* July 10th…
Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner on Tuesday said he supports the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh, a politically connected conservative judge, just as Democrats in Illinois and across the country sounded the alarm on potential rulings on abortion restrictions, gun rights and a roll back of Obamacare. […]
“I support the nomination of Judge Kavanaugh. I believe he is highly experienced, well-qualified for the position, and I hope that his nomination is voted on and approved expeditiously,” Rauner told reporters in Schaumburg after touring Amada America, Inc.
Rauner, too, accused Democrats of “trying to play politics with this issue.”
* Today…
Nearly all of the nation’s Republican governors have signed a letter backing Senate confirmation for President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
In a letter to Senate leaders, first obtained by the AP, GOP governors from 31 states and territories ask that senators move “expeditiously to confirm” Kavanaugh to the court.
They write: “Judge Kavanaugh’s impeccable credentials demonstrate he is worthy of this nomination.”
The letter is part of a coordinated campaign by the White House to build public support for Kavanaugh, in hopes of securing his confirmation in time for the beginning of the Supreme Court’s term this fall.
And yet, according to the AP, Gov. Rauner did not sign the letter.
Kinda odd. But it could be one more attempt at keeping his distance from POTUS. Having his cake and eating it too, perhaps?
…Adding… Tina Sfondeles…
The governor’s office did not immediately respond to questions about the letter on Tuesday afternoon.
*** UPDATE *** From Will Allison at the Rauner campaign…
Governor Rauner has supported Judge Kavanaugh as a nominee for the Supreme Court since he was announced earlier this month. The RGA is adding Governor Rauner’s signature to the letter
- slow down - Wednesday, Jul 25, 18 @ 12:43 pm:
Obviously Rauner doesn’t vote on Kavanaugh’s confirmation, but being on the record for a guy who very well could overturn Roe v. Wade presents Pritzker a good opportunity to get the attention of female suburban voters.
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Jul 25, 18 @ 12:50 pm:
I thought Rauner was all about signing “pledges” no?
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Jul 25, 18 @ 12:51 pm:
I hope nobody tells the President, especially right before he goes on stage.
Shhh.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Jul 25, 18 @ 12:51 pm:
One thing for sure about Rauner, when he says he has your back, you should check it for a knife.
- Texas Red - Wednesday, Jul 25, 18 @ 12:54 pm:
Our two Senators will not be supporting Kavanaugh - the rest is a for show. You would think that all the GOP governors would understand article II section 2
- Keyser Soze - Wednesday, Jul 25, 18 @ 12:57 pm:
RINO has been called.
- LizPhairTax - Wednesday, Jul 25, 18 @ 1:10 pm:
In Dan Rather voice: “Courage”
- Steve - Wednesday, Jul 25, 18 @ 1:12 pm:
Abortions aren’t going away in Illinois. So, all of this really doesn’t matter. I wouldn’t be shocked if Planned Parenthood has office space in most high schools in Illinois over the next 10 years.
- Texas Red - Wednesday, Jul 25, 18 @ 1:12 pm:
As Sir Thomas More said…”The maxim is “Qui tacet consentire”: the maxim of the law is “Silence gives consent”
- wprdslinger - Wednesday, Jul 25, 18 @ 1:18 pm:
–I wouldn’t be shocked if Planned Parenthood has office space in most high schools in Illinois over the next 10 years.–
Huh? You realize that both the abortion and teen pregnancy rates in the United States are at historic lows?
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Jul 25, 18 @ 1:23 pm:
Rauner’s long standing policy has been not to sign joint letters.
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Jul 25, 18 @ 1:29 pm:
If you want laws - legislate. Don’t depend upon judges who share your politics.
Kavanaugh is fine. Rowe v. Wade can be struck down without ending abortions. Legislate.
- Cheryl44 - Wednesday, Jul 25, 18 @ 1:32 pm:
Planned Parenthood should have offices in high schools. We’d probably have fewer high school students become parents that way.
- Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Jul 25, 18 @ 1:33 pm:
How does Rauner generate a constituency when he’s so slippery? The guy won’t take any stands that don’t involve maximum calculation of the harm that might come to him. He’s the most negative stereotype of a politician, in this sense.
Trump, love him or hate him, is very much the opposite. He says what he wants, and that resonates with certain people and helps create loyalty.
- GA Watcher - Wednesday, Jul 25, 18 @ 1:33 pm:
–I wouldn’t be shocked if Planned Parenthood has office space in most high schools in Illinois over the next 10 years.–
I think Steve has taken the early lead for most asinine comment of the year.
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Jul 25, 18 @ 1:36 pm:
For some odd reason, the generations replacing the Boomers and often have in-vitro photos of themselves before birth, have a different take on ending human lives before birth.
Something how progress does that.
- Steve Rogers - Wednesday, Jul 25, 18 @ 1:44 pm:
–I wouldn’t be shocked if Planned Parenthood has office space in most high schools in Illinois over the next 10 years.–
Ahh yes, the slippery slope argument. We can’t legalize marijuana because everyone will be crack heads. We can’t have same sex marriage because everyone will want to marry their dog.
- a drop in - Wednesday, Jul 25, 18 @ 1:52 pm:
“If you want laws - legislate. Don’t depend upon judges who share your politics.”
And that’s why the McCain-Feingold Act is the law. Oh wait……
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Jul 25, 18 @ 2:03 pm:
= I wouldn’t be shocked if Planned Parenthood has office space in most high schools in Illinois over the next 10 years.=
There is something wrong with your brain.
- Trapped in the 'burbs - Wednesday, Jul 25, 18 @ 2:08 pm:
I thought believed all judges were corrupt. Maybe he believes only all Illinois judges are corrupt. He is really bad at this governor thingy.
- Trapped in the 'burbs - Wednesday, Jul 25, 18 @ 2:10 pm:
*I thought he believed…
- Anon221 - Wednesday, Jul 25, 18 @ 2:15 pm:
Just another “Where’s Rauner ?” gem. More of that ole no social agenda commitment ???
- BlueDogDem - Wednesday, Jul 25, 18 @ 2:22 pm:
Fiscal conservative. Nope.
Social conservative. Nope.
- Nick Name - Wednesday, Jul 25, 18 @ 2:34 pm:
His self-imposed isolation from both the national Republican Party and from prominent national Republicans is one of the oddest things about him. And he treats the state GOP as nothing more than a tool, as something to control with equal parts threats and cash. His anti-union fixation aside, there really isn’t much about him that is identifiably Republican.
- Nick Name - Wednesday, Jul 25, 18 @ 2:35 pm:
===As Sir Thomas More said…”The maxim is “Qui tacet consentire”: the maxim of the law is “Silence gives consent”===
Maybe for normal people. For Rauner, his silence means “If I ignore it long enough, maybe it’ll go away.”
- Huh? - Wednesday, Jul 25, 18 @ 4:25 pm:
“RGA is adding Governor Rauner’s signature to the letter”
1.4% - I didn’t sign the letter, I didn’t know the RGA was going to forge my signature.
- Only blocked once today - Wednesday, Jul 25, 18 @ 4:49 pm:
=Fiscal conservative. Nope.
Social conservative. Nope.=
To the Update:
Fiscal Anarchist. Yes.
Social/Corporate Theocrat. Yes
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Jul 25, 18 @ 5:06 pm:
–Rauner’s long standing policy has been not to sign joint letters.–
What made his piling on the Syrian refugees so necessary, then? Just winding up the perpetually scared and hateful for brownie points?
- Rabid - Wednesday, Jul 25, 18 @ 5:06 pm:
Looking for one big heaping helping of praise from you know who