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Rauner: We settled case “because we’re nice folks”

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* Sun-Times

Republican gubernatorial nominee Bruce Rauner on Thursday defended his role in a case brought against him by a former female CEO that’s been the subject of a TV attack ad, saying his firm settled part of the case “because we’re nice folks.”

The ad cites a court deposition claiming Rauner, through an intermediary, communicated a threat to “bankrupt” and “bury her,” if the CEO filed a lawsuit against him and his Chicago-based investment firm, GTCR. […]

Rauner acknowledged a portion of the case with former Leapsource CEO Christine Kirk was settled. However, he said it wasn’t an admission of wrongdoing but: “because we’re nice folks. We treat people well,” Rauner said. “This is for legal expenses, is nothin’.”

Rauner outright denied that he ever communicated a threat and said that sworn depositions in the case contradict one another.

“In my deposition, I wasn’t even asked about it. This is, you know what, lawsuits contain a lot of false accusations,” Rauner said. “That’s what a lot of lawsuits often have. This is false, it’s a false accusation.”

* Quinn campaign react…

The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting today that Republican billionaire Bruce Rauner is claiming he settled allegations that he threatened to “bury” a female CEO and her family “because we’re nice folks.”

Rauner again mischaracterized the LeapSource allegations, contained in a lawsuit that he settled for more than $500,000, as frivolous.

But the attorney for the female CEO - who claimed that Rauner threatened to make her “radioactive” if she ever took legal action against him - stood by the sworn statements, saying, “The judge never said it was frivolous. The judge never said these statements quoted in the complaint were not true.”

Further, the judge confirmed that Rauner and his partners played “hardball” every step of the way. […]

Below is the statement of Quinn for Illinois Deputy Press Secretary Izabela Miltko:

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:49 am

Comments

  1. Hey folks, looks like Rauner is giving away money, just run down to the courthouse and file your own lawsuit. Assuming you haven’t said he threatened you, you might even get more than half a mil…

    Comment by chi Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:54 am

  2. Oh come on! Either you’re the hard-nosed businessman who can shake up Springfield or you’re not. Don’t try to pretend GTCR was “nice folks” in the midst of layoffs, a bankruptcy, and settling a serious lawsuit.

    Bruce! Who are you?

    Comment by Anonymous Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:55 am

  3. Settles a lawsuit to be nice? Sounds like this guy will be great at going toe to toe with Madigan to “shake up Illinois.”

    Would it kill Rauner to not treat voters like dopes and say it was best for the business to settle the case and move on despite their contention the lawsuit was containing false accusations?

    Comment by hisgirlfriday Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:57 am

  4. He just gives away money for no reason?

    That sounds like him. After all, he’s got a long list of new spending for Illinois to go with expanded taxes.

    This is more proof that we can’t afford Bruce Rauner.

    Comment by Gooner Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:58 am

  5. anon 9:55 above was me. sorry.

    Comment by walker Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:58 am

  6. There it is, the Jeri Ryan opening.

    This could be more toxic than the initial Ad.

    Bruce Rauner, “This is false, it’s a false accusation.”

    Man o man, if Quinn’s Crew just responds like they did and leave it there, they are guilty of malpractice.

    “So we asked the deposed, ‘Bruce Rauner says the accusation is false. Do you agree with him, or your sworn deposition?”

    And. Let. The. Rest. Play.

    “There is nothing on my divorce papers” - “Jack!” Ryan

    “I stand by my sworn statement ” - Jeri Ryan.

    Here endeth the lesson.

    Quinn’s Crew can’t let the response of “false” lay out there when they can finish Rauner. Can’t.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 9:58 am

  7. Oh, OK, I get how it went, something like, “Hey, now, don’t get upset at us, we’re trying to be nice. Just go hire yourself some lawyers and file suit against us and we’ll give you half a million dollars because, hey, that’s the way nice people do things.”

    Comment by OldSmoky2 Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:00 am

  8. Any of you old enough to remember Nikita Khrushchev’s quote, “We will bury you?”

    Just ’cause those Soviets were “nice folks.”

    Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:02 am

  9. But in all seriousness, why in the world would he make such a ridiculous statement?

    Now the issue remains alive and he’s going to be mocked for it it.

    Had he said “We settled because, although we denied liability, litigation is expensive and time consuming for our employees” people would accepted it as seemingly honest and moved on.

    Instead, he’s given the issue new life and given voters another reason not to trust him.

    Whoever is running that campaign should never have another paid on any other campaign. This campaign makes Bill Brady’s look like Bill Clinton’s.

    Comment by Gooner Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:02 am

  10. We love Amos Fortune! He gave us a dollar!

    For the record, I was saying, “Booo urns!”

    Comment by Dirty Red Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:05 am

  11. Right. People settle lawsuits because they’re “nice folks.” Way to stoke your credibility, Bruce.

    Comment by Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:05 am

  12. It’s been my experience that women don’t run around making up threats against themselves or their families. Maybe it’s time for Rauner to unseal his deposition in this case? With the deposition kept under lock and key, it’s really hard to believe anything he says on this matter because it is so clearly self-serving.

    Comment by Jeepster Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:06 am

  13. Mr. Transparency’s deposition is the same place as his full income tax return — under lock and key.

    Comment by anon Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:06 am

  14. Rich: another topic — bring the LSSI ticket info over here, can’t hurt.

    Comment by walker Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:06 am

  15. Sorry OW ask a local congressman how what was said in a deposition later turns out to be irrelevant to a campaign.

    Without her speaking out, it’s irrelevant.

    Comment by OneMan Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:09 am

  16. ===“In my deposition, I wasn’t even asked about it. This is, you know what, lawsuits contain a lot of false accusations,” Rauner said. “That’s what a lot of lawsuits often have. This is false, it’s a false accusation.”===

    A very savy reporter would ask Bruce to get everyone to agree to unseal everything…

    A very savy campaign would get the attorney or the deposed in a :60 second spot and Jeri Ryan Rauner, dove-tailing the Marin snipit…

    Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:09 am

  17. Did you make her an offer she couldn’t refuse, Bruce?

    Comment by Wensicia Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:10 am

  18. He’s all in on the false accusation. We’ll see.

    Comment by Wordslinger Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:11 am

  19. I’ll have to go back and watch Erin Brockovich again, now under a new light. Apparently big business is in the business of simply paying out huge sums of cash because they are ‘nice’.

    What a dope.

    Comment by How Ironic Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:14 am

  20. - OneMan -,

    Gotta set Rauner up, the article with the denial…

    It wasn’t the woman, it was the board member who was deposed. The board member.

    You, - OneMan -, remember “Jack!” Ryan, right?

    Gotta get the denial first, for all we know, it’s in the can, and not dropped to the Sun-Times, but they have the board member saying “I stand by my depo”

    lol

    Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:14 am

  21. Quinn needs to put out a “nice folks” ad, stat. That line, handled correctly, could very well be the beginning of the end for Rauner; it reeks of noblesse oblige no $18 watch or beat-up van can mask. He might as well have said of the female employee, “Let her eat cake.”

    Comment by Commander Norton Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:15 am

  22. “I will bury her… I will bankrupt her with legal fees. I don’t if she has a family or not but if she does she better think twice about this.”

    Nice.

    – MrJM

    Comment by MrJM (@MisterJayEm) Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:15 am

  23. Don’t nice folks running for state office usually find the time to sit down with the editors of the newspaper at the State Journal Register in hopes of getting an endorsement? Perhaps Rauner simply plans to buy the paper if elected so that they won’t be critical of his governorship.

    Comment by Abraham Froman Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:17 am

  24. Who believes Rauner got rich being a nice guy?

    Comment by Carl Nyberg Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:17 am

  25. Rauner’s early commercial show him carrying a sledge hammer. He has promised to twist legislator arms, even if he has to break a few. Yet he’s Mr. Nice Guy who settles lawsuits for $500,000 out of the goodness of his heart? He can’t have it both ways.

    Comment by anon Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:18 am

  26. Rauner doesn’t have much respect for honesty or the critical thinking skills of regular voters, does he?

    Comment by Carl Nyberg Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:19 am

  27. Honesty, integrity, ethics, morals…

    Rauner is lacking. Thus is a prime example.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:20 am

  28. False accusation or not, settlements are common for people and businesses who have the means to merely take the hit.

    Our fair capitol city recently settled a case with a person whom many in local leadership considered to be a real nuisance. Yet it was easier and perhaps cheaper to cut the guy and his attorney a check and move on.

    I’ve mentioned Mike Florio before. He’s the founder of ProFootballTalk and is on Sunday Night Football, so he’s not just “some dude”. He’s also a labor attorney who writes legal analyses for his site and for NBC. His analysis of the NFL “moving on” from the concussion suit filed by former players was along the same lines as this: the NFL settled not so much to admit guilt but to cut the impending case off at the knees and save a bit of face. Apples to oranges? Perhaps. But the concussion suit was a serious one that the NFL nipped in the bud before it went before a full-blown federal hearing and summary judgement.

    Ask yourselves this: if you were Mr. Rauner, would you rather keep paying top attorneys to fight this through federal court - and knowing that you are likely to never recoup legal fees if (and that’s a big if) you win - or do you cut your losses and settle?

    I wish the state did that more often. When the fired IDOT staffers sued the state 10-11 years ago, the state spent MILLIONS of dollars in outside legal counsel to fight the case in federal court. The state could/should have simply settled and moved on. Again - apples to oranges? Perhaps. But the state court case was a textbook example of defendants - and in this case the taxpayers - losing their shirts when a simpler course of action would’ve saved time, money and bad PR.

    Comment by Team Sleep Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:23 am

  29. Agree with the Commander. Think we might get a new spin on the Jeri Ryan. Even without the board member confirming the depo (if they don’t have it or can’t get it), recut the ad to put in Rauner’s ‘nice folks’ quote and then follow it up with Marin’s line.

    Bruce’s campaign is so dumb, Quinn team might not even need the final slam dunk to finish him off.

    Comment by Haverford Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:24 am

  30. Meh. Nobody’s going to get a court order to unseal that deposition by Election Day and I’ll bet the woman is under a comprehensive confidentiality clause as part of the settlement. I doubt she is going to jeopardize a $500,000 payment just to antagonize a man who is making 30x that a year. The ad is causing far more damage just as thugs sit, though the “nice folks” angle was inane.

    Comment by Percival Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:27 am

  31. It isn’t just her word vs his. Her words were supported by another (male) exec in his deposition.

    Horrible insight into rauners lack of basic decency. Now let’s get out there and break some arms.

    Contracts and laws will mean very little to a gov bruce, esp when he can issue an exec order. You must obey. Or else.

    Comment by Langhorne Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:28 am

  32. Bruce, I hate to quote a former Cub on this blog, but I will:

    “Nice guys finish last”…Leo Durocher

    Comment by AFSCME Steward Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:28 am

  33. The settlement is window-dressing, a red herring.

    The dismissal, not dismissal, summary judgement, all slight if hand.

    The issue is crisp. The subject is clean. The question is simple.

    “Did you tell the Board Member what you said in the deposition he gave?”

    “It’s false”

    I stand by my deposition. I swore to it. Bruce said what I testified under oath.”

    The rest is noise.

    The rest is fodder to help Rauner try to overcome.

    Ask “Jack!” How devastating it is to refute someone’s sworn testimony and the person stands by the sworn statement.

    The table is set.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:29 am

  34. Team Sleep “Ask yourselves this: if you were Mr. Rauner, would you rather keep paying top attorneys to fight this through federal court - and knowing that you are likely to never recoup legal fees if (and that’s a big if) you win - or do you cut your losses and settle?”

    If had his resources, was contemplating holding public office and was falsely accused of threatening to bury a woman and her entire family, no legal expense would be too great to truly erase this huge campaign issue. He settled because he didn’t want the facts of the case to be made public.

    Comment by Jeepster Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:31 am

  35. Eh, you settle because a jury is a 50-50 proposition. Avoid the actual courtroom at all costs.

    Comment by ChrisB Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:33 am

  36. nice guys finish last?

    Comment by Anonymous Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:34 am

  37. Jeepster -

    It’s not just legal resources. What if the judgement had been crippling for both Mr. Rauner and his firm? I know that sounds harsh, but he’s a businessman and an investor.

    I’m not making excuses for his behavior or his follow-up, but I understand the settlement.

    Comment by Team Sleep Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:36 am

  38. Team Sleep,

    I think you are missing the point.

    Rauner has made two statements about this case that are apparently false.

    The first, in summary, was that the motion for summary judgment disposed of the allegations and as such, the case had absolutely no merit.

    In fact, the MSJ did not dispose of the case. Instead, enough remained that it justified a substantial settlement.

    Second, he claimed that he settled because he was nice.

    Again, that seems contrary to what we know. He claims he’s not nice. He claims he’s the tough guy with the sledge hammer. Moreover, why be nice to somebody who, according to him, brought false allegations against him, that went to his character? If you are going to be nice, you donate to charity. Giving money to a person who made those sort of allegedly false and insulting allegations would not be nice. It would be stupid. It would reward bad behavior.

    As such, we know he didn’t settle to be nice. He settled because the case had a value of $500,000+. The risk of an adverse verdict and the remaining cost of defense justified it

    Team Sleep, the response from Rauner serves as further proof of his lack of character. He appeared deceptive on both the MSJ and the settlement. Can we trust somebody like that to be our Governor?

    Comment by Gooner Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:44 am

  39. I wonder how Quinn will use this during the next debate. And Bruce,aka Mr. Nice Guy, will have to explain how he just gave away 500 large to make a woman happy. It will be a great watch.

    Comment by Big Joe Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:45 am

  40. Team sleep, you are right. Rich people/businesses settling lawsuits for convenience sake is common.

    And Rauner could have just said that instead of insulted every voter in Illinois with the lie that he settled out of niceness.

    But lies, like lawsuit settlements, are more convenient and Rauner can’t be bothered with the truth.

    Comment by hisgirlfriday Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:49 am

  41. If the Quinn Crew can get the companion Ad of the deposed saying he stands by his testimony, with Rauner calling it false…before the final debate…

    Devastatingly toxic.

    Rauner can’t triple-down. Can’t.

    The denial is on the record, it’s sitting out there.

    Run both Ads, the original and the companion, yikes.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:49 am

  42. Bruce gives us new perspective on how Nice Guys Finish Last.

    Comment by Tim Snopes Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:52 am

  43. His Girl -

    I wish he WOULD say that. Just admit it! The same goes for his upbringing. No need to lie. Just be honest.

    I just chuckle at people who think settlements are some damning smoking gun.

    Comment by Team Sleep Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 10:53 am

  44. Quinn continues to grasp at straws and depict Rauner as the kind of man who threatens women. Desperate. False. Uncomscionable. Any attorney worth his/her salt will tell you formidable business persons must undertake positions during litigation to protect corporate interests. Also, plaintiffs can and do make salacious allegations in the hopes that settlement will result. Rauner must take his gloves off these last few days. #toomuchatstake

    Comment by Black Ivy Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 11:01 am

  45. @Team Sleep

    A settlement is not a smoking gun. A deposition from the accuser that has been made public, and a deposition from the accused that he refuses to make public, is the issue at hand.

    Comment by Ducky LaMoore Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 11:04 am

  46. === False.===

    It’s like understanding the ramifications of words don’t matter.

    ===and depict Rauner as the kind of man who threatens women.===

    No. It was a sworn deposition of what Rauner told the deposed that makes Rauner appear to be the kind of man that threatens women. Not Quinn.

    This has a possibility to backfire beyond the first Ad’s damage…

    Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 11:05 am

  47. The McKinney/Marin article referenced by Mr. Miller points out a couple of facts to think about:

    - The settlement of $500,000 was not just to Ms. Kirk as there were several other ranking LeapSource employees involved in the settlement. Anyone else notice there is this laser focus on Ms. Kirk to the exclusion of most any mention of other LeapSource employees involved in the settlement?

    - Ms. Kirk’s annual salary at LeapSource was $600,000. Often times, settlements in such matters are related to the pay rate…. The settlement would be less than one year of Ms. Kirk’s salary (since everyone seems so focused on Ms. Kirk).

    Now being “nice” did not have a thing to do with the settlement. Sounds like sarcasm from Bruce Rauner.

    There are some cardinal rules: politicians shouldn’t play with fire or sarcasm. Nor walk and chew gum at the same time.

    Comment by anonymoose Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 11:08 am

  48. == because we’re nice folks ==

    I have trouble believing that.

    I also have trouble with a few lines from the plaintiff’s deposition, lines which have apparently not been proven or disproven, being used to paint any person as such a horrible person without some sort of confirmation.

    If he did say that, it is disgusting. If he did not say that and this was just an allegation, it is disgusting so many have taken this and run with a false accusation. Only a small number of people really know the truth, so it could be helpful to get those records unsealed.

    Comment by Formerly Known As... Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 11:13 am

  49. - Any attorney worth his/her salt will tell you formidable business persons must undertake positions during litigation to protect corporate interests. -

    You must be an attorney. Tell me, if the suit was frivolous as Bruce claims, why didn’t his attorneys ask the judge to dismiss it?

    That would have protected their corporate interests better than anything. Can your big lawyer brain spin an answer for that one?

    Comment by Anonymous Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 11:14 am

  50. If you are talking about the case, the settlement, the “payout”, the merits…

    You are doing what Rauner is hoping the pivot to be.

    The payout, judgement, rationale…all red herrings;

    The focus is on the sworn deposition. Rauner calls the allegation false. In the political world, calling a sworn depo is beyond dangerous, it’s foolish.

    “I stand by my sworn deposition. When I took the oath, I swore to tell the truth. Rauner told me … that us the truth, under the threat of perjury.”

    The rest is meaningless in the prism of politics, and Rauner and his Crew want that discussion. Rauner and his Crew don’t want to be Jeri Ryaned, but the “False” set the table.

    The deposition is what matters in this race. Nothing else.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 11:20 am

  51. If you settle a lawsuit to avoid the risks of litigation, you settled as a calculation of risks and benefits. Not because you’re a nice guy.

    Comment by VM Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 11:27 am

  52. Every time Rauner appears in public, he should be asked about his deposition. Where is it? Are you going to release it? When? He’ll fire back with some rubbish that a judge needs to approve its release. Then they need to ask… what steps have been taken to release it? How many lawyers do you have working on this so you can clear your name? Etc etc etc. The narrative writes itself.

    Comment by Ducky LaMoore Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 11:31 am

  53. Willie, looks like you’ve got a new toy to play with today. You’ve already broken the toy. Relax. Nobody is going to unseal depositions in this court case. Has it every occurred to the Wizard of Oswego that this deposition could be very unflattering to the lady who accepted the settlement? You’ve heard an accusation of what his ‘pretty language’ was and he’s denied it. You think this lady exec wants her laundry hung out on the line? You just want this too much. It’s just not what you “need” it to be.

    Now, go ahead and parse away Wizard.

    Comment by A guy... Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 11:37 am

  54. Gooner nailed it with his analysis.

    Comment by anon Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 11:45 am

  55. Let’s also not forget Rauner is the same guy who saw no problem sitting at a table with Ditka in a tv ad he paid for where Ditka says “hit ‘em right in the mouth.” Even if that was supposed to be directed at “special interests” it was still stupid.

    Rauner’s got an even worse tin ear for politics than Oberweis.

    Rauner never should have gotten into this race. Should stick with busting out nursing homes and whatever else it is that he does.

    Comment by too obvious Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 11:47 am

  56. === Has it every occurred to the Wizard of Oswego that this deposition could be very unflattering to the lady who accepted the settlement? You’ve heard an accusation of what his ‘pretty language’ was and he’s denied it. You think this lady exec wants her laundry hung out on the line? You just want this too much. It’s just not what you “need” it to be.===

    So, they are “Protecting” the …”lady”

    You are as condescending as Rauner, lol

    ===You think this lady exec wants her laundry hung out on the line? You just want this too much. It’s just not what you “need” it to be.===

    “You release information, I will bury you. I will make you radioactive if you release the information.”

    Are you saying there is an undercurrent of a threat there?

    “You don’t want that released, ‘lady’, it will bury you, like I said it would.”

    Wow.

    Your response speaks volumes to how you see women, the “Tom Hagen Way” and honesty, integrity, ethics, and morals.

    It’s not broke, it’s the Humpy-Dumpty that is the faux “Bruce Rauner” that fell off the wall, and all the - A Guy… - spinning can’t put that back together again.

    “lady”

    Pathetic.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 11:49 am

  57. Was the deposition sealed by GTCR unilaterally, or was it a mutual agreement?

    Comment by Skeptic Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 11:56 am

  58. BTW, - A Guy… -, it’s not her depo in question, it’s the board members.

    Either you are willfully ignorant of that fact, or facts like that escape you while allegedly making it about the “lady” bad worrying about the “lady”.

    It’s the male board member whose depo is in question by Rauner.

    Dope.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 12:05 pm

  59. Wizard of Oswego, did I not read that he said that in “his” depo, he wasn’t even asked this question? You want to unseal them, you need to unseal them all. Try to keep up. That’s not going to happen with a settlement that hinged on sealing them. In the grand scheme of things, this is not a remarkably high settlement amount at that level of business.
    Do you know how this works; Do you know how any of this works?

    A guy like you calling others “dope” is an amazing thing.

    Comment by A guy... Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 12:21 pm

  60. Slime Ball!

    Comment by WOW Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 12:27 pm

  61. Please.

    Learn to read;

    ===Rauner outright denied that he ever communicated a threat and said that sworn depositions in the case contradict one another.===

    “communicated a threat” - not threaten her.

    Rauner is responding to the male deposition.

    Willfully ignorant, or refuse to acknowledge truth.

    I don’t want a single thing unsealed.

    The pivot is the male deposed saying “I stand by every word of my sworn deposition”.

    That’s all the political needs.

    You talking about the settlement, is again, pivoting off the reality of;

    “I will bury her”, saying it’s “false” and the Jeri Ryan counter coming up, “I stand by my sworn deposition.”

    It’s never been about the suit, it’s about the board member’s deposition.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 12:28 pm

  62. Hey, everyone, there’s no need to be so cynical. Why, look at how much money Rauner’s given away to television stations, for no reason, during his no hope gubernatorial run!

    If there’s one thing I can believe about Bruce Rauner its that he’s allergic to money and likes to waste as much of it as possible.

    Comment by Angel's Sword Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 12:32 pm

  63. Ducky -

    A lot of people on here seem to think it is. The line of thinking I’ve seen on this blog is that Bruce settling the lawsuit is an admission that he was 100% guilty and culpable.

    I agree that the contents of the file are troublesome. But the settlement itself is not.

    Skeptic also brings up a good point about the sealed records agreement.

    Comment by Team Sleep Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 12:47 pm

  64. If this episode shows how “nice” Rauner is then I’d really hate to see him mad. Sheesh.

    Comment by Demoralized Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 12:48 pm

  65. OW, do you really think that the executive is going to be crazy enough to do that? Recall who Bruce Rauner is, recall who his friends are, and note the fact that the very topic here is retaliation. I would sure hope that the guy is retired.

    Comment by Percival Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 12:50 pm

  66. ===OW, do you really think that the executive is going to be crazy enough to do that?===

    He may have already done it.

    Plus, saying you told the truth in a depo is “meh”, even with threats. You agree you lied in a depo, that could be troublesome.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 12:54 pm

  67. Thanks a lot, Rich. Your headline made me spew diet soda out my nose. Do you know how much that hurts?

    But seriously, I didn’t even have to read the reasoning to find Rauner’s premise hilaaaaaaaarious. And that says a lot about his image. Agreed that it would have been better to simply say, “Sometimes in business it’s smarter and less expensive to settle.” That is true, and would fit the narrative of a successful businessperson better.

    Comment by PolPal56 Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 1:41 pm

  68. What would Rauner’s first speech be if he wins? “No more Mr. Nice Guy?”

    Comment by DuPage Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 1:46 pm

  69. DuPage: Maybe he’ll even bite the head off a bat too?

    Comment by Skeptic Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 2:25 pm

  70. Well, I’ve looked and found where K&E (GTCR’s attorneys) argued about the admissability of a deposition (based on whether the witness was knowledgable enough or not) but I haven’t found anywhere that says to seal it. But then I’m not a lawyer nor a law clerk, so my searching mojo is somewhat limited.

    Comment by Skeptic Friday, Oct 17, 14 @ 3:04 pm

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