* Tribune…
Last fall the Tribune’s Todd Lighty dug through then-candidate J.B. Pritzker’s financial interests — as part of a larger story about his and his family’s offshore accounts, often used as tax havens for the rich.
Lighty’s story noted Pritzker was building a mansion in the Bahamas.
This week, as Hurricane Dorian wreaked havoc on the island nation, Tribune reporter Dan Petrella checked in with the governor’s office about the status of Pritzker’s property there and it sounds like it was spared. Spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh issued the following statement: “The governor’s property was not damaged in the storm, but his thoughts and prayers are with the people who suffered tremendously, especially the loss of life, as a result of this storm.”
I was wondering about that myself.
- LizPhairTax - Friday, Sep 6, 19 @ 9:37 am:
Finally! It’s about time this guy catches a break in life.
- Cubs in '16 - Friday, Sep 6, 19 @ 9:44 am:
Cruel irony that a mansion was spared among the devastation.
- Montrose - Friday, Sep 6, 19 @ 9:52 am:
Making a six figure donation to help with relief/rebuilding would be a good and smart thing for J.B. to do.
- former southerner - Friday, Sep 6, 19 @ 9:53 am:
I hope that those complaining and making snarky comments about the governor have contributed to Bahamas hurricane relief. I did.
- Candy Dogood - Friday, Sep 6, 19 @ 10:04 am:
===Making a six figure donation to help with relief/rebuilding would be a good and smart thing for J.B. to do.===
We probably shouldn’t be encouraging behaviors that make would make it impossible for a member of the middle class to hold the office of Governor.
Pritzker’s history of giving is already generous in a world where some of the other ultra wealthy use their funds to undermine the bedrock of our civil society.
If we’re setting expectations of Governors engaging in charitable giving, we ought to be asking Bruce Rauner to pay the interest on his budgetary failures for which the 12 million of us are picking up the tab.
But Bruce’s whole career was always about risking other peoples’ money.
- Flat Bed Ford - Friday, Sep 6, 19 @ 10:14 am:
So thoughts and prayers are okay now but if a conservative uses those exact same words for a tragedy they get ridiculed? Pick a lane Jordan/JB.
- Jose Abreu's Next Homerun - Friday, Sep 6, 19 @ 10:15 am:
Hope his toilets are okay
- Simple Simon - Friday, Sep 6, 19 @ 10:26 am:
==So thoughts and prayers are okay now but if a conservative uses those exact same words for a tragedy they get ridiculed?===
There was literally nothing a human could do to stop the hurricane, as opposed to gun violence. Big difference.
- Demoralized - Friday, Sep 6, 19 @ 10:27 am:
Oh for Pete’s sake. Can you please stop with the conservative woe is me victimhood. I’ve never seen a bigger group of victims than certain conservatives who constantly think the world is picking on them. Grow up
- lakeside - Friday, Sep 6, 19 @ 10:29 am:
Flat Bed - what policy position would you like JB to take against hurricanes? The critique is about when there are actionable steps one can take to possibly prevent future X, but instead tweets.
That said, I’d have held on the statement until Pritzker made a large donation to the relief efforts. But a hurricane is when thoughts and prayers are wanted.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Sep 6, 19 @ 10:40 am:
===…if a conservative uses those exact same words for a tragedy…===
Lemme guess, more mental health screening is needed for storms instead of background checks for weather systems?
Is that it?
If you can make anything/everything about your own victimhood, maybe you need to look at yourself in the mirror and ask “maybe I’m not the one misunderstood, maybe it is me upset about defending my own views?”
- Langhorne - Friday, Sep 6, 19 @ 10:46 am:
Chances are, if a billionaire is building a mansion in the Bahamas, hurricane resistance would be a priority.
- Nick Name - Friday, Sep 6, 19 @ 10:49 am:
===So thoughts and prayers are okay now but if a conservative uses those exact same words for a tragedy they get ridiculed?===
So you can’t tell the difference between a hurricane and a mass shooting. Got it.
- City Zen - Friday, Sep 6, 19 @ 10:53 am:
==building a mansion in the Bahamas==
Not exactly a hedge against climate change.
- don the legend - Friday, Sep 6, 19 @ 10:54 am:
Flat Bed Ford, I feel for you. You just got pummeled. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
- JS Mill - Friday, Sep 6, 19 @ 11:20 am:
@don the legend for a big win.
Priceless.
- Candy Dogood - Friday, Sep 6, 19 @ 11:59 am:
===a human could do to stop the hurricane===
We don’t know that till we nuke one.
- Lt Guv - Friday, Sep 6, 19 @ 12:43 pm:
We can also all send our thoughts and keep the storm at sea.
- Dotnonymous - Friday, Sep 6, 19 @ 1:12 pm:
Trump should just put his chosen lips together and blow hurricanes… away.
- Amalia - Friday, Sep 6, 19 @ 1:51 pm:
um, geography. The Bahamas is a large chain of islands. The island that houses the capital–Nassau— got some water but not much. I’m betting Andros island…from where the great prints come….is ok too since it is east of Nassau. It’s the island that has Freeport which got big destruction and Abaco further east that got the worst damage. the article simply says his house is in the Bahamas. that’s a bunch of islands.
- Honeybear - Friday, Sep 6, 19 @ 2:09 pm:
I have to admit I winced at the “thoughts and prayers” phrase.
To me, “thoughts and prayers” is a brush off phrase
I get there’s a difference between shootings and a hurricane.
Nevertheless,
It immediately evokes the feeling in me, regardless who says it, that they don’t really give a crap.
It’s an unskilled un nuanced phrase.
It’s not my place to say what he/she should have said. That’s way above my paygrade.
But I do know what I felt immediately.
His house is fine
so he doesn’t give a crap.
That’s not a good feeling
- R A T - Friday, Sep 6, 19 @ 2:53 pm:
I now have this hanging on the wall in my office:
Flat Bed Ford, I feel for you. You just got pummeled. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
- cc - Friday, Sep 6, 19 @ 4:06 pm:
People died, folks.
Be glad for those that survived and mourn the loss of those that did not and their families.