 28, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Tribune profiles Chad Grimm…
In a close governor’s race where every vote is coveted, Libertarian candidate Chad Grimm is positioned to be a spoiler, but it’s a label he rejects.
“It’s just not true,” Grimm said. “We’ve pulled from Democrats, we’ve pulled from Republicans, we’ve pulled from independents, we’ve kind of pulled from anybody. And if one person’s a spoiler, then why isn’t somebody else a spoiler to me?”
Republicans tried to knock Grimm off the Nov. 4 ballot because they feared he could attract votes that otherwise would have gone to Rauner. But that effort failed, and now voters who don’t like Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn will have two choices. In addition, Grimm could give voters a place to lodge a general protest vote — a sort of pox on either party — after months of TV attack ads by Quinn and Rauner.
Grimm is getting some late help from International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150. State election board records show Grimm reported that the union gave his campaign $30,000 Oct. 8.
* That’s not all they’re doing, as we’ve discussed before. Local 150 just put $200K into the Liberty for Illinois PAC and this piece recently hit the boxes. The color doesn’t display very well on these images, but it’s enough to give you an idea…
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Caption contest!
Tuesday, Oct 28, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* A reader took this photo of a piece of mail sticking up out of a mailbox while he was knocking on doors for Rep. Mike Smiddy…
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Rate Rauner’s closer
Tuesday, Oct 28, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Bruce and Diana Rauner appear together in a new, positive TV ad…
* Script…
Diana: We knew the false attacks would get ugly.
Bruce: But Illinois is worth it.
Diana: Bruce isn’t a typical politician.
Bruce: I just want to save our state.
Diana: Bruce doesn’t owe anybody anything and that scares people in power.
Bruce: I’m not running because I want a political career.
Diana: Bruce will make the tough decisions to create jobs and bring back Illinois.
Bruce: Democrat or Republican, I’ll work with everyone to turn our state around.
Diana: And that’s what this election is all about.
Voiceover: Bruce Rauner. Shake up Springfield. Bring back Illinois.
As a Raunerite said to me earlier today, “Compare our ads to his, who do you think is winning?”
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Rate the new Illinois Freedom PAC TV ad
Tuesday, Oct 28, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* As I told subscribers today, the union-backed Illinois Freedom PAC has a new TV ad. Here it is…
* Script…
Male Narrator: “She will never get another job anywhere, ever. I will bankrupt her. I will bury her. We’ll hurt you and your family.”
Female Narrator: According to court documents, these are the words spoken by Bruce Rauner about a female CEO he personally hired.
Threats to her family. Threats to destroy her security. Threats to ruin her life.
Bruce Rauner: Not fit to be Governor.
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* From a media advisory…
Gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner will discuss Gov. Quinn’s failure to protect Illinois citizens by not supporting a travel ban at the Dunton House today, Tuesday, October 28.
* The twitters were not amused…
* Tribune…
“I was dismayed, very shocked and concerned to learn late last night that Pat Quinn opposes a travel ban coming from those three countries. I would call on Pat Quinn to please change his mind and reconsider,” Rauner told reporters, calling the travel ban a “common sense initiative.”
Asked about which experts he’s listening to in calling for the travel ban, Rauner cited “(U.S.) Sen. (Mark) Kirk’s staff and other folks here in Illinois and around the state.”
He got his message out, though, and the travel ban polls completely off the charts.
* But as far as his message goes, a state governor has zero power to enforce a travel ban on foreigners. That’s a federal issue.
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Rate Quinn’s new TV ad
Tuesday, Oct 28, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the campaign’s YouTube page…
Bruce Rauner’s firm bought a drug company that produces life-saving medication for premature babies with a heart defect. Then they jacked the price up from $78 to $1,500.
When a baby is born with a heart defect, parents will do anything to save their child’s life. Bruce Rauner made millions — but at what cost?
* “Anything”…
And yes, this is a network TV ad. The press release wasn’t out yet, so I used what they posted on YouTube.
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Good morning!
Tuesday, Oct 28, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* A commenter gently complained yesterday that there wasn’t enough soul music in our morning posts. Upon reflection, I realized that it has, indeed, become a bit too “white” around here lately. So, this song isn’t soul (we’ll get to that genre soon), but it sure ain’t white. Here’s Chicago’s very own Chance the Rapper doing “14,400 Minutes.” Just trust me on this one. You really gotta listen…
So at the school they arrested him
Back seat, squad car, nestled in
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[Bumped up for visibility.]
* From the Chicago Tribune’s endorsement of Republican Jim Edgar over Democrat Neil Hartigan in 1990 and Edgar’s support for making the “temporary” income tax hike permanent and Hartigan’s opposition…
It`s too bad that the public debate in this race has focused almost exclusively on taxes, and that Hartigan has played to anti-tax forces that believe they can elect Walt Disney and spend four years in Fantasia.
When Hartigan announced his proposals to find $573 million next year by slashing budgets, levying a new business tax and collecting heretofore lost revenues, they fell in the realm of safe, unrealistic, pre-election rhetoric. If he wanted to try to cut the budget, more power to him. When he came up short of expectations, the only damage would be to the psyche of Illinois voters who would have been fooled about the state`s fiscal condition in three consecutive campaigns.
But Hartigan saw that the anti-tax message moved polls in his direction. He decided to embrace the anti-tax fever even if it meant boxing himself in as governor. He announced that he would veto any attempt to continue the current 20 percent surcharge on state income taxes, even the portion that gives $370 million to the state`s struggling schools and universities. He would find the money for education in dramatic budget cuts and revenue increases that, so far, are nothing more than dreams on paper.
That was unrealistic and irresponsible. He is counting on a natural growth in existing taxes that, in view of current economic conditions, is too optimistic by at least $100 million. His proposal to slap a new sales tax on industries that expand, modernize or relocate in Illinois would be risky in good economic times; today, it`s outlandish.
And by taking so much state money away from local taxing bodies, he`s inviting increases in property taxes-a far more unpopular, inequitable way to raise money than the income tax he wants to cut.
If he fails, if his plans fall far short of his promises, either the schools won`t get the money or the state will go into debt. Or Hartigan will have to ask for higher taxes. Voters will scream and lawmakers who remember his campaign will just say no.
Those were the days, eh?
Substitute “Rauner” for “Hartigan” and they could’ve written the exact same editorial today… If they were still unwilling to live in a fiscal and economic “Fantasia,” that is.
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