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Rauner signs lone campaign finance bill, with zero fanfare

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Illinois

* From the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform…

SB 248, a bill that ICPR spearheaded, was signed into law this weekend by the Governor. The bill increases the transparency of political spending in Illinois by adding a year-round 5 day reporting requirement for Independent Expenditures.

SB 248 was the only campaign finance bill to pass this session, and was made possible by the support of Senators Julie Morrison and Matt Murphy, and House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie. We also received support from other reform groups, such as the BGA, Illinois PIRG, the Citizen Advocacy Center, and the League of Women Voters of Illinois.

That’s a good bill, considering that these IE groups are now spending year-round.

* But you’d never know the bill passed by watching the governor’s daily calendar of events. As we’ve discussed here before, the governor has eschewed signing ceremonies this year…

It’s a time-honored tradition for Illinois governors to invite lawmakers, journalists and members of the public to ceremonial bill signings, an easy way for the chief executive to take credit for accomplishments and create a sense that he’s getting things done. Rauner has signed more than 400 bills into law since he took office in January. He has held zero public signing ceremonies.

Asked why that’s the case, Rauner spokesman Lance Trover did not directly answer the question but did say the “work of the General Assembly is not done.” […]

“Bill signings are ceremonial, and they’re meant to be almost like victory laps,” said House Republican leader Jim Durkin of Western Springs. “I don’t see any reason why anybody would be celebrating what has happened in Springfield until we get a budget done.”

The closest he’s gotten was a signing ceremony for an executive order several months ago.

* More…

“This could be part of a trend to try to control what the message of the day is,” said Mike Lawrence, who was press secretary to former Republican Gov. Jim Edgar. “In other words, if you’ve got a bill signing and you do it with the media there, then the media ask you questions about other issues. That can overtake what you’re doing on the bill.”

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Aug 25, 15 @ 9:37 am

Comments

==then the media ask you questions about other issues==

I think that’s probably the real reason these are done publicly.

Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Aug 25, 15 @ 9:44 am
Getting any bill passed and signed in this environment is no small feat, congrats to all involved.

Comment by The Captain Tuesday, Aug 25, 15 @ 9:48 am
There was a time where ceremonial bill signings were fewer and more significant based on the particular piece of legislation. Then, every bill signing turned into a press pop for Govs and local legislators (the victory lap…) I, for one, am not terribly sad to see those events go away. Often they do take away and divert attention to the more troubling issues of the day. Just my opinion.

Comment by A guy Tuesday, Aug 25, 15 @ 9:54 am
Where IS yiur Constitutionally Mandated Balanced Budget…..Bruce?

Epic fail.

Comment by Jack Stephens Tuesday, Aug 25, 15 @ 9:58 am
You know what, Rauner is beyond awful unscripted, and you know what, Rauner has admitted many times, off script, he’s not up to speed on many things, and you know what, blowing up a positive bill signing by attacking “Speaker Madigan and the legislators he controls…” is always out there, and you know what, having a continuous “no questions please” request seems worse than no public signings at all, and you know what, singing and vetoing bills as Rauner is doing will be the norm, and you know what, as governor, that’s his choice, so that’s the end of it… you know.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Aug 25, 15 @ 10:03 am
As also mentioned in the Tribune article, by completely eschewing ceremonial signings, the governor is passing up some prime opportunities to say “Look what we did together, we can get this budget done.”

Comment by Precinct Captain Tuesday, Aug 25, 15 @ 10:10 am
The $64K Question: Why do blowhards dislike facing the music?

Comment by Crafton Tuesday, Aug 25, 15 @ 10:18 am
Demoralized, whatever the real reason is, we know it’s never the reason coming out of the press office.

Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Aug 25, 15 @ 10:23 am
He just doesn’t want any Dem legislators to get credit for good work and he doesn’t want any GOP legislators to receive any good publicity not paid for by him. Keeps the help in line and dependent.

There’s no “team” in “I.”

Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, Aug 25, 15 @ 10:33 am
Sling, which bills would you throw a “wing-ding” for?

Comment by A guy Tuesday, Aug 25, 15 @ 10:55 am
They may not be open to the media, but I’ve sure seen an awful lot of photos posted on Facebook over the past couple of months of the Governor and legislative sponsors at bill signings.

Comment by GA Watcher Tuesday, Aug 25, 15 @ 10:55 am
=They may not be open to the media, but I’ve sure seen an awful lot of photos posted on Facebook over the past couple of months of the Governor and legislative sponsors at bill signings. =
Rauner doesn’t seem to have an interest in a lot of show over bill signings. No big deal, unless you don’t like Rauner and looking for another reason not to like him.

Comment by Apocalypse Now Tuesday, Aug 25, 15 @ 11:02 am
Guy, I’m pointing out the reason I think Rauner is not following the traditional practice of former governors. My opinion on the worth of any particular legislation has nothing to do with that point.

Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, Aug 25, 15 @ 11:02 am
Rauner not holding bill signing ceremonies= Conspiracy theorist reason all kinds of motives.

Comment by Apocalypse Now Tuesday, Aug 25, 15 @ 11:09 am
Trover’s response worked for me.

Comment by walker Tuesday, Aug 25, 15 @ 11:14 am
Rauner is loading the slingshot, pulling back, an will release with precision when the revenue bill is signed.

It will be the bill signing ceremony of the century and the message from Rauner will be a high-powered “kill shot” aimed at “Madigan and the legislators he controls.”

Get ahead of it Dems.

Comment by cdog Tuesday, Aug 25, 15 @ 3:22 pm
Signing ceremony or not, it is a good bill with backing from Dems and Reps.

Trover and Lawrence aren’t wrong.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Tuesday, Aug 25, 15 @ 4:55 pm