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Dillard asks the right question

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Illinois

* Oswego Willy has been making this case forcefully in comments for months…

Gubernatorial candidate Kirk Dillard, R-Hinsdale lashed out at opponent Bruce Rauner on Monday following a Sun-Times investigation that Rauner used his clout to get his daughter into an elite Chicago public school then followed up with a $250,000 donation.

“I worry…what Chicago child was not let in to Walter Payton High School that had that advantage that Bruce Rauner’s daughter or anybody else’s daughter might have after going to such a great high school,” Dillard said at a news conference on Michigan Avenue. “I’d like to know who didn’t get in because his suburban daughter got in.”

This marks a new headache for Rauner one week after the Winnetka businessman reversed course on a previous suggestion to lower the minimum wage by $1 an hour in Illinois.

“There are two sets of rules. There are the Rauner rules and then there are rules for regular people,” Dillard said. “If Mr. Rauner is the nominee, there will be a drip, drip drip of stories continuing now through the election that will become a river and flood the Republican parties’ possibilities of beating Pat Quinn in the Fall and Illinoisans will then be subjected to a continued economic and social downswirl in the state of Illinois.”

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 4:20 pm

Comments

I feel for BVC’s daughter. This must be the friggin’ nadir of her HS career. I love my kid, and if I did this for her, the backlash would absolutely kill me.

Comment by Lobo Y Olla Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 4:23 pm
It´s predictable that the candidate leading in the polls becomes the target of his opponents. Sniping at Rauner, however, doesn´t make the case for any of the other three. He could still win the primary with as little as 26% of the vote.

Comment by Anon Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 4:24 pm
That is the prism.

The Clouting comes down to denying a Chicago child for a suburban, denied, New Trier living Daughter,

What worthy child did Rauner personally deny.

Good on Dillard. Dillard Crew, don’t let up on the gas, that’s the angle, well done.

“More like this, please”

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 4:30 pm
Re Lobo Y Olla’s comment. Mr. Rauner’s daughter I believe has graduated from Payton Prep already, so it will have minimal impact on her personally.

Comment by Rod Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 4:30 pm
Rauner reminds me of the driver who zooms to the front of the line of a backed-up exit ramp in his Maserati only to take the last parking spot at the mall at Christmas time.

Comment by Knome Sane Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 4:31 pm
Most people are just starting to pay attention, other than the bloggers and political junkies. Let’s see who has the most money to get their message out to the votes? Hmmm! That would be Bruce Rauner by millions.

Comment by Downstater Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 4:39 pm
“flood the Republican parties’ possibilities of beating Pat Quinn” How many Republican parties are trying to beat Pat Quinn?

Comment by SAP Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 4:40 pm
Now that the other candidates are stepping up to the plate, Rauner could bounce two ways:

Lay out all the details of the episode and say “hey, I wanted to do the best by my kid.”

Or –

Get really angry and lash out for his opponents bringing family into the equation, scaring them from bringing it up again.

Either way might put it to bed. Ignoring it is no longer an option if you want it to stop.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 4:40 pm
I too would like to know what politician/busineessman’s kid couldn’t get clouted into Payton Prep because Rauner’s kid was.

They may have had to go to (I shudder) Lane Tech and fight with all the goats across the street

Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 4:41 pm
- Downstater -,

Spending millions to reinforce a negative image doesn’t help the image…

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 4:44 pm
Just posted this somewhere else on the blog - reposting here: An interesting point in the Rauner Payton Prep Clout scandal is that what Rauner did can be deemed a criminal act. Illinois statutes prohibit parents from claiming that a child is a “resident” of a district unless both the child and the parent are indeed bona fide resident of that district. For example, a person who knowingly enrolls a non-resident child in a public school is guilty of a class C misdemeanor; a person who presents to a school district false information about residency to enable that pupil to attend any school in that district commits a class C misdemeanor. Maybe it’s time for Anita Alvarez to start investigating. If Lord Bruce and his daughter weren’t BOTH bona fide residents of Chicago, then a crime most likely took place.

Comment by Chicago Publius Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 4:51 pm
C’mon, how many homes do you need to be a resident?

Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 4:52 pm
Chicago Publius, I think that would depend on if we use the election law definition of resident if you are running for office or a logical definition..

Comment by OneMan Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 4:54 pm
Tax return said Winnetka…

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 4:55 pm
Finally, Dillard starts punching above his weight class. This sounds like the Sen. Dillard most Dems were worried about in the ‘08 gov’s race.

Comment by Curious Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 4:58 pm
“hey, I wanted to do the best by my kid.”

Wouldn’t that have been send her to New Trier?

Comment by Chavez-respecting Obamist Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 5:00 pm
To tie it off, I would have ended the statement as such.

“We need to be clear what happened here. Bruce Rauner, making $100 million over the last 3 years filed tax returns from Winnetka, had a Denied Daughter, living with Bruce in Chicago, voting in Chicago, pulling a ballot to vote for Forrest Claypool, and there is a child, denied am opportunity, personally, by Bruce Rauner, Clouting, for his personal gain, and at the expense of. Worthy Child.

I will take questions…”

“Winnetka, taxes, $100 million, clout denying a child”

That is the ball game on this.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 5:02 pm
–Finally, Dillard starts punching above his weight class.–

There is one?

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 5:03 pm
What Dillard says isn’t wrong, unfortunately he has no credibility left after voting against pension reform.

Comment by too obvious Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 5:04 pm
OneMan, this goes on in Oak Park all the time–people renting apartments so their kids can go to school there.

Comment by Chavez-respecting Obamist Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 5:04 pm
Dude, c’mon.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 5:04 pm
In the real world there is clout,$250,000 helped
a great school a lot. There is always room for one more child, the schools are not that packed.

Rauner’s a rich guy but when it comes to education
he puts his money where his mouth is.
A which one of us would throw the 1st book, at the guy if he dropped that kind of money on our Alma Mater?

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 5:06 pm
The legal standard for establishing “residency” for purposes of school enrollment is the same standard used for other purposes — including voting and elections. And in any event, you can’t ever be a resident of two different places. So, if you assemble loads of different documents and factual evidence — such as, what does the tax return say; where did you claim your homestead exemption (oops!); where do you sleep at night; where do you keep your clothes? What public library are you a member of? What YMCA or health-club do you use? Where do you go to church? Where do you keep your car? What do you tell the insurance companies? What do you tell the taxman? — you can find out where a person’s true residence is. In the case of Lord Bruce, he’s got a bit of a problem, because his wife and his other children claimed Winnetka; he claimed Winnetka in his tax filings; he probably claimed Winnetka on his homeowners’ insurance; etc. (He also claimed Winnetka for his homestead exemption. If that’s an accurate claim, he committed a crime vis-a-vis Payton Prep. If it’s not an accurate claim, he committed a crime vis-a-vis the governments who levy real-estate taxes.) Let’s see Anita conduct an investigation into this. If she does, I wouldn’t be surprised if she concludes that Lord Bruce’s so-called Chicago home was primarly a sham residence, claimed for purposes of enrollment, in violation of Illinois criminal law.

Comment by Chicago Publius Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 5:06 pm
This was a good hit by Dillard. Now Shearer needs to run with the point in his anti-Rauner ads. I know Dillard doesn’t have the funds to follow-up on one of the few things he’s gotten right lately.

Comment by Norseman Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 5:07 pm
“Mr. Rauner’s daughter I believe has graduated from Payton Prep already”

Yep. She’s in college. Possibly living in the dorms Bruce helped fund, and probably using the ‘family’ library.

““There are two sets of rules. There are the Rauner rules and then there are rules for regular people,””

Kirk is forgetting the *actual* regular people–those with NO clout, who aren’t friendly with career politicians. Or is Dillard implying that he, too, plays by the ‘Rauner rules’ (bc he certainly doesn’t play by the same rules *I* have to)?

Comment by Chris Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 5:12 pm
What makes me scratch my head on this is, how does it take this long for one of the other candidates to bring it up. As others have said OW has been reminding folks about this for quite some time. It would seem some of the key players do a least monitor this site. Who does the timing of the news most benefit?

Comment by Bemused Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 5:15 pm
What Rauner did was wrong, if these are the complete facts. Yet, he is not the only one who has used their position and money to circumvent rules. I wonder how many others, especially those running for Office, have something akin in their own past?

I only wish a person from either Party will come along who is worth voting for instead of having to figure out who to vote against.

Comment by FormerParatrooper Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 5:16 pm
“which one of us would throw the 1st book, at the guy if he dropped that kind of money on our Alma Mater?”

Apparently all dese guys here–like IL law sez, it’s worse to be the guy giving the money, than the guy taking the brib…donation.

That said, as a parent of CPS kids, I don’t think that suburbanites should get to take the test at all–SEHS should be for city residents (of course including kids at privates), period. So I would have had a problem with her going to Payton even if she had had the top score, ever. No love for the Clouting, but as Brucey noted, his opponents are hardly above using clout when they think its ‘free’.

NB: I may hold my nose and pull PQ (would be a first, for any seat), but I ain’t voting for any of the 4 Rs in the general, regardless. Might find the outcome preferable (for me personally) if the R is the Guv, but ain’t voting for em, for a host of reasons.

Comment by Chris Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 5:19 pm
“There is always room for one more child, the schools are not that packed.”

LOL, so because they are so darn empty that’s why so many schools today are teaching kids in trailers.

==A which one of us would throw the 1st book, at the guy if he dropped that kind of money on our Alma Mater?==

Me, me, me! I wouldn’t want Rauner anywhere near my school clouting rejected, unqualified people in and demanding special privileges.

Comment by Precinct Captain Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 5:23 pm
Bemused, the timing of Dillard’s hit may be the result of Rauner sucking up all the big GOP campaign contributions. The other 3 candidates, with little to no money, have to find ways to maximize their limited resources. Waiting until after the holidays / closer to the primary election date, when average voters (as opposed to the well-informed CapFax crowd) actually start paying attention to the campaign, makes a lot of sense. I would not be surprised to see Brady and Rutherford begin to pile on, especially if more of the mainstream media pick up the story.

Comment by cover Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 5:24 pm
- Bemused -,

The timing is critical, I was, and still am about the back channels and the ground narrative. All these campaigns have their timetables. It’s the message and impact. Need both, not one.

To the Raunerbots,

Taking this to Unions or whatever angle you think works comes down to..,

A child was personally denied, by Clout, by a Rich Daley appointee. A child, a worthy child, lost their seat to Nruce Rauner.

Can’t explain it away, and - wordslinger - is spot on; gotta answer this somehow, the more it festers, more questions linger.

Glad it’s being introduced, very pleased.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 5:25 pm
Those involved in this conversation obviously didn’t hear Rauner live on Roe/Roeper this afternoon. He made a full-throated defense of this that sounded really strong. He went so far as to say something along the lines of “Yeah I’m rich and I got there on my own, not gonna apologize for success”. It’s the kind of thing he needed to do to get in front of this. The little three are hoping this has legs, but the reality of their campaigns is they weren’t able to keep their powder dry until closer to election day when this might have actually hurt more (ie, larger numbers paying attention).

Comment by Eastsider Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 5:26 pm
Rauner’s response will be “Dillard is just trying to distract the public from the fact that he is a career
politician who used his political clout to get kids into U of I. kirk Dillard abused his official power, which is alot different than a dad teaching his kids to study hard and fighting to help them get into the best schools. Kirk Dillard is comparing watermelons to peanuts, but the voters are smart enough to see his corruption for what it is.”

something like that.

Comment by Juvenal Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 5:38 pm
- Eastsider -,

Some child does a radio Ad, that will have impact.

“The rich, unapologetic, Bruce Rauner personally denied Susie Student, and said being rich, allows Jim to do it.

Bruce Rauner and his daughter took me from a waiting list to no, so Bruce Rauner’s daughter could take a spot for someone like me. When you’re rich, real kids like me matter less than those like Bruce Rauner’s daughter.”

Oh yeah, that will work but good!

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 5:46 pm
Rauner used some good “Chicago style” politics to get his daughter into Payton Prep. Kudos to that. Wonder if he’s thinking about that when he blasts Chicago every chance he gets while downstate.

He got some pretty sweet deals to manage the pension money he’s now railing against.

And from the rhetoric of this “self-made success” of a man, I can only assume that he had terrible teachers growing up or simply taught himself everything. But then why work so hard to enroll your daughter is a public school with all of those rich, slightly incompetent, system side-swiping teachers?

Odd.

Comment by Left Leaner Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 5:48 pm
Ow - pretty certain you’re right, but that’s also easily disputable as there likely isn’t any way to prove what you’re asserting (ie, no smoking gun) which only feeds Rauner’s narrative of weak opponents grasping at straws.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 5:54 pm
There a finite seats.

Bruce Rauner’s denied New Trier Daughter had a seat through clout, other kids more qualified - no seat.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 6:01 pm
Let’s be honest. This is one of the oldest political scams in the book. If you really want to influence support for a certain issue, just involve the “supposed” welfare of children in your argument.

Comment by What is to be done? Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 6:41 pm
boy I sure hope no union “leaders” used “clout” (members PAC donations) for themselves their kids, family members or staff that would be tragic wouldn’t it ??? and before someone says “show the proof” I know you all have the ability to find the truth !!

Comment by railrat Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 6:42 pm
usually in politics and elections it helps to actually like and care about people, including the well being of children. jeesh.

Comment by PoolGuy Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 7:11 pm
WITBD and Railrat:

Your campaign is wasting its cash on your simpleton postings. Your guy did in fact deny a minority city kid a top-rate education. And, the comment on PACs is incoherent. Take these quarters and call your mamas. Tell her you are not going to become a political consultants.

Comment by chad Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 7:12 pm
and if union leaders are using PAC contributions for the personal gain of themselves or their kids that would certainly be up for discussion on this site. that doesn’t deflect the attention away from Bruce in this matter.

Comment by PoolGuy Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 7:13 pm
Come on little boys. Why don’t you take on my posting like adults? Your problem is that people on this site speak cold, rational political analysis. My guess is that you and your colleagues have nothing to contribute to Rauner’s campaign other than to suggest creating traffic jams.

Comment by chad Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 7:21 pm
chad@ 7:12 & 7:21 please go to Britannica and review what an Ostrich does when confronted ? after cleaning the sand please acknowledge that discussion does not reveal obligation or “traffic jams” if that’s to much of a burden return to the sand!! and PoolGuy@7:11 as I suggested INVESTIGATE vs. painting with the bias brush!! and oh by the way NOT ON PAYROLL for the “brown duck” clothing line !!

Comment by railrat Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 7:38 pm
Turns out Rauner’s daughter was not a so-called “principal’s pick” after all, but a pure clouted admittee devoid of the application of standards. Check out the new posting on the Sun Times… “A source with specific knowledge of the admission told the Sun-Times that Rauner’s daughter was not a so-called “principal pick” but was let in following a phone call.” Yes, the plot continues to thicken.

Comment by chad Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 7:38 pm
Admissions to the elite competitive schools in Chicago are really zero-sum games. If one child is admitted, another is denied. Anyone who suggests otherwise (i.e., there’s always room for one more kid) is lacking knowledge of the situation.

This can’t really be compared to Dillard or anyone else endorsing admissions to a state university. There is considerable leeway in the total number of people admitted, depending on their likely majors and other measures. Adding one student does not mean removing another one.

While Oswego Willy have been harping on this ad infinitum, he’s right on target with Rauner. He bought a spot for his daughter at Payton Prep and some other kid lost out.

While he’s not the first political figure to influence such a decision, he’s the first to throw that much money around in the process. It stinks to high heaven and he deservedly is finally catching grief for it.

Comment by DuPage Dave Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 7:45 pm
DupDan well said but do we want to discuss the “options” taken from those with “influence” since Dec. 1818 or is the past irrelevant with regards to reason’s and gains? is this not part of the dichotomy of Ill. politics sad as it is to acknowledge and more regrettably to accept !! am I mistaken but doesn’t it appear legislative sessions start with hundreds of bills for discussion ? many are finalized by virtue of a “phone call” ? and why since 1818 has Ill. does Ill. need hundreds of bills at the start of each session? what we can’t get it right ??

Comment by railrat Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 7:58 pm
I think when you have pay to play, clouting, personal gain, influence peddling in our very recent past, a la George Ryan and Blago going to jail, you don’t have to go all the way back to 1818.

Comment by PoolGuy Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 8:05 pm
PoolGuy@8:05 AMEN !!! the “tattoo of Illinois”

Comment by railrat Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 8:10 pm
as for 100’s of bills each session I can only say we have 118 state reps and 59 state senators. they gotta do something when they’re in Springfield during session right?

Comment by PoolGuy Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 8:13 pm
and like I explained to my 89 year old mother 177 people with access to gasoline and matches and at any given time the state is a blazing inferno!!!

Comment by railrat Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 8:18 pm
Good luck trying to find something to stick to Rauner…… Payton Prep, minimum wage, blah, blah, blah………

Just shows how scared the unions, career pols, lobbyists, etc. are.

Your message is working Bruce. You are driving them crazy…..a very good sign for your campaign

Comment by medium rare Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 8:37 pm
- medium rare -,

Too funny.

If I won’t stick, Payton Prep Clouter Bruce Rauner, would have came clean about denying a worthy child an opportunity …because his denied New Trier Daughter needed that Clout to enroll in a Chicago school, while being unqualified on the admission level and unqualified on the residence level.

Bruce Rauner is a fraud in a Carhartt. Simple as that.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 8:46 pm
I = it. Stupid phone

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 8:48 pm
===A which one of us would throw the 1st book, at the guy if he dropped that kind of money on our Alma Mater?====

Considering his net worth, I’d call him nuts or a piker depending on the school.

Comment by CollegeStudent Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 8:52 pm
The Sun Times broke this story, not Dillard or Brady. They were both just reacting to the story.

Comment by naperville soccer mom Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 10:04 pm
@medium rare:

Welcome to Capitolfax, Illinois or the Rauner payroll, whichever are applicable.

1. Rauner is the ultimate political insider. Rauner lamenting the current political system or pension system is like the auto industry lamenting global warming.

2. Other campaigns have tried playing the victim, it rarely works out. something tells me The Baron is going to have a hard time pulling off the “I am being oppressed” look. But give it a shot.

3. I can’t speak for everyone, but I certainly am not “running scared” of Bruce Rauner. I figure he has got a 20-30 chance of winning the primary. About an 8 to 15 percent chance of being governor.

But even if he is elected, I am not “scared.” His “ideas” (perhaps too strong a word, he is still in the ‘pre-concept’ phase), are scary, but few if any will ever see the light of day. Right to Work, rolling back minimum wage, privatizing the retirement system for 600,000 Illinoisans…none of these are gonna happen. Bruce Rauner knows that.

Heck, if he were elected governor, his very first job will be to cut spending by 7 billion or raise taxes by 7 billion, both of which will require working with Democrats, so you can forget all this other nonsense.

But since that is ALL he is going to have time for, my bet is he will act just like his cousin Count Blago and politicize the budget process as much as possible, to prove his superiority to Madigan.

And that does scare me. Because Madigan is a political genius. He can use those skills for good or not so good.

Now, if MJM where to go head to head with MJ on the basketball court, Jordan would crush him. But has Jordan ever been foolish enough to think he can school MJM on his court?

Rauner is gonna school Madigan…that is hilarious.

So, it may not be the most pleasant four years, but defn not the end of the world.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 10:17 pm
- YDD -,

Here endeth the Lesson!

Miss you and enjoy reading you when you “surface”.

Great Post, well said.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jan 13, 14 @ 10:42 pm
Rahm Emanuel refuses to send his kids to Chicago Public Schools. This guy pays to have his kid in Chicago. Chicago fires employees that send kids outside the Chicago School System. What a mess.

Comment by trailer park trash Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 1:08 am
Dillard’s question never made it on the air on WBBM in Chicago tonight. The started the piece with “Rauner blasts opponents” and had a quick snippet of Rauner explaining himself.

Comment by Percival Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 1:15 am
===The legal standard for establishing “residency” for purposes of school enrollment is the same standard used for other purposes ===

Actually, per the Illinois School Code, residency for the purpose of school attendance is “physical presence with an intention to remain on a permanent basis”. The penalty for providing false information regarding the residency of a pupil is a Class C misdemeanor (not more than 30 days in jail and/or a fine not to exceed $1500).

Comment by veritas Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 8:08 am
Thanks Willy.

The rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated.

Since Day One, I have said the fundamental flaw with Bruce Rauner is that he is nothing more than an ultra-rich version of Rod Blagojevich.

Once again, we have a prototypical political insider trying to portray himself as a political outsider with promises to “shake up the system.”

Blago, too, relied almost solely on his campaign cash and promises to spend even more to curry political favor.

Everyone should have quickly realized that a guy who thought everyone else was for sale also has a price.

Now, Rauner’s price is admittedly much higher. But that is hardly comforting.

Nor is the argument that the wealth The Baron has accumulated makes him “independent.”

Some form of that argument has been made by dictators throughout time.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 8:34 am
Yellow Dog Democrat, excellent comments last night, especially point three and below.

Comment by PolPal56 Tuesday, Jan 14, 14 @ 11:26 am