* Some in the media have made a big deal out of the unknown location of Gov. Rauner during the holiday. From the AP on December 24th…
Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner left the country for the holidays, but his staff won’t say where he went or even why they don’t want to disclose his whereabouts. […]
David Melton, executive director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, called it “a little odd” for a chief executive who’s away for an extended period.
“I don’t think he’s reconciled himself to the fact he’s a public figure at this point, with all the downsides that may come with that,” Melton said.
There may be valid reasons for not releasing information, whether it’s security concerns or family members’ privacy, Melton said.
It’s also possible Rauner and his staff are concerned about the optics of the governor — who owns multiple homes, though all are in the U.S. — vacationing in a foreign country when Illinois is in the midst of a budget crisis that has hit the state’s poorest residents particularly hard.
Nothing like a little subjective editorializing from the AP. They even used the “optics” word like pros and everything.
* But we now have some more info about why his office was so tight-lipped. First, his general location…
(T)he governor was in fact in Europe with his family on vacation over winter break. He paid for the trip himself and flew commercially… [and] returned early from a planned two-week vacation to respond to deadly flooding in southern Illinois.
* And…
The governor says the reason for the secrecy is that two of his kids are currently living overseas.
“And we wanted to spend some of the Christmas holiday time with them. When they return, and they’ll be back soon, we’ll discuss where they are,” Rauner said. “Our children are private — they are not public officials — and their safety and their privacy is important to my wife and me. So while they’re there, we’re not discussing where they are; when they come back, I’ll talk about it.”
Maybe the governor’s office should’ve talked privately with reporters last month before this story kinda blew up on them.
*** UPDATE 1 *** I’m told the Rauner press shop did speak to at least three reporters off the record about what was really going on. If true, then some reporters were apparently dishonest about what they wrote.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Not sure what this means, but if the prize winner was told about the reasons for keeping the secret then the prize winner lied in her story…
This from a person who sends a copied and pasted e-mail to me every morning. Again, not sure what this is supposed to mean, except that she was beating the drum loudly almost every day about the governor’s whereabouts, and I really didn’t care all that much. We don’t have to always agree.
*** UPDATE 3 *** The last time I checked, the Sahara was not in Europe…
*** UPDATE 4 *** But Spain sure is…
[ *** End Of Updates *** ]
* But, look, he’s not the president. He’s not our daddy. He’s not even our big brother. I don’t think this is a huge deal, but he certainly has made a troubling habit of secrecy since pledging transparency during the campaign…
The Illinois attorney general has ruled that Gov. Bruce Rauner’s office has withheld too much information on his daily appointment calendars from taxpayers.
The state’s public access counselor issued an opinion in response to an appeal under the Freedom of Information Act by The Associated Press. Public access attorney Joshua Jones says the AP correctly argues that Rauner’s staff improperly used exemptions under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act to keep his whereabouts and activities secret.
Rauner spokeswoman Catherine Kelly did not comment because the issue is in court. The Illinois Times filed a lawsuit over the Rauner calendar in September.
Jones dismissed the Rauner administration argument that the calendars are not even public records.
That was quite a timely ruling.
- Too Little Too Late - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 9:10 am:
He still has to ditch his email and cell phone before rivaling Madigan-level secrecy. Chuck Goudie could have found Rauner. Any word on the public schedule of the 4 tops today?
- Independent retired lawyer, journalist - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 9:11 am:
Welcome back! The issue is not the location the governor chose. The issue is his attitude. That we owe him, rather than he owes us. It’s reflected in how he treats the press. Most pubic figures understand the importance of relationships with reporters. He doesn’t care. Hence the AP story.
- Abe the Babe - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 9:11 am:
the bigger mystery is Where is Lincoln’s hand?
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/04/us/lincolns-hands-kankakee-illinois-museum-theft-george-grey-barnard.html
Rich, know any history-loving thieves back home?
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 9:15 am:
===Maybe the governor’s office should’ve talked privately with reporters last month before this story kinda blew up on them.===
This. All day.
Instead of “ck” being overtly concerned about Madeupville passing the Turnaround Agenda, how about “ck” and others in that Shop actually understand what the heck it means being a Flack.
Geez Louise this is a Press Shop failure and a fiasco of transparency, but most of all it a glaring failure of the Press Shop to go through the most simple and basic aspects of what they should do; navigate land mines before they go off.
What “ck” shoulda done, if she understood her job;
1) explain off the record the premise they now rolled out.
“The governor is going out of the country to see his kids who are also out of the country now. The Governor doesn’t want the kids bothered, so, yes, he’s leavibg the country, he’s going to spend time with his family, it’s not secret, he just wants the kids safe.”
Leave it there. Ugh. Pathetic.
===* But, look, he’s not the president. He’s not our daddy. He’s not even our big brother. I don’t think this is a huge deal, but he certainly has made a troubling habit of secrecy since pledging transparency during the campaign…===
Again, the flip side?
Rauner is NOT the President, but playing double-secret agent makes all that campaign rhetoric on transparency just more malarkey Rauner never believed. Amateur Hour.
The delicious ruling about transparency while Rauner purposely “hid” is ironically comical.
“Hi, ck-
You’re not helping.
Thanks!
ow”
What a self-inflicted comedy of errors because a select few are clueless as to how a Press Shop helps.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 9:20 am:
===Any word on the public schedule of the 4 tops today?===
Can the Four Tops declare disaster areas? Mobilize the National Guard?
Are you utterly clueless to the duties of the governor? The governor, personally, is 1/3 of state government. State agencies report to HIS office, coordination for disasters go through his appointees, not the Four Tops.
The Four Tops, collectively, are 1/3 of state government, along with 173 other legislators.
Try not being an apologist by deflecting. Thanks.
- Rollo Tamasi - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 9:20 am:
And here I thought Bruce was in Cuba with Rahm. You rub cocoanut oil on my back I’ll rub cocoanut oil on your back. Recall - no worry.
- Cheryl44 - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 9:24 am:
I was about to say what Rollo said except for the icky part.
- Anon - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 9:25 am:
It should be interesting to see what the result is when reporters FOIA the communication between the Governor and his staff during that time frame, including any and all emails, texts, and phone calls.
- Gooner - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 9:34 am:
It was really badly handled by the Gov’s office, and it goes to deeper issues.
Personally, I just assumed he was in Bali or something, and wasn’t disclosing it for fear it would end up in a campaign ad. I don’t really care (He’s rich. He takes nice vacations. When I made more money I took nice vacations too. No big deal). However, the total secrecy turned it into something of a joke.
His office seems to have an adversarial relationship with just about everybody and explains why he could not get the word out to help the story die down. That makes people both suspicious and unwilling to be cooperative. It is a bad way to run an office and shows why he’s been so ineffective as governor.
- The Captain - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 9:42 am:
I’m a Rauner critic but the vacation thing was stupid. The whole point of vacation is to get away from all the demands on your time and attention. I hope he enjoyed his time away.
- Lincoln Lad - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 9:42 am:
Happy New Year! I guess we haven’t made resolutions to just be happy and to not sweat the small stuff.
- Anotherretiree - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 9:48 am:
CK should’ve said “He’s hiking the Appalachian Trail”…just to see the reaction
- Chicago Cynic - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 9:59 am:
My bigger issue was that he was AWOL as the southern part of our state was experiencing catastrophic flooding. The governor or Missouri was holding pressers and our press was just reporting “where’s Bruce?” Not ok. You wanted this job and when it hits the fan we expect you to be here. Bad form.
I have no problem with he or Rahm taking whatever vacations they want. But he is the governor and he should have covered this better ahead of time.
Frankly - both of these are about his arrogance and the arrogance of his press shop.
- Flynn's Mom - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 10:02 am:
OW, could a special European Christmas Vacation Dad’s Home State episode be coming? It could be an hour long special. You know kind of Brady Bunchy like when they went to Hawaii.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 10:05 am:
- Flynn’s Mom -
Writers have been scrambling and the footage of the double-secret European Vacation is in the cutting room. I wouldn’t be too surprised if an episode, maybe a two-parter, finds its way on HBO…
- Ghost - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 10:06 am:
on a side note, this reminds me of when the lt gov and gov cold be from different parties. the gov was afraide to leave the state for fear the lt gov would seize power…..
- Just Observing - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 10:09 am:
=== CK should’ve said “He’s hiking the Appalachian Trail”…just to see the reaction ===
LOL
- Shore - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 10:10 am:
Since the advent of social media pols kids accounts have been used by their teams and rivals for gains and messaging so I’m not sure why he felt he needed to TS/SCI on this.
- Henry Francis - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 10:11 am:
From day 1 of its term, this administration has consistently demonstrated a combination of arrogance and ignorance that plagues them to this day.
- walker - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 10:15 am:
Whatever. This isn’t a state secrets issue.
Perfectly fine rationale provided by Team Rauner. I had assumed, worst case, he was in Switzerland, Luxembourg, or Cayman, and didn’t want the ensuing speculation.
- scott aster - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 10:26 am:
Can’t they just say he is OT.
- Austin Blvd - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 10:27 am:
Is there any doubt that Rauner had some other personal and political “bidness” to conduct during the holiday? Even the President discloses his whereabouts. When you are CEO of a state or federal government, you are never really off the clock.
Even if you reject the salary.
- downstate commissioner - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 10:39 am:
All they had to do was say that he was out of the country visiting family, and that for privacy and security reasons, did not want to disclose where he was at.
We would have assumed that it was at some “rich peoples’ spot”, but so what? The reason for the secrecy would have been acceptable to most people.
- northsider - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 10:52 am:
I don’t buy it. The Guv has children in various states and in Illinois. Is there some history of the media bothering them?
Did the administration seriously think that the bare-boned media budgets of the Illinois press and TV were going to pay for reporters and crews to spend Christmas week in Gstaad covering the Rauner family Christmas?
The reason given doesn’t make any sense.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 11:00 am:
To the update,
The dishonest way the reporting has trickled out speaks to two very different things going on;
The lack of professionalism found in those covering the governor.
The lack of respect some in the press have for Governor Rauner, which may also reflect how they see him and the job he’s doing, and… the way they are treated befure they’re asked for a favor.
Bad form by the Press, to say the least.
How well is the Rauner Press Shop doing to unruffled the feathers their boss ruffles with smirks and smugness to those that cover him?
Pathetic work by the AP.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 11:01 am:
northsider, you’re misreading the statement.
It’s not about being harassed by the media, it’s about security for his kids.
Now, you may disagree with that rationale. But I saw a report over break about how Paris travel was off 30 percent after the ISIS attacks. Lots of people are very worried. And while I think the worry may be overblown (I’ve traveled to Iraq, Kosovo and Albania, so the tiny threat in Europe doesn’t really move me), I’m not gonna whack a guy for thinking that he’s doing something to protect his kids.
- My New Handle - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 11:05 am:
That “update” is hooey. “…at least three reporters off the record”… “… them some reporters were apparently dishonest…”
Which were told and which of them were apparently dishonest? Unless there are names and reportage cited, this is just an unfounded rumor/accusation. Why bother with it?
- Dave Dahl - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 11:18 am:
I just want to know if Evelyn was in charge at any point during the last couple of weeks.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 11:21 am:
- Dave Dahl -
You can thank the Illinois Constitution that ole Slip and Sue wasn’t anywhere near running Illinois.
- VanillaMan - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 11:26 am:
Governor From Winnetka
(Vinicius DeMoraes / Norman Gimbel / Tom Jobim), enhanced by VanillaMan
Tall and filthy rich and ruthless
the Illinois Governor is completely clueless
and the issues he avoids
are like hemorrhoids
without relief!
When he trips, from his sinking ships
he keeps his cool, but we’re no fool
cuz under our Christmas trees
there’s a middle class squeeze
full of grief!
Oh - but he watches so sadly
No - he’s our state’s Deadbeat Daddy
He - shakes us up very badly
As he throws Illinois right under a bus,
His looks in his mirror, not at us
Tall and grinning and eyes so empty
the Governor sees himself President-y
and when he passes
he smiles
but he doesn’t see
no he doesn’t see
he just doesn’t see…
- Dave Dahl - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 11:29 am:
Yes, and a prompt response from Catherine to my e-mail:
The Illinois constitution does not require the Governor to transfer power simply because he is out of state or on vacation. The Governor remained in regular communication with his staff and was available to make any decisions that were necessary.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 11:32 am:
Oh, that “ck”, LOL
- wordslinger - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 11:35 am:
Maybe he went to Lourdes for a cure for his terminal governing strategy.
It’s a goofy story all the way around. Here’s a guy who feels compelled to regularly tweet where and what he had for breakfast, but now all of a sudden he’s James Bond.
Whatever. Delusions of grandeur notwithstanding, he’d be anonymous in Keokuk or Paducah, much less Paris or Brussels. He’s just another schmuck like the rest of us when it comes to security concerns outside of the state. No one knows who he is.
- 19th ward guy - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 11:38 am:
Sure. Let’s focus on Rauner. Let’s ignore that Madigan blew off the Leaders meeting so he could go to Palm Springs. Facts are stubborn things with this crowd
- My New Handle - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 11:52 am:
19th Ward,
According to the state’s websites, Bruce Rauner is the governor, wholly one-third of state government. He has was elected to the highest statewide office, a stubborn fact that.
- Anon 221 - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 11:59 am:
So, he went out of the country on his own dime… even flew commercially. OK. Did he have a security detail with him? If so, who paid for that??
- Rich Miller - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 12:00 pm:
===Did he have a security detail with him?===
I’m told he did not, which was one reason for the secrecy.
- Anonin' - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 12:45 pm:
While we wrin’ our hands about TheSuperStar travel can we gegt to work on Slip&Sue 400+ page report on local govt.
First if we just agree on how many 8400 or 6000? If we claims the lower # we can say we cut local govt by 25% — sounds like a bug victory to us.
- sal-says - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 12:52 pm:
== The Illinois attorney general has ruled… ==
Gee, another Lisa sighting.
Will the good IL AG ever get ’round to Raunner’s understanding/evasions(?) of:
> Constitution of the State of Illinois, ARTICLE XIII, GENERAL PROVISIONS: SECTION 3. OATH OR AFFIRMATION OF OFFICE
> Constitution of the State of Illinois, ARTICLE VIII, SECTION 2. STATE FINANCE; Constitution of the State of Illinois, ARTICLE VIII, SECTION 2. STATE FINANCE
> Illinois Compiled Statutes (15 ILCS 20/50-5), Sec. 50-5, Governor to submit State budget., (15 ILCS 20/50-5)
- Dirty Red - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 12:52 pm:
Dave - I’m glad I am not the only one who wondered about that. I imagine the last time a lieutenant governor was left in-charge while the governor was out-of-state was Paul Simon to Richard Ogilvie.
- Anonymous - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 12:52 pm:
My sources say he went to Morocco. Hmm.. Curious…
- Thoughts Matter - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 1:00 pm:
I don’t care where he went. I do care that he didn’t come back till Thursday nor call the National Guard up till Friday. How many days was the Central and Southern parts of Illinois under water before Friday? Could the bodies of two teenagers have been found sooner rather than later? If he couldn’t delegate authority while he was gone, then he shouldn’t leave.
- State worker - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 1:05 pm:
Rauner’s tone on the radio about this was horrible, and quite different from seeing his quote written. He clearly had contempt for the question being asked.
- Dirty Red - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 1:08 pm:
To Update 3: So much for killing the story.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 1:18 pm:
Sahara in Europe, LOL.
Hey “ck”, is that Europe?
Asking… for a friend.
- Will Caskey - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 1:18 pm:
Ah, commented in another thread baffled about the Natasha slap fight on Twitter. I still don’t understand it at all. Carry on I guess.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 1:24 pm:
===I still don’t understand it at all===
Meh.
Free country.
- In a Minute - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 1:29 pm:
Interesting that Illinois Politico is taking a sharp tone. The national leadership at Politico has said it wants to “own” the market wherever it competes for political and policy eyeballs and its other state beat reporters are being very aggressive about it too.
I agree that its too much cut and pasting to provide much value. But it is free,so there you go.
- wordslinger - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 1:53 pm:
A supe of public instruction, a redundant “education secretary,” yet a highly paid superstar still puts the Sahara in Europe.
Can’t make that stuff up.
- 47th Ward - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 2:05 pm:
“And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”–Matthew 19:24
I wonder if the Governor was secretly testing out some kind of new and very large needle?
- Former Hoosier - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 2:05 pm:
Rauner continues to act as if he is a private citizen and still the CEO of his private equity firm. He appears unwilling to come to terms with the fact that, as the Gov., he is a public official and can’t just disappear for 2 weeks at an undisclosed location. I believe that the “security” concern for his children is just a red herring. I didn’t hear any reporters asking for the exact address of where he was staying, or asking for a list of who from his family would be present. Anyone with a serious intent to do harm to him or his family would be able to locate them. Meanwhile, parts of the state were flooding…And, we should be content simply knowing that he “paid for the trip himself and flew commercially”?
- Rich Miller - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 2:07 pm:
===as the Gov., he is a public official and can’t just disappear for 2 weeks at an undisclosed location===
Why?
- Honeybear - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 2:28 pm:
I have to say as former military it concerns me that his security detail was not with him. As much as I give him grief I still want the chief executive of our state to be held safe. He shouldn’t be going anywhere without security. I guess that’s not policy but I think it should be.
- illini - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 3:46 pm:
Honeybear - when my cousin was ISP ( Executive Security ) under both Thompson and Edgar, he did accompany the Governor on his travels outside the state as well as outside the country.
- Rand McNally - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 4:19 pm:
Do we need help finding Morocco on a map, folks?
- Too Little Too Late - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 6:55 pm:
“What a self-inflicted comedy of errors because a select few are clueless as to how a Press Shop helps.”
Can it be? “ck” and friends did what you criticized them for not doing.
Try not jumping to conclusions and Monday morning quarterbacking the professionals before knowing the facts. Thanks.
- Anonymous - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 7:22 pm:
Too little too late, go back to trolling people on IPI FB page.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 7:27 pm:
- Too Little Too Late -
From the Post;
===Maybe the governor’s office should’ve talked privately with reporters last month before this story kinda blew up on them.===
Keep trying, k? lol.
You’re not a very good Rauberbot.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 7:34 pm:
===How well is the Rauner Press Shop doing to unruffled the feathers their boss ruffles with smirks and smugness to those that cover him?===
That speaks to Rauner himself and the failure of “ck” and the Press Shop to at least have respect begrudgingly - TLTL -, so there’s that.
- illini - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 7:40 pm:
Willy - you nailed it, maybe some of the rest of us helped a bit!!!!
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 7:44 pm:
- Illini -, thanks.
Happy New Year to ya!
- illini - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 7:51 pm:
Willy - same to you. Should be an interesting year - wouldn’t you agree?
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 7:57 pm:
- illini -, I do.
I think the most interesting thing to watch will be if the Democratic “coalitions” can finally realize Rauner is playing for keeps.
Hope there’s some “comedy” wrapped in this, we all can use some “laughs”.
- illini - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 8:09 pm:
Guaranteed that there will be some laughs and comedy. Yet it is all very serious - unless we can find a new Jason to bring into the mix!!!!
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 8:19 pm:
- Illini - I miss Jason.
But your point, yes, very serious business ahead, including the governing that will have to take place. If anything, middle ground needs to be found before the political and the campaigns tear away more from the doable.
- illini - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 8:34 pm:
Yet who knows, or can project, what that middle ground might be? In the meantime, there are those of us who are being taken HOSTAGE for the benefit of the TURN AROUND AGENDA. This has to end.
- Southern Illinois Hoopdee - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 8:44 pm:
ow- Happy New Year.
As far as your point, it may be too late for the middle ground. Dems can and should go even more nuclear. Go for the whole enchilada of what they want. Make Rauner veto everything.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 8:47 pm:
At some point, answering for Sandack’s tweet will be the rallying cry. Then the ILGOP will really have to decide if winning is worth the ideology that might really lead to loses they never saw coming.
What a mess.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 8:51 pm:
- SIH -
Same to you!
That might be the political play, but the governing desperately needs some real middle ground. Unavoidable. Rauner will either learn that or the hostages will overrun the captors all on their own.
- illini - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 9:03 pm:
Hoopdee - while I might agree completely with your sentiments I am concerned about the ultimate implications of this approach to the relative agendas of both antagonists in this epic battle. There are 12 million people who live in Illinois that are depending on there being some resolution to this stalemate. Each side has to give so that we can get a budget passed - and if BVR will continue to insist on all aspects of his TAA as a condition for a budget agreement we all lose.
I’m 66 years old and have been following Illinois politics fairly closely for 45 of those years and can not recall ever seeing anything as serious as this. Wish UI knew what the solution might be.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 9:11 pm:
- illini -,
You crystallized the sheer distress, no hyperbole, that Illinois, the 12 million people, find themselves.
It shouldn’t have come down to all “this” but under the guise of holding out for “reform”, the labor movement and its demise versus saving Illinois by just doing the doable isn’t the type a choice I can remember this state facing in recent decades.
Well said.
- illini - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 9:26 pm:
Willy - thank you, we will talk further down this winding road! Time for me to empty my bottle of wine and try to forget about this impasse for tonight.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 9:28 pm:
Nite - illini -
- Snoop doddy - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 10:06 pm:
Rich was gone for a while also. I did the best I could to deal with it.
- Jorge - Wednesday, Jan 6, 16 @ 2:06 am:
Por fin me ha llegado el pc jaja ahora a disfrutarlo