“Illinois is corrupt,” said Scott Drury, Democratic candidate for governor, during a press conference, as he made the case for his blueprint to Rebuild Illinois. “It’s morally corrupt, ethically corrupt and, yes, can be criminally corrupt.” According to Drury, time is of the essence for Illinois to get serious about wiping out this culture of corruption as it is the primary cause of most of the State’s problems. “An honest government pays its bills, balances its budget, only makes promises it can keep and values its citizens,” said Drury.
Titled “Rebuild Illinois,” Drury’s blueprint builds the foundation for Illinois’ bright future and upon that constructs long-term structural fixes that will restore stability, prosperity and opportunity to every corner of the State.” Drury, a former federal prosecutor and sitting state representative, said that Rebuild Illinois is based on his depth of experience both as a prosecutor and a legislator. “Illinois needs an experienced and trustworthy leader with a history of fighting for the public, not political insiders like Mike Madigan,” he said. “I stand alone in offering that.”
The most comprehensive plan offered by any gubernatorial candidate, Rebuild Illinois takes aim at Illinois’ rigged election process, overwhelming debt and culture of corruption. The blueprint offers a constitutional and fair solution to Illinois’ government-created pension problem, promotes competitive elections through fairly drawn electoral maps and campaign finance reform, and promises balanced budgets by mandating that Illinois pay its bills on time. The blueprint also tackles public corruption by finally empowering the Illinois Attorney General to prosecute it, as well as giving prosecutors new tools to use in the battle. Further, the blueprint addresses what Drury calls the “Madigan problem,” calling for term limits for legislative leaders, prohibiting legislative leaders from holding outside employment and cutting off a major source power – the ability to covertly direct and solicit third-party campaign contributions to other candidates and PACs.
Unlike others’ plans that rely on increased income taxes, Rebuild Illinois generates savings to pay for Illinois’ bright future. The savings result from the pay down and responsible management of existing debt and a significant reduction in Illinois’ prison population. That savings will be used to fund public education, healthcare, job training and neighborhood investment.
Drury said that much of Rebuild Illinois has already been filed as legislation, with the remaining components to be rolled out throughout the course of the campaign. Earlier today, Drury filed House Bill 4079 which ends the morally corrupt practice of lobbyists providing politicians with gifts and nominally free meals. In 2017, alone, lobbyists lavished over $100,000 of these gifts and meals on state legislators. Not a penny of that went to Drury. “Real people know there is no such thing as a free lunch,” said Drury. “This begs the question, what are these lobbyists paying for?”
- LilLebowskiUrbanAchiever - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 3:01 pm:
No more partisan bickering… just empty rhetoric and self-promotional speeches.
- Gruntled University Employee - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 3:02 pm:
Scott Drury is a former Federal Prosecutor…I did not know that. /s
- Fixer - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 3:05 pm:
Never would have known her was a former federal prosecutor.
- Ducky LaMoore - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 3:06 pm:
===No more partisan bickering===
From the man who specializes in intra-party bickering, and if governor, could do so Blago-style.
- George - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 3:07 pm:
I wish he’d move to Iowa.
- Blue Bayou - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 3:08 pm:
He’ll united the state by being unpopular with voters of all political persuasions.
- hypocrite - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 3:09 pm:
Scott is a total hypocrite. Aside from geeting his seat because of Mike Madigan, Scott has accepted contributions from the following entities with significant issues before the legislature:
Casinos
Insurance companies
Big Pharma
Big Energy and others.
He also took a contribution from an entity related to a major weapons supplier.
He took a contribution from an alleged wife beater.
Someone should closely review his last quarterly report. He rarely discloses occupations or employers of his contributors. Further, the only expenditures he had was for rent, office supplies and an airline ticket. I find it hard to believe that there were no other expenditures during the entire quarter.
This former federal prosecutor is a hypocrite who will soon be a former elected official
- jim - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 3:11 pm:
i knew this would send the madigan fans up the wall.
- JoeMaddon - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 3:13 pm:
This is a “comprehensive” plan?
And this plan relies on paying down debt? How? Where does the revenue come to pay down the debt? And what, specifically, does Drury propose for “constitutional” pension reform that has real savings?
- Joe M - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 3:13 pm:
He sounds like he would be a good running mate as the Lt. Governor on the ticket with Rauner, if IPI would approve.
- Cubs in '16 - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 3:15 pm:
===In 2017, alone, lobbyists lavished over $100,000 of these gifts and meals on state legislators. Not a penny of that went to Drury.===
Is that because Drury declined gifts and meals or was this a conscious decision on the part of lobbyists?
- benniefly2 - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 3:15 pm:
“Illinois’ Bright Future
– A State defined by hope and prosperity
– Stability for employers and residents
– No more partisan bickering
– A government you can trust and want to invest in – A State you can be proud of”
Missing:
- Puppies!!!!
- Ducky LaMoore - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 3:25 pm:
===Is that because Drury declined gifts and meals or was this a conscious decision on the part of lobbyists?===
Drury ate off of everyone else’s plates and took home their leftovers.
- Morty - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 3:34 pm:
‘Instand alone…’
He could have just stopped there.
Seriously, a 9 page powerpoint? My highschool students would be embarrassed at turning that in for a project
- Morty - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 3:36 pm:
Stupid sausage fingers
‘I stand alone…’
- Northshore bluedog - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 3:37 pm:
Drury does not accept gifts from lobbyists. He hasn’t since elected. Some parts of his plan could be interesting, particularly the PAC stuff in light of Biss being Madigan’s super PAC lapdog last fall. We ll see if Drury has real chops as he rolls these out , as he promised .
- Ron Burgundy - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 3:46 pm:
–Is that because Drury declined gifts and meals or was this a conscious decision on the part of lobbyists?–
Ha. Probably didn’t want to be seen with him.
- G'Kar - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 3:51 pm:
Morty beat me to it–My students have turned in more convincing powerpoint presentations.
- Arthur Andersen - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 3:54 pm:
That was 3 minutes of my life I’ll never get back.
Good luck finding constitutional and lawful “Pension Reform” that covers the $4 billion annual cost of moving to actuarial funding as he simultaneously recommends.
- RNUG - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 3:58 pm:
== And what, specifically, does Drury propose for “constitutional” pension reform that has real savings? ==
OK. He wants to make actuarially sound payments. Good, but short term that costs $1B - $2B more than the current payment schedule. So no short term savings from that. I will concede that long term savings will result, starting about 4 or 5 years out.
Says there will be no forced pension changes, and what he does will be constitutional. Again, good. But what specifically does he have in mind? Another 2002 type ERI for Tier 1 employees? Or maybe a better buyout deal than what is in the Tier 3 plan? And will this save the State money overall, or just in GRF?
- Redraider - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 4:14 pm:
I wasn’t paying much attention to his candidacy until i just read that he was a former Federal Prosecutor. He should let more people know that.
- Springfieldish - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 4:15 pm:
“i knew this would send the madigan fans up the wall.”
Great positioning here. You’re either with him or you’re a “Madigan fan.”
- Chicago Cynic - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 4:26 pm:
Wow - this is really weak sauce. Mayo has more substance. There’s just nothing here. I mean I agree with some of the reform stuff like term limits for leaders, but it’s garden variety. There’s nothing here that actually is related to economically fixing our state. It’s got about as much to do with fixing the Illinois economy as the turnaround agenda.
Ya gotta do way better than these platitudes, Mr. Former Federal Prosecutor, if you want to be taken even a bit seriously.
- DisgruntledLaborer - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 4:29 pm:
Looks like Drury has touched a nerve with the lobbyists. My guess is that’s what he wants. Lobbyists may be more unpopular than Madigan. Overall, his plan is pretty interesting. It’s the only one that doesn’t call for an income tax increase or, as Kennedy puts it, a “a basket of taxes” - which would all be regressive. Agree that more details would be helpful.
- TKMH - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 4:33 pm:
Surprised there was no “free commemorative clocks” plank of this plan.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 4:45 pm:
===It’s the only one that doesn’t call for an income tax increase===
lol
But he wants lots more spending.
- Meechum - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 4:49 pm:
“Make things better” might have been less vague of a plan
- DisgruntledLaborer - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 5:11 pm:
===But he wants lots more spending===
The others want lots more spending paid for by a middle class tax increase. Drury proposes investing savings. Very different.
- JoanP - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 5:27 pm:
Former federal prosecutors should know the correct use “beg the question”.
- RNUG - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 5:44 pm:
== Drury proposes investing savings. ==
Until he gets more specific, those savings don’t exist.
- walker - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 5:47 pm:
Let’s be fair: It has about the same level of specificity as the Turnaround Agenda.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 6:00 pm:
There’s about twice as many words in the press release as there is in the whole “blueprint.”
- Morty - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 6:48 pm:
Drury plans on governing using magical wishes.
It will be glorious I tell you. Glorious
- Arthur Andersen - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 6:52 pm:
RNUG is spot on with the “investing savings” point. The entire budget of DoC wouldn’t cover all the “investing” he’s proposing, let alone the totally bogus pension “savings.”
Details, please.
- Huh? - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 7:16 pm:
Drury unrolls the plan set, holds it upside down and begins to build, not understanding that the foundation has to go in before the rest of the building.
BTW - “Blue print” is an archaic term left over from when plans were hand drawn on velum and then printed on ammonia developed paper, similar to a photograph. The paper turned blue, leaving white lines where ever the “negative” had black inked lines.
- igotgotgotgotnotime - Thursday, Aug 3, 17 @ 10:50 pm:
Hope, prosperity, stability, compromise, and trust… but no ponies? Why can’t everyone have a pony, too?