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* UPDATED x1 - CTU claims credit * Behind the Chuy nod

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* Greg Hinz on Cook County Commissioner Chuy Garcia’s endorsement of Speaker Madigan…

In a subsequent phone interview, Garcia said Rauner “has brought different types of Democrats together by insisting on pro-business, anti-union changes before enacting a needed tax hike.

“Madigan asked me to endorse,” Garcia added. “I thought about it for quite awhile. I decided to do it…There were no quid pro quos.” […]

“There were a variety of political and policy agreements,” says one source who should know. Garcia has been unable to round up the votes on the County Board to succeed County Clerk David Orr if he resigns, but Madigan can get them, says another.

Orr, in a phone call, termed it “all rumors.” But he didn’t totally deny that something may be afoot. […]

Other sources are hinting that the Chicago Teachers Union played yenta. Labor and Madigan are extremely close at the moment, and CTU and other teachers unions were the biggest financial backers of Garcia’s bid for mayor.

It’s probably all of the above, including the county clerk thing.

* Madigan has “evolved” from a traditional white etnick social conservative to forcefully supporting progressive ideals like gay marriage. He put the millionaire’s tax and minimum wage hike on the 2014 ballot (although he hasn’t yet advanced either plan in his chamber). And the white, South Side Irish-American even backed last year’s police reforms.

* The CTU, which convinced Garcia to run for mayor, is under siege and has moved closer to Madigan than at any time since Dave Peterson was alive. Check out the yard signs that Madigan’s campaign is using…

* And, of course, Bruce Rauner has managed to send the various wings of the usually fractious Democratic coalition into Madigan’s outstretched arms. Rightly or wrongly, they view Madigan as the only one with the fortitude to consistently thumb his nose at Rauner, IllinoisGO and the Tribune editorial board.

When everyone from liberal darling Rep. Will Guzzardi (who was harshly bashed by Madigan both times he attempted to unseat Toni Berrios), to Sen. Emil Jones III (whose father fought innumerable battles royale with Madigan for years), to Commissioner Chuy Garcia, to Mayor Rahm Emanuel are all defending Madigan and attacking Rauner in unison, there’s more going on here than many would have you believe.

They’re not all “in the tank.” Many realize they’re at war, and they don’t want to lose.

*** UPDATE *** Greg updates…

The CTU is confirming that its president, the very talented Karen Lewis, did indeed bring Garcia and Madigan together on this one.

Asked specifically if Lewis played yenta on this match, Stephanie Gadlin replied in an email, “Yes, she did.”

Call it, at least in part, a little love letter to Bruce Rauner

[ *** End Of Update *** ]

* Meanwhile…

“I’m a private detective in Schaumburg and I have been developing information on Jason Gonzales over the last few months. I saw your article. Nice work. Can we talk?”

That note from a Bensenville police officer who doubles as a private eye popped up in my inbox after I reported on Gonzales’ 2015 pardon on several theft and forgery convictions from the early 1990s. Gonzales, an Elgin native who went on to get master’s degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, is running against powerful Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan in the March 15 Democratic primary in the predominantly Hispanic 22nd District.

David Ratkovich, president of ETS Intelligence, told me he was paid about $5,000 to compile a dossier on Gonzales by someone who wanted to vet the candidate before dropping big bucks into his campaign.

Who paid? Ratkovich won’t tell — other than to say it’s not Madigan. A quick look at Gonzales’ war chest shows roughly $48,000 in donations this year, on top of $48,840 collected in 2015. A number of those donations are from investors and venture capitalists who also support GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner.

I’m not saying it’s him, but Gonzales’ biggest contributor so far has been former Democratic US Senate candidate and kabillionaire Blair Hull.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 9:23 am

Comments

Whew. We’ve got ads calling Sam McCann sleazy and yard signs telling us not to vote for a convicted felon.

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 9:32 am
Not a very “private” detective who’s reaching out to yak to reporters.

A Bensenville cop who’s a “private detective” on the side? No potential conflicts of interest there, lol.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 9:35 am
Nothing in politics surprises me any more.

Comment by Team Sleep Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 9:35 am
It’s encouraging, for me as a Republican, that the Democrats see the Raunerite threat as real, as dangerous, and as damaging to Illinois

The ILGOP no longer exists, it’s owned by Rauner, and while Edgar and Geo. Ryan, and, to some extent but not as complete, Jim Thompson had significant and exclusive management of the State Party, Pate, Lee, Jim Ryan, Lolita, JBT, the Northwest Side “agreement”, the South Suburban Conservatives, the “Gorillas of Pate”… “AWorking Party”, building around the 80% Reagan belief existed and allowed growth of leaders, and leadership to bloom and leaders to build coalitions within party apparatuses.

That’s gone now. It’s over.

The Democrats? They see Dunkin as the festering wound Raunerites point to to destroy Democrats as Rauner destroyed Republicans. Gonzo is the Raunerite “rallying race”, “taking on Madigan” in possibly the most dishonest and disingenuous way by, again, infesting Raunerites in Democratic primaries.

Democrats are learning. Will Labor learn too? Will Social Services see the damage Democratic Raunerites will do, while they build those Raunerite Caucuses, and continue to shred the safety net of Illinois.

Chuy has very significant and pointed personal reasons to back Madigan. But in reality, Chuy and all those that run into the waiting open arms of Madigan, you can all work with Mike Madigan now and have a future tomorrow, or lose the Democratic Party and have no place to have a future at all.

“Vote Accirdingly”, and embracingly support each other before the stranger is in your house, more than willing to burn it down at all of your expense.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 9:38 am
Rauner has managed to do the impossible: he’s managed to make Madigan look like the good guy.

Comment by Serious questioner Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 9:40 am
Wordslinger:

Better than when they used to deal confiscated drugs out of a local bar… Lol

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1998-02-12/news/9802120380_1_village-officials-village-board-police-corruption

Comment by There is power in a union... Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 9:45 am
There is power, my wife’s extended family on both sides is four generations deep in Leyden Township.

So some family history is Family history as well. Some things you hear, some things you know….

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 9:50 am
I don’t think there’s many who’d say Madigan isn’t a good guy. While his approach might sometimes be in question, it’s hard to not see his passion for his party and for Illinois and it’s citizens.

Comment by cgo75 Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 9:52 am
This is war. Rauner wanted it and it has come. The heads of all the families have gone to the mattresses.

Comment by Spliff Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 9:52 am
I am a life-long Democrat, but right now I have a McCann sign in my yard. Why? Because Democracy and the two party system is sitting in the toilet right now. If Rauner and his fellow 1 percentors are successful this election cycle, it will flush the toilet and we will be left with a strong Oligarchy that we may never recover from. We are witnessing the Corporate takeover of America, and if we, the 99% of Americans don’t vote, and vote wisely, shame on us!

Comment by Retired Firefighter Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 9:53 am
So some Magoo invests in PI and still give Gonzo $$$…does seem a little odd… maybe they want to make sure he wasn’t a tax dead beat too…double opps.

Comment by Annoinin' Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 9:55 am
The first thing you learn in politics, besides learning how to count, is to develop the ability to appreciate problems from the viewpoint of the other guy. Madigan is an expert at it. Thats how you find a middle ground.

Rauner has one absolute view of the world–unions bad, all governments waste our money. Destroy unions. Starve government. Prosperity will flow. No other view matters, or is even legitimate.

Comment by Langhorne Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 9:55 am
Wordslinger:

I hear ya. I know a bit about that area too. A good friend of mine lost the family business because it was in the way of development that was supposed to make up for the tax base from the neighborhood lost to the expansion. His dad was “persuaded” to sell.

B-ville goes back to the Capone days. Plentywood farms was an old hangout.

Comment by There is power in a union... Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 10:01 am
I disagree with the premise that Madigan has “evolved” by putting a minimum wage increase on the ballot- a move that he admitted was for political reasons to help Pat Quinn. The same applies to the Millionaire’s tax ballot initiative. That sounds a lot like classic Mike Madigan, not evolution.

Comment by Casimir Pulaski Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 10:03 am
Well Proft just put in $20K, which now gives the Speaker and other institutional Dems a lot of cover. It’s such a token amount that it’s can’t really provide much good yet it helps the Dems on message enormously, I’m really surprised by this.

Comment by The Captain Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 10:04 am
–It’s such a token amount that it’s can’t really provide much good yet it helps the Dems on message enormously, I’m really surprised by this–

I’m with you. All or nothing.

Why bother with $20K?

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 10:06 am
== Rauner has managed to send the various wings…into Madigan’s outstretched arms. ==

That has me thinking: maybe Rauner’s triangulation strategy has failed because he picked the wrong target and the wrong partners. Rahm, the black caucus, Cullerton — all have refused to dance with the Guv. Maybe he should have cut a deal with Madigan, who had displayed a growing willingness to take on Rauner’s mortal enemy, the public employee unions.

Before Rauner came to town, the speaker pushed bills that de-unionized supervisory staff in state government, expanded charter schools, and made it easier to fire teachers. Not to mention, he torpedoed Cullerton’s union-supported pension reform bill and passed his own more draconian package. (I bet Rauner has no idea that the speaker has fought against IEA and AFSCME-backed Republican candidates for downstate House races.)

But Rauner’s frat boys, fresh off their stints in DC, only know “win-the-news-cycle” politics. They needed a boogeyman and Madigan was the perfect foil. What has that won them?

Comment by Ricky T. Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 10:11 am
I’ve heard a good number of folks who were or could have been anti-Madigan say he is now an an ally. Extremism has that kind of unifying effect.

Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 10:12 am
Gonzales only raised $100k? What happened to the millions Rauner was supposedly going to funnel into his campaign.

I never bought the argument that Gonzales is a Rauner plant. I know some of the folks supporting him and while they also support Rauner, it’s not a coordinated effort and is more about wanting to see change in IL. Obviously I don’t agree with their support of Rauner, but it’s not what folks believe.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 10:12 am
Captain, that was what I thought about Proft’s involvement in the Welch race ($14k I think). In the Madigan race, the sides seem pretty shaken out,so I’m not sure it costs Gonzales, but its still a piddly amount for him. Is there some strategic point to it? Or maybe Proft hates Madigan so much he can’t let the race pass without putting something in.

Comment by Century Club Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 10:19 am
1) What’s behind the Chuy nod? Bruce Rauner.

2) I hear people saying that Madigan is nervous about this race. Possibly. But I suspect he’s confinement he’ll win and that his goal is to win in a manner that is a demoralizing warning to others, i.e. “Gonzo lost like that with all of Rauner’s money behind him? I think I’m gonna just stay in line.” I could be wrong, Madigan could be freaked, but I doubt it.

3) Kudos to Rich for using the correct plural form of battle royale [shakes a fist at the ghost of Gorilla Monsoon!]

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 10:20 am
10 years ago I went to an SEIU event for election training. Met Jerry Morrison among others. While they were obviously upset with Daley and Madigan, my observation was they wanted power not reform. Nothing about Chuy’s endorsement surprises me too much. It is about power and not reform. I voted for him over Rahm and persuaded my wife to do the same.

Comment by jeffinginchicago Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 10:22 am
Rich, I’m thinking back to your post where you said that Rauner views Madigan as a “paper tiger”. I think this election is about showing Rauner exactly how wrong he is.

Comment by Anonymouth Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 10:42 am
Why would any governor threaten the reelection of a Speaker of the House? What is the matter with this governor?

If Rauner was designing a car, would he use an axe? If he was a surgeon, would he use an axe? If he knew what he was really doing, why does he believe he needs to use an axe?

It is one thing to be a persistent rascal, and it is another to be a flaming @$$ with an axe. Governors are not to be either. Governors are supposed to be achievers, not axe men. There is something fundamentally wrong with Bruce Rauner, all the way through.

I have, since this man’s inauguration, grown extremely cynical and yet comfortable with this governor’s sheer lunacy. So comfortable that I read his deranged ramblings without it fully registering. Numb. A lot of us have grown numb.

To have a governor go after the Speaker of the House publically and so willfully is insanity. Anyone supporting Bruce Rauner needs to have their heads checked. Rauner supporters have got to wonder how their governor can accomplish anything when he deliberately poisons public debate. How can anything get accomplished?

There are some serious delusions going on within this governor’s head about how to do his job. He can be assured that Michael J. Madigan will not be his friend on anything. A governor without the support of the speaker of the house is just keeping the governor’s office warm until the next occupant gets sworn in.

Anyone with half a brain knows this, however it seems that having half a brain could be a bit too much for some folks in power.

Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 10:47 am
Mister Jay Em - I am going to say that I don’t think Madigan is “freaked out” but he never leaves anything to chance. Ever. He is going to work every street and every house and get every vote he can.

“- Serious questioner -
Rauner has managed to do the impossible: he’s managed to make Madigan look like the good guy.” - I mostly agree - but it’s more than that.

Back when Ryan was governor and the other GOP governors before him, and even with Pate in control of the Senate - labor and many liberal Dems (who secretly despise Madigan’s control) would cling to the Speaker and run to him for protection. The labor leaders used to say “for many years we only had Madigan to protect us”

But the Dems have taken over the state and begun to enjoy flexing their liberal muscles. But like other commenters have said - Rauner has managed to drive those who naturally dislike Madigan right back to his side. Family feuds are what they are- but this is war and Madigan is against Rauner.

Chuy may not be in Madigan’s family, but they are on the same side of the war.

Rauner is making the IL GOP tent smaller, and driving the Dems home.

Comment by siriusly Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 10:58 am
Attended a few Chuy events in the mayors race and voted for him convinced he was genuine. Beyond disgusting to see his flop now and get behind Madigan. I get it that we are supposed to smile, wink and nod proclaiming Madigan as the great champion of the middle class but the results he has produced with his gerrymandered supermajorities suggest anything but.

Comment by Very fed up Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 11:03 am
VMan - in 2008, though, Madigan recruited and funded a candidate against Tom Cross. I remember it well and I remember Rich’s insight into how this was kind of a “gentleman’s agreement” that had been broken. And when it came time to remap, the Dems drew Sandack’s district into Radogno’s district and forced Sandack to make a choice. People remember things like that, and while the Governor is not in the legislature he clearly operates via his own accord(s).

Comment by Team Sleep Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 11:04 am
So, in short, Rauner has made Madigan more powerful than he’s ever been by causing anti-Madigan fractions of the Democratic party to align with Madigan against Rauner?

Which is the exact opposite of what Rauner’s been trying to pull off.

Heckuva job, Brucie!

Comment by jerry 101 Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 11:20 am
Good guess, Rich. Blair Hull just cannot stand the money burning a hole in his pocket, when there’s political action afoot.

This political world is filled with people who speculate, fear, calculate, overthink and assign conspiracy to others — who often had nothing to do with it. Both Rauner and MJM can get personal credit for political machinations where none is due.

Just this week I caught someone doing something for Madigan, not because Madigan or his staff asked him to, but because he thought it might please them and get him noticed. Not the first time. The power of the Madigan Myth pervades in both parties.

Then sometimes the conspiracy-minded guess right. It’s beyond entertaining.

Comment by walker Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 11:29 am
Ah yes. Used to be that “convictions” were small political nuisance hurdles in the old days that could be dealt with. Suddenly they’re relevant. Go figure.

Comment by A guy Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 11:30 am
In 1987, during a truly classic exchange in the House, when bidding farewell to Al Greiman, MJM spoke: “I will miss you very much….I will miss you as a personal friend and as a personal advisor….and I can honestly say that you are one of the few people who have changed my life and have changed my view of life and my view of the issues that have come before this Body….over time, your degree of influence over me has grown substantially, and for that, I thank you because I think my experience with you and my exposure to you has made me a better person, and for all of that, I thank you very much.”
Al Grieman, a proud Progressive, was influential in moving Mike Madigan to the Left more than 30 years ago. Madigan’s liberal position on issues is hardly new and certainly is not exclusively political.
Now, it would be beneficial to see some growth from our Governor.

Comment by Old Timer Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 11:36 am
Blair Hull? That name rings a bell.

===On his way to winning the governor’s office in 2002, Rod Blagojevich was more than happy to take $467,000 in contributions, food and use of a private plane from businessman Blair Hull.

Flash forward six years and Blagojevich was sitting in his house with the “golden” opportunity to appoint whomever he wanted as a U.S. senator. Hull, who unsuccessfully ran for Senate in 2004 against Barack Obama, was calling around to people close to Blagojevich to see if he had a shot to get the seat this time. He didn’t.

“Blair Hull actually thinks he can be senator, you believe this guy?” Blagojevich is overheard on a federal wiretap telling his brother, who laughs. “He’s an idiot.”===

http://articles.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010-06-16/news/28514485_1_blair-hull-senator-private-plane

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 11:55 am
Tryin’ to understand why Proft(Rauner) gives cash to Hull and ends any notion that Gonzo is not a Rauner plant.
And then….what’s he buyin’ ? Old direct mail lists…the rest of the Hull PI file on Gonzo?

Comment by Annonin' Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 12:02 pm
Blair Hull?

Blair Hull??

[Googles ‘Blair Hull’]

Oh, right… Blair Hull.

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 12:31 pm
Rauner is very clearly a very bright/intelligient guy. But i think he misunderstood the political world, and continues to make mistakes by lumping factious folks together instead of working the factions against each other.

quick example, The unions were steaming mad a Maddigan and tried to work against him in the previous elections. Had Rauner tned down his proposlas he probably could have made Madigan an ally on labor reform. Insead Rauners misunderstanding of olitocal relationships has drawn the union to support their old nemesis Madigan. same story with some others. basically the gov undersqnd big picture politics, but seems clueless anout the details of political operations.

Comment by Ghost Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 12:54 pm
Actually, the proper plural of “battle royale” is “battles royaux.” Thanks, it was nothing.

Comment by Pedant Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 1:19 pm
chuy thought Orr was quitting some time agp, perhaps he will. still think there’s something to that vote count and this endorsement. from the heart or from the political war room, a Chuy endorsement is good for Madigan and a stain on Chuy’s brand.

Comment by Amalia Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 1:41 pm
After the minimum wage increase referendum passed overwhelmingly did MJM actually put to a vote in the House? Not that I’m aware of. If he did and he voted for it on the floor and then pushed like crazy to have the House pass it, then I’d think he’s actually becoming more progressive. Right now, I don’t buy it.

Comment by Sad Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 2:02 pm
===did MJM actually put to a vote in the House? ===

Did you not read my post?

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 2:09 pm
=So, in short, Rauner has made Madigan more powerful than he’s ever been by causing anti-Madigan fractions of the Democratic party to align with Madigan against Rauner?=

That’s how I read it.

Comment by Carhartt Representative Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 2:57 pm
Jason will need a lot more than $100k.

I do believe MJM is concerned.

Comment by cannon649 Thursday, Feb 25, 16 @ 9:14 pm