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Rauner personally intervened in Rockford’s Turnaround Agenda vote

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Illinois

* This AP brief misses a significant point…

A Winnebago County courtroom is the setting for a struggle over Gov. Bruce Rauner’s so-called turnaround agenda.

A lawsuit by the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150 is technically about whether the Rockford City Council violated the state Open Meetings Act in April. The Rockford Register Start reports (http://bit.ly/2aDlbRC ) that aldermen approved a resolution supporting the Republican governor’s pro-business, anti-union proposals. […]

Republican state lawmakers urged the city to adopt a “compromise” resolution. It was not on the council’s agenda the night of the vote. Ed Maher of Local 150 says the lawsuit is justified.

* It turns out that Gov. Rauner himself was involved in lobbying the city council…

Ald. Joe Chiarelli said he had no idea how high the stakes were surrounding the Turnaround Agenda resolution before the matter made its way to the City Council floor. He said he remembers sitting at home on the Sunday morning before the meeting, studying the City Council agenda to prepare for the meeting. It was raining outside. Then the phone rang. Chiarelli answered it, and a member of Rauner’s staff asked if he would take a call from the governor.

“He told me that the resolution was really important to him,” Chiarelli said. “He said he ran his campaign on this Turnaround Agenda. He said (the resolution) could be contentious. The first thing I thought was, why is the governor calling me?”

There are 14 aldermanic wards in Rockford, and Chiarelli, a Republican, represents the 14th Ward. If a roll call vote on the City Council floor begins with the 1st Ward alderman, Chiarelli votes last, which means he can be a tiebreaker — or force the mayor to break a tie — on a controversial matter.

“It was clear to me after my deposition why the governor called me,” Chiarelli said. “I’m the 14th vote. I have been friendly to labor. How the governor found that out, I don’t know. But he told me: ‘I’ve heard that you’re an alderman that will look at both sides … . I’d really like it if you could take a hard look at this resolution.’”

Sheesh. If he’d spent half that energy lobbying the General Assembly’s Democrats during his first session, we might not be in this mess today.

Also, too, Rauner didn’t run on “right to work” in the fall campaign, which is what that push for local municipal resolutions was really about.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 11:16 am

Comments

So the Governor was calling Rockford over a vote on a resolution that means absolutely nothing? Got it. Great use of time.

Comment by Demoralized Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 11:20 am
I’d also keep in mind that…

Lincolnshire…

Is the case study for Right to Work in the Illinois Courts…

And it’s hometown Comptroller, instead of taking a stance, defected to her opponent.

Lots and lots of ways for Local 150 and Labor to vote accordingly.

Lots.

To the Post,

Rauner ran on nothing resembling his current attacks on Labor.

If I saw the PowerPoint used in Decatur during the Campaign, I would’ve remembered it.

I didn’t.

I’m with Local 150 all day, every day and twice on Sunday, because they were with real Republicans when it mattered most. I don’t forget that. Period.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 11:24 am
== “He said he ran his campaign on this Turnaround Agenda.” –

Except, as Rich correctly points out, he didn’t. His words before he ran made his intentions clear to any who had heard them, but they weren’t included in his campaign. Odd, that.

Comment by thunderspirit Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 11:24 am
Rauner is only about the destruction of labor.

Only

Comment by Honeybear Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 11:26 am
–I’m with Local 150 all day, every day and twice on Sunday, because they were with real Republicans when it mattered most. I don’t forget that. Period.–

Along those lines did you read about Brownbacks supportive legislators being widely defeated by moderate Republicans in the Kansas primary? I think Rauner better take note of that.

Comment by Honeybear Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 11:34 am
=== How the governor found that out, I don’t know. ===

Mayor Morrissey?

The City of Rockford’s lobbyist?

I guess it didn’t occur to the Register Star to inquire. Sure would be interesting to know more.

Comment by Louis Capricious Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 11:40 am
The fact that he made a call like this makes me suspect, and hope, that he did far worse and that it will spell his demise when we find out about it.

Comment by Anon Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 11:42 am
Soooo….the gov has a phone? Thought he didn’t have a phone or an e-mail…..

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 11:44 am
“Hi, Rich-

I wanted to remind you that Madeupville still supports, voted for, bought the t-shirts, and supports everything Gov. Rauner wants whenever we need a town to point to.

Thanks!

ck”

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 11:47 am
jeez. unreal.

Comment by Saluki Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 11:53 am
This makes the failure of the resolution campaign even more amusing. Rauner failed and continues to fail.

Comment by Norseman Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 11:59 am
He’s all for local control as long as they do what he wants.

Comment by Skeptic Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 12:08 pm
So villages, towns, cities, townships or counties don’t really want Rauner’s turn around agenda. It’s only Rauner and his paid agents who are pushing the turn around agenda, behind the scenes, in the shadows pulling the strings.

Oligarchy in Illinois, the manipulation of the masses has suspended democracy for the wants and needs of the one.

Rauner was elected to govern, not to rule.

Comment by Chicago 20 Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 12:17 pm
So Rauner’s acting like politician. No biggie, except he could have shown more of these skills on the state level issues.

Comment by walker Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 1:30 pm
“Rauner was elected to govern, not to rule. ”

Chicago 20, you hit the nail squarely on the head.

Comment by Mama Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 2:04 pm
===Along those lines did you read about Brownbacks supportive legislators being widely defeated by moderate Republicans in the Kansas primary? I think Rauner better take note of that.===

I think the Rauner Crew is in a mode “if we pick up seats, great, if we lose seats, we can blame Trump, not us, but we need to ensure 2018 Bruce Rauner is re-elected. ”

Rauner’s silence on his (Rauner’s) support of Donald Trump puts into play “We need some help from Trump where we can, we have no idea how anything else might go”…

… millions spent on “Fire Madigan” notwithstanding.

Brownback might be a backlash, no question… if Labor and Democrats “Vote Accordingly” and… social services turn their back on Diana Rauner, like Diana Rauner has turned her back on social services, (except to save face at The Ounce with Pritzker money?)

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 2:41 pm
It seems to me that the gov. is about many things including the destruction of the university system. This should not be forgotten nor forgiven. IMHO.

Comment by Niblets Monday, Aug 8, 16 @ 4:07 pm
“Hello”

“Hi. This is so-and-so in the Governor’s office. Would you take a call from the Governor?”

“Sure.”

Comment by Late to the Party Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 4:17 am
oops. try again.

(phone rings)

“Hello.”

“Hi. This is so-and-so in the Governor’s office. Would you take a call from the Governor?”

“Sure.” (hands phone to child since it is obviously a crank call.)

Comment by Late to the Party Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 4:20 am
== It was not on the council’s agenda the night of the vote. ==

So yes, the lawsuit is justified.

Comment by Enviro Tuesday, Aug 9, 16 @ 2:47 pm