* Gov. Quinn took questions from reporters today about Bruce Rauner’s new TV ad that uses some disparaging remarks about Quinn by the late Mayor Harold Washington. He said that his last conversation with the mayor was cordial…

Quinn said he “always did the right thing” as the city’s revenue director. “My conscience is clear,” Quinn said.

The governor said the last time he talked to Washington the mayor said, “ ‘Quinn, You’re my friend. You’ll always be my friend. Some day we’ll have a drink about this.’”

Quinn also said he didn’t get along with some Washington’s staffers.

Quinn also pointed to Mayor Washington’s strong support for increasing the minimum wage and the fact that there are no African-Americans in executive positions at Rauner’s former firm. Have a listen…

* But the Rauner campaign released some more info on the decades-ago spat, which got pretty darned nasty…

After Washington Fired Quinn, Quinn Publicly Attacked Him And Questioned His Honesty. “Former city Revenue Director Patrick Quinn said Monday that he told Mayor Harold Washington on two occasions that an aide tried to influence the timing of a city tax audit hearing but that Washington made no move to stop the practice. In an interview, Quinn, who was ousted last week from the post he held since November, also disputed figures released by city officials to show that a parking-ticket amnesty program he conceived was a failure. The forced resignation of Quinn, a grass-roots reformer, has sparked countercharges by Quinn and the mayor’s chief of staff, Ernest Barefield, who pressed for Quinn’s resignation. But Quinn on Monday, for the first time, disputed Washington’s statements about the incident.” (R Bruce Dold, “Quinn Disputes Mayor On Audit,” Chicago Tribune, 6/30/87)

Quinn Called Press Conferences Accusing The Washington Administration Of Improper, Politically-Motivated Hiring Decisions. “A former official of the Chicago Department of Revenue charged Tuesday he was fired for refusing a city official’s order to block the hiring of a job applicant who had ties to former Revenue Director Patrick Quinn. The surprise allegation, made at a press conference called by Quinn, touched off new questions about whether Washington administration aides have interfered in the scandal-plagued revenue department. City officials denied the charges and retorted that Quinn, the grassroots reformer who was brought in to shake up the department, attempted to circumvent court-ordered hiring guidelines himself to get a job for a friend.” (R Bruce Dold, “City Aide Says Quinn Link Got Him Fired,” Chicago Tribune, 8/12/87)

Quinn Accused The Washington Administration Of Lying About Motor Fuel Tax Collections To “Bamboozle” The City Council Into Approving A Property Tax Increase. “Patrick Quinn, ousted Chicago revenue director, accused the Washington administration Tuesday of deliberately overestimating income from motor fuel taxes to “bamboozle” the city council into approving the record $79.9 million property-tax increase last year. Quinn leveled his latest charges in a heated exchange with Lucille Dobbins, Mayor Harold Washington’s assistant for financial administration, during a radio interview about Quinn’s ouster in June.” (James Strong, “Quinn Says Council Was Tricked Into Passing Property-Tax Hike,” Chicago Tribune, 8/26/87)

Washington Said Quinn’s Charges Were A “Patent Lie.” “Later, Washington branded Quinn’s charges that the administration deliberately exaggerated the fuel taxes as a “patent lie” and said: ‘the estimates are just that. Sometimes you hit and sometime you’re off.’” (James Strong, “Quinn Says Council Was Tricked Into Passing Property-Tax Hike,” Chicago Tribune, 8/26/87)