* Before we go, let’s get to a few news items. The “drip, drip, drip” continues for Speaker Madigan…
Latest on Madigan Staffer fired: We speak exclusively to Kevin Quinn's estranged wife, who says she tried to alert the Speaker's office to abuse 6 months ago @nbcchicago 5p
* But the House Speaker sent this letter to his members today…
Earlier this week you received a briefing about the situation involving a member of my political organization. The purpose of this letter is to advise you of the next steps.
Today each staff member of the Office of the Speaker, as well as my political committees, received the names of individuals they can contact to report any incidents or allegations or get additional information.
* State Staff: Staff should contact Justin Cox or Margaret Livingston at xxxxxx. They
will be available to provide confidential guidance and information or direct staff to an outside resource to address their specific situation. Staff may also contact Special Legislative Inspector General Julie Porter to report any incident or allegation.
* Political Staff: Staff may contact Emily Wurth (xxxx), Michael Kasper (xxxx), or Heather Wier Vaught (xxxx). We have also retained an independent counsel who is available to receive and investigate harassment allegations. Kelly Smith-Haley of Fox Swibel Levin & Carroll, LLP will provide independent review of allegations, conduct investigations, and provide recommendations for updating policies and procedures, including clear rules for conduct and penalties for violations.
It is clear from the number and nature of the conversations taking place that we need to do better when it comes to the issue of equality in the workplace, and that we must work harder to provide a safe and constructive environment for every individual regardless of gender, race, religion, or sexual orientation. We must rethink the culture of politics if we are to move forward as an institution and as Democrats. In order to change this culture and ensure equality in the workplace, we must provide a positive work environment free from any type of harassment, including sexual harassment and bullying. I recognize this at starts at the top, which means it starts with me and with each of you.
We cannot tolerate harassment or abuse of any kind. Every member, employee, contractor, and intern is valued and necessary for the operation of the General Assembly, this caucus, and for the successful election of Democratic candidates in Illinois. No one should be made to feel otherwise. Everyone has a right to work without fear of harassment, abuse, or retaliation.
We haven’t done enough. I take responsibility for that. I would never condone, sweep under the rug or refuse to take any step to ensure we did not eradicate any behavior of this kind. I understand the “knock it off” mentality is not enough, and we must, and will, do better moving forward. I commit to do more, and I welcome any and all suggestions you may want to bring forward. Our culture must change and I want to work together to make the necessary changes. We must do better. We will do better.
Please reach out to me if you have any questions or need further information.
With kindest personal regards, I remain
Sincerely yours,
MICHAEL J. MADIGAN
Speaker of the House
The “knock if off” stuff makes me think he read this morning’s Capitol Fax.
* And the drip, drip, drip continues for Gov. Rauner…
Engineers told Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration 18 months ago that replacing problematic plumbing at a veterans’ home beset by Legionnaires’ disease would cost $8 million and “should be carefully considered,” according to a report obtained by The Associated Press.
That estimate is far below the estimate — up to $30 million — that Illinois Veterans’ Affairs Director Erica Jeffries has repeatedly told lawmakers it would cost to replace aged and corroded pipes at the Quincy veterans home. Legionnaires’ there has led to the deaths of 13 residents since 2015 and has sickened dozens more, including three new cases this week.
The Veterans’ Affairs Department took no action on the August 2016 report by Belleville-based BRiC Partnership. Then, on Jan. 8 — facing questions from lawmakers reviewing the administration’s response to the outbreak — the agency requested the plumbing replacement as an “emergency” project, according to emails the AP obtained with the report under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.
Sen. Tom Cullteron, chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, said the report shows the administration “has been misleading us on facts and figures.”
* Pritzker campaign responds…
While the Rauner administration has said replacing the water system at the Quincy Veterans’ Home could cost up to $30 million, an August 2016 estimate revealed today shows the fix would actually cost $8 million.
This follows another new report today confirming that Air Force Veteran Ivan Jackson, who Rauner invited to his State of the State address, is one of the three Quincy residents that tested positive for Legionnaires. As this crisis continues to spiral, Rauner’s decision to delay replacement of the water system and lie about the cost becomes even more glaring.
“Bruce Rauner lied about the cost of a potentially lifesaving fix to the Quincy Legionnaires crisis and failed to take action to protect our nation’s heroes,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “This is gross mismanagement and unacceptable dishonesty from a governor who continues to fail to take charge of this state.”
Announcer: Mike Madigan. He loves taxes and he absolutely hates Bruce Rauner. Rauner vetoed the Madigan income tax increase. And now, Rauner’s leading the charge to reverse it. The Rauner Plan: More take-home pay for working families; lower taxes for job creators; and one billion dollars in tax relief for Illinois.
Gov. Rauner: I’ve fought Mike Madigan at every turn because giving him total control means disaster for Illinois.
Announcer: Reverse the Madigan tax hike. Vote Rauner.
* Meanwhile, on to the AG’s race…
Democratic Illinois Attorney General candidate Jesse Ruiz is releasing his first Primary election ad set to hit the airwaves next week.
The 30-second ad features Jesse Ruiz in Washington Park and Little Village, as well as downtown Chicago, talking about his background and the importance of fighting corruption and protecting educational opportunities.
“I am running for Attorney General to protect the American Dream, which is under attack. We need to level the playing field in order to protect working families of Illinois,” said Ruiz. “I want to be the people’s lawyer and their champion. This is what I’ll do as their Attorney General.”
“When you’re the son of Mexican immigrants from Chicago’s south side, you fight hard for your opportunities, and for many, like it did for me, opportunities start with a good education. So when I ran Chicago’s public schools and corruption was threatening our kids, I fought back and stopped it. I’m Jesse Ruiz and as your Attorney General, I’ll fight corruption and abuse no matter where it comes from, even from Donald Trump.”
* Press release…
Highland Park - Attorney General Candidate Nancy Rotering releases video urging legislators to take action to prevent mass shootings.
“It is no longer enough to say ‘enough.’ As recently as last week, I asked again for the help of every legislator in the State of Illinois to fix an arbitrary time constraint that was thrust upon municipalities in 2013. As a Mayor, I led the charge to ban assault weapons and stood up to the NRA in an effort to reduce the risk of a mass shooting. By passing legislation, the members of the General Assembly can provide Illinois municipalities the opportunity to protect their communities as permitted under the US Constitution.
The number of lives lost and affected keeps growing and still no action from those we elected to protect us. The families in Newtown, Orlando, Las Vegas, Sutherland Springs, and now Parkland, FL didn’t believe they had “assault weapon” problems. Even if we save just one life, it is worth it to allow every town, village, and city to decide whether or not to limit these weapons that enable mass murder. We need an advocate speaking for all of us. That’s why I am running for Illinois Attorney General. I already am that advocate.”
* I’m told Congressman Mike Quigley’s campaign is putting $300,000 behind his first TV ad despite this November polling…
Total Quigley - 72%
Total Mustafa - 6%
Total Wolf - 8%
Undecided - 14%
Why spend the money? “We don’t take anything for granted and we’re going to make sure we get as close to that total as possible,” a campaign official responded.
* Dan Proft sent me this ad for Chris Miller (no relation that I know of), who is hoping to replace retiring GOP Rep. Reggie Phillips. His four daughters formed a quartet and are featured in the spot…
There are no primary races for the 95th House District seat, so Democratic challenger DILLON CLARK of Litchfield will be taking on incumbent Rep. AVERY BOURNE, R-Raymond, in November.
But Clark, a member of the Montgomery County Board, has been taking to social media with some corny, and some eye-catching, videos to get his name known.
“I hate the cookie-cutter commercials that everybody does,” he says.
In one video, he’s on a tractor that rolls into view.
“Tired of Springfield not listening?” he says, as he tosses an ear of corn over his shoulder. “You’ll always have my ear.”
Jeanne Ives, a conservative reform Republican for Governor, has released new :30 second ad ‘Fighting for Jeannie Brady.’
On January 1, 2017, Jeannie Brady was struck by a drunk driver on Interstate 74 in Champaign. Both Jeannie and the man who hit her, were taken to a hospital in Urbana, IL, where she died. The man who killed her was in the country illegally. Because Urbana has claimed sanctuary status, the man was not held. He has since managed to evade authorities.
In the ad, Eric Brady’s voice trembles and cracks as he recounts the night his wife was killed, and his family’s struggle to come to grips with both the loss of a woman they loved dearly and the fact that there has been no justice for Jeannie.
Eric also recounts Governor Rauner’s promise to meet with him and other families before signing the ‘Trust Act’ to make Illinois a sanctuary state. Rauner betrayed that promise, confirming to Brady that the leadership of this state does not share his grief and is not concerned with protecting families like his.
Eric Brady sees no place for Governor Rauner in the leadership of Illinois.
Today the national pro-life group Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List) announced its endorsement of Jeanne Ives for governor of Illinois, challenging incumbent Republican governor Bruce Rauner, who signed into law a bill that mandates taxpayer funding of abortion through the state’s Medicaid program months after stating he would oppose it.
“We are proud to endorse Jeanne Ives, an utterly fearless champion of unborn children and their mothers,” said SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser. “Jeanne is passionately dedicated to fighting for taxpayers and standing up to the extreme abortion lobby. She will lead with courage and integrity.”
“Governor Rauner’s outrageous betrayal of his pro-life constituents will have political consequences,” said SBA List’s National Campaign Chair Jill Stanek, an Illinois resident and an international pro-life activist, speaker, and writer. “When Rauner flip-flopped on forcing taxpayers to fund abortion on demand, he condemned as many as 3,800 innocent unborn children with the stroke of a pen. The choice before the voters is stark. Illinois families can’t afford another disastrous four years of Bruce Rauner.”
Jeanne Ives accepted the endorsement saying:
“I am honored to be endorsed by Susan B. Anthony List. Illinoisans’ trust in the Governor’s office to protect vulnerable lives has been shattered. I look forward to restoring principled pro-life leadership in Springfield.”
Ives has served in the Illinois legislature since 2012. She is a West Point graduate and served in the United States Army. She and her husband, Paul, have five children and reside in Wheaton, IL.
Susan B. Anthony List and its partner super PAC, Women Speak Out spent more than $18 million in the 2016 election cycle, knocking on more than 1.1 million doors in battleground states to defeat Hillary Clinton and maintain a pro-life Senate. SBA List is dedicated to pursuing policies and electing candidates who will reduce and ultimately end abortion. To that end, the SBA List emphasizes the education, promotion, mobilization, and election of pro-life women. The SBA List is a network of more than 630,000 pro-life Americans nationwide.
* Ives also sent out a release on the Tribune’s endorsement of Gov. Rauner today…
“I knew there was no chance the Tribune would endorse me,” said Ives. “They sometimes talk a conservative reform game, but ultimately stick with the same big government, combine Republicans and Democrats who are indistinguishable from one another. The Chicago press corps is part of the entrenched power structure that has destroyed Illinois’ economy.”
Ives noted that the only joint appearance Rauner agreed to was before the Tribune editorial board.
“Rauner appeared with me there because he knew he had their endorsement in the bag,” said Ives. “I knew that too, but my purpose wasn’t to get the endorsement. It was to expose Rauner on camera for interested voters to see and judge for themselves—and even the lefties who despise me because of my conservative views, like Eric Zorn, conceded that is precisely what I did.”
Watch for yourself:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/95786566-132.html
Ives also noted her endorsement from the national, pro-life Susan B. Anthony List this morning adding, “I’ll take the endorsements of my legislative colleagues like State Representatives Tom Morrison, John Cabello, Peter Breen, Margo McDermed, Allen Skillicorn, Barb Wheeler, and David McSweeney and State Senators Tim Bivins and Kyle McCarter, as well as that of the Susan B. Anthony List, and Tax Accountability over that of the Chicago Tribune every day and twice on Sunday.”
* And the DGA tried to hype it all up…
This morning, Governor Bruce Rauner saw his primary opponent pick up another influential endorsement. The Susan B. Anthony List announced it was endorsing State Rep. Jeanne Ives and pledged financial backing for her campaign.
Today’s news illustrates a real problem Rauner has within his own party. He’s already been criticized by the National Review and Fox News, which both concluded Rauner was simply a failure. Mega donor Dick Uihlein gave millions to Ives to run ads. And its only getting worse: the powerful right-wing website Breitbart posts daily articles cheering on Ives and the site Town Hall published a glowing column praising her.
Rauner can’t event count on the help of his ally Vice President Mike Pence, who gave money to just about everyone not named Bruce Rauner.
Is Rauner hearing footsteps?
“Bruce Rauner seems to have a real problem on his hands,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “Rauner already suffers from disastrously low approval ratings from Illinois voters, and now he’s losing needed support among influential members of his own party. But Rauner only has himself to blame – his failed leadership is all too evident to Republicans and Democrats alike.”
* Earlier today, I mentioned how much I liked Daniel Biss’ “middle-class governor” schtick. It comes off as genuine. The Pritzker folks may be thinking the same thing with this new ad featuring a Naperville teacher named Lisa Yost…
Lisa Yost: In his TV ads Dan Biss says he’d be a middle-class governor, but why should I believe that? For 35 years I was a public school teacher, and during that time I earned a pension that would be there for me when I retired.
[ON SCREEN: DAN BISS “cut retirement benefits for teachers, nurses and other retired and current state workers”]
Lisa Voiceover: But in Springfield, Dan Biss wrote the law to cut pension benefits owed to over 450,000 workers, including teachers like me.
Lisa Yost: Dan Biss wasn’t looking out for me then, and I don’t trust him to look out for me as governor.
The end of that ad kinda reached out and grabbed me, but we’ll have to wait and see if this “trust” angle works.
* Pritzker is also out with a pretty good new ad featuring his running mate, Rep. Juliana Stratton…
Juliana Stratton, Candidate for Lt. Governor: I’m a mom, a runner, and a fighter from the South Side. And when I ran for State Representative I beat Bruce Rauner’s candidate - and JB and I will beat Bruce Rauner again.
[ON SCREEN: JB PRITZKER AND JULIANA STRATTON]
Juliana Voiceover: I spend every day with JB, I know JB’s heart and I know JB’s values -
Juliana Stratton: - and if you look at the work JB’s done throughout his life - work for children, work to expand healthcare and work around criminal justice reform; that’s who JB is, and I know what we’ll get done for Illinois.
* Related…
* AP: Can Middle-Class Candidate Defeat Millionaires in Illinois?: Rabia Amin, a 19-year-old political science major at Elmhurst College, said she plans to vote for Biss. It was his ads set in a home that looked much like her own that sealed her decision. “I thought, ‘Oh my god. He’s a normal human being,’” she said. “That’s the thing I’ve been getting from him. He understands our problems, because I feel like he’s gone through them, and I really like that.”
Today, Biss for Illinois launched its latest television ad, “More.” The ad shares home videos of Daniel and his family and explains why Illinois families need a middle-class governor they can trust to put their needs first.
I’m Daniel Biss, and when I say I’ll be the middle class governor, it’s about more than where we live, or that we send our kids to public schools, it’s about my commitment to level the playing field for the rest of us.
While my wealthy opponents profit from our rigged system, I’ll make billionaires pay their fair share in taxes, to invest in good schools and healthcare for all.
Announcer: Democrat Daniel Biss. The middle-class governor.
That middle-class governor line is a really good hook.
* Meanwhile, from the Pritzker campaign…
Today, the Pritzker campaign is continuing a new series, highlighting where Dan Biss’ campaign rhetoric is at odds with his record. Dan Biss says he’s a proven progressive, but he voted to increase funding for charter schools at the expense of neighborhood public schools. Let’s check the record.
Despite praising public education on the campaign trail, Dan Biss undermined public education by voting to shift tax dollars from neighborhood public schools to charter schools in 2012. CPS alone would have lost $126 million a year if the bill passed, but thanks to strong opposition from teachers unions and progressive groups, the bill was defeated. Biss’ support comes as no surprise given his unequivocal statement in 2010: “I support the charter school movement.”
“Were it not for teachers unions and progressive organizations standing up to him, Dan Biss would’ve stripped money from neighborhood public schools to fill the coffers of charters,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “Public school children in Illinois deserve better than politicians like Bruce Rauner and Dan Biss siphoning critical dollars away from their education.”
