* Every year, the governor has to sign this form…
I declare that this Statement of Economic Interests (including any accompanying schedules and statements) has been examined by me and to the best of my knowledge and belief is a true, correct and complete statement of my economic interests as required by the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act.
Click here to see the governor’s latest signed statement, which includes the disclosure that the governor has a partnership interest in Kirkpatrick Partners Capital Fund I LP.
* Now, on to the Tina Sfondeles story…
Despite lawyers asserting in court that Gov. Bruce Rauner is trying to keep a lawsuit filed by a former business partner sealed, the governor on Friday denied that he’s fighting to keep the information under wraps.
The suit against Rauner — who ran a private equity firm before becoming governor — was filed Oct. 5. by Harreld “Kip” Kirkpatrick III and the Kirkpatrick Capital Partners Fund, according to Cook County Circuit Court records.
Speaking to reporters at the Illinois Association of Hispanic State Employees conference Friday morning, the governor was asked why he’s fighting to keep the case sealed.
“I’m not,” Rauner said. “To be clear, all my investments are in a trust that I don’t control. I did that when I became governor. I can’t comment on any business disputes. That gets settled in its own process.”
When asked whether the dispute involved any investments in his “blind trust,” Rauner said he didn’t know.
“I can’t even tell you,” Rauner said. “I don’t really have much to do with that.”
So, he’s being sued by what I’m told is a personal friend (or, at least, a former personal friend) and former business partner and he knows nothing at all about it? And he doesn’t know if it involves a company in which he himself officially disclosed an ownership interest?
OK.
- Cardinal sins - Friday, Oct 20, 17 @ 12:13 pm:
Can’t imagine that Rauner lied to (and/or about) the friend.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 20, 17 @ 12:14 pm:
===So, he’s being sued by what I’m told is a personal friend (or, at least, a former personal friend) and former business partner and he knows nothing at all about it? And he doesn’t know if it involves a company in which he himself officially disclosed an ownership interest?===
If you get sued by a personal friend and have no idea why this personal friend is suing you, how many friends do you actually have, and how close are those alleged friends.
Maybe in the RaunerS’ World, like everything with them both, it’s transactional.
You aren’t their friends unless you have a reason to be, or you travel in that cocktail party circuit so they can hire you to do crisis management.
Come to think of it, how often do we even hear, good, bad, or otherwise, about friends, “colleagues”, people who know them and speak about them glowingly, personally?
Not one business partner in 2014 thought enough to say anything about Bruce?
Is Ken Gruffin, and up to recently Richard Uihlein, Rauner’s only friend?
I’m about 64.3% serious.
- IllinoisBoi - Friday, Oct 20, 17 @ 12:15 pm:
I hope Rauner is wearin’ his fishin’ gear when he tells whoppers like these.
- Truthteller - Friday, Oct 20, 17 @ 12:26 pm:
I trust that the plaintiff’s attorney will inform the judge that the defendant does not seek to have the record sealed
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Friday, Oct 20, 17 @ 12:30 pm:
Maybe the lawsuit deals with a possible policy change in Washington, D.C.? Governor Rauner appreciates the media’s advocacy on this issue.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 20, 17 @ 12:33 pm:
To put even a sharper point to my… point….
About 150 years ago (it seems) Pritzker ran an ad about 1871.
Now, in that Ad, it’s those who worked closely with the project, “partners”, those who worked with Pritzker, and pictures of those within that working relationship as an intro to Pritzker.
Others talking about Pritzker, in a realm of business.
The RaunerS have a YMCA, a Charter School, the RaunerS have donated millions, as they say, and not one person can speak as a friend or business associate or someone discussing all the good done?
Always bothered me.
The amount of monies (”donated millions”) was the vouch, abc yet not one person in that “community” went out of their way…
- Trapped in the 'burbs - Friday, Oct 20, 17 @ 12:38 pm:
Maybe all the chatter about Winnetka cocktail parties are figments of the collective imagination of the bloggers on Capitolfax. Maybe, they don’t have any real friends, just another wealthy guy trying to buy respect and admiration through public office.
- Annonin - Friday, Oct 20, 17 @ 12:40 pm:
So next time GovJunk appear lets ask for the name of the Blind Trust” honcho and ask that dude about him his law suit and why he is makin’ GovJun look like a total dope.
BTW Mrs/Ms OW I think you can check with that Bailey dude who is “donatin’” that riverfront land for the DPI HQ. He says he is on the OFP board t
- Jocko - Friday, Oct 20, 17 @ 12:40 pm:
According to the Tribune, Rauner never set up a blind trust….so the lies build from there.
For a guy with so much money, Bruce sure doesn’t know much, do much, or keep track of much. /s
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 20, 17 @ 12:46 pm:
- Annonin -,
===I think you can check with that Bailey dude who is “donatin’” that riverfront land for the DPI HQ. He says he is on the OFP===
I’ll send Cannoli as an ice-breaker first. Let’s see how it goes from there…
- Anonymous - Friday, Oct 20, 17 @ 12:57 pm:
“I don’t wanna talk about it.”
Cosmo Castorini in the movie Moonstruck
- Roman - Friday, Oct 20, 17 @ 1:02 pm:
“I’m not.”
The way in which he casually tells blatant, easily disprovable lies is really something else. I hate to play pop psychologist, but the man seriously has a problem.
- Lincoln Lad - Friday, Oct 20, 17 @ 1:06 pm:
Having a lot of money must be really hard and certainly very confusing. I’m still willing to try it though, and I’ll report back on my experiences if this blog so wishes.
- Cubs in '16 - Friday, Oct 20, 17 @ 1:08 pm:
Rauner followed up “I’m not.” with ““To be clear, all my investments are in a trust that I don’t control…” In his mind it’s the trust’s overseer who’s fighting to keep the case sealed. This is how he absolves himself of responsibility in his mind. Twisted logic for sure but I really believe he believes this.
- huh - Friday, Oct 20, 17 @ 1:08 pm:
Grandpa made those investments back in the old country…..
- DuPage Saint - Friday, Oct 20, 17 @ 1:15 pm:
If he is being sued and was served a copy of the complaint was attached. He knows why he is being sued. He probably has an attorney or probably a half dozen attorneys, he could ask one of them. He does not want it sealed? Who asked for it to be sealed? All he has to do is tell the court not to seal it. Problem solved.
- Robert the Bruce - Friday, Oct 20, 17 @ 1:31 pm:
“Kirkpatrick, eh? Doesn’t ring a bell.”
Diana Rauner gave $20,000 to Kirkpatrick’s brief campaign for treasurer.
http://tinyurl.com/y75bhbaz
- Just Me - Friday, Oct 20, 17 @ 1:44 pm:
If Speaker Madigan doesn’t have any conflicts of interest, then neither does Rauner.
- Fixer - Friday, Oct 20, 17 @ 1:56 pm:
Just Me, when was the last time Madigan was sued by a business partner and sought to have the record sealed?
- Trapped in the 'burbs - Friday, Oct 20, 17 @ 2:03 pm:
Madigan has been around since the Beatles were still touring, yet, in spite of every law enforcement agency and media outlet investigating him for years…bupkis. Either Madigan is an evil genius or he follows the rules and happens to play better than everybody else.
- Anon221 - Friday, Oct 20, 17 @ 2:10 pm:
A blind trust, or an ask to trust blindly???
http://www.chicagolawbulletin.com/Archives/2017/01/16/Rich-state-governors-1-16-17
What was done with the money: Just before his January 2015 inauguration, he and his wife Diana, announced that they would put their assets into a blind trust. But the Chicago Tribune reported later that month that instead of a blind trust, the governor had granted administrative power over his money to an investment adviser.
Experts say the plan allows the Rauners and the adviser to share financial information.
- Arthur Andersen - Friday, Oct 20, 17 @ 2:12 pm:
RTB, as I previously posted, Diana got the money back when Kip folded his campaign.
- Robert the Bruce - Friday, Oct 20, 17 @ 2:24 pm:
AA, sorry, I missed your earlier post (where is it?)
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Friday, Oct 20, 17 @ 4:07 pm:
Hasn’t everyone has had a friend who they fought with and have said some things they wished, on reflection, could take back. I’m sure the sealed things are embrassing. But this has nothing to do with Illinois.