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*** UPDATED x3 - Dubnow leaving - Bovis quits - Demertzis quits *** The Rauner purge restarts
Friday, Jul 14, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller * I withheld staff names in my subscriber post, but Greg posted ‘em and I think everybody’s OK with it now, so here’s his piece…
Brian O turned in his resignation earlier today. He walked out on his own and isn’t looking back. The other dismissals reportedly came after the governor finished his Lake County photo op. Heffley is a huge talent, by the way. And he has a family. …Adding… From a Jennifer Grady-Paswater friend…
That’s the thing that grates about this purge. These folks aren’t being fired because they’re incompetent. They’re all talented folks. They’re being shoved aside because they don’t align with the “new ideology.” And, in the past, including in this administration, when people were moved out of the governor’s office a spot was found for them in an agency, or on the campaign or whatever. Not under the new regime. They’re being dumped into the cold. …Adding More… Sneed…
*** UPDATE 1 *** Rauner spokesperson Eleni Demertzis has just resigned. Unlike some of the others, Eleni walked out on her own terms. *** UPDATE 2 *** Allie Bovis, who oversees agency communications and was the traveling press secretary today for the governor’s trip to Lake County, has submitted her resignation effective next Friday. She’s also leaving on her own terms. Both Demertzis and Bovis will hopefully be fine. They are top notch and should be able to get private sector gigs rather quickly. *** UPDATE 3 *** Jared Dubnow, who is the governor’s Director of Operations, is reportedly leaving and will be going to DCEO. He made the trains run on time, but before that he was the governor’s top advance man and was Rauner’s “body man” during the campaign.
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- Anonymous - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:07 pm:
Heffley is a really good guy. This sucks.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:08 pm:
This is what Diana and Bruce Rauner want.
===…“The IPI (Illinois Policy Institute) folks have fully taken over. This government is going to be a petri dish for them for the next year and a half,” until Rauner’s term is up.===
Diana and Bruce want the IPI to take control of Illinois and let policy destruction have helpful hands.
The “Republican” (or Raunerism) governing ends, the IPI-Raunerism governing is upon us?
- Chicago Cynic - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:10 pm:
So here’s what I don’t understand. IPI doesn’t care in the slightest about things like energy. Never has. So why purge people like that unless you have a purpose. Just seems like carnage for carnage sake.
- Cubs in '16 - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:11 pm:
I always wanted to be an amoeba in a petri dish. Just when I thought living in IL couldn’t get any more awesome.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:12 pm:
According to Sneed, Diana Rauner has been involved in this purge.
I guess The Ounce’s President must favor the IPI’s take, including the IPI budget that Jeanne Ives touted.
- Chicago Cynic - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:12 pm:
This isn’t “creative destruction.” It’s just destruction.
- RNUG - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:13 pm:
== The IPI (Illinois Policy Institute) folks have fully taken over. ==
Somebody’s gotta run it the next year and a half. /s
- Baloneymous - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:14 pm:
Is this the exit plan/strategy? Let IPI continue the destruction, if he loses next year then they take the fall and not Bruce and Diana?
- Real - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:15 pm:
Its almost like Rauner is sacrificing other people because he lost the budget battle.
- Anon221 - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:17 pm:
Ever since the Uncommon Knowledge interview, I think Rauner’s and IPI “INC”’s true plan can be distilled by this passage from the interview. It sure explains a lot of the governin’ style lately.
Bruce Rauner: You know what? We’re going to get it done. Peter, the reason we’re going to succeed is the biggest changes we’re driving have nothing to do with the General Assembly, nothing to do with any votes inside Springfield. … Nothing to do with any of the budget. Nothing to do with any of the reform agenda in the legislature. We are going to be in front of the Supreme Court, and there is more than a 90% odds that we win that case.
https://tinyurl.com/yc2me7pd
- Foreright - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:17 pm:
Jason was a guy well schooled in government and getting things done. No forward progression being made by removing people like him.
- cdog - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:18 pm:
Hard to feel sorry for people that have attached their families’ livelihoods to high-stakes political positions.
I’m sure these folks are robust and resilient, with no expectations of this government gig lasting very long.
Warning to any future Rauner administration superstars — have a good backup plan.
- DuPage - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:18 pm:
IPI: Everyone line up against this wall for the “Governor’s staff photo shoot”. Did we say “photo shoot”? We meant to say just “shoot”.
- Now What? - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:18 pm:
Ok ILGOP, your move again: are you still with this governor/IPI? Is this your party? No better time to begin to move against him before you completely fall off the right side of the table. Check your numbers and your votes. Brady? Connelly? Durkin? Hello?
- AC - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:19 pm:
The problem is, the Rauner folks were really good at messaging. Now, I didn’t agree with the message, but it resonated. At a gathering over the 4th of July, being far more interested in what people were thinking and not trying to convince anyone of anything, I was fascinated by what I heard. Rauner’s words came out of everyone as if they were reading a script. It was all “because Madigan” and a “budget without reforms” and of course “because Chicago” since it was downstate. I’m not sure there is room for improvement in messaging. Rauner’s biggest failure is disrupting the grand bargain in the senate, not his messaging.
- Ducky LaMoore - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:19 pm:
This is exactly what happens when you get a person in a job that has absolutely no clue what they are doing, and has zero desire to learn how to do it. Unfortunately, this isn’t the private sector, where a person such as this would be shown the door after 60 days (or less).
- Linus - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:20 pm:
If I was an R serving in the General Assembly, and wasn’t already checking my back for a BVR-embossed knife every couple of minutes, I’d start right now.
And now, the monogram might read “Love, BVR & IPI.”
- Anonymous - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:22 pm:
The foot drops even on those who have worn the shoes in the past. While the Superstars were sparing no one they were creating a blueprint of their own demise. I am not sure sympathy is in order. You reap what you sow.
- Henry Francis - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:22 pm:
This is how you kill off parts of government - you remove good people that do the good work of government. Then the public will either (a) not miss or learn to live without those government services (or such a void is addressed by the free market) or (b) view the agency as a failure (and waste of taxpayer resources) because it is failing to provide those services (see DCEO).
I mentioned in an earlier thread that it seems like the Guv’s heart just isn’t into being Guv as much as it used to and he has handed the reins of the governor’s office to the IPI.
- Anonymous - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:22 pm:
No news on Purvis?
IBHE has been without an Executive Director since February and Purvis/Cross pretty much ran it for a year prior to that even.
- Anonymous - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:23 pm:
So they are going all Brownback (Governor of Kansas and Koch loon) to dissolve Illinois government. Even though it has repeatedly been shown to fail. When we repeat failures expecting a different outcome it is called Crazy.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:24 pm:
Trump is doing his best to boost the public’s opinion of Obamacare, now Rauner is doing his darndest to convince legislative Republicans that maybe Madigan isn’t so bad afterall.
Up is down, east is west, and the IPI is in charge. Heaven help us.
- Veil of Ignorance - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:25 pm:
Paswater was a real professional too. IPI really thinks they can replace all these qualified folks? Scary times…
- ArchPundit - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:27 pm:
—- IPI really thinks they can replace all these qualified folks?
You assume the point is to make things work. That is not the point.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:30 pm:
The qualification Diana and Bruce Rauner want to hear is…
“Yes, Diana and Bruce, I will sit by and let the state fail. I won’t stop the game plan”
The rest is really inconsequential
- Yiddishcowboy - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:30 pm:
Heffley was a class act…very sharp and practical. Huge loss for the Gov’s office there. Very sad and unnecessary.
- Sue - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:30 pm:
Do you all really believe the average Citizen follows any of this IPI bashing. Most people card about their real estate taxes, jobs, kids’ future etc. this is all inside baseball that 99 percent of the population doesn’t give a hoot about. Rauner gets the schools open and most people will have zero interest in any of this
- Hannibal Hamlin - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:31 pm:
As the occasional reader, who falls into the moth to flames attraction of all that goes on here, help me understand this week’s comments and overall angst. I think it’s fair to say that most commenters have always been anti-Rauner, and (broad strokes) have vested interest in unions or state agencies. So why now is everyone so up in arms against the moves of the week? Would anyone (wanted to use all caps, but pulled back, Rich) have defended Rich Goldberg on anything this time last week? How about many of the others? Is this the epitome of the enemy of my enemy is my friend? As someone who has lost a job, and has a family…there cannot be much worse, but does anyone who works in these politically charged agencies really think that they are gunning for a gold watch, that their employment is election to election at best? The anti-Raunerite haters should be clinking their glasses if they think that the staff moves are disastrous. For many of the rest of us, we are hoping that the changes will bring some good and are willing to watch for the next eighteen months, and then decide whether or not to call a realtor.
- ArchPundit - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:32 pm:
Sue, I would agree with you, but it means he’s doubling down on Kansas/Brownback and that means deep austerity. People will notice that.
- Northsider - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:32 pm:
Huh. So as with Blagojevich, we may yet give thanks that Speaker Madigan is the immovable object between us and unfettered insanity?
What strange days we do inhabit.
- Slash and Burn - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:34 pm:
Jennifer Grady Paswater is a real talented lawyer and respected by everyone who worked with her. She’s been a role model for younger staffers, particularly the women. That’s a real loss.
- Ducky LaMoore - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:36 pm:
@Hannibal Hamlin
We are objective Rauner bashers. We want to see good things happen with the state and state government. So when the governor turns over the government to the IPI, it is disconcerting. He is proving that no bad decision can’t be made worse. There is no time for glass clinking when a person such as this leads our state.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:37 pm:
=== Is this the epitome of the enemy of my enemy is my friend?===
I think there may be some of that in comments. But I also think that the way these firings were conducted has been unprecedented and unnecessarily cruel.
- Baloneymous - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:38 pm:
Hannibal you better sell your house now. If you really believe what you just posted your house will be worthless in 18 months
- Six Degrees of Separation - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:39 pm:
Hannibal-
If enough people call their realtor, you may have to sell at 50 cents on the dollar.
- Puppet Master - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:39 pm:
Obviously these four did not get their required memo in by 3:30 pm today.
- charles in charge - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:42 pm:
Agree with previous commenters that Jen Paswater is/was smart and professional.
- Markus - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:42 pm:
AC- I had the same experience in the SW suburbs over the 4th. Rauner TV ad talking points and “Because Madigan” dominated discussion of Illinois; but no depth of knowledge of the issues. As stupid as the duct tape ads are, the messaging is sticking; even with some union members so the Dems better do some work getting the anti-union messaging out.
- Cubs in '16 - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:43 pm:
===The anti-Raunerite haters should be clinking their glasses if they think that the staff moves are disastrous.===
I take no pleasure in the continued decimation of the state. Yes, I want to see Rauner fail and lose re-election but not at the expense of higher ed, social services, et. al. I see the real life effects of these ‘experiments’ on a daily basis. It’s easy to remove emotion from the equation when you’re in a dorm room discussing X’s and O’s. It’s much harder to do so when you see what effect the past 2 1/2 yrs. has had on folks and know that it’s about to get even worse.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:44 pm:
===But I also think that the way these firings were conducted has been unprecedented and unnecessarily cruel.===
A great many of these fired had been fiercely loyal since the campaign and in many instances tried to help this Governor with an end game on policy that wasn’t fully about destroying the state to get there.
So, Rauner decided, with his “own” counsel that fails him far more than helps, and Diana’s input, it was “best” to eliminate those that, to Diana and Bruce, “failed” Bruce’s failed plan, and they thought making it as mean spirited and unnecessarily cruel was the “best” way to do this.
Notice the manner this purge is going hasn’t changed, and the targets are those fitting a certain blamable frame, but the they are still being done as callous as Monday’s when this all began.
- cdog - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:45 pm:
Hannibal Hamlin says, “For many of the rest of us, we are hoping that the changes will bring some good and are willing to watch for the next eighteen months…”
Let’s toast on that.
And also toast to soft-landings for the good people caught up in this change, brought on by the Rauner wind machine.
Cheers.
- Moist von Lipwig - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:46 pm:
It seems that, at a time when being Rauner-like was a minus (actually getting a budget, one might say, wasn’t a “Rauner-like” move), Rauner is hitting the breaks and skidding back into full-on extremism.
This is, frankly, scary. It’s the kind of dark days that were promised in the worst of the attack ads in 2014. He’s not the soft-focus, smiling Rauner anymore.
- EEdge - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:49 pm:
Jason Heffley is a true conservative who should fit in with the beliefs of the incoming IPI administration. He is also enormously talented and effective, so in that sense, he probably won’t fit in with the new administration.
What a huge mistake letting him go.
- Soccermom - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:51 pm:
Hannibal, you do understand that most of us on this blog love Illinois, right? And that we get no pleasure whatsoever from seeing Rauner crater our state government? And that we honestly fear what the IPI psychos may try to do?
- @MisterJayEm - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:51 pm:
“Do you all really believe the average Citizen follows any of this IPI bashing.”
Commenters aren’t concerned with IPI’s takeover of Illinois government because of any possible electoral effects, people are concerned because of the dire consequences of having our state government guided by Randian fanaticism.
– MrJM
- LTSW - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:51 pm:
What scares me is the IPI folks don’t know what they don’t know. Quinn had several think tank types in his office. They always had ideas but no knowledge of how to implement them. The types of changes these folks would like to make are going to be hampered by existing statutes protecting unions and existing programs. We will be tied up in court forever.
- Captain Ed Smith - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:55 pm:
LTSW, what scares me is some people rely on government to survive day to day. They must be scared. That is wrong.
- Anonymous - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:56 pm:
Final and finer point on the matter; all moves by the Governor have been ripped pretty consistently during his term, while guided by the very people who are now being replaced. Outside of the Springfield and JWT bubble, there are a ton of people who are saying “Finally”, that the Governor has done something bold and is showing a glimmer of what we thought he’d be. Nobody can predict (although I know many of you will follow this with attempts) how this all turns out, but those who voted for him the first time, and those who will be needed once again for reelection are willing to see it played out.
- Stones - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:56 pm:
This is what happens when you elect a venture capitalist who has never held public office to the highest position in this state. There is a human aspect to working in government and this Governor doesn’t apparently subscribe to that philosophy..
- Hannibal Hamlin - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 3:57 pm:
“Final and finer point on the matter”…was me
- Chicago Cynic - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:03 pm:
Hannibal,
Let’s be clear. If all we were thinking about was politics, those on the D side would be dancing a jig now. Outsourcing to a bunch of far-right wing amateurs instead of just campaigning on the tax increase is really good for our side.
But that’s not all we’re concerned about. For me, I’ve worked with some of these Rauner folks and some of them are good people who just don’t deserve to be treated like crap. And the way this is being done shows zero class and zero honor. It’s just mean, nasty and vindictive. As a human being with a heart, that bothers me.
And as someone who lives here and plans to stay here, I hate the destruction that Rauner and these reactionary amateurs are going to inflict in the next 18 months.
- jw - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:03 pm:
i know a lot of you will disagree but thank god that we have madigan
- FDRDEMOCRAT - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:04 pm:
Jason Heffley is a good guy. Talented policy
analyst with seasoned political skills.
He will be missed.
- Chicago 20 - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:07 pm:
Dorothy Gale: I’ve got a feeling we’re not in Illinois anymore, starting to feel more like Kansas.
- Saluki - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:09 pm:
Reminds a person of the $20 gift card commercial.
- Ginhouse Tommy - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:09 pm:
Even though I don’t care for ILGOP especially when they are in charge it is a crime that people who are good at their job and at the very least respected by even those who oppose them get fired like this. Bad things do happen to good people.
- Ron Burgundy - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:11 pm:
Well said Cynic. Regardless of ideological bent, people in this “game” are the only ones who can truly understand what others like them go through — the stresses, the egos and whims of their principals, etc. Those folks have a lot more in common than they do different from each other because they get it. Some have worked across the aisle and, surprise, found decent, friendly, hard-workig people there. No one likes to see friends or respected adversaries treated poorly. It’s called humanity and basic human decency.
- Amalia - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:12 pm:
Feeling like Illinois is being treated as a lab for strange experiments. Not liking that the leader of this state is doing that. The Economist needs to do a big article on this state.
- Thoughts Matter - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:12 pm:
In the private sector,people who are being let go, laid off or downsized are often escorted out in the following cases:
They are being fired for cause or possible worries of sabotage or unrest if they are allowed to stay until their actual pay period end date. In the rest of the cases they usually get to work another couple weeks or more( mergers for example).
In this case, they don’t appear to be being fired for any reason other than IPI wants to bring on their own superstars - or because it couldn’t possibly have been the govs fault he didn’t get his way. His wife doesn’t work for the state- she shouldn’t get a say in who leaves. That’s a Court case waiting to be filed.
- Walter - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:13 pm:
The Rauners are starting to look like the Underwoods.
- LizPhairTax - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:13 pm:
Did Ken Dunkin ever get anything?
- Mouthy - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:13 pm:
If he would do this to his own people just think about what he has in store for union folks. This man could try and pull off just about anything..
- Ginhouse Tommy - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:14 pm:
It also occurs to me that the ILGOP is watching and is taking notes. Their memory lasts longer than 18 months.
- Nick Name - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:18 pm:
So did those who were fired still have to turn in their Completed Staff Work memos on their way out the door?
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:21 pm:
===“This is a clear signal John Tillman, the CEO of the Illinois Policy Institute, has a firm grip on the new regime in the Rauner administrative,” a top Sneed source said.===
This reads that the IPI is running Rauner?
- Johnny Number Five - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:21 pm:
Hannibal makes an excellent point. A lot of the comments on here have been ripping people like Richard Goldberg and Catherine Kelly for months. Now crocodile tears are shed that they’re shown the door.
That said, some of these people were talented, but many were also Illinois Republican Party hacks that ended up on the Rauner bandwagon. They were ruthless with many in state government, Democrats and Republicans alike. Now the tables have turned.
- Markus - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:23 pm:
With IPI in charge now, maybe we can look forward to Rauner’s first balanced budget proposal for next FY?
- Matt P. - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:24 pm:
“And he has a family.”
Please elaborate. Anyone with a family should retained over single people?
Is this a politically connected family or something?
- Cubs in '16 - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:25 pm:
===So did those who were fired still have to turn in their Completed Staff Work memos on their way out the door?===
If so, the memos probably contain some short variation of ‘bite me’.
- Scamp640 - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:25 pm:
How could they purge a guy named Seuss?
I sure do like the IPI
I like to see the poor kids cry
I do not like to fund grade school
Right to work is one fine rule
There is no Mad-i-gan I like
Especially those my taxes hike
But I no longer work for Rauner
That is just a right-wing downer
With apologies to Theodor Geisel
- ArchPundit - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:27 pm:
===This reads that the IPI is running Rauner?
It may well be what is happening while Bruce has been flattered that it’s all his idea.
- Union Dues - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:28 pm:
Inexperienced journalists running the Governors office will just make the Legislature more powerful.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:29 pm:
(Sigh)
You can argue fiercely with those in the politics abc policy abc even those within administrations…
… we are all human and in this “business”, taking delight or enjoyment in this type of purge in this manner… is flat-out wrong.
How people are treated.., treated in this business where trading off your own word and reputation, even if you disagree 99.99% of the time… how people are treated is a measure in this business.
It’s a small fraternity.
We let a stranger in our house, and that stranger wants, with his wife, to destroy this state, and this purge, in many ways, lifts the last barriers.
That… and you don’t treat people in this industry like this… it’s a people business.
Never forget that.
- Name Withheld - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:30 pm:
==crocodile tears are shed that they’re shown the door==
These aren’t crocodile tears - but an acknowledgement that they deserved far more courtesy by the man on whose behalf they were acting than they received.
- Seats - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:30 pm:
What are these “completed staff work memos” I keep reading references about?
- ILGOV2018 - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:33 pm:
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:21 pm:
===“This is a clear signal John Tillman, the CEO of the Illinois Policy Institute, has a firm grip on the new regime in the Rauner administrative,” a top Sneed source said.===
This reads that the IPI is running Rauner?
So, OW would this qualify as a special interest group?
- Skeptic - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:33 pm:
I’d hate to be the person with an ****in’ problem.
- RNUG - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:34 pm:
- Hannibal Hamlin -
Politically, I’m right of center. I *should* be a Rauner supporter. But I want to see the State actually function and deliver services that are needed. I was part of “management” for a lot of years under the GOP. I even like a few things the Gov has done.
But Rauner isn’t playing politics, he is just flat out deliberately tearing things down. He claims he has no power when he could, if he cut deals, go around Madigan.
I could go on … but you get the idea.
- Mama - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:34 pm:
Is there a new director at CMS?
- Anon2500 - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:34 pm:
When is someone going to start @RogueRaunerStaff ?
- Driveby - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:36 pm:
Not incompetent? Yes, they were, and that has been regularly said here.
- ILGOV2018 - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:36 pm:
Wouldn’t it be great if all of these former Rauner “Superstars” were to hold a press conference and let the voters know what they had to deal with on a day to day basis?
Can you imagine?
- Sonny - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:36 pm:
How do they justify keeping Munger and the other two assistant governors around during all this?
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:37 pm:
No, it’s just a corporate takeover of Illinois… With Tillman, 4 money people and Proft.
Nothing more.
- Johnny Number Five - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:38 pm:
It isn’t Tillman running the show, it’s Proft. That’s where the real House of Cards scenario is coming into play.
How long before IOP takes control of the campaign operation?
- Grandson of Man - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:38 pm:
“and then decide whether or not to call a realtor”
Lol, phony concern troll much?
I agree, lots of us love the state and can’t stomach watching a mulitimillionaire, a few billionaires and a propaganda organization who cries phony tears about how bad it is here yet make lots of money in Illinois intentionally wreck the state.
Yes, the state was in terrible shape, but there are other ways to fix the state other than the Randian cruelty that is evident in the purges.
I hope Republican legislators who’ve had enough of the carnage and voted for the budget continue working in a bipartisan way to help us even more, because we need it.
- Deft Wing - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:40 pm:
“This is an outrage!!”
“How can this happen?!”
“That Rauner guy is a mean person!!”
Calm down, people. Purges/house-cleanings or just changes in personnel happen in real life; be it in the administrations of governors or otherwise in the private sector. It sucks and can be unfair. But life goes on.
In fact, that is real life … without tenure, 8-step grievance processes in a collective bargaining agreement or in other protected environments.
Next.
- Thank You - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:41 pm:
=Not incompetent? Yes, they were, and that has been regularly said here.=
Jason Heffley did the Exelon deal at the expense of IL. they certainly owe him one.
- Mike Cirrincione - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:41 pm:
Worst.Governor.Ever.
- Honeybear - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:41 pm:
This is getting Stalinist at this point.
- Rod - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:43 pm:
I don’t see IPI running Rauner, people like Governor Rauner and his buddies Kenneth Griffin, John Childs, Sam Zell, and Richard Uihlein fund the IPI. The IPI is acting as the ideological bench players for Rauner when things get hard. They have a shared vision let us say.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:45 pm:
For me?
This is why my biggest compliment is
“I like the way they go about their business”
It’s not an accident that I say that.
This fraternity is about understanding this is a business about people, for people, and working with and against people… thru politics and policy… but is is people.
The purged, they deserved better.
- Bruce Please - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:46 pm:
Ouch.
Just, ouch.
- Anonymous - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:47 pm:
It has always amazed me how the IPI had sold their false agenda. Until recently media, and some probably still do, refered to this ultra right wing organization as “bipartisan”. Alway got a belly laugh from me and an email to the editor/newsroom.
- Comment - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:48 pm:
Why does the Cyndi Lauper song True Colors keep cycling in my head?
- DownstateKid - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:49 pm:
Comparing what Brown attempted in Kansas to what Rauner wants to do here is the single biggest intellectual dishonest thing I constantly read on this blog.
Mitch Daniels or Scott Walker is the actual goal. You can agree or disagree with the policies but at least be honest in your characterizations.
- In 630 - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:51 pm:
Going full Brownback.
Because it worked sooooo well in Kansas
/sarcasm
- Me Again - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:53 pm:
I’m not a fan of Donald Trump, but Rauner is way crazier than Donald Trump ever would be.
- Ginhouse Tommy - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:53 pm:
Rich keeps using the same words to describe most of these people who are leaving…top notch. Makes you wonder how things are going to function now.
- WSJ Paywall - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:54 pm:
Didn’t worked with Eleni, but Allie is great.
- Fixer - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:54 pm:
I wouldn’t be surprised to see some of these names come back around election time with other candidates in the various races.
- Nick - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:54 pm:
The IPI take over of state government, or more accurately, the Governor turning over state government to the IPI, will prove to be the last nail in his political coffin.
- Amalia - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:54 pm:
the picture that will be painted of Rauner for the election is becoming clearer and clearer. A right wing conservative mean boss. I don’t see Illinois as loving that.
- don the legend - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:55 pm:
This kind of purge usually happens at the start of a second term. Maybe Bruce doesn’t think he’ll experience that opportunity.
- Anonymous - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:55 pm:
Thank you,
Heffley didn’t “do the Exelon deal.” It was Goldberg’s baby. He’s the one who agreed to the phony rate caps and didn’t care that he got taken to the cleaners.
- Pelonski - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:55 pm:
Captain Ed,
“what scares me is some people rely on government to survive day to day.”
What scares me is the people who don’t realize that we ALL rely on the government to survive day to day. Imagine what your life would be like without the government provided roads, military, police, emergency responders, the court system, etc. Without government, we would literally be living in the stone age.
- illini - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:55 pm:
Willy, you should be able to get at least three good episodes from these past few days. Am I right?
- charles in charge - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:56 pm:
Good on you, Eleni.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 4:59 pm:
“Dad’s Home State” might be on a hiatus for a bit.
Maybe a reboot is in order too…
- Arsenal - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 5:08 pm:
So wait, some of you guys want we should be meaner to the guys who were just fired?
I’ve got enough empathy to feel for someone who just lost their job, even if I disagreed with how they did their job. I’ve got enough perspective to want the best for my state, even if “the best” is delivered by a politician I don’t like, and the politicians I *do* like can’t derive any electoral benefit from it.
If you don’t feel that way…fine. We’re talking about really important things, with high stakes, so a lot of reactions are valid. But stow the talk of “Crocodile tears”. That’s just projection.
- VanillaMan - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 5:29 pm:
Good people are leaving because they gave up. After 2,5 years they realized that Rauner is a failure.
They believe him.
They gave him the benefit of every doubt.
They began to lose hope.
They went to work expecting a change.
They finally discovered that being loyal to Rauner isn’t resume friendly.
They ran out of excuses.
Two weeks into this administration and I saw what he really was and gave up on him. He’s not suitable to be a governor.
We might hope that Illinois can do needed reforms, but Rauner isn’t the one to do it. He’s a nasty piece of work and working for him isn’t worth it.
Sorry this administration is crashing and burning, but better it, than the state they were determined to destroy, right?
- Radical Moderate - Friday, Jul 14, 17 @ 5:39 pm:
Have known and worked with Brian O. for years - big loss for Rauner. Simply put he is one of the best transportation policy and politics guys in the State. Straight shooter who is well liked in the transportation industry and with people on both sides of the aisle in Springfield, Chicago, and Washington, DC.