* From Illinois Republican National Committeeman Richard Porter’s speech this morning to the party faithful…
This [JB Pritzker] is the guy who tried to buy his office. He tried to get into the game, he was sucking up to Blagojevich. Now he’s sucking up to Mike Madigan.
What’s one of the great things about being a billionaire? You don’t have to suck up to anybody. Right? I mean, that’s Donald Trump. The great thing about being a billionaire is you don’t have to suck up.
This guy is a billionaire ass-kisser. He is a billionaire ass-kisser. That’s who he is.
He kissed Blagojevich’s ass. Now he’s kissing Mike Madigan’s ass. We can’t lose to this guy. Right? He’s a tax cheat. He’s a suck-up. And what’s he want to do? He wants to raise your taxes and hand the government over to Mike Madigan.
He also said Pritzker is “making the Bahamas great again,” because the Democrat has almost all of his money there and he’s using some of it to build a $100 million house. It was quite the barn-burner. “He wants to raise your taxes and he’s hiding his income in South Dakota and the Bahamas” where they have no income tax, Porter said. His conclusion…
Please pardon my language. I got a little worked up. But, I don’t know about you guys, I’m going to do whatever I can, I’m going to do whatever I can to make sure we win this race. I’m gonna make sure that a normal guy is going to be in the mansion, the guy that actually pays his taxes and reports his taxes. He pays his taxes to help fund things in Illinois. He gives away money in Illinois to try to build schools and to make life in Illinois better. He’s not making life better in Nassau in the Bahamas.
- So_Ill - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:00 am:
Classy.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:01 am:
===I’m gonna make sure that a normal guy is going to be in the mansion.===
I’m sure Sam McCann appreciates your support.
- FIREDup! - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:02 am:
Yeah JB hasn’t done anything for Illinois (insert eye roll).
- 19th ward guy - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:02 am:
So what’s not accurate? You might not like the language, but its all true. He forgot Hillary Clinton and the millions he gave to her thinking it was a was for something better. But for Trump winning JB would be Ambassador to something right
now. Love or hate Rauner, the State needs reform and some really tough things need to be done. Does anybody really believe that JB Pritzker is going to do any of what needs to be done? Give Porter a prize for calling it like it is.
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:04 am:
Dear Richard Porter,
Me thinks you have forgotten about all the love Rauner sent to the neighboring states’ governors. They even created a video love letter in return.
Bruce Rauner is a champion a$$-kisser
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:07 am:
So Richard Porter is supporting McCann?
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:08 am:
Oops sorry, OW. I see you had the same thought.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:10 am:
===So what’s not accurate? You might not like the language, but its all true.===
Hmm… let’s start here.
===But for Trump winning JB would be Ambassador to something right now.===
Opinion. Not fact. You have no idea. She could’ve appointed him to a cabinet position, or done nothing at all.
All could be true.
===Does anybody really believe that JB Pritzker is going to do any of what needs to be done?===
Right now, 42% of those polled believe in something he stands for, and 29% haven’t figured out Rauner failed Illinois.
That it?
- Norseman - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:11 am:
The Trump conversion of the IL GOP seems complete.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:12 am:
- Da Big Bad Wolf -
It’s all good. Sometimes the joke is just too obvious.
- Real - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:14 am:
This [JB Pritzker] is the guy who tried to buy his office. He tried to get into the game, he was sucking up to Blagojevich. Now he’s sucking up to Mike Madigan.
-Why would a billionaire need to suck up to anyone? Suck up to Blago or Madigan to get in office? He is already a billionaire if he wanted to buy office he would of done so in 2014 and anytime before that. He had plenty times to buy himself into office.
JB is running because Rauner bought himself into office and was using his money as a bullying tool to intimidate memebers of the legislature and other candidates. This is why Rauner deposited 50 million in his re-election campaign to intimidate other candidates from running. JB stood up to Rauner’s intimidation and will fight fire with fire. It is because of Rauner using his money to buy office and intimidate that we have great men like JB Pritzker to stand up and combat that with his own money.
- Langhorne - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:15 am:
Wow. What a distorted view of reality. Pritzker is a “suck-up”, and “ass-kisser”, but rauner is a “normal guy”? I guess i am not normal, i have only one home.
- SAP - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:17 am:
Vote for the millionaire, not the billionaire.
- Nick Name - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:19 am:
===Love or hate Rauner, the State needs reform and some really tough things need to be done.===
Like two years without a budget, the explosion of state debt, the state’s credit rating downgraded to just above junk status, and the willful destruction of social services and higher ed? Are those the tough things you mean?
- Real - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:19 am:
Vote for the millionaire, not the billionaire.
-Vote for JB, not corrupt Rauner.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:20 am:
I believe Richard Porter is also on the State Police Merit Board. Meaning he’s likely not shy about puckering up to get things either
- Montrose - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:20 am:
Porter realizes that knocking JB for being rich doesn’t work when his guy is almost as rich, right? There just isn’t any real light between the two guys when you start talking about having lots of money and trying to avoid giving that money to the government.
I don’t know if his rhetoric is a sign he is out of touch with the dynamics of this race or if he thinks folks aren’t paying attention.
- A guy - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:21 am:
What a Quandary! It’s like you had to consider a Permanent Deletion of your own post…
But, alas, he said it! Wonder if it’ll make it through a single news cycle. Richard Who?
- Arsenal - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:22 am:
==Does anybody really believe that JB Pritzker is going to do any of what needs to be done?==
Well, we know for a fact that Rauner *hasn’t* done any of the things that need to be done. He’s the incumbent Governor. He’s had 3.5 years. The Turnaround Agenda is in tatters. If your whole thing is “IL needs reform” you need to grapple with the fact that Rauner hasn’t delivered it.
FWIW, yes, I do believe that JB can deliver a progressive income tax, legalized marijuana,and a comprehensive infrastructure plan. But that’s just my guess. The facts, however, are that Rauner hasn’t delivered anything.
- Arsenal - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:23 am:
BTW, JB would love love love Mr. Porter to continue to try to distinguish him from Trump.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:24 am:
== I’m gonna make sure that a normal guy is going to be in the mansion==
And you think Rauner is the normal guy? Whew. If Rauner is the definition of normal I don’t want to know what abnormal looks like.
- Krusty - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:31 am:
“This guy is a billionaire ass-kisser.”
Incredibly crass comment. Accurate. But crass.
- Ducky LaMoore - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:36 am:
===This guy is a billionaire ass-kisser.===
Two words: Peyton Prep
At least JB is keeping his ass-kissing within his own political party.
- A Jack - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:37 am:
The link is now password protected. Perhaps the IGOP doesn’t want the public to know they have gone full on Trump.
- a drop in - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:37 am:
== I’m gonna make sure that a normal guy is going to be in the mansion==
Obviously supporting a write-in candidate.
- Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:39 am:
Is this some kind of joke? How many conservatives stash money overseas and love zero taxes? Now conservatives are waging class warfare against billionaires? Who believes this stuff?
“Love or hate Rauner, the State needs reform and some really tough things need to be done.”
Rauner failed miserably at what needs to be done, which is to work with what’s available in the best interests of the state. Rauner refused to work with people offering deals, including a temporary property tax freeze and workers comp reform.
Rauner’s political greed cost us dearly and made him fail. In the end Madigan beat him because he beat himself with positions that would never pass, and with sabotaging negotiations and refusing to compromise. Why should we reward a miserable failure with another four years?
- pawn - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:40 am:
Hilarious that they are accusing JB of “trying to buy his office.” Do they not even know Bruce Rauner? The same Bruce Rauner who sent all GOP legislators individual checks? The same Bruce Rauner who has been one of the only major funders of the Illinois GOP? The same Bruce Rauner who just a few weeks ago funded a literal cash giveaway at a black church and who previously made a literal $1million deposit in a black-owned bank? What does Porter think Rauner was buying with all of that?
- Northsider - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:40 am:
Well, Republicans certainly know from kissing billionaire tuchus.
- Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:42 am:
I guess Captain Pottymouth doesn’t know Rauner has cash in the Caymans and cribs all over the place.
- A Jack - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:44 am:
Yet Rauner wants everyone to kiss his. And we know what happens when they don’t. “I will bury her.”
Pritzker knows that politics is a game of give and take. It is not Rauner’s game of buying the IGOP and there better not be any problems.
Rauner bought the IGOP so he could push his personal agenda. J.B. will at least negotiate a better future for Illinois.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:44 am:
… and when neither is on your side, pound the table.
- TKMH - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:46 am:
Normal is owning 9 houses, I guess.
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:48 am:
19th ward guy is right that tough things need to be done. The issue is that nothing Bruce Rauner has done these last few years tell me that he’s the guy to do them. Hasn’t offered any big budget or program cuts, and the few small ones he did (like cutting autism funding) he later backtracked on. Rauner’s agency people couldn’t even suggest areas to cut in committee hearings. He’s given out huge contracts to companies whose work hasn’t resulted in any monetary savings for state government, actually quite the opposite has occurred.
If 19th ward guy can offer any examples that I’m missing, the voting age members of our family would be happy to take those in consideration come November. Otherwise it’ll be JB and McCann votes all around.
- WhoKnew - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:53 am:
Just as an aside OW.
Do you think the Pritzker’s are part of the Winnetka crowd?
- dominionhinny - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:56 am:
Porter making the case for voting McCann.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 11:59 am:
===Do you think the Pritzker’s are part of the Winnetka crowd?===
Good question. I can’t speak to it directly or with any first hand knowledge, but I’ll speculate to this;
When the Pritzker Family came to help Diana and The Ounce, with all, (The Pritzkers, Diana Rauner, The Ounce) involved to make that happen, I’d be foolish to think they all don’t run in very similar or the same circles and they don’t have a respect for each other and the endeavors close to each other.
I can’t see a “cold call”, or the Pritzkers arbitrarily picking to help The Ounce on a whim either.
Wealthy people, like most any groups with similarities, run with wealthy people.
How’s that?
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 12:02 pm:
== I’m gonna make sure that a normal guy is going to be in the mansion==
Like, not a Jew?
Because when it comes to money, Pritzker and Rauner both have plenty.
- Christopher - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 12:02 pm:
-Pawn-
You forgot “And the same Bruce Rauner who gave a million dollars to Erika Harold, supposedly to charge Madigan with something”?
- Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 12:05 pm:
JB has 42% support in deep blue Illinois and you guys are already measuring the drapes.
- Fax Machine - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 12:31 pm:
I would have gone with Billionaire Butt-Kisser myself both for the alliteration and to be respectful in front of mixed company.
- TKMH - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 12:37 pm:
===Do you think the Pritzker’s are part of the Winnetka crowd?===
MJ and JB are more of a Lincoln Park/Gold Coast-Astor Street/Evanston crowd than Winnetka, if we’re splitting hairs.
- TKMH - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 12:39 pm:
Tried posting this, didn’t seem to follow through…
M.K. and JB likely run with the Evanston/Gold Coast-Astor Street/Lincoln Park crowd, not Winnetka. But that’s hair splitting.
- Shytown - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 12:43 pm:
Rauner is a “regular” guy? I guess he is redefining the meaning of that word.
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 12:47 pm:
====This guy is a billionaire ass-kisser.===
Two words: Peyton Prep
At least JB is keeping his ass-kissing within his own political party.=
@Ducky LaMoore nails it. What short memories people have. Rauner was hobnobbing and apple polishing every Chicago democrat powerbroker he could find. Not to mention the $5 large that Pritzker laid on the Ounce, I wonder ho what happened and who did the kissing up there?
And the Blago stuff is a stretch anyway, the Rauner machine truth teller’s need to correct Porter on his “buying” stuff to.
When Rauner gets booted from office he will fold up his GOP subsidiary or sell it to out of town money and they can go back to being the party or oblivion.
- Al - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 12:56 pm:
Yes, Bruce Voldemort Rauner who bought nine trophy properties in an attempt to hide tens of millions of assets from his college sweetie, who he married and swore an oath before family, friends and God, who bore him three children is so so very much morally superior to JB. Ha ha.
- Levois - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 12:57 pm:
Ah, for all the talk about taxes they (GOP) care when the opposition (Dem) doesn’t pay their income taxes. lol
- Me Again - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 1:01 pm:
If you really want to help the great state of Illinois, let’s talk issues and not just hurl insults.
- LevivotedforJudy - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 1:06 pm:
That should definitely be in a McCann ad.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 1:16 pm:
“Do you think the Pritzker’s are part of the Winnetka crowd?”
I heard Jennifer Pritzker and Bruce Rauner, both of Winnetka, are friends.
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 1:25 pm:
==This guy is a billionaire ass-kisser. He is a billionaire ass-kisser. That’s who he is.==
Sounds like he doesn’t like billionaires, because he’s certainly has puckered up to do what he does - and he’s no billionaire, right?
He says this like it’s a bad thing.
- Pick a Name - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 1:38 pm:
Willy clearly knows nothing of Sammy’s background
Need to keep up man
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 1:39 pm:
===clearly knows nothing of Sammy’s background===
When did McCann become a billionaire?
- Former dem - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 1:40 pm:
Wordslinger—. Nice Trump move on the “Jew” comment. How does he not get banned for life?
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 1:43 pm:
======I’m gonna make sure that a normal guy is going to be in the mansion.===
If you’re wearing costumes, changing the way you talk to sound like a rube, donate a million dollars to a campaign in hopes the candidate indicts your political opponents…
… how is that person a normal person.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 1:46 pm:
Willy, how is Sammy a “normal” person? Please tell.
- DuPage - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 1:49 pm:
Vulgarity is a weak mind attempting to express itself.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 1:50 pm:
(Sigh)
===how is… a “normal” person? Please tell.===
Here’s what I wrote, exactly as I wrote it…
=== ===I’m gonna make sure that a normal guy is going to be in the mansion.===
I’m sure Sam McCann appreciates your support.===
It’s a mocking that no way is Rauner the referenced person, so choosing McCann, who actually was a Republican puts a point on the mocking.
If you aren’t equipped to understand satire to words and moments, it’s possibly the reason you are duped so easily by Rauner.
- IllinoisBoi - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 1:54 pm:
==What’s one of the great things about being a billionaire? You don’t have to suck up to anybody. Right? I mean, that’s Donald Trump. The great thing about being a billionaire is you don’t have to suck up.==
One word: Putin.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 1:59 pm:
Normal guy? Which one of rauners personalities is he talking about? Flannel shirt, motorcycle vest, etc etc
- @misterjayem - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 2:14 pm:
“Vulgarity is a weak mind attempting to express itself.”
You find that bit of wisdom on an embroidered pillowcase?
– MrJM
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 2:17 pm:
==You find that bit of wisdom on an embroidered pillowcase?==
I believe it was an Abraham Lincoln quote
- GOPgal - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 2:18 pm:
And if ever there was an expert on kissing the asses of the wealthy, it’s a Kirkland & Ellis partner like Richard Porter. What a joke.
- SaulGoodman - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 2:25 pm:
**==You find that bit of wisdom on an embroidered pillowcase?==
I believe it was an Abraham Lincoln quote**
All for sale at Hobby Lobby. Birth control not included.
- Some Body - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 2:46 pm:
>>- 19th ward guy - Wed., Aug 15, 18 @ 11:02am:
>> Does anybody really believe that JB Pritzker is >> going to do any of what needs to be done?
You mean like perform the most basic of gubernatorial duties like proposing and signing a state budget? I know it’s a high threshold, but yeah, I think he’ll do that.
- Jibba - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 2:48 pm:
I feel for Richard Porter. I was similarly apoplectic in 2016 when Trump won, and in 2014 when Rauner won. But to be so apoplectic in August looks really bad for Rauner’s campaign. After the last 4 years, I’m happy to see someone else is having a turn in the barrel.
- Chicago 20 - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 3:34 pm:
- “ He’s not making life better in Nassau in the Bahamas.“
I don’t know much about Nassau but I do know Bruce Rauner is not making anything better for the State of Illinois.
Rauner is a complete and total failure.
- Skeptic - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 3:35 pm:
“Vulgarity is a week mind attempting too express it’self.” — Abe Lincoln (hat tip to the BTIA™
- get real - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 4:05 pm:
Richard Porter’s rant doesn’t even make sense. First I thought he meant JB kisses billionaire asses. In any case, dumb and childish.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 4:11 pm:
===JB has 42% support in deep blue Illinois and you guys are already measuring the drapes.===
lol
With Rauner at 29% support in deep blue Illinois and you guys are already packing the drapes?
- Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 5:07 pm:
I wonder what Mark Maxwell is calling JB after he passed on Mark’s TV show.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Aug 15, 18 @ 8:34 pm:
–Wordslinger—. Nice Trump move on the “Jew” comment. How does he not get banned for life?–
I’m unclear who you’re honked at. Who should be banned for life?
- truthteller - Thursday, Aug 16, 18 @ 6:21 am:
LOL,no billionaire needs to be an ass kisser, the fear of right is the huge momentum that democrats have and absolutely none on the GOP side. Rauner has spent nearly 4 years in dissing Illinois, he and the GOP have nothing to run on, none at all. I hope we see every GOP congress person gone after Nov election.