If at first you don’t succeed…
Monday, Feb 8, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Sun-Times notes a change in FOIA tactics by the governor…
For the past year, Gov. Bruce Rauner has resisted efforts by news organizations to obtain copies of his daily schedule, blacking out big swaths of the documents, mounting a legal fight to keep them under wraps and — after those efforts failed — using abbreviations and code to hide the names of those the governor met with or called.
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After losing the fight to black out portions of his schedule, Rauner and his staff began concealing his activities by just leaving information off his schedule to begin with.
On Oct. 7, for example, the governor’s schedule listed four afternoon meetings — with “MH,” “EB,” “JM,” “MW,” “JC” and “AP.” There’s no identification beyond initials. […]
Two weeks later, on Oct. 27, Rauner set aside 30 minutes for a call with “EM.” Ed Murphy is his director of research.
The rest of that day’s schedule was blank — not unusual for Rauner. The governor held no public events the next day either, when his schedule showed only that he would videotape a short message and make phone calls to “JS” and “SK.”
- slow down - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 9:29 am:
Keep in mind that this is the self-proclaimed outsider that was elected to “shake up Springfield.”
- Moe Berg - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 9:30 am:
Does the governor think we are chumbolones? Can someone at the Trib please look into it pronto?
- Beaner - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 9:30 am:
Good to see the Governor is working hard to keep his repeated promise to be “totally transparent, the most transparent administration ever.”
What is his email contact again?
- Spliff - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 9:32 am:
Could we have a contest to come up with descriptions of who these people may be and what they would meet or talk about?
- wordslinger - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 9:33 am:
Webster’s:
Transparent, adj.
: able to be seen through
: easy to notice or understand
: honest and open : not secretive
- New Jersey - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 9:33 am:
His next opponent will have an opportunity to show that not only was he not able to govern and develop a budget, he was not workin’ either.
- Big Joe - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 9:37 am:
Only 2 letters necessary when it comes to Rauner’s calendar……BS
- Linus - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 9:39 am:
People, I think we can join forces to figure this out.
“AP” is clearly Adrian Peterson of the MN Vikings. “JC” is Jesus Christ.
Who needs “transparency”?
- Anon - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 9:51 am:
I dont get it. Why use codes? Once the schedule is made public, wont the press ask what the codes represent? Will the governor’s office refuse to answer that question? If this is the case, why appear to be secretive if you will eventually need to fill in the blanks. I’ve learned over time that if you’re trying to hide something its usually something that you shouldn’t be doing.
- cdog - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 10:00 am:
Mr. Deceptive forgot to read the GOP Platform on their website.
The word TRANSPARENT is mentioned 9 times
The word TRANSPARENCY is mentioned 12 times
The word ACCOUNTABLE is mentioned 4 times
The word ACCOUNTABILITY is mentioned 7 times
Poor GOP. With friends like #Rauner, who needs enemies. /s
- phocion - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 10:02 am:
Not sure why having a phone call with your director of research is such a secret. This kind of goofy stuff undermines trust and credibility even among the Gov’s supporters.
- cdog - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 10:04 am:
This is so reminiscent of Cheney’s Energy Task Force that brought us the largest run up in energy prices, and a war, etc.
Nothing good ever happens in secret.
- From the 'Dale to HP - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 10:06 am:
Reads like Rauner is scared of everything and everyone.
- Streator Curmudgeon - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 10:08 am:
Guess we only get the full names when he’s meeting with “world leaders.”
- OutHereInTheMiddle - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 10:11 am:
BR: This is BS.
- LizPhairTax - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 10:26 am:
This administration has shown an amazing inability to prioritize battles worth fighting. Why drag this out? What’s the potential “big win” here?
If you’re going to play this game why don’t you have a FOIA compliance superstar on the roster? A real one.
- TinyDancer(FKA Sue) - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 10:32 am:
He’s runnin’ the state as a business and this is how Wall Street conducts its business.
This is an AB conversation. It’s proprietary information, attorney-client privilege - you know - the “secret sauce” of his trickle-down/supply-side/Arthur Gaffer/Donna Arduin/laissez faire Turn-Around Agenda.
- Stones - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 10:46 am:
Bogus move on the Governor’s part. Transparency indeed!
- TinyDancer(FKA Sue) - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 10:47 am:
Laffer. Arthur Laffer.
- DuPage Saint - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 11:33 am:
He is lying. My initials are JS and I didn’t get a call!
- Arthur Andersen - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 11:39 am:
You won’t find any AA on any of those logs!
- Norseman - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 11:42 am:
AA, that’s our problem!
- hockey fan - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 11:48 am:
None of the 172 members in the legislature can criticize him over this.
They have placed zero requirements on themselves to follow open meetings regulations, what the decide in private or to be transparent about who they meet with. The General Assembly only requires those things for Mayors and local governments. Ironic.
I don’t like that Rauner is playing games with the FOIA, but it does highlight the lack of consistency in our state’s sunshine laws.
- Saluki - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 11:49 am:
Thing like this make it difficult for independents to consider Rauner next election.
- Ghost - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 12:09 pm:
Gov, ethics is not what you say, its what you do…..
- Mama - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 12:15 pm:
It is good to know that Rauner has never kept his repeated promise to be “totally transparent, the most transparent administration ever.” Does Rauner & his staff not know what a totally transparent administration is?
Since Rauner & team is hiding the guv’s appointments, one can & should conclude what Rauner & team are doing is not legal.
- Mama - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 12:18 pm:
Thing like this make it difficult for the Rich Miller & the Democrat leaders to follow Rauner next moves (poison pills).
- Archiesmom - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 12:51 pm:
Rich - have you found and entry for RM yet?
- Just ain't right - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 1:24 pm:
Transparency is needed. foia requests are there for a reason, and intended to dispel any notion of impropriety. It’s not like Rauner was calling EM or any other initials for a movie review (or perhaps he was). In a state like illinois with its history of shananagans, you would think Rauner would be better than this. Shame BVR.
- Droppin' G's By the G - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 1:50 pm:
Too busy avoidin’ and politickin’ to be budgetin’ and governin’
- JS Mill - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 3:07 pm:
I am going to umm have to umm disagree with everyone.
BR is being totally transparent. I can see right through him. He is full of beans.
- sal-says - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 3:14 pm:
Wheres Lisa? Howz this any diff than stonewalling or redacting? He’s the so-called gov, so he’s on the peoples/taxpayers business full time. Produce the full records or go to jail. Easy choice.
- wh - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 4:04 pm:
==Rich - have you found and entry for RM yet?==
There aren’t any.
- Whatever - Monday, Feb 8, 16 @ 4:06 pm:
Meant to say:
==Rich - have you found and entry for RM yet?==
There aren’t any. The times Rich was scheduled all say, “Oscar!!!!” No one has figured that code out yet.