Let’s see some evidence
Wednesday, Sep 23, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This is quite titillating, but I’d have some faith in it if Smith had given us at least one example of those “dirty details”…
Andre Smith, a former personal assistant to the Rev. Corey Brooks, is threatening to dish dirty details about the clergy’s efforts to help Gov. Bruce Rauner attract black voters.
“I sat in on 98 percent of Corey’s meetings with Rauner. Nobody knows what I know,” Smith told me Friday.
Apparently, it was a cozy partnership until Rauner pulled out an ax to tackle the state budget.
“I took a stand with Corey [during the campaign] that Rauner wasn’t going to do these things, so me and Corey fell out,” Smith said.
“I believe that I am part of this dreadful thing that is hurting our people,” Smith said. “I believe that I should take the lead in helping to fix it.”
Smith, 47, twice ran for alderman in the 20th ward. He now has his sights on challenging state Rep. Ken Dunkin (D-Chicago).
Dunkin has come under fire for skipping the critical override vote on a major union bill. He was the only Democratic no-show, and his absence helped Rauner gain ground in his ongoing tug-of-war with House Speaker Michael Madigan.
All Smith will say is “stay tuned.”
This is Illinois, so obviously we can’t rule out the possibility of dirty dealings, but I’d really like to see something concrete before jumping to any conclusions.
* And speaking of Pastor Brooks, he just endorsed the governor’s choice to replace retiring Rep. Ed Sullivan. Press release…
Pastor Corey B. Brooks, Sr., founder of New Beginnings Church of Chicago and a community leader, endorses Nick Sauer for State Representative in District 51.
Pastor Brooks said, “Our state has been moving in the wrong direction for some time. We need strong and bold leadership to take us into a brighter future. I believe Nick Sauer is the type of leader we must have in these days and times if we are to forge ahead and create a better Illinois.”
Gov. Rauner appointed both Brooks and Sauer to the tollway board.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 10:15 am:
Rich summarizes it well.
Unless Mr Smith has tapes or other evidence, this could be nothing more than a disgruntled employee’s word against that of Pastor Brooks and Governor Rauner.
- Wordslinger - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 10:26 am:
Little late to the party, Andre. If you had something, don’t you think revealing it before the election might have been a little more effective?
And if you have something, what are you waiting for? Don’t hide your light under a bushel. Otherwise, “stay tuned” comes off as a thinly veiled shakedown attempt.
- A guy - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 10:27 am:
Someone sees an opportunity here. Question is: Is he the only guy who sees it?
- LizPhairTax - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 10:35 am:
98% is a tricky number. 49/50 meetings? 12.25/12.5 meetings? Doesn’t add up. Certainly seems 98% credible otherwise.
- Norseman - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 10:35 am:
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that Brooks was promised something. Nor is that unusual in the political world. Unless Smith comes up with an illegal or super-embarrassing revelation, it’s no biggie.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 10:35 am:
Andre Smith,
Say it, or don’t. Spill the beans if there’s beabs to spill, or go away.
You’re not helping.
- Ben Franklin - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 10:41 am:
Even if he does not have tapes or evidence, that does not mean he is disgruntled or Lying.
- Arsenal - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 10:46 am:
==Even if he does not have tapes or evidence, that does not mean he is disgruntled or Lying.==
And even if he’s disgruntled, that doesn’t mean he’s lying, either.
That being said, I’m pretty dubious.
- horse w/ no name - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 10:52 am:
Isn’t doling out Tollway Board seats to supporters a pretty “Old Way” move for a “Shakin’ It Up” Governor?
Also, please let me know where I can contribute to Mr. Smith’s campaign.
- Anon - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 10:57 am:
OW,
===You’re not helping.===
He’s really not. Especially in a state where the public confidence in electioneering is so bad the statement “They won an election in Illinois” is probably enough to get a grand jury indictment.
- anon - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 10:59 am:
Yeah, cause if I was going to get dirty, I would let the personal assistant sit in the meetings.
Sheesh!
- The Captain - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 10:59 am:
Are there a lot of voters in Ed Sullivan’s district that were holding off on making a decision until Pastor Brooks weighed in?
- walker - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 11:01 am:
Wow. Rauner’s going to pull out the big guns to make sure this guy doesn’t replace Dunkin — whether by election or appointment.
- forwhatitsworth - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 11:06 am:
Was Dunkin bought off to be a no-show? Didn’t he sign in at first?
- Captain Illini - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 11:19 am:
“Gov. Rauner appointed both Brooks and Sauer to the tollway board.”
Quid Pro Quo’s are a relative thing…the more money you have to spend, the less you require as payment in kind. Maybe the good pastor’s statement supporting the Gov’s version of the Hokey-Pokey agenda was payment in kind. Maybe too, his appointment by Rauner to the Tollway Board was a subliminal message that it’s God’s and my way or the highway…but it still isn’t shaking up Springfield. Springfield has shaken several times, like in 2002 after 26 years of Republican Governors, and again after the unseating of our last near-do-well in chief, but in the end this is more of the same inside skid greasing with another megalomaniac from the other party at the helm. Ugh.
- Austin Blvd - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 11:20 am:
Why is it with Rauner, we always need more “proof?” It’s like we don’t want to believe we have a guy like him in our midst running the state.
Kind of like that time his private equity firm (GTCR) bought a biotech company and raised the price of a drug used for premature infants from $77 to $1,500. http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20141022/BLOGS02/141029923/what-one-rauner-business-deal-says-about-the-candidate
We just don’t want to believe our state is being run by a guy like that, do we?
- DuPage Don - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 11:22 am:
Rich, this post is beneath you. I am extremely surprised you would relieve yourself of common sense. This guy is going to challenge the state rep who was AWOL and single handedly caused the House veto override vote to fail. DOH! Nice to know even Rich Miller misfires occasionally…
- Juan MacLean - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 11:22 am:
Not to perpetuate a rumor - but at the time everyone said that Rauner had promised to get the private funding to build Brooks’ much-desired community center. Around $25m if I recall correctly. Brooks was frustrated he couldn’t get it from Quinn.
- sal-says - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 11:28 am:
== Gov. Rauner appointed both Brooks and Sauer to the tollway board. ==
Gee. Looks a lot like politics ad usual; no shakin’ things up here. But, It Is IL, so, no surprise.
- Piper Gwen - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 11:35 am:
Austin Blvd. Thanks for re-posting the Rauner drug price gouging story. HRC is making it a Presidential campaign issue.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/hillary-clinton-rolls-out-plan-to-rein-in-high-prescription-drug-costs/
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/turing-clinton-prescription-drugs-1.3238202
- A guy - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 11:56 am:
== Gov. Rauner appointed both Brooks and Sauer to the tollway board. ==
Aren’t these appointments traditionally geographical in nature?
- chiagr - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 12:01 pm:
Does anyone remember all the gift cards that were purchased and handed out by the Rauner campaign??? So where there is smoke…Seriously who would be surprised?? Not to mention the $1 million deposit for the Credit Union in the same area.
- DuPage Bard - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 12:04 pm:
It doesn’t really matter. Smith is planning on running against Dunkin, he’s trying to gin up a base of support from groups that got slighted by Dunkin.
Truth be told if Rauner told Brookes to reel in his guy from going after Dunkin because Dunkin was his guy, now that would be something. If it isn’t that good then it’s a waste.
- Wordslinger - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 12:10 pm:
Which tollway runs through Woodlawn?
- Suburban Dad - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 12:22 pm:
Agree with Rich that there needs to be way more evidence here. That said, if this had been said (without evidence) about Quinn, what makes me think that Team Rauner would have had a screaming press release and a Tribune editorial within the hour.
- Robert the Bruce - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 12:22 pm:
If the details are really dirty, and Smith was involved, then how does Smith avoid some of the dirt?
- tominchicago - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 12:31 pm:
Norseman: My guess is that Brooks was promised a spot in the Tollway board.
- Mouthy - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 12:35 pm:
Show us the money or clam up…
- Honeybear - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 12:46 pm:
This sounds like a shot across the bow.
Lord Admiral Rauner: (looking through the glass)
“My God Goldberg! Did you see the that? Smith just tried to hull Brooks with a 4 pounder. That impudent curr. Imbecile didn’t even range shot it. Splash was 3 cables short. What the devil is he trying to do, harrassing my privateer within sight of the flag?”
Lt. Goldberg “Maybe he was attempting to sweep his deck with grape?”
Lord Admiral Rauner “Poor Sod can’t even manage to load grape. Midshipman Kelly! Signal Brooks to Luff up and rake that whoreson. Once he strikes repair him aboard the flag. I wish to have sport with him before I dine.”
- pool boy - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 1:01 pm:
Really? Me first is why we are in this mess.
- A guy - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 1:14 pm:
=== Wordslinger - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 12:10 pm:
Which tollway runs through Woodlawn?===
Same one that runs through Oak Park. lol.
The whole state is somewhat served by the Tollway system. It seems there’s always an effort to have regional membership on the board, especially in the NE Illinois region.
- The Middle - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 1:20 pm:
DuPage Don said: “Rich, this post is beneath you.”
Maybe you’re new here, but one of the points of this blog is to post links to the news-of-the-day and allow readers to comment. When the widest read and maybe most influential African-American columnist in Chicago steps into the Springfield sandbox, it’s capfax blog-worthy. Especially with Rauner’s political operation (IllinoisGo) showing signs that they’re going to be involved in Chicago Dem primary races.
- Captain Illini - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 1:27 pm:
Well done Honeybear…sort of Pirate of Penzance does venture crack!
- Jimmy CrackCorn - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 2:04 pm:
===Same one that runs through Oak Park. lol.===
The Eisenhower is not a Tollway
- illinoised - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 2:51 pm:
Rev. Brooks’ appointment to the tollway board is all I need to know. That in itself does not pass my smell test.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 3:02 pm:
===That in itself does not pass my smell test. ===
lol
African-American leaders have legitimate complaints about the way their constituents have been frozen out of the trades. And Rauner has tapped into that anger. Winners get to appoint their supporters. No crime in that, especially when they’re in sync on a particular issue.
- A guy - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 3:03 pm:
== Jimmy CrackCorn ===
Thanks for the clarity. It was a joke son.
- crazybleedingheart - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 4:18 pm:
==- Austin Blvd - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 11:20 am:
Why is it with Rauner, we always need more “proof?” It’s like we don’t want to believe we have a guy like him in our midst running the state. ==
Yep.
I’ve wondered this a lot.
All I can come up with:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normalcy_bias
- smith - Wednesday, Sep 23, 15 @ 10:58 pm:
This is Andre Smith I have a lot in I am willing to take a lie detector test
- Anonymous - Thursday, Sep 24, 15 @ 7:44 am:
Put a go pro on all elected officials just like cops do so we can see what there up to
- Anonymous - Thursday, Sep 24, 15 @ 7:50 am:
===This is Andre Smith I have a lot in I am willing to take a lie detector test===
Ugh.
Either spill the beans or don’t. Making it about you isn’t helping.
- Anon -,
Great point on public confidence.
===Winners get to appoint their supporters. No crime in that, especially when they’re in sync on a particular issue.===
What Rich said!
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Sep 24, 15 @ 7:52 am:
===- Anonymous - Thursday, Sep 24, 15 @ 7:50 am===
My phone cycled out. That’s me. Happy Thursday.