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FOP goes with Quinn

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* The FOP endorsed Bill Brady four years ago, so this is worth noting for that reason alone. However, with Bruce Rauner slamming the governor over his 2009 early release program, landing the coppers’ backing can help fend off those attacks…

Governor Pat Quinn today was endorsed by the state’s largest public safety organization, the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police, which represents more than 35,000 active duty and retired police officers in Illinois. Today’s major endorsement by the largest public safety organization in Illinois adds to the growing momentum for Governor Quinn’s re-election in 2014.

“Governor Quinn is the strong leader we need to protect the people of Illinois,” said Chris Southwood, President of the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police State Lodge (FOP). “There is only one candidate in this race with a proven record of making the tough decisions to protect public safety. Governor Quinn is on our side fighting every day to keep our communities safe and we are proud to endorse him in this important election.”

“I am extremely honored to have the support of our police officers,” Governor Quinn said. “These hard-working women and men put their lives on the line for us every day. With their support, I will continue to ensure that public safety comes first and that our police have the resources they need to keep our communities safe.”

Throughout his time in office, Governor Quinn has been a champion for public safety, including fighting for and signing historic gun safety legislation that requires the reporting of all lost and stolen guns for the first time in Illinois history. To ensure the safety of our communities and law enforcement, Governor Quinn proposed a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines and is leading the fight for stronger gun-safety legislation.

Governor Quinn fought for laws to support and protect police officers across Illinois including honoring our fallen heroes and ensuring adequate staffing levels, as well as ensuring that law enforcement officers are supplied with the proper equipment to keep them protected. In addition, the Governor has fought to protect critical services crucial to police officers across the state from radical budget cuts sought by Republicans.

Rauner had tried to court the police by saying they’d be exempt from any of his privatized pension reform plans, but it obviously didn’t work.

Discuss.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 1:52 pm

Comments

Knocks the wind right out of the “soft on criminals” television advertisements IMHO.

Comment by Matt Belcher Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 1:58 pm
Yikes
Great get for PQ, another flop by Mitt
Looks like another bad start to a week for Mitt

Comment by CircularFiringSquad Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 1:58 pm
Matt Belcher–you are correct. That Jon Burge wanna-be on Rauner’s TV ad comes off as badly as it is, but with the FOP/rank and file behind Quinn, any sting from that ad gets overwhelmingly negated.

Comment by Concerned Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 2:01 pm
Kudos to the FOP for not falling for the divide and conquer strategy Rauner attempted here (and Scott Walker used in Wisconsin, and Mitch Daniels used in Indiana, etc. etc.)

Comment by chi Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 2:02 pm
Thinking aloud;

As other Unions seem to be “coming home” under Quinn, does the FOP coming TO the Governor not more indicative to a fear of pensions, but in another prong, the fear of Rauner and taking away the right to collectively bargain(?) or attempt to water down Union rights, no matter the Union?

You may not like the bargain, but at least you get to bargain to begin with.

“If it can happen to teachers”, “If it can happen to ASCME,”…

It could be “Why take a chance”, too?

If Rauner isn’t “in”, no fear of avenues a Governor Raunersy attempt, even feebly.

Again, thinking aloud.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 2:06 pm
http://www.jointeamrauner.com/labor/

Rauner’s one labor endorsement looks so lonely on the Labor for Rauner site (State Police Command Officers)

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 2:07 pm
Despite Rauner’s pandering to the FOP- “I’ll treat your pensions differently; you are in a special category”- the police , who are trained to be suspicious , saw through him.
Let’s hope the voters are as perceptive. Recent polls would indicate that they are catching on.

Comment by truthteller Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 2:08 pm
Only news if it went to Rauner… Not shocking that another union is going for PQ with an endorsement.. Like the others, will rank and file get to the polls in lock step with leadership? We will find out.

Comment by Walter Mitty Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 2:11 pm
I could see a SNL parody of this endorsement with all the cops standing behind Quinn wearing gas masks.

Comment by Rollo Tomasi Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 2:13 pm
I swear I heard Rauner indicate that even police and fire would get pension cuts. They wouldn’t be moved into 401K, but they still might get cut.

He’s flip-flopped on this, too — nevermind that he’ll never move current employees into 401Ks given the current court situation.

Comment by Frenchie Mendoza Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 2:14 pm
The fact that only one union went with Rauner shows he is no longer seen as the clear front runner, as he was as recently as Labor Day.

The perception matches the polling - this race is a toss-up with 4 weeks to go

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 2:17 pm
This has to sting for Rauner, no doubt, but I would be a little afraid that PQ made a behind the scene deal with union leadership. Any new appointments for the FOP leaders?

Comment by Western Ave. Doug Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 2:18 pm
@Western Ave Doug

Yeah, all new leadership at the State Police Command!

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 2:19 pm
strictly a labor decision by the FOP. Quinn has been terrible for law enforcement and corrections.

Comment by proudstatetrooper Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 2:20 pm
OW-you hit the nail directly on the head.

“As other Unions seem to be “coming home” under Quinn, does the FOP coming TO the Governor not more indicative to a fear of pensions, but in another prong, the fear of Rauner and taking away the right to collectively bargain(?) or attempt to water down Union rights, no matter the Union?”

I asked all of my members to vote for Dillard in the primary because of how Rauner was portraying “greedy union bosses” and explained to them-he is the ONE person we would not want in office. Told them to look to the north (Wisconsin) and to the east (Indiana) and this is what Illinois will become if he wins.

Now, we are all in for Quinn. At least with PQ, you know what you have and where he stands.

Comment by Union Leader Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 2:25 pm
COPS FOR QUINN 2014

Comment by Of Course Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 2:28 pm
This is ALL about collective bargaining. FOP knows that if Rauner is elected he will push for major overhaul of bargaining rights.

Comment by Big Muddy Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 2:34 pm
See Steve Schnorf’s comment about labor in the previous post.

Anonymous - Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 2:07 pm, I’m still trying to figure that one out. One trooper said its about respect, but I see none given by Rauner either.

Comment by Norseman Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 2:34 pm
what does the rank and file really think? Especially the younger members who know damn well Quinn will not be able to guarantee their pensions when they are eligible in 15-20 years? Also, endorsements are nice but how many members will be working the phone banks, go door to door etc? I bet not a whole lot will. “I’m not as bad as the other guy is” is not a ringing endorsement.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 2:35 pm
Add the teachers that are in tier 2 to that comment… Wait til they realize they pay the same as tier 1 and get the reduced benefit… Hardly a ringing endorsement to get out and support.. Couple the attempt to change tier 1… GOTV is the tough ask for any public union.

Comment by Walter Mitty Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 2:39 pm
===GOTV is the tough ask for any public union===

Keep telling that to yourself if it helps you sleep at night.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 2:40 pm
Rich.. I think the oddity that has been this cycle will continue.. I am not as confident as you are that union leadership endorsements trickle down to teachers and cops.. I know plenty of both… I don’t think the passion is there.. We will find out!

Comment by Walter Mitty Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 2:47 pm
=== I am not as confident as you are that union leadership endorsements trickle down to teachers and cops..===

Dillard made up 17 points in 3 weeks on his good looks and charm?

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 2:49 pm
I get the impression Scott Walker has made it hard for Republicans to get union endorsements in this region.

When the union bosses say, “Your collective bargaining rights are at stake,” it’s not just scare tactics to get rank-and-file motivated.

Comment by Carl Nyberg Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 2:50 pm
I get the impression Scott Walker has made it hard for Republicans to get union endorsements in this region.

When the union bosses say, “Your collective bargaining rights are at stake,” it’s not just scare tactics to get rank-and-file motivated.

Comment by Carl Nyberg Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 2:50 pm
==- Walter Mitty - Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 2:11 pm:==

“Only news if it went to Rauner…”

Really, because they endorsed the Republican last time, so how is this not news? Or is this what the campaign is tell you to say.

Comment by Precinct Captain Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 2:51 pm
OW.. That was THE passionate choice and compelling reason to get out.. You think the teachers are going to get out in droves for the guy who did try and diminish their benefit? Apples and Oranges.

Comment by Walter Mitty Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 2:52 pm
Rauner was going to exempt the police from the privatized pension? He was using that to buy their vote? First, I think it is telling that he tried that. It is a direct acknowledgement that the 401k is not as good as a pension. Second, I thought only corrupt career politicians bought votes?

Comment by JS Mill Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 2:52 pm
Precinct… Sorry. Nobody has to tell me how to think or what to say. I have been clear for months I am not voting for either. The fact is, that they went with Brady tells me enough for what this really is. Leadership backing the more palatable guy if he wins. They will be owed a favor, when the time is right. I also said when MJM named Rauner after his spiking of the ball after the pension vote.. When Rauner was in 3rd place in the primary, the establishment, including union leadership sees the issue. Does rank and file when the economy is flat at best? That’s what we will find out. If it makes you feel better that I am able to see only one side of the coin.. Feel free.

Comment by Walter Mitty Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 2:57 pm
Don’t bother with the P Captain Walt Mitty. The dude’s a one trick pony with a sharp tongue and a dull mind. Talk about a guy who repeats talking points ad nauseum…that’s him. The FOP endorses Quinn is hardly “man bites dog”. Besides, endorsements aren’t important to them. Except when they get them. Gads.

Comment by A guy... Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 3:15 pm
I can only imagine that backroom deal that was cut for this one!

Comment by Fair & Balanced Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 3:17 pm
- Walter Mitty -,

It’s all good.

I am coming at this in the General as such;

Unions heard the Rauner rhetoric, Rauner back pedaled, but his beliefs, they never changed, anf a Unions were watching.

It’s not apples and oranges, it’s collective bargaining and Union busting.

Much respect.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 3:18 pm
Isn’t the Fraternal Order of Police a union?!? Its endorsement of Quinn is non-news for that reason alone this election cycle. With Rauners’s plans to privatize pensions, union leadershiop jumped on the Quinn bandwagon some time ago. No story here! P.S. I don’t know any CPD cop happy with Governor Quinn, so we’ll see how the rank-and-file actually vote…

Comment by Black Ivy Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 3:19 pm
Love the fact that the new 2nd VP of FOP is the formal Regional VP, Ilinois AFSCME Council. Betch ya he shows up in other places.

Comment by Western Ave. Doug Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 3:19 pm
Rauner seems to offer special deals for many of the interest groups he addresses. “Here’s my position for everybody else, but not for you.”

I hope he’s keeping good records.

Comment by walker Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 3:22 pm
An endorsement that Rauner wanted is going to Quinn?

Looks like Rauner is running short of million dollar checks.

Comment by Gooner Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 3:23 pm
==Looks like Rauner is running short of million dollar checks.==

More like Quinn has the power to appoint, and Rauner does not… yet

Comment by Western Ave. Doug Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 3:31 pm
===More like Quinn has the power to appoint===

LOL

Yeah, to an unpaid position. You’re barking up the wrong tree there, Dougie. But, hey, you wanna pick a fight with the cops, be my guest.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 3:32 pm
Western Ave.,

It was a joke.

Even if Rauner wanted to write a million dollar check, he’d have to be very creative on this one since I really don’t know the person/organization where he would write it.

In contrast, Rauner has written the odd million dollar check this year.

Hence the “Rauner only gets endorsements with big checks” joke.

We have a month of this before the election.

Lighten up, Western Ave. Learn to laugh at this stuff.

Comment by Gooner Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 3:35 pm
I get the joke Gooner. I just do not like seeing a respected organization like FOP turning into AFSCME. But you are right, 4 weeks out and its going to get a whole lot uglier.

Thanks for the advice Rich, I never pick fights with the police or jay walk in front of buses.

Comment by Western Ave. Doug Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 3:45 pm
I guess if it’s an endorsement, that is supposed to go to PQ, it’s no big deal.
If they would have stayed neutral, as IRMA did, then this would be a big story.

Comment by DuPage Bard Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 3:45 pm
==Its endorsement of Quinn is non-news for that reason alone this election cycle.==

Something can’t be non-news for one reason alone… if there are a million reasons it’s non-news, and one reason it’s news, the whole thing is news.

To borrow from another news article today that quoted the IRA on Margaret Thatcher: She had to be lucky every day, the IRA only had to be lucky once.

Comment by chi Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 3:53 pm
–Rauner had tried to court the police by saying they’d be exempt from any of his privatized pension reform plans,–

Say what?

That can’t be Bruce Rauner trying to cut back-room deals with union bosses to keep their sweet pensions in exchange for votes.

Must have been a different Bruce Rauner.

Because the Bruce Rauner on TV doesn’t roll that way.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 4:00 pm
Western Ave., I’m not sure what you are referencing with that last one.

Have you considered that just maybe the FOP thinks a massive expansion of the sales tax, a long list of new spending, and no promise to reduced the income tax until at least year four might have made a difference?

Your mind is made up.

You may want to treat people who have given the matter some thought a bit of respect too.

And as I said before — the million dollar check thing was a joke. If your response to “it was a joke” is to rave about the future of the FOP, you really do need to lighten up.

It is going to be a long month.

Comment by Gooner Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 4:01 pm
And, wordslinger has once again crystallized entire election with a tweet-length comment.

Comment by chi Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 4:02 pm
“a respected organization like FOP”

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2008-12-06/news/0812050419_1_legal-bills-jon-burge-police-officer

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM (@MisterJayEm) Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 4:02 pm
There’s reasons to denigrate the FOP, but fighting for one of their members isn’t one of them. It’s akin to criticizing a criminal defense attorney. Further, the context of that article suggests they weren’t doing it for Burge so much as for people accused in the future.

Comment by chi Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 4:14 pm
“There’s reasons to denigrate the FOP, but fighting for [a man who tortured dozens and dozens of people between 1972 and 1991] isn’t one of them.”

I never intended to “denigrate” anyone, but I think we’ll have to agree to disagree.

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM (@MisterJayEm) Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 4:34 pm
As a retired FOP member I won’t be voting for PQ as he has tried to cut my pension and health insurance. The so-called FOP ‘leaders’ just want the approval of their SEIU and AFSCME buddies.

Comment by anon Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 5:03 pm
==As a retired FOP member I won’t be voting for PQ as he has tried to cut my pension and health insurance. The so-called FOP ‘leaders’ just want the approval of their SEIU and AFSCME buddies.==

*cuts nose off to spite face*

Well that settles that.

Comment by Matt Belcher Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 5:37 pm
=== ==As a retired FOP member I won’t be voting for PQ as he has tried to cut my pension and health insurance. The so-called FOP ‘leaders’ just want the approval of their SEIU and AFSCME buddies.==

*cuts nose off to spite face*

Well that settles that.===

lol, that will show ‘em!

My best interests are not my voting interest.

You can lead a horse…

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 5:58 pm
As a retired FOP member I won’t be voting for PQ as he has tried to cut my pension and health insurance. The so-called FOP ‘leaders’ just want the approval of their SEIU and AFSCME buddies.

the last time i checked you still get your full pension and health insurance free after 20 years. sheesh, wth do you think rauners gonns try?

Comment by foster brooks Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 6:14 pm
HUGE Endorsement–despite that ridiculous Rauner commercial airing which a single, former Officer’s harsh opinion about some of the Governor’s long-ago resolved Clemency determinations–MOST of which, of course, were, of course, incidentally based upon the Illinois Prisoner Review Board’s prior, professional, and altogether independent RecommenDAtions to the Governor. No, 35,000 + Officers–active and retired– + their Loyal Spouses and Adult-age Children’s votes in Quinn’s Corner is huge, indeed, because, rest assured that a VAST Majority of these 70,000-100,000 or so Officers and Family Members WILL vote…! Just huge.

Comment by Just the Way It Is One Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 7:54 pm
Of course this endorsement had nothing to do with the FOP’s legislative guy being appointed to the Law Enforcement Standards and Training Board last month, where other appointments (as typical with Quinn) have languished since 2010. (H/T Ispeeved)

Comment by Arthur Andersen Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 9:02 pm
AA, world of respect for you, but I think anyone who can be bought that cheap the other guy would already have

Comment by steve schnorf Monday, Oct 6, 14 @ 11:15 pm
There is nothing wrong with Unions. And in fact Republicans have typically supported Unions. Its only since the Grand Old Party has been hijacked, that its become a problem.

Comment by Del Clinkton Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 7:10 am
Schnorf, just pointing it out.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 8:56 am
“Governor Quinn proposed a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines and is leading the fight for stronger gun-safety legislation.”

Did the State FOP not get the memo that its rank and file doesn’t support this nonsense? The FOP Federal support for the so-called AWB of 1994 proved a disaster driven by political hack leadership– NOT by the will of the member Sisters and Brothers.

Don’t encourage a foolish wedge issue that will defy and undermine the Constitutions both Federal and State and the trust of the Citizens we serve.

Comment by Mike Bishop Tuesday, Oct 7, 14 @ 5:45 pm
state lodge a union? since when

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 1:24 pm