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Rauner donations sparking questions

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Illinois

* Some eyebrows went up when Bruce Rauner released a list of donors to his inauguration/transition effort. Sun-Times…

The groups all have an interest in public-policy decisions and range from the Illinois Hospital Association, which donated up to $100,000, to the Wirtz Corp. and Walgreen Co., which donated up to $25,000 each.

“Those are groups that do not do business with the government,” Rauner said, differentiating his inauguration donors from other groups that “contract with the state directly.”

He said money coming from groups that have state contracts would not be welcome. “That’s where we do not want to have financial dealings,” he said.

Um, Walgreens gets lots of state money via the Medicaid program.

* Tribune…

The Republican campaigned on a theme of shaking up Springfield and railed against the entrenched special interests, but the list of inaugural and transition donors his team released this weekend lists groups, companies and individuals with vested interests in state policy. The Illinois Hospital Association and Illinois Manufacturers’ Association were listed at each giving up to $100,000, as was Foresight Energy, a Downstate coal mining operation. Altria, the tobacco firm, and Richard Duchossois, the northwest suburban businessman, were listed as giving up to $50,000.

Those listed as giving up to $25,000 include Ameren, Associated Beer Distributors of Illinois political fund, Associated Builders & Contractors, Illinois Association of Realtors, Illinois State Medical Society, People’s Gas, State Farm and Wirtz Corp.

During a two-day tour of rural Illinois, Rauner was asked about the inaugural donations.

“Well, we’re not taking money from anybody who does any business with the government at all,” he said. “That’s the, that’s the thing. We don’t want money in the inauguration from folks who are, are — that’s the thing we’ve got to stop — is the money with organizations that also do business with the state. We’ve got to put an end to that.”

Quite a large number of those companies are regulated by the state.

Discuss.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:02 am

Comments

Wirtz Beverages sell lots of booze to Illinois pols.

Snark.

Comment by Under Further Review Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:08 am
Andy Shaw is gonna be all over this. Right, Andy?

Comment by PublicServant Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:10 am
And I guess a lobbying firm doesn’t “do business with the state.” It just smells funny, that’s all.

Comment by Skeptic Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:10 am
It is true… the IL Hospital Association does not have direct contracts with the State. But are you kidding me?

The IHA is one of, if not THE, most powerful lobby group in Springfield. Their members get massive amounts of money from the State.

Walgreens, State Med Society, and a bunch of others are in the same boat.

“Shaking up Springfield” is going to be fun, eh?

Comment by dave Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:12 am
“I’m shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!”

Comment by TwoFeetThick Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:12 am
The Med Society/ISMIE and Realtors should be listed at the 50k level. They both gave 25k under 2 different names but it adds up to 50K.

Comment by The anti-Trib Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:13 am
As our illustrious Supreme Court determined in “McCutcheon v FEC”, it’s only bribery, or paying for influence, if there’s a direct, explicit ‘quid-pro-quo.’

So, nothing to see here……

Comment by PMcP Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:16 am
I’m never sure what shocks me more, how many candidates promise change or how few actually deliver change. Government is not a business and is a top line environment. It’s difficult to change government! This isn’t a bad thing, it’s simply a messaging issue. No matter how hard Gov. Rauner tries, he’s going to need to stop saying things without knowing the answer in advance.

Comment by Downstate GOP Faithless Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:18 am
Nada.

Comment by A guy Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:20 am
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

He’s been playing the system for years and now we’re supposed to believe he’ll shake up the system because he was working it from the outside not the inside.

Comment by Carhart Representative Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:26 am
Walgreens’ pharmacies are subject to state regulation. Their controversial “Well Experience” program, which moves pharmacists from behind the counter to work stations on a store’s floor have raised privacy concerns and have been the subject of debate at the regulatory level in other states.

Comment by Interested Observer Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:27 am
How about Ameren giving $25k while President Cullerton holds on to their latest rate hike bill until Rauner gets sworn in.

Comment by SportShz Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:30 am
Even the nursing home lobby got into the act (hmmmm). Governor Rauner should be pleased.

Comment by NH Insider Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:33 am
Pretty weak spin from Rauner. Political contributions are made for selfish reasons, to get access to and influence those in power.

Why pretend otherwise?

Noticed that IPI pledged (but hasn’t ponied up) $10k. That’s an odd expenditure from an allegedly non-profit and self-described “independent research and education organization.”

Comment by Wordslinger Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:36 am
The Associated Builders and Contractors are a huge push for Right to Work legislation also.

Comment by Flatlander Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:46 am
== Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. ==

Did we ever clarify whether the ==old boss== released this same info on their inauguration/transition donors? Was this a new nod towards transparency by the Rauner crew, or was their statement false?

If they released this information where Gov Quinn and others did not, then that is an improvement and they deserve some credit. If not, then they deserve to be hit on that as well.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 11:02 am
“Did I say, ‘Shake Up Springfield’? Gee whiz. That was a typo — should have said ‘down’. My bad.”

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM (@MisterJayEm) Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 11:06 am
Special interests for me but not for thee.

What Carhart Representative said.

Comment by Grandson of Man Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 11:11 am
That the IHA does no business with the state is one of the most disingenuous statements I’ve seen in a long, long time. Not directly, no, but Illinos hospitalas are regulated to the hilt by IDPH and get tons of medicaid money from HFS.

IHA is one of the most powerful lobbying groups in Springfield. Gimmi a break.

Comment by State employee Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 11:13 am
Nothing new here.

Comment by walker Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 11:15 am
I guess that the shaking up of Springfield may be a more gradual process than some of us had envisioned.

Comment by Hit or Miss Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 11:23 am
Every single company or trade organization on this list is in business with the State, is regulated by the State, or lobbies the State. I am going to assume this was some kind of misstatement.

Comment by here we go Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 11:29 am
At least it’s transparent.

Comment by Keyser Soze Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 12:31 pm
The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Comment by Finally Out (formerly Ready to Get Out) Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 12:37 pm
Is anyone actually surprised?

Comment by Cheryl44 Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 12:50 pm
@FKA- kudos to the new administration for informing us ahead of time who or whom will be buying influence with his administration.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 1:41 pm
Either he believes you are dumb or he is unclear on the concept. Ameren not only does business with the state, they are regulated by the ICC. A twofer. He should send the money back.

Comment by Tim Snopes Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 8:42 pm
Why would anyone who has nothing to gain donate? Obviously all these donors are hoping for some kind of payback. And I am absolutely sure they will get it.

Comment by Way Northsider Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 10:36 pm
I believe the IHA has had a long standing contract with IDPH to aggregate hospital claims data which they then turn around and sell to providers. It is the Association’s primary source of revenue after dues.

Comment by HospitalExec Monday, Jan 12, 15 @ 11:23 pm
Oh and IHA did not donate a dime to Rauner’s campaign. They went all in for Quinn. Oops…. The $100k has mea culpa all over it.

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Comment by jones Tuesday, Jan 13, 15 @ 6:15 pm