* This has been going around since late August, and she’s never given a straight answer (and I’ve asked her several times). I think it might depend on whether Gov. Rauner picks a new chief of staff, but I’m just not sure…
Might Patty Schuh, respected spksm GOP ILSen, move to @GovRauner Office? No denial, no official confirmation #twill
* Oscar and I both have appointments this afternoon and I’m under a tight deadline for Crain’s, so blogging will be light to non-existent the rest of the day.
* The Question: In your opinion, which gubernatorial candidate has picked the best running mate? Please explain your answer. Thanks.
He is married to Donna More, who ran as a Democrat for Cook County State’s Attorney and lost. She supported Gov. Rauner’s campaign in 2014, but then disavowed that move in 2015. Englehart’s only campaign contributions in the state system are to his wife’s candidacy.
First, the best crisis antidote is to tell it all and tell it fast.
Among expert crisis communicators, this is code for the obvious: the best way to get out of the news is to stop making news. Cover ups, diversions, and delays will inevitably deepen your troubles. “Fast” is a relative term here. What it really means is much faster than normal. Businesses, by their nature, are deliberative organizations. In a crisis, time compresses and, aided by relentless media, there is a premium on speedy decision making.
Second, understand that crisis is the ultimate marketing event.
Every value that your brand stands for is put to the test during a crisis, and your stakeholders will expect you to live up to those values when things aren’t going your way. Think how much better off GM would be if they behaved like customer-concerned leaders when their ignition switch problem surfaced.
Third, crisis is a creature of media and communication.
Let’s face it; operating incidents that don’t make the news are much different than ones that do. Most businesses aren’t accustomed to the kind of scrutiny that comes with a full blown crisis. Sure, they have contingency plans for accidents or incidents that interrupt their business. But very few have plans for dealing with an onslaught of piercing media inquiry.
Next, you can’t talk your way out of trouble.
In fact, it is what you do in a crisis that is important. Think of it this way: you really don’t have anything meaningful to say unless it lines up with what you are doing. Tylenol is the icon for successful crisis management because Johnson & Johnson’s actions did the talking. Taking the product off the shelf told stakeholders all they needed to know.
Finally, you can plan for the unplanned.
In fact, being in control means anticipating failure and being prepared to deal with it. It is the one sure way to improve your odds of success. Develop a worst case scenario and anticipate what it would be like to have the case broadcast on the six o’clock news and/or go viral over social media. Rehearse the communications response and, like you often hear an experienced NFL quarterback say, it will “slow down” the action on the (media) playing field.
One last note. More than 30 percent of all business crises connect directly to executive decisions. The point being, there is no substitute for good decision making when the pressure is on. Do what’s right. Tell the truth. Protect your customer.
Rauner could’ve used this guy a couple of months ago.
*** UPDATE *** From the DGA…
In a 2016 article, Englehart laid out five general practices for crisis communications – there seems to be a lot for Rauner to learn.
Hud Englehart: “First, the best crisis antidote is to tell it all and tell it fast.”
Rauner always tries the opposite and seeks to down-play any turmoil in office. In July, he acted like a 20-person staff turnover was no big deal and he fibbed about interviewing a new staffer. Recently, Rauner’s refused to answer questions about the mysterious firing of his General Counsel.
Englehart: “Second, understand that crisis is the ultimate marketing event.”
Rauner actually nailed this one. When asked about a staffer who compared abortion to Nazi eugenics, Rauner just said he was building the “Best Team in America.” This was also after firing his body man of one day for homophobic tweets.
Englehart: “Third, crisis is a creature of media and communication.”
See: refusing to look at a cartoon for a whole week that the Illinois legislature denounced.
Englehart: “Next, you can’t talk your way out of trouble.”
Rauner once went on Fox News and tried to talk his way out of taking a position on President Trump’s immigration policies. It didn’t work.
Englehart: “Finally, you can plan for the unplanned.”
Another lesson Rauner can learn. One week Rauner was profiling himself as pro-immigrant. The next he was accused about lying about his grandfather’s place of birth, and weakly responded to President Trump’s decision to end DACA.
Will Rauner listen to his new adviser? Maybe he could start by finally addressing the firing of his General Counsel.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Hmm…
Rauner new Comms Strategy Dir "Crisis Mgmt Expert" Hud Englehart, actually has been paid as consultant for months @GovRauner#twill
He misses his family. He’s had to mop floors, wash dishes and scrub toilets. Maybe the work will do him good.
Because while he was governor, he avoided the hard work necessary to help Illinois thrive.
Former Deputy Gov. Bradley Tusk testified during the former governor’s trial that Blagojevich often was missing in action, was hard to contact and didn’t seem to care what legislation passed.
Tusk verified what others had observed: Blagojevich had little interest in doing the hard work it takes to lead a state. A Chicago television reporter once camped outside Blagojevich’s bungalow and found the governor rarely left his home except to go jogging.
Political operative Bradley Tusk got into the venture capital game by accident, but he couldn’t have had a better start. In 2011 he agreed to accept shares in a ride-hailing startup in exchange for guiding entrepreneur Travis Kalanick through the maze of New York’s taxi regulations. Those shares of Uber, paid in lieu of Tusk Strategies’ $25,000-a-month fee, are believed to be worth $100 million now. […]
His two-year-old Tusk Ventures is in the midst of closing its first fund, having raised $31 million to invest in businesses in need of help negotiating regulated markets. The fund will also take advantage of opportunities that come along among the 28 companies Tusk Ventures has a stake in. […]
“I was seen as ‘Who is this political guy, and why am I giving him money?’” he recalled. “But people started to realize [that] almost every new company is a tech company, and most new businesses are regulated by government in some way. And entrenched interests don’t just say thank you when they’re disrupted. They punch back. So we’re needed.”
* Tony Arnold asks “After A Rough Summer, Can Rauner Turn Around His Turnaround Agenda?” His conclusion…
But as Rauner moves forward after a politically gruelling summer, he doesn’t sound like he’s abandoning some parts of his Turnaround Agenda. In a statement, Kirsten Kukowski, a spokeswoman for Rauner’s reelection campaign, touted the governor’s record when it comes to school funding, criminal justice and energy.
But she also made a point to say that key parts of the agenda will be at the center of his reelection campaign.
“It will be clear that the choice next November will be between a governor who will keep fighting for better schools, property tax relief, term limits and to rollback the Madigan tax hike or an opponent who will protect the status quo and keep taxes high,” Kukowski wrote.
Trouble is, he promised the very same things in 2014, including rolling back the tax hike. But he’ll be right to say that almost all the Democratic candidates are talking about the need for even more taxes.
A governor candidate who serves as a lawmaker will find times when it helps to have a running mate who is also in the legislature.
That’s the case for the new tag team of Evanston state Sen. Daniel Biss, a Democratic candidate for governor, and his running mate, state Rep. Litesa Wallace of Rockford. Wallace was chosen after Biss quickly cut ties with his first pick for lieutenant governor, Chicago Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa.
Biss introduced legislation in the Senate prompted by the fallout over the hacking of Equifax. It would eliminate fees that credit-reporting companies are allowed to charge for imposing or lifting a credit security freeze.
Wallace will join with colleagues in the House to sponsor similar legislation, the Biss campaign said.
* From Biss’ press release…
“Companies like Equifax are mishandling private data and then leaving the victims of their negligence to pay the price,” said Daniel Biss. “We shouldn’t have to pay to secure and access our own financial records, especially when a reckless agency has left us vulnerable to identity theft. That may have been business as usual, but that’s not how business will be done in Illinois anymore.”
Under current Illinois law, credit reporting agencies can charge a $10 fee for imposing or lifting a credit security freeze—even when the agency is at fault for a security breach compromising consumer data. Daniel’s bill will eliminate these fees entirely, empowering consumers to protect their credit ratings and preventing agencies from making a profit from their own failures to protect private data.
“Corporations have built a system that works for them while leaving the rest of us behind,” said Litesa Wallace. “These bills provide an overdue correction for a predatory practice and serve as another example of why Daniel is the right candidate to protect middle class and working families like ours as governor.”
* Illinois PIRG…
Consumer advocates praised the introduction of House Bill 4095, legislation to make credit freezes free for all Illinois residents, sponsored by Representative Greg Harris and championed by Attorney General Lisa Madigan. Senator Biss has filed companion legislation in the Senate, Senate Bill 2230.
In response to the Equifax data breach, which has placed over 140 million Americans at risk for various forms of identity theft, consumer advocates and Attorney Generals have advised consumers to seriously consider placing a credit freeze with all three credit bureaus. A credit freeze is the only real tool consumers have to stop new account identity theft.
“We applaud Attorney General Madigan, Representative Harris, and Senator Biss for responding quickly with legislation to protect Illinois consumers,” said Abe Scarr, Illinois PIRG director. “There is no reason why consumers should be charged a fee to place a credit freeze on their sensitive personal information. We look forward to working with legislators from both parties to ensure Illinois residents have free access to this critical tool to protect their financial well-being.”
Illinois residents currently have to pay a fee to access this basic security feature. State law provides exemptions for residents 65 or older, active duty service members, and victims of identity theft with a police report. HB4095 and SB2230 would allow all Illinois residents to place a freeze on their credit reports, or lift an existing freeze, for free.
Joining Illinois PIRG in supporting the legislation are Center for Changing Lives, Citizen Action Illinois, Digital Privacy Alliance, Heartland Alliance, Navicore Solutions, and Woodstock Institute.
“Given recent data breaches, there has never been a more critical time for this legislation,” says Jody Blaylock, Senior Policy Associate with Heartland Alliance. “We must ensure that people, especially those experiencing poverty, can protect their credit and continue to build financial security.”
Seven states have laws making credit freezes free, including Indiana. Illinois PIRG has this guide for consumers interested in placing a credit freeze with all three credit bureaus.
* AG Madigan…
Attorney General Madigan has received an outpouring of questions from concerned and confused Illinois residents about whether their sensitive personal information has been compromised by Equifax’s massive data breach. In response, Madigan is providing updated information to Illinois residents and calling on Equifax to pay credit freeze fees for people with all three major credit reporting agencies, including Experian and TransUnion.
Late last week, Equifax announced it had suffered a massive data breach of sensitive consumer information from May to July of this year, impacting as many as 143 million Americans. Yesterday, Equifax notified Madigan that in Illinois, the breach may impact more than 5.4 million residents.
“Equifax has failed to answer basic questions that millions of Americans whose personal information it likely lost have including: How did the data breach happen? What is Equifax going to do to fix it? And why did it take Equifax six weeks to notify people that their personal information had been stolen?” Madigan said. “Most importantly, it appears that Equifax currently does not have the ability to accurately determine whether your personal information has been stolen. I suggest you assume it has been and put a credit freeze on your credit report to get the best protection you can from identity theft. Equifax needs to stop wasting time and making excuses and start paying for long-term protections that its security failure has made imperative for most Americans.”
Consumers are confused as to whether they have been impacted by the breach, and what they should do if they determine their personal information has been compromised. Some Illinois residents say they received different answers from Equifax at different times, depending on the browser platform they used. Consumers also reported that the Equifax website was inaccessible at times due to high traffic volume.
* The Civic Federation takes a look at whether the FY18 budget is balanced…
The Governor’s Office has not yet made public a budget grid for FY2018 detailing revenues, expenditures and budgetary balance. The FY2018 budget plan distributed by the General Assembly in July showed general operating revenues of $36.4 billion and expenditures of $36.1 billion. The projected surplus of $360 million amounted to less than 1% of expenditures. […]
The narrow surplus shown in the table depends on several uncertain developments. As in the Governor’s proposed FY2018 budget, the legislature’s budget relies on the sale of the James R. Thompson Center in Chicago, with an estimated sale price of $300 million and net proceeds after expenses of about $240 million. The surplus could be reduced if it takes longer than expected to find a buyer or if the structure is sold for less than the projected price.
In its Budget Implementation Act (BIMP), the General Assembly also adopted a pension proposal by the Governor that makes universities and school districts outside Chicago—instead of the State—responsible for pension costs for new employees. The change is expected to save the State $500 million per year, as the reduction in future pension liabilities leads to a sharp decline in current contribution requirements under the State’s funding formula. However, the legislature left timing of the plan’s implementation up to the Teachers’ and State Universities Retirement Systems, raising questions as to how much of the savings will be realized in FY2018.
* But then it also picks up on something that’s gone mostly unnoticed…
In his veto message on the legislature’s FY2018 budget, Governor Rauner stated that the financial plan was $2 billion out of balance. The news release announcing plans for the bond sale put the operating gap at more than $1 billion.
State budget officials said the deficit estimates covered estimated pension savings as well as certain FY2017 costs, such as day-to-day agency expenses, that have not been accounted for and may need to be appropriated in the FY2018 budget. Although the larger deficit estimate included FY2017 group health insurance costs, the legislature’s budget assumes that these bills will be paid from borrowing.
* From the Tribune’s story on yesterday’s ruling by a federal judge allowing part of a Jaon Gonzalez lawsuit against Speaker Madigan to proceed…
By allowing the suit to move forward, Judge Matthew F. Kennelly cleared the way for Gonzales’ lawyers to seek Madigan’s campaign records, emails and other documents. The longtime House speaker and chairman of the state Democratic Party also could be compelled to sit for a sworn deposition as part of that process, said Tony Peraica, Gonzales’ lawyer.
“We’re gonna check every crevice,” said Peraica, a former Republican member of the Cook County Board who ran for chairman. “It’s going to be wonderful.” […]
Gonzales called it a “critical day” for both him as well as other candidates who are thinking about challenging Madigan’s decadeslong reign as House Speaker.
“I just want to say, it’s time for Mike Madigan to retire,” Gonzales said. “He’s been in office now for 46 years. He’s done so much damage to our state that it’s almost beyond repair, though we still have hope. But he needs to go. I can tell you that someday Mike Madigan will leave Illinois politics, either in handcuffs or a coffin or I will beat him.”
Um, OK.
It’ll be interesting to see what happens, however, once Madigan’s attorneys finally get to tell Judge Kennelly that he was operating on at least one mistaken assumption: That Madigan had promised one of those “sham” candidates a job at the attorney general’s office. As we discussed yesterday, that claim appears be false.
The Ameya Pawar for Governor campaign today released a new video, “Don’t Close Our Communities,” as part of its latest digital buy the day after launching a new initiative raising awareness to the problems communities across our state face as a result of decades of disinvestment. Ameya Pawar, 47th Ward alderman and Democratic candidate for Illinois governor, and his running mate Tyrone Coleman, Mayor of Cairo and candidate for lieutenant governor launched the initiative at a press conference followed by a demonstration at the Chicago Regional Housing and Urban Development offices.
The new video opens with Pawar discussing his fight against Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel when he closed 50 public schools in mostly minority and lower-income areas and draws a parallel with how HUD is closing public housing units in Cairo. A lifelong Cairo resident who lives in the public housing at risk of closure gives first-hand testimony on how our government is failing to improve the lives of the poor and working-class. Coleman talks about the need for a government that believes in communities the same way community members believe in each other.
“People are so worried about giving something to somebody, who they don’t feel deserves it. We’re not asking to be millionaires here. We want the same as everybody else…an opportunity,” says Kristin Simulton, a public housing resident in Cairo.
Our government is failing us. Whether it’s schools being closed in Chicago or housing being shuttered in Cairo, communities across the state are feeling the effects of politicians who are out of touch with their needs, pursuing an agenda that benefits the wealthy and corporate interests while leaving the rest of us behind.
“If we’re going to lift every community up - from Chicago to Cairo - then we have to stop allowing politicians to close our communities. To close our public schools. To close public housing. Stop closing our communities. Invest in them,” Pawar says.
Over the coming weeks, the campaign will use its platform to drive the debate around the need for more investments in public institutions to prevent closures. On Thursday, Coleman will embark on the first leg of the Don’t Close Our Communities tour, with scheduled stops in East St. Louis, Urbana, Carbondale, Brookport, Eldorado, Chester, Kaskaskia, and Cairo.
* The Tribune interview of Ra Joy, Chris Kennedy’s new running mate is basically in two parts. One is about how their personal tragedies brought them together…
During the three months since his 23-year-old son was shot and killed in Woodlawn, government reform activist Ra Joy has sought out advice on moving forward with his life.
“I actively sought out individuals who had experienced the sudden dramatic loss of a loved one to gun violence. Talked to a lot of people,” Joy said.
Among those he spoke with was Chris Kennedy. The Democratic candidate for governor is the son of Robert F. Kennedy, who was slain in a 1968 run for the presidency, and the nephew of President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963.
Nobody really wants to talk much about the violence problem, but they both have stories to tell and maybe they can articulate a way forward. We’ll see.
* And the other part is about Joy’s government reform work with Change Illinois…
“Instead of a government that serves all people, we have this system where a small handful of insiders wield disproportionate power at the expense of ordinary voters. As a result, people are hurting all across this state from the classroom to the boardroom to the kitchen table. And, it doesn’t have to be this way,” he said.
“There’s some people in this campaign who talk about fighting the machine,” Joy said. He said that unlike others — who went unnamed — Kennedy was “unencumbered by puppet strings.”
I wasn’t a fan of that group’s remap reform proposal. It was a needlessly complicated Rube Goldberg machine.
But Kennedy has made government reform a big priority, and Joy can certainly speak on that topic from experience.
* From the Kennedy campaign…
Chris Kennedy announced today that he has selected Ra Joy to join his ticket as his Lieutenant Governor nominee. Joy brings to the campaign a strong desire for change and optimism that Illinois can, once again, be a land of opportunity. Together, they will roll up their sleeves, talk truth to power, and get results for families who have been left behind by the status quo.
In announcing his selection of Joy, Kennedy stated, “I am honored that Ra Joy has decided to join me and run for lieutenant governor. Ra believes, as I do, that through sacrifice and hard work, we can truly change the course of Illinois. With Ra at my side, I will take on the entrenched interests that, for so long, have used public office to advance private gain. Ra and I can reform the inherently unfair tax system, we can stem the flood of gun violence, and we can make certain that every child in Illinois has full and equal access to a quality education. I know that Ra will join me in this fight to end a broken system and bring change to Illinois.”
Ra has spent his entire life working in the very areas that are the focus of Kennedy’s campaign. His leadership of CHANGE Illinois is a shining example of the notion that, in a state beholden to political insiders, people can still make a difference.
“It is truly a privilege to join Chris Kennedy on the ticket,” Joy said. “I am a lifelong Illinois resident who knows that the top down approach to state government is leaving too many people behind. We need a leader willing to change the way we run government. Chris Kennedy is that leader. Chris has the heart and the compassion to fight for people and the courage to take on a political establishment that for so long has ignored the needs of our state. Chris has the independence to do what is right – and the ability to do it.”
Joy, 44, is a civic entrepreneur who has dedicated his life to advancing the public interest. Joy has embraced leadership roles as an advocate for redistricting reform and automatic voter registration in his role as executive director of CHANGE Illinois. Joy led statewide and citywide initiatives to elevate the role of the arts and culture in people’s lives, schools, and communities as executive director of Arts Alliance Illinois. Joy was a tireless advocate for local community economic development initiatives as a senior aide to U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-Evanston). Joy has been a leader and advocate for fundamental, community-based change for nearly two decades.
Joy’s commitment to civic and social change has resulted in widespread acclaim and recognition. Joy received the Cultural Champion Award from the Chicago Cultural Alliance and the Paul Harris Fellow Award from the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International. Joy has been awarded fellowships from the Chicago Community Trust and Leadership Greater Chicago. Joy is a member of The City of Chicago’s Cultural Advisory Council and The Economic Club of Chicago.
Joy participated in the Executive Development Program and as a Kellogg Executive Scholar at The Kellogg School of Management of Northwestern University. Joy earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Government from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, where he was a member of the varsity football team. Joy, born and raised in Evanston, Illinois, is a graduate of its public schools, graduating from Evanston Township High School in 1991.
Joy is a lifelong resident of Illinois. Joy and his wife, Falona, live on the Southside of Chicago. Falona is a graduate of Stanford University and the Founder and President of SNP – Integrated Strategy for Nonprofits.
* I chatted with Kennedy a bit today and one of the things I asked was why he was confident that his new running mate could take the helm of government if something happened to him.
Kennedy said he wanted to choose someone with “executive experience,” and Ra checked that box because he’s run some organizations.
More importantly, though, Kennedy said he wanted someone with a solid “core,” someone who wouldn’t be influenced by insiders to do something he knew wasn’t right. “That’s a very real issue to me,” Kennedy said.
*New Sites* Resistance Illinois’ Day of Action is this weekend
Dear xxxx
Join us on September 16 or September 17 for one of the many Resistance Illinois events across Illinois. Don’t see something near you? Host your own!
Saturday, September 16
6th Congressional District Democrats
48th Ward Democrats
49th Ward Democrats - New!
Bureau County Democrats
DeKalb County Democrats - New!
DuPage County Democrats
Democratic Party of Evanston - New!
Grundy County Democrats - New!
Kendall County Democrats
Kankakee County Democrats
Kane County Democrats
La Grange Action for a Better Tomorrow
Northwest Suburban Democrats (Arlington Heights)
Northfield Township Democrats - New!
Ogle County Democrats - 9 a.m. New!
Ogle County Democrats - 1 p.m. - New!
Planned Parenthood - Chicago
Planned Parenthood - Madison County Illinois
Sangamon County Democrats
Host your own event
Sunday, September 17
Downers Grove Democrats/Democratic Women of DuPage
Democratic Party of Evanston - New!
Illini Student Democrats
Kankakee County Democrats
Northfield Township Democrats - New!
Whiteside County Democrats - New!
Host your own event
Help make sure your voice is heard and build the resistance in your community!
We must learn from the past and look to the future–and to build that future, every person, in every community, needs a seat at the table and a chance to have their voice heard. This is your opportunity to pull a chair up to our table and lend your voice to a growing movement of Illinoisans.
We are here to listen to your concerns, provide the resources you need to make your voice heard, and empower you to be an active participant in your democracy.
Thanks for your time!
Resistance Illinois
Paid for by the Democratic Party of Illinois, P.O. Box 518, Springfield, IL 62705. http://www.ildems.com.
DPI isn’t exactly known for listening to anyone’s concerns and empowering grassroots activism. Is a new leaf being turned over?
