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State Senator Kirk Dillard is getting heat from the Champion News blog over contributions he and his senate campaign made to Barack Obama’s 2009 inauguration committee. Dillard, as well as several other Republican federal and state lawmakers, joined the January 2009 DC celebration and attended the Illinois State Society’s exclusive inaugural ball. Those expenses show up on Dillard’s filings with the Illinois State Board of Elections.
Champion News, which is owned by Jack Roeser (who serves on Bruce Rauner’s campaign committee), argues the recorded inauguration expenses contradict Dillard’s assertion that he never contributed to Barack Obama’s presidential campaign.
And check out the Rauner campaign’s react…
Nevermind the endorsement ad. Dillard forgot to tell you he contributed to Obama in 2009. Oops. http://t.co/A3C1heyGhj #twill
— Bruce Rauner HQ (@BruceRaunerHQ) December 9, 2013
Rauner contributed to how many Democrats over the years? He made Rahm Emanuel how many millions? He helped devise a scheme to get how much campaign money to Speaker Madigan’s candidates through Stand for Children’s Illinois PAC?
And now he’s mocking Dillard for contributing a few hundred bucks to the presidential inauguration committee? Last I checked, Obama was every American’s President.
Sheesh.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 3:05 pm
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Hypocrisy personified.
Comment by Sir Reel Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 3:08 pm
(Reads Rauner HQ Tweet, passes out)
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 3:08 pm
Here is the link to the original article: http://www.championnews.net/?p=59727
Comment by Lennie Jarratt Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 3:12 pm
Bruce Rauner is a fraud. Just one more example to back up the previous statement.
Comment by John A Logan Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 3:14 pm
@FakeBruceRauner - All Democratic donations have always come from my wife and her only. #ThrowWifeUnderTheBus
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 3:17 pm
@FakeBruceRauner - Hypocricy is only bad when you can’t make it worth your while. I am a Billionare. You do the Math. #MoneyIsTheMothersMilkOfHypocricyForMe
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 3:20 pm
Joe Louis said, “He can run, but he can’t hide.” Rauner is trying to run from his “pay-to-play”, Democratic contributions and GROSS over-indulgence, but he can’t hide from it. It is so transparent that he is employing the old strategy: “The best defense is a good offense.” in trying to deflect attention from his own dirty laundry. Dirty laundry that keeps piling up.
Comment by Veritas Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 3:30 pm
Actually, pretty stupid to do this. The mileage his campaign gets from this will be swamped by the reminders from his opponents of his Democratic largesse.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 3:35 pm
I absolutely love watching 2 candidates who aren’t going to win, competing to see who can be the biggest loser.
Let’s also not forget Dillard’s Obama man-crush was fine 4 years ago when Jack Roeser was throwing money at Dillard.
Comment by too obvious Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 3:36 pm
Bruuuuuuuuuuuuce.
Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 3:36 pm
The Dillard Crew can’t even pay attention, let alone pay for a solid response to this.
Brady, Dillard, and Rutherford had weeks and weeks and weeks to get a message resonating to GOP voters, that they collectively find the Hypocricy of Bruce Rauner unacceptable.
They all failed, and now during this Holiday season, Rauner is going to own the Narrative and the 3 are going to find themselves wondering where their only commodity went…. time.
The prism of Bruce Rauner versus “Bruce Rauner” the Hypocrite was the angle. With no monies coming in, and without question, not ever going to be at the clip of the Rauner Crew, “where are you guys” in regards to defining yourself versus a walking contradiction?
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 3:39 pm
As someone who went, I can assure you that the Illinois State Society’s inaugural ball was by no means “exclusive.” It just meant plunking down $150 in May 2008, which means it would have been held regardless of who won in November. It was also, bizarrely, held the day before inauguration and the president-elect certainly did not appear.
Comment by Commenter Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 3:39 pm
Why would anyone running for office repeat one of Roeser’s dishonest cheap shots?
The whole reason for having a guy like that around — besides taking his money — is to let him do the dirty work while you keep your hands clean.
Does Rauner want to stand on principle and return any campaign contributions from those who also contributed to either Obama inauguration? They share a lot of big-money friends; I’m sure there’s quite a bit of overlap.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 3:40 pm
- 47th Ward -,
I owe you a shot and a beer for that, you know that, right?
Good. Stuff.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 3:41 pm
In the times of “low information voters” besides those here that pay attention…The ad’s and this will resonate. Our future Governor, if he chooses to run, OW pointed out his opponents have wasted precious time. Yes, the filing date has passed, but I am sure like pensions, we can find a loop hole for change to get OW on the ballot… Otherwise, PQ cruises to victory. Only in Illinois…
Comment by Walter Mitty Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 3:47 pm
- wordslinger - is right.
Amateur hour when you reinforce or assist in your Dopey supporters as they wade in the gutter.
It is like the Hypocricy is such a stain to Bruce Rauner, any chance he can pretend the stain is a “pattern spot” on a tie or something, they try that tact.
Let the Fanatics do the silly gutter work.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 3:48 pm
The GOP primary will be an excellent taste of both the public’s memory and cynicism level. Fortunately for Bruce, I’m betting that memories are extremely short and have an extremely high tolerance for cynicism.
Comment by Johnny Q. Suburban Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 3:51 pm
I’ve never seen such utter contempt for the intelligence of the voters. What’s scary is it may just work. He literally thinks he won’t be called on anything. Why would little people ever question his sincerity? I don’t hate politicians generally. Good thing Bruce Rauner is not a politician.
Comment by Jimbo Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 4:04 pm
Quinn’s best strategy might be to shut up and let Bruce be Bruce. Hard to believe Quinn seems to be the more attractive choice, but then this IS Illinois.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 4:20 pm
OW - “Hypocricy” is wrong. Not wrong noting Bruce is a hypocrite, but just some nit-picking regarding the spelling of “hypocrisy.” (Sorry, must be channeling my inner Sister Roberta from my grade school spelling tests.)
Comment by West Side the Best Side Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 4:30 pm
- West Side the Best Side -,
Since I am not being “Graded” here, I usually don’t worry about “auto-correct” of if my spelling goes awry. Usually if I only have one error a post, it’s a “Win”.
With respest, - West Side the Best Side -,
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 4:37 pm
As it worked (to some extent) in another campaign for governor, to paraphrase “What’s he thinking!”
Comment by LINK Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 4:38 pm
What’s he (Dillard) thinking?
Comment by Just Me Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 4:45 pm
Grrr, LINK beat me to it by 7 minutes.
Comment by Just Me Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 4:47 pm
contradict Dillard’s assertion that he never contributed to Barack Obama’s presidential campaign
Comment by Pete Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 4:49 pm
Contradict Bruce Rauner was a huge contributor to Rich Daley and is to Rahm Emanuel …and was to Ed Rendell …
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 4:51 pm
It’s probably a good sign for Dillard that Rauner felt the need to go slumming with Illinois Review and Champion News to take a cheap shot at him.
Why bother, unless you’re worried about something?
The headline from Illinois Review reads: “Dillard’s attendance at Obama’s 2009 inauguration stirs controversy”
Yeah. Lots of controversy is-a-stirring, nearly five years later.
That’s not the half of it. I hear all living ex-presidents, the Supreme Court and most of Congress and the nation’s governors were there, too.
You may call it coincidence — I call it conspiracy.
Lenny, thanks for the link to your original “article” in Champion News. That’s some top-notch detective work there.
Do you really wonder, as you wrote, if Dillard’s spending $170 in campaign funds on Lincoln memorabilia at the inaugural “is the same type of expense that sent Jesse Jackson, Jr. to prison?”
A very, very important question, and not a ludicrous attempt at a cheap shot, at all.
Perhaps the Rauner campaign should chime in with a tweet on this grave matter, as they did with the original “controversy.”
Must be part of that well-oiled campaign we’ve heard so much about today.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 5:04 pm
Clearly all of you posters today are just in envy of Bruce Rauner’s financial success. You would wholeheartedly support Rauner’s bid for office, if you only happened to be as smart and as accomplished as him. So what if he plays fast and loose with the record? The people of Illinois are too feeble in moral fiber to accept the fiscal Enlightenment that Rauner and his millionaire buddies will bring to them. The masses must be mildly duped for their own good, for now.
Rauner and Ken Griffin have the manly courage to sweep past the Capitol Fax guttersnipes and lowly journalists and lead Illinois to a glorious new libertarian future.
(snark … snark … snark …)
Comment by ZC Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 5:10 pm
Look at Bruce’s contributions to Democrats and you start to get a sense there was definitely something in it for Bruce to make those contributions.
Look at Dillard’s contribution and you get a sense that it was just Dillard being a… what? A patriot? What ever it was, Dillard didn’t exactly take it to the bank.
Comment by Cheswick Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 5:12 pm
–contradict Dillard’s assertion that he never contributed to Barack Obama’s presidential campaign –
No, it doesn’t. Presidential campaign vs. inaugural committee. Is that a brain-teaser?
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 5:14 pm
=Last I checked, Obama was every American’s President.=
And people wonder why I trust Kirk Dillard over the others.
I might not necessarily be “fully aligned” with the current Administration and its policies, but our President is our President.
A Republican virtue many in office today seem to have forgotten and hence their inability to behave as true statesmen while continuing to work and move toward what they believe is right.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 5:58 pm
Wow Lenny Jarrett thanks for the link to Roeser’s website. You and Roeser are the definition of hypocrisy. Don’t let your right wing whack job social views stand in the way of your support for Billion Dollar Bruce.
Comment by Samurai Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 6:00 pm
Lenny, I forgot to congratulate you on the Champion article. I can only imagine how proud you must be. By linking to CapFax you surpassed your usual readership of a dozen or so. Well played sir!
Comment by Samurai Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 6:11 pm
=You and Roeser are the definition of hypocrisy.=
I find it interesting that in a society that is so focused on “all things global,” we have forgotten how important the role of our President is–and should continue to be–on the “world stage.”
While some might believe that our current Administration is beyond repair, beyond damage control, and therefore deserves everything that one can “dish out,” I hope those who operate that way have at least stopped to make an assessment of the damage that can be done on the world stage even if we fully withdraw support during the short term.
IMHO it allows others to identify a “weakness” that they will use fully in the interim to their advantage and therefore to our disadvantage. The only advice I’d have for anyone who is wondering how much is too much or too little is take a hint from the Bushes. In other words, don’t forget who we are as you continue to strive for what is right and what is good.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 6:20 pm
A quick visit to the Champion website shows Dillard polling well with Champion drive-by voters. That has to upset them.
As for the rest, if we have a GOP gov, Dillard’s stock, to me, just went up. Last time anyone checked (last Tuesday) Madigan was still a Democrat, and still running the state. Any governor is going to have to try to work with that.
Comment by Toure's Latte Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 6:21 pm
Dillard did himself in by endorsing Obama.
Republicans will never forgive him. It clearly was for Kirk’s political gain at the time — at least he thought.
And it was phony anyway. Obama was far from an ethical crusader as Dillard implied in the ad. For God’s sake he endorsed Blagojevich twice.
Comment by Classico Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 6:23 pm
=Republicans will never forgive him.=
Yes, Classico. You need to believe that…fully.
(And keep repeating it. Who knows? Maybe your little talking point will catch on someday.)
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 6:27 pm
Classico–Dillard did not endorse Obama. He appeared in a 20 second spot in an Iowa ad during the primary stating that Obama could work across party lines. Obama worked with Dillard in the State Legislature to pass ethics legislation. Sorry, it was not an endorsement.
I am sure if Dillard had Billions you would set your animosity aside—you sound like a Rauner guy.
Comment by Samurai Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 6:33 pm
Not only is the Rauner campaign hypocritical as heck, but it has less followers than those it is following.
==And it was phony anyway. Obama was far from an ethical crusader as Dillard implied in the ad. For God’s sake he endorsed Blagojevich twice.==
So Obama endorsed Blago so Obama’s not ethical? LOL.
Comment by Precinct Captain Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 6:34 pm
“…but it has less followers than those it is following.”
Ah, but don’t forget the “quality” of those followers, Captain. One can aspire, I suppose, if one still believes.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 6:44 pm
On a personal note, I have to admit that I never thought I’d become so cynical. But then again, the Rauner crowd seems to be an entirely different crowd.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 6:46 pm
Wow. It is only December 2013 and I am already sick of Rauner’s behavior.
Comment by Rather Be Golfing Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 6:55 pm
They’ve probably gone just a bit TOO far this time. A lot of important Republican national and state leaders attend such a colorful, ceremonial, festive event that ushers in the Leader of the Free World!! GOPers vying for the same job as Kirk Dillard–and their key supporters engaging in such activity–just makes them look petty, nitpicky, even juvenile in pushing to smear a respectable Candidate of their own Party over such gobbledygook…!
And yet, the Senator’s known all along that others are just going to try again and again to force-feed him to eat “humble pie” over such matters–which in the entire scheme of things amount to, oh, maybe a chip of some pebble of sand somewhere…!
Comment by Just The Way It Is One Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 7:25 pm
Nothing here move along , political amnesia.
Comment by Eastbound and down Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 7:41 pm
The Illinois State Society is a non-profit and non-partisan organization. Their galas before both W inaugurals featured Senator Durbin and the Congressional Dems as well as the GOP delegation. The 2005 gala even featured - GASP! - a young, recently sworn in Senator Barack Obama. Yep.
Comment by Team Sleep Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 10:39 pm
It’s late and I’ve been away from the blog; however, given the title, I must post something, even if no one reads it.
Frankly, I’m already tired of the gazillionaire’s club and their hypocrisy. If they keep this up for three months, I’ll need to retire my name.
Comment by Pot calling kettle Monday, Dec 9, 13 @ 10:40 pm
The Rauner Family gave $2,000 to Obama’s Campaign in 2004.
I wonder if Rauner’s $18 watch also keeps track of his hypocrisy, as well as the time.
Comment by for the record Tuesday, Dec 10, 13 @ 8:29 am
The oops at the end may have been Bruce…definitely an oopsie
Comment by PhoenixRising Tuesday, Dec 10, 13 @ 8:46 am
Word has it right. This makes Rauner look petty even to the uninformed. You have to know when to let others do your dirty work.
Roeser’s outlets are preaching to the choir, and just want to get out the vote from those who don’t care that much about accuracy. Rauner should let them rant in their own corner, and stay away.
Comment by walkinfool Tuesday, Dec 10, 13 @ 9:42 am