One of Gov. Bruce Rauner’s new communications aides has argued that abortion is being used “to rid the world of disabled and other ‘unwanted’ persons” — comparing it to Nazi Germany. […]
Carl, a $45,000-a-year communications specialist was hired this week as part of sweeping changes within Rauner’s administration. Carl, who goes by Brittany Clingen Carl or Brittany Clingen in online articles, is listed as the editor and publisher of Reclaiming Feminism, a conservative blog. […]
“Certainly nothing matches the atrocity of the Holocaust, but it’s undeniable that abortion is being used to rid the world of disabled and other ‘unwanted’ persons — a fact the Left and their pro-abortion allies don’t want discussed,” Carl wrote.
Carl also wrote about parents aborting babies diagnosed with Down syndrome: “Attempting to rid the world of people with Down syndrome simply because they are different constitutes the dangerous and morally reprehensible practice of eugenics not entirely unlike what was practiced in . . . Nazi Germany.” […]
“Any of the writing Brittany did before she worked for the state reflect her personal opinion, not the opinion of the administration,” said Laurel Patrick, Rauner’s new communications director. “If you’re going to quote from her past writing, she asks that you please quote accurately and with full context.”
* That’s an interesting response. Here’s what that same spokesperson said about the one-day body man’s past tweets…
“These tweets are unacceptable,” said Laurel Patrick, an administration spokeswoman. “The individual in question is no longer an employee of our Administration.”
A Republican operative said Diana Rauner should be concerned. “I would like to know, the First Lady, who is a known pro-choice advocate, how she feels about this,” the operative, speaking on condition of anonymity, said. “Really she should be weighing in.”
Yep.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Terry Cosgrove at Personal PAC…
This is just further evidence as to what a complete fraud Governor Rauner and Diana Rauner truly are. They have spent tens of millions of dollars lying to Illinois voters about being pro-choice and moderate. Hiring racist, anti-Semitic, homophobic right-wing activists to run Illinois government puts them on a race to the bottom in competition with Donald Trump as to who can be the most destructive.
*** UPDATE 2 *** From Galia Slayen at the Pritzker campaign…
There is no context in which comparing abortion to Nazi eugenics is appropriate. As a Jewish woman, I find this statement disgusting and entirely indefensible. The Rauner administration’s refusal to condemn it shows that they are being taken over by radical ideologues, intent on furthering the Trump agenda of bigotry and hatred. It may serve his new staff well to take a tour of the Illinois Holocaust Museum.
*** UPDATE 3 *** From the Anti Defamation League…
Lonnie Nasatir, ADL Chicago-Upper Midwest Regional Director, states, “Any analogy comparing the Holocaust to the national debate over abortion is historically inaccurate, inappropriate and offensive especially to survivors and their families. We call upon Ms. Carl to retract her statement.”
*** UPDATE 4 *** Sen. Daniel Biss…
“The latest hire by the Governor reveals Rauner’s true colors; today, that’s attacking the rights of women and teachers. His actions in this moment will be determinative: either he supports this disgusting Trumpian dialogue, or he’ll fire members of his team who continue to use it.”
In a story posted on eagnews.org in May 2013, Carl wrote about a Stanford University professor and author who said teachers unions have created “insurmountable problems for effective schools” and should be stopped.
* From the Illinois Federation of Teachers’ spokesperson Aviva Bowen, who is also Jewish…
The Governor’s recent hires reflect the real Rauner, and it’s appalling.
Republican governors Charlie Baker of Massachusetts, John Kasich of Ohio and Brian Sandoval of Nevada last month sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., saying the plan would hurt their states. Arizona’s Republican Gov. Doug Ducey said last week the bill “needs a lot of work.”
At the nation’s meeting of governors this month in Providence, Rhode Island, Democratic governors spoke out as well. Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo said the bill would almost certainly cause job losses at her state’s hospitals and other health care facilities.
In March, Rauner said he was worried Illinois won’t do very well under a health care plan that later passed the U.S. House. But Rauner is far from the front lines in this battle, which has huge implications for our state. […]
We need to hear Rauner’s voice among those of governors who are passionately and publicly trying to protect their states.
Um, boy. Um, Craig [Dellimore], you know my comments. I’ve expressed my concern about the changes being proposed to the Affordable Care Act and their negative impact on our most vulnerable residents, both in the expanded Medicaid population in Illinois, it’s like about 650,000, as well as the many hundreds of thousands in the standard Medicaid program. I’m very concerned about it and I’ve expressed that these changes could be very damaging and I’ve said it publicly and I’ve expressed those concerns to various members of Congress as well as to the administration.
* The DGA was not amused…
While signing Charlie’s law [yesterday], Bruce Rauner was asked about his near complete silence on Republican efforts to pass Trumpcare. In response, Rauner claimed he spoke up about Medicaid provisions – “These changes can be very damaging and I’ve said it publicly, and I’ve expressed those concerns to Members of Congress, as well as to the Administration.”
To which there is only one proper follow-up – seriously?
Faced with the politically inconvenient prospect of speaking out forcefully about legislation coming from his own party, Bruce Rauner has literally hid from reporters’ questions on Trumpcare. Here’s a smattering of newspaper clips since the last time Rauner spoke about the efforts:
Crain’s Chicago’s Greg Hinz: “I’ve now tried for a good two months to get the Rauner folks to detail the economic impact to the budget of what’s being discussed. No answer. I’ve asked them if, like Walker, he’s open to some of those waivers on pre-existing conditions and other matters. No answer. I’ve asked them what the governor wants and doesn’t want in the legislation. No answer.”
Chicago Sun-Times: “The Senate bill is as mean-spirited as the House bill. Illinois would get hammered even harder. And Gov. Bruce Rauner is still AWOL.”
The LAST time Rauner spoke on Trumpcare, he mentioned that he would work with Governors while the bill moved into the Senate. Well, in the past few months, two letters from a bipartisan group of Governors were made public expressing their opposition the Senate’s actions on health care. Rauner’s name was not on those letters. And four letters were sent by Illinois’ Senators asking for guidance from Rauner. He responded to none.
And Rauner has not answered the easiest question of all – “Do you support the measure?”
“Bruce Rauner has totally and completely abdicated his responsibilities to the residents of Illinois by hiding during the Trumpcare debate,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “While governors from both parties have spoken out against Trumpcare, Rauner’s been silent the whole time. Bruce Rauner’s failed leadership is putting the health and prosperity of middle-class families at risk to avoid taking a politically difficult position.”
…Adding… Pritzker campaign…
After Trumpcare appeared all but dead yesterday, Bruce Rauner decided it was finally time to show “leadership” and comment on the bill. In response, JB Pritzker released the following statement:
“While Republican and Democratic governors have joined forces to fight against Trumpcare, Bruce Rauner has cowardly sat on the sidelines and left the healthcare of millions of Illinoisans unprotected,” said JB Pritzker. “For Rauner to speak out now is an insult to Illinois families and community leaders across the state who have worked tirelessly to oppose this bill, which would have a detrimental impact on our state. Rauner’s ‘concerns’ are too little much too late and evidence of a politician who cares more about playing politics than governing. This isn’t leadership, this is cowardice.”
* Remember on Monday when Gov. Rauner said school superintendents were scared of the “tyrant” Speaker Madigan and that’s why they were supporting SB 1? These superintendents don’t sound all that scared…
Superintendents from across the state, along with dozens of teachers, students, and parents, gathered at Brighton North Elementary School to show their strong support for SB 1. Many superintendents said the state already owes them money from previous years, resulting in program and personnel cuts and job losses.
“If the state of Illinois delays or quits sending our general state aid, I don’t think people realize that our district, Bethalto Unit 8, could not stay open for more than one month if general state aid would stop flowing,” said Dr. Jill Griffin, Bethalto School District Superintendent.
Mark Skertich, superintendent of the Southwestern Illinois School District, which includes Bethalto public schools, said his district would be forced to make more deep cuts if SB-1 isn’t signed into law soon.
“We believe all children should receive an adequate and equitable education and we expect a new funding formula does not include winners and losers. Senate Bill 1 is the only bill poised to become law and advocates for call children,” Skertich said.
Meanwhile, Superintendent Mike Gauch from Harrisburg Unit 3 said he worked on SB1 for years and supports it, even with extra money for teacher pensions in Chicago.
“When SB1 was created, the thought was that all school children in Illinois would be created equal and be treated equally across the board,” said Gauch. “And one of those things that was brought up was the fact that all schools in Illinois get state funding to pay pensions and Chicago is not one of those schools.”
And superintendent Gauch has lots of company supporting SB1.
“Should they not accomplish their work to fund schools, it would be a sad day for our state that our governor and general assembly would hold our kids hostage,” said Superintendent Keith Oates from Marion Unit 2
Lake County school superintendents hope a new state funding formula will promise more equity among all school districts, regardless of their zip code.
“No district loses money, I can tell you from my districts prospective in particular it was important for us to make sure there was no Robin Hood scenario going on,” said Brian Harris, superintendent of Barrington 220 School District.
On Monday, Harris stood with superintendents from poorer school districts urging Gov. Rauner to sign SB 1, a bill that changes the funding formula to an evidence-based system which means lower-income districts, who don’t have a strong property base, will no longer be short changed.
“We need a funding formula,” Quincy Superintendent Roy Webb said. “It’s too critical for schools not to have any funding. The money’s been allocated, and with the new income tax, the money is there for schools, so it would be a shame if they didn’t do something.”
Pikeland School District Superintendent Paula Hawley agreed.
“The bottom line is, we need some way to get this funding to the schools as soon as possible,” Hawley said. “We need to have general state aid coming in in a timely manner starting in August, when it’s supposed to. Senate Bill 1 is the best way to get it to us right now. They have to figure out the politics in Chicago, but don’t penalize us in the meantime.”
Connie Collins, superintendent of Round Lake Area School District 116, said it is urgent the governor signs the bill so districts could have the certainty to open their doors in time for the start of school next month. About 82.5 percent of District 116 students are from low-income families.
* But Cary Grade School District 26 Board President Scott Coffey is not a fan…
Its easy to forecast that we’ll end up in exactly the same place as was projected under the original SB-1, with suburban districts as the “Losers” and low-income/downstate districts as the winners.
“I don’t care what J.B. (Pritzker) spends,” said Daley, referring to the rival who insiders say is prepared to spend $70 million to win the primary, and then a multiple of that against GOP incumbent Bruce Rauner. “What Chris needs to be competitive is $8 million to $10 million. That’s enough to get out the message.” […]
Figures released yesterday for the quarter ended June 30 indicate Kennedy raised just $704,000. That’s less than not only Pritzker, who donated $14 million to himself, but also Evanston state Sen. Daniel Biss, who topped the million-dollar mark. Worse, Kennedy spent all but about $50,000 of it, leaving him with less than $1 million in the bank, ahead of the prime campaign season that opens after Labor Day.
“It was a bad quarter, no question about it,” Daley told me. “There was a lot of political outreach. (But) there wasn’t even a finance committee, just a committee of stakeholders.”
Fixing that is the first thing on his agenda, Daley said. A full finance committee is being assembled (Daley declined to disclose any names), with an initial meeting set for next week. Lists of fundraising targets will be assembled, and regular calls and contacts made, he continued. Some of that will involve the candidate himself. “Chris has to spend more time on it.”
I don’t think he even needs $8-10 million. But he’s not on pace to have a few mil in the bank come January
The lack of fundraising success by a member of the Kennedy family with a huge number of wealthy contacts who proved his worth on cold calls early in his career is, by far, the biggest surprise of his entire campaign. He needs to get on those phones and stay on them. And raising a thousand bucks a pop from Hollywood stars including Larry David is ridiculously low. They blow that on lunch. Take ‘em for more.
There’s a definite side benefit to Kennedy spending lots more time on the phone raising cash. He’ll have fewer opportunities to alienate women and their babies. From a friend today…
I’ve been joking for a while that the Kennedy campaign would be better off if the whole campaign including the candidate went to Europe until after the primary and I think I’ve reached the point where it’s not really a joke anymore.
Maybe he could make those calls from Paris.
* Also, one clarification on the second quarter report from yesterday. Kennedy’s nearly 100 percent burn rate wasn’t as high as it appeared because he deferred a bunch of spending from the first quarter. Still, it wasn’t great by any measure.
* Chris Kennedy spoke at the Mom+Baby governors candidate meet and greet yesterday. I didn’t see anything on his Twitter page about it, but I’m told about 30 moms and 10 kids had to wait at least half an hour for him to arrive. And it went downhill from there. From a few text messages that were forwarded to me…
He was a hot mess. Shirt barely tucked in. He had on biking shoes. He spoke about Trump the entire time. Crazy!
It was embarrassing. He misquoted stats that our members corrected him on. He got called out on lack of supporting single payer and marijuana legalization
He also starting talking education inequity and misspoke on the cps funding. It was nuts.
Now while we had this ridiculous budget fight for the last two years, I said, well if you guys can’t make the cuts necessary to balance the budget and all you guys want to do is raise taxes, I’m not going to support a tax hike, get some reforms that help on workers’ comp and business regulations. But if you’re going to waste a lot of time fighting about that and at minimum, let’s get a capital bill done, let’s do that before all this other stuff. I advocated that two years ago, I advocated that last year. They said no. They didn’t want to do that. They were holding, frankly, holding you guys hostage. Just like they held our schools hostage and our universities and our human services hostage. And it makes me, I won’t use the language I normally use because there’s a camera here, but it makes me very frustrated. It’s ridiculous.
For two years, our universities and our community colleges were held hostage. Our social services were held hostage. And our government agencies and our government workers and our transportation investments were held hostage. This was wrong. And the tragedy is that not only did they jam through a massive tax hike, permanent tax hike, which I was adamantly opposed to, they did it through extorting the pressure. But they didn’t even produce a balanced budget as a result. They cut no wasteful spending. None. And we’re still, we’re still out of balance. And they didn’t allocate any money to pay down debt. None.
And they cut investment in our IT systems, ’cause I was using our IT investments to drive down the cost of government by holding these agencies accountable for productivity and measure results. But they don’t want to measure results. That can actually cut costs, they don’t want that. They don’t want their buddies inside the government to be under pressure to perform and provide you better value for your taxes.
On Monday, Bruce Rauner traveled the state and made empty promises to school administrators, parents, and students. With a taxpayer-funded camera crew in tow, Rauner told the media that his version of the school funding formula would send more money to every school district in the state, except for one, of course.
There’s a problem with Rauner’s statement though. Just two weeks ago, Rauner vetoed a state budget that appropriated funds to our K-12 education system. So, Rauner’s school funding would have looked more like this:
Vetoing the budget means Rauner provided exactly zero dollars to schools across the state.
“Bruce Rauner’s arguments are a sham designed to distract from the fact that he vetoed legislation to fund our schools and continues to hold Illinois children and families hostage,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “Instead of lurching to his next crisis with his new radical and amateur crew in tow, Rauner should sign SB 1 and finally give Illinois families the stability they deserve.”
* Gov. Rauner will be in Rep. Sam Yingling’s district to tour flood damage this afternoon at 2 o’clock. Rauner’s office reportedly reached out to Rep. Yingling last night about the visit, about three hours after Yingling’s Tribune op-ed was posted online…
Bruce Rauner doesn’t care. That’s the conclusion I came to after witnessing the governor’s inadequate response to the historic flooding in my district.
It’s been clear that he doesn’t care about the well-being of my constituents since he took office in 2015. One of his first moves as governor of Illinois was to attempt to reduce almost half of the tax dollars that local governments receive for things like public safety and public works. Without that investment from the state, local governments must choose to eliminate services like emergency services or increase local property taxes — something many residents in Lake County, where we pay the seventh highest property tax rates in the country, can’t afford.
Then, after 2 1/2 years of failing to work cooperatively across party lines, Rauner vetoed a bipartisan state budget that provides funding for higher education, social services and, relevant to our current situation, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency — the agency responsible for preparing Illinois for natural disasters.
It should have been of no surprise when the governor failed to lead when Illinois residents needed him during the first days of record flooding along the Fox and Des Plaines rivers and the Chain O’ Lakes system.
How much do you wanna bet that Rauner calls on Yingling to vote against the override of SB 1 while he’s there?
* Anyway, back to the topic at hand. A reminder from last week…
Rauner defended his decision not to send the National Guard to help with flooding in Lake County. He told reporters Friday the local agencies are very prepared to handle flooding situations and hadn’t asked the state for help
Um, actually, they did ask for a state of emergency declaration, which Rauner didn’t issue until late Friday. He also waited until late Friday to activate the State Emergency Operations Center, which is usually kicked into gear a lot faster than that. Visits are important, but actions are more.
* But, again, back to the point I wanted to make. Rauner also said Friday that Wisconsin’s local governments were overwhelmed by the flooding, unlike Lake County. And he offered praise to the great local first responders.
OK, but the governor has also repeatedly complained about Lake County’s high property taxes, which fund that supposedly excellent preparedness and response.
Monique Davis (center), the longtime 27th District state representative from Morgan Park who retired last December, was honored at a bon-voyage party at Mr. G’s Supper Club on June 16 on the occasion of her retirement. Among the well-wishers at the celebration were Christy Hunter (from left), Shirley Madigan, Speaker of the House Michael Madigan and Clayton Starks. Davis began her tenure in January 1987, and she retired on Dec. 30, 2016, after 29 years of service. Justin Slaughter, 36, was sworn in as the new state representative on Jan. 5.
* The last press release I received from the Illinois Republican Party on state issues was July 7th, the Friday before the Monday Rauner purge began…
On Monday, the Chicago Machine tipped its hand on SB1.
After months claiming that SB1 was about fixing the school funding formula, Chicago Public Schools started making the unsubstantiated argument that an amendatory veto of the bill to remove the Chicago bailout would change the “fundamental purpose” of the legislation.
It’s a clear admission by the Chicago Machine that the “fundamental purpose” of SB1 is a Chicago pension bailout, and not school funding reform.
It’s time Madigan Democrats in the General Assembly either send SB1 to Governor Rauner for an amendatory veto to remove the Chicago bailout, or pass true bipartisan school funding reform that excludes a multi-hundred million dollar bailout of Chicago at the expense of schools across the state.
Otherwise, this is just another case of Mike Madigan and his machine holding Illinois hostage for his Chicago agenda.
*** UPDATE *** From Do Your Job, Inc…
On Monday, Governor Bruce Rauner tipped his hand on SB1.
After claiming in his State of the State address that “we have the largest gap between funding for high income schools and low income schools in the country, both across the state and within the city of Chicago”, Governor Rauner tweeted that SB1 “helps public schools in IL get equitable and adequate funding.”
It’s a clear admission by a man elected to govern that he’s willing to veto a bill he overwhelmingly supports for political reasons and not because it doesn’t overhaul our school funding formula for the better.
It’s time for Governor Rauner to do his job and sign SB1.
Otherwise, this is just another case of Governor Rauner holding Illinois hostage for his extreme agenda.
Rasmussen signed on for an annual salary of $170,000. Tax filings from the nonprofit Illinois Policy Institute show Rasmussen’s salary was less than $160,000 in 2014. In the same year, she collected over $30,000 in “other compensation” from the Policy Institute and related organizations.
According to a former Rauner staffer, Diana Rickert, another IPI recruit, will earn $15,000 more than her predecessors. State records show former Communications Director Brad Hahn and former Deputy Chief of Staff Lance Trover each earned an annual salary of $150,000.
In a 2016 op-ed for the Chicago Tribune, Rickert wrote, “When public-sector unions demand excessive salaries and benefits, politicians just say yes and pass on the bill to taxpayers.”
A press release from the Illinois Policy Institute published in the same month complained that “at $67,836, Illinois lawmakers have the highest base salary in the Midwest and the fifth-highest base salary for legislators in the nation.”
* And Rasmussen not long ago advocated for the elimination of the Dunn Fellowship program with this interesting logic…
Still, fans of the program say it is worth it because you’re getting about $80,000 of work out of a $30,000 worker. But Rasmussen says even that doesn’t add up.
“If you’ve got someone making $80,000 and you’ve got an equally talented person who’s willing to take that job for $30,000 it means that you’re paying folks too much,” she said.
The ACLU accuses a juvenile detention facility in southern Illinois of improperly and unnecessarily seeking prosecutions of several dozen detainees.
The civil liberties group made the allegation about the Illinois Youth Center in Harrisburg in a filing in an ongoing federal lawsuit in Chicago. It blames center staff disgruntled about court-approved limits on how long juveniles can spend in solitary confinement.
* Press release…
The John Howard Association (JHA) is deeply troubled by reports of youth at Illinois Youth Center Harrisburg being prosecuted on new charges based on reckless, minor misconduct, such as pushing, shoving or grabbing that results in no injury or only superficial injuries, behavior that up until recently, would be handled internally by facility staff through the use of the facilities’ disciplinary system.
Over 40 charges have been brought against youth in custody at IYC Harrisburg in a 14-month period, January 2016 through March of 2017. These charges were filed based on staff members who work at IYC Harrisburg individually going to local law enforcement and bringing formal complaints as victims and complaining witnesses. Illustrative of this disturbing trend, is the case of a young man who was charged and convicted for spitting on a staff person at IYC Harrisburg and received a sentence of six years in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC). This kind of excessive punishment is ruinous for young lives. It also defies basic notions of proportionality, fair treatment, justice and DJJ’s stated mission and goal of rehabilitating youth in its custody.
If staff at Harrisburg feel unsafe and that the facility is dysfunctional such that they feel they must involve outside law enforcement and prosecutors, these are serious issues and worthy of attention. However, these issues should be addressed by DJJ, not the Saline County courts.
Youth lives must not be sacrificed to political gamesmanship and staff concerns must be addressed. Safety and security of staff and youth inside the facility is paramount, and can be achieved short of draconian punishments and responses. DJJ must find a way to achieve this in a fair, humane, and just way.
ACLU Director of Communications and Public Policy Ed Yohnka said furthermore “these events which should be prosecuted as internal disciplinary matters are being handled in courts with adult charges attached.”
The lawsuit said this is a “deliberate and concerted attack” upon the DJJ disciplinary structure put in place by a 2012 Consent Decree and remedial plan.
As part of that agreement with DJJ, U.S. District Court Judge Matthew F. Kennelly approved an end to lengthy, isolated confinement as part of punishment.
When the threat of solitary confinement was removed, the lawsuit alleges that certain DJJ staff at IYC Harrisburg created their own, alternative “correctional” system, engineering a steady stream of youth prosecutions for “staff assaults.”
ACLU lawyer Lindsay Miller calls Saline County State’s Attorney Jason Clark “out of control” for bringing the charges, and claims IYC staff manipulated him into filing the charges.
Illinois Juvenile Justice spokesman Mike Theodore says the department takes all reports of assaults seriously and carefully considers whether to use internal discipline or refer the incident to a prosecutor.
He also says staff can seek prosecution as “private citizens”. […]
ACLU Lawyer Camille Bennett says that center staff are taking the juvenile’s futures into their own hands
“The staff who were going over to the Saline County state’s attorney and the Saline County state’s attorney are saying we don’t think these kids have a chance, so we’re not going to give them a chance,” she said in a phone call with News 3.
The legal filing is here (scroll to the bottom of the page).
A group that ran ads during the late stages of Illinois’ budget impasse is going back on TV for three days to urge Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner to support a Democratic plan to pay for the state’s public schools.
The group is Do Your Job Inc., which is led by state Sen. Michael Hastings, D-Tinley Park; state Rep. Lou Lang, D-Skokie; and Illinois AFL-CIO President Michael T. Carrigan.
A significant problem remains with the budget plan enacted by lawmakers earlier this month over Rauner’s veto — namely a new method to distribute state public school funding. Without approval of a new funding formula, schools don’t get any state money. Democrats have passed legislation to change the distribution method, but it gives more money to Chicago Public Schools than a Republican alternative.
Democrats have withheld sending the bill to Rauner because he has vowed to use his veto powers to rewrite it, contending the money for CPS is a “bailout.” That ratchets up pressure as the opening date for schools gets nearer. […]
The tax-exempt group said it has purchased $118,000 of TV time on broadcast and cable markets across the state to air the ad from Wednesday through Friday evening.
90 percent. That’s how much of the school funding bill that Gov. Rauner agrees with. So why in the world would he threaten to veto it?
Because Rauner won’t budge on his extreme agenda. He digs in, no matter the cost.
Republicans and Democrats had to go over his head to fix Rauner’s budget crisis. And now, he’s after our schools. Without the money, some won’t reopen this fall. Other schools may close their doors by Thanksgiving.
