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Politics before governance

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Illinois

Sometimes cynicism knows no bounds.

Back in August, Gov. Bruce Rauner held a media conference with Democratic lawmakers to sign several criminal justice reform bills into law. The package of legislation did things such as shorten mandatory minimum probation for juveniles, lower the notoriously high-priced per-minute phone costs for prison inmates and allowed people convicted of certain drug offenses to eventually work for local park districts.

“We need to think strategically, thoughtfully, compassionately, about helping people come back, have a second chance and be productive citizens,” Rauner said.

The Republican governor has signed a host of criminal justice reform bills since he was inaugurated in 2015. He’s also pushing hard for an even more comprehensive list of reforms, which he hopes will allow the state to reduce its prison population by 25 percent over 10 years.

Rep. Kelly Cassidy, a North Side Democrat, unexpectedly used the conference with Rauner to complain about a campaign mailer sent by a member of her own party. She criticized Rep. John Bradley, D-Marion, for using the governor’s reforms as a “political weapon” against his Republican opponent, Dave Severin, in the Nov. 8 election.

Bradley claimed in the mailer that his opponent’s “biggest supporter wants to let 25 percent of the state’s prisoners loose into our communities.” Rauner is the Illinois Republican Party’s biggest contributor by far and the state party is, in turn, Severin’s largest backer.

Just a few days after that media conference, Rauner signed Senate Bill 42 into law. The measure allows licensed health care workers who’ve been convicted of most felonies to petition the state to reinstate their licenses after their release from prison.

That was a gutsy move, and it wasn’t an easy bill to pass. But a Republican governor on a mission to reform the criminal justice system made it possible.

So imagine my surprise when a mailer from Rauner’s Illinois Republican Party landed in Sen. Tom Cullerton’s DuPage County district recently accusing the Villa Park Democrat of letting

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* Along the same vein, here’s a Tribune snippet about something we hashed over several days ago…

Then there’s the deep southern Illinois contest in which Democratic state Sen. Gary Forby faces Republican challenger Dale Fowler in a district that’s culturally and geographically much closer to Kentucky than Chicago. Fowler’s GOP campaign put out an anti-Forby mailer that says “organized labor can’t trust” the Democrat and accuses him of siding with the Republican governor on state labor board appointees.

That wouldn’t be all that remarkable, except that 95 percent of the more than $1.5 million Fowler has raised through October came from the various campaign financial arms of the Illinois Republican Party, which has received nearly $21 million from Rauner’s campaign fund this year. Rauner, in effect, paid for ads that are critical of himself, all the in the name of picking up a state Senate seat.

That misses the point, however. If a Democrat is gonna get whacked by the Republicans for supporting a Republican governor’s nominee, what’s the point of any Democrat supporting any even slightly questionable Rauner nominees in the future?

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Nov 7, 16 @ 8:55 am

Comments

Rich’s closing point about Rauner’s future appointments is dead on.

Throughout the depths of budget standoff, the Senate Dems have been surprisingly cooperative with Rauner on executive appointments. That might change.

Comment by Roman Monday, Nov 7, 16 @ 9:28 am
Readers can wring their hand all they want. But both sides will do all the can to win. That’s all that matters to them — no tactic is off limits.

Comment by jim Monday, Nov 7, 16 @ 9:52 am
THIS is why a tax increase, regarding of how much the State needs it, will never get done until Rauner asks for it and puts ALL the R votes on it.

Comment by RNUG Monday, Nov 7, 16 @ 9:53 am
Again, I believe this points to total political war. It’s why I really believe the nuke of Labor War with AFSCME is eminent. Lisa Madigan will pop her nuke of challenging the court order getting all state employees paid. I really think that is where we are headed

Comment by Honeybear Monday, Nov 7, 16 @ 9:54 am
It makes me wonder how the GA is going to be able to function with all of the animosity that has built up through the election.

It is bad enough that 1.4% isn’t going to be able to work with Madigan, but the GA isn’t going to be able to work with itself.

Nothing is going to get done.

Comment by Huh? Monday, Nov 7, 16 @ 10:03 am
The Senate should not approve any appointments until the Governor submits a balanced budget. This is not payback for a harsh campaign. It is one of the few leverage points left.

Comment by Last Bull Moose Monday, Nov 7, 16 @ 10:32 am
==- Huh? - Monday, Nov 7, 16 @ 10:03 am: ==

You are correct - nothing will get done. Rauner wants the Dems to get blamed for nothing getting done. Its his game plan for the next election.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Nov 7, 16 @ 4:31 pm