(2 of 3) Jeanne Ives just called me threatening to call the IL Family Institute amd the Right to Life orgs and have them withdraw their support of me because we are calling out Raunerites. This is the same Jeanne Ives who said Rauner was a disgrace and NOT a republican in the
This is the mailer that @McCann_Sam is using to help Speaker Madigan win House races. It may have just cost him the endorsement of the pro-life Illinois Family Institute. pic.twitter.com/uzcshGtcZ6
* The mailers are paid for by the Conservative Party of Illinois, but Local 150 of the Operating Engineers Union is behind this, of course. And those guys have a lot more money than the Illinois Family Institute, which had $383.12 in its PAC at the end of the quarter. Plus, the “Conservative Party” is about to do pro-life mailers for McCann slamming Rauner.
And Rep. Morrison isn’t the only Republican who will be getting hit with these mailers, I’m told. Any conservative House Republicans who endorsed Gov. Rauner and are in tough reelection battles could get the treatment. That’s a target-rich environment.
Never mess with the trade unions.
* Meanwhile, I tipped subscribers about this earlier today…
* To give you an idea of just how bizarre and unprecedented the harassment lawsuit against the Pritzker campaign is, this was tweeted by one of the plaintiffs. Today. The day after her lawsuit was filed against the Pritzker operation…
It starts with this — looking the women in the eye who come forward and testify about a culture of harassment and abuse and saying three words: “I believe you.” Far too often, this doesn’t happen — yet it must if we want real change in workplace culture.
* Then again, most of the retweets and “likes” today on this African-American campaign staffer’s tweet late last night are from fellow Team Pritzker members…
Working on @JBPritzker campaign has been the experience of a lifetime. Quote me on that. 21 days till Illinois gets the Gov we deserve.
Following a lawsuit alleging discrimination and harassment by the Pritzker campaign, Governor Rauner made the following statement while speaking to the press:
“I think it’s troubling, these allegations are serious. They need to be investigated. I think the people of Illinois deserve to know the truth about Pritzker’s actions.
“…Unfortunately, this seems to be a pattern with Mr. Pritzker. I don’t think anyone should be surprised, as you all know, he was caught on the FBI wiretaps, on the phone with Blagojevich. He was trying use his inheritance to buy elected office. He used the language of racists in that phonecall. He was on tape using the language of racists. And he very specifically called African-American elected officials ‘offensive.’ So I am not sure that anybody should be surprised that his campaign may have engaged in discriminatory practices.”
Erika Harold, crowned in September as Miss America 2003, told reporters Oct. 9 she had been informed that morning by Miss America chief executive George Bauer there would be no restrictions on her discussion of chastity as part of her youth violence prevention platform. […]
Abstinence education is an important part of preventing teenage violence, because violence is directly related to sexual promiscuity, Harold told reporters in Washington.
“I think that if a young person is engaged in a promiscuous lifestyle, it makes them vulnerable to other risk factors, so I definitely see a tie-in there,” Harold said, The Times reported.
“Many victims of sexual harassment believe what is said about them, and they become very promiscuous. When they’re called a whore, when they’re called a slut, they think, ‘That’s what I want to be,’ and so they engage in a pattern of self-destruction that can be very detrimental to their lives,” she said.
Neena Chaudhry, general counsel at the National Women’s Law Center, said there is no evidence that harassment causes “many” victims to become “promiscuous.” She called Harold’s statement “egregious” — in 2002 or today — and said it “feeds into damaging stereotypes.”
“My deep concern is this is the kind of blaming and shaming that keeps young people from coming forward and reporting sexual harassment and sexual violence,” she said. “I think (the comment) is egregious whenever it’s uttered, and by whomever they’re uttered.”
Harold’s campaign stood by the remarks in a statement Wednesday and said she didn’t intend to blame victims.
“Erika was clearly referring to the labels bullies and harassers use on their victims and how it may negatively impact victims’ lives. She understands firsthand what victims of sexual harassment are going through because she’s lived it herself,” spokesman Aaron DeGroot said. “The fact is studies show that sexual harassment can cause anxiety, depression, negative body image and low self-esteem in some victims. That’s why Erika has made it her life’s mission to empower young people, combat bullying and prevent sexual harassment.”
* Remember Kina Collins? She’s the JB Pritzker campaign worker who quit her job after the FBI tape was made public with Pritzker saying what was deemed “racially insensitive” things about some black politicians.
During my time in the Pritzker campaign, the mid and senior level leadership did absolutely nothing to correct the culture of sexism, homophobia, and racism that ran rampant among staffers. There were racial slurs that were use, sexist jokes that were made, and the voices of women and staffers of color were being ignored. When I made my exit from the campaign and told my side of the story, instead of people believing me, I was told that I was seeking attention and “would be black balled or possibly sued for speaking out”. So not only was I working in poor conditions, but there was also an attempt to bully me into silence.
As a former staffer on this campaign I can assure readers that without a shadow of a doubt everything that I have read thus far in the suit can be corroborated from my time on the campaign and can be corroborated through other former staffers.
* Meanwhile, it’s no surprise at all that Pritzker did this event today with these three folks…
Juliana and I started off our morning with Secretary of State @JesseWhite2018, Comptroller @susanamendoza10, and State Sen. @KwameRaoul at the Southland Ministerial Health Network. In Springfield we will make sure that every Illinoisan is getting the health care they need. pic.twitter.com/NHi6f50QSQ
.@BruceRauner calls lawsuit filed by @JBPritzker "troubling…these allegations are serious." Denies that his own campaign was involved in any way (there's been no proof or suggestion of such, but a question that must be asked due to timing, unorthodox nature of suit) pic.twitter.com/KOoCNduQiR
The only people claiming Rauner involvement today are hyperpartisans and mad tinfoil hatters. He somehow convinced 10 Democratic minority staffers to file a lawsuit against their boss three weeks before an election? Right.
* The number of minorities Rauner has hired for his campaign doesn’t really matter at the moment because this story isn’t about quantity, it’s about how their respective campaign staffs are being treated. Last I checked, no Rauner campaign staffers had sued over discrimination and retaliation…
Pritzker campaign says 45-percent of staff are minorities. Rauner unable to say makeup of his campaign workers. "I don't know the exact numbers…we've got African American and Latino members," he said. "We value diversity. What we've achieved is real results" to help minorities. https://t.co/EXYeTJypF8
Shay Allen, a Chicago-based civil rights attorney who represents the plaintiffs, says Stratton’s statement is false, adding that Stratton has never reached out to any of his clients despite their complaints to the campaign.
“I have no idea how the person who made that statement could make those claims,” he said. “I’m positive that she’s never spoken to my plaintiffs.”
Allen said his clients were treated poorly.
“There were instances where they were spoken to very unprofessionally,” he said. “There were instances of physical intimidation.”
Allen said his clients are asking for more effort on behalf of Pritzker’s campaign to include minorities in positions of consequence, something he claims has almost exclusively gone to white staffers.
“Almost all of them have prior [campaign] experience,” he said. “A couple have come from other states to help with the campaign.”
I’m not sure why the running mate should be involved in a low-level staff issue.
Once seated, [Field Operations Director] Caitlin Pharo intentionally positioned herself between two Black males in an attempt to further intimidate and silence them at cultural sensitivity training.
And as far as including “minorities in positions of consequence,” the candidate’s running mate Juliana Stratton, his deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks and his deputy field director for the South and West Sides Ebonee Dawson are all people of color. Also, his campaign spokesperson is Jordan Abudayyeh. I also don’t recall a major campaign with so many women in top positions.
Three weeks before Election Day, staffers who have worked for J.B. Pritzker’s campaign have filed a federal lawsuit alleging racial discrimination in their months on the job, accusations the Democratic governor candidate quickly called “just not true.”
The lawsuit comes in the final stretch of an increasingly bitter campaign between Pritzker and Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner that has seen both sides break spending records and accuse one another of criminal activity.
* There are actually two stories in this One Illinois piece about the passage of HB40, so let’s take them one at a time. I’ve confirmed this part myself…
Staffers for Gov. Rauner lobbied behind the scenes to quash a controversial abortion-rights bill last year in an attempt to keep it off his desk and avoid a politically fraught decision on whether to sign it, according to state emails obtained by One Illinois. […]
The emails, obtained in a Freedom of Information Act request with the state Department of Healthcare and Family Services, show state staffers planning to “shore up” opposition among 13 Democratic representatives, most of whom they considered “ours” on the issue. […]
“This is who we need to shore up on HB40,” Donovan Griffith, Rauner’s senior House liaison, writes in an email Feb. 9, 2017, to Director of Governmental Affairs Wendy Butler and DHFS Chief of Staff Shawn McGrady. What follows is a list of 13 representatives — all Democrats, and all of whom eventually voted for HB40 when it passed the House by a 62-55 tally the following April.
“They worked to defeat it because they didn’t want the bill to end up on Rauner’s desk so that he would have to just sign it or veto it,” said Terry Cosgrove, president of Personal PAC, an abortion-rights group that actually received a candidate questionnaire from Rauner in 2014 promising to support the bill. The Rauners also lent financial support to abortion rights as well with contributions to various agencies.
By April 2017, however, Rauner was promising GOP legislators he’d veto the bill as a way of keeping them in line opposed to a budget.
That was probably a smart political move, considering the governor’s consistency issues, the grumbling within the caucuses about the impasse and the pressure he was feeling from Mrs. Rauner. Just keep it off his desk and he doesn’t have to make any decisions. A commenter who clearly has insider knowledge filled us in earlier this week on our question about Rauner’s biggest mistakes…
5) Signing HB 40 after promising the GOP caucus that he would AV it. Polling was clear that vetoing the public funding but favoring the trigger language would be net positive with voters. He had Cupich for cover. And he could bash Democrats for holding up his AV which enshrined the basic right to choose — in other words, if Dems rejected the AV, they put women at risk. This move led to his primary and the rest is history.
* You may recall that after the governor said he would veto HB40, Healthcare and Family Services Director and former Planned Parenthood Vice Chair Felicia Norwood cut a video to defend Rauner’s decision. Here’s that backstory…
Emails also find first lady Diana Rauner joining efforts to organize responses before and after the governor signed HB40 into law last September. She also suggests that DHFS Director Felicia Norwood was not informed of the governor’s decision to sign the controversial bill until moments before a news conference on the signing, and that Norwood was also instructed to withhold information on the bill’s ultimate cost when it was still in play in the General Assembly. […]
The original bill had established that there would be no economic impact from expanding abortion coverage in Medicaid and the state’s employee insurance program, but suddenly there were suggestions that there would be a significant cost, and Norwood wasn’t clarifying the issue. “There were all kinds of numbers floating around, which was our first indication that they were trying to sink the bill,” Feigenholtz said.
DHFS issued a $1.8 million annual cost estimate, which differed from an analysis of identical legislation the previous year that claimed no cost.
In return for her loyalty on the issue, Rauner apparently left Norwood hanging out to dry. After the bill cleared the House in April and the Senate in May, it was held until being dropped abruptly on the governor’s desk on Sept. 25, 2017.
Three days later, Diana Rauner writes to Norwood again in an email, seeming to suggest the DHFS director was left in the dark about Rauner deciding to sign HB40 until just moments before a news conference on the announcement.
“Felicia somehow you were not looped in and the presser is at 3,” she writes. “This was such a close hold that no one knew who was in charge of telling you.”
According to the FOIA’d email, that was sent at 2:57 p.m. the same day.
Democrat J.B. Pritzker has pumped more of his own money into a campaign than any other self-financing candidate in U.S. history.
The Gold Coast billionaire’s $146.5 million has bought him a place in the record books, breezing past Republican Meg Whitman, who set the previous record in 2010, when the former eBay honcho churned $144 million of her own fortune into her losing battle against Democrat Jerry Brown.
The combined $234 million that Pritzker and Gov. Bruce Rauner have raised in their bitter battle falls short of the combined $280 million that Brown and Whitman ultimately spent.
But with three weeks left, the meter is still running. And expensive television ads remain the top expenditure fueling spending in this year’s gubernatorial contest.
Among some of the more interesting expenses found on the quarterly reports filed by the major gubernatorial candidates were a few items from Rauner.
He spent $459 for a T-shirt cannon, $600 on a petting zoo from Wild Times Exotics of Springfield and $4,360 to rent a party boat on the Chicago River and paid $3,750 for a plane-towed aerial banner.
An SUV driven “nearly exclusively” by Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s security chief was improperly used to transport political materials, Inspector General Patrick Blanchard concluded in a report released Monday.
Blanchard’s finding is the result of an investigation into a bizarre incident during the early morning hours following the 2016 election, when a Chevy Tahoe assigned to Preckwinkle’s security team was discovered abandoned near suburban Lemont. On that Election Day, the security chief drove Preckwinkle to campaign events, but said he did so in his personal car, according to the report.
A sheriff’s police officer found the vehicle stuck in the mud with its engine still warm, and a witness told police that the driver had abandoned the Tahoe and walked away, Blanchard said in his report.
All the tires were slashed, as was the driver’s seat, the center console and the dashboard, Blanchard said. The car’s rear cargo area contained bags of political literature, a button adorned with an image of Preckwinkle’s face and a dry cleaning receipt bearing the telephone number belonging to her chief of security, Delwin Gadlen, according to the report, which identified Gadlen only by his title. In the report, the security chief is quoted saying that the vehicle was stolen, but the alleged theft was never reported to police, Blanchard said.
Blanchard’s investigators spoke to sheriff and county officials with “significant experience in law enforcement” and executive protection who said the damage in the vehicle “appears inconsistent with damage typically associated with vehicle theft.”
Instead, the damage “looked hurried and staged where it appeared to have been done all at once, in the same manner and primarily in close proximity to the driver’s seat,” they said, according to Blanchard. All keys to the vehicle are accounted for and there were no signs of the car being forcibly started, the report said.
* Speaking of the Cook County Inspector General, this is from the county assessor’s office…
Because the Assessor’s Office promised Capitol Fax all information and facts we learned regarding why we never received a copy of the report from the Office of the Cook County Independent Inspector General, here are the results of our review, which concluded yesterday.
The Inspector General emailed the Assessor’s Office copy of the report to the wrong e-address. It is that simple. In fact, the Inspector General sent it to an e-address not on the Assessor’s Office domain/email server. Every one of our email addresses ends in “@cookcountyassessor.com.” The Inspector General later told us he used “@cookcountyil.gov.”
The Inspector General has acknowledged using the wrong email domain to contact the Assessor’s Office in this instance. This problem would have been somewhat offset if the Inspector General’s office had delivered the hard copy. That also never occurred.
The Inspector General graciously introduced me to the employee who delivered all hard copies. He also provided the specific delivery location and a one-hour window in which that was done here. However, two viewings of Assessor’s Office security video for a 1.5 hour period including that hour showed nothing was delivered and the Inspector General’s employee was not here.
After he was informed of those facts, the Inspector General’s Office found the envelope (unopened) this week. It was located in an Inspector General’s inbox, two floors above the Assessor’s Office, in an office area unrelated to our work. The Inspector General believes it was initially “likely misdelivered,” and we certainly agree.
We originally stated the Assessor’s Office never possessed a copy of the Inspector General’s report, in electronic or hard copy form, before the Chicago Sun-Times published it and other media called us. We now add that the Inspector General acknowledges our statements were and are correct. Thank you.
Illinois officials assured voters Tuesday that their Nov. 6 tallies “will be securely counted” after a data breach that’s part of the Justice Department’s investigation of Russian meddling in U.S. elections.
Board of Elections Chairman William Cadigan and a group of state and local officials — including Illinois National Guard leaders — said in Chicago that beefed-up measures to monitor and spot cybersecurity risks will ensure a fair and free election.
“We’re as prepared as we ought to be right now, given the information we have,” Cadigan said. “People should get out and vote because your vote is going to count and at the end of the day, we believe it’s going to be securely counted.”
The board hired three cybersecurity experts to watch elections and voter-data systems for irregularities, Cadigan said, including one housed at the Illinois State Police Statewide Terrorism and Intelligence Center. Local elections administrators have undergone rigorous training and the National Guard is on call for emergencies.
On Election Day next month in Illinois, hundreds of National Guard troopers will be standing by for action.
If needed, they won’t depend on rifles and bayonets but will be armed with laptops and IT expertise.
The unprecedented move comes after cyber attackers, believed to be Russians, hacked the official Illinois voter database before the 2016 presidential election.
“We can have a guardsman-expert dispatched within an hour to anywhere in Illinois. We’ll have boots on the ground in whatever county, in whatever election authority, is affected within an hour,” said Chuck Scholz, a board member of the Illinois State Board of Elections.
Election officials said they have installed greater firewall protections for voter records and election results, thorough and detailed cyber training for clerks and election judges and are working with national agencies like the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, and now for the first time in Illinois election history—the National Guard.
The Department of Homeland Security has secured about $13 million that will go toward Illinois voting security programs to ensure the system isn’t hacked again.
Officials said Illinois keeps a paper record of every ballot cast, ensuring an accurate final tally once the results are certified weeks after Election Day even if hackers compromise voting systems.
“Voters here should feel confident in the fundamentals,” Cook County Clerk Director of Elections Noah Praetz said. “Because in Illinois, we can ensure that every legal voter can vote, and we can deliver results that are trusted and true.”
NBC News this week reported that a federal Department of Homeland Security intelligence assessment warned of a “growing volume of cyber activity targeting election infrastructure in 2018.”
Even with additional training, some counties are finding it difficult to implement security upgrades without more resources, according to NBC 5’s anonymous survey.
“Our county does not have the money,” one respondent wrote.
An October-surprise lawsuit filed by some J.B. Pritzker campaign workers alleges “discrimination and harassment,” prompting the Democrat’s camp to call the claims “baseless.”
The story broke late Tuesday night. According to the Cook County Record newsletter, the lawsuit, filed Oct. 16 in Chicago federal court, alleges some black and Latino campaign workers are “packed into majority minority neighborhoods, often in unsafe working conditions, and are denied benefits and advancement opportunities available to their white colleagues.” […]
In a statement to POLITICO, Pritzker running mate Juliana Stratton called the suit “baseless” and describes the lawsuit in terms of extortion or a shake-down
The lawsuit is here. The letter from the staffers’ attorney demanding $7.5 million and personal letters of recommendation from Pritzker by Monday, October 8 is here.
Saying the Illinois gubernatorial frontrunner’s campaign has routinely “herded” and “marginalized” its workers of color, a group of African American and Latino workers for Illinois Democratic gubernatorial nominee JB Pritzker has sued Pritzker’s campaign organization for discrimination and harassment.
“JB Pritzker for Governor has a serious race problem,” the lawsuit said. “Contrary to the candidate’s many public avowals, rather than working to meaningfully address discrimination, racism is perpetuated, condoned and ratified by the Campaign.”
The lawsuit, filed Oct. 16 in Chicago federal court, specifically alleges the black and Latino campaign workers are packed into majority minority neighborhoods, often in unsafe working conditions, and are denied benefits and advancement opportunities available to their white colleagues.
Named plaintiffs in the action include Maxwell Little, Jason Benton, Jelani Coleman, Celia Colon, Kasmine Calhoun, Erica Kimble, Nathaniel Madison, Tiffany Madison, James B. Tinsley and Mark Walker. All of the plaintiffs either currently work or have worked for the Pritzker campaign as field organizers in 2018, according to the complaint. The complaint also asserts many of the plaintiffs also worked on past Democratic campaigns, including on the presidential campaigns of former President Barack Obama and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and Democratic campaign organizations for candidates for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives in Illinois and other states. Others also worked as social justice and reform activists, and for labor unions, according to the complaint.
I’ve never seen anything like this anywhere in all my years watching politics.
With less than 3 weeks to go — a civil lawsuit has been filed by 10 staffers who work for Democratic gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker’s campaign. The suit alleges repeated racial discrimination and harassment.
The allegations include that one of the Pritzker field offices is located in an area that was not safe for staffers. The suit, announced Tuesday night, alleges Pritzker himself would not even visit and staffers were allegedly told “he’ll visit when they stop shooting.”
* From JB Pritzker…
To be clear, this is just not true. I am incredibly proud of our campaign, how diverse it is, and how inclusive our administration will be.
* From Rep. Juliana Stratton…
I am very proud of the campaign that JB and I have put together. The majority of our senior team are African American and almost 45% of our entire staff are people of color. When people feel like they have been harassed or discriminated against, they have the right to come forward and have their voices heard. In this case, we had a letter delivered to us asking for $7.5 million dollars in 24 hours or they threatened legal action and to go to press. That’s not a good faith effort.
The incidents listed in this complaint are baseless and make offensive claims in regard to several members of our staff. We stand by our staff and that’s why we are not afraid to litigate this to the fullest extent of the law. I couldn’t be prouder to be on the ticket with JB and of the statewide, grassroots campaign we’ve built.
*** UPDATE *** ILGOP…
“The lawsuit filed against JB Pritzker’s campaign is simply the latest in a long line of incidents that prove that when it comes to the African-American community, Pritzker’s actions don’t back up his words. Here, we have his own staffers — seasoned political operatives — alleging racial discrimination and harassment. We have heard from Pritzker’s own mouth referring to Black elected officials as “offensive” on an FBI wiretap with Rod Blagojevich. It’s finally time for JB Pritzker to answer for his actions.” - Illinois Republican Party Executive Director Travis Sterling
Other allegations in the lawsuit said field organizers were told to “go round up 40 black guys” for an event, and were told that Pritzker would visit an campaign office in a low-income Chicago neighborhood when “they stop shooting.”
* Click here for the A-1 showing the contribution from the state’s richest person.
That contribution puts Harold at just over $2.2 million raised in October, compared to Kwame Raoul’s $1.4 million.
Griffin also gave Harold $200K back in September. Today’s is his largest contribution of the year by a half million bucks. Griffin contributed $1 million to House GOP Leader Jim Durkin’s committee earlier this month. He gave Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady $500K the day before.
And click here for the Jennifer Pritzker contribution. Pritzker is a longtime Republican and a retired US Army lieutenant colonel. Nice get, though.
Despite being down in the polls, including a poll showing Pritzker leading 49 percent to 27 percent, Rauner remained confident, at least publicly.
“Those polls are absolutely wrong. Those are by registered voters. Democrats outnumber Republicans by a lot,” Rauner said. “When you look at who’s actually going to vote, we’re very close.”
Rauner and Durkin kept the attack on Democrat J.B. Pritzker, bringing up his property tax issues in Chicago where Pritzker is now paying back $330,000 in property tax benefits he received after a mansion he owned had its toilets removed and was deemed uninhabitable. The inspector general called the removal of the toilets a “scheme to defraud taxpayers.”
“That’s stealing money from all of the people of Illinois, all of you. When his property taxes go down, Chicago schools have to get their money so the rest of us chip in through our income taxes to make up the difference. That’s fraud, that’s stealing.”
Um, what?
The schools do have to “get their money,” but that means the tax burden is shifted to other property taxpayers, not statewide income taxpayers.
He has to know this, right?
Sounds to me like classic Rauner. It’s a twofer. He blasts Pritzker for “stealing” and makes Downstate folks think they’re paying Chicago’s freight.
* All seven ads link to JBOffends.com. The page features a couple of FBI wiretap videos and this…
Kwasi Amoah, who is featured in the video, was recently quoted in a Dan Proft paper as being upset about a Democratic robocall against a Republican House candidate backed by Proft’s Liberty Principles PAC. That’s not to say he isn’t being sincere, by the way.
Then ask whether a second-term Rauner would do exactly what he has tried to do in his first term: deprive those Democratic leaders of their wretched excesses in spending and taxing.
That answer to that is yes, as the Democrats know.
They loathe Rauner. He often stalemates them. Armed only with a veto pen and a bully pulpit, he blocks their exclusive dominion over lawmaking.
Which is precisely why we endorse Bruce Rauner, and urge you to re-elect him governor of Illinois.
Yet, if Gov. Bruce Rauner wins re-election, it’s likely Illinois will have another four years of political rancor and disagreement over the state budget. That’s mostly because the governor was unwilling to back down when sent a deficit-spending budget forced through the General Assembly at the last minute.
Rauner’s most important policy position is a demonstrated commitment to blocking tax hikes and restraining spending rather than increasing it faster than taxpayer incomes.
* The Daily Herald editorial board is about as rib-rocked Republican as you can get, but they’ve had enough…
But the reality is, under Rauner, not only has progress not been made, but problems have gotten worse.
It’s not the desire or the will Rauner lacks, but the skill and the understanding of how to make government work.
A year ago, the conservative National Review put him on its cover with the headline, “The Worst Republican Governor in America.” Unfortunately, Rauner has shown no indication that he has learned from his first dismal term.
We can’t afford another four years of confrontation and stalemate.
* The National Review story referenced above was published in December of 2017 and it had Tillman’s fingerprints on it…
On June 20, the governor announced that he’d accept an increase to the state income tax, raising it from 3.75 percent to 4.95 percent. Madigan pounced. Democrats drew up a budget that raised taxes in precisely this way, offered none of Rauner’s proposed reforms, and passed it with the votes of impatient Republicans. Rauner vetoed the bill, but a bipartisan supermajority overrode him. Conservatives were flabbergasted. “The ‘Turnaround Agenda’ went from 44 reforms to none,” says John Tillman, the CEO of the Illinois Policy Institute. “Rauner once talked about reducing the income tax to 3 percent. Instead, he opened the door to the biggest income-tax hike in state history.”
I guess Rauner wasn’t so bad after all?
…Adding… From February…
Assuming that’s because Diana won’t allow him to donate to us. Regardless, we wouldn’t accept his donation. Our members believe in balanced budgets, responsible gov't and reducing taxes on Illinois’ middle class – all of which @GovRauner has failed to achieve since taking office
State agencies, Mendoza discovered, were allowed to sit on bills for a year or longer before turning them over to the comptroller. That was something nobody would tolerate with mortgage or credit card payments, she reasoned, and it wasn’t doing the state of Illinois any good, either.
To fix the problem, Mendoza spearheaded passage of the Debt Transparency Act, gathering support for the bill from both Democrats and Republicans. Then, after Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed the bill, she went around the state to champion the bill with newspaper editorial boards.
The final result: The General Assembly overrode Rauner’s veto, and now the comptroller’s office receives monthly reports on all bills. There is a more full and honest accounting.
The other result is that after Rauner’s foolish veto, Mendoza had a built-in excuse to visit editorial boards across the state to ask them to help override him. They were impressed and they sided with her against Rauner. It was an important moment because lots of editorial boards were soft on Rauner until then.
With the state’s budget impasse in full swing, Mendoza grabbed her bullhorn and launched an impassioned effort to reset the bill-paying priorities for a state in crisis. In a flash, she became one of the governor’s most vocal critics. We like her gusto.
We asked Mendoza about rumors of a potential Chicago mayoral run. She demurred, but she also wouldn’t pledge to stay in her state job for a full four years if she wins. Even if the comptroller job proves a steppingstone for Mendoza, though, she has plunged into the state’s finances with impressive fervor. She pushed Rauner to borrow $6 billion to start paying down the state’s massive backlog of unpaid bills. She advocated for the Debt Transparency Act, which requires state agencies to file monthly reports on unpaid bills, and successfully lobbied lawmakers to override Rauner’s veto of the bill. She also fought for passage of two other laws aimed at improving the bill-paying process — one authorizing the treasurer to use special funds to accelerate vendor payments (and avoid late fees) and one that requires increased disclosure from certain financial institutions working with the state. These three new laws are helping Illinois rebuild its standing with creditors, even as credit agencies such as Moody’s note that it will take far more than this legislation to correct the state’s financial mess.
In no small part, Mendoza’s success was due to the six terms she spent representing the 1st District in the House. That gave her the working knowledge of the legislative process necessary to pass this bill and more.
Earlier this year, she also helped shepherd the Truth in Hiring Act through the legislature, again with overwhelming support. This measure ends the gubernatorial practice of paying salaries for that office from the budgets of other agencies, a practice that had gone on for far too long. Facing overwhelming support for the bill, Rauner wisely signed it in July. […]
Mendoza’s first two years in office saw the implementation of long-overdue reforms that keep Illinoisans better informed, and came after a tumultuous time in which she was the third comptroller in two years. Stability also would be a good thing for the state. Imagine how much more transparent government could be if Mendoza has another four years in office to continue to advocate for the everyday people she represents. Mendoza is endorsed.
* All mentioned the possibility that she could run for mayor after winning statewide. Champaign News-Gazette…
Unfortunately, there’s no guarantee that, if elected, Mendoza will stick around. She’s pointedly refused to rule out a run next year for mayor of Chicago. Indeed, she is actively considering it, even though it’s, at best, a long shot.
That kind of me-first approach to public office is a little hard to swallow. Nonetheless, Mendoza has been an effective comptroller who has earned a second term in office.
Stand for Children Illinois, a non-partisan, equity-focused education advocacy non-profit, announced the release of its report, “STOP ILLINOIS BRAIN DRAIN: Building Pathways to Prosperity for High School Students.” The report proposes state- and district-level policy changes and practices that will quickly have a positive impact in helping high schools graduate more students who are ready for college, career training, or careers.
“An alarming number of high school graduates are leaving the Prairie State. Only New Jersey has worse brain drain,” said Mimi Rodman, Executive Director of Stand for Children Illinois. “Our high school graduates are voting with their feet and going to out-of-state colleges, which is another example of the toll that the state budget crises took on education. Strengthening our high schools is critical for those who go onto college, and those who choose career training or join the workforce after high school. A critical component to setting Illinois high schoolers up for success is breaking down the silos between Illinois high schools on the one hand, and colleges, career centers, and workplace experiences, on the other.”
The facts are stark.
* More than one-third of Illinois high schools do not offer Calculus, a course that students considering careers in engineering and other advanced STEM fields should be able to access.
* Statewide, Illinois has a counselor-to-student ratio of 1:664 — a far cry from the recommended ratio of one counselor for every 250 students.
* Manufacturing, energy, and health sciences represent about half of the jobs in Illinois, yet only 12% of career and technical education students enroll in classes in these sectors.
“From the moment students start high school, school should be setting them up well for their next phase of life, not just for their next class. Students should be immersed in career possibilities and supported to understand how to achieve their career goals,” said Rodman.
The report points to a number of structural improvements in place in the state that can be leveraged to reduce brain drain. These include increasing college and career counseling support, better aligning career education enrollment with labor market trends, creating statewide dual credit opportunities, and funding innovative competency-based learning programs. The state must ensure that high school students in every corner of the state have access to enriching pathways that lead to prosperity. The implications are enduring and state-wide.
The recommendations in Stand’s report fall into four categories:
* Open More Doors to Individualized Coursework
* Provide Practical Workplace Experiences
* Modernize the Approach for Supporting Students
* Adequately Fund Education and Spend Wisely
Collectively, these recommendations present Illinois with an achievable, impactful pathway for policymakers and advocates to make prosperity a reality for Illinois high school students.
The report caps off a year of study and discussions with leaders in the field by Stand’s 2017-18 Class of Illinois Policy Fellows.
* ISRA Executive Director Richard Pearson told WJPF this morning that his group will be endorsing Gov. Bruce Rauner today. Rauner has a southern Illinois press conference this morning. I’ll update when I receive a press release.
“We think he is by far the best candidate for governor, particularly for gun owners,” Pearson told host Tom Miller.
With this nod, Rauner continues running a Republican primary campaign in October. Sam McCann’s candidacy must have him spooked but good. Either that or he’s trying to ease his drag on Downstate Republican candidates.
In yet another clear sign of Democratic momentum, FEC filing reports show that all four Illinois Democratic congressional challengers in DCCC-targeted districts raised significantly more money than their incumbent opponents in the third financial quarter. These Democrats head into the final stretch with the necessary resources to deliver their message. In all but one district, Democratic challengers out-raised their Republican opponents by a 2-1 margin, and the only exception, Sean Casten, still out-raised incumbent Rep. Peter Roskam by more than $1 million.
“Democratic candidates across Illinois are benefitting from widespread grassroots support and a wave of high energy and voter enthusiasm. They have eliminated the cash advantages incumbents usually have and will head into the final stretch with the resources to deliver their powerful messages and respond to the nasty, misleading attacks from their Republican opponents and the special interest groups that support them,” said DCCC spokesperson Sean Savett.
IL-06:
Sean Casten raised just shy of $2.7 million, nearly double Peter Roskam’s $1.4 million haul. Meanwhile, Casten has widened his lead in recent polling to 5 points, the Cook Political Report moved IL-06 to its “Lean Democrat” column, and rumors abound that national Republicans are considering cutting Roskam off.
IL-12:
Brendan Kelly raised more than $1.1 million, twice as much as Mike Bost, who raised only $552k. Kelly’s Q3 total is the most amount of money EVER raised by a candidate for Congress in IL-12, and he has now outraised the incumbent Bost in all five quarters he has been in the race. Kelly is also safely within the margin of error in polling, trailing Bost by 1 point in three straight polls.
IL-13:
Betsy Dirksen Londrigan raised nearly $1.7 million in Q3 from over 10,000 individual contributions. That’s roughly $1 million more than Rodney Davis, who raised only $700k, and has now had his cash on hand advantage virtually erased. Recent polling shows Londrigan trails by just 1 point, making it one of the closest races in the country.
IL-14:
Lauren Underwood raised more than $2 million, more than 4 times Randy Hultgren’s total of $455k. This is the third consecutive filing period Underwood has out-raised her Republican incumbent opponent, and she now has an approximately $600k cash on hand advantage heading into the final stretch.
Grammy Award-winner and Chicago activist Chance the Rapper today endorsed Amara Enyia for Mayor of Chicago and announced plans to co-campaign with a new vision to empower all Chicagoans — from Rogers Park to Austin to Hegewisch — and lead with progressive values. During the City Hall event Enyia and Chance announced plans to:
Push for a more equitable public school funding formula that doesn’t punish low-population schools and reimagines a school system with more equitable programming, capital investments, and the restoration of arts, libraries and social / emotional learning initiatives.
Create bold economic reform that shores up city finances, creates a public bank as a vital part of our economy, invests in small business through cooperative ownership and explores community land trusts that promote local ownership and expands affordable housing.
Build on Enyia’s history in workforce development to expand high-value sectors of the economy such as advanced manufacturing, information technology, healthcare and other STEM fields with a focus on the South and West Side. (Enyia has been working on programs of this nature through Blue 1647 for several years.)
“Amara and I share values and a vision for Chicago that includes equitable education for our kids, reforming our criminal justice system, and bringing new kinds of economic opportunities to our communities without causing displacement. I am proud to stand with her as we work toward bringing new leadership to City Hall.'’
Chance donated $1 million dollars to Chicago Public Schools in 2016 and recently donated another million to local mental health services. He started the non-profit Socialworks helping elementary school students learn through music, has worked to reduce gun violence, and has been a tireless advocate of reform in his hometown.
“Chicago is in serious need of reform, but this election is about more than just Chicago. It holds national significance and we can lead the nation in new visions that work for the people,’’ Enyia said. “This belief and this movement represent the future of Chicago and we are both dedicated to building the Chicago we deserve.’’
Enyia and Chance will host a forum, “Creating the Growth Economy of the 21st Century’’ with economic development experts, labor groups — including former Treasure Island employees — on Oct. 22.
Enyia, a resident of Garfield Park, runs her own public policy business consulting governmental bodies around the world, serves as the executive director of the Austin Chamber of Commerce, has worked as a Chicago City Hall policy analyst, and founded the Institute for Cooperative Economics. She holds a master’s degree in education, a law degree, and a Ph.D in education policy.
…Adding… From Toni Preckwinkle…
When I decided to run for Mayor, one of my first calls was to Ken Bennett. Having known him since my days in City Council, I’ve seen first-hand his commitment to our city, his dedication to those he believes can make a difference and his drive to build the coalitions that turn ideas into reality.
I’m honored to have Ken as an advisor and chair of my campaign. Ken has served in the Harold Washington administration, helped elect Barack Obama as Senator and President, and served in the Obama White House. I’m grateful to be among those whom have benefitted from Ken’s incomparable experience and unfailing commitment.
Ken is a dedicated and loving husband and father who has clearly passed on his love for his city and his value in public service and advocacy. I respect his son’s commitment to our city, his eagerness to engage in the issues impacting our communities and his willingness to use his platform to express his opinion.
…Adding… Chance’s father Ken Bennett…
I’m immensely proud of my son Chance, not only for pursuing his success with a clear, individual point of view but for continuing to use his success to advocate for his City. We may have different views on this race, but we share an unshakable love for each other and this city.
I continue to support Toni Preckwinkle for Mayor of the City of Chicago. I first met her when she was representing the South Side in the City Council. I saw in her a humble, fearless, no-nonsense approach to service and leadership. I knew then that she would one day be our answer for reform. Reform that would challenge and change a system of government and politics that has perpetuated inequities throughout its history. I’m honored to serve as an advisor and chair of her campaign. There is no one else who has the experience, expertise and work ethic to bring real reform to our City.
I have had amazing opportunities to work with historic leaders, such as Harold Washington and Barack Obama, who have had vision, determination, drive and compassion. They have not only impacted me, but my family.
* Meanwhile, from Chicago City Treasurer Kurt Summers…
Serving as Treasurer of the City of Chicago over the last four years has been one of the great honors of my life. This experience has given me an opportunity to truly lead with the values that I hold dear - integrity, transparency, and a strong belief in equity for all Chicagoans. We’ve strengthened the financial position of our city, while still leading the charge on investing with impact, holding institutions accountable and creating opportunities for every neighborhood.
We are at a critical time in our city and in need of better leadership and a new direction from our future mayor, elected officials, and other leaders in our community. For the last several weeks, I’ve contemplated how I can best continue to serve the people of Chicago. I’ve connected with folks from across the 77 neighborhoods of our city and heard directly your views on what Chicago needs. I’ve spent time with family, friends, and supporters to determine how I could best contribute to shaping the future of Our Chicago.
After careful consideration with my family and loved ones, I have decided not to seek re-election as City Treasurer or to run for Mayor. I’ve had so many great examples of service in my life, starting with my grandfather. Over time I’ve learned from him and others that there are many ways to serve your community and often the greatest contributions come from those not holding public office. I believe the best opportunity for me to serve in this next chapter will be outside of elected office; however, my focus on serving Chicago and addressing issues of economic disinvestment and lack of capital access will continue to be at the forefront of my work. As I continue to serve as your City Treasurer over these next seven months, I look forward to driving more value and more investment for all Chicagoans and doing my part to shape the future of our city for the years to come.
* OK, let’s try this again. I mistakenly published this post yesterday before the embargo was lifted. Sorry about that.
Anyway, the Illinois Policy Institute has come up with its own “guesstimate” of JB Pritzker’s revenue needs based on what he’s said and what’s on his website…
I think they’re way too high.
Pritzker has backed off his pension bonding plan. He did kinda push the plan forward again during a recent debate, but he’s not settling on it as of yet. You can go either way here.
The low-end bill backlog bonding guesstimate was mine. The high end is theirs. I doubt we’ll need to bond that much.
The structural deficit is $1.2 billion. But it might go as high as $1.5 billion. So, OK, I suppose.
The $5.3 billion for K-12 is mine, but those numbers were admittedly based on somewhat old data. I don’t know what theirs is based on.
* Where we really differ is their cost estimate for a capital bill. They have the range of infrastructure needs correct. But they assume the state will pay 100 percent of the costs. Practically speaking, there’s just no way in heck that the state will do this if it has to shoulder the entire burden, or even anywhere near it. So, that guesstimate alone is about, hmmm, say $3 to 3.5 billion a year too high.
During the third fundraising quarter, Raoul gathered more than $2.8 million, much of which has come from unions, including the Illinois Federation of Teachers and the LiUNA Chicago Laborers’ District Council PAC, and other Democratic lawmakers. One of Raoul’s largest individual donors is Michael Sacks, CEO of global investment firm GCM Grosvenor and a former Emanuel donor. He made a $150,000 donation last month and has supplied Raoul with a total of $250,000 since June. But Raoul’s biggest financial supporter is Pritzker, who made two $500,000 transfers to Raoul’s campaign during the fundraising quarter. In total, Raoul has received nearly $1.9 million from Pritzker, which is 20 percent of the $7.5 million he has raised this election cycle.
Raoul’s campaign spent more than $2.8 million during the third fundraising quarter. Approximately 87 percent of his expenditures, $2.5 million, went to advertising paid to Adelstein & Associates’ Chicago office. He had $653,311 on hand on September 30.
Harold, a Champaign County-based attorney, raised about $1.9 million between July and September. Some of her largest donations include $200,000 from Ken Griffin; $100,000 from Patrick Ryan, CEO of insurance solutions provider Ryan Specialty Group; and $50,000 from Todd Ricketts, co-owner of the Chicago Cubs. Harold’s largest donor during the fundraising quarter, however, was Rauner, who made a $1 million contribution in August. In total, Rauner has supplied Harold with $1.8 million since March, which is 52 percent of the nearly $3.5 million she has raised this election cycle.
Harold spent $1.95 million between July and September, with $1.8 million, 94 percent of her campaign expenditures, going to advertising. She had $174,593 on hand on September 30.
Pritzker’s campaign spent $24.9 million in advertising between July and September, $17.7 million of which was paid to Shorr Johnson Magnus Strategic Media, a Philadelphia-based political and strategic consulting firm. Over the course of his campaign, Pritzker has paid the company nearly $56 million. Meanwhile, Rauner spent $16.7 million on advertising, including $2.6 million on online advertising. […]
Pritzker’s campaign fund grew by more than $42 million from July through September, mainly from two $20 million donations from his own bank account. Meanwhile, Rauner collected slightly less than $2.2 million during the same period. The Republican incumbent has largely relied on $50 million from his personal fortune, contributed in late 2016, and a $20 million donation in May 2017 from Ken Griffin, CEO and founder of hedge fund firm Citadel and reportedly the richest man in Illinois.
One trademark of the current gubernatorial election (the most expensive in Illinois history) is the role the candidates are playing in party building. This quarter alone, Pritzker poured $9.4 million into other Democratic party and candidate committees at the state and local levels. Some of his largest transfers were $2 million to the Democratic Majority, $1 million to the Illinois Democratic Party of Illinois, $1 million to the Senate Democratic Victory Fund, and $1 million to the Illinois Democratic Heartland Committee. Pritzker also transferred $1 million to State Sen. Kwame Raoul, the Democratic candidate for attorney general.
Similarly, Rauner filled the coffers of state Republican groups, transferring a total of $7.3 million to other committees. His transfers included $6 million to the Republican House Organization, which then transferred $1.75 million to the Illinois Republican Party during the last fundraising quarter. The governor also gave $1 million to Erika Harold, the GOP candidate for attorney general.
Pritzker spent $47.41 million, including $3.183 million to OTG Strategies for “strategic field consulting.” He paid a whopping $17.265 million to Shorr, Johnson, Magnus Strategic Media for television ads, in addition to money spent on production of those ads. He also spent $6.8 million on media ads to Pier 91 Media, a Washington, D.C., based firm. […]
The Republican governor’s campaign spent $26.7 million, with television ads and other advertising topping that list. He spent $11.59 million on media buys with Target Enterprises LLC. He also spent $2.3 million to Advictory LLC for online advertising.
At the end of the quarter, Rauner still had $7.19 million in cash in his campaign fund.
Today, Governor Rauner is releasing his 2017 tax information. Click here and see below for details. The governor is releasing his tax information this year as he has the past three years in office.
After JB Pritzker did not pay state income taxes in 2014 and used a “scheme to defraud” Illinois taxpayers, the Rauner campaign is now calling on Pritzker to release his tax information.
Below are details on Governor Rauner’s taxes:
Total Income on Federal Return: $52,983,842
Adjusted Gross Income on Federal Return: $52,681,342
Taxable Income on Federal Return: $40,872,748
Federal Income Taxes Paid: $13,946,017
Federal Effective Tax Rate on Adjusted Gross Income: 26.5%
Federal Effective Tax Rate on Taxable Income: 34.1%
Illinois Taxable Income on State Return: $54,162,372
Illinois Income Taxes Paid: $2,154,870
*** UPDATE *** Well, that was quick. From the Pritzker campaign…
Reporters – please see attached for JB Pritzker’s 2017 tax returns where he paid federal taxes at a rate of 36.2%.
Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner has consistently maintained through his first term that he has the correct prescription for Illinois but hasn’t been able to deliver his message to voters.
On Monday, he continued that theme. Appearing on the Steve Cochran Show on WGN AM-720, Rauner said he needs to communicate better to voters if he wins a second term.
“I have two things that I would do differently. One is to focus very much on lots of baby-step improvements and announcing ‘em, playing ‘em up more than we’ve done. That would be No. 1,” Rauner said in response to a question about his biggest first-term mistakes. “No. 2, I would have been much more focused with my time on communications. I spent my time doing, not communicating. I would do far more communicating.”
“I spent my time doing, not communicating.”
Sigh.
…Adding… React from the governor’s former chief of staff…
After the debate, Rauner told reporters he’s cried over the deaths at the Illinois Veterans Home and he does not believe he’s trailing by 20 points as a recent poll suggests.
While not wanting to make light of the people who lost their lives at Quincy, I have heard the governor talk about weeping several times, so I took a quick look at the history and asked around for some help.
“Waiting for Superman” — a documentary billed as the “Inconvenient Truth” of public education — will debut in New York and Los Angeles. But a select group of Chicagoans has already seen the film by Davis Guggenheim, who also directed “An Inconvenient Truth.” […]
“I’ve seen it twice, and I’ve cried both times,” Bruce Rauner said. “I think it’s very powerful.”
One of the most emotional times here in Springfield, two teachers came up to me at an event after I became governor. One of them started to cry. I gave her a hug and I said, ‘What’s wrong?’ and she said, ‘You are healing a wound in this community that you don’t fully appreciate.’ I said, ‘Really? Well, God bless you.’ We hugged and I was tearing up. I said, ‘Don’t make me cry. I’ve got to go give a talk here.’
“I watched the video when it came out last week. I cried,” Rauner said. “That video is shocking, terrifying. I cried for the young man who was brutally shot. I cried for the thousands of police officers who are honest and hardworking, who put themselves in harm’s way to serve and protect us and whose reputation gets damaged by the behavior of a few bad people. I cried for the violence that is tearing apart so many of our communities.”
I took my Swedish grandfather back for his 90th birthday. I had never been to Sweden. He had been writing to his relatives his whole life from Wisconsin and he’d never been, or at least not since he was like two years old and I took him over and we spent a week. I cried every day.
They came to my office in the Capitol a number of months back and we sat, a large group of youth and myself and Director Sheldon. And we just had a talk about their lives, what’s going on, what their issues are. And it was one of the most emotional but uplifting and inspirational discussions I’ve ever had in my life. Many of us cried.
I travel the state, seven days a week, and everywhere I go, people come up to me and say, ‘Governor, stay strong. You’re on the right track. Don’t give in, stay persistent.’ One woman came up to me with tears in her eyes, and I started to cry, too. She said, ‘You’re our last hope. Don’t give up.’ I said, ‘I’m not gonna give up. I’m the most persistent son of a gun on the planet. I’m very competitive.’
One of the most special times for me every year is going to Honor Flights to welcome our heroes home here in Springfield, and in Peoria, and in Chicago. I have to tell you, it brings tears of joy to my eyes when our heroes come through that airport door to be reunited with their children and their grandchildren and their great-grandchildren.
Most emotional moment was last year, an elderly woman saw me shopping in Schnucks, the grocery store. She came up to me, grabbed me by both hands, looked up at me and she started to cry. I said, ‘What’s wrong?’ She said, ‘Governor, you’re our last hope. Please don’t give up.’ I kind of lost it. I started crying, I gave her a hug and I say, ‘I will never give up, I can’t. I’m doing this, this is a labor of love.’
Back before being governor, I would love the classics, like for example I would always like to see “The Dick Van Dyke Show” or some other classic, family shows the 60s. I love that stuff, it’s kinda teary-eyed to me, and it’s a great way to relax.
* Gov. Rauner and his allies showered more than $40 million on legislative races two years ago. This year? So far, not so much…
The roughly $14 million Rauner’s put up for the state party or legislative candidates for 2018 is not only a fraction of his 2016 largesse, it’s offset by Pritzker’s $7.5 million for Democratic legislative candidates.
That doesn’t mean the GOP is tossing in the towel. The party is on the offensive in southern Illinois, where Trump coattails still have pull, and its candidates are running strongly, if defensively, in traditionally GOP-influenced suburban Chicago districts. […]
That’s the case in the other southern Illinois races on which Republicans are pinning their House hopes. In three key races, Redfield’s numbers suggest spending of $4.7 million — $3.5 million of it by the Democratic incumbents.
In 10 closely watched Senate races, spending could top $14 million, according to Redfield’s figures. But even though six of those races feature Republican incumbents, Democrats control $11 million of the funding.
“Last time it was like they (GOP) had unlimited money but now, he (Rauner) is focused on the governor’s race,” Redfield said. “It seems he thinks Republicans are not going to do well and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. If he doesn’t give them as much, they won’t do as well.”
Speaking of which, Republican treasurer candidate Jim Dodge filed his quarterly reported today. He ended the quarter with… get this… $4,333.99 cash on hand.
Republican secretary of state candidate Jason Helland did the “best” of the three, ending the quarter with $60,746.85 in cash. Helland was even endorsed by the Daily Herald.
The Democratic Party of Illinois has announced a statewide “voter protection initiative” hotline as part of its get out the vote effort.
“Voting is every American’s fundamental right, one that was fought for in countless battles. Even today, there are countless examples of voter suppression and barriers to voting, and we will work diligently to dismantle those efforts,” the party’s executive director, state Rep. Christian Mitchell, said in a statement.
Voters can call 1-833-VOTER18 to access the hotline about complaints over alleged voter suppression. The hotline follows the party’s efforts with governor candidate J.B. Pritzker’s campaign spending $1 million on voter registration and early voting advocacy.
This initiative goes way beyond a hotline. More details soon.
* From Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt’s induction ceremony into the Illinois Senior Hall of Fame on Friday…
And speaking of her experiences during March Madness, she said she was once told she had more reporters in the room than Tom Brady.
“So I guess that’s a real compliment,” she said. “And you know, I always say to the press — don’t let anybody put you down. You know you have special work to do. So just keep doing it. It’s very important.”
“That’s true,” Rauner interjected.
That’s true? Coulda fooled me.
* Just a tiny sampling of the governor’s whining about media coverage…
* June 27, 2016: “Crains is supposed to be a business publication but they’re a little bit more collectivist than your standard business publication.”
* December 15, 2017: “It’s such spin baloney… What’s frustrating to me and many people around the state is how biased a lot of the media is around Chicago, around the state. Biased for the status quo. Biased for, you know, against the changes that we’re recommending. The bias is, is hard to overcome.”
* December 20, 2017: Rauner accused WBEZ, the public radio station, of dropping its monthly “Ask the Governor” feature, in which he took questions from callers, because WBEZ is “really more of a Democrat station.”
* May 11, 2018: “Don’t get me started on the bias in the media.”
* August 17, 2018: “You know [laughs] one of my biggest frustrations is there’s a lot of left-leaning press, especially up around Chicago, and they’re plenty biased.”
“The American people know the truth of the matter is this economy isn’t growing because of the Obama administration,” Pence said. “This economy is growing again because under President Trump’s leadership, and this Congress, we’ve been repealing the failed policies of the Obama administration and the American economy is roaring back.”
“After years of a war on coal,” Pence said, and what seemed like efforts to stifle American energy, the Trump administration, with support of Congress, has approved pipeline projects and got the United Stats “out of the disastrous Paris climate accord – and we’re exporting energy as never before.”
He said the historic tax cut passed by Congress will yield $2,600 a year to “the average working family here in Illinois.”
In addition, he said, “We cut taxes for Illinois job creators so that businesses large and small here in Springfield can create jobs in Illinois and not see them created around the world. And we also cut the heart out of Obamacare” he said, with the removal of the individual mandate, requiring a penalty for those tho don’t purchase insurance.
Pence did promise to preserve coverage of pre-existing conditions, which I think more people would consider the real “heart” of Obamacare. Every Republican congresscritter in the country is now running away from their vote on that repeal bill, including Davis. And that’s mainly because of the way it undermined pre-existing coverage.
The Vice President spoke at a Davis campaign event at the Panther Creek Country Club Friday afternoon.
“Illinois 13 may be the district that decides whether we have a Republican majority or whether Nancy Pelosi is speaker of the House in the next Congress,” Pence told the crowd. […]
“While we were trying to repeal and replace Obamacare … Rodney Davis was in there every step of the way … but every step of the way, Congressman Rodney Davis made it clear that, as we repeal and replace Obamacare … we will always protect Americans with pre-existing conditions.”
Susana Mendoza for Mayor petitions in full force at #WomensMarchChi … even though Mendoza has not entered and is in the midst of a battle for IL Comptroller pic.twitter.com/8RBizMa8pt
* I also received a photo of this person’s clipboard. The photo I have came from the Daley campaign, but it didn’t include the 1060 W. Addison address (Wrigley Field), so it apparently was from slightly earlier in the day…
Supporters of Susana Mendoza have begun circulating nominating petitions to get her on the ballot in the crowded race for Chicago mayor — but the Illinois comptroller still insists she’s only focused on the reelection campaign to keep her current job.
The petitions were passed around Saturday at the downtown “Women’s March to the Polls” by volunteers from a committee formed last month to “draft” Mendoza to run for mayor, an effort led by former U.S. Civil Rights Commission chairman Marty Castro.
A Mendoza spokesman declined to comment on Saturday. Mendoza has said she’s “flattered” by calls for her to jump in the race, but is “entirely focused on her reelection campaign as comptroller.”
* ILGOP…
When asked on October 3rd if she would run for Mayor, Susana Mendoza responded, “I’m not lying to you when I tell you I’m not even close to making a decision on that.” Just 10 days later, reports surfaced of petitions being circulated for Mendoza’s Chicago mayoral run. Illinois Republican Party Executive Director Travis Sterling issued the following in response:
“Just 10 days ago Mendoza told journalists that she wasn’t even close to making a decision on running for mayor, but today her campaign is circulating petitions to run for Mayor next year. One principle has held true during Mendoza’s 17 years in public office - she has always put her own advancement first. Mendoza’s current deceptions and lies are obvious proof points to her continuation of putting her own self-service ahead of public service.” - Illinois Republican Party Executive Director Travis Sterling
* Related…
* Republican comptroller candidate says she would ‘commit to Illinois’: “She should be fair with people and commit to Illinois, and right now what’s happening, the firm commitment is not to Illinois,” Senger said. “Her commitment has always been … to her ambition and the city of Chicago. She’s from Chicago. She’s been a state representative under (Speaker of the House Michael Madigan) for 10 years, she was the city clerk of Chicago and now comptroller, so I’m looking at this as a situation where we’re really not rolling up our sleeves and getting the work we need to get done in the state of Illinois.”
* Republican Candidate for Illinois Comptroller visits Quincy: Senger said Mendoza seems to be more interested in running for Mayor of Chicago instead of running for re-election, commenting on a recent ad from her. “Really a different kind of ad at this phase in the campaign, it’s all about ‘I’m hard as nails’, she wears a shirt that looks like the flag of Chicago, so in appearance it looks like she’s trying to get her name out there running for mayor already,” said Senger.
* Illinois comptroller candidate: Susana Mendoza: Mendoza said she has not decided if she will run for mayor of Chicago. Current Mayor Rahm Emanuel recently annouced he would not run for re-election. Mendoza could win comptroller and still have time to file papers to run for mayor by the Nov. 26 deadline. The Chicago municipal election is Feb. 26.
Two men exonerated after 23 years in custody claim Cook County Circuit Judge Matthew Coghlan took part in framing them for murder, standing by as disgraced former Chicago police Detective Reynaldo Guevara convinced an informant to falsely accuse them, according to a pending federal lawsuit.
The informant eventually recanted, saying prosecutors and police had worked together to prepare a story they knew to be false. And one of the key players involved was Coghlan, who in a previous job as a gang prosecutor had worked with Guevara, whose misconduct has led to 18 exonerations of falsely convicted people.
The Cook County Democratic Party took the rare step Friday of refusing to endorse a sitting Cook County judge, deciding not to recommend Circuit Judge Matthew Coghlan for reelection in November. […]
The party normally urges voters to reelect all judges, listing their names on sample ballots and recommending them in automated calls to voters.
The party doesn’t want people to get into the habit of voting “No” on retention elections, so they encourage everyone to vote “Yes.” It’s a rarity, indeed, when the party goes against a judge.
Embattled Cook County Circuit Judge Matthew Coghlan’s hopes of keeping his job have suffered another blow.
The committee that provides funding for circuit judges’ retention campaigns is turning over much of its money to the Cook County Democratic Party. And the party is campaigning to defeat Coghlan in November’s election, according to Jacob Kaplan, the party’s executive director.
Cook County’s circuit judges formed the committee years ago so they wouldn’t have to directly raise money when they face election to remain in office.
The move to shift the money was the result of a secret vote by the retention judges. They decided to fund the party’s efforts despite the Democrats’ opposition to Coghlan, one of 59 Cook County judges who will be on the November ballot seeking new six-year terms.
(O)ne of the three elevators that people can use from the Capitol rotunda remains closed.
It was shut down in mid-April while the session was still going last spring. It’s not a big deal this time of year, but when the legislature is in session and the place is packed, the elevator gets a lot of use, especially from the public which may not be aware of other elevators in the building. (And we’re talking about people who need to use them because they can’t negotiate stairs).
The thing was shut down for maintenance last spring, then returned to service for a couple of days before it was shut down again. It’s been that way ever since.
The secretary of state’s office said the elevator needed a part to ensure safe operation. However, the elevator is so old, parts to fix it are no longer available. As of several months ago, the elevator maintenance company was trying to find a company that could custom make the part. Illinois companies were contacted, but no luck. The search was expanded nationwide. Still nothing.
So now the plan is to do a “modernization repair” that basically involves replacing all of the equipment that makes the elevator go up and down. That means an extensive bidding process, not to mention the work itself.
No cost estimate yet.
The Statehouse looks better than I’ve ever seen it, but looks can obviously be deceiving.
The handgun used to kill a Chicago police commander had once been bought and sold by an unlicensed gun dealer who federal authorities say described peddling guns “like an addiction.”
The Chicago Tribune investigated the various sales of the gun that was used to kill Cmdr. Paul Bauer in February. The accused shooter, Shomari Legghette, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder.
It’s unclear how Legghette allegedly got the weapon. But federal investigators traced the gun to a 68-year-old Wisconsin man, Thomas Caldwell, who has pleaded guilty to a federal charge of selling firearms without a license. A man Caldwell said he sold the gun to last year has pleaded not guilty to a similar charge; investigators say federal agents found 40 guns at that man’s home.
Experts say the case illustrates the ease with which people can illegally buy and sell guns either online or hand-to-hand. Chicago police say that’s a big factor in the hundreds of shooting deaths each year in the city.
Anyone who makes a regular business of selling guns is supposed to obtain a federal firearms dealer license. Anyone buying from a licensed dealer has to submit to a background check that screens out those who are legally barred from gun ownership, such as felons. Caldwell, however, bought and sold dozens of guns a year without a license, and peddled them through a website that doesn’t require users to prove identity and undergo background checks.
That activity brought him to the attention of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Tribune’s Jeremy Gorner and Annie Sweeney reported. In 2015, the ATF sent him a letter warning him not to sell more guns until he got a license. He agreed but didn’t stop. In 2017, the agency traced another gun to Caldwell and found he was still posting hundreds of firearms for sale online. Undercover ATF agents arranged to go to his home, where they bought a pistol.
He wasn’t charged with a crime, though, until later — after Bauer was shot. In the aftermath of that death, the ATF visited Caldwell’s home and found he was still plying his trade without a license, telling agents “that selling firearms was like an addiction,” as an assistant U.S. attorney said. Even then, he kept selling, finally earning his date in federal court.
Why didn’t the ATF move sooner to get prosecutors to put this chronic, dangerous scofflaw behind bars? The agency “declined to comment,” the Tribune reported.
This case shows the need for stricter enforcement of federal firearms licensing laws — which are meant to prevent people from operating as gun dealers without following sensible rules. The laws are also meant to block sales to prohibited buyers. The largely unregulated private gun market makes it much too easy for shady sellers and criminal buyers to find each other. That’s a good reason for Congress to pass legislation requiring federal background checks for all firearm purchases, rather than let private sellers continue to operate on the honor system.
It’s also a reason why the state might want to step in where the feds are failing to do so.
Today, Democratic candidate for attorney general Kwame Raoul released a new digital ad - “Survivor” - about his personal connection to prostate cancer and the healthcare that saved his life.
Kwame lost his father and both grandfathers to prostate cancer. An old-fashioned doctor who made house calls, Kwame’s father often came home with a block of cheese or home-cooked meal, because he would never turn away a patient who couldn’t afford care.
In the Illinois Senate, Kwame led the effort to give hundreds of thousands of low-income Illinoisans access to medical assistance under the Affordable Care Act. Last year, he helped pass a law prohibiting health insurance plans from denying coverage due to pre-existing conditions.
As attorney general, Kwame Raoul will continue Illinois’ participation in a lawsuit to block the Trump administration’s dismantling of Obamacare.
“I lost my father to prostate cancer. My day came three years ago. As a cancer survivor and son of a community physician, I know how important access to healthcare is. That’s why when I replaced Barack Obama in the state senate, I fought to expand Obamacare. Healthcare should not be a privilege; it should be a human right. I’m Kwame Raoul. This is the work of my life, and I’m just getting started.”
Today, the Chicago Tribune reported that JB Pritzker used non-union workers during the renovation of his mansion. This is just the latest in a long line of hypocritical actions from Pritzker following union busting at Seadog Cruises and turning on the heat lamps on striking union workers.
In response, Governor Bruce Rauner issued the following statement:
“This is not surprising. Pritzker’s support of union workers is all talk – he’s a hypocrite. Pritzker has made it seem like he’s looking out for working people, but between this and his scheme to defraud hardworking taxpayers of $330,000, it’s clear he’s only looking out for himself.”
Billionaire Democratic governor candidate J.B. Pritzker has portrayed himself as a champion of working families and received substantial support from organized labor, but he used nonunion workers to remodel his Gold Coast mansion.
Nonunion labor from three trades was hired to work on the yearslong, $25 million renovation of Pritzker’s 20,000-square-foot residence, according to a June 2007 email filed as part of a court dispute that arose between Pritzker and the general contractor.
“A note of caution,” wrote construction consultant Douglas Kaulas to Pritzker’s brother-in-law Thomas Muenster, who oversaw the renovation. “Now that the front yard is screened off and scaffold is going up, the jobsite has a much higher visibility. We’re perfectly legal with our permits, but we do have a non-union mason, demo contractor and roofer working. We are a little concerned that the union (business agents) may come to visit.” […]
“It’s important to finish the exterior work in the three months allotted by the scaffold contract so we can resume our lower profile,” wrote Kaulas, who also told Pritzker’s brother-in-law that “we’re putting a priority” on finishing the exterior work to both hold down scaffold rental costs and “to limit our visibility.”
As part of that renovation project, Kaulas occasionally met with Muenster and J.B. Pritzker to give updates.
…Adding… The governor is holding a press conference on this topic at 10:30 this morning. Stay tuned.
…Adding… “Hypocrisy” rarely works in campaigns, but you go with what you got I suppose…
SMN reporting from Chicago where Gov. Rauner called a presser to condemn his competitior Pritzker for using non union workers to renovate his mansion…then says he used non union workers to renovate his own mansion.
*** UPDATE *** Greg Hinz says today’s press conference is a metaphor…
Rauner exposed himself to new attention on his own union record—and the fact that not one major labor group in the state is backing him for re-election.
He conceded under questioning that he, too, has used nonunion labor in construction jobs on his own property. And he suggested, with a straight face, that he is the real pro-labor candidate in the race for governor.
Yes, he really did that: charge straight ahead without consulting with advisers and associates who might have urged him to be a little less risky. While attention on this issue won’t help Pritzker any, Rauner’s handling of it isn’t likely to help him much, either. In fact, it might hurt.
* “Focus, Amanda, Focus” makes yet another appearance…
Those Illinois Economic Freedom Alliance ads attacking McCann for his “$3 billion tax hike” that he voted against were all over my teevee yesterday during football games.
I totally understand the campaign politics of not wanting to say what you think the income tax rates should be under a graduated tax structure. I also get why you won’t say what ought to be the income level at which people will begin paying a higher income tax rate than they do now.
Actually, nearly everyone understands your political calculation. It’s elementary. You don’t want to give the other side any ammunition to attack you.
I greatly dislike your reticence, but I understand it. And as we all know, Gov. Bruce Rauner has a particular fondness for twisting words, particularly when it comes to stuff like this.
Back in December of 2015, House Speaker Michael Madigan was asked what the income tax rate should be. It had automatically rolled back almost a year earlier and the state was in the throes of what would become a two-year standoff over what that rate should be and what anti-union measures Rauner could extract in exchange.
Madigan said a “good place to start,” would be where it was before the last tax hike had partially expired. “And starting there,” he said, “you can go in whatever direction you want to go.”
Rauner immediately pounced on Madigan for wanting to increase taxes and he’s repeated that line ever since, even though Madigan didn’t really say that. It’s still to this day one of the governor’s favorite attacks.
I also get why you wouldn’t answer Mary Ann Ahern’s question last week: “What does someone make who is middle class?”
If you laid out an estimate, Rauner would immediately twist it into making some point about how the middle class is gonna get whacked under your idea. Again, I don’t like what you’re doing, but I get it.
But, my dude, you need to come up with some sort of answer other than the evasive stuff you’ve been spouting whenever anyone approaches you on this general topic. It’s just painful to watch you dodge and weave and bob and duck, for sometimes minutes at a time.
You’re a smart guy and you do your homework, so you probably know all the statistics by heart about the relatively fragile economic realities of many middle-class folks, or the barriers to reaching middle-class status from the lower rungs of the income ladder.
Let’s face it, though, you were raised with money. You’ve never had to borrow money from your brother to take a bus to work. You’ve never had to worry about not being able to pay for health insurance. You’ve never had to decide which household bills to hold off paying because of an unexpected expense. You’ve never had to figure out how you’re going to pay off your student loans, while trying to save to pay for your kids’ college bills, or debate whether to beg your boss to let you leave work because your child is sick, or even whether you can afford to buy a car.
Instead of constantly and blatantly dodging the kabillion questions about your tax idea and the middle class, how about using the question as an opportunity to show you can at least empathize with people who are working hard to stay in the middle class or struggling mightily to get there, and/or perhaps pivot against a wealthy governor who made huge promises to middle-class taxpayers and hasn’t come through?
Or, at least just say something like this: “The dollar amount can range and depends on where you live, but if you’re working and worried about paying your mortgage and bills, good schools for your kids, affordable healthcare and safe streets, you’re middle class.”
Short and sweet. By the way, I stole that line from my blog commenter who goes by the name “Wordslinger.” He’s got an annual award named after him for a reason.
You kinda/sorta almost got there a couple of weeks ago when you unveiled your higher education plan, but it was so long and meandering. You’ve yet to succinctly state that you understand what the middle class is and what those folks deal with.
The last five polls have given you an average lead of 18.2 percentage points. Barring utter catastrophe (and these things do happen), you’re probably going to be our next governor. But if your non-answers on this general topic are any indication of how you intend to govern, I guarantee you’re gonna have a rough time.
It was designed to be a feel-good event with the Loyola Ramblers’ beloved Sister Jean.
But it ended with Gov. Bruce Rauner yet again explaining his position on illegal immigration.
That’s because the 99-year-old Loyola University-Chicago basketball team chaplain was being honored in part for helping the university’s undocumented students receive financial aid. That caught the governor off guard on Friday, even though the state’s Senior Hall of Fame award was being bestowed by Rauner’s own Illinois Department on Aging, and the governor was helping present the honor. […]
Speaking to reporters after the induction, Rauner was asked whether he supports financial aid programs for undocumented students, in light of Sister Jean’s work with the program. The university was the first to accept undocumented medical students, and also has a “safe space” program for undocumented students.
“I’m not familiar with the [Magis] program,” Rauner said. “I’d have to learn more about it before I could comment on that program.” […]
Earlier this week, Rauner came under fire for linking illegal immigration to crime.
* Other reporters ignored the flap, however, so it wasn’t a total wash…
* ABC 7: Loyola’s Sister Jean receives Senior Illinoisans Hall of Fame Award: “The world knows her as the chaplain for the Loyola Men’s Basketball team but here in Chicago, and on the Loyola campus - we know her as a teacher, counselor, adviser, coach, and civil rights activist,” Rauner said. “She sets a world-class example for all of us to follow.”
We can’t afford another four years of confrontation and stalemate. […]
Progress must come from somewhere, and we know that because of Illinois’ political realities, it will not be through Rauner’s re-election.
Hope for change rests only with Democrat J.B. Pritzker, a billionaire heir of the Hyatt hotel family fortune.
We’re not without reservations about Pritzker. We’re concerned about the lack of specificity in his graduated income tax vision. We’re offended by toiletgate. And we’re troubled by his ability to buy not just the governorship but also most of the legislature.
But Pritzker and Pritzker alone, among the four candidates on the ballot, can drive the change within the Democratic Party itself that must take place to solve Illinois’ enormous problems.
He has the wealth to maintain his independence, the personal skills to build collaboration, the breadth of ideas necessary to address the issues and the ambition to make a difference.
We endorse Pritzker because status quo is not an option.
With Election Day rapidly approaching, the campaign for Illinois governor has been contentious, to say the least - with ad after ad saturating the state and each of the candidates firing off countless attacks on their opponents at every turn.
To help cut through the noise, we asked all four candidates 11 of the most important questions to help inform voters on who they are and where they stand on certain issues facing Illinois.
* I think I told you during the primary that the Sun-Times made a better case for JB Pritzker than he made for himself…
Among the essential leaders in building Chicago’s vibrant tech industry, which barely existed two decades ago, has been J.B. Pritzker, whom we endorse in the Democratic primary for governor. He bought into the vision of “Silicon Prairie” early on, as a venture capitalist and public servant. He has put his energy, leadership and money behind it ever since.
Pritzker founded 1871, the tech business incubator in the Merchandise Mart credited with creating some 7,000 jobs. This remarkable nonprofit has raised Chicago’s profile nationwide as a high-tech hub. He served as chairman of Chicago’s Technology and Entrepreneurship Committee. He was a founder of Matter, the nonprofit healthcare technology incubator.
This kind of future-focused approach to economic development is precisely what Illinois sorely needs right now. It is also reflective of what seems to be Pritzker’s philosophy for trying to make a difference in this world: work it from the bottom up.
That’s the common thread — start at the beginning — running through Pritzker’s many years of public service, whether he was supporting new technology, working to expand childcare services and early-childhood education, or simply trying to provide every child with a good school breakfast.
Pritzker saw the promise and nurtured it.
Illinois could stand more of his positive and inclusive approach to leadership, as well as his ability — as witnessed in this campaign — to build broad coalitions.
Illinois has been losing ground for four long years, and that’s just pathetic for a state blessed with so many strengths.
Take a boat ride on Lake Michigan and wonder at Chicago’s skyline. Ride the California Zephyr through western Illinois and marvel at the cornfields that run to the horizon and feed the world. Fly into O’Hare Airport and remember that our state is still the crossroads of the nation, even now, and our future is bright.
If only we’d get moving.
We’ve been a bed-ridden strongman for too long.
So that’s why we’re endorsing Democrat J.B. Pritzker for governor in the Nov. 6 election. We believe he offers the best plan to put Illinois back on its feet in a way that benefits all of us, from billionaires to bus drivers.
His main opponent, incumbent Gov. Bruce Rauner, a Republican, has been a failure.
Pritzker, like Rauner, pledges to do what’s necessary to grow our state’s economy, but he wants to do so in a way that best benefits ordinary people. Sounds good to us. Illinois has suffered through almost four years of a governor whose whole pitch has been to make life easier for the monied classes; it’s about time we remembered who really built this state and country
It’s not that the endorsement is surprising. Of course they endorsed Pritzker. That’s a given.
But Mario Cuomo once said you campaign in poetry and you govern in prose. Pritzker campaigns in prose. Those endorsement editorials are much more like poetry.
An attack ad released this week depicting Cook County commissioner candidate Kevin Morrison as a puppet prompted the Democratic challenger to dub his opponent “a homophobe” Thursday — an allegation Republicans called “despicable.”
The ad shows Morrison with a “limp wrist,” Morrison said, a “bigoted caricature of gay people.”
But zoom out on the ad, and you’ll see Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan pulling the strings on Morrison. Commissioner Tim Schneider, R-Bartlett, and the Illinois GOP, which Schneider leads, are calling Morrison a Madigan puppet. […]
“The whole image paints the entire picture clearly,” [Travis Sterling, the executive director of the Illinois GOP, which mailed out the flier] said in a statement. “This is nothing but a desperate attempt from Kevin Morrison to try and hide the fact that he takes his orders from Tony Preckwinkle and Mike Madigan.”
The Equality Illinois PAC is deeply disturbed that the Chairman of the Illinois Republican Party would exploit a shameful anti-LGBTQ stereotype and homophobic imagery against openly gay candidate Kevin B. Morrison for Cook County Commissioner. The irony of this mailer arriving on National Coming Out Day makes it all the more offensive and tasteless. We call on incumbent Tim Schneider to denounce the mailer and affirm his support for LGBTQ Illinoisans.
* LGBTQ Victory Fund…
“Let me be clear: Tim Schneider and his team knew exactly what they were doing when they altered a photo of Kevin Morrison to show him with a limp wrist and on his tiptoes,” said Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund. “Schneider is taking a page from the playbook of his pal in the White House – engaging in the divisive and destructive politics that Donald Trump thrives on. For too long, openly LGBTQ candidates were defeated by opponents who appealed to homophobia in a desperate effort to win votes, but I am confident this attack ad will backfire on Schneider. He has misread and misjudged his constituents, which is unsurprising given how rarely he interacts with or listens to them. Cook County voters are demanding leaders who unite their constituents, respect differences, and put forward positive solutions for the region. Kevin is running to do just that, and we are thrilled he is on his way to becoming the first openly LGBTQ person to serve on the commission.”
It’s not saying much, but House Republicans have seen more bright spots in the past week of polling since the Kavanaugh confirmation fight than they saw in over a month. Both sides agree Democrats’ enthusiasm advantage has narrowed, and Republicans are benefiting from their base “waking up” in red districts. However, there’s little evidence of movement in blue and swing districts.
Republicans suddenly feel more confident about several incumbents who have previously been tied or behind but have the luxury of sitting in Trump-won districts: Reps. Mike Bost (IL-12), John Faso (NY-19), Claudia Tenney (NY-22) and Steve Chabot (OH-01). They’re also newly optimistic about Toss Up open seats in Trump country, like Kansas’s 2nd CD and North Carolina’s 9th CD.
However, it shouldn’t come as a shock that the highly charged Supreme Court fracas has barely moved the needle in high-income, Clinton-won suburbs. Republicans are especially concerned about Reps. Mimi Walters (CA-45) and Peter Roskam (IL-06), who now appear to be narrowly behind. In fact, there’s evidence the map was beginning to polarize before the Kavanaugh fight.
Republicans continue to face especially strong headwinds in states where gubernatorial races aren’t going well for them. Illinois, where GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner trails by more than 15 points is a particular concern as Roskam and Rep. Randy Hultgren (IL-14) face an onslaught of Democratic cash in the Chicago media market. […]
Rating Changes
IL-06: Roskam - Toss Up to Lean D ←
IL-14: Hultgren - Lean R to Toss Up ←
Yikes. If a traditional Republican like Randy Hultgren could conceivably lose to a young African-American woman who was previously unknown in an 86 percent white and 3 percent black district encompassing most of McHenry County, parts of DeKalb County, northern Lake, western Kendall, etc. then we may be in for one really weird election night, campers.
* Meanwhile…
U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren, running for re-election in the 14th Congressional District, has released his third ad of this campaign season.
As a senior member of the Science Committee and Chair of the STEM Caucus, Randy Hultgren is focused on training the next generation of leaders in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.
“I am working to make us a leader in STEM, by providing our kids with the building blocks for success and strengthening our economy with good and high paying jobs. That means encouraging innovation in our schools and businesses, and establishing scholarship initiatives so our kids are prepared to succeed.” Said Rep. Hultgren. “To keep us competitive in the future, we have to be working at it today.”
…Adding… One of my best guys tells me this ad is only on cable and he only put $50K behind it. Apparently, Hultgren has only spent $187k since 9/11. Meanwhile, Underwood is pushing 250 points a week on broadcast.
* Incumbent, challenger in Illinois’ 14th Congressional District stake out positions on health insurance: Underwood has said during numerous campaign events that her decision to run for office was motivated by a promise from Hultgren to support repealing the portion of the Affordable Care Act that protected health care coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, which she felt was broken when Hultgren voted for the American Health Care Act.
* Election 2018: A year for women in McHenry County?
* GOP-Held Illinois District Pounded with Outside Money as Election Nears: The independent spending arm of the environmentalist League of Conservation Voters political action group is dropping $291,000 to run negative advertisements against Roskam on digital platforms throughout the district. Naral Pro-Choice America, another national liberal organization, will shell out $148,000 over the coming weeks on digital advertising opposing the incumbent. The group is also mobilizing its supporters this weekend to canvass for Casten. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which has already spent hundreds of thousands of dollars supporting Casten, is pouring another $109,000 into the district against Roskam. … The independent expenditure arm of the Koch brothers-backed group Americans for Prosperity is injecting $55,700 into the district to support Roskam with advertising and canvassing. And the House GOP’s campaign committee, the National Republican Congressional Committee, is adding a cool $1.5 million to its budget for the district over the next several weeks, Roskam told the Tribune.
Today, the Rauner campaign is launching the next “Brewskis with Bruce” video. This edition features Governor Rauner enjoying a cold brew with folks at DESTIHL Brewery in Normal, where he is asked about how we keep young Illinoisans from leaving the state. The governor speaks about how deficits and high taxes hurt job creation, and that forces young people to move elsewhere. This has been a problem in Illinois for decades and Governor Rauner is fighting every day to change that.
Question: What are you doing to make it more feasible for people like me after I graduate to find a job and stay in Illinois?
Governor Rauner: That is the number one priority. Because we have lots of challenges. Number one priority is to make Illinois competitive and attractive, and grow our economy faster. Our problem in the state of Illinois is that our government spending has been growing at a high rate and our economy has been growing at a slow rate.
As long as you’ve got that, you’ve got deficits, you’ve got higher taxes, and young people don’t see as many jobs, so they go to where they see more jobs. And then our tax base erodes and then that exacerbates the problem.
So that’s what’s been going on in Illinois for 30, 40 years. That’s what I’m fighting to change.
Since Pritzker supports legalizing marijuana, maybe he should counter this with “Joints with JB.” Just a thought. /s
Rauner pivoted from Quincy to questions about Pritzker’s $330,000 property tax breaks that involved removing toilets from his Gold Coast mansion. Pritzker has repaid the money, but the issue is being examined by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.
“The voters cannot in anyway trust Mr. Pritzker on any issue,” Rauner said. “A bank robber that gets caught and returns the money is still a bank robber. These are serious white collar crimes. Four of my five predecessors went to jail, Mr. Pritzker has a chance to be the fifth.”
“The voters can in no way trust Mr. Pritzker on any issue. He’s demonstrated a complete lack of integrity, ethics and character. He is not worthy of elective office in the state of Illinois,” Rauner said, adding later that the Democrat faces “likely indictment in the next few months.”
When the inspector general of a solidly Democratic county calls out a “scheme to defraud” involving a Democratic gubernatorial candidate, that’s legitimately a huge story. And it will likely continue to be a story for a while longer.
But is JB Pritzker himself in any danger here, outside of politics?
* The empty mansion is owned by a trust, so there’s one legal buffer. His brother-in-law is the trust’s agent, so there’s another buffer. The brother-in-law signed the documents exposed by the IG report as the “owner,” so that’s another buffer. Pritzker never signed anything, so there’s another. Pritzker’s spouse is alleged in the IG’s report to have told a contractor to remove the toilets ahead of an inspection, but she’s alleged to have told that to somebody who then told somebody else who then told the IG. And she never signed anything, either. Also, she’s not running for governor.
Gov. Rauner is fond of making dramatic, exaggerated claims, most of which never turn out to be true. Remember this from 2014?…
“Pat Quinn has been rolling the dice with taxpayer money, and after years of Quinn corruption, the U.S. District Attorney looks like he’s about to hand Pat Quinn the worst Monopoly card there is — go to jail, go directly to jail,” Rauner said.
I think it will take a very highly motivated prosecutor and a lot of stuff not yet in evidence and a bunch of luck to pin this solely on a guy who nobody has yet claimed any evidence of direct or indirect involvement in the alleged scheme. Not saying it won’t happen. The Trump administration could come in full bore against one of Hillary Clinton’s biggest supporters. Just sayin…
On the same day Pritzker released a TV ad featuring a family member of a veteran who died of Legionnaires’ disease at the home, Rauner apologized to family members of those affected by the outbreak: “I am sorry for your loss. It is deeply painful.”
But the embattled Republican governor still asserted that the outbreak was dealt with “immediately.”
“When the Legionella infection occurred, immediately the first day, action was taken to keep the veterans safe,” Rauner said. “Water supplies were shut off. Windows were closed. Fountains were shut down. Bathtubs drained and no longer used. And the veterans were evaluated for their health condition. Those who were infected were treated properly. Everyone else was monitored, and the families of those veterans who showed some symptoms were notified immediately when a change in health condition of their loved ones.”
“No one is perfect. In retrospect we could all learn lessons about how to do things better, but the veterans were well served by the outstanding staff here,” Rauner said. “Action was taken immediately to keep them safe.”
At a news conference before the debate, Rauner made this false claim: “There were no delays. Immediate action was taken and if there were any change of the health status of a veteran, family members were immediately notified.”
However, e-mails show there was a delay. The state did not notify the families of the veterans living in the home and it also did not notify staff.
“Immediately, the first day, action was taken to keep the veterans safe,” Rauner said.
“Water supplies were shut off. Windows were closed. Fountains were shut down. Bathtubs were drained and no longer used. And the veterans were evaluated for their health condition. Those who were infected were treated promptly. Everyone else was monitored, and the families of those veterans who showed some symptoms were notified immediately when a change in the health condition of their loved ones” was detected.
Pritzker countered that “actions were not taken immediately. In fact, six days went by (before residents and families were notified), and as a result, people got sick and someone died.”
Pritzker pledged he would keep open the Veterans Home if elected governor.
“Actions were not taken immediately,” Pritkzer said. “And as a result of his failures and his fatal mismanagement, he’s now under a criminal probe, as is his administration. It’s a shameful neglect of our veterans, who we should be standing up for every single day.” […]
Insiders say Rauner has come to be embraced by some locals, though, who he’s gotten to know after making trips to the area, even staying overnight at the veterans home and pushing for this year’s budget to include funding of a new campus for veterans, complete with updated plumbing.
The debate played out on a sensitive stage - Quincy, home of the state-run military veterans’ home beset by a deadly Legionnaires’ disease crisis. […]
Rauner has been sharply criticized for his handling of the Legionnaires’ situation and whether his administration notified the public in a timely enough manner, which has become the focus of the criminal investigation launched last week by Democratic Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who’s not seeking re-election.
“Much of this so-called criminal investigation is a political ploy to divert attention from the tax fraud that Mr. Pritzker engaged in, and it’s a shameful abuse of power by the attorney general,” Rauner said.
Rauner has been a regular visitor to the Quincy veterans home and plans to return for another stay later this month. The 1886 facility saw a deadly Legionnaires’ outbreak that killed 12 residents and sickened dozens more in 2015. Since then, there have been annual outbreaks at the home. A dozen negligence lawsuits have been filed by families against the state, and the governor’s veterans affairs director at the time resigned in June.
This year, a guest from the Quincy home that Rauner featured at his State of the State speech, Ivan Jackson, was later diagnosed with Legionnaires’ and subsequently died.
An investigation by WBEZ-FM 91.5 found that the Rauner administration waited six days before notifying the public about the initial outbreak. The governor has said his staff acted properly because the Legionella bacteria is not contagious and he wanted to avoid any potential panic.
After the debate, Rauner told reporters he’s cried over the deaths at the Illinois Veterans Home and he does not believe he’s trailing by 20 points as a recent poll suggests.
Voters this year can make a declaration: We want an aggressive attorney general who will expose, investigate and prosecute public corruption, no matter where it lies.
That’s a key reason the Tribune endorses Erika Harold of Urbana, an attorney with the Champaign-based firm of Meyer Capel, for attorney general. She is a Harvard Law School graduate — winning the 2003 Miss America pageant helped pay for her education — with experience in commercial litigation, criminal law, class action, fraud and contract disputes. On policy, she has been outspoken on the need for criminal justice reform and prison rehabilitation. […]
We are confident Raoul would be an aggressive attorney general for the citizens of Illinois — on some fronts, none of which would offend Illinois politicians. But he oddly downplays the role of the attorney general in pursuing public corruption — “I’m not going to go fishing for it,” he says — and he defends the thin anti-corruption record of the departing attorney general. […]
Voters: If you’re looking for a smart, well-rounded and self-reliant watchdog in state government, Harold is it. She also is a Republican in a state that, with Democrats controlling most levers of government, needs checks and balances on that one-party dominion. Erika Harold is the superior choice for attorney general.
It’s a new era for attorneys general in states across the nation as they step up to fight for the environment, workers’ rights, access to health care, consumer protections, and a free and open internet.
Illinois’ next attorney general will have to take the lead in these battles and others, countering the retrograde policies of President Donald Trump’s administration.
Kwame Raoul, the Democratic candidate for Illinois attorney general, gets our endorsement. We believe he is the best qualified — and most inclined — candidate to lead the charge, following in the footsteps of Lisa Madigan, who is retiring from the office. Raoul’s Republican opponent, Erika Harold, has signaled far less enthusiasm for taking on such important broader issues. […]
Madigan has sued to stop the separation of families at the U.S. border, to reinstate energy efficiency standards for home appliances such as fans and air conditioners, and to prevent young adults who were brought to our country illegally as young children from being deported.
Action by state attorneys general, including Madigan, also recently stopped the Trump administration from permitting designs for untraceable, homemade 3D-printed guns to be distributed online.
Raoul has demonstrated the ability to work effectively on a wide range of big issues.
Pritzker fired back after the governor touted various successes and plans for a second term.
“Well the governor made all these promises four years ago,” Pritzker said. “He’s living in a state of denial, the rest of us are living in the state of Illinois.”
Pritzker, a billionaire entrepreneur and philanthropist, for the umpteenth time dodged questions about the rate of his proposed graduated income tax. And Rauner pledged big promises about changes he’ll make to the state during a second term, without explaining how he’d get a Democratic supermajority to go along with his plans.
“You’ve just heard a desperate rant by a failed governor who is in the final hours of his campaign and his governorship,” Pritzker said to applause after Rauner once again called the Pritzker a “bank robber” who got caught. […]
“You’re likely to hear more of that tonight because he’s got nothing else, just lies and excuses,” Pritzker said.
He said Pritzker’s graduated income tax plan will “crush the middle class, crush job creators.”
“They will flood out and the sound of that flood will not be the sound of toilets being flushed, it’ll be the sound of businesses getting flushed down the drain in this state of Illinois,” Rauner said.
Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner says a criminal investigation into his administration’s handling of a Legionnaires’ disease crisis at the state-run veterans’ home in Quincy is a “shameful abuse of power” by Democratic Attorney General Lisa Madigan.
Pritzker once again refused to give detailed answers as to where Illinois would come up with the money for that as well as the billions of dollars’ worth of other promises he’s made, nor would he share projected tax rates despite a debate moderator needling him for having “tap dancing” around his centerpiece plan of amending the constitution so that Illinois could tax income based on wealth brackets.
The mental image of Pritzker tap dancing made me chuckle at the time.
Asked how a Peoria teacher, making an average salary of $51,481, would fare under Pritzker’s plan, the Democrat responded: “That teacher ought to get a tax break. In fact, people in the middle class and those striving to get there should get a tax break.”
But Pritzker didn’t elaborate on any more specifics, once again saying rates would have to be negotiated with lawmakers and that implementing a graduated tax would go before the voters as a proposed constitutional amendment.
That prompted Rauner to say, “Mr. Pritzker dodges questions like he dodges his taxes.”
That was the governor’s best rehearsed and best delivered line of the night. In fact, it was his only high point, I think.
“Why not give a rate? We didn’t get a rate in the first forum, we didn’t get a rate in the ABC7 debate, this is your chance tonight, in the last debate, can you give us a rate?” the moderator asked.
“Well let me tell you this, we want to make sure we’re negotiating it with the people in the legislature,” Prtizker answered.
He just looks so bad whenever he’s asked these questions.
RAUNER: “Kaitlin, education funding is simply the most important thing we do together as a community. I ran for governor to have the best schools in America and the strongest, fastest growing economy, and we’re making progress on both. Truth is, in the ten years before I became governor, we had one party rule, dominated by Mike Madigan, along with Blagojevich and Quinn. In that ten years, state support for education was cut four times in the prior ten years. We were one of the worst states for state support for local education. I ran for governor to fix that. And this baloney about Andy Manar. He was in the Senate then, he was part of the failure of that. I became governor. I created a bipartisan task force. We now have $1.4 billion dollars more every year from the state to our local schools. Record funding. And we have a new education funding formula that’s more equitable.”
PRITZKER: “That happened in spite of you, not because of you, governor.”
RAUNER: “That I led, Mr. Pritzker. Could have happened anytime prior to my governorship.”
PRITZKER: “Happened in spite of you.”
RAUNER: “And you know what? If you’re going to interrupt, [PAUSE] be careful about the perjury, Mr. Pritzker.”
