Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » 2014

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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*** UPDATED x3 - Removed from YouTube *** Ketchup? Really, Bruce?

Tuesday, Oct 28, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

* There should be legal penalties for this…

We got it on video folks… Bruce Rauner ordered a hot dog with ketchup at Portillos today via @dailyherald http://t.co/bXPT7lA8L0

— Melissa Silverberg (@m_silverberg) October 28, 2014

/snark

*** UPDATE 1 *** The staffer takes the fall…

Hey, that hot dog with ketchup was for me. What happened to a woman's right to choose?

— Lyndsey Walters (@lyndseywalters) October 28, 2014

*** 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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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Candidate releases polling memo

Tuesday, Oct 28, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

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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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Question of the day

Tuesday, Oct 28, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

* What’s going on politically in your own personal neck of the woods?

61 Comments

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.

77 Comments

*** 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

26 Comments

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?…

100 Comments

Two big jobs announcements ahead of election day

Tuesday, Oct 28, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

* 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.

39 Comments

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?

79 Comments

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…

43 Comments

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…

80 Comments

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?”

98 Comments

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.

25 Comments

Rauner slams Quinn for not supporting travel ban that Quinn can’t enforce

Tuesday, Oct 28, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

* 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…

Rauner calls on Quinn to change his mind on travel bans from key Ebola countries.

— natasha korecki (@natashakorecki) October 28, 2014

Rauner calls for travel ban for those visiting Ebola-plagued countries. Based on which experts? Mark Kirk's office. pic.twitter.com/SQvacYVTT4

— natasha korecki (@natashakorecki) October 28, 2014

In #ILGov14 GOP cand Rauner says Ebola travel ban to West Africa needed to "protect the health of Illinois voters." Cites no med experts.

— Rick Pearson (@rap30) October 28, 2014

Rauner cuts presser off, answering just 3 questions, plus one follow up. Only media avail of the day. Rauner only took 3 questions yesterday

— natasha korecki (@natashakorecki) October 28, 2014

* 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.

80 Comments

Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition: TV ads, mail, cable TV buys, targeted campaign finance reports, troop movements, news roundup

Tuesday, Oct 28, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)

Tuesday, Oct 28, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

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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.

122 Comments

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

21 Comments

When the Tribune was for honest budgeting and extending a tax hike

Tuesday, Oct 28, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

[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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