* Some additional background for this post is here. Gov. Rauner was asked several times today about his stance on a gun dealer licensing bill that’s sitting on his desk. He stayed mum. From the Sun-Times…
“I’ve been clear on this issue,” Rauner said after being accused of stalling on the politically sensitive legislation in the midst of an election.
“No, governor, you’re not clear. It’s clear as mud,” a reporter said. “Are you going to sign it or are you not?”
Rauner responded: “A comprehensive solution, that’s what I support.”
Asked if his ambiguous answer could be interpreted as a plan to wait for several in-the-works gun control bills to reach his desk before taking any action, Rauner again dodged.
“A comprehensive solution is what I’m advocating for,” he said.
By my count, Rauner said “comprehensive” five times in two minutes. Check out the video…
“Comprehensive,” said Rauner, includes a ban on bump stock devices that effectively turn semiautomatic firearms into machine guns. It also includes improved school safety, improved efforts to keep firearms out of the hands of convicted criminals and the mentally ill, and more help for police.
But the GOP incumbent wouldn’t say whether that means teachers should be trained to carry firearms in the classroom. Nor would he say whether he’ll block the licensing measure; in previous appearances, he seemed to suggest it would be excessive.
“What I will do is work with the General Assembly to come up with real solutions,” Rauner added, denying that he’s engaged in his own version of a basketball four-corners stall in an effort to offend no one before the primary vote.
Emanuel on Monday again hammered Rauner on the licensing bill, as the mayor has done often since the House passed it. This time, he joined Johnson, gun control advocates and the families of gun violence victims at a news conference at police headquarters to try to pressure the governor to act.
Emanuel nodded to the political pressure facing Rauner, but said the governor has a greater responsibility to look past that and protect Illinois residents.
“When is the right time? Only one person can answer that,” Emanuel said.
“So I would just say the governor may be thinking of his primary election, but we are thinking of the primary responsibility he has for helping us keep our streets safe, whether that’s Downstate, suburban or in the city of Chicago,” he said.
…Adding… The Pritzker campaign says he dodged a total of seven times…
With his primary eight days away, Bruce Rauner is refusing to take action to prevent gun violence, leaving the Gun Dealer Licensing Bill sitting untouched on his desk.
When reporters repeatedly asked about his position on the legislation, Rauner dodged, ducked and dived seven times. After recycling his favorite talking point that he has been “clear on this issue,” a reporter fired back: “clear as mud.”
“Instead of signing the Gun Dealer Licensing Bill immediately, Bruce Rauner is playing politics and putting lives at risk,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “Illinoisans deserve better than a leader who would rather wait out his primary than act swiftly to keep families safe.”
…Adding… DGA transcript…
Question: Governor, as we meet here, the Mayor, the Police Superintendent and a bunch of other people are holding a press conference to urge you to sign SB1657, the gun shop bill, and the other legislation the General Assembly passed. As you know there’s been some action in Florida. The Governor there signed a bill that a lot of people thought a few years ago or a few months ago he would never sign. What are you going to do with this legislation?
Rauner: What I will do, and continue to do for many days, is to work with our members of the General Assembly on a bipartisan basis to come up with real solutions together, on a bipartisan basis. And I’m advocating that we try to accomplish four things. One is to ban bump stocks. Number two is to find ways to keep our schools safer - there are many things we can do in that regard. Third we should find ways, better ways, more thoughtful ways, to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill. Mental illness, unfortunately I believe, has played a major role in a number of these horrible, horrible tragedies. And I believe we should find ways to work together to better support our police officers, our law enforcement officers who put their safety at risk to keep our families safe. I believe we can work together to do those four things.
Question: Since its NCAA time, have you gone to the four-corner offense here? Are you playing stall ball, trying to take the air out of the ball until after the March 20th primary on this issue?
Rauner: I’ve been clear on this issue –
Question: Governor, you’re not clear. As clear as mud. I mean what does that have to do with the bill that’s on your desk. Are you going to sign it or are you not?
Rauner: Comprehensive solution, that’s what I support. A comprehensive solution.
Question: So are you saying you’re waiting for all the legislation to pass through the legislature. All the pending gun bills before you consider any of them.
Rauner: Comprehensive solution is what I’m advocating for.
Question: Governor, you did say the other night apparently that you felt that the feds already sort of handle this gun dealer licensing. Is that where you stand?
Rauner: Well it is true that gun dealers are already federally licensed. That is true.
Question: So that doesn’t need any state intervention as well.
Rauner: Again, I’m going to look at a comprehensive solution.
“Question: Governor, this one seems pretty much like a stand-alone bill that makes a lot of common sense to a lot of people. Why not just sign this one now and work out the details with the other later?
Rauner: Again, comprehensive solution is what I’m advocating.”
With March Madness upon us, the Rauner campaign made its own bracket featuring Mike Madigan’s “top” headlines of the year. Which one will win the title of “Best Madigan Headline of 2017-2018?”
In a weekend editorial, The Wall Street Journal made clear how high the stakes are in 2018. If JB Pritzker and Mike Madigan take total control of Illinois, they’ll raise taxes yet again on Illinois families, and that means more people leaving the state and fewer jobs. It’s why Governor Bruce Rauner is fighting to win re-election so he can block Madigan’s plan to take more money out of the pockets of hardworking taxpayers, and provide tax and regulatory relief to unlock the potential of the Illinois economy.
One difficulty for Democrats is that they need a supermajority of both legislative chambers to place an amendment [for a graduated tax] on the ballot. While they have the votes in the Senate, four Republicans are needed in the House. Mr. Madigan twisted some GOP arms last summer to override Mr. Rauner’s veto, and the patronage king may now try to buy off Republicans who aren’t running for re-election.
I’m not saying they’re wrong about the future, but that’s some interesting revisionism about what happened last July.
* As we all know by now, Chris Kennedy has called on House Speaker Michael Madigan to step down as state party chairman. He’s been silent on Madigan’s role as speaker, however. Kennedy explained it this way the other day…
* If you can’t watch videos at work, here’s what Kennedy said…
In the speaker role, it’s complicated because he’s done a good job of standing up to Gov. Rauner.
More Kennedy nuance. If he wins the primary, Rauner will whack him with this for months on end. I can just see it now: “Kennedy said his puppet-master Madigan has done a good job!!!”
* Related…
* Attack ads draw rebukes in 17th: Mike Madigan’s favored candidate in the 17th District Illinois House race, Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, has launched attacks on one of her opponents that are giving leaders of the New Trier Township Democratic Organization second thoughts about having endorsed Gong-Gershowitz. The target of the attacks is Candance Chow, who currently serves on the Evanston/Skokie School District 65 board. One of the attack fliers claims Chow is giving Republicans Donald Trump and Bruce Rauner “plenty to celebrate.” … The president of the NTDO, Judy Mandel, in a newsletter to members Wednesday, said she’s received a string of complaints about the over-the-top, negative and especially nasty mailing pieces from Gong-Gershowitz, a Glenview resident.
* Tribune Editorial: Michael Madigan, the #MeToo mansplainer: If Madigan’s rope-a-dope works, it says more about his ability to intimidate challengers than about the importance of this issue in his realm. Hollywood, the news media and Silicon Valley continue to confront these deep-rooted issues. The same should be true for government and politics.
* Madigan’s Panel Meets With Former Staffer Who Alleged Sexual Harassment: Alaina Hampton, a former staffer for Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, met Sunday with the three-woman panel appointed by Madigan to lead a statewide discussion on sexual harassment. … Of the meeting Sunday, Hampton told NBC 5 that she “had a frank and productive conversation” with the panel. “They listened to my story and took in my recommendations on how to ensure justice for victims and how to begin to change the pervasive culture of sexism in Illinois politics,” Hampton said.
* Gov. Rauner was asked today about the Erika Harold controversy. You’ll recall that three sources told Mary Ann Ahern that Harold said this during a Miss Illinois pageant interview…
One of the questions to Harold that year was: If she, like her mother, was responsible to place a child in foster care and had to choose between a.) A loving gay couple or b.) A heterosexual couple who were known child abusers, which would she chose?
All three sources told NBC 5 she chose the child abusers.
I’ve known Erika Harold for about five years. I’ve found her to be a person of great talent and integrity and good will. And I can’t comment beyond that.
* The governor, who made it clear that he fully supports gay adoption, was then asked if Harold should drop out of the attorney general’s race…
I’ve told you about my view of Erika Harold. I think she’s an outstanding person of great talent and integrity and good will.
Since the news of @ErikaHarold statement that an abusive home would be better 4 kids than a home w/2 same sex parents broke last night, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what those words mean to me, both as a gay parent & as an advocate for LGBTQ youth…
— Rep. Kelly Cassidy (@RepKellyCassidy) March 9, 2018
* A couple of recent Bridget Degnen mailers slamming Cook County Commissioner John Fritchey. As a reminder, Fritchey sent out a mailer during his losing 2009 congressional special election bid announcing that he liked ketchup on hot dogs, and the much-hated Lincoln Park Towing company could have its license taken away by the state soon…
…Adding… Fritchey’s campaign sent me one of his pieces. According to the Ledger, she was a “Senior Public Service Administrator” from 12/2016 through 1/2018…
* I told subscribers about this earlier today. Press release…
The Raoul for Illinois campaign is debuting a new ad featuring the words of the late Mayor Harold Washington which can be seen here: https://youtu.be/aAU7wlo3YkM
Ad transcript:
Harold Washington: I must have been blind or staggering. I would never appoint Pat Quinn to do anything. Pat Quinn is a totally and completely undisciplined individual.
He was dismissed. My only regret is that we hired him and kept him too long.
Narrator: Harold Washington knew Pat Quinn’s staggering incompetence…the incompetence that led to illegal hiring and endless investigations…and gave us Bruce Rauner.
Narrator: Quinn failed Harold Washington then…and failed us as Governor. We can’t trust him as our Attorney General.
The ad features footage of a WGN-TV interview with Mayor Washington where he lambasts Quinn’s leadership. In the interview Quinn goes on to say: “Pat Quinn is a totally and completely undisciplined individual who thinks this government is nothing but a large easel on which to do his PR work.”
Now more than ever, it’s clear that Mayor Washington’s words were true.
“Illegal hiring”
“Jim Dey: Investigation into illegal hiring under Quinn expanded,” Jim Dey, The News-Gazette, 5/4/2017.
Last week, a court-appointed outside monitor released a voluminous report that laid bare all the gory details surrounding five years of illegal patronage hiring at the Illinois Department of Transportation. But that report didn’t close the book on the wide-ranging conspiracy to violate state hiring rules by top officials in former Gov. Pat Quinn’s administration. Indeed, there could be more much forthcoming.
“Jobs for friends and family”
“Watchdog details how top Democrats under ex-Gov. Quinn got state jobs for friends, family,” Monique Garcia, Ray Long, Hal Dardick, Chicago Tribune, 4/25/2017.
A new report issued Monday by a court-appointed watchdog charged with looking into patronage hiring at the Illinois Department of Transportation details how top Democrats clouted relatives and friends into positions under former Gov. Pat Quinn, even as many of those hired had little or no experience. “
“Endless investigations”
“Quinn and his administration under yet another FBI investigation!” Kirk Allen, Edgar County Watchdogs, 10/27/2014
“And gave us Bruce Rauner”
“Audit draft shows more mismanagement in Quinn’s anti-violence program,” Joe Mahr, Ray Long, Chicago Tribune, 4/5/2016.
Republican Bruce Rauner went on to beat Democrat Quinn in 2014 after relentlessly charging that Quinn used the grants as a political slush fund to help win votes in Democratic strongholds. Rauner’s administration declined to comment on the draft audit, citing the confidentiality of the process before an audit is released. But in the administration’s response to auditors, also obtained by the Tribune, the agency’s new leaders blame the Quinn administration for the debacle.
Dan Hynes tried using this footage and it backfired. Bruce Rauner tried it as well to no avail. The key difference here is Sen. Raoul is an African-American.
* As you already know, JB Pritzker is airing a TV ad which claims that Chris Kennedy and Sen. Daniel Biss support taxing retirement income, “one of the few things Illinois doesn’t tax right now. The ad goes on to claim that Pritzker is against doing such a thing.
Chris Kennedy: I wouldn’t do that. The average retiree pension is like $18,000 a year. We’re going to go tax people making 18,000 a year? That’s the group we’re going to attack? I don’t think so. I don’t have the heart for that… There’s nothing about me that would lead me to believe that that’s the right thing to do. That’s not where the money is. Those people need that for their basic income and I think that’s a real bad suggestion and I’ve thought so since the beginning of the campaign, despite the lies that JB Pritzker is telling about me in his new ads…
Rick Pearson: I want you to address that issue.
Chris Kennedy: It’s interesting. I came from a family, we’re very competitive, the Kennedy family, particularly my mother who taught us this lesson: It’s better to win than to lose. But she also made it clear it’s better to lose than to cheat. And I think that’s a lesson that the Kennedy family learned that apparently they don’t teach in the Pritzker family. Because Pritzker, when he couldn’t spend his way to victory, that is, tell the truth about himself, he then had to pick an alternative course, which is to lie about others. And that’s what he’s doing now with his television ads and his radio ads. And it’s unfortunate that he’s in that desperate spot.
Going after the guy’s family now, eh? That’ll help.
…Adding… Pritzker’s campaign manager…
I've been around a lot of campaigns…things certainly get heated in the final days. But I'm not sure why Chris Kennedy thinks it's ok to imply that somehow his family is better than JB's…somehow more moral or more virtuous. https://t.co/mUc6UVQUlx
LEACH: If we move to a graduated income tax at some point would that be on the table then? Retirement income?
KENNEDY: I mean, I don’t know what that looks like. I mean, if ifs and buts were candy and nuts we’d all have a merry Christmas, so I don’t know, what…
LEACH: But you want to move to a progressive income tax?
KENNEDY: Absolutely, absolutely.
LEACH: If we do that, under your plan…
KENNEDY: If we means tested, if we means tested, um, retirement income. If you could say OK, people who have more than $250,000 a year household income and have retirement income, could that be part of progressive income tax? I think it could.
So, Kennedy said he’d consider a retirement income tax. The Pritzker ad is not a “lie.” And if Kennedy manages to win the primary, Rauner will undoubtedly blast him with the same sort of ad because 74 percent of Illinoisans oppose such a tax. It’s our state’s political “third rail.” And the same goes for Sen. Daniel Biss, who qualified his own support in a similar manner.
