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* Here’s some Tribune background on the groups involved with that so-far failed lawsuit we talked about late yesterday against the legislative leadership committee spending law on general elections…

For some background, the Liberty Justice Center originally filed the case prior to the November 2012 elections. The center was started by the Illinois Policy Institute, a tax-exempt foundation that has embraced much of Republican Gov. Rauner’s agenda. Rauner previously donated more than $500,000 to the institute.

The institute’s CEO is John Tillman. Tillman was the original chairman of the Illinois Liberty PAC in June 2011, followed months later by conservative radio talk show host and unsuccessful GOP primary governor candidate Dan Proft. Proft also has been listed as a senior fellow at the policy institute.

In September 2012, Matthew Besler became chairman of the Illinois Liberty PAC. Besler also is president of the Illinois Opportunity Project, a Rauner-aligned organization, which Proft co-founded and where he still plays a role.

The Illinois Opportunity Project is a tax-exempt organization that has given political donations but does not have to disclose its donors. It also has given nearly $100,000 in donations and loans to the Illinois Liberty PAC, state records show. The opportunity project also has given $225,000 in loans this year to Liberty Principles PAC, records show. Liberty Principles PAC, which also received $2.5 million personally from Rauner in June, is chaired by Proft.

Got all that?

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 9:27 am

Comments

Sounds non-partisan to me!

Comment by The_Equalizer Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 9:31 am
In other words, restrict everyone’s political spending except ours.

Comment by walker Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 9:34 am
Oh what a tangled web they weave…

Comment by Cubs in '16 Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 9:38 am
Seems incestuous.

Comment by Huh? Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 9:46 am
Word of the Day: Cabal n. a secret political clique or faction united to promote their private views or interests, often by intrigue.

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 9:48 am
Yep, it’s a big incestuous circle.

I’d use another term but it’s probably on the banned list.

Comment by RNUG Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 9:49 am
There is a well funded group of individuals and allied institutions on the far right of Illinois politics and their adversaries would be smart to brand them with an all-encompassing name. Don’t pick VRWC either.

The Illinois far-right used to be a laughingstock. You could easily get them to fight each other over almost nothing. In the years since they’ve started some organizations, got consistent funding and are pushing an agenda, although often unsuccessfully. They’ve elected one of their own as Governor and with the exception of the McCann race, which was a big one, dominated the Republican primaries this year. They’re not going to run out of money any time soon and they have the network necessary to keep trying new methods through trial and error. The Democrats are going to need to get better organized than they are now to counter.

Comment by The Captain Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 9:49 am
Would make a very interesting VEN diagram with Rauner Bucks at the center.

Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 9:56 am
Seems like quite the opportunity.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 9:57 am
It comes back to the same handful of people pretending they represent “all” these other interest, but when the flow chart reveals the same names and the same direct connections to one another…

They all, every one of them, must be laughing at all the rubes thinking “Fire Madigan, power to the taxpayers!”… It’s like 3-4 golf foursomes trying, (and succeeding) at manipulating the system, the voters, and the perception of what the long game is.

Like I said, had Rauner been able to run as an Independent, beaten both the Democrats and Republicans, and had IllinoisGo as an honest arm of the Independent Rauner going after Republicans and Democrats… I’d be 180 degrees where I am now. I still feel that way.

It’s the disingenuous way of hijacking the ILGOP (while 100% fair game, we let a stranger in our hour) has been the vehicle of Raunerism.

That’s it. It’s not Republican Rauner leading the GOP,?its the Raunerite Rauner usurping the power and ideals of the ILGOP, and single handedly (95.01% level) dictating that Raunerism is the Illinois Republican Party; anti-Union, anti-state universities, anti-social services when it’s used to destroy those… anti-Raunerism.

Had Rauner came in as an Indie, all of this, including the facts in this post, I’d be more than comfortable with Raunerism as an Indie movement, talking on both parties.

“Taking on both parties… “? Where have heard that before?

I heard it from Bruce Rauner.

We let a stranger in our house. The ILGOP now owns the shadiness that is this stacking of ghost organizations designed to make Raunerism the way of Illinois… through the ILGOP.

Ugh.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 9:59 am
I can’t believe the organizations share some of the same staff. Just imagine the danger to our democracy if people in politics coordinated their efforts to achieve a goal. That would be like the Little Sisters of the Poor teaming up with Salvation Army to help poor people. And can we really trust people who ask for handouts to “turnaround” and help people also asking for handouts?

Comment by Congressman Cam Brady Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 10:06 am
Having this complicated web of organizations makes them seem more organic, as if they were created at the grass roots level to advocate for the needs of a large collection of citizens, including many small donors. This sounds like:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astroturfing

Comment by AC Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 10:14 am
I wish my brother george were here….

so a tiny number of wealthy people are upset that government is making them even wealthier by allowing them to steal from the middle class, and they have set up a number of straw men organizations, spent far more then they would on any tax increase, just to supress wages and increase their personal wealth.

yep got it

Comment by Ghost Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 10:17 am
Pretzels, baby!

Comment by My New Handle Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 10:18 am
AC-
That also sounds like a union.

Comment by Trolling Troll Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 10:20 am
It’s clearly one core group doing different things under different names to avoid problems with state and federal regulators and authorities.

Comment by Deft Wing Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 10:21 am
AC, 100% agree with you. It should be off limits for any politician to push a narrative about grass roots support and donations that doesn’t align with the facts. I just “hope” that we can “change the way campaigns are funded”. It’s not like any recent presidential candidate rejected the public financing of campaigns.

Comment by Congressman Cam Brady Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 10:21 am
Trolling Troll, except instead of one person there are tens of thousands of members voluntarily making contributions as part of a political action fund, rather than a couple people.

Comment by AC Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 10:27 am
I just like to keep it light. We get so emotional sometimes, its good to remember that the country marches on pretty much regardless of whos in charge.

Comment by Congressman Cam Brady Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 10:42 am
If the Democrats don’t file complaints with the board of elections, court actions, or the IRS against this “web” it’s their own fault. Tillman and Proft were in this to profit off of Rauner and that’s the only reason. Just a big voter con job.

Comment by joeblow Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 10:56 am
A Plutocrat by any other organization is still a plutocrat, and NOT in anyone’s best interest unless, of course, you happen to be a plutocrat.

Comment by PublicServant Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 10:59 am
Jane Mayer’s great book “Dark Money” is very instructive on this kind of behavior. Rauner and his associates didn’t think up this strategy themselves.

Comment by Anon Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 11:20 am
Liberty Justice Center is also defending Lincolnshire pro bono in the litigation involving its local Right to Work ordinance.

Comment by Sam Weinberg Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 11:43 am
And as soon as they get their 2020+ agenda (remap and term limits) life will be comin’ roses for all. Right? Hmmmmm
This does help explain why this crew is troubling
It is like the next generation of the WhackyJack Roser and Otto engineering

Comment by Annonin' Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 11:51 am
but i thought there was no right wing conspiracy…

Comment by d.p.gumby Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 12:07 pm
The Liberty Justice Center sued Speaker Madigan and Steve Brown a few years ago because they did not give the Illinois Policy Institute access to the House floor. They lost in federal court. They also filed the lawsuit to eliminate same day registration.

Comment by interesting Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 12:41 pm
“Rauner previously donated more than $500,000 to the institute”

“Liberty Principles PAC, which also received $2.5 million personally from Rauner in June”

I’d like to try to add a little perspective to this, which relates to these organizations’ agendas and Illinois’ current and long-standing fiscal problems:

I’m guessing that a “decent” retirement is $60,000 a year, with Medicare. Rauner grossed $58 million in 2014. Ken Griffin made $1.7 billion last year. Using the $60,000/year retirement figure (arbitrary), Rauner could retire 966 times over. Griffin could retire 28,333 times over (less, of course, if we count their net incomes).

Is there not a problem with taxing these people at 3.75% state income tax, and with them having paid even less in previous years and decades, when the rates were lower?

These people and other Illinoisans like them could easily afford to pay higher state income taxes. They could retire a few hundred or thousand times less.

Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 12:42 pm
Tillman/Proft/Hughes/Besler, with the rich people they bring into the “Liberty” tent to finance their activities, are simply undertaking the Colorado “Blueprint” executed back in 2010.

http://www.redstate.com/diary/nedryun/2010/04/14/the-blueprint-how-the-democrats-won-colorado-and-why-republicans-everywhere-should-care/

Comment by Deft Wing Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 12:48 pm
And this does not count the outfits in OH and GA that were used to wreck Schock. Wonder if they have any “cyber attack” defense teams

Comment by Annonin' Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 12:54 pm
This is interesting too! https://thinkprogress.org/after-the-latest-closure-of-a-for-profit-college-chain-what-happens-next-eb3fd2d9b007#.r1yr54inkt:

Comment by Triple fat Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 1:01 pm
Unrelated but interesting. Looks like for profit college chain parent company EDMC is about experience the same fate as ITT. Does anyone remember what Private Equity Firm ownsEDMC?

Comment by Triple fat Thursday, Sep 8, 16 @ 1:06 pm