* Tina…
* Speaker Madigan was asked about this “Because… Madigan!” thing several times…
The Republicans have been using anti-Madigan rhetoric for close to ten years. So, there’s nothing new with Rauner, he just happens to have some money he could put behind it. I would say again that they really ought to try to find something in their record that they can use to persuade people to vote for Rauner and the Republicans.
* And…
They don’t wanna talk about themselves. They don’t wanna talk about their record because they don’t have a record. They always wanna talk about somebody else. Rauner is prepared to spend millions of dollars to propagate that kind of a message. I don’t think the people of Illinois are going to accept Rauner’s propaganda. I think they’re gonna vote against him.
* Madigan directed this response to a Public Radio correspondent…
Let me say this. If the amount of money spent on negative advertising against me had been spent against you, your poll numbers would be in bad shape too.
Let me make this point. All that money was spent on negative advertising on me without response. Without response… [Rauner’s money has] made a big difference.
He employed an unusual pointing gesture while he was talking.
* But, he was then asked, wasn’t it political malpractice to not respond? After all, candidates are constantly asked if they support Speaker Madigan and it’s being used against them…
That’s been used by Republicans for about 10 years. It was used by some Democrats in the Democratic primary. The ones in the Democratic primary who used that lost their elections. And Rauner’s gonna lose his election.
…Adding… He’s never leaving…
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* We’re apparently ripping off our own residents more than usual…
At $30 a ticket, the Illinois Lottery’s World Class Millions instant game was not only one of its priciest offerings — it was also potentially one of the most lucrative for players.
“WIN UP TO $15,000,000! THE HIGHEST INSTANT PAYOUT IN ILLINOIS LOTTERY HISTORY,” shouted a banner across the magenta and silver ticket.
But for the last five weeks the game was on sale this year, none of the three $15 million prizes remained. Yet players purchased an estimated 26,000 tickets during that time, spending about $793,000. […]
From mid-November to mid-March, the lottery sold more than 3 million instant game tickets — costing players more than $20 million — for games that no longer had any top prize available, according to the Tribune’s analysis of lottery records. And at one point in early March, nearly 1 in 6 games on sale no longer had a top prize available.
Unreal.
* Meanwhile…
Personal financial and medical information of more than 4,000 people was mailed to the wrong addresses earlier this year, two state agencies announced Friday.
“Notices containing personal information were mailed to 4,136 individuals at incorrect addresses,” a news release from the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services and Department of Human Services said. “It has not been confirmed that any of the notices were actually opened, as they were addressed to the correct individuals but had the incorrect addresses.”
The notices went out in February. They could have included some health insurance, medical and financial information, as well as dates of birth, the agencies said.
Detailed medical records and Social Security numbers were not shared, so the risk of identity theft is “very low,” according to a news release from the agencies. They said they’ve moved to prevent future mishaps.
Ugh…
…Adding… SJ-R…
During the Illinois budget crisis, private companies borrowed billions of dollars to pay government vendors on time with the promise that state repayment would come with late fees.
Now the participants in the Illinois vendor-assistance program say they’re not getting hundreds of millions of dollars in late-payment interest they’re owed.
The financiers told legislators Monday that lending banks might discontinue participation.
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*** UPDATED x1 *** Because… Madigan!
Monday, Apr 23, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* ILGOP…
“Top Illinois Democrats like Pritzker, Raoul or Mendoza have an opinion on everything, but here’s one thing they don’t like to talk about: Mike Madigan. Today, Madigan will be reelected as Democratic Party chairman for the sixth time, but don’t look to the statewide candidates for an opinion. They are all mum on Madigan’s leadership because they are complicit in his corruption, and they know he is dragging their campaigns down.” - Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot
At 1:00PM today in Springfield, leaders in the Democratic Party of Illinois will be casting their vote for party chairman, and it looks like House Speaker Mike Madigan is set to stay in power.
Madigan has held the Democratic Party chairmanship since 1998 and his tenure has been marked by scandal and corruption, even allegations of sexual harassment from within his political organization.
So are top Illinois Democrats embracing their party leader, Mike Madigan? Nope - far from it. Here’s what the Democratic candidates for statewide office have to say on Madigan leading their party:
The Illinois Democratic candidates for statewide office are silent on their support for their party leader, Mike Madigan, because they are complicit in his corruption, and they know he is dragging their campaigns down.
* These guys disagree…
* Meanwhile…
Caption?
*** UPDATE *** That’s a wrap…
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* Sen. Sam McCann to the SJ-R…
“If you don’t plan on voting for Pritzker, vote for me. I’m your best chance.”
Well, that’s an interesting campaign slogan.
* JB Pritzker to WCIA TV…
“The truth is, I share really nothing much in common with Sam McCann on the issues,” Pritzker said. “But I think he is a fine human being and certainly a public servant. So I am glad he has decided to run.”
“Pritzker thinks a guy who lied about being in the Marines and scams his campaign donors is a fine person and public servant,” Rauner campaign spokesman Will Allison fired back. “That says a lot about Pritzker and the Chicago Machine’s attempt to use dirty tricks to sway this election.” […]
“Well, Bruce Rauner is a liar,” Pritzker responded on Saturday. […]
But was there a coordinated effort to recruit McCann as a conservative attack dog to hobble Rauner?
“Oh no, there was absolutely none,” he said.
(Headline explained here.)
*** UPDATE *** That didn’t take long. Google Sam McCann and you’ll see this ad…
Click here to see the landing page.
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* Hmm…
The story had nothing directly to do with Tillman and the Illinois Policy Institute. The story ran in one of Dan Proft’s papers. Now, maybe you think that’s all one thing. Fine. But Brady is also misrepresenting the report…
The public affairs firm of Patrick M. Brady, the ex-Illinois GOP Chairman turned lobbyist, received $35,682 in the first quarter of 2018 from Gov. Bruce Rauner’s campaign, according to a filing with the Illinois State Board of Elections.
In January, Rauner made three payments for “political consulting” to Brady’s River Strategies of Chicago totaling $26,133. He made a fourth payment of $9,550 on March 5, two weeks before Rauner’s primary election with State Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton).
Partner Tracy Slutzkin formerly worked as a news producer at WLS-AM 890, including alongside political activist and radio host Dan Proft, one of the principals of LGIS, which owns Prairie State Wire.
River Strategies describes itself as a “media, public affairs, and corporate communications” firm. But Brady is the only firm member with political experience. […]
Brady acted as a defacto spokesman for Rauner during the primary, making regular media appearances where he would attack Ives, though he was never formally identified as such.
Click here to see the Rauner campaign payments and click here to see the River Strategies website.
Brady is often described as a Rauner surrogate, or a former state party chairman or a Rauner supporter. In reality, his firm got a few buckaroos from the Rauner campaign this year. Whether he received a piece of that is probably irrelevant.
*** UPDATE *** “I receive zero financial benefit” from the firm, Brady just told me. “It’s not my firm, it’s their firm,” with “their” referring to Tracy Slutzkin, Hayley Bierkle Burns and Linze Rice.
So, why is his name on the “our team” page? “My name is on the website as a marketing strategy,” Brady said.
“This is a strategic partnership,” he insisted.
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* Tribune…
During the last few months, House Speaker Michael Madigan has been assailed by governor candidates in his own party and beset by accusations of sexual harassment in the political organizations he controls.
On Monday, he’s expected to be re-elected leader of the state Democratic Party, 20 years after he first won the job.
The party’s central committee is scheduled to meet at a Springfield hotel near the Capitol to elect its officers, including a party chairman. […]
Madigan’s backers to keep the chairman job now include leading progressive Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, who on Friday called the longtime speaker the “clear choice.”
* From Garcia’s Madigan endorsement…
I will support a chair who, above all, knows that our goal as a Democratic Party and as a progressive movement must be to build a broad coalition that can deliver this change. Michael Madigan is the clear choice.
As chairman and as a legislator, Madigan is building an ideologically, racially and geographically diverse coalition, and will turn a statewide majority into progressive action.
* Sun-Times…
And it’s not the first time the two have had each other’s backs. Garcia in 2016 endorsed Madigan over a heavily-funded opponent. Garcia, who was named a Bernie Sanders national delegate, appeared in mailers endorsing Madigan. […]
Garcia said Madigan “puts first the interests of the people of Illinois and the progressive principles of the Democratic party.” […]
If there was any opposition from progressive politicians to Garcia’s decision to endorse Madigan, it was hard to find on Friday. But some social media users voiced their opinions: “Of course, he [Garcia] knows the deal.” Another tweeted: “Chuy falls in line.”
“What the f— is Chuy smoking on 4-20?!?” tweeted one self-described “enlightened free thinker.”
* Greg Hinz…
I guess Garcia and Madigan have to live together. And there is no sign that anyone is about to topple Madigan when Democrats meet soon for this year’s coronation. Why fight when everyone can get together to bash Donald Trump?
Says Madigan spokesman Steve Brown, “Mr. Garcia’s support, like that of other members of the central committee, is appreciated.” I’m sure.
Like the old expression goes, the more things change. . . .
* Bill Cameron…
As party veteran Ed Burke likes to say, “As my political idol and political philosopher Edmund Burke once said, in politics there are no permanent enemies, no permanent friends, only permanent political interests.”
*** UPDATE *** Rauner campaign…
In advance of today’s Democratic Party of Illinois’ State Central Committee meeting and state party chairman vote, the Rauner campaign issued the following statement:
“Today, Mike Madigan will be re-elected as Chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois, but we won’t hear a peep from JB Pritzker. Republicans, Democrats, and independents alike are sick of Madigan’s corrupt system, yet Pritzker’s campaign is based on giving Madigan total control of the state. This November, a vote for JB Pritzker is a vote for Mike Madigan and the same broken system that’s hurt Illinois for decades.”
-Rauner Campaign Spokesman Will Allison
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