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Strike two

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Illinois

* You would think that after the state treasurer’s office stirred up a hornet’s nest by opening satellite offices right before the election they’d be extra careful about mixing state business with politics. You’d be wrong…

Alexi Giannoulias is the state treasurer of Illinois, but it’s hard to tell from the just-published quarterly issue of his office’s Financial Education Newsletter, which has almost nothing to say about what the Democratic incumbent’s been up to but is chock full of news about his chief of staff.

That would be Robin Kelly, who is pictured five times in the four-page newsletter and is prominently quoted on at least three pages. She happens to be the Democratic candidate to succeed Mr. Giannoulias as treasurer in the November general election, just three months from now.

Right on page one, the newsletter talks about how Ms. Kelly welcomed attendants at the office’s annual Smart Women Smart Money conference. A couple of pictures of her presenting awards are on page two.

Page three shows and tells about Ms. Kelly working to establish savings accounts for children and to award Bright Start scholarships. And while there’s no picture on page four, she is quoted again talking about a new program to help low-income folks save money.

Page four also happens to include the only mention of Mr. Giannoulias that I could find.

Go have a look for yourself. Blatant. Not only is she pictured five times, her name is mentioned on every single page.

…Adding… From the treasurer’s office…

Hi Rich,

I’d like you to clarify a few items for your readers.

Under this administration, we’ve cut our staff by 17 percent (about 40 positions) at the same time we’ve worked to improve outreach and financial education through free or low-cost means such as satellite offices and newsletters.

The financial education newsletter has been distributed on a quarterly basis since Winter 2008 via email — not by mail – and they are all available on our website for review. It has always featured both Robin and Alexi, along with other members of our Financial Education staff.

Recipients voluntarily sign up for the newsletter at our financial education events, including Smart Women Smart Money conferences. SWSM was established under the previous administration 10 years ago and continues to draw hundreds of participants each year from across the state. SWSM is presented by Dollars & Sense Inc., a not-for-profit organization, thanks to corporate sponsorships.

The Illinois State Treasurer’s Offices operates six satellite offices across the state to save money and improve constituent services. We put out this fact sheet in July, but it appears that people need to be reminded that these offices have been rolled out since 2007 at a net savings to taxpayers.

FACT: In every year of the Giannoulias administration at least one new satellite office has been opened.

FACT: In every instance the satellite office is rent-free.

FACT: STO employees were already working in every part of the state and were incurring high travel expenses prior to satellite offices opening.

FACT: Even after accounting for expenses like phone lines and internet, the reduced travel costs have saved the STO $30,000 and counting already.

FACT: STO regional employees are cross-trained on all STO programs allowing them to provide service to citizens and communities throughout the state.

FACT: Prior to opening the satellite offices Illinois citizens were forced to drive to either Springfield or Chicago to go to the Treasurer’s office. Here are the distances saved:
· Rockford (90 miles)
· Rock Island (160 miles)
· Effingham (90 miles)
· Collinsville (80 miles)
· Mt. Vernon (130 miles)

FACT: The State Treasurer’s office has 17% fewer employees under the Giannoulias administration than under the previous one.

Thanks,

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 1:54 pm

Comments

Alexi’s name also appears on page 1.

Glad my tax dollars are going to this stuff….

Comment by OneMan Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 2:01 pm
Just a blantant abuse. A reason to vote against both of them as far as I am concerned.

Comment by Niles Township Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 2:02 pm
In Illinois, when you get three strikes you automatically get elected.

Comment by John Bambenek Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 2:04 pm
Think someone is going to file one of these?

http://www.treasurer.il.gov/OIG/Complaint.html

Comment by OneMan Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 2:05 pm
Oh please, more of this crybaby nonsense. The Treasurer’s office puts out a newsletter about financial education/literacy to people who sign up for that newsletter and it talks about the conference they just held on, wait for it, financial literacy. And then they go on to quote from the speaker at the conference, Robin Kelly. Surely there will be a Drudge siren blaring somewhere.

Comment by The Captain Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 2:06 pm
I got a ‘district newsletter’ from my state rep shortly before his last re-election. As I recall, he only sent them out before an election and they were NOT sent from the campaign. People do it, doesn’t make it right but this is not an isolated incident in Illinois politics.

Comment by Who cares Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 2:13 pm
Yes captain it’s just a coincidence that she was involved with everything they chose to put in the newsletter….

If anything it makes the argument not to elect her, because if you read this it appears that Alexi does nothing and she does everything, so if she ends up in the top job nothing will get done….

Comment by OneMan Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 2:15 pm
Hello Democrats of Illinois. Are you all selfish wimps or do you care about our future generations? If you care, do something and at least stop voting for the Democrats that still use tax money for these types of shady operations. This should be more than enough evidence to show they care more about winning elections and power than they do about serving the people of Illinois. We’ve gotten what we’ve voted for, corruption and problems, and its time to vote for something different now.

Comment by JeffTrigg Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 2:15 pm
Smart Politicians With Your Money kicked off its 10th anniversary year with a conference Illinoisans paid for in northwest suburban Niles. More than 300 attendees participated in breakout sessions on such topics as campaigning on taxpayer dollars, publishing taxpayer funded campaign brochures, opening branch offices in politically important areas, and how to get around ethical standards.

State Treasurer’s Chief of Staff Robin Kelly welcomed everyone and inspired them to draw from the strength of influential politicians in their
lives. “To be a successful candidate,” she said, “you need to stand on the shoulders of taxpayers.” She encouraged others to believe in themselves and stay focused, while ensuring that they take full advantage of the perks within their offices for full political advantage.

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 2:18 pm
Robin Kelly’s picture is the only reason anybody would even bother to look at a newsletter fron the State Treasurer.

Comment by Bill Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 2:22 pm
Wonder if they took the hybrid to these events.

Comment by OneMan Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 2:31 pm
why is the state even paying for this newsletter and these programs in the first place?

Comment by shore Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 2:33 pm
AG is worth $40 mil and hasn’t given dime one to Robin Kelly. I don’t know why he’d start bending over backward to pack the newsletter chock full o’ Robin Kelly. Her campaign is on life support (beep … beep … beep) though no doubt.

Comment by Pioneer P. Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 2:38 pm
If AG is worth 40 Million then why hasn’t he taken care of the folks he owes money to from the primary?

Comment by OneMan Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 2:48 pm
Good to know there’s at least a little money left to award Bright Start scholarships after the fund lost $70 million on their watch.

Comment by LincolnLounger Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 2:52 pm
Why is the State of Illinois paying for this newsletter, if not for political exposure? There wasn’t a bit of useful information included. Waste of postage.

I’m ashamed to be a Democrat anymore.

Comment by Fan of Cap Fax Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 2:53 pm
Dumb. Dumb. Dumb.

Did I say dumb?

Comment by David Ormsby Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 3:00 pm
This piece borders the line of campaigning on state time and using state resources to campaign. I don’t recall one newsletter highlighting Topinka’s Chief of Staff during her tenure. Should not the focus be on the actual elected official??

Comment by Danger Zone Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 3:01 pm
I have to assume she approved the repeated use of her image. If so, how can you really vote to leave her in charge of our finances?

What say you Pat Quinn. If Pat can use the state plane for what was about 45 minutes of official business and 4 hours of campaign stops, why can’t she use state newsletters that are part official news and part campaign?

Comment by the Patriot Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 3:11 pm
Was there anything in the Financial Education Newsletter about who sits on the Bright Start College Savings Program Investment Committee?

Any isnight into how the investment selection criteria for the Bright Start Program is developed.

How about something on how investment portfolios are audited for compliance with the investment policy?

Anything that would give any indication that anyone there could find their behind with both hands?

Comment by Quinn T. Sential Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 3:16 pm
I’m a Dem and this sickens me. The ONLY pictures in the news letter are of Robin Kelly - who really isn’t doing anything noteworthy - just attending an event. I would hope that someone would file a complaint about this ASAP.

Comment by Northside Blogger Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 3:29 pm
Just another example of thinly veiled campaign literature mailed out at taxpayer expense under the guise of communications with constituents.Do office holders really believe that their constituents are not bright enough to understand the purpose of these newsletters?

Comment by WRMNpolitics Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 3:33 pm
Hmmm that response seems more like a justification than it does anything else.

Comment by Levois Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 3:36 pm
Fact - This newsletter is a waste of money.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 3:38 pm
If you don’t have any money, it’s smart to leech off the taxpayers.

Smart.

Money.

Hey! We can call it a government program and nobody will notice it’s a campaign ad.

Smart.

Comment by Joe from Joliet Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 3:41 pm
FACT: Prior to opening the satellite offices Illinois citizens were forced to drive to either Springfield or Chicago to go to the Treasurer’s office.

REALITY: Raise your hand if you have ever once visited an office of the State Treasurer. Congratulations if you have, you are one of the rarest of breeds in the State of Illinois.

How about dividing the number of visitors per office by the # of citizens over the age of 18 in the state, and then re-calculating that cost vs. benefit equation to try to justify ANY expense associated with these campaign backdrop locations.

Comment by Quinn T. Sential Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 3:43 pm
Franking FTW

Comment by John Bambenek Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 3:46 pm
FACT: The latest newsletter looks a lot like a campaign ad for the chief of staff.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 3:46 pm
FACT: Rich Miller really got under the skin of the Treasurers office, Kelly for State Treasurer and Alexi for Senate today. Nice work. Are these people paying attention at all?

Comment by Red Ranger Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 3:56 pm
FACT: This is the best campaigning Kelly can do with the little $ she has.

Comment by Reggie P Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 3:58 pm
OK, I’ll bite. What services do the satellite offices provide? For that matter, what services does the Treasurer’s office provide that would be of interest to any ordinary citizen? Can I go there and get something renewed? Pay some obligation? Please, tell me.

Comment by Excessively Rabid Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 3:59 pm
Don’t worry, our AG is a bulldog and she won’t stand for this type of misappropriation of state funds for political purposes. Sick em Lisa!

I mean…wait for your daddy to tell you to ignore it, then do nothing, as usual.

Comment by the Patriot Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 4:00 pm
My state rep had never sent out a newsletter until he had an opponent. All of a sudden I started getting a 4 page glossy flyer about his “legislative accomplishments” and how many jobs he had saved, etc. etc. Would get them at least twice a year. I’ll bet there are a lot of other reps who do the same thing. I thought the practice should be banned as a waste of taxpayer money. So if we are going to “investigate” Kelly let’s investigate all of the GA members who send out the same thing. BTW there is a ban on sending these out a certain number of days before the election.

Comment by Marcus Agrippa Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 4:15 pm
FACT: In every instance the satellite office is rent-free.

So someone donates the space to the state? If the state owns the building or rents it for some other use and the treasurer’s office gets it ‘free’ it isn’t free to me as a taxpayer.

If the treasurer is getting truly free office space how about letting some human services folks use the space?

Comment by OneMan Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 4:17 pm
the only thing to do is compare. what was it like under
Judy? answer, as much as I loathe Alexi, THE SAME. and
more. doesn’t make it right, but, there’s just something
about that office……

Comment by Amalia Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 4:26 pm
FACT: The Kelly response to Miller uses arguments remarkably similar to those made by former Lt. Governor Corinne Wood when one of her annual reports showed little but Corinne Wood.

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 4:28 pm
so they don’t even address the issue of using tax money for a campaign add?

Comment by Ahoy Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 4:30 pm
Yes, Ahoy, that’s a FACT. lol

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 4:31 pm
wait… I’m confused by “ahoy”. Wasn’t their response that only electronic copies of the newsletter go out? Last I recall, I still receive my emails for free. Sounds to me like cost to taxpayers is zero.

Comment by read between the lines Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 4:40 pm
===Sounds to me like cost to taxpayers is zero. ===

Yeah, because it costs absolutely nothing to put those newsletters together and pay for the bulk email sends.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 4:42 pm
Fair enough Rich, but apparently still at a cost 17% less than the previous administration who produced…?

Comment by Read between the lines Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 5:03 pm
Yeah, they should have spent money on postage to help the U.S. Postal Service’s deficit instead of clogging all the state’s internets.

Comment by D.P. Gumby Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 5:06 pm
That “FACT” theme isn’t a way to win anyone over. It comes across kind of jerky … Very DCCC or RNC. Lame guys.

One Mang, I don’t know why AG hasn’t paid off his debt. Why isn’t he self funding or hinting at it while he’s getting hit in the moon for not keeping up with Cap’n Kirk? None of it really makes sense to me.

Comment by Pioneer P. Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 5:10 pm
Fact - Use of email instead of the U.S. post office can still amount to election fraud, misuse of public funds for political purposes or even federal mail fraud

Comment by Northside Blogger Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 5:17 pm
I half figured we would see this

FACT: Chewbacca is a wookie

Comment by OneMan Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 5:25 pm
How many employees from the Treasurer’s office were taking sick and vacation days to work on petition challenges? The answer to that would tell where they can cut their budget even more.

A good chunk of Topinka’s staff used to all take the same days off during petition challenges. Did Alexi fix that, or continue the practice?

Comment by JeffTrigg Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 5:35 pm
Those of you downtown Chicago, take a walk to the West side of Dearborn, right accross from the Dirksen Fed (Blago’s place right now). You’ll see construction signs with ‘recovery act….Barack Obama” all over them. First time I’ve ever seen a POTUS act like a small time pol. Reminds me of nothing so much than that tollway signs and Blago. Shame on our President.

Otherwise, can’t believe anyone reads a newsletter from the State Treasurer anyway. Waste of money, but also sort of stupid.

Comment by Park Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 6:33 pm
You won’t find this abuse in the Wumpus for Senate 2010-2011 Campaign or the Scott Lee COhen Campaign (they are completely seperate!)

Down 17%? What are the incrreases/decreases for other major state offices?

Comment by Wumpus Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 6:57 pm
Just wondering why the “satellite office” in Riverdale didn’t make the list.

FACT: The office physically existed last year about this time. No assigned staff, no regular hours, but it was there.

Comment by temporarily anonymous Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 6:57 pm
Why am I not surprised. She’s a very nice person from what I hear, but amazingly ill-equipped as a candidate. No money. Mo message. Poor defense of her vulnerabilities. Yes, the bottom two offices will have new people in them next year and whether Dems like it or not, they’re HIGHLY LIKELY to be Republicans.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 7:02 pm
Fact: The same staffer trying lamely to spin this turkey was evidently doing so on state time and using state resources. More ethics violations!Quinn T. Sential nailed it. Take from me, there is absolutely no legitimate business reason for any constituent to visit the STO. These offices are a terrible waste.

Comment by Ruth Marx Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 7:22 pm
Fact: Alexi has lost control of his day job.

Comment by David Ormsby Monday, Aug 2, 10 @ 7:53 pm
FACT: Despite this, you are still going to vote for him, just like you voted from Blago. Twice.

Comment by Leroy Tuesday, Aug 3, 10 @ 6:21 am
FACT: The Treasurer’s office response is a spin campaign rebuttle to other issues their Chief of Staff is being hammered on and does not address the newsletter issue at hand.

Comment by Danger Zone Tuesday, Aug 3, 10 @ 9:27 am
Leroy has it rigth…Dems will vote for their candidates regardless of the history of corruption in Chicago/Cook County and state wide office holders..

Comment by ChicagoDem Tuesday, Aug 3, 10 @ 9:45 am
JeffTrigg - If I’m not mistaken, employees can use their vacation time however they choose, including campaigning.

Comment by Anonymous ZZZ Tuesday, Aug 3, 10 @ 10:09 am
What most are forgetting, Robin Kelly is using the satellite offices for getting to her fund raisers of the evening…Hello

Comment by Idealist Tuesday, Aug 3, 10 @ 6:28 pm
Robin took over running the office at least a year ago. The Treasurer’s Office has been her guinea pig while Alexi’s been campaigning and gearing up for the fall election.

Robin has been running the show, leading new office initiatives and trying new programs - but Alexi has been absent. We don’t ever hear from him.

In fact, the last time the whole office every really heard from Alexi was back in 2008 when a former treasurer employee was being convicted for embezzling $750,000 from the banking division.

Comment by treasurer insider Thursday, Aug 5, 10 @ 10:03 pm