* Gov. Rauner this morning…
I’m funding Erika Harold. I’m giving her a million dollars which is a lot of money for me. I need her to win. Lisa Madigan has defended the corruption of her dad. Erika Harold will prosecute Madigan and the corruption. She’s awesome.
* The governor held a Statehouse press conference today…
Bernie: You said on the radio that you’re going to give a million dollars to Erika Harold and she ‘will prosecute Madigan and the corruption. She’s awesome.’ Corruption? Are you saying that Mr. Madigan has committed a crime? Are you a prosecutor now and what exactly should she prosecute him for? Because I know you like talking about everybody’s corrupt, but what are you talking about when you’re giving a million dollars and telling this person ‘I’m going to get you elected and you’re going to prosecute this man’? Is that the American way? And what is he guilty of?
Gov. Rauner: [Laughs] Well, the Illinois way is corruption. Madigan has been in control of our state for 35 years. Why do we tolerate a system where the leader of the legislature, the leader of the Democrat Party, uh, can control much of our state government, force policies that cause our property taxes and taxes to rise and then own a property tax appeal law firm, and charge property owners millions of dollars to get property taxes reduced? He’s on both sides of that. It’s corrupt, it’s broken it’s a fundamental conflict of interest.
Reporter: Is it legal?
Rauner: It shouldn’t be.
Bernie: Why didn’t you propose that?
Rauner: [Laughs] I have proposed many variations on this issue. I tried to get a law passed, uh, the General Assembly under Speaker Madigan blocked it, a law passed to stop legislators from, uh, owning property tax appeal law firms, so it would be illegal, and stop arguing cases in front of, um, tax appeal boards because they’re in, it’s a conflict. They, they raise taxes on their policy side and then make money reducing them. That’s, that’s a conflict. That’s a rigged system. And, uh, they wouldn’t pass that bill. So I went ahead and did an executive order. And now, legislators can’t argue cases in front of the state board. That I can do unilaterally.
Monique: But you also said that she should prosecute the speaker.
Rauner: Yes.
Monique: So, are you alleging that he has committed a crime? And also, how could she prosecute because that office can only refer crimes right now?
Rauner: [Laughs] So, attorneys’ general job is to enforce the law and investigate wrongdoing, especially in state government. The, the, the attorney general’s job is to represent the people of Illinois as their chief prosecutor and, and, uh, and legal, uh, representative. Um, we in Illinois have suffered for years. Our attorney general has defended the current system. Defended the conflicts of interest. Protect the problems in this state. Defend the status quo. We need someone who will challenge the status quo, investigate wrongdoing, investigate possible illegal activity, certainly investigate unethical activity and, and propose laws to make it illegal, rather only unethical. That’s what an attorney general who will primarily do. And in Illinois that has not been happening. Erika Harold will make that happen and that’s my point.
Rauner aide: Last question! Last question!
* By the way, I sent these questions to Erika Harold’s campaign this morning at 10:10…
1) Has Ms. Harold spoken with the governor about her plans to prosecute Speaker Madigan?
2) Does she have any plans to prosecute Speaker Madigan?
3) Does she have any other comment on the governor’s statement?
4) Does she have any comment on the governor’s pledge to contribute $1 million to her campaign?
I haven’t heard back.
*** UPDATE *** The Erika Harold campaign finally got back to me, but they didn’t answer any of my questions…
Erika is grateful for the support from not only Governor Rauner, but also many citizens across Illinois who want to reform state government.
If presented with evidence, Erika will investigate and pursue any allegation of wrongdoing or corruption at any level of government in Illinois as Attorney General. Additionally, Erika has called on lawmakers to give the Attorney General additional tools to crack down on public corruption, including the authority to convene a statewide grand jury and issue subpoenas.
- Not It - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 2:45 pm:
Did Lisa Madigan ever create that public corruption division that she promised to make back in 2002?
- Anon221 - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 2:45 pm:
Rauner Mad (ad)Libbing his way through another press conference. Great questioning by Bernie and Monique( banned punctuation).
- njt16 - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 2:46 pm:
===Rauner: [Laughs]=== You can hear the tell from here.
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 2:47 pm:
When he’s laughing he’s lying.
- Nick Name - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 2:49 pm:
===Gov. Rauner: [Laughs]===
He had them right where they wanted him.
- Keyrock - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 2:54 pm:
2 more questions:
Under what authority would this prosecution be brought?
What constitutional or statutory provision makes the AG the chief prosecutor?
- Humboldt Boulevard - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 2:56 pm:
Earlier this week Kash Jackson also complained about the laws he doesn’t find fair and wants to fix when he’s governor. Little does he know, apparently you can’t even change laws once you get to that office!
- Chaz - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 2:56 pm:
They night start by looking into Pop Madigans cozy relationship with property owners and developers. Most don’t seem to pay a lot in property tax.,
- Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 2:56 pm:
@keyrock
None and none
- Annon - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 2:57 pm:
His comments are without fact and very dangerous. His proposal to use an independent officeholder, the Attorney General, to go after political enemies is something from the Trumpian world or RUSSIA.
- Jocko - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 2:59 pm:
Bruce ‘Back Porch’ Rauner is one to talk about “fundamental conflicts of interest” and “corruption”. I guess he’s never heard of ghost payrollers or pinstripe patronage.
- Smitty Irving - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 2:59 pm:
Not It - Everytime she started investigating Blago, she was asked to “stand-down” by the US Attorney. Perhaps you’ve heard of him? Gentleman by the name of Patrick Fitzgerald.
- Lawman - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:00 pm:
So the guv thinks Erica can propose laws that the legislature will pass when he can’t get the same proposed laws passed himself. Kind of shows how ineffective the guv is.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:03 pm:
Governor Rauner is a caricature.
He doesn’t know the law, his own duties, the AG’s duties…
Rauner knows about suing people and forcing his companies to liquidate.
That’s Rauner’s legal experiences.
Good on the Press. Please keep the heat on… when Rauner says ignorant things, y’all keep pressing him.
Great stuff.
- Northsider - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:06 pm:
Madigan is Rauner’s strawberries.
Nov. 6 can’t come soon enough.
- Memo From Turner - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:11 pm:
==Governor Rauner is a caricature.==
Willy,
In honor of Foreigner coming to town, you are as “Cold as Ice.”
- Joe M - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:12 pm:
The real crime is the State’s lack of proper funding for education. Because the State isn’t funding K-12 like it should, the burden to fund K-12 falls heavily on local property taxes. Didn’t Rauner veto the school funding bill that at least started to address that issue?
- Flynn's Mom - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:13 pm:
I really hate that “I’m telling a lie” laugh.
- @misterjayem - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:13 pm:
“When he’s laughing he’s lying.”
Poker players dream of facing-off against somebody with a tell as over the top as Bruce Rauner’s mirthless chuckle.
– MrJM
- WhoKnew - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:14 pm:
Who gonna ask him about Stu Levine again, when he talks about illegal activity?
Inquiring minds want to know…
- Bernie Fail - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:14 pm:
In the audio, but not in the transcript, Bernie claims that Schilling won in IL-17 after redistricting. That is not true. Truth-telling should be a two-way straight and Bernie should know his facts too.
- Father Ted - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:15 pm:
As several others have pointed out in so many words, I can usually count on getting a good laugh when Rauner’s transcripts start with [laughs].
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:15 pm:
- Memo From Turner -
Thanks… I try to stay calm, I’m too Hot Blooded…
To the Post,
I guess for a million bucks… ya charge anyone with anything if Rauner is funding you.
Right? Exactly right.
- Thoughts Matter - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:16 pm:
If I understand this correctly, he believes his AG should be able to charge Madigan with a crime solely because he wants to? Never mind, the action isn’t illegal? Can someone please explain the US Constiturion and the Bill of Rights to him? Kings/dictators can put people in jail solely because they want to. US citizens and officials cannot.
- Columbo - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:20 pm:
With respect to 47th’s point, “When he’s laughing he’s lying, and also when he’s not laughing”. There, fixed it for ya
- Roadrager - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:21 pm:
Great clarification by the Governor, emphasizing that he’s giving the Attorney General candidate a million dollars so she can prosecute someone for something that isn’t a crime, but in his mind, should be.
- it's just campaignin' - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:23 pm:
nonetheless, his off-the-cuff, talking point, stay-on-message about Madigan (not policy) remarks will play well with a voting segment
- Reserved - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:25 pm:
Glad to see this trend in threatening to use the power of the state to criminally punish political rivals is continuing. We’re making great progress in this nation towards despotism.
- Try-4-Truth - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:25 pm:
“”"represent the people of Illinois as their chief prosecutor”"”
This statement is not just false, it shows a complete lack of understanding of Illinois state government. If Bruce Rauner were just a guy on the street, he could be forgiven because it seems like that statement could be true. But, he’s a full term governor at this point.
Either Gov. Rauner is dangerously ignorant, or he’s a liar of Trumpian proportions.
I’ll let his supporters decide which he is.
- Leigh John-Ella - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:25 pm:
I half expected Rauner to yell: TRIAL BY STONE.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjpg-DHzvjM
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:26 pm:
===…his off-the-cuff, talking point, stay-on-message about Madigan (not policy) remarks will play well with a voting segment===
lol
The man is terribly underwater, trailing be at least 9 points, is considered the worst Republican and most vulnerable governor in America… both distinctions… and you think a phony stance against MJM… which he’s been doing for 4 years already… helps?
Oh boy… you go with that.
- hisgirlfriday - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:37 pm:
He so badly wants to hear a “Lock Him Up” chant at a campaign event before this is over.
- City Zen - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:38 pm:
==Did Lisa Madigan ever create that public corruption division that she promised to make back in 2002?==
“It’s time that Illinois’ highest legal official takes an active, hands-on role in cleaning up government. That’s what people expect of their leaders and elected officials. And I will not let them down.”
— Lisa Madigan, candidate for attorney general, Aug. 29, 2002
Let. Down.
- SinkingShip - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:38 pm:
===- Bernie Fail - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:14 pm:
In the audio, but not in the transcript, Bernie claims that Schilling won in IL-17 after redistricting. That is not true. Truth-telling should be a two-way straight and Bernie should know his facts too.===
You’re not wrong, but those are two sides of the same street. One is a situation where someone got a fact wrong. The other is a situation where someone essentially stated that he was funding a candidate for independent office with the aim of prosecuting a political rival, without stating a single fact that a crime was committed.
- Glengarry - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:41 pm:
It took this long for the press to be tough on him? Man it’s been a long 4 1/2 year wait for it to happen.
- Wensicia - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:41 pm:
Why would Harold follow your plans for her office?
Rauner: Because I gave her a million dollars.
Shouldn’t she be investigating you? The AG’s office is not your personal law firm to go after political enemies, ala Trump.
- Dance Band on the Titanic - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:45 pm:
- hisgirlfriday - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:37 pm:
He so badly wants to hear a “Lock Him Up” chant at a campaign event before this is over.
That works well in an arena with 10,000 supporters but is not so effective in a coffeeshop with two dozen or so.
- Pundent - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:46 pm:
=nonetheless, his off-the-cuff, talking point, stay-on-message about Madigan (not policy) remarks will play well with a voting segment=
Getting the 26% who approve of Rauner to vote for him shouldn’t be his sole objective at this point.
- Norseman - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:47 pm:
There is a problem with illegal actions not being investigated by Lisa. She should have investigated the illegal actions of Rauner and his administration for contracting for services without appropriations. How many people still need to be paid for his harmful activities?
- Ducky LaMoore - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:48 pm:
All this corruption babble just really makes me wonder how the Governor managed to triple his income after becoming the governor….
- Ron Burgundy - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:50 pm:
So far as I can tell, being a big doodyhead is not in the Illinois Criminal Code.
- Duopoly - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:51 pm:
=Either Gov. Rauner is dangerously ignorant, or he’s a liar of Trumpian proportions.
I’ll let his supporters decide which he is.=
His supporters can’t get Madigan on a separate e-mail server, but maybe the pen of carrier pigeons, so the new Rauner campaign chant about Madigan?;;; Lock Him Up! Lock Him Up, Lock Him Up…..
- Homer J. Quinn - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:52 pm:
“I’m giving her a million dollars which is a lot of money for me.”
yeah sure moneybags, you’re a real man of the people.
- My New Handle - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:57 pm:
This is Rauner’s nod to Trump’s “Lock her up” meme. Two peas in a pod.
- DarkHorse - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:59 pm:
Is it inevitable Harold will be hit on this “charge Madigan” thing by Raoul’s TV commercials and in any debate they may have?
- Michelle Flaherty - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:59 pm:
Hmmm. Is Harold’s non-answer worth $4 million?
- Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 4:01 pm:
- WhoKnew - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 3:14 pm:
Who gonna ask him about Stu Levine again, when he talks about illegal activity?
Inquiring minds want to know…
Why don’t you call Madigan’s office and inquire?
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 4:01 pm:
===Is it inevitable Harold will be hit on this “charge Madigan” thing===
No.
This is much more likely: “I’m funding Erika Harold. I’m giving her a million dollars… I need her to win.”
- Anon0091 - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 4:02 pm:
Repeat after me: the Illinois attorney general is not the state’s top prosecutor. The Illinois Attorney General is not the state’s top prosecutor. The Illinois Attorney General is not the state’s top prosecutor. No state grand jury authority. No criminal subpoena power except in very narrowly defined cases. This is not what they do.
And yea, Rauner is following the lead of his fellow liar Donald Trump in telling his AG who to prosecute. Doesn’t work like that…or at least it shouldn’t.
- Pundent - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 4:02 pm:
=Is it inevitable Harold will be hit on this “charge Madigan” thing by Raoul’s TV commercials and in any debate they may have?=
She should be. The governor (and self-described funder) says he wants her to prosecute Madigan for crimes that he can’t identify and activities that aren’t illegal. Perfectly reasonable for her to respond if she’s ok with doing that.
- TKMH - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 4:03 pm:
“Show me the man and I’ll show you the crime.”
Right, Bruce?
- Pundent - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 4:06 pm:
-@Anon0091- Rauner: [Laughs]
- Truthteller - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 4:09 pm:
I think it’s fair to assume that if Patrick Fitzgerald and all of the other U.S. attorneys before and after him couldn’t find a basis to indict Madigan that Miss Illinois won’t either.
Rauner should have kept his $1 million. It would have saved him the embarrassment of looking foolish once again
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 4:13 pm:
What’s exciting for me…
I know now Harold is in to go after Madigan, and Rauner is funding her to go after Madigan… so Harold is willing, for a million dollars, to go after whoever Rauner chooses?
Is *that* the takeaway I’m suppose to have?
Seems like both Harold and Rauner want me to think that…
- Shelby Thomas Weems - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 4:13 pm:
Rauner’s laughing has got me to believe he’s more nervous than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs
- Cheryl44 - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 4:14 pm:
I’ll bet Rauner had to save up for a whole week in order to afford to give the Harold campaign a million dollars.
- @misterjayem - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 4:19 pm:
“The Erika Harold campaign finally got back to me, but they didn’t answer any of my questions…”
RaunerChuckle.wav
– MrJM
- Jake Gittes - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 4:20 pm:
As clueless as the day he was inaugurated.
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 4:25 pm:
I’m sorry to have to keep bringing this up, but Rauner has no room to talk. He bought and extorted the ILGOP. Money-wise and per capita, he has to be the biggest individual “corrupt insider” in state history—with disastrous results for us.
Where are the Democrats to call out this hypocrisy, after being attacked by Rauner for so long? Where’s the DPI? Pritzker? They should be trying to turn this around on Rauner. Take the opponent’s supposed strength and try to turn it into a weakness, when the opponent is as lousy and hypocritical as Rauner, and when his main “strength” is calling top Dems corrupt.
- DarkHorse - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 4:28 pm:
Since we’re comparing Rauner to Trump, will the Gov - like the Prez - pledge to give money to a “worthy cause”, only to delay or back out?
- Arthur Andersen - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 4:54 pm:
Is it too late for Lisa to investigate Rauner for impersonating a Governor?
- Louis G. Atsaves - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 5:09 pm:
===Repeat after me: the Illinois attorney general is not the state’s top prosecutor. The Illinois Attorney General is not the state’s top prosecutor. The Illinois Attorney General is not the state’s top prosecutor. No state grand jury authority. No criminal subpoena power except in very narrowly defined cases. This is not what they do.==
And yet during her very first run as AG, Lisa Madigan promised to prosecute corruption.
Let that sink in for a few moments for those claiming the AG office has no statutory authority to prosecute cases of corruption.
Sigh.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 5:11 pm:
===And yet during her very first run as AG, Lisa Madigan promised to prosecute corruption.
Let that sink in for a few moments for those claiming the AG office has no statutory authority to prosecute cases of corruption.
Sigh.===
“And yet during his very first run as AG, Jim Ryan promised to prosecute corruption.
Let that sink in for a few moments for those claiming the AG office has no statutory authority to prosecute cases of corruption.
Sigh.”
Shall we go on, Counselor?
It’s the thing that all eventual AGs learn… how they ran isn’t the office they now hold.
- Duopoly - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 5:18 pm:
=If presented with evidence, Erika will investigate and pursue any allegation of wrongdoing or corruption at any level of government in Illinois as Attorney General. =
If true, it’s a 180 from the current AG. Under Lisa Madigan the AG’s office has defended a large number of state supervisors and executives against credible charges of wrongdoing.
- JS Mill - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 5:30 pm:
@Louis G. Atsaves- no real thoughts on the thread though huh? Governor Rauner- incumbent governor as you know- does not seem to know what the AG does, gives his handpicked candidate $1 million to go after a political rival, can’t give an honest answer about an actual crime, repeats the same bullet point from 4 years ago? No thoughts on that though?
If we are going to get into what candidates said they were going to do, well the governor made a lot of promises about honesty and transparency that have not come to fruition. Seems like fertile ground if that is what you would rather discuss I am game.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 5:37 pm:
Bernie and Monique, doing their things, fair and square, truth to power, like real journalists should.
Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.
Rauner can’t last a minute under such scrooten. Off script, on his feet, he’s a pork-and-beaner, a tomato can, the Chuck Wepner of supposed heavyweights.
If Bernie and Monique are the enemy of the people, count me in.
- TominChicago - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 5:47 pm:
If true, it’s a 180 from the current AG. Under Lisa Madigan the AG’s office has defended a large number of state supervisors and executives against credible charges of wrongdoing.
Civil or criminal wrongdoing? The AG’s office has an obligation to defend state employees sued in connection with their jobs. I am quite sure the office never defended anyone against criminal charges.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 6:23 pm:
–When he’s laughing he’s lying.–
When he’s breathing, he’s lying.
He was Trump before Trump.
- Rabid - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 10:21 pm:
The attorney general is running a protection racket, please go on
- VanillaMan - Friday, Aug 10, 18 @ 8:28 am:
This is unbelievable.
A governor has been accusing a house speaker of corruption for nearly four years.
Our government can’t function when this happens.
Yet nothing is proven, investigated, nothing is done by the accusing governor. He says we have a criminal holding the speaker’s office, but does nothing else.
Flat-out nutty.
Rauner isn’t governing as he promised, he isn’t governing at all. He is just paralyzing our state with silly nonsense. Rauner isn’t even trying.
He’s done more damage to us than any other governor.
- Flynn's Mom - Friday, Aug 10, 18 @ 9:12 am:
@Arthur Anderson….good one.
- Anonymous - Friday, Aug 10, 18 @ 9:28 am:
This just proves you don’t have to be smart to be wealthy.
- The Dude Abides - Friday, Aug 10, 18 @ 9:39 am:
I bought the Illinois Republican Party and I just gave Erica Harold a million dollars because I want to buy the next Attorney General too.