Two-term Republican Governor Jim Edgar refuses to endorse @GovRauner for a second term. Says he won’t be making any endorsement, but recalls brief encounters with @JBPritzker and calls him “bright” and believes he will learn on the job.
Today, the Thomas More Society filed a taxpayer lawsuit against State of Illinois officials in a counterattack against House Bill 40, which requires public funding of tens of thousands of elective abortions. […]
The complaint levels two challenges against HB 40. First, the General Assembly has not set aside funds to pay for HB 40’s tens of thousands of elective abortions, and there’s no money available to pay for those abortions and still be within the Balanced Budget requirements of the Illinois Constitution. Second, despite efforts to make HB 40 effective January 1, 2018, it cannot come into effect until June 1, because it did not pass out of the Senate until September 25, 2017. The Illinois Constitution imposes a May 31 cut-off date for General Assembly action for bills to go into effect faster.
A new law allowing public funding of abortion in Illinois will take effect as scheduled on January 1. That’s after a judge on Thursday ruled against anti-abortion groups who’d sued to block it.
The appellate court affirmed, concluding (1) the circuit court lacked jurisdiction under the political-question doctrine, to determine whether the General Assembly failed to appropriate funds and adopt a revenue estimate to cover the cost of services under HB 40; and (2) the implementation of HB 40 on January 1, 2018, was not improper because the bill passed both houses of the General Assembly by May 10, 2017.
Go read the whole thing if you’re interested. But this was a longshot case from the beginning.
First, medical procedures covered by Medicaid and state employee insurance aren’t individually appropriated.
Before we turn to the political-question doctrine, we note a problem in the way plaintiffs couch their arguments before this court. Plaintiffs assert they simply want to know if the General Assembly complied with the revenue-estimate and appropriations requirements of the constitution. However, absent from the constitution is any language imposing an obligation on the General Assembly to develop a revenue estimate. Plaintiffs argue the language of the COGFA Act, read in conjunction with the constitution, imposes such a duty. However, the constitution and the COGFA Act are separate. We are reluctant to read the language of the COGFA Act into the constitution. […]
By its plain terms, the constitution requires only that the General Assembly refrain from appropriating funds in excess of the amount estimated by the General Assembly. Here, the constitution fails to provide discoverable and manageable standards illustrating how a court is to go about determining whether the General Assembly did in fact refrain from appropriating funds in excess of funds estimated by the General Assembly. Ill. Const. 1970, art. VIII, § 2(b). Plaintiffs also fail to point to any such standards. […]
When resolving the mandatory or directory question, a statute is mandatory where the legislature imposes specific consequences in the event of noncompliance. Id. at 514. On the other hand, a statute is directory where “no particular consequence flows from non[]compliance.” […]
Section 4(a) of the COGFA Act does not contain any consequences for the General Assembly’s failure to adopt a revenue estimate by joint resolution.
* And third, the bill passed way before the May 31st deadline. A parliamentary hold was placed on the legislation until it was withdrawn in September. The governor signed it a few days later. The courts here are loathe to adjudicate legislative rules and the appellate justices upheld that tradition today.
…Adding… From the attorney general’s office…
We are pleased the court rejected the plaintiffs’ attempts to prevent some women from accessing health care services, including reproductive health care services.
I wanted you to be the first to know about the next step in my professional life.
In thinking about this job search, a few things were clear: I wanted to stay in the fight for justice, to do so in a context not far from electoral or democracy work, and to have a chance to help shape an organization doing good and important work.
That’s why I’m so excited to have accepted the position of Executive Director at Rust Belt Rising, a young organization created to train midwestern Democratic candidates to lead on economic issues. The goal is to bring the Democratic Party back to its roots as the party of working families who have been left behind by a system rigged in favor of the top 1%.
Ever since Trump was elected, we’ve seen endless debates about whether Democrats should try to win back Obama-Trump voters or consolidate gains among Romney-Clinton voters. We’ve heard constant fighting about whether to focus on racial justice or economic justice.
In truth, these are all false choices. As we hopefully head toward a blue wave election this November, it’s become clearer than ever that in a world with terrifying consolidation of wealth, power, and privilege in the hands of a very few, the path to success is to focus on an agenda and message that unites the many who have been left behind around a bold vision of the just society we can build together.
Rust Belt Rising is committed to helping candidates in the Great Lakes states do just that, and I’m very excited to lead that effort. Already in this election cycle we’re training over 100 candidates, and this is just the beginning.
More info on the group is here. I’ve reached out to Sen. Biss to see if he’ll serve out his term. I’ll let you know what he says.
Fair question, @Shereriously. I stand for a better business climate, lower taxes, and a government that treats downstate fairly. And it's absolutely important for people to know their current Senator has been doing the opposite.
The problem here is that Manar said much more at that interview, making the same point he made in his own ad.
Manar made clear to the editorial board that he does not support term limits for all legislators. […]
He also said that he supported and pushed the “appropriate step” of limiting terms of Senate leaders. Manar was a chief sponsor of a Senate resolution passed unanimously on Jan. 11, 2017 — when the current General Assembly was sworn in — to limit terms, going forward, of 10 years for the Senate president and minority leader.
PATRICK PFINGSTEN, consultant to McMillan, said it is “bogus” to claim Manar was taken out of context in the McMillan video.
The typo is in an A-1 that claims the RSSCC paid a McMillan campaign staffer $1.2 million in salary. I’m not certain if McMillan or the RSSCC made the error, but it’s quite something.
Not including the $1.2 million for the staffer, McMillan has reported raising a whopping $14,915.20 this quarter.
Over a third of that - $5,000 - is from Richard Uihlein, which opens McMillan up to the unfortunately ubiquitous charge that he accepted money from somebody who supported an accused molester.
He also received $1,000 from the chairman of the Illinois Gaming Board and his spouse.
President Trump won this district by 17 big points. But Manar started spending TV money in June and it seems to have rattled McMillan to the bone.
*** UPDATE *** Looks like he’s gonna have to refund Chairman Don Tracy’s contribution. From state statute…
Sec. 5. Gaming Board. […]
No member of the Board shall engage in any political activity. For the purposes of this Section, “political” means any activity in support of or in connection with any campaign for federal, State, or local elective office or any political organization […]
Any member of the Board may be removed by the Governor for neglect of duty, misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance in office or for engaging in any political activity.
As of Monday, there are 50 days until Election Day. And in the race for Illinois governor, debate season is finally getting underway.
Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and his Democratic challenger, J.B. Pritzker, will meet in three formal debates in the coming month.
The first takes place this Thursday, and it’s sponsored by NBC Chicago and Telemundo, As well as the Union League of Chicago and the Chicago Urban League. […]
The first debate will also include the Libertarian Party candidate, Kash Jackson, as well as state Sen. Sam McCann, who left the Republican Party to run as a Conservative.
* Greg Hinz talks to Bill Daley about his plans if elected mayor…
For instance, Daley said he’s going to count hard on J.B. Pritkzer—”I have no doubt he’s going to be our next governor”—to help the city deal with its huge pension debt, which already has forced up local taxes roughly $1 billion a year and could force another increase of that size by 2023, when the city is supposed to be at the actuarial funding level.
“If the city can’t address its pension plans and bring them to balance, the future of the state is 10 times bleaker,” Daley said. “I think (Pritzker) will work with the mayor to address the issue.”
Yet, he added, “It can’t all be on the taxpayers. Everyone has to have some skin in the game.” Included in is view is labor, despite an Illinois Supreme Court ruling that overruled a pain-sharing deal outgoing Mayor Rahm Emanuel bargained. Daley said he’d start by getting all parties together, and said a negotiated constitutional amendment like one Arizona used to weaken a pension clause similar to the one Illinois has is “always is a possibility.”
Similarly, balancing the city’s budget requires at least considering things such as a commuter tax and head tax, two idea pushed hard by political progressives. “I’m not putting anything off the table now.”
Pritzker has already piled up his spending plans so high that they already top $10 billion by my rough guesstimate. If Daley’s solution is a state bailout, it’s magic beans.
The Arizona model is not a bad idea, though. I even advocated for it over the weekend on Twitter. But it’s dangerous to get too far out in front of any talks with unilateral public demands.
…Adding… This…
Yep, best bet seems to be negotiate pension and graduated income tax amendments, pass enabling legislation for both effective upon ratification, and make the case to voters in 2020.
* Bill Daley on bid to replace Emanuel: ‘To be mayor, that would be the greatest’: “And you know, at this stage of my life, this is what I’d like to do for maybe the next four to maybe eight years. If people don’t accept it, I think I’ve had a great life. I’m lucky. But to be mayor, that would be the greatest,” he said.
* ‘I’m not going to change my name’: Bill Daley on why he’s seeking to become family’s third Chicago mayor: “The state of Illinois is great. They had a lot of problems, and I thought I might be able to bring something there, but this is home. This is where I live, this is where I’ve lived and this is where I’ll die,” Daley said. “That’s the difference. I’ve seen my father and brother try to lead this city, the difficulties of it, but the joy they got of trying to make a difference and help people. And the people of Chicago have been extremely good and kind to our family.
* Bill Daley ‘Excited’ for Mayoral Run He Calls Opportunity of a Lifetime: Some political experts have pointed to the Daley legacy as either a strength or a hindrance to his candidacy, but the freshly minted candidate is hopeful that voters will give him a chance to prove that he is just as capable of running the city as his famous family members.
* With Bill Daley running for mayor, it’s good to remember what happened the last time we turned Chicago over to the Daleys: Rahm made about $6.5 million as an investment banker in 2001, the year he helped broker that deal. As for Rauner, his company sold SecurityLink for about $1 billion, roughly six months after it was acquired for about $500 million. So Rauner owes a portion of his fortune to a couple of Democrats named Emanuel and Daley—something to remember the next time you hear Rauner raging against the machine.
About half of American adults lived in middle-income households in 2016, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis of government data. In percentage terms, 52% of adults lived in middle-income households, 29% in lower-income households and 19% in upper-income households.
Our calculator below, updated with 2016 data, lets you find out which group you are in – first compared with other adults in your metropolitan area and among American adults overall, and then compared with other adults in the United States similar to you in education, age, race or ethnicity, and marital status.
* I calculated this using 4-person households in each region. The numbers displayed are the lowest pre-tax incomes for upper-income households rounded to the nearest thousand. In other words, a thousand bucks lower would be classified as a middle-income household. The number in parentheses is the percentage of adults in the region who are classified as upper-income. To reconfigure the numbers to suit your own household, click here…
I did this to give you an idea of where higher tax rates might possibly kick in under a graduated income tax scheme that claims to hold the middle class harmless and even gives some a tax cut. Of course, the people who enact the new rates could always use different logic.
In an interesting twist, GOP Congressman Peter Roskam’s team hopes 6th District voters reject Democrat Sean Casten for the same reason they turned on Donald Trump in 2016. Republicans see Casten as vitriolic — in a President Trump sort of way — which would be a turn-off for Hillary Clinton supporters. Roskam ran away with a victory two years ago and those 6th District voters also gave Clinton a 7-point victory over Trump.
Roskam’s supporters point to Casten’s Twitter storm Friday as an example of the Democrat’s lack of decorum. Between 7:36 a.m. and 7:48 a.m., Casten spit out 11 tweets that addressed Roskam’s record on everything from aid to Harvey victims to the Violence Against Women Act. Casten called Roskam “amoral,” saying the congressman “gives money to those who don’t need it, so they will in turn give him money to help stay in power and give them more.”
Casten spokesman Greg Bale says it’s wishful thinking on Roskam’s part that 6th District Dems would side with a Republican this November. “They’re trying to create a narrative that’s just not there. The issues that we’re seeing driving this are choice (and we know Roskam is unapologetically anti-choice) and health care. That’s what voters are paying attention to.”
* Speaking of health care, this is from the DCCC…
It’s no coincidence that less than two months out from Election Day, vulnerable Reps. Mike Bost and Rodney Davis are doing damage control to hide their disastrous records of voting to gut protections for individuals with preexisting conditions and raise healthcare costs on Illinois families.
Late last week, Bost and Davis tried to take credit for introducing a non-binding “resolution” with a litany of vulnerable House Republicans to call for protecting individuals with preexisting conditions, nearly a year and half after they voted to do the opposite. The resolution does not have any force of law.
“After their own votes to gut protections for people in Illinois, Reps. Bost and Davis’s empty gesture is a gut punch to those living with asthma, cancer, diabetes and other preexisting conditions. The number of people in Illinois protected under this resolution is zero. The number of their own constituents with preexisting conditions who Bost and Davis voted to gut protections for is 581,900. Bost and Davis’s last-ditch effort to save their dimming re-election prospects is deceptive, shameful and one more reason to vote them out this November.” –DCCC spokesperson Jacob Peters
In a press release, Bost falsely stated: “Since day one in Congress, I have been crystal clear that we must protect individuals with pre-existing conditions from losing coverage. This resolution reaffirms to Southern Illinoisans that my commitment hasn’t changed.”
In a release with the sponsor of the powerless resolution, Davis falsely stated: “As we have said and done all along, people with pre-existing conditions should be and will be protected. Many of us fought for these protections in the AHCA and I thank Rep. Young for leading this resolution that reaffirms our support of maintaining those protections regardless of any future changes to Obamacare or a court ruling.”
Here are the facts:
· Bost and Davis voted repeatedly to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which would’ve eliminated protections for those with preexisting conditions.
· Bost and Davis voted for the AHCA, which the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office and Politifact confirmed would weaken protections for those with pre-existing conditions, including making health insurance unaffordable for older Americans and jack up healthcare costs.
· Bost and Davis both voted for the GOP Tax Scam, which their party is now using as their justification for a lawsuit that would end protections for Americans with preexisting conditions.
A Red-Blue cage-match election this fall. A contrite Bruce Rauner. An alleged per-mile-driving-taxing JB Pritzker. Local municipal budget cuts. Hotel defaults that leave local taxpayers on the hook for $7 million.
This is a heck of a time to stop Word on the Street, isn’t it?
The Journal Star’s political column is going on hiatus, at least for now, because of the recent departure of co-author Chris Kaergard.
We’ve enjoyed sharing Monday mornings with you. And Sunday nights, too, since the advent of the internet has allowed the column to appear there before it hits print.
But part of us feels bad about leaving when perhaps this forum might be needed the most.
“Departure” is one way to put it. “Fired to help pad the bottom line” would be another.
* Ahem…
“You cannot cut the value of the product you give readers and expect them to reward you with growth.” NYT publisher A.G. Sulzberger gets applause. Amen. If only all owners heeded these words. #Newsleaders2018
* Edwin Eisendrath named ‘Illinoisan of the Year’ by state broadcast journalists: “The first is economic. As the margins in our business have fallen, the industry has been helpless against investors who consolidate, cut, sell assets and charge management fees. These are behaviors that make the American economy the world’s most dynamic. Journalism, however, has a different role in a democracy than does an outdated carriage factory. The damage has been particularly devastating to newspapers, and the Sun-Times was no exception.”
In one of his strongest public shows of support for Donald Trump, Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner joined 19 other Republican governors to support the president-elect’s controversial nominee for secretary of education.
Billionaire philanthropist Betsy DeVos is an “inspired choice,” Republican governors from 18 states and two U.S. territories wrote, saying she “will fight to streamline the federal education bureaucracy” and also is a “passionate supporter . . . of harnessing the power of competition to drive improvement in all K-12 schools, whether they be public, private or virtual.”
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos was campaigning against states regulating student-loan companies when she called her friend, Gov. Bruce Rauner, in August 2017.
Two weeks later, the Republican governor vetoed legislation creating protections for students taking out federal loans . In language that echoes President Donald Trump’s education chief in her continuing crusade against state intervention, Rauner, who’s considered one of the nation’s more vulnerable incumbents in November, declared in his veto message that the measure “encroaches on the federal government’s responsibilities.”
The Aug. 10, 2017, phone call, which appears on both officials’ appointment calendars reviewed by The Associated Press, underscores the interaction the first-term governor has with Trump while publicly trying to distance himself from a president who is hugely unpopular in Democratic Illinois.
Lawmakers reversed Rauner’s veto, with wide GOP support in the House on a pro-student education bill. The “Student Loan Bill of Rights,” which takes effect at the end of this year, requires companies that administer the programs to properly process payments, tell borrowers about debt forgiveness because of disability or problems with the schools they attended, and to provide experts to explain all repayment options. DeVos continues to oppose involvement from outside the federal government.
* From the Democratic Party of Illinois…
The AP wrote the call “underscores the interaction the first-term governor has with Trump while publicly trying to distance himself from a president who is hugely unpopular in Democratic Illinois.” And the call was not the only instance of cooperation - Rauner recently praised Trump’s selection of Judge Brett Kavanaugh, and vetoed a bill “to the dismay of health care advocates” that would have regulated short-term health insurance plans, among other actions detailed by the AP.
“Instead of looking out for Illinois families, Bruce Rauner is taking marching orders from the Trump White House and Betsy DeVos,” said DPI Executive Director Christian Mitchell. “Bruce Rauner already failed Illinois families by gutting higher education and making college more unaffordable. Now we know Rauner sided with Betsy DeVos and her special interest allies over hard working Illinois families struggling to pay down student loan debt. Illinoisans wanted Bruce Rauner to stand up to Donald Trump, not do his bidding.”
Unfortunately, this year Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner used his veto power to block bipartisan, negotiated bills that would have advanced justice for Illinois’s most vulnerable residents. In doing so, the governor advanced some of the main policy goals of the Trump Administration — undermining the foundations of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), denying immigrants basic legal protections, and curtailing voting rights of people of color. […]
Advancing the Trump Administration’s major goal of undoing the ACA, Governor Rauner struck down HB 2624, a bipartisan measure that would have limited the use of short-term health insurance policies to six months and made these plans non-renewable. Short-term health plans circumvent the ACA’s basic protections, including the requirement that insurance plans cover preexisting conditions. Oftentimes, people are duped into purchasing these plans and only realize their healthcare is not covered once they get sick or become injured. The Trump Administration has promoted the unrestricted use of these junk policies. HB 2624 would have also given the Illinois Department of Insurance authority to regulate short-term plans and would have required insurance companies to use easily understood language in promotional materials.
The Governor also vetoed HB 4165, which would have guaranteed members of the Illinois General Assembly — and the constituents they serve — access to a public process if any Illinois governor sought a waiver of federal law to reduce healthcare access and treatment. Governors throughout the country are using such waivers to deny healthcare coverage to patients with low income. Governor Rauner’s veto prevents members of the Illinois General Assembly from providing a necessary check and balance on a governor’s attempts to undermine healthcare. […]
Aligning himself with the dangerous anti-immigrant rhetoric and actions of the Trump Administration, Governor Rauner vetoed the Immigrant Tenant Protection Act, SB 3103. This legislation would have prevented landlords from intimidating, harassing, or retaliating against tenants based on their immigration status. For example, this measure would have prohibited landlords from threatening to disclose a tenant’s immigration status to avoid making needed repairs or otherwise escape their legal responsibilities. […]
Consistent with the Trump Administration’s refusal to enforce the voting rights of all Americans, Governor Rauner vetoed the Let People Vote bill, HB 4469. This bill would have required jails in Illinois to arrange in-person or absentee voting for pretrial detainees. It also would have ensured that corrections officials provide people leaving prison — after having served their sentences — with updated voter registration forms and other information about their right to vote.
Illinois is getting 78 percent less federal money this year to hire Obamacare workers to help people enroll in health insurance plans, causing some advocates to worry that more Illinois residents will go without coverage.
The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is handing two Illinois organizations $389,216 this year, down from nearly $1.8 million distributed to five Illinois groups last year, the agency announced Wednesday. One of the largest groups that got grant money for navigators in the past, the United Way of Metro Chicago, won’t get any money this time around.
Pritzker campaign…
“Donald Trump is once again sabotaging the Affordable Care Act, cutting critical outreach dollars while less and less people get covered, and Bruce Rauner is once again his silent partner,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “Illinoisans deserve a governor who believes healthcare is a right, not a privilege — and JB Pritzker will be that governor and stand up to Trump when he attacks our state.”
Today, the Rauner campaign is launching a new ad featuring Mike Tracy, a dispatcher for the Chicago Police Department. Mike believes that Governor Rauner’s policies will get Illinois back on its feet, and a vote for JB Pritzker is a vote for a blank check to Mike Madigan.
I’m a dispatcher for Chicago Police. I met Bruce when he became Governor-Elect. His ideas are the right ideas. He wants to help get the state back on its feet. If we go in a different direction than Bruce for four years, you know, the state will be gone. I cannot see Prtizker doing anything that would benefit anybody other than himself and Madigan. A vote for Pritzker is absolutely just basically writing a blank check to Madigan.
* Related press release…
This Thursday, Governor Rauner and JB Pritzker will appear in their first debate of the campaign on NBC 5 Chicago. It’s been clear from day one that Pritzker was Madigan’s handpicked candidate for governor, which explains why Pritzker won’t utter a criticism of the House Speaker.
Madigan has been in power for 47 years while Illinois has suffered through unbalanced budgets, massive tax hikes, and historic corruption.
Yet, JB Pritzker seems to be the only person in Illinois who doesn’t see the problem with Madigan’s fiscal irresponsibility.
But on Thusday, JB Pritzker will stand before voters with an opportunity to show he won’t be a blank check for Madigan. Will he have the courage to do so?
The reforms we need aren’t partisan or unreasonable. Our neighboring states have flattened and reduced taxes for their residents. Bluer states than Illinois have put in place the same common sense reforms I’ve proposed: Rhode Island Democrats achieved bipartisan pension reform, Massachusetts Democrats reformed their worker’s compensation and government healthcare systems, California Democrats passed term limits and have tackled gerrymandering.
We’ve proposed these things before, but Speaker Madigan has pulled the rug out from under reform. Even when his fellow Democrats desired the same changes, he has stood in the way.
That totally ignores how Rauner stopped Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno’s attempt at a “grand bargain” on many of those issues. If he had just let her do her job, it would’ve been four against one and they would’ve had a real shot at putting Madigan’s back up against the wall. But, no.
* Rauner himself seemed to admit that to the Tribune editorial board the very next day…
He said, in retrospect, he would have accepted smaller changes in such issues as workers’ compensation, local mandate relief, property tax controls and state pensions. During his first term, Rauner pulled back from Senate Republican-led efforts to fashion a “grand bargain” aimed at trying to resolve differences between the governor’s agenda and the Democratic-led General Assembly because it didn’t go far enough.
I was entrusted by the good people of the 76th District to be their State Representative and to FIGHT for them in Springfield. I would never do anything to violate their trust.
I work for the people of the 76th District and not the House Republican Organization. The HRO and I have always had a contentious relationship due to the fact that I refuse to be their puppet.
On Friday before Labor Day, HRO through an employee, prepared statement for me to read for robo calls to voters which did not meet my expectations. The HRO employee wanted me to read a statement that sounded more like HRO and not the people’s State Representative Jerry Long. I refused to record HRO’s message and recorded my own message to the people I represent, which infuriated the HRO employee. Rather than allow me the ability to speak my own mind and represent the 76th District, the HRO has used this simple disagreement as a way to pull their support.
I want to make it perfectly clear to my constituents and supporters, I have done nothing which warrants my resignation as your State Representative. In fact, just the opposite. I stood my ground and stayed true to my values. I work seven days a week for the people of the 76th District and will continue to do so. I do not need the support of the HRO because I have the support of the people.
As always, I thank you for your support. Please share this to everyone.
So, lemme get this straight. He’s saying that the House Republicans pulled out of a Tier One, must-win race over a robocall dispute? And they withdrew after spending $47K on his campaign early last week because of said robocall dispute?
Today, Erika Harold’s campaign for Attorney General is launching a new statewide TV ad titled “Anything.”
Kwame Raoul will do or say anything to win. That’s why one former Democratic governor of Illinois called Raoul’s attacks “false” and “desperate.”
Now, Kwame Raoul is lying about Erika Harold’s record because he can’t run on his own record of doing Mike Madigan’s bidding in Springfield for fourteen years.
Kwame Raoul teamed up with Madigan to raise property taxes, supported Madigan’s 67% tax hike, and even allowed disgraced former governor Rod Blagojevich to skip billions of dollars in pension payments.
Kwame Raoul squandered his time in Springfield and can’t be trusted to be Attorney General. Fourteen years of failure is enough.
Erika Harold: After spending years raising taxes and opposing reform, Kwame Raoul can’t run on his record – so he’s lying about mine.
Announcer: Even Democrats have called out Raoul for “desperate, false attacks.”
He’ll say anything to win – and do anything for Madigan:
Raoul teamed up with Madigan to raise property taxes.
Voted for his sixty-seven percent income tax hike.
…And let Blagojevich skip pension payments.
Kwame Raoul: “I’m Kwame Raoul, and I’m just getting started.”
Announcer: Stop Kwame Raoul. 14 years of failure is enough.
* The Raoul campaign pointed to this Politifact item from yesterday about an earlier ad…
Harold says “Mike Madigan and Kwame Raoul team up to raise property taxes.”
Her statement contains an element of truth in that Raoul and Madigan did sponsor legislation in 2014 that initially contained a proposal from Emanuel for a new property tax levy for several ailing pension funds.
But the tax component was not the primary aim of the bill, which also sought to shore up the funds by cutting city worker retirement benefits and requiring both workers and the city to put more money into them. That tax language didn’t even make it into the final version of the bill.
Yet Harold’s claim spuriously suggests Raoul teamed up with Madigan for the express purpose of hiking taxes, leaving out all mitigating context. We rate it Mostly False.
…Adding… I remember that bill and it was indeed about making legislators let the locals off the hook for the property tax hike. The pushback was strong, which is why the specific language was removed.
I went back since the 2006 election and looked at how much the polls from roughly within a month of this point in the cycle performed. (That is, polls completed from about 52 to 82 days before the election.) […]
Back in 2006, the average district poll had the Democrats trailing by 1.5 points. The result in those districts polled ended up being Democrats winning by 4 points. That’s a bias of 5.5 points against the Democrats.
Jump ahead to 2010. When Republicans were ones riding the wave, they were down by 3 points in the average district poll right now. They ended up winning in those districts by 1 point. That’s a 4-point overperformance for the Republicans.
The 2014 midterm election tells the same story. Republicans did 5.5 points better than the district polls suggested they would at this point. […]
Look at these same years, but only at the polls within the final 10 days of the elections. The polls have less than a point bias in 2006 and 2010. In 2014, the district polls — like all the national and state polling — underestimated the Republicans (though the underestimation was 2 points fewer than the polls two months out).
It’s not that the polls are wrong. It’s that the voting public starts moving more in tandem with the wave later in the season. Now, maybe something will be different this year. I don’t know. But this is a pretty established phenomenon and I first saw it up close in 1994.
Republican officials say privately that the performance of the economy under Mr. Trump has not been a major motivating factor for pro-Trump voters. For some Americans on the right, it may even be contributing to the mood of political apathy that has so alarmed G.O.P. leaders, since voters who are optimistic rarely vote with the intensity of those who are angry or afraid.
America First Action, a political committee aligned with Mr. Trump, conducted a series of focus groups over the summer and concluded the party had a severe voter-turnout problem, brought on in part by contentment about the economy and a refusal by Republicans to believe that Democrats could actually win the midterm elections.
Conservative-leaning voters in the study routinely dismissed the possibility of a Democratic wave election, with some describing the prospect as “fake news,” said an official familiar with the research
Gov. Bruce Rauner’s campaign-reset speech last week has been described as “contrite,” a “mea culpa” and even an “apology.”
It most certainly wasn’t an easy speech to deliver for a man who never publicly admits mistakes. I mean, he claimed last month that his administration did an “excellent job” at the state’s Quincy veterans home, where 14 residents died.
But there he was, claiming that after four years he’s learned some valuable lessons.
I actually do believe, as Rauner claimed, that he’s “grown” in office. He had to be dragged kicking and screaming into it, but he’s grown some.
After losing the budget and tax hike veto battle last year, Rauner eventually found a way to accept a win by signing an historic education funding reform bill. And then he agreed to his very first budget this year, which spent every dime of that 2017 tax hike and more.
Rauner said leaders must be willing to “accept incremental improvements,” and thank goodness he finally mouthed those words. As former President Barack Obama said at his recent Illinois speech: “Better is good… That’s the history of progress in this country. Not perfect. Better.”
The governor said he now finally understands that there are “different points of view, different priorities and approaches, even when we share the same goal of wanting to improve Illinois.”
As former Gov. Jim Edgar said during the impasse, Rauner should look for ways to accomplish his goals in a more “doable” manner. Rauner and the Chicago Tribune editorial board absolutely hated that “doable” talk. For whatever insane reasons they’d convinced themselves that “doable” was an abomination. It was their way or no way. At least one person now at least says that was a mistake.
“I know the budget impasse was painful,” Gov. Rauner admitted. “It kept me up at night worrying about the disruption that many families experienced. All of us elected officials let you down in that struggle.”
While I’m glad he finally confessed that he was at least a part of a group that let the state down, he bragged more than once during the impasse about how “my wife tells me she hasn’t seen me this happy in 20 years,” including right up to late June of 2017 – just days before a bipartisan super-majority in the General Assembly finally put an end to the monstrous impasse despite his vetoes.
Passing a budget with higher taxes over a gubernatorial veto wasn’t easy for most legislators. And while it wasn’t great legislation, it was the best they could do under trying circumstances and Rauner did everything he could to stop them and went on to berate and bully them for months. I’d like to believe that those days are over.
“It takes wisdom to listen to those who disagree with you,” Rauner said, “wisdom that can be gained only through years of tough political fights.”
Sorry, but that simple lesson could’ve been learned without years of unnecessary brutality. Most normal people practice this “wisdom” in their own lives every day.
The governor seemed to use that line to imply that his politically inexperienced opponent hadn’t yet faced a trial by fire like Rauner has and therefore wasn’t yet ready to be governor. But, the truth is most people know this stuff. They don’t burn down their own houses during an argument.
And just a few hours after he delivered his speech, the governor received yet another reminder that Illinois voters understand what Gov. Rauner only now claims to have discerned.
A mere 27 percent of Illinoisans say they’ll vote for the governor come November, according to a poll conducted for the Illinois Broadcasters Association. Just 24 percent said they have a favorable view of Rauner. The governor trails Democrat J.B. Pritzker by 17 points.
This is the third poll since June where the governor scored 30 points or less.
We know from the end of his speech that the governor truly believes his opponent is the worst thing that could possibly happen to the state — which kinda negates a lot of the stuff he said at the beginning about being so open minded.
He could’ve ended on a high note, but chose to drive right back into the ditch. “He might be the only person in Illinois who doesn’t think corruption is a problem,” Rauner said of Pritzker. Oh, c’mon.
But, hey, it’s politics. Both men are going to wage a bitterly negative fight to the end no matter what the polls say or how much one of them promises to change. Strap it down.
* ADDED: Eric Zorn: Rauner 2.0 — a little bit of change we can’t quite believe in: But aside from saying that Democratic lawmakers secretly agree with him and can be coaxed into supporting his initiatives over the opposition of their leaders, he still can’t explain why the next four years under him will be any different than the last four years.
* Jim Dey: Rauner’s sorry, so sorry — but do the voters care anymore?
* “You know JB Pritzker wants to raise your taxes like there’s no tomorrow,” a new Bruce Rauner campaign TV ad begins. “But it gets worse,” the announcer says.
Pritzker wants to “ban sporting rifles,” and tax handguns at 100 percent, according to the ad clearly aimed at Downstate voters (but which is also running on Comcast Sports Net Chicago).
“He calls his government-run healthcare plan ‘Obamacare 2,’” the ad warns viewers. “Pritzker even wants every city in Illinois to be a sanctuary city,” the announcer claims. “No wonder Pritzker campaigned with a left-wing extremist organization leading the ‘resist’ movement,” the announcer says as Pritzker is shown wildly cheering at a rally.
“JB Pritzker. Just another tax raising, big spending Chicago liberal.” Watch it…
A new ad by Gov. Bruce Rauner’s team looks and sounds more like something you might see in a red state—not Illinois. It’s aimed at uniting those Downstate conservative voters who supported Jeanne Ives during the primary. The ad uses catch-phrases describing J.B. Pritzker as a “Chicago liberal.” There’s a moment in the ad showing Pritzker cheering with a background voice saying “No wonder Pritzker campaigned with a left-wing extremist organization leading the ‘resist’ movement.” Problem is, he’s cheering at Chicago’s Gay Pride Parade.
* My buddy Keith Perks died last week after a long illness. He was part of a circle of friends I’ve belonged to that goes back to the late 1980s. He was a great cook with a kind soul and a fine mind. A live and let live type, he once scolded me for knocking a certain type of music: “Rich, music is like food. Everybody has their own tastes.” He was at times a complicated person, but you couldn’t ask for a sweeter human being.
I’m not happy that Democratic gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker has declined to participate in a spirited exchange with incumbent Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner on Friday morning at the Tribune Editorial Board. But I understand, as a matter of political strategy, why he’s taking a pass.
He’s ahead in the polls, and it’s customary for candidates who believe they have solid leads to limit their encounters with opponents. Such encounters are risky. Flubs, brain freezes and the inadvertent disclosure of uncomfortable truths are always possible, and merely sharing a platform with underdogs stands to give them traction with the public.
This reluctance is particularly true for well-funded candidates, such as the billionaire Pritzker, who don’t need the exposure and can safely reach voters with barrages of scripted commercials.
Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and his Democratic challenger J.B. Pritzker will appear together before the Sun-Times Editorial Board next month.
Both have agreed to meet for an endorsement session on October 9. The session will be live-streamed.
Pritzker declined to appear alongside Rauner in the Chicago Tribune’s Editorial Board endorsement session on Friday morning. The newspaper endorsed Rauner in the March primary.
While the endorsement sessions are intended for editorial board members to decide which candidate the newspaper will endorse, the meeting is a debate of sorts.
* I asked the Sam McCann campaign for a response to the governor’s Thursday speech and today’s Tribune editorial board meeting…
I heard nothing from Bruce Rauner but the same trite language making excuses for lying to his base and selling out the rest of the states citizens.
I also heard an apology for his failed policies as far as his ego would let him, however in his words when directly asked he has made no mistakes while governor.
The only statement made by Bruce Rauner that is of any consequence is that this is the most important election of our lifetime.
Yes it is governor, and our state can’t afford a Pritzker administration and another fours years of your failed policies.
Bost For Congress today released its second television advertisement of the 2018 election cycle. “At It Again” will air district-wide on broadcast and cable television.
I’ve spent 20 years fighting Pelosi and Madigan, my opponent has spent his career supporting them.
I’ve never stopped fighting for our families.
Whether it’s creating a stronger economy and bringing our steel jobs back, reforming the VA to ensure better care for our veterans or fighting for fair trade and a level playing field.
I’ve never wavered.
And you can always count on me to do what’s right for all of Southern Illinois.
* Related…
* Company spun off from business once tied to opioids gave $30K to Southern Illinois reps: U.S. Reps. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, and John Shimkus, R-Collinsville, were among the more than 600 recipients nationwide on both sides of the aisle that received money from AbbVie, which has contributed about $1.3 million to politicians during the 2017-18 election cycle. They’re being criticized for taking money from AbbVie amid the ongoing opioid crisis.
THE EQUALITY ILLINOIS PAC CALLS ON GOVERNOR RAUNER TO STOP CONTRIBUTING TO OPENLY ANTI-LGBTQ CANDIDATE ERIKA HAROLD’S CAMPAIGN AND TO DEMAND A RETURN OF LAST MONTH’S $1 MILLION CONTRIBUTION
Statement from John Litchfield, Chair of the Equality Illinois PAC, which is dedicated to securing and defending the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) Illinoisans through engagement in the electoral process:
“Since Erika Harold is so out of step with Illinois values – the same values that are the foundation of LGBTQ-affirming legislation Governor Rauner has signed into law –– the Equality Illinois PAC calls on Governor Bruce Rauner to suspend any further contributions to Erika Harold’s campaign and to demand a return of his $1 million donation to her campaign last month. We were shocked and dismayed by Governor Rauner’s enormous contribution to Harold’s campaign because he has been supportive of LGBTQ civil rights in the past, even when those in his party opposed him. This is an opportunity for Governor Rauner to live up to the best values of Illinois by not financially supporting a candidate who has a demonstrated record of supporting harmful policies for LGBTQ families.
“Illinois is a state that values inclusion and fairness. That’s why our LGBTQ-affirming laws were passed and enacted with bipartisan support.
“Yet, in the race for Attorney General of Illinois, we also know Erika Harold’s disgraceful stances on LGBTQ issues, stances that would hurt our community and our families. Harold allegedly stated she would rather place a foster child in the care of an abusive straight couple than in the home of a loving same-sex couple; she advocated for a constitutional amendment to deny same-sex couples like my husband and me the freedom to marry – even after Illinois had enacted its marriage equality law; and she has opposed workplace non-discrimination laws that protect LGBTQ people from being fired or denied a promotion simply because of who we are or who we love. Based on this record, there is little doubt Harold, as Attorney General, would fail to enforce the very laws meant to protect LGBTQ Illinoisans from discrimination and provide them the opportunity to achieve security and safety for our families.
“On November 6, voters will select the state’s chief lawyer who will defend our families or not. There’s so much at stake here for us.”
Scores of elected officials from across Illinois met with Vice President Mike Pence and other senior officials Thursday at the White House to talk about state and federal issues.
The White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs hosted about 140 state and local elected officials from Illinois on Thursday. Each state has a day where their officials are invited to the White House to be briefed on matters important to them.
No Democratic lawmakers took up the invitation, according to those who attended.
The officials spent the afternoon talking about transportation, housing, and tariffs important to Illinois with Pence, Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson and others.
“Every department is rolling back regulation,” said state Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris, who attended with her husband. “Every single speaker talked about the need for reforming government and to roll back regulation from the previous administration.”
Anthony Bedell, deputy assistant secretary of intergovernmental affairs with the Department of Transportation, spoke about plans to improve rural infrastructure.
“They’re trying to get more money down to rural areas for infrastructure projects,” Rezin said. “He said about 60 percent of the money going out the door for infrastructure will go to rural projects.”
Lincoln Towing suit filed against the IL Commerce Commission today argues the license revocation should be delayed bc of the Cubs games and says the news is already “sparking chaos throughout the city” pic.twitter.com/yyVkbr96r0
TRIBUNE: “So Governor, my next-door neighbor just lost his job because of continuing fallout of the budget impasse. So how do you talk to Illinois voters who are still feeling the effects of that impasse?”
RAUNER: “I say every day what I said yesterday, and I’ll say tomorrow, that budget impasse was deeply disruptive, caused suffering. We should never let that happen again but we also can’t stop the struggle for reform. We cannot just think that deficit spending and higher tax rates will solve the problem. They won’t. That in and of itself causes even more suffering for longer periods of time, we cannot give up the struggle because of frustrations during that particular round of the struggle. One battle does not define the whole effort. My request of your friend, you neighbor, is to recognize that it’s a failure of all of us as a system. It’s a, we let the people down when we don’t get balanced budgets and we don’t change our system that has been failing us for decades. We have to keep trying and hopefully we don’t have any more disruptions while we struggle for the reforms. I hope we don’t ever have that. I will be willing to compromise on every possible way to find common ground and get incremental changes so we can keep making progress and not have major disruptions.”
TRIBUNE: “The tragic budget shortfall standoff was solved by Republicans coming and overriding your veto. So, I think the question is, how should voters think that we’re not going to see another standoff? Do you regret not signing that budget?”
TRIBUNE: “Given your speech yesterday, can you give us more of a window into why you said what you said, and why it took you so long for you to say it.”
RAUNER: “Yesterday, I felt it was very important to speak directly to the people of Illinois at this critical juncture in our state’s history. I believe that this election is the most important election of my lifetime. I was born in Chicago and lived in Illinois for most of my 62 years. I don’t know of a more important election. This election will determine the future for our state for decades to come and two very different potential paths. The voters of this state will have a crystal-clear, stark choice to make in this election. It’s essential that we choose to support my efforts with Evelyn Sanguinetti to get our state reformed and turned in a better direction. In my first term, we’ve made important progress but also have had some important frustrations. We’ve learned some lessons from those frustrations. And I’d like to build on the successes we’ve had, progress we made, and lessons learned, and try to get even more done in my 2nd term. And I felt it was critically important now with basically less than 60 days to go until the election that the people of Illinois heard directly from me about that. About what’s at stake in this election. And that we can together, Democrats as well as Republicans, reform minded people, independent voters, everyone, we come together to get done what has to get done to create a better future. We cannot tax our way to a better future. We cannot give more power to the same insiders that have created the problems in our state for the past 35 years. We need to get reforms. And these are reforms that are not partisan reforms. They are not Republican reforms. They are reforms that Democrats in other states have done.”
“I am cautiously optimistic that the dynamic in the General Assembly is different. I do not believe that the speaker is as powerful and dominant and domineering as he was four years ago and as he has been for much of the last 35 years. I think there’s more willingness within his caucus to stand up and challenge him on issues,” said Rauner, who has spent millions of dollars attacking Madigan, who also is state Democratic chairman. […]
He said, in retrospect, he would have accepted smaller changes in such issues as workers’ compensation, local mandate relief, property tax controls and state pensions. During his first term, Rauner pulled back from Senate Republican-led efforts to fashion a “grand bargain” aimed at trying to resolve differences between the governor’s agenda and the Democratic-led General Assembly because it didn’t go far enough.
“The simple fact is I’ve learned. I’ve learned a lot. I was highly successful in business by being very aggressive, very dynamic, very quick to act, innovative in thinking. I’ve tried to be the same in government and what I’ve learned is that doesn’t work very well in a political process where we are in the super-minority and now the minority,” Rauner said.
“We just have to take wins where we can get them. We have to change the system slowly. It takes time. We have to gradually convince not only the legislators but also the voters — and communicating about these issues with 12.8 million people is hard and takes time and we’ve just got to stay persistent,” he said. “What we can’t do is let our frustrations, let our frustrations stop us from continuing to work and continuing to try to make progress.”
* Coming late to this because of all the other stuff yesterday. Sun-Times…
Susana Mendoza hasn’t ruled out running for mayor of Chicago.
Now someone is trying to sway her decision by forming a committee to draft her to run.
That someone is Marty Castro, former chairman of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, who plans to launch the committee to get Mendoza, already running for re-election as Illinois comptroller, into next year’s mayor’s race.
Castro ran against incumbent U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez in the 2002 Democratic primary for the 4th Congressional District seat. Since then, Castro co-chaired the mayoral campaigns of Gery Chico in 2011 and Chuy Garcia in 2015. But this time around, “more is at stake than ever before,” Castro said in a statement.
“I can think of no better person at this point in time to lead our city. On day one, she will bring a fresh voice and ideas, free from the reins of a longstanding broken political system, to create lasting change for our city,” Castro said in a statement. “Susana understands Chicago. She is Chicago. No one is more qualified or has a more compassionate understanding of the struggles that so many residents and families face.”
Castro said in the statement that he has spoken to the comptroller and urged her to run. Mendoza’s camp confirmed that Castro spoke to her.
But in a statement, Mendoza reiterated that she’s focusing on her re-election campaign.
“I am nothing but flattered and honored by the many calls of support urging me to run for mayor of Chicago, which would be an honor and a privilege, but right now I am focused on running for reelection and supporting the statewide Democratic ticket,” Mendoza said in a statement. “After nearly four years of a disastrous administration led by Bruce Rauner, we can’t take anything for granted.”
Nice dance.
Last month, Secretary of State Jesse White was asked whether he intended to serve out his full term in office if he’s elected in November. I think Mendoza should be asked the same question until she answers it.
Rauner claimed that the impasse deeply affected him. He told the Tribune editorial board that to see how much, they should compare photos of him from four years ago to today.
The 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that the limits set in a 2009 [Illinois] law do not violate First Amendment free-speech rights . […]
Illinois Liberty PAC argued limits on individuals’ contributions shouldn’t be lower than those for corporations or unions. It complained that political parties and “legislative caucuses” formed by lawmakers may make unlimited contributions and that all limits are off when a self-funded candidate chips in enough.
Liberty Justice Center is representing Liberty PAC. President Patrick Hughes says it plans to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Illinois Policy Institute’s John Tillman and Hughes are both prior chairmen of that PAC. Liberty Justice Center is a project of the Illinois Policy Institute.
Illinois Liberty PAC, Edgar Bachrach, and Kyle McCarter (collectively, “Liberty PAC”) sued Illinois officials under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 alleging that certain campaign contribution limits set by the Illinois Disclosure and Regulation of Campaign Contributions and Expenditures Act (“the Act”), 10 ILL. COMP. STAT. 5/9-1 et seq. (2016), violate the First Amendment. Invoking the intermediate-scrutiny framework of Buckley v. Valeo, 424 U.S. 1 (1976), Liberty PAC challenges four parts of the Act that it contends are not closely drawn to prevent quid pro quo corruption or its appearance. First, the Act sets lower contribution limits for individuals than for corporations, unions, and other associations. 10 ILL. COMP. STAT. 5/9-8.5(b)–(d). Second, the Act allows political parties to make unlimited contributions to candidates during a general election. Id. Third, a waiver provision lifts the contribution limits for all candidates in a race if one candidate’s self-funding or support from independent expenditure groups exceeds $250,000 in a statewide race or $100,000 in any other election. Id. 5/9-8.5(h). And fourth, certain legislators may form “legislative caucus committees,” which, like political party committees, are permitted to make unlimited contributions to candidates during a general election. Id. 5/9-1.8(c).
The district judge dismissed the first three claims at the pleadings stage, reasoning that Supreme Court precedent foreclosed them. The judge then held a bench trial to determine if the Act’s more lenient regulation of legislative caucus committees—classifying them with political party committees—shows that the Act is not closely drawn to prevent quid pro quo corruption or its appearance. The judge ruled for the defendants, finding that legislative caucus commitees are sufficiently similar to political party committees to justify their identical treatment under the Act.
We affirm across the board. The Supreme Court’s campaign-finance cases plainly foreclose any argument that the Act’s contribution limits for individual donors are too low or that the limits for other donors are too high. To overcome this impediment, Liberty PAC argues that the Act is fatally underinclusive by favoring certain classes of donors over others. But the Court has repeatedly upheld a similar federal campaign-finance scheme setting lower contribution limits for individuals than for other categories of donors, including political parties. See, e.g., McConnell v. FEC, 540U.S. 93, 187–88 (2003), overruled on other grounds by Citizens United v. FEC, 558 U.S. 310, 319 (2010); FEC v. Colo. Republican Federal Campaign Comm., 533 U.S. 431, 455–56 (2001); Buckley, 424 U.S. at 35–36. The Court has also said that a waiver provision like the one Illinois has adopted would not be unconstitutional. See Davis v. FEC, 554 U.S. 724, 737 (2008). Finally, on the record before us, we see no basis to disturb the judge’s factual findings that legislative caucus committees are sufficiently akin to political party committees to justify Illinois’s decision to treat them alike.
Madigan puppet Sean Casten pledged his full loyalty to the Illinois Speaker this week by entering into a new joint fundraising agreement with Mike Madigan and the Illinois Democratic Party to set up a K Street operation.
Casten for Congress and Mike Madigan joined forces to funnel more funding into the Casten campaign, signing the fundraising agreement on September 12, 2018. This should come as no surprise since earlier this year, Casten stood with Madigan in defiant opposition to a property tax freeze that would have protected Sixth District residents from the ever-growing, out-of-control property taxes imposed by Madigan and Illinois Democrats.
“Casten already mirrored all of Madigan’s views in raising taxes on Illinoisans and blocking bipartisanship, but now Casten has committed to accept Madigan’s money and do his bidding,” said Roskam for Congress Veronica Vera. “The last thing the Sixth District needs is a carbon copy of Mike Madigan representing them in Congress.”
To date, four key political prognosticators like Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Election Projection, and Larry Sabato all list this race a toss-up. And the New York Times latest public polling confirms that.
* AP: Humbled Illinois governor admits errors, pleads for 2nd term: A humbled Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner, one of the most endangered state executives in the country, promised Thursday to be less confrontational and more understanding of his political opponents’ views if voters give him a second chance in the November election. Fighting an uphill battle for re-election in a Democratic-leaning state, the first-term Republican delivered an unorthodox address that was part apology, part State of the State address, and part stump speech. Gone was the brash talk of the private-equity investor who once suggested a government shutdown might be necessary to reform the state. Rauner acknowledged that he misjudged the difficulty of government change, and that his stubbornness helped enable a painful, two-year budget standoff with majority Democrats in the Legislature.
* WSIL TV: Gov. Rauner reflects on time as governor, reveals plan for future: Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner made his case to voters with less than two months to go until election day. In a 30-minute-long speech Thursday, Rauner reflected on his four years as governor and the lesson’s he’s learned as head of state. “I’ve grown in office, I’ve changed,” Rauner said “We’ve made progress. I know we can work together to get even more done.”
* ABC 7: Rauner slams Pritzker in speech: Pritzker’s character was the target for the last half of Rauner’s speech, as he accused the Democrat of having off shore bank accounts and avoiding property taxes. “His behavior shows him to be a person utterly lacking in the integrity and character we need in public office,” Rauner said. “Well, Bruce Rauner has no character when he doesn’t get a budget passed and cost working families jobs,” Pritzker said
* Politico: Will voters buy Rauner’s apology speech?: Bruce Rauner isn’t the first governor to stand, hat-in-hand, in the homestretch of an election. After a combative three-and-a-half years, the embattled GOP incumbent — trailing badly in the polls — wants voters to know that a second term would be different. … It’s a tough speech for the usually brazen private-equity-investor-turned pol who allowed the state to go two years without a budget. Rauner was remorseful talking about the toll the budget stalemate had on regular folks. “It kept me up at night worrying about the disruption that many families experienced,” he said.
* Sun-Times: Rauner, Pritzker agree character key to race, but each says other has none: Rauner delivered his speech at the Hilton, which is one of 26 hotels where workers are on strike in Chicago. Thousands of workers are fighting for better healthcare and higher wages. Pritzker’s campaign sought to make light of the location, asking reporters — many of whom are union members — whether they’d attend the governor’s speech. Several television cameramen opted out. But two of the hotels on strike are Hyatts, which are owned by the Pritzker family.
* Tribune: In mea culpa to voters, Rauner pleads for second term by saying he’s not perfect but has grown: “Admittedly I may have overdone it on the courage part at times. I’ve done things that cost me politically, because I was more focused on doing what was right,” he said. “I stand before you today a man of no less courage, but perhaps greater understanding.” Rauner’s admissions were reminiscent of the 2015 Chicago mayoral run-off campaign, when a re-election seeking Rahm Emanuel ran ads in which he donned a sweater and acknowledged he can “rub people the wrong way or talk when I should listen” and said he could do better. Still, Rauner defended the disruption and dysfunction created in a politically divisive first term that pitted a rookie Republican governor against a Democratic legislature along ideological lines.
* Illinois Public Radio: Gov. Rauner Tries to Reset Campaign: Rauner acknowledged problems with his time in office — like the two-year budget stalemate. But he framed that as a fight for HIS ideas about reform, which he said required “courage.” “I may have overdone it on the courage part at times — politically — because I was more focused on doin’ what was right.”
* WGN TV: Rauner: Pritzker ‘lacking in the integrity and character’ to be Illinois governor: “A man caught on FBI wiretap trying to buy political office from a criminally corrupt politician is not worthy of the highest office in our state,” he said. Rauner is warning voters that if elected, Pritzker will raise taxes and allow a culture of corruption. But Rauner was introspective. “I’m a better governor now than when I took office because of what I’ve learned,” Rauner said. … Rauner accused Pritzker of dodging the press. The governor did not take questions from reporters before or after Thursday’s speech.
…Adding… Heh…
.@WCIA3Mark@capitolfax In Rauner's speech yesterday he dropped 15 g's out of 88 opportunities, a paltry 17% score on the FolksyMeter, which is why I have formally retired the device. Must I do all the serious work around here?
Sneed is told former U.S. Commerce Secretary Bill Daley, who was once President Barack Obama’s chief of staff, is planning a bid for mayor.
Word is Daley will make an announcement Monday, a source told Sneed.
It was unclear whether Daley plans to announce that he is forming an exploratory committee or a formal run for a seat once held by his brother, former Mayor Richard M. Daley, and his father, Richard J. Daley.
Many county commissioners think it likely that if Preckwinkle moves to City Hall, County Board Finance Chairman John P. Daley would emerge as the acting board president — assuming this son of one Chicago mayor and brother to another wants the job.
A dozen years ago, five financially strapped city of Chicago pension funds invested $68 million in a shaky real estate deal put together by a former boss of President Barack Obama and a nephew of Mayor Richard M. Daley. […]
And not only did the pension funds not make a profit, records show they will end up losing a combined $54.2 million for the retirement plans, which cover Chicago teachers, police officers, municipal workers, garbage collectors and bus drivers.
On top of that, they spent $2.6 million on lawyers to fight DV Urban in court, litigation that finally came to an end last month when the retirement plans also agreed to pay $14,400 in copying fees that the company incurred during the court battles.
While I can see Bill Daley deciding to run for mayor, he has a bad habit of not following through on stuff. Also, I just can’t see his path after so much Daley fiscal wreckage. Then again, I haven’t seen any polling data.
“Then there are areas in the sales tax system that we could look at, to expand sales taxes into services,” he said. “Those are three areas we can bring revenue into the state.”
Asked later if he had any specific services in mind, Pritzker said he did not.
“It’s just that if we have to look for revenue sources, that might be a place we can look,” Pritzker said. […]
“As J.B. said in the past, he opposes a sales tax on services,” said campaign spokeswoman Galia Slayen. “J.B. has been clear in his support for a fair tax that would require the wealthy like himself and Bruce Rauner to pay more, while Bruce Rauner thinks he should be paying the same rate as a childcare worker struggling to make ends meet.”
The campaign also referred to a debate Pritzker attended in January with other Democratic candidates for governor in which he was the only one to oppose extending the sales tax to services.
Gov. Rauner also pushed for a sales tax on services during the 2014 campaign.
I happen to think a tax on services is long overdue. All of our tax bases (sales, income and property) are too narrow in Illinois, and that pushes up our tax rates.
But, dude, if you’ve made a big deal out of opposing something, then stick with it. This ain’t some sophomore dorm room debate. It’s a gubernatorial campaign in a major state.
* Rep. Jerry Long (R-Streator) made a big mistake yesterday when he tried to downplay the harassment accusations against him. The House Republicans had to keep their press release vague because the alleged victim in the case wanted to remain anonymous and didn’t want any details shared, so Long deliberately took advantage of that and it apparently didn’t go over well with the victim.
From the House GOP…
Statement attributed to the complainant:
“Representative Long’s denial of his actions and behavior are troubling and disappointing.
“While there was an incident of physical harassment, the verbal abuse and abuse of power on a daily basis resulted in a hostile work environment that put anyone around him at risk.
“It is my sincere hope that Rep. Long resigns from his position and gets the help that he needs.”
Long said Friday he plans to run a grassroots campaign and that his district office in Streator is still open to assist residents of his district. […]
Travis Sterling, executive director of the Illinois Republican Party, said the state organization will also pull support from Long’s campaign.
“We support their decision,” he said. “They’ve done their investigation.”
Campaign flyers and ads that were authorized prior to the results of the investigation will continue for a short while, but after that, Long will have to fund any further literature.
The speaker spoke for nearly five hours on Thursday, but didn’t provide any “smoking gun.”
That’s the way the plaintiff suing state House Speaker Mike Madigan described the deposition Madigan gave, saying the powerful Southwest Side Democrat denied putting up two sham candidates in his own legislative race and accused Gov. Bruce Rauner of putting his own plant in the race.
The deposition began at 11 a.m. and ended around 4:30 p.m., according to Jason Gonzales, who filed the federal lawsuit against Madigan.
Gonzales argues in the suit that Madigan put up two “sham” candidates with Latino names to try to split the Hispanic vote in the March 2016 primary. Madigan beat Gonzales 65.2 percent to 27.1 percent. […]
“He pretty much played the denial game. He basically said he didn’t know anything or that he doesn’t remember. He said he had no involvement with the two sham candidates,” Gonzales said. “It’s to be expected. We didn’t expect that he would hand us his own smoking gun.”
On August 9, 2017, Plaintiff emailed Mr. Hull saying that it was good to see him and that “[w]e can’t get rid of Madigan without you.” On October 6, 2017, Plaintiff sent Mr. Hull an email with the subject line, “Remaining Invoice for Legal Fees – Anthony Peraica,” in which he said, “I appreciate you supporting me in this and now that the case is moving forward with discovery, I think we have a great shot at finding even more dirt on MJM.”
This morning, JB Pritzker delivered a speech on mental health, a speech that yet again highlights Pritzker’s agenda of more government spending.
Rauner campaign spokesman Alex Browning issued the following statement:
“JB Pritzker continues to talk about his ’specific plans’ that lack specifics. He touts more and more government programs, more than $10 billion in additional spending with no reform whatsoever while keeping taxpayers in the dark about how high their taxes will go. This speech is more of the same from Pritzker: higher taxes, more spending, NO reforms.”
