* Press release…
Today, Daniel Biss’ campaign released a new video, “What Are They Hiding?” highlighting the financial interests JB Pritzker and Chris Kennedy have in major corporations that bring into question their progressive credentials, the sources of their income, and what business entanglements they may have.
“Candidates for governor must disclose personal investments with companies that do business in Illinois. This helps identify potential conflicts of interest,” says the narrator in the video. “JB Pritzker and Chris Kennedy just disclosed theirs. Here’s what we learned about where they make their money. These are just some of the companies that JB Pritzker and Chris Kennedy have profited from.”
Halliburton | Philip Morris | Exxon Mobil
Lockheed Martin | Energy Transfer Partners LP (Dakota Access Pipeline)
“This is what they’re forced to disclose - but we won’t know the rest of the story until they release their full tax returns. What are they hiding?”
“JB Pritzker’s and Chris Kennedy’s financial disclosures perfectly encapsulate why we should be skeptical of billionaire businessmen who say they’ll fight for us - and why we need to see full tax returns to better understand their financial interests,” says Biss campaign manager Abby Witt. “How can we trust someone invested in the Dakota Access Pipeline to stand against big oil once in office? Someone invested in the nation’s largest cigarette company to work to curb teen smoking? Someone invested in fracking to keep fracking out of our state? The revelations of these financial disclosure forms, a legally-required bare minimum standard of transparency, raise serious doubts in my mind—and make me wonder what they’re still hiding.”
* The video…
Investments
Exxon Mobil, Philip Morris, the Dakota Access Pipeline, Halliburton. These are the investments JB Pritzker and Chris Kennedy were forced to tell us about. What else are they hiding? How can we trust them to put our interests first when their money is tied to the profits of these companies? Illinois needs a governor that puts the people and planet first, not big tobacco and big oil.
Posted by Daniel Biss on Thursday, November 30, 2017
- Amalia - Friday, Dec 1, 17 @ 11:44 am:
conflating. will get pushback. that is probably what it is designed to do. force them to say not this, and therefore this.
- Anon0091 - Friday, Dec 1, 17 @ 11:45 am:
Did the intern do this?
- OneMan - Friday, Dec 1, 17 @ 11:54 am:
Adjust the audio a bit…
I know I am not the target audience for this, but Lockheed Martin? It seems to me if that is a ‘bad’ investment then it would seem logical that Boeing would fall under the same scope as well as to a degree Cat (they make some stuff for the DoD as well).
Might be worth asking if Bliss (or the math department he worked for) ever got a grant from a ‘bad’ company.
- Soda Tax - Friday, Dec 1, 17 @ 11:54 am:
Can he drop out already?
- Chicago Voter - Friday, Dec 1, 17 @ 11:57 am:
So we’re against all oil companies? Are all of Biss’s voters giving up their cars?
- A guy - Friday, Dec 1, 17 @ 12:02 pm:
It’s solid and continues his strategy. The graphics move a little too quick, but they’re trying to get a number of these companies up there in a short spot. Most are recognizable as “bad” to the crowd Biss is chasing.
Biss is more than a flea or a gnat to these guys. They aren’t dealing with him and dismissing any primary foe, just concentrating on Rauner.
At least JB has an unlimited pot of dough. Better spend some dealing with Biss sooner rather than later. In fact, you’re already late. Really late.
- Paul - Friday, Dec 1, 17 @ 12:03 pm:
So Biss is again crying that he doesn’t have any money. It makes him look irrelevant and petty. Can he talk about the issues?
- A guy - Friday, Dec 1, 17 @ 12:08 pm:
Paul,
Are you one of those very precious NEW residents to Illinois?
- Perrid - Friday, Dec 1, 17 @ 12:08 pm:
“Rich people bad” is not a winning message, at least in my opinion.
- Anonymous - Friday, Dec 1, 17 @ 12:11 pm:
Don’t get why you keep talking about Biss when he has no money, votes or public support?
- jim - Friday, Dec 1, 17 @ 12:12 pm:
the winning message is “Republican rich people bad, Democratic rich people are saints.”
- Red fish blue fish - Friday, Dec 1, 17 @ 12:13 pm:
B-
Decent production value
stale messege.
Less whining please.
- Joe Bidenopolous - Friday, Dec 1, 17 @ 12:21 pm:
Daniel, your envy is showing. I’ve got some cheese to pair with your whine. Don’t worry, it’s Evanston-approved.
This play by you to get Rauner another term so you can get a clear shot in 2022 is becoming more and more obvious too. Too bad you don’t have the best interests of the state in mind.
- Honeybear - Friday, Dec 1, 17 @ 12:22 pm:
Look, only the privileged progressively pure care. Those folks who can afford to lose an election and have the financial means to stay pure. It takes quite a bit of pre-existing money to stay in socially responsible investments. Either that or they have good jobs and have decades before retirement. Thus they don’t realize what you have to have saved or invested to retire some day. With either one, I am rapidly irked by the financial pietism exhibited. Nobody is clean folks. The truth is, il take my chances with Pritzker, irregardless of his dirty investments.
I’d point out that Biss was the big player in Pension Reform
The effort to screw public servants out of their pensions
That’s probably one reason Raunerites are plugging for Biss.
That and the fact that Rauner has a chance against Biss.
It will be interesting to see if Progressives screw things up for Dems in other races. But maybe not we’ll have to watch the two pockets of progressives Evanston and Edwardsville. We’ll see if purity tests are applied there. Or is it just in big races which feel more like Bernie will be avenged?
- State Sen. Clay Davis - Friday, Dec 1, 17 @ 12:49 pm:
Are these from index funds? Or do these guys really own the same single stocks? That seems very strange.
Rich or not rich, we deserve to see the tax returns.
- Anonymous324 - Friday, Dec 1, 17 @ 1:01 pm:
More of the same. How does this move the needle for anyone not already inclined to vote for him?
- JoeMaddon - Friday, Dec 1, 17 @ 1:05 pm:
**How does this move the needle for anyone not already inclined to vote for him?**
Ask JB. He thought it was important enough to make an issue of it when Trump was running.
- Responsa - Friday, Dec 1, 17 @ 1:21 pm:
I liked the “auction” one a lot and gave Biss an A grade for it, but I’m not a fan of this one at all. Seeming to diss these particular businesses makes no sense. Many individual people and funds invest in these companies –not just his wealthy competitors in the governor’s race. This anti-business ad moves the ball backwards for Biss, not forward. Grade D
- cicom - Friday, Dec 1, 17 @ 1:46 pm:
Another terrible ad by Mr. Petulance. Not even sure whom he is trying to appeal to. As a middle class voter, this ad doesn’t say anything. Why not talk to folks and quit campaigning about rich candidates?
- Honeybadger - Friday, Dec 1, 17 @ 2:00 pm:
Senator Biss… please drop out already. The more you snipe at JB and Kennedy, the less I like you. Not voting for you anyway.
Honeybear hit the nail on the head when it comes to Biss for all union members…
I’d point out that Biss was the big player in Pension Reform.
The effort to screw public servants out of their pensions.
That’s probably one reason Raunerites are plugging for Biss.
That and the fact that Rauner has a chance against Biss.
- Arthur Andersen - Friday, Dec 1, 17 @ 3:48 pm:
Ineffective and pointless. Just like Biss’ campaign.
As an aside, several of these are held by ISBI for GARS to make money for Biss’ pension…