* AP…
A Republican lawmaker challenged GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner Thursday to prove his claim that the Democratic House speaker improperly influenced an autonomous agency’s decision to cancel a state consulting contract.
Rep. David McSweeney said Rauner made a “really serious charge” when he alleged his political nemesis, Speaker Michael Madigan, pressured the state’s independent monitor to end the $12.5 million contract dealing with Medicaid services.
“I’ve seen no proof. I’d like to see proof, or the governor needs to apologize,” the Barrington Hills Republican said. […]
The chief procurement officer, Ellen Daley, who is appointed by the independent Executive Ethics Commission, found no evidence of that. She nullified the pact on Tuesday, finding it should have been offered to the lowest and best bidder.
* The actual Rauner quote…
Asked if he thought the procurement officer who’d voided the contract was controlled by the speaker, Rauner said he thought Madigan had “heavy influence.”
The governor laughed off a question about McSweeney’s demand today.
* Well, guess what? In March of 2015, Gov. Rauner’s chief legal counsel Jason Barclay sent a letter to the Executive Ethics Commission’s executive director Chad Fornoff recommending that Ellen Daley be hired as Chief Procurement Officer, along with two others for top procurement jobs…
Chad, as we discussed, we would like to offer our own recommendations of individuals for the three open CPO spots… We can give these individuals high marks and recommendations, and would like for the newly constituted board on July 1 to have an opportunity to consider them since they will be the ones working with them going forward.
The letter (with some privacy redactions) is here.
* Rep. McSweeney’s react…
Governor Rauner made very serious charges against Ellen Daley on Wednesday when he said that Speaker Madigan has “heavy influence” over Daley in a feeble attempt to take the focus off his Administration’s no bid $12.5 contract with McKinsey that was rightly voided. Now it turns out that Daley was recommended by the Rauner Administration. Governor Rauner needs to immediately apologize to Ellen Daley, members of the General Assembly and most importantly the people of this state for not telling the truth.
*** UPDATE *** AP…
Daley told the AP Friday she is “neither influenced nor biased by politics.”
- Chicago Cynic - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 2:09 pm:
Damn, I hate it when facts get in the way of a good talking point.
- illini - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 2:15 pm:
A Rauner apology? It has never happened for anything he has said or done in the past. Why should we expect it now?
- Projectory - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 2:17 pm:
=Governor Rauner needs to immediately apologize……and most importantly the people of this state for not telling the truth.=
Rauner & Trump GOP’ers don’t care - Dishonesty is a virtue to them.
But Man, are the rest of us we owed a whole bunch of apologies.
- 360 Degree TurnAround - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 2:21 pm:
Rauner needs to go on an “I’m sorry” tour around the state.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 2:25 pm:
Mike Madigan and the Governor’s Chief Legal Counsels that he controls.
Thanks to Rauner, this joke never gets old.
- DuPage Saint - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 2:25 pm:
Madigan controls Barclay
- Projectory - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 2:30 pm:
=Mike Madigan and the Governor’s Chief Legal Counsels that he controls.
Thanks to Rauner, this joke never gets old.=
Agreed. But it keeps gettin’ more bizarre.
- Moe Berg - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 2:32 pm:
Another Rauner own goal - at least for those who care about reality and facts. He doesn’t. We’re in for a create your own reality political advertising spectacle the likes of which has never been seen outside of totalitarian regimes.
Rauner’s problem is he’s facing an opponent in Pritzker who can do the same. People will default to their partisan tendencies and in a year that looks to favor Dems Rauner is toast.
- Chris Widger - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 2:35 pm:
==We’re in for a create your own reality political advertising spectacle the likes of which has never been seen outside of totalitarian regimes.==
I think some of the vapors from that absurd Tribune op-ed rubbed on on the comments here…
- 360 Degree TurnAround - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 2:37 pm:
I think Rauner should introduce his mouth to his brain.
- Anonymous - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 2:39 pm:
Madigan’s influence there has changed between now and Spring 2015. Mystery solved.
- Anonymous - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 2:41 pm:
Since Rauner has become Governor I wonder if he has ever made it through a day without telling a lie to someone. All he has are his lies and the destruction he has caused. Illinois has potential and hopefully his successor can bring that potential out.
- Michelle Flaherty - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 2:42 pm:
This only proves that Madigan is in charge and Rauner is a puppet, powerless to take action.
- Thinking - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 2:51 pm:
The fact that the Governor recommended Ms Daley and she was then chosen by the Ethics board that HE controls 5 of 9 appointments. (BTW the other 4 appointments are made by the other constitutional officers so Speaker had zero influence on the choice) must be investigated. Daley has up until this point been a complete pawn of the Governor and CMS. Ask her who wrote the bill to get rid of the CPO. She has never been nor ever intended to be anything than a Rauner pawn. Only taking different position now because Rauner lame duck.
- Anonymous - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 2:57 pm:
360 Degrees: mouth and brain are in perfect synch.
- Flynn's Mom - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 2:57 pm:
Rauner should apologize for “not telling the truth”. There isn’t enough time in the day for him to apologize for all of the lies he tells on a daily basis.
- Too Much to Handle - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 3:00 pm:
David McSweeney should have run for Governor. He would have cleaned Rauner’s clock in the primary.
- Swift - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 3:01 pm:
Isn’t it obvious, Madigan keeps property taxes high so his firm benefits, the CPO pays property taxes, thus we have Madigan’s influence. The rest of us don’t have the keen insights of our illustrious Governor so we can’t see the links. I’m sure our Glorious Leader has pictures of all the Democrat players with strings attached linking everyone. Plus, Barclay is from Indiana and Madigan keeps workers comp insurance rates high, thus manufacturing picks Indiana over Illinois, thus Barclay recommended a CPO in Madigan’s pocket so that Indiana benefits. Again, the Beloved One sees all.
- Generic Drone - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 3:02 pm:
Thank you Rauner for showing us all what privatization of government looks like.
- Chicago 20 - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 3:06 pm:
Machiavellian through and through.
- old time golfer - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 3:26 pm:
Well we all will find out the truth sooner then later, because when the feds hear about no bid contracts they usually want to get the scoop on just how that happened. Anybody with finger prints on this deal better be expecting some visitors i would imagine…..
- wordslinger - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 3:30 pm:
What do you call someone who smears as corrupt a person who is just doing her job and then laughs when he’s called on the lie?
Try to answer within the rules of the house.
But governor, please, go on defending your practice of awarding no-bid contracts. Tell us all about how it’s a goo-goo value for the taxpayers and not just pinstripe patronage.
- Poetic - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 3:35 pm:
This is easy peasy who knew what and when intrigue. Bring on a time line and let the sun shine on how this ended up a no bid contract. I think the timeline will show all parties regardless of their station in on this from the ground floor.
- PublicServant - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 3:38 pm:
If he started apologizing for not telling the truth, he wouldn’t finish until next November, which might be a good thing.
- Poetic - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 3:44 pm:
This all feels way to cozy. The governors remarks are as if he was startled by this. I think this is what it looks like when you bite the hand that feeds you.
- Poetic - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 3:56 pm:
so the formula by the BTIA is rig an appointment process and issue rigged contracts. Sounds like the same old time honored institutional practice rather than shaking the corruption out of Springfield.
- King Louis XVI - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 4:03 pm:
That Barclay letter was ethically questionable itself because the Executive Ethics Commission is supposed to be independent of the governor’s office. It’s not another state agency. It’s budget, unlike other departments, for example, is not subject to GOMB’s authority. It was structured that way to avoid Blago-like meddling with procurement. Barclay sought to circumvent, at least the spirit, of the law. Rauner just opened a fresh worm can. Now watch him wiggle.
- anon2 - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 4:03 pm:
McSweeney is certainly a contender for best GOP Rep.
- Poetic - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 4:21 pm:
Wait a minute….Rauners ethics commission doing something unethical? Now that’s the BTIA I can count on. Take something that is designed to be independent and impervious to political influence and do the exact opposite with it. I’m sure it works better that way.
- Sigh - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 4:27 pm:
Does anyone find it interesting that the Governor’s office would be making emoloyment recommendations to the independent Executive Ethics Commission?
- Sigh - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 4:28 pm:
Let’s try this again…
Does anyone find it interesting that the Governor’s office would be making employment recommendations to the independent Executive Ethics Commission?
- Anonymous - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 4:33 pm:
Funny how my comment about CPO Ellen Daley was deleted yesterday. Many know her personally and understand that that she is and has always been compromised politically. To pretend that she is somehow independent and a woman of integrity is simply false.
- Anonymous - Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 4:41 pm:
Rauner is suggesting she is unethical. Can anyone in his office show him how to file a complaint with the OEIG? You don’t have to be in charge to submit a complaint–anyone can do it.