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* Press release…
Illinois gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner today called on Governor Pat Quinn to direct his staff and agencies to cease communications with Quinn’s former chief of staff and lobbyist Jack Lavin.
“Jack Lavin is the poster boy for cronyism and corruption in Pat Quinn’s administration,” Rauner said.
“Governor Quinn should direct his staff and agency directors to cease communication with Lavin and urge legislators to do the same.”
Just today it was reported that Lavin is a lobbyist for a medical marijuana company that is part of a selection process that is neither open nor transparent. Lavin is now at the center of the criminal investigation into Quinn’s NRI slush fund but yesterday Quinn named him as the key player in the illegal hiring scandal at IDOT as well. Despite his central role in two ongoing investigations, Lavin is allowed to continue making money off his political connections and ties to Quinn.
“He is Pat Quinn’s best friend, and Quinn not only kept him on after Blagojevich went to jail, he gave Lavin a promotion and made him his chief of staff,” Rauner added. “Pat Quinn should do everything in his power to keep his closest associate away from taxpayer money. Cleaning up Springfield begins with sending the message that if you are involved in patronage or under federal investigation, you can’t profit off your connections, even when your best friend is the governor.”
Lavin previously worked for Tony Rezko, and it was Rezko who got Lavin his job with Blagojevich.
Thoughts?
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 1:37 pm
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As I posted elsewhere, lobbying is protected by the first amendment (you have a right to petition your government). Jack hasn’t broken any law so he shouldn’t be barred.
Comment by Nonplussed Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 1:45 pm
Nonplussed: you’r worong in claiming that Lavin has a right to be a lobbyist. People and entities have a right to lobby — that is, “petition government.” But no one has a right to work as a lobbyist. That’s a whole other kettle of fish.
Comment by Chicago Publius Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 1:50 pm
==Jack hasn’t broken any law so he shouldn’t be barred==
Nor has Rauner, but that doesn’t stop all of the self righteous indignation of Quinn talking about Peyton Prep, Lawson, Nursing Homes, Rauner’s taxes, etc.
This is going to be one ugly election, and any moral highground Quinn had as an outsider or refromer has long since passed. As another commentator pointed out, if Quinn wins what is going to be his mandate? I’m just a regular guy?
Comment by Western Ave. Doug Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 1:51 pm
Shame on all of us (and shame on the two campaigns also) if we are going to tolerate the election of a Governor of Illinois being driven by crap like this. It’s like 3rd grade schoolboys: my mom’s prettier than your mom; oh yeah, well my old man can beat up your old man. Holy Christ. Convince us you can govern the state. Tell us how you can make things better. Tell us what you will do differently, and how. Convince us with logic and facts. Throw in some hyperbole, it’s the nature of politics, but give us the steak and stop trying to sell the sizzle.
If we allow this inanity to succeed we all deserve exactly whatever we get.
Comment by steve schnorf Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 1:53 pm
The collateral damage is getting out of hand. Who wants to work in government when you will become the focus of such intense and unnecessary scrutiny in the future. Jack isa good man, and this is harmful to him and government. But, hey, what does Rauner care? Rules dont apply to him. He profits and bails before the problems arise. He clouts his daughter ahead of other qualified, yet less connected kids. He’s fine with Stu Levine being on the payroll until it becomes a liability. Rauner will do or say anything. He is pathological.
Comment by anon Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 1:55 pm
The mudslinging is getting really obnoxious, as well as pernicious. Jack is a big boy and gets the optics of politics. If I were Quinn, I think I would cut ties with him until this is resolved one way or the other.
Comment by Archiesmom Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 1:55 pm
Funny stuff…The guy who sells out $300k to Stu levine and claims he never got a bagel at the Purple Hotel is calling Jack the clout king…let’s be honest Jack is nice guy but there have been 10 other boys and girls who get stuff done
Comment by circularfiringsquad Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 1:56 pm
Nonplussed - “revolving door” rules have long withstood 1st amendment challenges. If the current rules don’t cover a former C of S lobbying his old boss within 1 or 2 years of leaving his job, then the aren’t worth a damn.
Comment by Bogart Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 1:57 pm
Steve, Illinois politics thrives on this sort of inanity! And we have gotten exactly what we deserve, over and over and over. And will again.
Comment by Skirmisher Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 1:57 pm
Rauner keeps grasping at straws to bump his popularity.
Comment by Liberty Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 1:57 pm
Does anyone else out there want to be spending less time on this send more talking about substantive issues? Please?
Comment by Archiesmom Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 2:01 pm
Agreed jack has not broken any laws and should not be barred from lobbying. However, there needs to be a fair playing field. He should not have access to those he placed or hired into high level position. If there is a blackout period it should apply to him. This goes for the person running the medicinal marijuana program at AG that was placed by Mr. Lavin. A revolving door should have applied to him.
Comment by Bob Hicks Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 2:02 pm
Bogart (I cut and paste this from my other post): Revolving Door applies to barring certain state employees from getting money from state contractors, or the contractors parents or subsidiaries.
Since Medical Pot is new, none of these companies has or had a state contract. Since it is still controversial, none of these companies has a parent that has a state contract (I am assuming this, but highly likely I’m right).
So Jack wouldn’t be excluded under Revolving Door from representing a Med Pot company regardless of getting a waiver from the EEC.
Comment by Nonplussed Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 2:03 pm
Silly silly silly.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 2:03 pm
Rauner: You’re full of it!
Quinn: Oh yeah?
Rauner: Yeah!
Quinn: Well I double-DOG-dare ya!
VanillaMan: [narrating] NOW it was serious. A double-dog-dare. What else was left but a triple-dare-you, and finally, the coup de grace of all dares, the sinister triple-dog-dare.
Quinn: (over narrator’s voice) You guys are real dumb.
Rauner: I TRIPLE-dog-dare ya!
VanillaMan: [narrating] Rauner created a slight breach of etiquette by skipping the triple-dare-you and going right for the throat!
Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 2:05 pm
This from the guy who hired Stu Levine?
Comment by Precinct Captain Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 2:13 pm
*and* Anyway, my exasperated comment is general, not specific to our discussions, of course.
Comment by Archiesmom Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 2:14 pm
Rauner is foolishly taking the bait on this ethics arguing. If he keeps the focus on the economic issues as they impact individuals, he wins. A razor fight with the Dems is not winnable.
Comment by Chad Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 2:15 pm
=This is going to be one ugly election,= GOING to be? It already is!
Comment by Because I say so... Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 2:18 pm
I don’t get the politics of this one. Somebody’s going off half-cocked in the Rauner camp.
Why introduce another “bad guy” into your narrative? I thought Quinn was the bad guy. It’s a long way around the barn to explain things, and it just distracts from Quinn.
Plus, even if other media pick up on it (which I doubt, not worth the time or space to explain), the obvious Quinn response will be Stu Levine. And Stu is a lot juicier story.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 2:23 pm
Bruce Rauner should be (or Pat Quinn shouldn’t be) Governor because of Jack Lavin. And Pat Quinn should be (or Bruce Rauner shouldn’t be) Governor because Rauner is wealthy. And we spend our time debating Jack’s status or Bruce’s wealth. They win!
Send not therefore for whom the bell tolls…
Comment by steve schnorf Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 2:23 pm
VanillaMan just killed it. I can’t wait for Christmas Eve.
Comment by Phenomynous Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 2:27 pm
Calling Jack Lavin “the poster boy for cronyism and corruption” is beyond absurd. It is laughable. It is ugly. It is false. This just isn’t Jack Lavin they are talking about.
Crap like this is one reason most of the best talents from the financial and consulting worlds will never work for government.
Plus, there are so any other candidates for that prize, and some of them are nominally Republicans. They work with both sides.
My guess is that they will be leveraging this Lavin message when the Feds get back into their spotlight with mythical “missing” e-mails.
Might be a mistake if it takes eyes off Quinn, and confuses the story.
Comment by walker Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 2:36 pm
His “best friend”?! LOL
Has anyone tried to interview Rauner’s best friend, Stuart Levine?
Comment by Snucka Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 2:40 pm
Far be it from me to offer advice to the Rauner campaign, but it might come off better if hostile and overblown rhetoric like that in this release came from the Press Secretary and not the Candidate. Especially when the candidate is in the lead at the moment. Just sayin’
Comment by And I Approved This Message Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 2:52 pm
But all of Jack’s people are still working for the state? Chris Meister at IFA, Kristy Lafleur at Tollway, Ribley at the Medical District, and McMahon at Workforce.
Comment by haha Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 3:05 pm
==Shame on all of us (and shame on the two campaigns also) if we are going to tolerate the election of a Governor of Illinois being driven by crap like this.==
Unfortunately, Mr. Schnorf, the two major candidates are both dishing out this nonsense and almost nothing else. Could we write you in?
Comment by Anon. Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 3:14 pm
Why you gotta be so rude?
Don’t you think I’m human too?
Comment by Lincoln b(LOG)ger Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 4:13 pm
IDOT doesn’t have a prayer if Mr. Lavin is involved
Comment by Old Timer Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 5:00 pm
Really difficult to top - steve schnorf -.
If the calls for Lavin to be a blocked out are taken seriously, what makes Rauner clear enough to run, given the “outstanding” bond work he did for Illinois?
Where is the line, and why is it moved for political points, and singled out for one person?
I get Lavin isn’t a civilian, but both sides are getting dangerously close to frivilous
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 5:01 pm
I would just sit back and laugh at Rauner yelling about Jack if the stakes were not so high. talk about a battle of giant egos. Jack is a big boy, who has gotten oh so much from oh so many. play the long game, Jack, and step out of the limelight if you want to step back in. and you must understand this because you worked for Rezko. stop acting like that does not matter.
Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 5:17 pm
Just dumb. If Quinn cuts ties with Lavin then with whom will he demand Rauner cut ties wit? And back and forth it will go until both guys are all alone…..actually that does not sounds so bad.
Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 5:38 pm
Quinn is loyal to a fault with his top people…he will do no such thing…innocent until proven guilty Rauner…this man is a scourge…please go back to the private sector and benefit from the misfortune of others and the defrauding elderly nursing home residents…
Comment by Loop Lady Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 6:12 pm
“Rauner demands…” Anything that begins with that statement should be ignored.
(And if he adopts that attitude should he be elected with legislative leaders and legislators (including those from his own party) in general, his time in office will be very frustrating indeed.)
Comment by low level Wednesday, Sep 10, 14 @ 6:34 pm