* The Tribune’s coverage of last night’s comptroller debate…
Republican Comptroller Leslie Geissler Munger again tried to link Democratic challenger Susana Mendoza to longtime House Speaker Michael Madigan and the state’s financial woes. And Munger also accused Mendoza of previously double dipping at the public trough by collecting two government paychecks.
In turn, Mendoza painted Munger as a “wingman” for Gov. Bruce Rauner and took her to task for failing to “denounce” Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
Support of Trump has been a litmus test issue thrown at Republican candidates across the country this fall. Mendoza said Munger enjoys backing from some of the same campaign donors as Trump and that it should take “half a nanosecond” to know where to stand on the controversial candidate.
Munger said she’s “really working very hard to stay out of the issues at the top of the ticket” and “certainly cannot support a lot of the things that Mr. Trump has said.” But she declined to state her choice for president.
* Sun-Times…
“She just accepted, from the person that she’s supposed to be a checks and balances to, a check for $1 million. By constitution, the Illinois comptroller’s office should be an independently elected office that serves as a watchdog for other executive offices,” Mendoza said.
Munger pointed out that some of that contribution was transferred out back to the Illinois Republican Party to fund other candidates’ races, prompting Mendoza to dub it “a legal laundering mechanism.”
Munger countered: “It’s not all coming in to me. My opponent has actually received plenty of money from special interests herself, including contracts that she’s gotten, money from companies she’s given out contracts out to, and money from Speaker [Michael] Madigan himself.”
“The Illinois Democratic Party is run by Speaker Madigan,” Munger said, as Mendoza interjected.
“Can I please finish? I was quiet when you were speaking,” Munger said.
There were numerous interjections during the appearance.
“Comptroller Munger has just admitted that she is allowing her campaign account, Citizens for Leslie Munger to be used as a legal laundering mechanism, so not only has she gone from being the state’s chief fiscal officer, she’s now admitted to being the state’s chief fiscal launderer,” Mendoza said.
* Daily Herald…
Mendoza, a former state legislator and current Chicago city clerk, blasted Munger for accepting millions of campaign contributions from Rauner and business owners with close ties to the governor. The money was used largely to fund television ads that depict Mendoza as a Madigan protégé who will only do the bidding of the powerful Democratic leader if she’s elected. A large chunk of it was also distributed back to the state GOP, which is using it to help fund other campaigns. Mendoza called Munger the state’s “chief fiscal launderer.”
Munger responded by noting that she’s simply following the campaign laws that Mendoza passed when she was a legislator, and adding that she “didn’t need this job” and was doing it as a service to the state.
“The governor has not bought me,” Munger said. “Everything I have done is completely legal and transparent. It’s not illegal because Susana Mendoza voted for the law.”
Mendoza kept up the attack on Munger’s campaign finances for most of the debate and deflected Munger’s complaints that she has accepted campaign funds from Madigan through the state Democratic Party’s $150,000 contribution.
“Speaker Madigan’s campaign funds have not contributed to me, nor have I asked,” Mendoza said. “It’s not the same because the Democratic Party is not the personal piggy bank of Speaker Madigan.”
* More on that topic from Illinois Public Radio…
Incumbent Republican Leslie Munger was appointed to the post by Governor Bruce Rauner. Her Democratic opponent, Chicago City Clerk Susanna Mendoza, says Munger is controlled by the wealthy governor.
“She just accepted — from the person who she’s supposed to be a checks and balances to — last week, a check for $1 million. By constitution, the Illinois comptroller’s office should be an independently-elected office that serves as a watchdog over other executive offices.”
Munger counters that she stood up to Rauner.
“The governor has not bought me. In fact, I’m probably the most independent person here because I don’t need this job. I took this role because I love Illinois.”
* The governor’s bonuses for non-union state workers was also an issue…
Mendoza said the state doesn’t have money to pay its bills or keep open social service agencies, saying they “should be prioritized, certainly over anyone receiving a performance bonus while we’re in the midst of our worst, worst fiscal crisis of all time.”
But Munger said she was under court order to pay state workers.
When moderator Phil Ponce pressed: “including bonuses?” Munger said she cannot make a distinction over salary and bonus when an agency sends the request to her office for payment.
“There is no way to determine, which is bonus, which is pay,” Munger said, accusing Mendoza of not knowing how the office worked.
Mendoza countered that one of her top advisers is former comptroller Dan Hynes, and said Munger should have, upon taking office, immediately reviewed each agency’s expenses so she could make financial distinctions when necessary.
* It’s worth watching…
- Been There - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 9:52 am:
When Phil Ponce opened up the show (not shown on the video) he started with a welcome to the White Sox fans. Pretty funny and appreciated.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 9:55 am:
“The governor has not bought me,” Munger said. “Everything I have done is completely legal and transparent. ”
Begs what should be the questions: Whose idea was the money-wash scheme? Who’s directing it?
Munger? It’s her committee, after all. And she claims she’s independent of the governor, who appointed her and whose crew is bankrolling her.
Or is it the governor’s political/money machine running the show, and Munger is just doing what she’s told?
- anonymouse - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 10:07 am:
You take 8 mil (or however much it is) from 3 people… yikes… Is it really going to take that much money to convince people to vote for you? If so, you know you have problems.
- Indochine - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 10:11 am:
Good Lord, the idea that Munger has done anything different or unseemly as compared to the Madigan Machine who WROTE THESE LAWS and perfected the system is just partisan hack whining.
Suddenly, the GOP has the funds to participate in the schemes that the Democrats have perfected, and now it’s NOT FAIR!!!
A little cheese with that whine?
- AlfondoGonz - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 10:13 am:
Munger came off as pretty sanctimonious.
- Anon221 - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 10:14 am:
Munger- “…I don’t need this job.”
Okey dokey then. I plan to Vote Accordingly!
- Annonin' - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 10:14 am:
Wingman should clearly be awarded “Most Bought” award for 2016
Meanwhile it seems basic common sense that when you read is SJR that BigBrain is giving undocumented bonus pay that you would grab a phone, call a director and ask for their list of “winners” and the explanation. If you wait to be told you are dumber than a box of rocks. But then voters in the Sente district knew that.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 10:21 am:
Why fight so hard and spend so much money on a job you don’t need?
- New 2 - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 10:24 am:
Munger was very effective hitting Mendoza for voting for budgets as a legislator.
But I think this bonus issue can really be used by Mendoza to throttle Munger. It not only ties her to Rauner in an extremely harmful way, but paying bonuses during a financial crisis make zero sense to regular folks.
I would direct all my fire in this direction. In fact, all Dems — Biss’ PAC and legislative candidate included — should make “Rauner’s bonus payments” thee issue of the closing two weeks.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 10:29 am:
What you hear from my opponent is continuing to try and divide us. Yes they are called republicans and democrats
- Rabid - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 10:30 am:
Oops 10:29
- Earnest - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 10:33 am:
>the Illinois comptroller’s office should be an independently elected office that serves as a watchdog for other executive offices
>“It’s not the same because the Democratic Party is not the personal piggy bank of Speaker Madigan.”
I hope to see this type of issue raised a lot more in the next couple of years. We don’t want one person controlling two branches of government and other constitutional offices. Controlled by Republicans, maybe, but not by Raunerites.
- Honeybear - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 10:36 am:
Wait munger has shown agency in putting legislative pay into the back of the line. She shows agency in only paying certain contracts. I do not believe that she can’t exercise agency in holding off bonuses. No she is controlled and owned by Rauner. JBT would have said no I believe. Maybe I’m wrong. I don’t care that some got bonuses. I care that they were prioritized ahead of contracts that haven’t been paid in two years
- Amalia - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 10:40 am:
isn’t Ponce a Sox fan?
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 10:44 am:
I watched it twice thus morning, it was like 22 minutes or so…
Thumbnail?
Munger did what an incumbent does when things out of his/her control are tough, and tried to pivot off Labor/Rauner/Trump
Mendoza did what a challenger does when there are openings like Trump and like the Crain’s assessment of Rauner and tying that to Munger.
Lots of really good discussion to the differences. Table debates can get more heated and interrupting due to proximity…
To specifics I was waiting on…
Rarely, and I do mean rarely, is this a winnable position…
“I don’t need this job.”
You are trying to convince people they need YOU in this job, and you dismiss the whole “working” thing? Ugh.
Mendoza was pretty solid right up to this whole “independence” and constitution thingy.
It’s incredibly ignorant, and flat out pandering to say you’re “worried” about the whole constitution business when a move you want to double-down on is one that is completely unconstitutional and is against the oath she wants to take. Again, Ugh.
I felt for Munger on the bonuses, that was horrible to have to go thru…
You knew about them, but couldn’t stop them, as you break your oath and statue refusing to pay legislators, and while it’s made clear you ARE picking a choosing, actively, you couldn’t “stop” bonuses.
Unintended consequences, and Munger just had to eat it. Not Munger’s fault, and passively looks ineffective, by choice? Tough.
If Labor doesn’t know who is where here, they have themselves to blame.
Trump. Unintended consequences. Answers are answers. Tough break for Munger. Reality? Democrats and Labor are more of a worry than Munger publicly trolling her own POTUS ballot. Either cut bait, clean, or don’t.
What a great debate, and while there is that Proxy aspect, they both made points as best they could within this cycle, these “times”, and a referendum on Illinois and Rauner.
Mendoza rolling out Crain’s… That’s a really good use.
They both did themeselves a solid.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 10:50 am:
The Illinois Comptroller’s race is really a special election occasioned by the death of Judy Baar Topinka, who was elected in 2014, but died before taking office. The legislature helpfully revised the law to prevent the governor from making an appointment for the full term.
- Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 11:00 am:
Ms. Mendoza’s comments shifting blame for the increases in the State’s budget deficit during her time in the General Assembly which was under total Democrat control in the legislative and Executive to previous Republican Governors was completely ridiculous.
Judy Baar Topinka ran the office effectively in a non partisan way. Ms. Mendoza is an effective advocate for labor and democratic interests but is far to partisan for the job.
She could denounce anyone of a number of embarrassments on the Democratic side of the aisle in a “nanosecond” but won’t ever do so
- A Jack - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 11:01 am:
If the bonus is not pensionable as they have claimed, then it would have to be coded differently than pensionable payroll, so that the pension contributions are not taken. If that is in fact the case then Munger should have been able to separate the bonus from normal payroll.
If the bonus really was pensionable, then they just added to the pension problem by paying the bonus.
- Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 11:06 am:
Ms Menzoza must have been watching some old Jimmy Stewart movies ” my father didn’t think so”
I really liked that part but the rest of it was far to rude
- Worlds Away - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 11:22 am:
Although she brought it on with her “wingman” comment, it amuses me to see these charges of Rauner controlling the Comptroller’s office.
All I hear are complaints that the Munger team won’t do what the Governor’s staff wants her to do. They marched into court a couple of time (once defending state employees pay), and the Rauner folks were furious.
The Rauner team is stuck with Munger in the proxy fight, but she and her staff show WAY too much independence for their taste. Just hang around the Springfield watering holes long enough, and you will get an earful.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 11:28 am:
So Mendoza wants to examine employee pay to determine which type of pay should be made and which should be held? We’ve already got a Comptroller playing the paycheck game. I don’t think we need that game expanded to all state employees.
- Team Sleep - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 11:31 am:
Annonin’ - your posts are nonsensical enough but where do you get the right to call Leslie Munger “dumber than a box of rocks”?! That is dirty pool, and regardless of political leanings that is an unnecessary hit.
- Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 11:44 am:
Leslie Munger was just doing her part raising the wages and standard of living for middle class NON UNION state workers.
Ms Menzoza must have been watching some old Jimmy Stewart movies ” my father didn’t think so”
I really liked that part, she has a compelling story but the rest of it was far to rude
- Conn Smythe - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 11:47 am:
I read what you wrote for subscribers this morning Rich and I just didn’t see it. Munger’s answer on Trump was bizarre if not downright awkward. Wasn’t shown much last night.
- Jocko - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 11:49 am:
== she “didn’t need this job” and was doing it as a service to the state.==
As others have stated, the “Noblesse Oblige” runs strong in this one.
- Big Muddy - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 11:50 am:
=Debaters showed more spark than the Cubs last night=
Didn’t see the debate but did see the Cubs game. Cubs are going to be fine. Kluber was outstanding, Miller looks beatable and Schwarber looked liked he was playing all year long. And h/t to the sox on their 11 year anniversary of winning it all.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 12:03 pm:
=The Rauner team is stuck with Munger in the proxy fight, but she and her staff show WAY too much independence for their taste.=
Wait until he gets a taste of Mendoza and her staff. He’s gonna to be wishin he was back in the boardroom or whatever the hell he did before he decide to play governor.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 12:05 pm:
–All I hear are complaints that the Munger team won’t do what the Governor’s staff wants her to do. They marched into court a couple of time (once defending state employees pay), and the Rauner folks were furious.–
You are making things up.
First off, Munger didn’t “march into court” regarding state employee pay; she was sued in St. Clair County, she didn’t have a choice.
Secondly, both Munger and Rauner publicly supported state employees getting paid without an appropriation (you think the Superstars work for free?).
The Superstars were furious when Att. Gen. Madigan tried to end around them and brought the issue in Cook County Circuit Court. Shrimpf went on a twitter rampage against the move.
If you have to make things up to make your point, your point is weak.
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20150629/NEWS02/150629784/rauner-tells-state-staffers-they-wont-work-for-free
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 12:07 pm:
==this bonus issue can really be used==
Yes. Rauner had handed every Dem on the ballot a hammer to beat their opponent with.
- Say to Play - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 12:24 pm:
If Mendoza is so concerned about this whole being an “independent watchdog” when is she going to call for either Lisa or Michael Madigan to resign? Isn’t the AG supposed to be the “independent legal watchdog” for the state? Sorry you can’t have it both ways!
- Bystander - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 12:27 pm:
Team Sleep 11:31
Not long ago Ms. Munger displayed on video tape, if I remember correctly, that she did not know 4 x 8 = 32, 3 x 9 = 27. While she no doubt is an intelligent person, her lack of basic quantitative sense should disqualify her as Comptroller.
- new clinton administration - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 12:30 pm:
Mendoza reminds me of that nagging parent that complains about everything and has no solution to it. Drives teachers and other parents nuts and everyone wishes they just moved out of the neighborhood.
If Mendoza isn’t victorious in this race, hopefully she’ll be packing bags after the next Chicago election with Rahm and headed East to work in the Clinton administration.
- MOON - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 12:48 pm:
SAY
Please provide instances where Lisa Madigan was not an “independent legal watchdog” ?
I am curious.
- Rabid - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 12:51 pm:
Did the comptroller’s office send in for bonuses too?
- Trolling Troll - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 12:58 pm:
Team Sleep-
If those criticisms are so hurtful to your candidate, maybe she should step down. We need someone with thick skin.
She doesn’t need the job anyway.
- Team Sleep - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 1:32 pm:
Trolling Troll - there is no pleasant way to respond to you without being banned. I may dislike Clerk Mendoza as a candidate but I would never INSULT her and use such derogatory terms.
- Trolling Troll - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 1:51 pm:
Team Sleep- I believe that if “dumber than a box of rocks” was the worst thing that was being said about a candidate, this election cycle would be a lot more civil.
- Wondering - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 2:05 pm:
Munger kind of stepped in it with the bonuses by saying I can’t distinguish between pay and bonuses. Correct me if I’m wrong but retirement is taken out of raises. That right there is the way you can distinguish between regular pay and bonuses.
- Telly - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 2:27 pm:
Why the heck would Rauner inject this bonus issue into the political bloodstream a few weeks before the election? Political malpractice.
Every minute of time Mendoza has bought on television the rest of the campaign should be dedicated to wacky Munger for paying bonuses.
- Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 3:03 pm:
I’m still not convinced that a Governor can pay bonuses and declare the amounts non-pensionable by fiat, if you will.
Unless it’s well-hidden, I don’t find a provision in the Pension Code that makes all bonuses non-creditable earnings, and therefore not subject to withholding of pension contributions.
Unless I’m wrong, which is always a possibility, this would seem to be a rather large glass house for Mendoza, the veteran legislator, at which to be throwing rocks.
- Rabid - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 3:03 pm:
Bonus round,not the sharpest knife in the drawer,elevator don’t go to the top,few bricks short of a load,but never dumb
- City Zen - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 3:18 pm:
Howe many unbalanced budgets did Mendoza vote yes on?
- City Zen - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 3:18 pm:
Please provide instances where Lisa Madigan was not an “independent legal watchdog” ?
Robert Creamer
- MOON - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 3:21 pm:
ZEN
You need to be more specific.
What did Lisa do regarding Creamer that forfeits her qualifications as a “independent legal watchdog” ?
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 3:22 pm:
- City Zen -
Cite what Madigan missed with Creamer.
Thanks.
- City Zen - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 4:09 pm:
So what’s the over/under for when Lisa Madigan’s office at the very least acknowledges the incident? November 9? If the “independent legal watchdog” has already, I haven’t heard.
It’s not what was missed but what is missING. Now’s the time to tout those indie creds that you claim she has.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 4:15 pm:
===So what’s the over/under for when Lisa Madigan’s office at the very least acknowledges the incident?===
Under what jurisdiction. Do have a clue what the Illinois Attorney General does?
From Hartigan to Ryan, to Madigan, you are utterly clueless to what the IL AG does.
==•November 9?===
April 23… June 7…
===If the “independent legal watchdog” has already, I haven’t heard.===
“Do want for it to happen, don’t hope for it to happen. Watch what does happen.”
You have no point. You need to learn about the AG’s office and take off the tin foil hat that apparently sees into the future?
Ugh.
- MOON - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 4:18 pm:
ZEN
THANKS FOR NOTHING.
- Annony - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 4:48 pm:
This race is one of the most frustrating ones I see right now (not including POTUS, of course). The fact that Bruce Rauner and Ken Griffin think that they can literally buy this seat is really discouraging and disgusting. And now Munger says she doesn’t need the job. Okay, then.
- City Zen - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 5:28 pm:
My sincerest apologies, Willy. I thought the state AG had a civil rights bureau.
==From Hartigan to Ryan, to Madigan, you are utterly clueless to what the IL AG does.==
So I knew what the AG did prior to Hartigan? You lost me there.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 5:42 pm:
- City Zen -
No worries. The issue is a sore one.
Even back to “Hartigan”, every challenger seems to think there’s all these “things” to AG, Ryan and Madigan included, then they become AG and they spend half of a campaign “explaining” the office of the Attorney General to everyone, instead of their record.
Jim Ryan had both ends, including running for Governor ACC trying to educate voters on what he actually DID as the AG.
I was curt, I’m sorry, but the fallacy of the AG continues and it effects and infects both sides.
- Whatever - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 6:03 pm:
Arthur Andersen ==I’m still not convinced that a Governor can pay bonuses and declare the amounts non-pensionable by fiat, if you will.==
For what it’s worth, the regulation establishing the bonus program says is 80 IAC 310.560, which says:
“Merit Incentive Program
The employer may develop and implement a merit incentive program to reward and incentivize the high performance of an individual employee, group or unit. The employer shall allocate funds to compensate individual employees, groups or units deemed high performers. The compensation from the allocated funds shall be based on the satisfaction of high performance standards to be developed by the employer. The compensation for an individual employee, group or unit shall be considered a one-time bonus, not incorporated into a base salary, and offered only as non-pensionable. Any employee who accepts merit incentive program compensation pursuant to this Section does so voluntarily and with the knowledge and on the express condition that the merit incentive program compensation shall not be included in any pension calculations.”
- Ron - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 6:57 pm:
We need someone in state government that has a little desire to control spending. Mendoza loses on that criteria.
- Just Me - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 7:47 pm:
For Mendoza to claim that she has accepted money from DPI but not from Madigan is embarrassing. If her relationship with the truth is that weak I now question the admiration I had for her all these years.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 11:23 pm:
On a team that won 103 games… had seven All-Stars… whose last year’s Cy Young winner (this year, 18-8 with a no-hitter) is the No. 3 starter behind the top two Cy Young contenders… a team that has the two top contenders for the MVP (plus tonight’s 9-hole hitter, a 22-year-old shortstop who drove in 95 runs)…
…a 23-year-old kid who hasn’t played all year is the hero.
Bears had Grabowskis. Cubs have Baby Ruth Schwarberg.
- Rabid - Thursday, Oct 27, 16 @ 8:11 am:
No budget
No pay
Bonus time
Front of line
- Rabid - Thursday, Oct 27, 16 @ 8:28 am:
Dishing out bonuses when we’re in a financial crises multiples the debt. We can’t afford her