Today’s number: $1.68 million
Tuesday, Sep 30, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Ormsby…
Proft’s PAC ended the last quarter with $946K in the bank. It has since reported raising $735K.
…Adding… I don’t think he can keep that money. From the Board of Elections is this info on contribution caps…
Political Action Committee:
$10,500 from an individual
$21,100 from a corporation, labor organization, association or Political Party
Committee
$52,600 from a Political Action Committee or Candidate Political Committee
…Adding More… Since this is an Independent Expenditure committee, there don’t appear to be contribution limits.
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Rasmussen: Quinn up by 2
Tuesday, Sep 30, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From Rasmussen Reports…
Incumbent Democrat Pat Quinn has edged ahead for the first time this year in Illinois’ gubernatorial race. Among Likely Illinois Voters, Quinn earns 44% support to Republican challenger Bruce Rauner’s 42%. Six percent (6%) like some other candidate, and eight percent (8%) are undecided.
Indicative of the closeness of this race, however, is the finding that among the 87% of Illinois voters who say they are definitely going to vote, Rauner still barely leads 45% to 44%. But Illinois now moves from Leans Republican back to a Toss-Up on the Rasmussen Reports 2014 Gubernatorial Scorecard.
Their last poll, taken in early August, had Rauner up by five.
* Among the 87 percent who say they’re “certain to vote,” 94 percent are Republicans and 86 percent are Democrats. So there’s an intensity gap that helps Rauner.
* Then there’s this…
Is your state better off than it was four years ago?
Yes - 24%
No - 56%
Unsure - 19%
85 percent of Republicans answered “No,” but so did 33 percent of Democrats.
* Quinn approval…
27 percent of Democrats disapproved.
* Obama approval…
11 percent of Democrats disapproved.
* Rauner favorable…
He’s still above water even after all those attack ads.
* Quinn favorable…
24 percent of Democrats view him unfavorably.
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Stop the partisanship on both sides, please
Tuesday, Sep 30, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sen. Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill) held a press conference yesterday to respond to sponsors of a resolution who want to stop his education funding bill from moving forward…
The resolution offered this month by Downers Grove Rep. Ron Sandack and co-sponsored by two-fifths of the GOP caucus, along with two Democrats, decries what it says is Sen. Andy Manar’s “piecemeal reallocation” of schoolhouse funding that will cause hundreds of districts “deep budget reductions and financial uncertainty.”
Clearly miffed, Manar fired back on Monday, telling reporters at the state Capitol, “there is a cost to not getting this right in the state budget and it’s severe.” […]
He said the school-aid formula is supposed to adjust for local district wealth but demographic changes now skew it against poor districts.
“Until we get this right and we drive resources to (needy) districts,” Manar said, ” … then we’re never going to get at the root of major cost-drivers in the state budget, which is the correctional system, which is unemployment, which is the Medicaid system.”
* Some video from the Senate Democrats…
* Rep. Ron Sandack responded…
“Senator Manar has accused me and the other co-sponsors of House Resolution 1276 of trying to halt discussions into the need for education reform. My colleagues and I have done no such thing. We have simply sounded the alarm that SB16 is being talked about in closed door meetings, and have let Illinois taxpayers know that the bill, as written and approved in the Senate, would cause a great deal of financial harm to hundreds of school districts.
“Our resolution urges the General Assembly to cease in their efforts to pass SB16 because it does not solve problems with the education funding formula; it simply creates a new list of funding winners and losers.
“During his remarks, Senator Manar himself admitted that SB16 still needs work. Why would any legislator knowingly approve a bad bill? This ‘pass it now and we’ll fix it later’ mentality is dangerous and it’s how bad bills end up becoming bad laws in our state.
“The Senator certainly looked agitated and bothered as he was taking his personal shots at me and my House Resolution this morning. But we suburban legislators are taking all of this very personally. He is taking aim at our schools and defunding them.
“Had he read HR1276, Senator Manar would have seen clear language promoting a thoughtful and thorough process for complete education funding reform. My public statements regarding the dangers of SB16 have always included references to the need for comprehensive reforms so that all students across the state can be college and career ready.
“The Senator spoke at length about the bipartisan process that led to the creation of the Education Funding Advisory Committee’s report. But activity over the summer has been completely partisan. Republicans only learned of the SB16 meetings from education advocacy groups who alerted us to the fact that the meetings were taking place. Senator Manar’s claims that the process remains bipartisan are completely false.
“During his remarks, Senator Manar, a Democrat, said that school funding proration has been devastating to Illinois schools, yet he takes no responsibility for the fact that the Democrats are the ones who have created budgets that have cut education spending by more than $600 million since 2009. Simply making wise financial decisions that start with funding education at 100% would go far in addressing many schools’ struggles.
“I invite Senator Manar to dispense with the angry partisan bickering and secret Democrats-only meetings and engage in a full and open discussion about education funding reform. We need to bring all stakeholders to the table and talk outside of the parameters of SB 16, which directly threatens suburban schools.”
First he denies that he’s trying to hold up talks, then he admits it: “Our resolution urges the General Assembly to cease in their efforts to pass SB16…”
Plus, the bill isn’t ready yet. There are still discussions going on.
And the $600 million cut? C’mon. Only if you think that Democrats “cut” the federal stimulus money. And if you include pension contributions, it’s way up.
Should the Republicans be included in these talks? Sure they should. It’s a mistake to keep them out, unless all they want to do is score political points.
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Quotables
Tuesday, Sep 30, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Phil Kadner…
It seems Rauner wants the additional income tax money but not the higher income tax.
Yep.
* James Hohmann writes about incumbent governors in danger of losing their jobs. Illinois is ranked number 4…
Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn, an old-school machine politician, has looked vulnerable for years. After succeeding the impeached Rod Blagojevich, he almost lost in 2010. This time, he managed to scare off potentially serious primary challengers, including former White House chief of staff Bill Daley and Attorney General Lisa Madigan.
But tax hikes and budget cuts enacted on his watch have taken a toll on Quinn’s popularity. Republicans are also attacking him over reported investigations into hiring at the state transportation department and an anti-violence program. The state still has financial problems, even after Quinn canceled contracts with public employee unions.
Republican Bruce Rauner, a first-time candidate, has his own issues: He’s been hammered for his venture capital background and forced to defend his wealth.
A recent Chicago Tribune poll showed Quinn up 11 points among registered voters, but no Democrat on the ground believes that’s the case. More likely, informed observers say, the race is within the margin of error.
An “old-school machine politician”? Rauner could’ve written that for him. But, considering Quinn’s love for patronage and street money, I suppose he could have a point.
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*** UPDATED x1 *** Durbin vs. Oberweis react
Tuesday, Sep 30, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The AP focused on guns…
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and GOP challenger Jim Oberweis disagreed Monday on whether to require universal background checks for firearms purchases, with Durbin saying it would reduce violence in a country “awash in guns” and Oberweis saying he’s not convinced the checks would have the intended impact.
Oberweis, an Illinois state senator and entrepreneur from Sugar Grove, is trying to unseat Durbin — the U.S. Senate’s No. 2 Democrat — in November. They met Monday before the Chicago Tribune editorial board for their first joint, televised appearance of the 2014 campaign.
If you missed the debate yesterday, you can watch it here.
* ABC 7 went with these two issues…
Tax returns and residency take center stage in a face-to-face meeting in the race for the U.S. Senate race in Illinois. Both Democratic incumbent Dick Durbin and Republican challenger Jim Oberweis appeared before the editorial board of the Chicago Tribune.
Durbin demanded proof that the Republican is an Illinois income tax payer. Oberweis’ wife lives in, and takes a homestead exemption in, the couple’s Florida house, making her a permanent resident there. The candidate says he still lives in Kane County.
Later, Oberweis would not guarantee he’d make his state return public, but insisted he does pay Illinois income taxes.
* Oberweis made good on releasing his returns…
Oberweis accused Durbin of lying and insisted he pays Illinois taxes. “If it’s an important issue, I will provide you the state income tax (forms),” Oberweis said.
Hours later, he landed a counterpunch by releasing his 2012 and 2013 Illinois state income tax returns. In 2013, Oberweis reported $1.726 million in total income and paid $61,739 in state taxes. He overpaid by $4,485, money that will reduce his 2014 obligation.
His 2012 state tax return reported almost $1.43 million in income and a tax bill of $60,871.
* After the debate, Oberweis pointed to another tax issue…
According to the Oberweis campaign, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin was caught lying today at the Chicago Tribune editorial board session when asked about his role in the IRS scandal.
In a press release, Oberweis said Durbin was asked unequivocally whether he or his U.S. Senate staff had ANY contact with the IRS during the IRS scandal other than the well-publicized letter he wrote asking the IRS to target Crossroads GPS on Oct. 10, 2010.
Durbin responded that there was no other correspondence.
Oberweis then produced an email from a Durbin staffer to an IRS staffer two days after the Crossroads letter. The email was first revealed by the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in its June 16, 2014 report titled, “How Politics Led the IRS to Target Conservative Tax-Exempt Applicants for the Political Beliefs.”
“Dick Durbin flat-out lied to the Tribune editorial board. This is important because we don’t know how deep Dick Durbin’s role was in the IRS scandal that he himself characterized as reminiscent of the worst abuses of the Richard Nixon era,” Oberweis said.
The brief e-mail, which is here, is from a Durbin aide. The Durbin campaign later responded to the Oberweis claim…
Durbin campaign spokesman Ron Holmes later dismissed the email’s significance, saying it was sent by Durbin’s staff to alert an IRS employee to Durbin’s already-disclosed letter a day after it was sent.
*** UPDATE *** Sheesh…
He thinks Evergreen Park is a black neighborhood?
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More new TV ads
Tuesday, Sep 30, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Setup…
Today the Bobby Schilling for Congress campaign released a new satirical ad starring Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. In the ad, Bustos calls Mr. and Mrs. Taxpayer in an effort to explain why she broke her campaign promise to give up ten percent of her pay. As she begins to stumble through her explanation, the line starts “breaking up” before Bustos quickly hangs up the phone.
* The ad…
* Script…
“Uh, hi, Mr. and Mrs. Taxpayer? It’s Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. I know you think I owe you $34,000 because I said I would cut my own congressional pay by 10 percent. But times are tough, you know? Well, uh, I guess you do. Well, it turns out, um, I ‘misspoke!’ (crackle) Oh, I think we’re breaking up. Call you back after November. Vote for me!”
Heh, but meh - at least for me. Perhaps you disagree.
* From the House Majority PAC…
Title: “Shouting”
District: IL-12
Media market(s): St. Louis broadcast and cable
Start date: 9/30/2014
Amount*: $151,445
*Amounts are given in weekly increments and do not denote the total amount to be spent to air an ad for its full run.
* The ad…
Keep in mind that the only generic animal that polls worse than an incumbent congressman is an incumbent Illinois state legislator. Still, not sure this cuts through any noise.
* And in that same race, from the NRCC…
“Bill Enyart has sided with Nancy Pelosi in Washington voting to cut Medicare for seniors and allowing President Obama’s extreme agenda to destroy jobs in Southern Illinois. It’s time for real leadership in Washington and Mike Bost in Congress means security for seniors and more jobs for all Southern Illinois families.” – Katie Prill, NRCC Spokeswoman
* Ad…
* Script…
Announcer: For the middle class, Bill Enyart has been a bust.
He’s voted three times to raise the debt ceiling.
For seniors, Bill Enyart supported massive cuts to Medicare.
And Bill Enyart voted against curbing regulations that could kill jobs and cost Illinois’ economy millions.
Mike Bost will change Congress.
Mike Bost will fight job-killing regulations and out-of-control spending.
Mike Bost for jobs.
The National Republican Congressional Committee is responsible for the content of this advertising.
Cookie-cutter.
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Get ready for “Bloodtober”
Tuesday, Sep 30, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune…
The top federal prosecutor in central Illinois has given the green light for a panel of lawmakers to resume hearings into Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn’s anti-violence program that now could unfold only weeks before the Nov. 4 election.
U.S. Attorney James Lewis had asked a bipartisan state commission to hold off on talking to witnesses reviewing a critical state audit of Quinn’s Neighborhood Recovery Initiative. Auditor General William Holland scoured through $54.5 million Quinn poured into an agency handling that “hastily implemented” the program announced during the closing weeks of Quinn’s 2010 campaign for governor. […]
On Monday, Bloomington Sen. Jason Barickman, the Republican co-chair of the commission, and his Democratic counterpart, Rep. Frank Mautino of Spring Valley, went over the latest development with Lewis by phone.
“Mr. Lewis confirmed that he had no further requests of the commission,” Barickman said. “As a result, we plan to proceed with our scheduled hearing on Oct. 8” in Chicago. Mautino could not be reached immediately to confirm if that hearing will take place.
The only thing that can stop those October hearings now is if Chicago’s US Attorney, who is also conducting an investigation, asks for a delay.
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* DC outlets have reported in the recent past that the DCCC is abandoning a rapidly sinking Ann Callis. Larry Sabato piled on yesterday…
Reps. David Valadao (R, Calif.-21) and Rodney Davis (R, Ill.-13) ranked among the top Democratic targets in the country earlier in the cycle, but neither challenge has really materialized, and both races go from Leans Republican to Likely Republican.
Stu Rothenberg seconds that emotion…
In Illinois, Democratic challenger Ann Callis, a star recruit against Rep. Rodney Davis, has gone nowhere.
* But the DCCC is running a new ad attacking Davis…
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is launching its first television ad in Illinois 13th Congressional District, highlighting how Congressman Rodney Davis shut down the government and kept his perks, like spending $40,000 at Washington, D.C. restaurants, a taxpayer-funded gym, first class airfare and lifetime Congressional health care.
* The ad…
* Script…
When Rodney Davis got to Washington, the sky was the limit for Congressional perks.
A taxpayer-paid health club.
Lifetime Congressional healthcare.
$40,000 at Washington restaurants, like meals with donors and lobbyists.
Rodney Davis even kept his own perks while shutting down the government.
Oh, and first-class airfare for members of Congress.
Rodney Davis cares more about first class than the middle class.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is responsible for the content of this advertising.
* Davis’ response…
Claim: “…a taxpayer paid health club…”
Truth: Rep. Davis pays for access to a gymnasium just like hundreds of other members of Congress, including the Chairman of the DCCC, Steve Israel. Additionally, since Congressman Davis does not live in DC and sleeps in his office when he’s there, the gym is his only access to a shower.
Claim: “…lifetime Congressional health care…”
Truth: Congressman Davis voted to stop Members of Congress for receiving taxpayer-funded health care for life. (Roll Call Vote #177, 4/10/14). Additionally, Davis and his family are enrolled in Obamacare, as Members of Congress are required to participate in the program.
Claim: “…first class airfare for members of Congress…”
Truth: The DCCC is taking a page out of the Ann Callis playbook, using an attack that political fact checkers have called “smarmy.” (Washington Post 5/5/2014). This attack received a Four Pinocchios rating by fact checkers…the worst rating possible.
Congressman Davis voted to ban first-class flights by members of Congress and have never flown first-class on the taxpayer’s dime. (Roll Call Vote #177, 4/10/14).
* I’m not sure of the actual network buy, but the Davis folks say the DCCC reserved 1,582 GRP this week in Springfield-Champaign, which was pegged at $210,444. The cable buy was $16,101.
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Today’s assignment
Tuesday, Sep 30, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Our regular commenter “circularfiringsquad” is sometimes difficult to decipher. He’s not the greatest speller or grammarian in the world and his use of nicknames often makes it hard to follow what he’s trying to say.
But the commenter has been hammering away almost non-stop for weeks, perhaps months, on the “HomeBanc” story, which finally broke this week after Gov. Pat Quinn launched a new TV ad.
* The commenter has now moved on to a different page in the oppo book…
After the spectacular failure of the news organizations who knew about the Rauner HomeBanc scandal(at least3) let’s start the day with another venture Mitt has plundered as he prepared to bless us with his vision on we should be governed. How about Education Futures Group?
OK, how about it? Anybody out there wanna take a crack at looking into and then explaining Education Futures Group in comments?
* By the way, the Tribune wasn’t really impressed with the HomeBanc story…
Gov. Pat Quinn on Monday launched a new ad attacking a business deal of Republican challenger Bruce Rauner, though the dots the Democrat uses to attack the Republican don’t necessarily connect. […]
The equity firm Rauner formerly chaired, GTCR, partnered in 2000 to create HomeBanc Mortgage. While GTCR once held a majority stake in the firm, it reduced its holdings after a public stock offering, selling the last of its shares in September 2006, Security and Exchange Commission records show.
GTCR’s actions came just months before the sudden financial unraveling of the mortgage company in 2007 led first to the January firing of CEO Patrick Flood, followed by an August bankruptcy filing. But GTCR had no board members on the mortgage firm involved in its management since 2005, prior to Flood’s firing and severance, and the bankruptcy filing. Records show Rauner was not a board member of HomeBanc in the lead up to its public offering in 2004.
It could not be immediately determined how much GTCR earned from the sale of stock during the phase-out of its involvement with the firm.
* But the union-backed Illinois Freedom PAC took issue with a Rauner campaign statement from yesterday…
HomeBanc Did Very Little Subprime Lending. “HomeBanc says the concerns about borrowers’ ability to repay, particularly subprime borrowers, hurt the entire industry. And though HomeBanc did little subprime lending — less than 1 percent of the roughly $5 billion in loans it made last year were in that segment — nervous lenders that HomeBanc relied on to fund loans started retrenching. Wall Street investors who purchased pools of loans through the mortgage-backed securities also retreated.” (Peralte C. Paul, “HOMEBANC: Lender Had Little Margin For Error,” Atlanta Journal Constitution, 8/12/07)
* From the union PAC…
2000: Bruce Rauner And Ned Jannotta Joined The Board Of Directors Of Homebanc. “Kirkland & Ellis served as legal counsel to GTCR on its purchase of HomeBanc. And Jannotta and his partner, Bruce Rauner, will join HomeBanc’s board of directors.” [Daily Deal, 5/25/00]
2004: More Than 50% Of Homebanc Loans Were Interest Only. “A newer kind of “interest-only” mortgage lets home buyers cut payments even further. Borrowers pay no principal in the early years of the loan–a period that often stretches to 10 years. That trims initial monthly payments dramatically. Consider that same $200,000 fixed-rate loan, which costs $1,230 a month over 30 years. An adjustable-rate interest-only loan at 3.38 percent cuts that payment by more than half, to just $563 a month. At HomeBanc Mortgage Corp. in Atlanta, more than 50 percent of home buyers opt for an interest-only loan.” [Newsweek, 6/14/04]
After The Interest Only Period Ends, Borrowers Face A Big Jump In Payments. “They’d better know what they’re doing. After the interest-only period ends, borrowers face a big jump in payments. With interest-only loans it also takes homeowners much longer to build up equity; if housing prices fall, they could end up owing more than they own, especially if they put down a zero down payment. That’s one reason some pros think they’re a bad idea. “They’re a way to help people buy more house than they really should be buying in the first place,” says Dallas financial planner Bryan Clintsman. Mortgage companies admit borrowers need to be aware of the risks. Says HomeBanc senior VP D. C. Aiken: “If they go out and buy a new car because they’re saving $700 a month, that’s not a good thing.” [Newsweek, 6/14/04]
* And then there was this…
Homebanc “Started To Punish Georgia Homebuyers” By Raising The Cost Of Adjustable Rate Mortgages Because Of The Tough Consumer Lending Act. “Lenders also started to punish Georgia homebuyers. HomeBanc Mortgage Corp. — one of the state’s largest mortgage originators until it failed four years later — raised the cost of adjustable-rate, interest-only loans. Household Mortgage said it would not purchase any loans that were subject to the law. Other lenders stopped making FHA or VA loans because of vagueness in the law.” [Atlanta Journal Constitution, 4/29/13]
Homebanc Advised Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue To Dismantle Georgia’s Predatory Lending Law That Would Have Outlawed Abusive Loans Saying It Increased The Cost Of Home Loans. “A hungry and growing band of mortgage brokers circled borrowers with complicated loans offering payments that started low but quickly escalated, saddling homeowners with payments they couldn’t afford. Along with subprime loans, brokers hawked interest-only and negative-amortization loans. They offered no-money-down, no-documentation, no-job loans, anything to cinch the deal and entice their prey to the closing table. But when interest rates adjusted higher and housing values plummeted, many of those borrowers lost their homes to foreclosure, lowering the value of entire neighborhoods. Georgia’s predatory lending law would have outlawed some of those abusive loans, but it never got the chance. One of Sonny Perdue’s first acts as governor was to move to dismantle the law. In doing so, he followed the advice of companies such as Atlanta-based HomeBanc Mortgage Corp., which claimed the law’s liability measures forced it to increase the cost of home loans. At the time, HomeBanc blamed the increase on the New York investment bank Bear Stearns, which demanded a half-percentage-point premium for its loans because of higher liability risks supposedly associated with buying loans governed by Georgia’s predatory lending law. With Georgia now ranking third in the nation for mortgage loan delinquencies and 10th for foreclosures, neither HomeBanc nor Bear Stearns is around to advise the governor on what to do next. Both companies became early casualties of the real estate slump and the collapse of mortgage-backed securities.” [Editorial, Atlanta Journal Constitution, 10/3/08]
· With Homebanc’s Backing, The Georgia Fair Lending Act Was Gutted In 2003. “Four years ago, the Legislature bowed to bankers who complained that the state’s 6-month-old landmark predatory lending law was too harsh and was making it too difficult for consumers with less-than-perfect credit to buy homes. One of the most vocal critics of the original law was former HomeBanc CEO Patrick Flood. [Atlanta Journal Constitution. 08/10/07]
The Georgia Fair Lending Act Which Homebanc Successfully Gutted Could Have Protected Homebuyers And Protected the U.S. Economy From Collapse. This week, the Atlanta-based HomeBanc announced it is closing its mortgage loan business, making the company the latest victim of easy credit policies that courted riskier borrowers with loans that carried artificially low interest rates during the first few years and then shot up steeply. When the market was hot, mortgage companies weren’t concerned with whether borrowers had the financial stability to survive an economic downturn. After all, the capital markets were booming and mortgages were being bundled and sold to investors without much regard to risk. So when Georgia lawmakers — in a temporary flash of sound goverance — passed a law to rein in the flourishing subprime market and derail the Wall Street money train, the entire industry rose up in fury. The law permitted claims for unlimited damages against predatory lenders, allowing suits not just against the originating lenders but also against investors who bought mortgage-backed securities. In the short time before it was gutted, the law had no effect on Georgians seeking conventional home loans. Only those borrowers with credit histories suggesting they might have a hard time repaying the loans found it harder to get financing. Now the meltdown of the subprime market is affecting even the big names in the mortgage industry, such as HomeBanc. “We had a moment here in Georgia where we told lenders that they couldn’t lend without regard to repayment ability,” says William Brennan, an Atlanta Legal Aid specialist in mortgage abuses. “But instead the General Assembly gave aid and comfort to these lenders.” [Atlanta Journal Constitution. 08/10/07]
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Rate Quinn’s new ad: “Washington”
Tuesday, Sep 30, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The governor sure has a lot of new TV ads playing these days. The Rauner folks say the abundance of new spots demonstrates that Quinn is worried and is hoping something will finally work.
Anyway, from a press release…
In a new TV ad released today, the Republican mayor of an Illinois town devastated by tornadoes last November praised Governor Pat Quinn’s leadership in response to the deadly disaster, saying, “He is the right guy for the job. He is the right guy for Illinois.”
Governor Quinn worked with Mayor Gary Manier to provide a disaster relief and aid package to help rebuild Washington, Ill., and other communities devastated by the massive tornadoes.
“I cannot say enough, the love for central Illinois that Governor Quinn has and the respect that we all have for him,” Mayor Manier said.
“When natural disasters occur, we come together for the common good,” Governor Quinn said.
* Rate it…
* Script…
Mayor Gary Manier: “Gary Manier, I’m the Republican mayor for the city of Washington. 1,108 homes were devastated or destroyed.”
Governor Quinn: “When natural disasters occur, we come together for the common good.”
Mayor Manier: “I cannot say enough, the love for central Illinois that Governor Quinn has and the respect that we all have for him. State government under Pat Quinn’s leadership has helped us recover from this. I can’t imagine anyone else being in that seat during our devastation. He is the right guy for the job and the right guy for Illinois.”
* Whatever’s going on with the Quinn campaign, there’s little doubt that Simon Edelman, who produced both this spot and yesterday’s “Brookport” ad is most certainly hitting his stride. Longtime blog readers remember Simon’s stellar work producing online ads four years ago. He’s obviously made a successful leap to broadcast.
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Taxi industry suffers twin blows
Monday, Sep 29, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* As noted below, Gov. Quinn celebrated with Uber today as it announced it would add 420 jobs in Chicago…
Uber Technologies Inc., is keeping an informal political deal it had struck with Gov. Pat Quinn and, as a result, Chicago will be getting hundreds of new Midwest headquarters jobs.
The big ride-sharing firm today announced that it will add 420 jobs to its Central Region headquarters in Chicago by the end of 2016, more than quadrupling the number of non-driving staffers it has here now.
Uber had dangled the possibility of such jobs while Mr. Quinn was considering signing a bill that Yellow, Checker and other conventional cab companies had been pushing to impose tighter rules on companies that dispatch vehicles via cell phone apps. And now that Mr. Quinn has done so, the company says it’s moving ahead.
The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Michael Zalewski (D-Riverside), says he has enough votes to override…
Noting that the bill passed the Il. House with 80 votes and got a “substantial” majority in the Senate, Zalewski predicted that the votes will be there for an override.
“This is a public safety issue. You have Uber-X drivers riding all over Northeastern Illinois who are not subject to proper background checks and don’t have enough insurance. We need to make sure riders are safe,” Zalewski said. […]
Zalewski scoffed at the suggestion that an override of the governor’s veto could cost Chicago 420 new jobs.
“Uber is an innovative, strong company that wants to grow in Chicago. They just feel that government regulation will interfere with their business model and make them less successful than they are now. I disagree. They’ll be just fine,” he said.
* But the US Attorney’s office just sent out this press release..
CHICAGO TAXICAB OPERATOR INDICTED AND ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY CONSPIRING TO FALSIFY TITLES OF SALVAGED AND REBUILT TAXIS
CHICAGO ― A Chicago used car broker and taxicab operator was arrested today after being indicted on federal charges for allegedly causing at least 180 vehicles that were salvaged or rebuilt to illegally obtain clean titles from Indiana and Illinois and, as a result, to illegally operate as licensed and registered taxicabs in the City of Chicago.
The defendant, ALEXANDER IGOLNIKOV, 67, of Northbrook, was charged with one count of conspiracy and two counts each of interstate transportation of false automobile titles and possession of false auto titles in a five-count indictment that was returned by a federal grand jury on Aug. 27 and unsealed today following his arrest.
Ignolikov was scheduled to appear at 3 p.m. today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey T. Gilbert in Courtroom 1386 in U.S. District Court.
Igolnikov, also known as “Alexandr Igolnikov” and “Alex,” was the owner of Seven Amigos Used Cars and vice president of Chicago Elite Cab Corp., which operated taxis under city taxi medallions managed by Chicago Elite Cab and related entities affiliated with Chicago Carriage Taxi Company. City taxi medallion rules prohibit any vehicle that was ever issued a “salvage” or “rebuilt” title in any state from being used as a taxicab in Chicago.
The indictment alleges that between 2007 and April 2010 Ignolikov conspired with three unnamed auto brokers, two in Indiana and one in Illinois, to purchase vehicles with salvage titles from online auction sites; fraudulently obtain either clean or rebuilt Indiana titles for those vehicles by submitting false paperwork to the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles; and then using those re-issued Indiana titles to obtain clean Illinois titles, concealing that the vehicles were previously issued salvage or rebuilt titles.
According to the indictment, in many instances, Ignolikov agreed with three auto brokers to have the damaged vehicles towed from the online auctions sites’ yards in out-of-state locations to the premises of Seven Amigos and Chicago Carriage near 26th Street and South Wabash Avenue in Chicago, where the vehicles would be repaired.
In addition to submitting false paperwork concealing the vehicles’ history and damage to Indiana authorities, Ignolikov and the brokers also submitted a false affidavit certifying that an Indiana law enforcement officer had personally examined the vehicles and verified certain identifying information, the charges allege. In reality, no officer had examined the vehicle and the affidavit of a police officer was signed by unnamed Officer A for a fee, or unnamed Officer B, or other individuals without any physical inspection, according to the indictment.
In some instances, based on the allegedly false towing paperwork and false police affidavits, the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles issued clean titles to various auto brokers for vehicles that were previously issued salvage titles. In other instances, other individuals obtained Indiana rebuilt titles through fraud and then placed stickers on those titles concealing that the titles identified the vehicles as being rebuilt. After obtaining either a clean or rebuilt Indiana title for the vehicles, Ignolikov purchased the vehicles in the name of Seven Amigos, Chicago Elite Cab, or other businesses and paid a premium above the purchase price in exchange for the brokers’ work in securing the clean or rebuilt Indiana titles, the indictment alleges.
Finally, Ignolikov and his business associates allegedly used the clean and rebuilt Indiana titles to obtain clean Illinois titles for the vehicles, and later concealed from the City of Chicago the fact that the vehicles were previously issued salvage or rebuilt titles, which prohibited them from being used as taxis.
So much for the “public safety” argument.
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* From the Rauner campaign…
Taxpayer Red Alert: Quinn Doubles Down on Lame Duck Tax Hike
“Pat Quinn disrespects every Illinois family by pledging to ram an income tax increase down their throats the day after he gets thrown out of office. Bruce Rauner is going to win on November 4th and he’s going to do all he can to stop a lame duck governor and lame duck legislators from raising taxes.” - Rauner campaign spokesperson Mike Schrimpf
Bruce Rauner’s campaign today issued the following statement in response to Pat Quinn’s decision to double down on his pledge to push through a permanent income tax increase during the lame duck session of the General Assembly:
“Pat Quinn disrespects every Illinois family by pledging to ram an income tax increase down their throats the day after he gets thrown out of office,” Rauner campaign spokesperson Mike Schrimpf said. “Bruce Rauner is going to win on November 4th and he’s going to do all he can to stop a lame duck governor and lame duck legislators from raising taxes.”
Quinn’s comments came after Bruce Rauner this morning called on Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton to block any tax votes until the new General Assembly is seated in January.
Um, wait. Didn’t Rauner say earlier today that he could also push for a tax hike?…
Whether it’s “lame ducks” or “new ducklings” voting for the thing, a tax hike is a tax hike, right?
*** UPDATE *** Quinn campaign…
BREAKING: Bruce Rauner’s Conversion on Income Tax Issue is Further Evidence He Can’t Be Trusted
CHICAGO - Billionaire Bruce Rauner, under fire for dodging responsibility for his business failures as a trial targeting his deadly nursing home chain presses on, is now conceding that he also is interested in maintaining the income tax rates.
Rauner now says he’s interested in the “possibility” of retaining income tax levels next year that he previously vowed to eliminate. But his budget plans still don’t add up. Below is the statement of Quinn for Illinois Deputy Press Secretary Izabela Miltko in response:
“Bruce Rauner cannot be trusted. Mr. Rauner is not only changing his story on his involvement with his deadly nursing home chain - now he’s changing his story about his tax plan.
“Mr. Rauner’s tax plan released earlier in the campaign would lay off 1 out of every 6 teachers and deeply reduce vital services protecting the most vulnerable.
“With the people of Illinois onto his game, Bruce Rauner is now acknowledging that he is interested in maintaining the income tax rates next year. Meanwhile, he’s running millions of dollars in negative attack ads to smear the Governor for the exact same position. How dishonest.
“Rauner’s hoax does not change the reality that the rest of his plan is predicated on harming the economic security of the middle class and irreparably damaging our education system over future years all to put millions more dollars in his own pocket.
“Mr. Rauner’s late-hour conversions still fail to provide a long-term solution to the state’s finances, as Governor Quinn has responsibly done.”
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Question of the day
Monday, Sep 29, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Sun-Times has a story about political campaign buttons…
It’s slim pickings this year for Illinois collectors, despite a race for governor and Chicago mayor. Area collectors say they haven’t come across many buttons made by fans of the candidates.
Neither Gov. Pat Quinn nor Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s re-election campaigns are producing buttons. Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner’s campaign didn’t respond to button inquiries, and Ald. Robert Fioretti’s (2nd) mayoral campaign hasn’t made any yet. […]
There’s not huge demand for local candidates’ buttons, but collections of Illinois mayoral candidates and gubernatorial candidates do exist. A campaign might make some pins, but collectors say what really fleshes out a cache are buttons made by candidates’ grass-roots supporters.
Marc Sigoloff of Springfield is known among Illinois collectors for his focus on Barack Obama buttons. At about 5,400 buttons, it is the largest Obama collection in existence, he said.
I have a smallish button collection. Nothing fancy. My dad, however, has a huge collection. My personal favorite was my “Honkies for Harold” button from the 1983 mayoral campaign which I somehow lost years ago. I saw it on a TV news story and asked a Chicago friend to get me one.
* The Question: What’s your own favorite political button and why? Bonus points for telling us a little about your own collection.
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* HuffPo did a big Mike Bost document dump over the weekend…
Illinois state Rep. Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro) has made a name for himself throwing extraordinary tantrums during legislative sessions. But he doesn’t appear to have contained his notorious temper to the statehouse, according to a review of court and police records obtained by The Huffington Post.
* The one I’ve received the most e-mail about…
The earliest episode dates back to 1986, when a neighborhood beagle named Rusty bit Bost’s 4-year-old daughter. The report filed by animal control officials indicates that the girl provoked the attack by chasing the dog. She ultimately had to get 19 stitches on her face.
According to court records, Bost was displeased that authorities would not be able to deal with the 10-year-old dog immediately. So he got his handgun, drove to Rusty’s owner’s home, and shot the dog to death while it was penned in an enclosure.
Neighbors were “very alarmed and disturbed,” according to the police report, but a jury eventually found Bost not guilty of breaking any laws. The local paper reported the case under the headline “Area man acquitted in dog killing trial.”
* More deets ffrom the ever-snarky Wonkette…
The dog was quarantined in a pen at its owner’s home so it could be tested for rabies, but Bost didn’t feel that local authorities were taking quick enough action, so he drove to the trailer park where the dog was and Second-Amendmented the beagle to death, just as Adams and Jefferson would have wanted. According to the police report, neighbors of the dog’s owners were “upset and frightened” by the shooting because it took place within 20 feet of their trailers manufactured housing, as if they didn’t understand that the price of Liberty is eternal ricochets.
Discuss.
* Other stuff…
* Guest view: Bost shouts at rules he helped create
* New NRCC ad hits the 12th CD: Bill Enyart’s been a bust
* Foster, Senger clash on taxes, job creation
* Illinois a congressional battleground state
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* Agreed…
Huh?
* Yep, it’s true. The press release…
Governor Quinn Announces the Wait is Over for Chicago’s First Olive Garden Restaurant
New Restaurant Bringing 170 Jobs, Never-Ending Pasta Bowl and Unlimited Breadsticks to Help Feed Illinois’ Growing Workforce
CHICAGO – Governor Pat Quinn today was joined by local officials and employees for the opening of a new Olive Garden restaurant on West Addison Street in Chicago. The new restaurant employs 170 people, who join the 13,800 new private sector jobs created throughout Illinois during August. Today’s event is part of the Governor’s agenda to create jobs and drive Illinois’ economy forward.
“Illinois’ restaurant industry is thriving and establishments like Olive Garden are helping drive our economic comeback,” Governor Quinn said. “While we have more work to do, more people are working today than at any time in the past six years. This is good news for people across the state and it is thanks in part to companies like Olive Garden who are employing hardworking residents and growing our workforce.”
The new Chicago restaurant brings 170 new jobs to the community. Olive Garden, owned by Darden Restaurants, Inc., was created in 1982 and has more than 800 restaurants in the United States and Canada. Darden Restaurants has worked to open up an additional 200 restaurant locations across their brands since 2011.
“Olive Garden would like to thank Governor Quinn and the City of Chicago for their outstanding support in helping us open our first restaurant here,” Remoun Abraham, general manager of the Addison Street Olive Garden said. “We’re excited to join this vibrant community and help create local jobs, and look forward to welcoming and serving our guests.”
I’ve asked the governor’s office if any state incentives were used here. I’ll let you know what they say.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Some commenters are making some interesting points about the restaurant chain’s parent company, so I did a little Googling. From February of this year..
Several big restaurant companies — including YUM! Brands, (YUM) which owns Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut; Darden Restaurants (DRI), which owns Olive Garden and Red Lobster; and Cracker Barrel Old Country Store (CBRL) — directly lobbied against a bill to raise the minimum wage last year, according to Senate lobbying reports.
From 2012…
Darden Restaurants Inc, best known for its Olive Garden and Red Lobster chains, was hit with a lawsuit in federal court in Miami on Thursday accusing one of the largest U.S. restaurant operators of violating federal labor laws by underpaying workers at its popular eateries across the country.
The lawsuit accuses the Orlando, Florida-based company of failing to pay federally mandated minimum wages and forcing its waiters and waitresses to work “off-the-clock” before or after their shifts.
Filed under the Fair Labor Standards Act, it also claims many Darden employees have failed to receive appropriate overtime wages for work in excess of 40 hours per week.
Seems like an odd company to be promoting, no?
*** UPDATE 2 *** The governor’s press office says there were no state incentives.
*** UPDATE 3 *** Greg Hinz…
Uber Technologies Inc., is keeping an informal political deal it had struck with Gov. Pat Quinn and, as a result, Chicago will be getting hundreds of new Midwest headquarters jobs.
The big ride-sharing firm today announced that it will add 420 jobs to its Central Region headquarters in Chicago by the end of 2016, more than quadrupling the number of non-driving staffers it has here now.
Uber had dangled the possibility of such jobs while Mr. Quinn was considering signing a bill that Yellow, Checker and other conventional cab companies had been pushing to impose tighter rules on companies that dispatch vehicles via cell phone apps. And now that Mr. Quinn has done so, the company says it’s moving ahead.
“When policy makers do their homework, they soon learn that we offer access to a safer ride for everyone and bring a number of benefits to cities including higher incomes for drivers, service to neighborhoods and taxi companies ignore and fewer drunk driving incidents,” Uber Central Regional Andrew MacDonald said in a joint press conference with a beaming Mr. Quinn.
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Rauner’s press conference adventures continue
Monday, Sep 29, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the twitters…
* And that brings us to my weekly syndicated newspaper column…
Just a quick note to Bruce Rauner: The next time you try to claim that Gov. Pat Quinn is “personally” under federal investigation (an allegation that, as far as anyone can tell, is not true), it’s probably best not to say it while standing next to a different governor who actually is “personally” under federal investigation.
Rauner held a relatively brief press conference last week to talk about Chicago’s violence problem with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie at his side. Rauner attempted to claim that Quinn was somehow responsible for the murder of a nine year old boy by a convict on probation - even though it appears right now that all state laws and procedures were followed. And not mentioned, of course, is that Newark, NJ has a murder rate almost twice that of Chicago, which sorta undercut Christie’s contention that Gov. Quinn had “failed” to protect Illinois’ public safety.
Rauner was then asked about the growing scandal of an alleged nursing home “bust-out” scheme, which includes the bizarrely sordid story of how the troubled company was sold off to a pathetic old man who thought he was buying computer parts and instead wound up with an empty shell corporation that ended up being responsible for about a billion dollars in wrongful death judgments.
The candidate denied any personal knowledge of the company’s problems (he never seems to know about his companies’ many, many problems), denied “lying” to the Chicago Tribune when he said he had only served on the nursing home company’s board of directors for a year (the Tribune eventually discovered his tenure was four times longer than that) and claimed that Quinn was “trying to create a distraction” by even bringing up the subject. Actually, Quinn running TV ads last week on a different Rauner company in Georgia that was hit with federal Medicaid fraud charges. Perhaps Rauner is confusing his companies. The nursing home story is an issue now because a federal bankruptcy trial, which started last week, is attempting to sort out who is responsible for paying what to the surviving families of dead nursing home residents.
The gubernatorial contender then attempted to turn the tables on Quinn by claiming the governor is personally under federal investigation for that 2010 anti-violence initiative. But Rauner’s campaign has repeatedly pointed to the fact that their candidate was never even deposed in the nursing home bankruptcy proceeding as “proof” that he has no responsibility. Using Rauner’s very own standard, since Quinn’s e-mails haven’t been directly subpoenaed by the feds he can also legitimately claim to be innocent.
And that’s when a reporter pointed out that Gov. Christie (whom Rauner referred to last week as “one of the greatest public servants in America”) is personally under federal investigation for that bridge closing scandal thing. It’s hardly the next Watergate, and appears freakishly overblown to my eyes, but a federal probe is a federal probe, I suppose, so it was a fair point. Rauner refused to respond and Christie gave the reporter the evil eye.
Not all, but most Chicago reporters don’t know much about state governance, and they know even less about state budgeting. So, Rauner has been able to avoid tough questions about things like his “business reforms” that he refuses to detail, or his proposed massive spending hikes coupled with even bigger tax cuts that will produce budget holes in the billions, etc. That’s where his highly polished, tried and true talking points do him the most good - with reporters who don’t understand the details and, for the most part, don’t care anyway.
But that phase of the campaign is now behind us. What’s left is Chicago reporters pushing Rauner to comment on the issues of the day as defined by them. And when he has no poll-tested talking points to rely on, he’s proving to be a sorely inadequate candidate.
Quinn’s campaign often sends out its lt. governor candidate Paul Vallas when it needs an attack dog. Rauner’s running mate Evelyn Sanguinetti, however, is most definitely not capable of handling herself with Chicago’s notoriously aggressive reporters. She’s just not good at it and they’d eat her for lunch. For as lacking as Rauner is, Sanguinetti is just not an option. So the top guy is left to do all the dirty work.
Discuss.
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Ballot initiative money starts to flow
Monday, Sep 29, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* A new PAC was formed earlier this month called the “Committee to Reduce Income Inequality & to Support Human Rights”…
Purpose: To support proposed constitutional amendments on Crime Victims Bill of Rights & prohibiting election discrimination & to support ballot initiatives on increasing the minimum wage, increasing the income tax on millionaires to fund education
Between Sept.11th and today, it has raised a total of $757,500…
* Since June 20th, the Committee to Raise Illinois’s Minimum Wage has brought in $602,853.41, including these top givers…
* Other ballot initiative committees which haven’t yet started reporting big contributions (although many or even most probably will) include Personal PAC’s Save Birth Control in Illinois committee, Planned Parenthood’s Illinois Votes for Birth Control, SEIU’s Raise Chicago, the IEA’s Fairness for Working Families, Blake Sercye’s Committee to Protect Illinois Voting Rights and the Marsy’s Law for IL Committee.
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*** UPDATE *** As far as I can tell, the Rauner campaign is right about the first point in its brief response…
The Quinn campaign is essentially double and triple counting the same shares of stock.
The SEC’s rules for determining “beneficial ownership” of stock state that a parent company is deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of any stock owned by subsidiaries. So GTCR Golder Rauner, LLC is considered to have “beneficial ownership” of the shares of stock held by its subsidiary, GTCR Partners VII, LP. GTCR Partners VII, LP, in turn, owns two other funds, and is deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of their shares.
GTCR Funds Owned 18.4 Percent Of HomeBanc As Of February 2006. (SEC Schedule 14A, HomeBanc Corp., 4/20/06)
HomeBanc Did Very Little Subprime Lending. “HomeBanc says the concerns about borrowers’ ability to repay, particularly subprime borrowers, hurt the entire industry. And though HomeBanc did little subprime lending — less than 1 percent of the roughly $5 billion in loans it made last year were in that segment — nervous lenders that HomeBanc relied on to fund loans started retrenching. Wall Street investors who purchased pools of loans through the mortgage-backed securities also retreated.” (Peralte C. Paul, “HOMEBANC: Lender Had Little Margin For Error,” Atlanta Journal Constitution, 8/12/07)
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
* If you saw the Bears game yesterday (and my condolences if you did), then you probably saw a new ad from Gov. Pat Quinn’s campaign. From a press release…
A new television ad released today highlights a Bruce Rauner company acquired in 2000 that gave its CEO a massive exit package even as its risky lending practices led it to bankruptcy in 2007.
At HomeBanc Mortgage, Rauner’s hand-picked CEO- a “superstar” still listed on the GTCRauner Web site- was given nearly $5 million. In contrast, the 1,100 laid-off employees were given $20 gift cards to the Publix supermarket, paid for through their own voluntary paycheck deductions.
HomeBanc is just one of at least 12 Rauner firms that declared bankruptcy under his failed leadership, while Rauner and his partners took the money and ran.
Another Rauner failure is TransHealthcare Inc., a chain of deadly nursing homes owned and operated by Rauner and his partners that is facing an ongoing trial in Florida bankruptcy court over more than $1 billion in judgments for 6 wrongful deaths. Rauner has said he wants to run state government like he ran his business.
* The ad…
Whew.
* Script…
“After billionaire Bruce Rauner took millions out of HomeBanc Mortgage, it went bankrupt. Eleven hundred employees lost their jobs. The CEO? He was given a five million dollar bonus to tide him over. The 1,100 employees who lost their jobs? They got a $20 gift card. That’s right, newspapers reported it. And while that may not say everything about Bruce Rauner, it says a lot.”
* The spot generated a furious push-back from the Rauner campaign…
FACT CHECK: PAT QUINN’S MOST DESPERATE FALSE ATTACK YET
“This is Pat Quinn’s most desperate false attack yet and a reminder that Quinn will do or say anything to distract voters from his plan to raise taxes on every Illinois family right after the election. Pat Quinn’s 67% income tax hike already cost us jobs and stole one week of pay from the average Illinois worker. Pat Quinn can’t tell the truth about Bruce and he also can’t wait to raise your taxes.” - Rauner spokesperson Mike Schrimpf
False Quinn Ad Script: “After billionaire Bruce Rauner took millions out of Homebanc Mortgage, it went bankrupt. 1,100 employees lost their jobs. The CEO? He was given a $5 million bonus to tide him over. The 1,100 employees who lost their jobs? They got a $20 gift card. That’s right, newspapers reported it. And while that may not say everything about Bruce Rauner, it says a lot.”
Fact Check Summary: Neither Bruce Rauner nor GTCR ever took millions out of HomeBanc Mortgage. HomeBanc went bankrupt in 2007; the last date a GTCR employee was on its board was 2004. HomeBanc was consistently rated as an excellent place to work and its CEO was terminated with a severance package months before the company went bankrupt. Regardless, neither Rauner nor GTCR had anything to do with HomeBac’s layoffs or employee severance pay.
QUINN LIE
“After billionaire Bruce Rauner took millions out of HomeBanc Mortgage, it went bankrupt.”
THE FACTS
In 2000, GTCR Partnered With Patrick S. Flood To Establish HomeBanc Mortgage. “First Tennessee National Corporation (FTNC)(NYSE:FTN) announced today that its mortgage banking affiliate First Horizon Home Loan Corporation (FHHLC) signed and closed the sale of its HomeBanc Mortgage division to an investor group led by GTCR Golder Rauner LLC of Chicago and Patrick S. Flood, HomeBanc president.” (Press Release, “First Tennessee Sells HomeBanc Mortgage Division,” Press Release, 5/1/00)
GTCR And Flood Grew HomeBanc Into A Thriving Business, And Took The Company Public In 2004. “The parade of mortgage companies looking to become real estate investment trusts is growing. The latest entrant is HomeBanc Mortgage Corp. here. But unlike the predominantly subprime companies that announced they are converting or looking to convert, HomeBanc has more in common with New York Mortgage Corp., which is another privately held company that is going public by converting to a REIT. In a statement issued by HomeBanc, the new REIT will be called HomeBanc Corp., and the public offering of stock will take place in the late spring or early summer.” (Brad Finkelstein, “Retail Lender HomeBanc To Become REIT,” American Banker, 4/04)
GTCR Did Not Take “Millions Out Of HomeBanc”
From 2000 To 2004, HomeBanc Paid GTCR A $8,333 Monthly Management Fee - An Aggregate Total Of $425,000. “Prior to our initial public offering, GTCR was the majority owner of HBMC Holdings, and as part of its investment in HBMC, we agreed to pay a monthly management fee of $8,333 for management, advice and consulting, including attendance by GTCR representatives at our board meetings, and strategic, operating and financial advice to HBMC. We used approximately $425,000 of the net proceeds from our initial public offering to pay all outstanding accrued management consulting fees due to GTCR.” (SEC Form S-11, HomeBanc Corp, 1/7/05)
Following HomeBanc’s Public Offering, GTCR Was No Longer The Majority Shareholder And Ceased Receiving Management Fees. “As the result of our initial public offering and our related reorganization, GTCR no longer holds a majority interest of our organization, and we no longer accrue or pay any management fees to GTCR.” (SEC Form S-11, HomeBanc Corp, 1/7/05)
HomeBanc Went Bankrupt In 2007, Three Years After It Became A Publicly-Traded Company And Was Out Of GTCR’s Control
HomeBanc Filed For Chapter 11 Bankruptcy In August Of 2007. “Regional mortgage lender HomeBanc Corp has filed for bankruptcy protection, the latest casualty of a housing market that continues to weaken. The Atlanta-based company filed a Chapter 11 petition dated Thursday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware. In the filing, the company checked off a box listing estimated assets and liabilities of more than $100 million each.” (”Mortgage Lender Homebanc Files For Chapter 11,” The Associated Press, 8/10/07)
GTCR Stopped Having Representation On HomeBanc’s Board In 2005
The Last Time GTCR Employees Appeared On HomeBanc’s Board Of Directors Was In HomeBanc’s 2004 Yearly SEC Report, Which Was Filed On March 31, 2005. ” (SEC Form 10-K, HomeBanc Corp, 3/31/05)
QUINN LIE
“1,100 employees lost their jobs. The CEO? He was given a $5 million bonus to tide him over. The 1,100 employees who lost their jobs? They got a $20 gift card.”
THE FACTS
Homebanc’s CEO Was Not Given A $5 Million “Bonus” After HomeBanc’s Bankruptcy
Patrick Flood, HomeBanc’s Original CEO, Was Fired By The HomeBanc Board In January Of 2007 - Seven Months Before HomeBan’s Bankruptcy.”HomeBanc replaced its longtime CEO on Tuesday and said it is embarking on a turnaround plan that will restore profitability this year. The Atlanta-based real estate investment trust, like many other companies dependent on the mortgage business, has faced a challenging environment in the last two years. And like some of those companies, including NetBank, the Alpharetta-based Internet bank, HomeBanc is making some dramatic moves. Chief among them: the departure of Patrick S. Flood, who in many ways was the face of HomeBanc, serving as its chief executive and chairman since 2000. Flood had been with HomeBanc and its predecessor companies since 1985. He is being replaced with Kevin D. Race, who had been HomeBanc’s president, chief operating officer and chief financial officer.” (Peralte C. Paul, “HomeBanc Replaces CEO,”Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 1/17/07)
HomeBanc’s Board Gave Flood A $5 Million Severance Package. “Patrick S. Flood, the HomeBanc Corp. CEO who abruptly left his post last week, will receive an exit package valued at $4.98 million. The board of directors at the Atlanta-based mortgage company opted to replace Flood, HomeBanc’s founder and a fixture there since 1985, with Kevin D. Race, whom Flood brought into the company four years ago.” (Peralte C. Paul, “Exit Deal Totals $4.98 Million,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 1/23/07)
· GTCR Did Not Have Any Employees On HomeBanc’s Board Of Directors In 2007. (SEC Form 10-K, HomeBanc Corp, 3/31/05)
HomeBanc Filed For Chapter 11 Bankruptcy In August Of 2007 - Seven Months After Flood’s Ouster. “Regional mortgage lender HomeBanc Corp has filed for bankruptcy protection, the latest casualty of a housing market that continues to weaken. The Atlanta-based company filed a Chapter 11 petition dated Thursday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware. In the filing, the company checked off a box listing estimated assets and liabilities of more than $100 million each.” (”Mortgage Lender Homebanc Files For Chapter 11,” The Associated Press, 8/10/07)
GTCR Had Nothing To Do With The HomeBanc Layoffs Or The Employee Severance Pay
GTCR Did Not Have Any Employees On HomeBanc’s Board Of Directors In 2007. (SEC Form 10-K, HomeBanc Corp, 3/31/05)
HomeBanc Was Consistently Regarded As An Excellent Place To Work
HomeBanc Was Consistently Named By Fortune Magazine As One Of The Best Companies To Work For In America. “Still, the unraveling of HomeBanc, consistently named by Fortune magazine as one of the best companies to work for in America, was dramatic in its speed.”(Peralte C. Paul, “HOMEBANC: Lender Had Little Margin For Error,” Atlanta Journal Constitution, 8/12/07)
HomeBanc Was Noted For Generous Employee Benefits, Including 20 Hours Of Paid Leave, In Addition To Normal Vacation Time, To Allow Employees To Participate In Family And Community Activities. “Flood, who took the new company’s reins, was hailed as a different kind of chief executive, garnering praise for a faith-based management style that put employees above everything else. ‘I focused on the real value in the organization, and that is the people,’ Flood said in an interview last week. Flood was with HomeBanc and its predecessor companies from 1985 to his firing in January. ‘My focus was always on investing in the people and instructing them to do their best work every day.’ For example, workers were given 20 hours of paid leave called “being there” time to attend their children’s school activities or to volunteer and participate in other family or community events.” (Peralte C. Paul, “HOMEBANC: Lender Had Little Margin For Error,” Atlanta Journal Constitution, 8/12/07)
* While they do make some valuable points, there are some holes in their push-back. From the Quinn campaign…
GTCRauner was in the driver’s seat. Team Rauner mentions an SEC filing - yet conveniently leaves out this SEC filing from more than a year after that point which shows GTCR funds owned 54.9% of the common stock as of the beginning of 2006 [HomeBanc, SEC form 14-A, filed 4/20/06]
Also interesting that they completely ignore what fueled the company’s growth and led to its collapse due to their leadership - risky subprime lending to people who couldn’t afford it. They lit the match and walked away
Also - since their newest “i’m not responsible for anything” excuse is that once they stopped receiving management fees, they weren’t “managing” it anymore– does that mean they finally admit to “managing” the nursing homes?
* More deets from the Quinnsters…
The Business of Bruce Rauner: Homebanc - “It was greed.”
CHICAGO-Bruce Rauner’s Homebanc, which was part of the nation’s lending bubble that burst, positioned itself as a business inspired by values. In fact, it fell victim to greed.
After giving Rauner’s handpicked CEO, Patrick Flood, a $4.98 million exit package, Homebanc went on to lay-off most of its 1,100 employees and, on their way out the door, gave them $20 gift cards for a local supermarket Publix as their severance. Flood is still listed on the GTCRauner Web page.
The company, operating mainly in the Southeast, preyed on people with lower incomes and offered subprime and “interest-only” loans, risky vehicles that yielded unsustainable profits. That became clear when Rauner’s firm filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2007, one of 12 Rauner bankruptcies to occur under his watch.
The firm’s CEO, who received the five million dollar gift out the door, had lobbied against predatory lending protections that would have forbidden many of the types of loans that took Homebanc into bankruptcy-and led to massive layoffs.
One of Bruce Rauner’s chief lieutenants, Edgar Jannotta, who currently is testifying in Florida at a trial of Rauner-controlled nursing home chains liable for wrongful deaths, also served on Homebanc’s board of directors as did Rauner.
Key quotes:
“They would laugh at us and say the free market will take care of it.” - William Brennan, Atlanta Legal Aid Home Defense Program, who opposed Homebanc’s efforts to gut Georgia predatory lending protections.
“…Government pressure to lend to poor people didn’t cause lenders to make cold calls to hundreds of homeowners or to team up with home repair firms and persuade elderly property owners to refinance homes to patch up their roofs. It was greed.” [Atlanta Journal-Constitution Editorial Board, 10/3/2008]
Timeline:
Apr. 6, 2000: GTCRauner acquires Homebanc [GTCR.com, accessed 9/27/2014]
2002: Homebanc appoints a prominent minister to head its HR department at a time it embarked on a massive expansion. After the company folded, it was revealed that “Most of HomeBanc’s 450 loan officers had no prior experience in the business. Many were local church leaders or family members and friends referred by HomeBanc staff.” [PR Newswire, 4/4/2002] [Wall Street Journal, 8/13/2007]
2002: Georgia passes predatory lending protections. [Georgia Report, 4/22/2002]
January 2003: CEO Patrick Flood writes an op-ed criticizing the new law. [PR Newswire, 1/21/03]
May 2003: Under lobbying by Homebanc, Georgia guts the predatory lending law. [New York Times, 5/07/2003]
2004: GTCR takes Homebanc public. As majority owner, GTCR held 4.25 million shares after the IPO. [National Mortgage News, 05/02/04]
2004: Homebanc expands into risky loans at a period in which the traditional loan pool had been exhausted. These “nontraditional” loans, extended to low-credit customers, will be part of the germ seed for the Great Recession. [American Banker, 8/27/2004]
February 2006: GTCR funds own 54.9% of HomeBanc’s common stock. [HomeBanc, SEC form 14-A, filed 4/20/06]
September 2006: GTCR sells its remaining Homebanc stock. [Homebanc, SEC form 13-D, filed 9/5/2006]
Jan. 16, 2007: Flood is fired, and given a $4.98 million exit package. [Homebanc, SEC form 8-K, filed 1/12/2007]
Aug. 3, 2007: The New York Stock Exchange delists HomeBanc shares. [New York Stock Exchange press release, 8/3/2007]
Aug. 9, 2007: Homebanc files for chapter 11 bankruptcy. [Reuters, August 10, 2007]
Aug, 10, 2007: The firm’s 1,100 employees are laid off, and given well wishes and $20 gift cards from the Publix supermarket chain, funded from voluntary paycheck deductions. [Atlanta Journal Constitution, September 2, 2007] [Wall Street Journal, 8/13/2007]
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Why, thank you, spammers!
Monday, Sep 29, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
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That was either written by a bot or by a Colorado resident.
* From a spammer with the handle “https://www.facebook.com/”…
Howdy would you mind stating which blog platform you’re using?
I’m going to start my own blog soon but I’m having a difficult time deciding between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal.
The reason I ask is because your design and style
seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something unique.
P.S My apologies for getting off-topic but I had to
ask!
I use WordPress. Thanks for asking. And thanks for appreciating our unique sense of style. Yep, we’re definitely the avant-garde of the blog world.
* And from “velour”…
Howdy! I’m at work surfing around your blog from my new iphone 4!
Just wanted to say I love reading through your blog and look forward
to all your posts! Carry on the superb work!
I actually know that guy. He’s a state worker.
* The above Akimsmet-blocked spam posts all occurred during an hour and a half period Sunday evening, along with eleven others, most of which looked like this one from “fifa 15 coins”…
fifa 15 coins…
What is that guy?…
I’m not sure how to answer that one.
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“Brookport”
Monday, Sep 29, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I believe this could very well be the strongest positive ad of the gubernatorial campaign to date…
* Script…
John Barr, Brookport Chief of Police: The city of Brookport was devastated by a F-4 tornado.
John Klaffer, Mayor of Brookport: There was 92 residences that were wiped out at our little town of 452 residences.
Tom Souders, Former Chairman of Massac County Republicans: The town most likely would have perished.
John Klaffer, Mayor of Brookport: I didn’t really know what I was going to do. Never been through anything like this. Nothing had happened yet. It was in the wee hours of the morning. And my phone rang. Governor Quinn, he saved this town. That is not rhetoric, that’s a fact. God bless him.
Tom Souders, Former Chairman of Massac County Republicans: This is one Republican that’s going to be voting for him come this next election.
This is a really good ad all around. The mayor, of course, is simply outstanding. The former GOP chairman is completely believable when he says he’ll be voting for Quinn. That’s not aimed at Republicans, by the way, it’s aimed at indies. And the photo of Quinn looking like he’d been up all night adds immense credibility to the spot’s claims.
We’ll get to Quinn’s new negative ad in a bit.
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Quinn plays Stu Levine card
Saturday, Sep 27, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the Quinn campaign…
On the 2nd anniversary of the date corrupt swindler Stuart Levine went to prison, a new television ad debuted featuring Republican billionaire Bruce Rauner’s direct ties to Levine. The 30-second spot, which went up today, explains how Rauner used pay-to-play to profit from taxpayer dollars with the help of one of Illinois’ most notorious swindlers. Levine reported to prison Sept. 27, 2012.
It all started in 2003 when Rauner’s firm was awarded a deal worth $50 million from the Illinois Teachers Retirement System (TRS). Later it was revealed that a company owned by Rauner’s firm was secretly paying $25,000 a month to Levine, a TRS Board Member, who helped Rauner get the $50 million deal. And Rauner never disclosed that egregious conflict of interest to the board, a violation of his fiduciary duty.
Levine left the company only after being indicted on federal corruption charges. He later was sent to prison.
According to Levine’s testimony during the trial of Tony Rezko, his job was to get work for CompBenefits Corp., owned in part by GTCRauner, through “whatever means were needed, including payoffs.”
There is no evidence that “Rauner used pay-to-play” here. Yeah, it looks hinky on its face, but that’s a bit of a stretch, to say the least.
* The ad…
* The script…
Narrator: “Billionaire Bruce Rauner was somehow able to wrangle a $50 million contract with the Illinois Teachers Retirement System. Later, an investigation revealed Rauner’s firm was secretly paying $25,000 a month to a board member who helped hand Rauner that $50 million deal. Rauner never disclosed that. Did Bruce Rauner really think, no one would find out?”
* Sun-Times…
The Quinn ad follows by two weeks the release of a Rauner commercial, which ties the governor to his one-time running mate, Blagojevich, and the “corruption, patronage, cronyism, investigations, prison” associated with the ex-governor.
I’ll open comments on Monday.
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* Pearson worked later than I did today…
* Quinn campaign…
News is breaking that billionaire Republican Bruce Rauner, the richest candidate in Illinois history, has given himself another $1.5 million in his efforts to buy the governor’s seat. Rauner has now given himself more than $12.5 million.
And the Chicago Tribune is tweeting Rauner gave another $750,000 to the Illinois Republican Party, bringing the total to more than$3.5 million. […]
Below is the statement of Quinn for Illinois Deputy Press Secretary Izabela Miltko at the new flood of Rauner money:
“As the public learns that Bruce Rauner has been deceiving them about his key role at a deadly string of nursing homes at a trial in Florida, Rauner has done what he does best: Reached for his pocket book.
“No amount of money will make up for the substandard care that was prevalent at Rauner’s nursing homes. And no amount of money will be able to hide the truth from the people of Illinois, that his policies, like his business practices, put profit ahead of people.”
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Reader comments closed for the weekend
Friday, Sep 26, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I think I’m going to this…
Rich,
I meant to send this to you much earlier knowing your affinity for great live music coupled with tasty food and beverages, unfortunately I’m just now remembering to.
The SamJam - Unplugged on the Prairie event is 12 hours of acoustic, progressive bluegrass, roots, and Americana with all proceeds going to neurofibromatosis (NF) research through NF Midwest. It is tomorrow at the Macoupin County Fairgrounds in Carlinville from noon to midnight. If you’re in the area, you should definitely check it out.
The line-up is pretty solid with the 6 bands from St. Louis and Chicago area, they are Old Salt Union, Chicago Farmer, Tangleweed, Acoustics Anonymous, Clusterpluck, and The Leadfoot Band.
Here is a link to the SamJam website: http://www.samjam4nf.com/.
Sam, who is the namesake of ‘SamJam’, is a personal friend and an amazing guy. He loves live music and this is his and his family’s way to give back to all those that have helped him over the years. It should be a blast.
Cheers
* We’re ending the week with two videos. The first is the “Boat Drink Caucus” playing at the Phases of the Moon Festival. Notice that Sen. Don Harmon is playing bass. The band’s bass player fell ill. Harmon hadn’t played bass in decades, but he grabbed an axe and let it rip…
* And, now, Van the Man…
We were born before the wind
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Zorn on “early release”
Friday, Sep 26, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Zorn writes about the case of Derrick Allmon, who’s accused of deliberately killing 9-year-old Antonio Smith after he served half his prison sentence and was released…
“A violent criminal was let out early under (Gov.) Pat Quinn (and) murdered a 9-year-old boy,” seethed Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner on Tuesday.
But Allmon wasn’t let out “early.” He was let out exactly when the prosecutors and the courts expected he would be let out on the day he was sentenced. He was let out exactly when the law, passed by Democrats and Republicans in Springfield, said he should be let out.
“We cannot allow this to continue to occur,” continued Rauner.
If by “this” he means a pervasive misunderstanding by the public of how prison sentences work — a misunderstanding to which Rauner opportunistically contributed by trying to score political points off the death of Antonio Smith — then I agree. […]
Or if by “this” Rauner means rewriting sentencing laws to give judges the latitude to keep dangerous people behind bars for longer periods or removing this fig leaf commonly known as “good time,” I also agree.
But if by “this” he means a sentence-reduction program that was discontinued several years ago and has been replaced (under Quinn!) by an incentive-based program only for those convicted of nonviolent crimes, I call rubbish.
I probably excerpted too much, but go read the whole thing to fully appreciate the arguments here.
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Question of the day
Friday, Sep 26, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* First, it was the “early release” rehash from 2010, then it was thirty year-old comments from Mayor Harold Washington which were already used in the 2010 campaign, and now Gloria Steinem…
Famed women’s rights activist Gloria Steinem is throwing her support behind Gov. Pat Quinn and launching a “Women for Quinn” Coalition.
Steinem was scheduled to appear at Chicago’s Allegro Hotel with Quinn and top Democratic female officeholders including Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon, U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle.
Steinem said in a statement that she backs the Chicago Democrat because he supports abortion rights and equal pay for women. She said he fought for a law to end discrimination against pregnant women in the workplace.
No offense meant to Ms. Steinem, but it’s most definitely “Throwback Week” on the ol’ campaign trail.
* The Question: What blasts from the past do you predict the two campaigns will haul out next week? Snark is obviously encouraged, as are explanations for your “predictions.”
…Adding… The Steinem visit has been postponed. Also, Dave Dahl over at the Illinois Radio Network mentioned the above throw-back items in his report today and ended it with a funny “Back to the Future” theme…
Heh. I love that guy.
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Another unknown
Friday, Sep 26, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* No way does Bruce Rauner want the NRA’s endorsement while he’s trying to do well in suburban Cook County and Chicago. So he didn’t respond…
* Rauner did, however, talk to the AP about generalities…
Rauner, a Republican businessman from Winnetka, applauded Illinois becoming the last state in the nation to approve concealed carry, and warns that too many regulations on assault weapons and other firearms can run afoul of constitutional rights. […]
“Gun regulations are important,” Rauner said at a news conference, where he was endorsed by a group of black Chicago ministers. “It’s important that we keep guns away from criminals and the mentally ill, but going much beyond that creates constitutional issues.” […]
“I believe in common sense gun safety measures like background checks that keep guns away from criminals and people with mental illness,” he wrote. “Going beyond that requires a very careful balance between promoting public safety and protecting constitutional rights.”
During a GOP primary debate, Rauner said gun owners may want to use the weapons for target practice or other purposes on their own property — calling it a constitutional right “and we’ve got to respect that fact.” Quinn’s campaign on Monday repeated its criticisms of his stance, saying such weapons “belong on a battlefield — not in our schools and not in our communities.”
* Jim Oberweis, on the other hand, needs all the help he can get…
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* From a press release…
Tom Cross announced one year ago that he would not seeking re-election to the Illinois House and instead was running for State Treasurer. But over the last year, Tom Cross spent $192,692 from his legislative PAC, Citizens to Elect Tom Cross State Representative, to support his race for Treasurer. Those expenditures include: more than $40,000 in payments to Cross’ campaign manager Kevin Artl and five other employees; nearly $40,000 in payments to campaign consultants; and over $10,000 in meal charges. During the same period, Tom Cross continued to funnel money into both his legislative campaign account and Cross for Treasurer, which was created on September 11, 2013.
The Frerichs campaign says that is a clear violation of Illinois campaign finance laws. Under the law, PACs are required to report when they spend money on behalf of another candidate or cause, even when it is the same individual running for another office, which Cross failed to do. Illinois law also limits Cross to spending $52,600 from his legislative PAC on behalf of his Treasurer’s race in an election cycle, a cap that the Frerichs campaign says Cross clearly violated. The Frerichs campaign notes that Cross did report transferring $15,000 from his legislative campaign account to his treasurer’s race, a move that is perfectly legal. That move, they say, is proof that Tom Cross knew the law yet chose to ignore it
“Tom Cross wants to be our state treasurer, but he can’t even account for his own fundraising,” says Frerichs campaign manager Zach Koutsky. “Tom Cross violated basic election laws in a major way, and he clearly knew he was doing it.”
The contribution caps were enacted in 2009 on the anniversary of the arrest of Tom Cross political ally Rod Blagojevich. Frerichs voted for SB 1466 while Tom Cross voted against the measure.
Documentation is here.
* From the Cross campaign…
Another day, another false attack by Senator Mike Frerichs. Over the course of the last few weeks, the Frerichs campaign has launched a litany of untrue attacks, ranging from statements about Tom attending conferences he never did to mistruths about his voting record.
“As it relates to today’s fictitious attack by Senator Frerichs, our campaign has fully complied with the requirements of the Campaign Finance Act by fully disclosing all contributions and expenditures. The purpose of the Campaign Finance Act is to compel the disclosure of political spending and Tom has fully disclosed for each committee, period.
“The desperation of the Frerichs campaign, which is losing in every noteworthy general election survey, is exemplified in the dirty tactics they are undertaking. The conduct of Senator Frerichs calls into serious question whether he has the character or judgment to serve the state of Illinois as its next Treasurer.”
I’m expecting more back and forth on this one, so stay tuned. Notice that Cross’ campaign didn’t specifically address the caps issue.
*** UPDATE *** As expected, the Frerichs campaign has responded. The relevant portion…
Tom Cross continues to dodge questions, just as he dodged complying with our state’s campaign finance laws.
One of the main purposes of the law is to ensure that campaign spending is transparent. Tom Cross violated both the spirit and the letter of the law by spending money from his legislative PAC on his Treasurer’s campaign and failing to disclose that fact. Period. Cross also clearly violated caps that limit how much his legislative PAC can spend on his Treasurer’s race to $52,600 per cycle.
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
* In other news, Greg Hinz followed up with the Illinois Department of Revenue about its changed stance over Sen. Frerichs’ legislative office property tax bill…
Initially, the department ruled that Mr. Frerichs’ case was similar to that of state Rep. Monique Davis, D-Chicago, who some years ago was ordered to pay property taxes on space she leased from Chicago Public Schools for her district constituent office. But now it says otherwise. Why the shift?
According to the department, state law treats school property differently from a building owned by a mass transit district.
Even though both are public bodies, “Once the (school) property is no longer used for exempt purposes, it is again subject to property tax, even if leased to the state government,” a department spokeswoman said. But the law covering transit districts allows the break if the leasing entity also is a public body, in this case a member of the state Senate using the space for public purposes.
* Meanwhile, this looked like a pretty big hit when I read the Tribune headline and lede…
Simon hits Topinka on aides’ lucrative 2nd jobs
Democratic challenger Sheila Simon on Thursday criticized Republican Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka for her role as president of a federally funded nonprofit that paid two key comptroller staffers more than $50,000 a year for part-time work on top of their six-figure taxpayer-funded salaries.
But, as it turns out, the organization in question didn’t update its disclosure forms after Topinka was elected. It’s actually much less time per week for much less money. At least, that’s what they’re saying.
* The Topinka campaign fired back…
Lt. Governor Simon reports income from “consulting” in 2014 but does not indicate what the consulting involved, who it was for or how much time she spent on the work outside of her Constitutional Office.
Hypocrisy has a name and its name is Sheila.
Simon’s disclosure report is here. Disclosure is required for any annual income earned over $5,000 and Simon lists “Consulting” in that category.
…Adding… From the Simon campaign…
Rich -
Attached is the transcript of the full exchange between Comptroller Topinka and the editorial board on the Smart Money Smart Women issue. As you can see, Judy Baar Topinka believes she left the company several years ago, but the tax filings for the company list her as the president as recently as 2012.
Here are links to the Form 990s for the company in question. As you can see on PDF page 7, Nancy Kimme was earning $117,300 in 2010, Markus Veile was making $84,310, and Ken Kamps was making $66,000, for what they list as 35 hours per week worked.
Fast forward to 2012, and you see that on PDF page 7 again, Nancy Kimme and Markus Veile are still there in the same position, listed at 35 hours per week, and now earning $53,350 each (while also drawing six figure salaries at the Comptroller’s office, full time). Judy Baar Topinka is still listed as the president of the company.
So they say they listed the wrong amount of hours, and also Judy Baar Topinka should not have been listed as president. But they DID go in and alter the salary amounts - how could the rest have been overlooked? The signature block on the first page clearly says:
“Under penalty of perjury, I declare that I have examined this return, including accompanying schedules and statements, and to the best of my knowledge and belief, it is true, correct, and complete. Declaration of preparer (other than officer) is based on all information of which preparer has any knowledge.” In 2010, Ken Kamps signed the form. In 2012, Nancy Kimme signed it.
Also, for the “consulting” thing with Sheila, if Comptroller Topinka’s campaign referred to page 4 of the filing they will see under “Major sources of income” that Sheila listed $8,516 from textbook royalties. She was the co-author of a law textbook.
Here are cleaner PDF links:
2009
http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2010/770/627/2010-770627531-077abf76-9.pdf
2011
http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2011/770/627/2011-770627531-08a65aec-9.pdf
2012
http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2012/770/627/2012-770627531-09bc9ca8-9.pdf
–
Dave Mellet
Campaign Manager
Sheila Simon for Illinois
The attachment is here.
* The two went at it at the Sun-Times as well…
Topinka boasts that she has implemented a policy of prioritizing payments for not-for-profit and service agencies that serve the state’s most vulnerable residents. She says there are “no favorites” but that she works with state agencies, lawmakers and vendors themselves to understand which situations are most dire.
But Simon says the office should work to disclose exactly who it’s paying when, and why.
“It’s perfectly legal to be silent about that. I just think it’s wrong,” Simon said. She suggested the comptroller’s office should publicly disclose who agencies getting expedited payments employ, the number of people they serve, and whether they’ve exhausted all other lines of credit.
Topinka calls Simon’s idea unfeasible and “overly simplistic,” noting the state writes checks from hundreds of different funds, some of which have large backlogs, and others which have no backlogs at all. The office is obligated by law to pay for some services, such as foster care, immediately.
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Unclear on the concept
Friday, Sep 26, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Riopell and Silverberg at the Daily Herald…
Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn wants his tax plan put into action right after the Nov. 4 election, echoing his key campaign argument that the state can’t afford to let income taxes drop at the end of the year.
Quinn has called for keeping the state’s 2011 income tax hike intact instead of letting it lower on Jan. 1 as scheduled. Without the money from the higher income tax rate, he says, the state faces serious cuts to schools and a growing pile of unpaid bills. […]
Quinn says his re-election will demonstrate to lawmakers that his plan is the right one.
“It’s going to happen in 2014, in November and December,” he said of his tax plans. New lawmakers take their seats in January.
You’d think that after six years as governor he’d know he will need a three-fifths super-majority to pass his tax hike extension in November or December.
Ain’t gonna happen, guv. January is the month you’re looking for.
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Pot, meet kettle
Friday, Sep 26, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Republican Bobby Schilling is quite upset with a new DCCC TV ad…
“Congresswoman Bustos and the DCCC (Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee) should be ashamed of themselves for promoting an edited, dishonest video and running advertisements based upon it,” Schilling said.
“This was bullying, plain and simple,” he continued. “I’m calling on Congresswoman Bustos and the national Democrats to do the right thing and remove this dishonest advertisement from the airwaves.”
Schilling wants the campaign to get away from disputing political ads and center more on the issues.
“There has to be some way we can have (ads) vetted through so you have independent people looking at and say, ‘This is and honest ad, and here’s the facts’ and be able to put it out,” Schilling said. “But, that’s probably never gonna happen.”
* Oh, for crying out loud. And I do mean “crying.” I think I posted the ad already, but here it is in case you missed it…
* The script…
The Sensata plant in Freeport closed and shipped off more than 100 jobs to China…
When workers in Freeport needed their Congressman, Bobby Schilling turned his back on them.
Schilling voted to protect tax breaks for corporations that outsource jobs
– and even voted to let them keep their government contracts.
He used your tax money to help send American jobs overseas.
We don’t need any more politicians like Bobby Schilling.
* From the QCTimes…
Schilling, who represented the 17th District from 2011-12, objected to the new ad Tuesday, calling it a “lie.”
The commercial doesn’t say so directly, but the Democratic committee confirmed it is referring to a September 2012 confrontation between the former Republican congressman and a few workers from Sensata Technologies at a Stephenson County Farm Bureau meeting.
Workers at the meeting demanded to know whether Schilling supported a piece of legislation and, after some back and forth that involved what appeared to be a farm bureau official, the workers began chanting “yes or no,” and Schilling was escorted by one of his campaign staff to the back of the room.
When at least some of the Sensata workers left the room, Schilling returned to the front of the room, according to a video of the incident posted at the time by Schilling’s campaign.
“They’re saying Schilling walked out on constituents. That’s a lie,” the Republican said in an interview Tuesday.
* And check out how he goes to great lengths to prove his point…
Yes, he makes some valid arguments, but his over-interpretation of the simple phrase “turned his back” is more than a little goofy.
And I have to agree with Cheri Bustos’ campaign that his idea to have “independent people” vet ads is pretty rich coming from a guy who ran a TV ad this month which FactCheck.org brutally slammed as “shamefully misleading.”
As I often say in comments: Move along, please.
…Adding… This just came over the transom. From a WEEK TV story…
“And they did this to try to bully and intimidate and put this out to make it look like I walked out on a meeting. I believe it is unamerican and it’s the bad part of politics for anyone to do that, whether it is Republican or Democrat” said Schilling.
Oh, please. Unamerican? Clean your own house first, dude.
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Today’s number: 71 percent
Friday, Sep 26, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* As you know, I greatly prefer legalization, but Springfield’s decrim appears to be drastically cutting down on the city’s arrests for tiny amounts of marijuana. SJ-R…
Arrests for possession of small amounts of marijuana in Springfield dropped dramatically from 2009 to last year, following the city council’s move to change how such offenses are dealt with.
A decriminalization ordinance passed in 2009 said people found possessing less than 2.5 grams of marijuana would be ticketed and fined $300. Before the ordinance was passed, the offense would have resulted in a Class C misdemeanor charge that included a $1,500 fine. […]
There were 101 arrests in Springfield last year for possession of less than 2.5 grams of marijuana, a nearly 71 percent drop from the number of arrests for the same offense in 2009. […]
In the four-year period starting in 2010 and including 2014 to date, there have been 465 arrests in Springfield for small amounts of marijuana, according to figures provided by the city. During the same period, 1,627 citations were issued for such possession offenses, roughly 3 1/2 times the number of arrests.
But 2.5 grams is less than a tenth of an ounce. Maybe it should be expanded?
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* We’re getting to this a bit late in the game, but here’s the Sun-Times’ take…
A Snapchat text from Wrigley Field during state worker hours and a pair of sexually harrassing text messages to female co-workers were among the new details to emerge Wednesday in the firings of three high-level staffers in state Treasurer Dan Rutherford’s office.
The Executive Ethics Commission Wednesday released a report by David Wells, executive inspector general for the treasurer’s office, into an alleged scheme to circumvent the time-keeping system in Rutherford’s office.
Wells identified Patrick Carlson, George Daglas and Ashvin Lad, all three senior members in Rutherford’s management team, and said all three violated the “trust and integrity” of Rutherford and state taxpayers by their conduct. […]
“All three positions are senior staff positions within the office of state treasurer, appointed by Treasurer Rutherford. These individuals are in leadership positions of a state agency wherein integrity and trust are key character traits. By their participation in this fraudulent time keeping scheme, whether it was ‘every day’ or ‘one time only,’ their actions violated the trust and integrity of Treasurer Rutherford, the office of state treasurer, and most importantly, the trust of the taxpayers of the state of Illinois,” Wells’ report concluded.
* The Tribune has a different sort of angle…
Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford fired three top aides who were accused of falsifying timekeeping records, but the former employees say they were targeted in retaliation for participating in a probe looking into allegations of sexual harassment and political pressure made against their boss. […]
In written responses released by the inspector general, Carlson, Daglas and Lad say there are several inaccuracies in the report and question the legitimacy of the investigation, saying the inspector general did not follow proper protocol and inform them of the right to have interviews recorded.
Carlson said in his response that he at no point admitted to being a part of the scheme, and accused Wells of having an “accusatory tone and demeanor” during interviews. Carlson wrote that Wells’ behavior matches that of other treasurer’s office staff members and was “designed to purposely and willfully create a hostile workplace environment and was done in retaliation” for statements Carlson made to another investigator hired by Rutherford to vet allegations brought against him by a former employee that the treasurer engaged in a pattern of sexual harassment and political pressure.
Lad also questioned Wells’ investigation, saying the ethics officer relied on statements from “co-workers who were set to find ways to retaliate against me for cooperating with an internal investigation.” Daglas did not say he felt he was being retaliated against in his formal response to the report, but told the Tribune on Wednesday that the trio was unfairly targeted for participating in the Rutherford probe. Carlson and Lad declined to comment further, deferring to their written responses.
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* I put this post together during the unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, but never published it. Not sure why. But as you’ll soon see, it’s relevant to today’s revelation about Bruce Rauner.
* I’ve known several people, all poor, who faced the constant threat of arrest over things like a small fine not being paid, or a hospital collects on a debt and a court date is missed and they can’t afford to pony up…
In Ferguson, court fees and fines are the second largest source of funds for the city; $2.6 million was collected in 2013 alone. That’s become a key source of tension. There is a perception in the area, Harvey says, that the black population is targeted to pay those fines. Eighty-six percent of the traffic stops, for example, happen to black residents — even though the city is 67 percent black.
“I can’t tell you what’s going on in the mind of a police officer but, in the mind of my clients, they’re being pulled over because they’re black,” Harvey says. “They’re being pulled over so the city can generate revenue.” […]
“This becomes a major issue: if you can’t pay your fines, you stop going to court. And then a warrant goes out for their arrest, and if they don’t have the fine money they’ll sit in jail until the next court date. We’re talking about traffic tickets here, really the lowest level offense.”
* People all over the country get caught up in this ridiculous cycle. And if they do wind up arrested and sit in jail, they can lose their jobs and their kids. From the New Yorker…
(A)cross much of America, what starts as a simple speeding ticket can, if you’re too poor to pay, mushroom into an insurmountable debt, padded by probation fees and, if you don’t appear in court, by warrant fees. (Often, poverty means transience—not everyone who is sent a court summons receives it.) “Across the country, impoverished people are routinely jailed for court costs they’re unable to pay,” Alec Karakatsanis, a cofounder of Equal Justice Under Law, a nonprofit civil-rights organization that has begun challenging this practice in municipal courts, said. These kinds of fines snowball when defendants’ cases are turned over to for-profit probation companies for collection, since the companies charge their own “supervision” fees. What happens when people fall behind on their payments? Often, police show up at their doorsteps and take them to jail.
From there, the snowball rolls. “Going to jail has huge impacts on people at the edge of poverty,” Sara Zampieren, of the Southern Poverty Law Center, told me. “They lose their job, they lose custody of their kids, they get behind on their home-foreclosure payments,” the sum total of which, she said, is “devastating.” While in prison, “user fees” often accumulate, so that, even after you leave, you’re not quite free. A recent state-by-state survey conducted by NPR showed that in at least forty-three states defendants can be billed for their own public defender, a service to which they have a Constitutional right; in at least forty-one states, inmates can be charged for room and board in jail and prison.
* Thankfully, Illinois took a stand against this craziness two years ago. From a May 30, 2012 press release…
Attorney General Lisa Madigan today applauded state lawmakers for supporting the Debtors’ Rights Act of 2012, a measure that would protect poor people from being jailed over unpaid debts.
Small traffic-related fines, hospital bills and the like were covered under that legislation. It was a very good bill that helped Illinois move away from criminalizing poverty. Other states, however, are not so enlightened.
* Now, on to Bruce Rauner. It’s not known whether Rauner had anything to do with plans to purchase this company, which was finalized just two months after he retired from GTCR, so it’s once again difficult to pin anything on him. From the Chicago Reader…
Though Rauner retired from GTCR in 2012, he’s still an investor in it. Not long after he left the firm, it acquired a company called Correctional Healthcare Companies, which provides medical and mental care, including “behavioral programming,” for prisons and jails that want to save money by outsourcing such services.
Illinois is one of the states that’s contracted with CHC. As the Better Government Association has reported, the mental care it’s provided at juvenile detention facilities has been the subject of a lawsuit—though the suit was filed against the Quinn administration. Records show that the state has paid CHC about $21 million since 2012.
But CHC owns another company that does far more controversial work. Judicial Correction Services doesn’t operate in Illinois, but in a number of states in the south it’s a leading provider of what’s called private or offender-funded probation. Simply put, the company contracts with local courts to oversee people on probation for misdemeanor offenses. The arrangement is attractive to budget-cutting officials because there are no direct costs for taxpayers: the offenders cover expenses by paying monthly fees to be supervised.
The thing is, these aren’t hardened criminals—they’re people snared in the court system for committing low-level offenses. And the problem with asking them to pay is that many of them are on probation because they didn’t have the money to pay the fines for their misdemeanors in the first place. The ACLU calls the practice “court-sanctioned extortion.”
* From that BGA story…
In Illinois, the company has drawn criticism in connection with a federal lawsuit filed in 2012 by the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois against the state Department of Juvenile Justice, accusing the state agency of inadequately treating detainees with mental health conditions. […]
But Dr. Louis Kraus, a court-appointed expert in the ACLU case, says he found that Correctional Healthcare “is not meeting the needs of the kids.” Kraus, a professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at Rush University Medical Center, says he found some Correctional Healthcare employees lacked the training and certification needed to treat juveniles with serious mental health and psychiatric problems. […]
An unrelated court case, which was settled in November 2012 for undisclosed terms, accused Correctional Healthcare of being “deliberately indifferent” to the medical needs of an unnamed Illinois youth prisoner. That lawsuit was filed in May 2011 in federal court in Chicago against Correctional Healthcare, an affiliate of the company and a Correctional Healthcare physician the lawsuit said didn’t send the detainee to a hospital until more than 14 hours after the boy first complained of severe testicular pain. As a result, one of the boy’s testicles had to be surgically removed, according to the suit.
Discuss.
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* Roland Burris was expected to testify against C. Gregory Turner in his federal trial related to alleged illegal lobbying on behalf of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe. But Turner’s lawyers say they received new federal documents about what’s said to be a federal investigation into the former US Senator. The Sun-Times has the scoop…
Prosecutors Barry Jonas and Georgia Alexakis said most of the documents handed to Turner’s lawyers Thursday relate to the federal probe of Burris’s controversial appointment by former Gov. Rod Blagojevich to the U.S. Senate in 2008, which was already “in the public domain.” But they also acknowledged that there is also new information about a second probe of Burris, which they described as “sensitive” and said should not be discussed in open court.
Details of the new allegations against Burris weren’t discussed publicly Friday morning, but after [Turner lawyer James Tunick] passed the judge a three-page document that details the new allegations, the judge’s eye’s bulged and she appeared to stare pointedly at prosecutors.
“As you can see, it’s very serious,” Tunick told her. […]
Bucklo ordered both sides to return at 3 p.m. so that they can discuss the matter further.
OK, let’s please not speculate in comments. We’ll track any further developments later this afternoon.
*** UPDATE *** From the Twitters…
Oof.
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Madiar argues against pension reform law
Friday, Sep 26, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Via the Senate Democrats comes this op-ed by their chief legal counsel Eric Madiar…
Anyone following the pension reform debate knows that Illinois has long diverted the moneys needed to properly fund its pension systems to avoid tax increases, cuts in public services or both. Some may not admit it, but they know it. They also know this practice is the primary reason why the systems are underwater.
Since much of my time over the last three years has been spent on our State’s pension problem, I wanted to find out how long it’s been that way and how long we have known about it. Well, as chronicled in an article I wrote now published by Chicago-Kent College of Law, I have an answer.
1917. No, that’s not a typo.
In 1917, the Illinois Pension Laws Commission warned State leaders in a report that the retirement systems were nearing “insolvency” and “moving toward crisis” because of the State’s failure to properly fund the systems. This nearly century old report also recommended action so that the pension obligations of that generation would not be passed on to future generations.
The 1917 report’s warning and funding recommendation went unheeded, as were similar warnings and funding recommendations found in decades of public pension reports issued before and after the Pension Clause was added to the Illinois Constitution in 1970.
These reports have consistently warned the public and lawmakers for decades of the dire consequences of the State’s continued underfunding, and of the significant burden that unfunded pension liabilities posed for taxpayers. They have also been advised that the Pension Clause bars the legislature from unilaterally cutting pension benefits of retirees and current employees.
Indeed, one of the Clause’s purposes is to prevent the State from reneging on its pension obligations during a fiscal crisis due to the burden imposed by the State’s unfunded liabilities. The Clause was added at a time when the pension systems were no better than they are today.
These reports also reveal that, as early as 1979, Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s advised the State that it would lose its AAA bond rating if the State did not begin tackling its increasing unfunded pension liabilities. Also, in 1982, Governor Jim Thompson succeeded in passing legislation making pension funding far more dependent upon stock market returns to stave off higher State pension contributions. Interestingly, that legislation resulted from a report commissioned by Governor Thompson, which highlighted how the pension systems should consider investing in mortgage-backed securities to obtain higher stock market returns.
Further, a 1985 task force report noted that Standard and Poor’s reduced its bond rating for Illinois from AAA to AA+ due to the State’s “deferral of pension obligations,” and that another rating agency viewed the State’s pension funding as a future financial “time bomb.” Finally, the much heralded 1995 pension funding plan was designed to increase the State’s unfunded liabilities and postpone the State’s actuarially-sound pension contributions until 2034.
Given this well-documented history, it’s extremely hard to legitimately believe that our State’s current situation is so surprising that the Illinois Constitution can be ignored and pension benefits unilaterally cut. As noted in my previous legal research, the Pension Clause does not support such a result.
The likelihood of that result occurring seems even more remote given the Illinois Supreme Court’s July decision. In that decision, the court explained that the Clause was intended to “insulate” benefits from “diminishment or impairment by the General Assembly”, and that the court could not rewrite the Clause “to include restrictions and limitations that the drafters did not express and the citizens of Illinois did not approve.”
Make no mistake about it, the court’s July decision strongly signals doom for the argument that the 2013 pension reform bill is constitutional because the legislature can trump the Pension Clause when it declares a fiscal necessity. So too does the State’s sordid history of failing to properly fund the State’s pension system.
When it comes to Illinois’ pension funding problem “what’s past is prologue.” Addressing this problem, however, requires the acceptance of this history as well as the obligations and boundaries imposed by the Pension Clause.
Madiar’s Chicago-Kent article is here.
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Open thread
Friday, Sep 26, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Man, it never fails. Wake up late and everything then seems to take twice as long to finish. Sorry about the lack of posts this morning.
So, while I continue trying to catch up, how about a local elections open thread? Let us know what’s going on in your neck of the woods.
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