Asked if he viewed [Sen. Sam McCann] as a re-election threat, Rauner said: “McCann is being used as a pawn by Pritzker and Madigan. We’re going to win in November.”
When a reporter noted that McCann was seeking support from the conservative GOP base like Ives, the governor repeated, “(McCann) is being used by Pritzker and Madigan, and we’re going to win in November.”
Linking McCann to Madigan is part of Rauner’s political playbook of trying to tie opponents to the veteran House speaker, his chief political nemesis. Most recently, Rauner used that strategy during the primary campaign, attempting to tie Ives to Madigan despite vast ideological and partisan differences between the two.
McCann faces a difficult challenge of obtaining at least 25,000 signatures from registered voters by June 25 if he’s to appear on the Nov. 6 ballot. Asked Thursday if his campaign would challenge McCann’s petition signatures, Rauner replied: “I’ve talked about that individual. Any other questions?”
* Press release…
This morning, Governor Rauner twice called Conservative Party gubernatorial candidate Sam McCann a “pawn” to Speaker Michael Madigan and Democratic nominee J.B. Pritzker. Sam issued the following statement:
In an effort to divert attention from another failed overseas economic development tour, Governor Rauner resorted to petty attacks and name calling against me and my campaign.
Without a successful record of his own, Rauner has spent the last three-and-a-half years spreading lies and myths, including lying to Cardinal Cupich over the signing of House Bill 40, which provided publicly funded on-demand abortions.
I am nobody’s pawn, but rather a proud servant to Illinois’ hardworking middle class men and women. Governor Rauner has spent his term in office doing the bidding of wealthy elitists who bought a party and tried to buy a state. The bad news for Rauner is that the citizens of Illinois are smart enough to see through his liberal record of supporting publicly funded on-demand abortions, allowing transgender people to change their birth certificates and making Illinois a sanctuary state.
Voters can’t tell the difference between the policies of Rauner and Madigan because there is no difference. Voters are demanding a candidate who takes a different path from this liberal agenda that is why I am running.
Rauner is promising some big announcements on the [11-day trade mission]. Though his team isn’t giving many details yet, I’m told the list includes a substantial new factory here and an announcement that should substantially help a major McCormick Place trade show.
* But what about that “substantial new factory”? Here’s the DGA’s take…
Today, Governor Bruce Rauner held a press conference to admit that he was coming home from his almost two-week European economic development trip empty-handed. Instead, Rauner had to answer question after question about the entrance of another Republican in the governor’s race, state Senator Sam McCann.
There were high hopes prior to the trip – Crain’s Chicago Business reported a new factory was expected to be announced, but Rauner had to concede today that many conversations were still in “various stages of commitment.” In the end, Rauner’s only accomplishment was the re-announcement of a trade show first made public 237 days ago.
“Bruce Rauner went to Germany and all he got was a new opponent,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “Illinois already has the highest unemployment in the region and is still suffering from the consequences of a two-year budget crisis, and Rauner once again failed to deliver for the state. It’s clear why Republicans like Sam McCann and Jeanne Ives have signed up to run against him.”
* The blanket claim that he came home empty-handed doesn’t appear to be true. If you watch the DGA’s own video, Gov. Rauner said this…
I do want to make a lot of announcements, but they’ll be coming over the next few weeks. We have several really exciting announcements, new factories, new economic growth in this state from the trip.
The governor said said the new jobs would be “at different locations throughout the state,” and added…
They are all in various stages of commitment and signing, agreements and whatnot. And we’re gonna be making announcements at the appropriate time.
So, they thought they had something lined up in advance and it didn’t work out that way. Such is life in business. However, I’m hearing the project remains on track. Announcements are coming. Maybe all of them won’t happen in “the next few weeks,” and the results won’t be economically transformative for the state as a whole, but this was a productive trip overall, despite some possible embellishments today.
In other words, let’s see what happens before we pounce on the guy.
* We lock the mentally ill in prisons and then don’t properly care for them. Pantagraph…
The constitutional rights of mentally ill inmates have been violated by the Department of Corrections, a federal judge told attorneys Wednesday, citing the state’s failure to comply with an agreement to improve conditions for thousands of prisoners.
In an oral decision delivered during a telephone conference with lawyers for the state and mentally ill inmates, U.S. District Court Judge Michael Mihm ruled IDOC violated five major areas of a 2016 settlement agreement reached in a lawsuit filed on behalf of about 11,000 mentally ill inmates.
The judge said a written ruling calling for a preliminary injunction will be filed before a May 22 hearing to consider remedies to the state’s violations. […]
The five areas of deficiency are treatment planning, segregation, crisis care, psychotropic medication and general quality of mental health care.
A court-appointed monitor testified in December that a critical shortage of psychiatrists has created huge backlogs of psychiatric appointments for inmates.
* You can’t legally drink until you’re 21, so Ambassador McCarter’s logic is a bit off, unless he wants to lower that age threshold, too. I don’t recall him introducing such a bill, but I could be wrong…
The Illinois Senate on Wednesday voted to raise the minimum age to buy cigarettes, vaping devices and other tobacco products from 18 to 21, amid personal pleas from supporters who have lost loved ones to smoking or are struggling to quit. […]
Opponents including Sen. Kyle McCarter contended that while the dangers of smoking are well-documented, 18-year-olds can make decisions for themselves. He noted that’s the threshold for voting and serving in the military. […]
“I started smoking when I was 19. It’s a dirty habit, a habit I wish I would not have picked up. But we all know where I got it from,” [Sen. Emil Jones III, D-Chicago] said to laughs. His father, former Senate President Emil Jones Jr., used to bum smokes on the Senate floor from fellow lawmakers.
“I hope in the future that you remember this day and that you’ll remember about health as you vote on legalization of marijuana,” state Sen. Tim Bivins, R-Dixon, said. “Because my firefighter friend here says that all smoke in your lungs is bad for you.”
And yet after all his concern about the lungs of pot smokers, Sen. Bivins voted to allow 18-20 year-olds to continue smoking cigarettes. I suppose this means my pal Tim is gonna vote for legalized marijuana, particularly since edibles and vaping are viable options. /s
* I wonder what’ll happen to this bill in the House, where a large faction of Democrats staunchly oppose any penalty enhancement proposals…
Inmates who repeatedly expose themselves while in custody would have to register as sex offenders under a plan that is moving in Springfield.
The measure was proposed by Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart, who oversees the County Jail where indecent and lewd behavior by detainees has become a significant problem. Since the start of last year, there have been more than 620 incidents of indecent exposure and lewd conduct by jail detainees, according to a news release from Dart’s office.
The Illinois Senate advanced the bill Wednesday, less than six months after female assistant public defenders filed a lawsuit alleging authorities have not done enough to stop male detainees from exposing themselves, masturbating and threatening the attorneys in courtroom lockups and the county jail. A judge later ordered further precautions be taken to prevent such behavior.
The bill would require that jail detainees and prison inmates register as sex offenders upon their second conviction for indecent exposure in a penal institution.
Comptroller Susana Mendoza said in a report obtained by The Associated Press Monday that Illinois has run up late-pay fees of $1.14 billion since mid-2015. That’s $100 million more than in the previous 18 years combined.
Right now there’s a bunch of baloney – that’s a nice word for it – from our comptroller, saying somehow our administration is responsible for interest, for unpaid bills for decades [laughs]. That is the most ridiculous, most preposterous statement.
And our comptroller was in the General Assembly for years under Mike Madigan. She voted for the deficits that have created the unpaid bills. She voted to support Blagojevich’s pension holiday that created huge liabilities that we’re funding now.
She created the problem, and now she’s, she puts out a memo and says, ‘Oh it’s the Governor’s fault.’ Are you kidding me?
We gotta get real here, ladies and gentlemen. There’s rascals and scoundrels who are misrepresenting the truth, and who are really responsible, and they’re trying to brush off that responsibility.
Mendoza did, indeed, vote for that Blagojevich pension holiday, which cost the state dearly (click here for the oppo).
But Rauner did, indeed, run up the bill backlog more in three years than in the previous 18 years combined. That’s what Mendoza was saying. She didn’t claim Rauner was “responsible for interest, for unpaid bills for decades,” so it was preposterous to claim such a thing today.
McCann is a pawn. He’s being used by Pritzker and Madigan. And we’re gonna win in November.
I’m betting he’ll say that a lot in the coming months.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Comptroller Susana Mendoza…
“Rauner lies. The numbers don’t. The truth hurts. The truth is, it took Governor Rauner only 2 ½ years to do more damage to Illinois’ finances than all the Democratic and Republican administrations and legislatures over the previous 18 years combined.”
*** UPDATE 2 *** Pritzker campaign…
After returning from an 11-day “jobs mission” with no job announcements, Bruce Rauner spiraled out of control when asked about his confrontational rhetoric at a press conference this morning.
Rauner failed to explain why he says Illinois is in a “death spiral” while trying to attract jobs and doubled down on calling legislators “rascals” as budget negotiations continue in Springfield. Rauner even desperately attacked Comptroller Susana Mendoza for publishing “baloney” numbers on the over $1 billion in late fees and interest penalties he’s racked up, calling her and legislators “rascals and scoundrels who are misrepresenting the truth.”
“Today, a failed governor returned from a failed trip to give a failed press conference, lashing out at the press, the Comptroller, and the General Assembly,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “Instead of lying, Bruce Rauner should try looking in the mirror before slandering his coequal branch of government as ‘rascals and scoundrels.’”
Libertarian Candidate for Governor Kash Jackson and Candidate for Lieutenant Governor Sanj Mohip will attend the Illinois Marathon in Springfield on Friday, April 27.
Both candidates will be speaking with the public, and obtaining signatures for ballot access in November. Jackson and Mohip will be available for interviews all day Friday, and by appointment on Saturday. Please contact Campaign Manager Brian Lambrecht for scheduled times.
Senate Democrats on Wednesday opted to skip an attempt to override Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto of a measure that would have required gun dealers to be licensed by the state — giving the governor and fellow Republicans who opposed it a glimpse of victory.
As thousands took to the streets in Springfield to support their Second Amendment rights to own guns, bill sponsor state Sen. Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, said he made the “difficult decision” not to ask the Senate to override the veto. Wednesday marked the last day to do so. Rauner vetoed the measure on March 13, just days ahead of the primary election.
* Harmon press release…
Senator Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) issued the following statement today on his decision not to call a vote to override Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto of the Gun Dealer Licensing Act:
“Today, I made the difficult decision not to ask the Senate to override Gov. Rauner’s veto of the gun dealer licensing bill.
“While I am confident that I had the votes in the Senate to override the veto, I could not assure my colleagues that the House would vote against the governor, particularly given his vociferous and unreasonable opposition to this measure.
“In the past few days, I have had productive conversations with suburban Republican members, in particular Senator Chris Nybo, that make me believe we can create a new path to regulating gun dealers in Illinois.
“I have also recently received overtures and encouragement from unexpected and unconventional allies who can better inform our decision making as we move forward towards a successful resolution.
“While making this decision, I frequently reminded myself that ‘victory’ is not overriding Gov. Rauner’s veto or winning any other political battle in the Capitol. Victory means protecting the people we represent from the senseless violence fueled by the ready availability of guns in our communities.
“Today, I am reintroducing the substance of the Gun Dealer Licensing Act as an amendment to an existing bill, Senate Bill 337, and I will begin work immediately on gathering support for the measure.
“Licensing gun dealers at the state level is a sensible step to reduce gun violence, and I will not give up. I am sure we will enact this measure – under this administration or the next.”
“All any father or mother really wants to know is that their family is safe. We need to focus on illegal gun trafficking, school safety, how to best keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill. These are bipartisan issues that we are working on collaboratively in our Public Safety Working Group to drive real solutions. We will keep working to keep our families safe,” Gov. Rauner said in a statement Wednesday evening.
State Democrats’ hopes of overriding a veto of firearms-dealer licensing fizzled Wednesday, swamped by the inaction of a Senate and House afraid to take the vote without cover from the other. […]
But the measure’s sponsor, Sen. Don Harmon, an Oak Park Democrat, said several of his colleagues’ commitments to vote for override were contingent on knowing that the House would follow suit. […]
“I’m pretty sure I have 68 votes without the Senate going through, but the three more members that I need,” said [Rep. Kathleen] Willis, an Addison Democrat [and House sponsor of the bill].
Now the thinking is that Rauner may be less inclined to reject the proposal a second time as he seeks to appeal to a wider audience ahead of a November matchup against Democratic challenger J.B. Pritzker.
“When he’s looking at a general election, maybe it’s not in his best interest (to veto the bill),” said Rep. Kathleen Willis, a Democrat from Addison who is carrying the bill in the House. “So maybe we do run another bill that takes in a little more compromise on some stuff and gather a few more members. It may not be a veto-proof majority, but maybe enough that it makes the governor say, ‘In this climate, I don’t want to veto it.’” […]
Among the changes being considered is no longer exempting big box stores from state oversight, which small business owners said would put them at a disadvantage as they were less able to absorb the costs related to complying with the proposed rules.
Gun owners gathered in the Illinois capitol Wednesday for the annual Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day as a plan to override a controversial gun control measure failed. […]
Libertarian candidate for governor Kash Jackson also spoke. He said he learned something in his 20-years of service in the military.
“The greatest threat to our constitution and to our freedoms does not lie on a foreign shore,” Jackson said. “The greatest threat to our freedoms lies in the pen of a legislator in that building right back there.”
Jackson also talked about gun ownership as “our natural, God-given right to protect ourselves, to protect our families against a tyrannical government.” And after saying that “greatest threat” stuff, he said “By, God, whatever it takes, I’m going to fight to restore freedom in this state. If it’s the last thing that I do, I will fight to restore freedom.”
Rep. Margo McDermod, R-Mokena, called Democrats “hysterical no-nothings” while Rep. Reggie Phillips, R-Charleston, told rally participants that “when you’re looking at these (legislators) measure ‘em twice, what side they’re on. Make sure you hold their feet to a fire because they speak with a forked tongue.”
In Illinois’ 13th Congressional District, Republican incumbent Rodney Davis has an approval rating of 40%, and 39% disapprove of his job performance. President Trump has an approval rating of 45% and a disapproval rating of 50% in Davis’ district. Speaker Paul Ryan is unpopular with 34% of voters saying they approve of the job he is doing and a majority (50%) responding that they disapprove.
In an initial hypothetical matchup, Democrat Betsy Dirksen Londrigan receives 42% of the vote and Davis receives 45%. Although Dirksen Londrigan is down, 48% who are ‘very excited’ to vote plan to cast their ballot for her, while 44% support Davis. A large majority of voters (78%) indicate they have major (62%) or minor (16%) concerns after Davis voted for a health care plan that allows insurance companies to impose an unfair age tax on people over 50. After voters were given more information about the tax and health care plans, the race ties up with both candidates receiving 43% of the vote. […]
PPP surveyed 726 IL-13 voters from April 16-17, 2018. The margin of error is +/- 3.6%. This poll was conducted by automated telephone interviews.
In Illinois’ 14th Congressional District, Republican incumbent Randy Hultgren has an approval rating of 30%, and 43% disapprove of his job performance. President Trump has an approval rating of 43% and a disapproval rating of 52% in Hultgren’s district. Speaker Paul Ryan is unpopular with 35% of voters saying they approve of the job he is doing and a majority (55%) responding that they disapprove.
In an initial hypothetical matchup, Democrat Lauren Underwood receives 41% of the vote and Hultgren receives 45%. Although Underwood is down, 52% who are ‘very excited’ to vote plan to cast their ballot for her, while 40% support Hultgren. A large majority of voters (83%) indicate they have major (66%) or minor (17%) concerns after Hultgren voted for a health care plan that allows insurance companies to impose an unfair age tax on people over 50. After voters were given more information about the tax and health care plans, the race ties up with both candidates receiving 42% of the vote. […]
PPP surveyed 682 IL-14 voters from April 16-17, 2018. The margin of error is +/- 3.8%. This poll was conducted by automated telephone interviews.
DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Luján today announced that clean energy entrepreneur and IL-06 Democratic nominee Sean Casten has earned a spot on the DCCC’s highly competitive Red to Blue program.
Sean Casten has worked hard in his suburban Chicago district to earn a spot on Red to Blue by surpassing aggressive goals for grassroots engagement, local support, campaign organization and fundraising. Beyond his demonstrated abilities to build a winning campaign infrastructure, Casten has a record as a job creator and deep ties to the community he aims to represent.
“With a principled and commonsense approach, Sean Casten will put economic opportunity and affordable healthcare for families ahead of special interests, which has clearly resonated in this district,” said DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Luján. “Sean is a scientist, engineer, and entrepreneur whose experience creating jobs and solving problems is something we need more of in Congress. With a strong grassroots campaign at his back, Sean Casten is ready to flip this district in November.”
Red to Blue is a highly competitive and battle-tested program at the DCCC that arms top-tier candidates with organizational and fundraising support to help them continue to run strong campaigns. Additionally, the DCCC provides strategic guidance, staff resources, candidate trainings, and more.
In 2018, the DCCC will make more targeted and frequent additions to the Red to Blue program than in previous election cycles.
Today, Conservative Party gubernatorial candidate Sam McCann released a video introducing voters to running mate Aaron Merreighn. The video focuses on Merreighn’s family, upbringing, military service and political platform.
“I’m excited to introduce the people of Illinois to Aaron Merreighn, a man who has dedicated his life to helping others and serving his country,” said McCann. “I am proud to call him my running mate and I will be even prouder to call him Lieutenant Governor.”
McCann contrasted Merreighn’s military service with Governor Rauner’s failure to respond to the 13 fatal cases of Legionnaire’s Disease at the Quincy Veterans Home, and Rauner’s inability to release a plan to prevent it from happening again. Merreighn served five tours of duty as a Marine.
“As a veteran, Aaron has committed to giving our heroes the respect and care they’ve earned,” said McCann. “One of the reasons I chose Aaron as a running mate was to give Illinois veterans relief from the deplorable treatment they’ve received from Governor Rauner, whose catastrophic response to the fatal outbreak at the Quincy Veterans Home is an insult to every American who has ever worn a military uniform.”
“Aaron’s commitment to veterans and strong work ethic are what Illinois needs,” McCann continued. “Aaron is a proven leader who has served his country as a Marine, his community as a volunteer firefighter, and his state as a proud state worker.”
It goes without saying that Mike Madigan isn’t a fan of term limits. Their absence is the reason he’s been in office since 1971 and has been the Speaker for all but two of the last 35 years.
JB Pritzker claims to be a supporter of term limits, but not if it upsets Mike Madigan. Just check out what he said during the NBC debate back in January: “I am not in favor of term for limits for everybody in the legislature.”
Pritzker knows all too well that he needs the support of Madigan and his Chicago political machine to get elected. That’s why he doesn’t support term limits.
* I watched their attached video and they left out something that’s pretty important. See if you can spot it…
Pritzker: I’m in favor of independent maps so you’ll have more competitive elections. I’m in favor of legislative leader term limits so that we don’t have people serving in office for tens and tens of years.
Carol Marin: On this you agree with Gov. Rauner?
Pritzker: I am not in favor of term limits for everybody in the Legislature. I think leaders should, leadership should turn over because I want competitive elections. I think if you like your legislator you should be able to reelect them, but it should be in a competitive election.
It goes without saying that Speaker Madigan ain’t no fan of legislative leader term limits.
* OK, let’s revisit a few Travis Reinking stories. Pantagraph…
“The police reports speak for themselves. I think anyone can conclude after reading them that there’s evidence (Reinking) has mental health issues,” said Tazewell County Sheriff Bob Huston.
In case you missed them, the Reinking police reports are here.
“Travis is hostile towards police and does not recognize police authority. Travis also possesses several firearms,” said the [police] incident report. It also said Reinking believed he has autism, had made “suicidal comments” and was eventually taken away for mental evaluation.
Officers tried to convince Reinking to seek help at UnityPoint Health-Methodist, and told him he could not leave the scene because he was in protective custody due to suicidal comments he made. Reinking allegedly attempted to leave again before he was made to go to [UnityPoint Health-Methodist].
The Chicago Police Department was accused Wednesday of a bureaucratic oversight that threatens to make an already violent Chicago a more dangerous place to live and work.
Inspector General Joe Ferguson accused the department of failing to comply with the “clear and present danger reporting requirements” of the state law governing Firearms Owners Identification Cards.
The law requires cops to notify the Illinois State Police within 24 hours whenever they encounter an individual who poses a “clear and present danger” — either to themselves or to the general public.
But that is not what’s happening, according to an explosive new report released Wednesday that was the first by the public safety section of the inspector general’s office.
If a person is determined to pose a clear and present danger to himself, herself, or to others… by a law enforcement official or school administrator, then the law enforcement official or school administrator shall, within 24 hours of making the determination, notify the Department of State Police that the person poses a clear and present danger… The Department of State Police shall determine whether to revoke the person’s Firearm Owner’s Identification Card under Section 8 of this Act.
So, I think the answer to the headline’s question is probably “Yes.”
Reporter: Governor, you’re still meeting today with the four legislative leaders?
Gov. Rauner: I’m headin’ to Springfield around 10:30 this mornin’. And I’ll be meetin’ with legislators today and tomorrow. We gotta get these rascals to do a balanced budget — they just don’t want [laughs] to do it. They never have, they’ve never had a balanced budget the last three years, but they’ve never really had one for 30 years. They just don’t do that. It’s not how they think. And the reality is we have to change. We’ve got to get balanced budgets. We’re not the federal government, we can’t print money. And it’s hurtin’ us, so we’re gonna push it.
