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* An ILGOP press release from mid-afternoon yesterday…

ICYMI: Susana Mendoza’s Campaign Cash at Odds with Her Labor Message

“When Susana Mendoza isn’t double-dipping, she’s double-talking. Mendoza’s Chicago-style campaign rhetoric and tactics are exactly why Illinoisans are fed up with career politicians who will do or say anything to get elected. We can’t let Susana Mendoza be a rubber stamp for her self-proclaimed mentor, Mike Madigan, and his reckless agenda of tax hikes, pension holidays, and budget-busting deficits.” - Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot

Classic concern trolling with the usual 2016 Madigan twist.

* The reference was to this Sun-Times story…

In her first run for statewide office, Chicago City Clerk Susana Mendoza hustled across Illinois on Labor Day weekend, marching in parades on the city’s Southeast Side and in Rock Island to show solidarity with union members.

Just a few weeks before that, though, Mendoza’s Democratic campaign for state comptroller accepted a contribution from an O’Hare Airport contractor who has feuded with organized labor for years.

Republican Comptroller Leslie Munger called on Mendoza to give back $1,000 from former Chicago cop and janitorial contractor Richard Simon. Despite heavy union opposition, Simon’s United Maintenance Co. Inc. landed a five-year, $99.4 million deal with Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration in 2012.

In calling on Mendoza to return the Aug. 12 contribution from Simon, the Munger campaign cited his company’s recent settlement of a federal wage-theft lawsuit filed on behalf of O’Hare janitors. Without admitting wrongdoing, United Maintenance agreed last month to fork over more than $845,000 to settle the case.

Munger also called on Mendoza to refund a campaign contribution from a contractor for a local charter school chain that’s come under scrutiny from federal investigators.

That’s quite a lot of hype over two $1,000 contributions. Particularly these days.

* But the ILGOP press release ended with this statement from Comptroller Munger’s campaign…

“Chicago City Clerk Susana Mendoza is asking voters to trust her with the state’s checkbook, but these contributions create real questions about her judgment,” said Munger’s campaign manager, Phillip Rodriguez. “She can show her commitment to ethical behavior by returning those contributions.”

* And then, a few hours later, Munger reported receiving a $1 million contribution from Gov. Rauner.

Here’s the Mendoza campaign’s response…

What Illinois needs during the worst fiscal crisis in state history is an independent fiscal watchdog as comptroller, a separate executive office as set out in our constitution, not a wholly owned subsidiary of the Governor’s office.

Governor Rauner, whom Comptroller Munger should be serving as a checks and balance to, just wrote a $1 million buy out check to his self-proclaimed wingman. By accepting it, she has demonstrated her utter lack of independence and complete reliance on her political sponsor.

The only way for Leslie Munger to keep the constitutionally mandated independence of the Comptroller’s office and not subvert the state constitution in the eyes of the voters is to give back this $1 million takeover bid from Governor Rauner.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 9:31 am

Comments

–What Illinois needs during the worst fiscal crisis in state history is an independent fiscal watchdog as comptroller–

What a great idea. Anyone know where we can find one? Bueller? Anyone?

Comment by Ron Burgundy Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 10:35 am
===…in our constitution…===

Both seem to lack a firm “grasp” of the Illinois constitution.

However…

When your intro Ad has the smartest person in it question if you can do something, constitutionally, and you say you can do something blatently unconstitutional, you can’t really claim a constitutional stand on… anything.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 10:37 am
I know I am in the minority, but Mendoza adopting Munger’s most popular but unconstitutional act was a mistake. It may cost her the election.

Trump, Rauner, and Munger all ignore the Constitution. That could have been used as a club.

Comment by Last Bull Moose Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 10:56 am
Darn it-started out liking Munger. Thought she might do the job in spite of who appointed her.
Now, with this election and everything going on, I’m voting for Mendoza.

Comment by downstate commissioner Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 10:57 am
LBM. Probably need to throw in Obama and Clinton in on the list of those ignoring the Constitution.

Comment by blue dog dem Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 11:00 am
The Sun-Times wrote 700 words on three checks over 5 years that total $4,000 in a $10 million race. This kind of overkill seems kind of silly, seriously what can a campaign actually pay for with $4,000 that will affect the outcome of a statewide race?

Comment by The Captain Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 11:07 am
Last Bull Moose -

I know I am in the minority, but Mendoza adopting Munger’s most popular but unconstitutional act was a mistake. It may cost her the election.

Trump, Rauner, and Munger all ignore the Constitution. That could have been used as a club.
———–

The problem is most voters are ignorant of the Constitution and they believ no budget no pay is a good idea. If Mendoza were to go against that it would require lots of money in educating the public on how unconstitutional it is. Im not sure most of the public would care at this point.

Comment by Mal Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 11:07 am
So adopting a blatently ignorant unconstitutional idea, looking utterly foolish because already knowing it’s unconstitutional isn’t the goal but to seem cheeky is the goal is good… politics?

Speaks volumes if the “spin” is…

===The problem is most voters are ignorant of the Constitution and they believ no budget no pay is a good idea. If Mendoza were to go against that it would require lots of money in educating the public on how unconstitutional it is. Im not sure most of the public would care at this point.===

Might as well support Munger.

Mendoza knows it’s wrong but continues to tout it?

Pretty pathetic way to seem… “qualified”

“You can do that?”

“Not really, but I’m hoping you’re a rube and will take my yes is smart and winning!”

Ugh.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 11:12 am
===The problem is most voters are ignorant of the Constitution and they believ no budget no pay is a good idea. If Mendoza were to go against that it would require lots of money in educating the public on how unconstitutional it is. Im not sure most of the public would care at this point.===

Then please, do all of us a favor and spare us the “constituional” mumbo-jumbo if Mendoza already knows tagging along on a blatently unconstitutional move is for the politics, and citing the legitimacy of the constitution is for the politics too.

What, is Mendoza for the constitution before she was against it?

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 11:15 am
Yep… that 2K puts Mendoza in the 0.2%! ( It’s math snark)

Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 11:23 am
I’d put the over/under on the percentage of voters that are aware of the comptroller’s race (or what a comptroller is) at 30%.

The race will decided by those who show up to vote for president and don’t drop off the ballot.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 11:30 am
Maybe no one knows what a Comptroller is, but I am hearing the message “No Budget No Pay” resonating around these suburbs. And Munger owns that one, even if others jump on the bandwagon.

Comment by walker Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 11:38 am
Interesting.

Just wondering if any Munger donors have ever been sued and settled out of court? I seem to remember something…just can’t put my finger on it../s

Munger should probably demand that she give back the donations she received from her donors that have been subject of lawsuits. To be fair.

Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 11:42 am
Constitutionality aside for a second, it’s not often when you see a general election candidate run an ad that essentially says “I you elect me, I will do what my opponent is already doing!”

Comment by Ron Burgundy Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 12:09 pm
[Oops! I accidentally closed comments on this one. Sorry. They’re open now]

Could be worse. Just ask IEMA.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 12:50 pm
“….. has demonstrated her utter lack of independence and complete reliance on her political sponsor.”

Leslie Munger or Susana Mendoza? Either name seems appropriate as the subject of this sentence.

Comment by Fill in the blank Thursday, Oct 20, 16 @ 4:08 pm