* As I’ve already told you, Sen. Kirk Dillard responded to these claims by Bruce Rauner’s campaign…

“Kirk Dillard is the worst type of career politician. He’s double-talking and has more clout baggage than O’Hare during a snowstorm. The fact is Kirk Dillard and the other career politicians repeatedly clouted people into the University of Illinois and never thought twice about it. Voters know he is a hypocrite and will reject him.”

* Dillard’s retort when asked about it by Mary Ann Ahern yesterday…

“The one or two people that I have ever written letters of recommendation to for the University of Illinois are there. I think the ones that I wrot actually were rejected and you can check that out Mary Ann.”

Video…

* OK, let’s check it out. From the July 16, 2009 Tribune…

University logs obtained by the Tribune show that Dillard’s name was tied to seven students on the clout list since 2005. Three were admitted, but the state senator said his involvement rarely went beyond a formal letter of recommendation and that he never pushed to overturn an admissions decision.

Oops.

* Back to yesterday, when Dillard was asked if he saw a pattern with Rauner…

“There’s a pattern that began when Mr. Rauner hired Rahm Emanuel when he came out of the wrought iron gates of the White House even though the mayor did not have investment banking experience. He hired Rahm Emanuel and obviously it was to help him garner business in the private sector.”

Video…

* Tribune today…

But in trying to accuse Rauner of a “pattern” of clout, Dillard erroneously said Rauner “hired Rahm Emanuel when he came out of the wrought iron gates of the White House (as a top adviser to President Bill Clinton) even though the mayor did not have investment banking experience.”

Emanuel sought advice from Rauner, but Chicago’s future mayor went to work for an investment management firm, not a Rauner company. Rauner’s firm did end up doing a major deal which helped Emanuel become wealthy.

Obviously, the much bigger error was the way Dillard downplayed his involvement in the so-called admissions scandal at the U of I.

But if he wants to play in the big time, he’s got to play by big time rules.

So far, the media has been giving him a pass, mainly because it’s Rauner’s turn in the barrel. Dillard’s turn could be coming, however.