Is Rauner staffer on the way out?
Monday, Jul 24, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sneed…
Sneed hears rumbles the days might be numbered for Brittany Carl, one of Gov. Bruce Rauner’s newly hired communications aides — who compared abortion to Nazi Germany’s eugenics programs on a conservative blog before she was hired. […]
“Both the governor and Diana are irate over the comments,” said a top source for the couple, who claims they are disappointed with the loss of some of their staff amid abrupt firings and resignations last week. […]
“It’s true Rauner was hoping for a diversity of hiring, but Carl’s hiring wasn’t well thought out,” said a Sneed source.
The governor was asked about this by reporters today and said he doesn’t always agree with everything his staff believes. He gave no indication that she would be let go.
* And then…
Sneed is told the governor was not happy with the leadership of his communications department, felt relationships with the media could have been much better, and had tried to bring in new talent to offer new ideas — but felt his communications staff was not open to new ideas.
“So the plan was to bring in new talent who related better to the press and were better at messaging,” the source said.
People who relate better to the press? Really? Here’s the Illinois Policy Institute’s publisher and general manager of its news network…
When people ask me how Madigan has managed to maintain his grip on the state, I tell them that it’s two pieces. One, he owns his district. He’s had it on lockdown for decades. Two, he owns the Springfield Bubble Press Corps, who seem only too willing to amplify whatever anyone blows into their recorders. Some of that reporting brings to mind the foreign press I observed in my world travels.
* Related…
* Statement of Rep. Peter Breen (R-Lombard): “Illinois Democrats and their left-wing allies will do anything to distract from their massive tax increase and Chicago bailout, including mischaracterizing a smart, competent woman for her strong support of the pro-life position. In her private capacity, well before taking a public political position with the Rauner administration, Brittany Carl wrote articles linking her strong feminist position with her equally strong pro-life position. She wrote with the passion and conviction you would expect from an advocate, not the carefully crafted words of a politician. While her past writings don’t deserve to be judged by the standards of political press releases, folks should heed her core message: a belief in feminism is consistent with a belief in the dignity and worth of every life, no matter how small. The leaders of the Democratic Party recently declared that pro-life people cannot be Democrats. Thank God Governor Rauner, despite being pro-choice, doesn’t discriminate against people based on their own personal abortion positions.”
- Fax Machine - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 11:27 am:
The McCann threat means he won’t fire Carl & he’ll stick to vetoing HB40 (if it’s sent to him)
- Anon E. Moose - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 11:28 am:
You can have whatever opinion on abortion that you want. But once you start comparing healthcare decisions to Nazi Germany, expect to be called out.
- ILGOV2018 - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 11:28 am:
One can only hope she is fired. Just continues to show the incompetence of the Rauner regime.
- Anonymous - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 11:29 am:
If she is fired because she is pro-life, expect Rauner to have more problems with what should be his base than he has now.
- Hullaballo - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 11:30 am:
“he owns the Springfield Bubble Press Corps, who seem only too willing to amplify whatever anyone blows into their recorders. Some of that reporting brings to mind the foreign press I observed in my world travels.”
Pretty rich considering INN and IPI receive the bulk of their funding from Rauner and other extremely wealthy ideologues, create fake “newspapers” to attack their political opponents, and purchase dozens of radio stations to push their view. But yes, the Capitol press corps reporting on what one of the leaders in the Capitol says is tantamount to Pravda.
- Fax Machine - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 11:31 am:
That’s why unions are funding McCann with the hope he’ll primary Rauner - they know beating the Governor is a long long long shot but it will force him to make right-wing decisions that will hurt his position in the General election.
- ILGOV2018 - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 11:32 am:
Hullaballo—-don’t forget Proft and his merry band of naysayers.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 11:32 am:
Here’s how this works…
Either Diana…
(Sneed keeps inserting Diana, I wonder why? Maybe Diana is this/close to all things Rauner?)
… and Bruce whole-heartedly accept Brittany Carl, and her weeks old writings as acceptable for Carl to stand up in front of microphones be cameras as the voice, the face, the mouthpiece for Bruce Rauner… or they don’t.
Ms. Carl’s work-product IS words.
Ms. Carl chose her words, Diana and Beuve chose her.
Sneedless to say, Diana and Bruce aren’t over the moon about this. Ms. Carl’s quotes, in the end, might be ageless and priceless when used against Bruce later on.
Stay tuned.
- DuPage Bard - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 11:33 am:
So is that Breen stepping out as the new floor leader?
- ILGOV2018 - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 11:36 am:
OW, perhaps her words are causing much consternation with the Winnetka martini crowd and the Rauners are getting an earful.
- DuPage Saint - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 11:42 am:
I guess Proft should have vetted her better before he made Bruce hire her
- wordslinger - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 11:43 am:
Unbelievable.
For two years, this guy largely got a pass for his deliberate destruction for some incoherent agenda.
He was hardly ever called out for his illegitimate hostage-taking tactics.
He thought he got bad press? With IPI and Proft at the controls, and the scorned old regime telling stories, he ain’t seen nothing yet.
- Mean Gene - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 11:52 am:
==That’s why unions are funding McCann with the hope he’ll primary Rauner - …it will force him to make right-wing decisions that will hurt his position in the General election.==
Yea, or they support McCann because he is pro-worker and pro-union. Crazy that an organization would support candidates who support them. Insane concept.
- Roman - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 11:55 am:
== “So the plan was to bring in new talent who related better to the press and were better at messaging” ==
Um, good luck with that. Considering the generally positive coverage Rauner has received from the press, things are likely to get worse.
- Anonymous - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 11:55 am:
I think the past two weeks have shown that Rauner may not have given his comma folks the credit they deserve. The mere fact that the press still talked to them and took them serious, after two years of peddling the stuff Rauner wanted put out there, shows they must’ve had a decent relationship. And it’s pretty clear from the stories the last few weeks, and how they’ve been framed, that the relationship between the press and Rauner’s current comms shop isn’t quite the same.
- A guy - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 12:00 pm:
Rep. Breen added some sanity and perspective to the dialogue. Hope it’s heeded.
- Reality Check - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 12:06 pm:
In her private capacity, well before taking a public political position with the Rauner administration, Brittany Carl wrote articles
“Well before”.
“Well before”?
Like … three months before?
OK.
- 47th Ward - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 12:08 pm:
===The leaders of the Democratic Party recently declared that pro-life people cannot be Democrats.===
Rep. Phelps and some others missed that memo.
A guy, if lying about the Democratic Party is “sanity and perspective,” then I agree with you about Breen.
- Reality Check - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 12:11 pm:
Also, “people who relate better to the press”?
Like Dan Proft, who’s infamous for berating reporters with aggressive, harassing texts and phone calls if they say something he doesn’t like.
Sure…
- A guy - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 12:13 pm:
47, I’m not identifying the lie you are seeing.
I hope this person survives and learns the lesson in the nuance of communicating different in a different environment and circumstance. If she doesn’t, we’ll never see anyone hired who’s ever written anything before.
You think any of the spokespersons for any of the leaders haven’t written something that would be objectionable in their current roles?
I’m not waiting for the answer I already know. And it goes for all of them. Every one. Especially the really good ones.
- 47th Ward - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 12:26 pm:
Breen’s defense of Rauner is based on a lie, A guy, whether you can identify it or not, whatever that means.
- Anonymous - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 12:36 pm:
Diana and the Bruce she controls
- ArchPundit - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 12:40 pm:
====One, he owns his district. He’s had it on lockdown for decades. Two, he owns the Springfield Bubble Press Corps, who seem only too willing to amplify whatever anyone blows into their recorders. Some of that reporting brings to mind the foreign press I observed in my world travels
1) Yes, the press has all sorts of warm and fuzzy feelings for Speaker Madigan. You know, he’s so talkative and such. /snark
2) Willing to amplify whatever anyone blows into their recorders cuts both ways for the current Governor.
3) Comparing the press corps in Springfield to press in repressive regimes suggests to me that perhaps the IPI really is far more clueless than I even thought which is pretty amazing.
The press is in tough shape in Illinois because of newspaper budget cuts, but the only Pravda like operation are the organs IPI and Proft are running.
- ArchPundit - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 12:42 pm:
—that the relationship between the press and Rauner’s current comms shop isn’t quite the same.
The current team thinks the Illinois press corps is Pravda. Good luck working with them.
- Demoralized - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 12:57 pm:
==Rep. Breen added some sanity and perspective to the dialogue==
I don’t think defending a person who tried to equate abortion with what the Nazi’s were doing is sane. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
- A guy - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 1:10 pm:
Demo, you’re a good guy. Read it again. He didn’t defend the method of expression. In all of the hoopla, he was defending something quite different than that. The audience is quite different for her now. This could be a great learning moment. Can’t we allow experience to develop here? I think we can. Many (all) other spokespersons have had some poorly turned phrases in their past.
We completely agree about leaving the Nazi stuff out of metaphors, except for in the very rare cases where they appropriately apply.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 1:28 pm:
===This could be a great learning moment. Can’t we allow experience to develop here?===
lol…
She is going to be a Comms person for a sitting Governor.
She could be at times the face, the voice, the on the record response for the governor of the 5th largest state in America.
===I think we can. Many (all) other spokespersons have had some poorly turned phrases in their past.===
How did that turn out for Sean Spicer in the end, referring to WWII Germany?
She wrote what she wrote.
If Bruce… and Diana… want her to speak for Bruce, given her work-product would consist of picking words, and hat a few weeks ago, comparing something to WWII Germaby was “okey-dokey” with her…
… dunno if that the person you want with their name on top of press releases.
If Diana and Bruce want the scrutiny, then they should keep her.
It’s up to them.
- Hey Now - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 1:40 pm:
Rep. Breen, you are pretty far right yourself. So i can understand why you are siding with Brittany. Maybe when you fall further into the minority party and look around. You’ll see that many have been voted off island Rauner. I emphasize ISLAND.
- A guy - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 2:10 pm:
Willy, refer to my response to Demo, a dude I like.
Fairly rigid standard you’ve got there. From now forward, perhaps you could apply it uniformly.
I’ve seen great hyperbole on every controversial issue; guns, abortion, citizenship, etc. You name it. If your experience is with the advocates, your rhetoric is going to be heightened.
How about you judge her on how she does from now forward? Too much to ask? I sure hope not.
She’s a very smart and capable woman. I’d urge a little patience. That surely doesn’t mean it’ll happen. A guy who communicates with as much passion and as often! as you do ought to offer a little slack on this one.
I’m in full agreement that the Body Man had to go. His tweets were hateful. This lady chose an analogy that only worked with one very ardent audience. She’s got a new boss and a new mission. How about giving her a week or two to see what she’s got?
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 3:03 pm:
===She’s a very smart and capable woman===
You know her? You’re vouching for her?
Until I know what this means, your comment towards me has no bearing yet.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 3:24 pm:
I can’t let this fly…
===A guy who communicates with as much passion and as often as you do ought to offer a little slack on this one===
When I become the face, the voice, the “comment” for the governor of the 5th largest state in Ameeica, then this comparison will make sense.
The likelihood of AWillyWord Consulting getting work out ilof the $300 million out there to be had is as likely as me starting tomorrow’s game at 2nd base for the Cubs against the Sox.
This elevating me to heights, while seemingly flattering, I always take it “why are you lowering ‘X’ to my level?”
- @MisterJayEm - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 3:27 pm:
“I hope this person survives and learns the lesson in the nuance of communicating different in a different environment and circumstance. If she doesn’t, we’ll never see anyone hired who’s ever written anything before.”
The world is lousy with professional writers who’ve never compared pro-choice women to Nazis.
– MrJM
- Anonymous - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 4:22 pm:
She would be on her way out, but nobody in the office can figure out how to open the door so she can leave
- ChrisB - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 6:10 pm:
She broke Staffer Rule #1: Don’t become the story.
Doesn’t matter if it happened before she was hired. The moment she became the story, she became a liability.
- A guy - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 6:16 pm:
==Doesn’t matter if it happened before she was hired.===
Dude, the Comms people are the messengers and everyone wants to shoot the messenger. Nice platitude. Wrong.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 6:19 pm:
===Dude, the Comms people are the messengers and everyone wants to shoot the messenger===
The messenger likes to use WWII Germany to make a point.
If Diana and Bruce want that messenger, that’s their prerogative, but… she wrote what she wrote… all those… weeks… ago.
- A guy - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 9:05 pm:
Yes Willy. Before she was tapped to be someone else’s messenger. I’ll will vouch for her. She’s got skill. She’ll progress quickly if she’s given the chance to. I’ll buy all that business about being the 5th largest state and all, if the state as a whole acted like it in any other way.
You can’t undo what has already occurred. You can do better going forward. I seriously believe there’s some part of you that gets that. Now, go to bed. You’re playing second for the Cubs tomorrow. lol
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 9:18 pm:
- A guy -
There’s nothing to buy, or not to buy.
This is the 5th largest state in America, and you vouching for her, that you know her, and still think she should be considered to represent a sitting governor with just mere weekend behind only thinking a WWII Germany take is wise… that’s up to Diana and Bruce to think if they want Bruce to have a flack that thinks that way speaking for him.
If the RaunerS wavy that, that’s on them.
You should talk to Sneed and the RaunerS about ignoring the backlash.
===Now, go to bed. You’re playing second for the Cubs tomorrow.===
That’s not true.
Just like it’s not true I’m not going to be speaking for any governor or any candidate anytime between now and 2099…
Right now, the RaunerS want her there.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 9:36 pm:
“weeks and weeks behind”
Apologies
- Hank - Monday, Jul 24, 17 @ 10:19 pm:
Chris Krug is a nutjob who ran Northwest Herald into the ground. He’s lucky he gets a paycheck to rant incoherently about unions and Democrats.