* So after decrying the “false rumors” about staff exits earlier today and telling his own staff that rumors about Dennis Murashko leaving were false, his general counsel did, in fact, resign. From the governor’s office…
General Counsel Dennis Murashko will leave the Administration at the end of August to pursue opportunities in the private sector. As part of the legal team’s succession planning, Kenton Skarin will assume the role of Acting General Counsel to the Governor. He currently is serving as the Governor’s Deputy General Counsel and is responsible for managing all aspects of legal operations within the Administration.
“One of the most talented and creative lawyers, Dennis has been my trusted senior adviser for almost three years, and I have always valued his good counsel,” Gov. Rauner said. “On behalf of the residents of our great state, I wish him well in his future endeavors.”
Before assuming a role in the Administration, Kenton worked in the Issues and Appeals Practice of Jones Day’s Chicago Office. There, he practiced complex litigation and appeals in trial and appellate courts in Illinois and across the country. Kenton also previously served as law clerk to the Honorable Justice Clarence Thomas on the United States Supreme Court and to Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth District. Kenton graduated first in his class from Northwestern University School of Law and summa cum laude from North Central College in Naperville. He is a lifelong resident of Illinois.
*** UPDATE *** From this morning’s press conference…
REPORTER: “Are you keeping your chief of staff?”
RAUNER: “We announced some changes in the communications department, and that’s all the changes there are.”
- DuPage Dave - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 6:30 pm:
You really can’t take anything Rauner says at face value these days.
- Fixer - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 6:32 pm:
Like I said before, I tend to trust just about anyone more than I trust Rauner when it comes to information like this. The man has a proven track record at this point of, at best, being misinformed regarding the goings on of his staff.
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 6:41 pm:
In fairness, I recall Rauner saying it was a “vicious” rumor, not a “false” rumor. Lol.
There’s three fifths chance that Murashko will land on his feet.
- Precinct Captain - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 6:43 pm:
White male Bruce Rauner has zero credibility.
- efudd - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 6:43 pm:
Listen to Rauner long enough and you’ll be mowing the yard in February.
Say what you will about Madigan, I don’t remember him ever being referred to as dishonest.
- Lt Guv - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 6:55 pm:
To cite Honeybear, “Perfidy.”
- Black Ivy - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 6:58 pm:
Dennis served Governor Rauner for almost three years and I wish him the very best!
- Jocko - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 6:59 pm:
Now that they’re his “enemies”, can reporters consistently call him out on his chronic dissembling? Bruce makes Eddie Haskell look like Cardinal Bernardin.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 6:59 pm:
That’s pretty short notice for a “resignation”
- Jaxon - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 7:01 pm:
It seems sadly similar to the Trump drum beat of “FAKE NEWS”. He says one thing and they say another and blames it on the media, dems or …..
- wordslinger - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 7:03 pm:
–“Rumor” that Rauner denounced today turns out to be true–
The dude should just sign the school funding deal and take a long vacation. No snark. He’s really a loose cannon right now, skidding across the deck of the ship of state.
Let the overpaid, tax-eating, pension-padding, state employees run the show for a while without his or BTIA “help.”
We’ll be fine. You rest.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 7:05 pm:
Maybe after “this”, and he signs the School Funding, one more purge, then the reset has some time until November
- wondering - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 7:08 pm:
we’ll be fine, you rest…..what a chuckle to end my evening, thx ws
- Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 7:08 pm:
And we are supposed to believe his stories about private conversations with Madigan regarding Drury, etc.?
- Not It - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 7:10 pm:
I officially give up on this guy. He and Trump are both clueless idiots, and we are even dumber for having voted them in office.
We got the government we deserve.
- Macbeth - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 7:13 pm:
When do we finally — finally — admit that the actual state employees — the folks who do the work on a day to day basis — are smarter, more efficient, and more honest than our current governor?
- 360 Degree Turnaround - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 7:15 pm:
Does anyone know the full name of the law school his new attorney went to? Rauner only included the short name in the press release…
- 360 Degree Turnaround - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 7:16 pm:
I’ll give you a hint. It starts with a P, ends in R, and has a ritzke in the middle
- wordslinger - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 7:17 pm:
“One of the most talented and creative lawyers, Dennis has been my trusted senior adviser for almost three years, and I have always valued his good counsel,” Gov. Rauner said.
3/5ths majority, simple majority, what’s the difference?
- Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 7:18 pm:
Do you think he will no longer claim his General Counsel is from Indiana? If Murashko gave good advice and this is where we are, it’s a good thing he didn’t give bad advice.
- Real - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 7:22 pm:
This guy who can’t even get a proper staff for his office wants to get rid of Unions and privatize jobs. This man needs to go.
- RNUG - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 7:24 pm:
Surprise … Surprise … Surprise …
- Retired Educator - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 7:26 pm:
Lie in the morning, tell the truth in the afternoon. Quite a pattern he has going. Did he tell them yes on school funding in the morning or afternoon? Long way till Sunday folks. I can feel the changes coming. I figure new demands, and the deal is trashed. Vote on override coming soon.
- G'Kar - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 7:28 pm:
I keep wanting to add “Yeah, that’s the ticket,” after everything Rauner says.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 7:28 pm:
Maybe he thought Murashko was in the communications department lol.
- @MisterJayEm - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 7:29 pm:
NARRATOR: “It wasn’t.”
– MrJM
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 7:34 pm:
It was said Murashko had a 3/5th chance of staying…
I guess a majority of the things said about that turned out to be false…
- Logan's Run - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 7:46 pm:
Sounds like no one was madder about this obvious lie than Murashko. One week notice from senior staff = words I’m not allowed to used on the blog.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 7:48 pm:
A vicious rumor indeed.
- Chicago Cynic - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 7:50 pm:
The merger of Rauner and Trump in their approach to truth is really amazing. I mean seriously, how could a prospective BTIA2 staff member trust anything he says…ever.
- ArchPundit - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 7:52 pm:
Presumably he did not have a smiling face that Rasmussen wanted to see.
- ArchPundit - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 7:55 pm:
BTW, an experienced crew would have done all this early Friday evening. Or even better, next Friday going into a holiday weekend.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 7:56 pm:
My bet is that Rasmussen is gone as soon as the school funding deal is signed.
A budget in place, school funding in place — time to shut down. give a major rethink and find a workhorse crew that can get you through the election, not one talks big but sets its hair on fire every day.
But what a month it’s been…..
- DownSouth - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 7:58 pm:
Haha - ArchPundit for the win.
- Norseman - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 8:53 pm:
You’d think the smaller BTIA would have waited a day to announce it.
- Lincoln Lad - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:13 pm:
This administration is in complete free fall.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:16 pm:
Good thing he still has his wingman.
- Whatever - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:27 pm:
Just to echo other comments and the obvious — can ANYONE believe ANYTHING this guy says???
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 10:00 pm:
Rauner is a complete failure as governor.
Please do not run for reelection.
- Arthur Andersen - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 10:13 pm:
VM, if he bails, who do the R’s turn to against JB or Kennedy?
Anyone? Bueller?
- regnaD kciN - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 10:15 pm:
-I officially give up on this guy. He and Trump are both clueless idiots, and we are even dumber for having voted them in office.
We got the government we deserve.-
Sad but true. I remember saying this when Blago was in office daring the feds to tap his phones.
Nine Inch Nails must be the official band for the Rauner administration because they are definitely in the Downward Spiral.
- Lynn S. - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 10:19 pm:
Mark Maxwell on WCIA just announced that Rasmussen will be leaving tomorrow.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 10:26 pm:
More perfidy.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 10:27 pm:
They can trot out Dillard and Brady again.
- Joe M - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 10:37 pm:
Who is left for Rauner to hire from IPI? Scott Reeder?
- Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 10:39 pm:
Maybe Jason Craddock can be his next GC.
- Flapdoodle - Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 11:31 pm:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Z7tQurimV4
- Huh? - Friday, Aug 25, 17 @ 5:36 am:
The tattered credibility takes another hit.
- Eire17 - Friday, Aug 25, 17 @ 6:55 am:
Rutherford state trial started this past Monday
- Anonymous - Friday, Aug 25, 17 @ 7:07 am:
Flailing flaccidity for all to see.
- Grandson of Man - Friday, Aug 25, 17 @ 8:17 am:
Rauner really shows why it’s important to have a union and job protections. It’s to protect many decent workers from terrible bosses like Rauner.
- Big T - Friday, Aug 25, 17 @ 8:54 am:
Murashko? That sounds Russian. Maybe the Gov feared a subpoena?
- Anonymous - Friday, Aug 25, 17 @ 9:02 am:
This is just another likeness to Trump. Even when it’s about something insignificant, those guys lie about it. It’s just their nature, they can’t help themselves. The opposite of being straight forward with people, that’s Rauner.
- Courser - Friday, Aug 25, 17 @ 10:40 am:
Rauner to Murashko: “Or as they used to say back home in Indiana…do svidaniya.”