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Kennedy aide denies report on planned spending

Thursday, Feb 9, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller

Kennedy said he would spend between $50 million and $100 million of his own fortune to defeat Rauner.

Whoa.

I hadn’t seen that anywhere else, so I reached out to Chris Kennedy’s campaign. The reply…

No, he didn’t say that. He said that even if Rauner put $100 million in it wouldn’t be enough to paper over his failed record.

Thomas might have take that along with what he said that he would put his money where his mouth is to suggest that he would self fund the whole race. But he never committed to an amount that he was going to put in.

Well, that kinda put a damper on my planned post about yet another wealthy self-funder. My draft headline: “Kennedy to spend up to $100 million of his own money on race.” Since I already put the rest of it together, we might as well get on with it.

* Rick Pearson has a very solid piece on the Chris Kennedy announcement, so while we’re gonna take a look at this little bit, you should read the whole thing.

[State Sen. Daniel Biss] dismissed the need for fielding a wealthy challenger to Rauner, saying Democrats need someone “who can draw a strong contrast with the governor.” […]

Given the prospect of two wealthy businessmen atop the November 2018 Illinois ballot, Kennedy sought to separate himself from Rauner’s background in acquisitions, mergers and finance.

“I’ve spent my whole career building things up. I made money by paying other people. Gov. Rauner has done just the opposite. He’s made money by tearing things down, breaking them apart. He’s made money by firing people,” Kennedy said.

“I think it’s important that people have drive and ambition and intelligence, but any coach, any board of directors, any employer, any employee will tell you the most important thing is heart. And Gov. Rauner appears to be heartless,” he said, noting reduced funding for social service safety-net programs due to the budget impasse.

Explaining why one rich guy is a good guy and another rich guy is a bad guy won’t be easy, but it can be done I suppose.

* AP…

“I’m not afraid of a billionaire,” Kennedy said.

He was talking about Rauner, but he could’ve just as easily been talking about JB Pritzker.

* Back to the ABC7 report…

“In the history of our state, we’ve probably never had a worse governor,” said the 53-year-old former chairman of the Merchandise Mart in Chicago. “We’ve gone two years without a budget and only one person is responsible for that and that’s Gov. Rauner.” […]

“I made money by employing people, by paying them. (Rauner’s) whole career was about buying things and dismantling them, taking them apart,” Kennedy said. […]

“I’ll have all of the resources I need to compete, but I don’t think the size of your wallet is what matters to voters. I think its the strength of your vision, the breadth of your ideas and the depth of your commitment,” Kennedy told ABC7 on Wednesday.

* WGN…

Kennedy was interviewed on WGN Morning News Thursday, and anchor Robin Baumgarten asked him,”What do you say to people who say, here’s another wealthy guy who’s just going to throw money at the office. How much different will it be than what Bruce Rauner is doing?”

Kennedy responded: “I think it’s important that people of drive and ambition and intelligence like Gov. Rauner does, but I think you also have to have a heart and a sensitivity, and I don’t think there’s any demonstration that he has a heart.”

Baumgarten followed up by saying, “That seems harsh, you’re calling him heartless.”

“Well I think he is. He’s thrown a million people of out government programs. He sat on the sidelines while 75 percent of these kids are doomed to a life of economic oppression,” Kennedy said.

The full interview is here. The interviewers repeatedly press him on why he’s blaming the Republican governor and not his fellow Democrats.

* Now, click here and go to the 1:24 mark on the CBS2 story about Kennedy’s announcement. As noted elsewhere today, Gov. Rauner talks about how he’s “very focused like a laser on getting a balanced budget.” But he also goes on to say this in a very sincere and muted tone…

“We need to compromise with each other. We need to listen to each other. And I’m very focused on that. I’m really not paying attention to politics.”

The man has some mad skills. He almost had me convinced. Seriously, watch the video. Rauner will not be easy to beat.

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ILGOP says Comptroller Mendoza “bought and paid for” by Madigan

Thursday, Feb 9, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Press release…

“Susana Mendoza this week refused to accept independent legal counsel to fight for state employee pay. Instead, she chose to work with the Madigan family as part of a blatant effort to shut down state government and cause a crisis to force even higher taxes and more unbalanced spending with no reforms. Susana Mendoza promised us she’d be an independent watchdog, but instead she’s become a Madigan minion.” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Steven Yaffe

Today, the Illinois Republican Party added Comptroller Susana Mendoza to BossMadigan.com to highlight how Mendoza is working with the Madigan family to shut down state government and force a crisis.

Check out the page at BossMadigan.com/Susana-Mendoza

And watch our new digital video here.

Susana Mendoza is bought and paid for by Boss Madigan, and now as Comptroller Mendoza is taking orders from her political patron, pledging to help him and Lisa Madigan shut down the government if allowed by the courts.

Career politician Susana Mendoza quickly became a Madigan ally in the House, voting for every unbalanced Madigan budget that became law, adding billions in debt while shortchanging Illinois schools. She even voted for the highest income tax hike in Illinois history, voted to raise her own pay, and then doubled dipped by taking two government pensions.

In exchange, Mendoza endorsed Madigan for Speaker six times, calling Madigan her “mentor”. In one speech lauding Madigan’s reign, Mendoza nominated him for Speaker and called him a “man who time and time again has demonstrated his passion and love for this state,” and proclaimed that “someday, our children will learn of his contributions.”

Knowing she was a loyal ally, Madigan provided Mendoza with money and support for her political career. When Mendoza wanted to run for higher office, Madigan cleared the Democratic field for her and funded her campaign for Comptroller.

To date Madigan has funneled millions to Mendoza. Now, she’s working with the Madigan family to shut down state government and cause a crisis to force even higher taxes.

“The Madigan family.” Expect to hear that line a couple billion more times.

* Another highly edited video…

23 Comments

*** UPDATED x1 - AFSCME responds *** Rauner takes his anti-Madigan message to state workers, threatens to veto payroll bill

Thursday, Feb 9, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The governor sent an e-mail to state employees today…

Dear State Employees:

As you know, Attorney General Lisa Madigan is attempting to block state employee pay and force a crisis in Illinois. There are two proposals in the General Assembly, but only one is a real solution. Watch this video to know where we stand.

Thank you for your work on behalf of the people of Illinois.

Sincerely,

Bruce

* The video…

* Transcript…

Hi Everybody.

As you know, Attorney General Madigan is going into court asking a judge to end state employee pay. The Attorney General now believes the state should be shut down until a budget is passed. We do not agree.

Two proposals have emerged in Springfield to address this issue. One proposal, sponsored by Rep. Avery Bourne and Rep. CD Davidsmeyer, would ensure state employees get the same treatment as legislators and constitutional officers — making it the law of Illinois to pay state employees on a continual basis regardless of the budget impasse. The other proposal is backed by Speaker Madigan — and it supports the Attorney General’s attempt to shut down government. Rather than stop paying employees and shut down government immediately, Speaker Madigan’s bill would stop employee pay and shut down government on June 30th instead.

Speaker Madigan will try to sell his June 30th government shut down proposal as a solution in case his daughter wins in court. But don’t be fooled. It’s not a solution — it’s a crisis showdown set for June 30th when the Speaker will use the leverage of a forced shut down to finally get the massive tax hike he recommended in December 2015.

There’s only one solution that makes sense: give state employees the same rights as the Speaker, rank-and-file legislators and the Attorney General herself. Give state employees permanent continuing appropriation for their pay just like legislators gave themselves. I will veto the Speaker’s June 30th government shut down proposal should it reach my desk. The General Assembly should fix this problem once and for all by sending the Bourne-Davidsmeyer state employee pay proposal to my desk immediately.

I don’t take a paycheck - never have, never will, but I believe state employees who show up to work every day for the people of Illinois should get their paychecks no matter what.

After all the hooplah over that CPS letter to parents blasting Rauner, this might be a bit much [ADDING: Click here for Greg Hinz’s take on that particular dustup.]. It’s not nearly as blatantly political, of course, but it most certainly mirrors the Rauner political attack machine messaging.

The Bourne bill is here.

…Adding… When the governor promised to veto the Madigan bill, wasn’t he actually threatening to “create a crisis”? Isn’t that what he accuses both Speaker and AG Madigan of trying to do?

…Adding More… The governor’s people strongly disagree. They say they believe Madigan’s bill is designed to take the heat off himself and the attorney general so that he can then flip the pressure on the governor to do a stopgap budget deal by the end of June to avoid a “real” shutdown because there would be no appropriations authority to pay state workers and likely no court order, either.

…Adding Still More… Hmmm…

@GovRauner's plan 2 avoid shutdown is IL employees be paid like legislators? So 7 months behind? Not complaining, but.. #alternativefact https://t.co/GonKJXiIs9

— Christian Mitchell (@cljmitchell) February 9, 2017

*** UPDATE *** From AFSCME Council 31…

Governor Rauner’s latest attempt to mislead state workers is centered on the claim that he wants state employees to be paid ‘like legislators’, but legislators are now paid six months late due to Rauner’s refusal to do his job and sign a budget.

The governor caused this crisis by holding the budget hostage to his political demands. Next week he’s due to present a spending plan for fiscal year 2018. If he introduces a budget, helps pass it and signs it into law on schedule this spring, this entire conversation is moot. Instead Rauner says he’d veto a payroll bill, an action that could shut down state government.

For our part, AFSCME and a dozen other unions representing state workers won the court order upholding payroll even without a budget, and our unions have been working with Rep. Sue Scherer to advance House Bill 1798 to ensure state employee payroll now. That bill wasn’t perfect in its initial form, but Rep. Scherer has been willing to address our concerns, and the bill is moving forward. That’s how compromise and the legislative process work.

In contrast, the governor’s threat to veto a bill not sponsored by his partisan political allies follows a familiar pattern: Rauner makes a demand, refuses to compromise, and bullies those who disagree.

If he wants to make progress, the governor should negotiate, not dictate, both in developing a fully-funded budget and reaching a fair contract for state employees.

106 Comments

*** UPDATED x1 *** Focused like a laser

Thursday, Feb 9, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller

* He is just absolutely relentless about his framing…

Chris Kennedy announced his bid for Gov. Now we need your help to hold another Madigan crony accountable #twill https://t.co/6IDTnwjDuM

— Bruce Rauner (@BruceRauner) February 8, 2017

[Hat tip: IR]

I did my usual news search for Speaker Madigan House and it’s mostly stories about Kennedy’s announcement. Those Rauner guys know what they’re doing.

* Chris Kennedy’s response to Korecki…

In an interview with POLITICO, Kennedy lampooned Rauner, calling him a “petulant child” who engages in “revenge politics” and casting him as a dictator who has bought the Republican Party and silenced dissenting voices.

“I’d say the only thing worse than a one-party state is a one-man party and that’s what Rauner has done,” Kennedy said.

When asked about Madigan’s dual role as Democratic Party chair and powerful legislator, and criticism that he wields too much control in the state, Kennedy countered that it’s the Republican Party in Illinois that has grown too fearful of Rauner and his money, to speak out. […]

“Do you think Dick Durbin reports to Mike Madigan? Do you think Rahm Emanuel reports to Mike Madigan? Do you think any congressman or senator reports to Mike Madigan? Our party is a party of enormous diversity and independent voices,” Kennedy said. “The Republican Party has none of that anymore … the Republican Party has become a one-man shop, where one or two men have dominated … Where he uses his wealth to silence them. He’s an economic bully. I think that weakens them, I don’t think that makes them stronger.”

Not bad. But he did stutter through the Madigan questions when pressed by Mary Ann Ahern…

* Marni Pyke at the Daily Herald…

“The governor said he was going to shake up Springfield, instead he’s tried to hold up Springfield. He was sent to heal not hurt, and he’s failed in every way,” said Kennedy, son of former Attorney General Robert Kennedy and nephew of President John F. Kennedy. […]

Asked about the critique, Kennedy faulted Rauner for using his wealth to silence opposition in the GOP. “I have not heard state representatives or senators offering a second way because he bullies them with his money.”

* Tribune…

“I think it’s an insult to me, an insult to the entire Kennedy family and an insult to the voters of Illinois to make a statement like that that anybody’s going to believe,” [Kennedy] told the Chicago Tribune [about the Republican attacks].

“I think Gov. Rauner has spent his entire time blaming others and not leading. Even now, as the state Senate tries to find a compromise on the budget, Gov. Rauner remains on the sideline. We don’t know what his intentions are. And that’s not right. He’s in the big chair. He ought to lead. Otherwise, he’s one (term) and done.”

Following an event in Normal, Rauner did not address Kennedy’s candidacy when reporters asked about it.

“I am very focused, like a laser, on getting a balanced budget with structural changes to our system, but it’s broken and been broken for a long time. And we need to compromise with each other. We need to listen to each other. And I’m very focused on that. I’m really not paying attention to politics,” the governor said.

He’s focused like a laser, alright. On the budget? Maybe not so much. On his Madigan messaging to avoid blame for the impasse and taint his opposition? Yeppers.

*** UPDATE *** Right on schedule…

“Chris Kennedy spent day one of his campaign sticking with Mike Madigan, defending him in TV interviews and even going so far as to proclaim that Madigan bears no responsibility for Illinois’ problems. Kennedy is following rule one of the Chicago machine – never speak an ill word about your political boss.” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Steven Yaffe

Chris Kennedy’s first day of the 2018 campaign got off to a rocky start. In multiple interviews with Chicago TV, Kennedy would not blame Madigan for any of Illinois’ problems.

Asked about his relationship with Mike Madigan by every Chicago television station, Kennedy either defended Madigan or dodged the question.

WLS reported that Kennedy doesn’t “hold Mike Madigan responsible for any of this” and Kennedy confirmed to NBC Chicago that he met with Speaker Madigan to discuss his campaign.

You can almost see the strings being pulled behind above Kennedy’s head.

The cleverly edited video…

Ouch.

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