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* Politico…
Billionaire J.B. Pritzker, an heir to the Hyatt Hotel empire and who was named one of the wealthiest people in the world this week, once pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of writing a “worthless check.” […]
The check was written in June of 1986 for the amount of $60.46.
Two years later, he was charged with writing a bad check for an even smaller figure: $17.72, records show. The charge involving the second check, written to Big Star, a grocery story chain at the time, was dismissed. The second charge came in 1988, but records show the check was written in July of 1985. […]
An official with Pritzker’s exploratory committee for governor said Pritzker, then a college student, had written the check and later closed his bank account. The check was cashed after the account closed, the official said.
The documents are here.
The Republicans, by the way, flatly denied to me this morning that they leaked this. I’ve been hearing whispers for weeks from both parties that there was something “obvious” in Pritzker’s oppo file.
* There are two ways of looking at this. 1) A guy screwed up when he was in college thirty long years ago and got prosecuted over an incredibly minor thing; or 2) An heir to a billion-dollar fortune kited checks, so how trustworthy can he be?
Also remember that Speaker Madigan often pointed out the felony and misdemeanor record of his vanquished 2016 primary opponent Jason Gonzalez, who’d received a full gubernatorial pardon from Pat Quinn.
* Meanwhile, this is from the other day…
J.B. Pritzker has hired Anne Caprara - who served as executive director of Priorities USA, the pro-Hillary Clinton super PAC - to help lead Pritzker’s exploratory efforts for governor. Caprara would move to campaign manager if he decides to run, a Pritzker source confirmed.
“She managed a multi million-dollar budget and a professional political staff focused on the 2016 Presidential election,” Caprara’s bio on Huffington Post says. “Before coming to Priorities, Anne served as the Vice President of Campaigns at EMILY’s List. In 2014, Anne was political director for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, helping to oversee Senate races in 33 states. In 2011 and 2012, Anne served as the DSCC’s Deputy Political Director, covering all Senate races east of Wisconsin.”
TAKEAWAY - The billionaire (named by Forbes just Monday as among the wealthiest in Illinois - and the world) is looking in and outside of Illinois to recruit who the top campaign strategists in the nation. But is Pritzker already moving too slowly in this race? While Pritzker announced an exploratory committee last week via an email statement, he’s remained quiet. Each week, another candidate either enters the fray or trumpets a populist platform that threatens to steal his thunder. The danger he faces is becoming viewed as too Clintonesque, presuming that because of his access to money, the race is his.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 9:22 am
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I’ll take his checks any day. Please.
If that’s all you’ve got…. hilarious.
Of course, with Gov. Rauner, the line is “the check’s not in the mail. Ever.”
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 9:27 am
I hope this is not suppose to be some bombshell exposure. Worthless attempt and waste of an article.
Comment by Ok Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 9:28 am
‘The Republicans, by the way, flatly denied to me this morning that they leaked this. I’ve been hearing whispers for weeks from both parties that there was something “obvious” in Pritzker’s oppo file.’
If I were running Pritzker’s not-yet-a-campaign, I’d suggest that he leak this himself at this early stage of the game.
– MrJM
Comment by @MisterJayEm Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 9:29 am
J.B. Pritzker isn’t in the league of the many politicians who have stiffed campaign debts….
Comment by Steve Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 9:29 am
That’s kind of funny.I’m sure the grocery store was paid back by one of the Pritzker’s.
Comment by Flynn's mom Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 9:33 am
That $13 billion backlog is the Rauner administration writing checks it can’t back up.
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 9:34 am
The bounced checks are just the tip of the iceberg. I have an impeccable source who has pictures of Pritzker wearing white pants four days AFTER Labor Day in 1979.
Bombshell stuff. And more is on the way.
Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 9:34 am
Who of us, BR, included would want to be judged on the knuckleheaded things we did when we were kids?
Comment by Porgy Tirebiter Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 9:36 am
1985… 1988…
In 2008, either Bruce or Diana Rauner clouted their denied Winnetka-living daughter into Payton Prep, a Chicago school, with an inquiring completely refuting Bruce Rauner’s claim that his daughter had “perfect” scores.
Bruce Rauner later, after trying to deflect to his daughter’s scores that were then seen as not perfect, stated it was his wife, Diana Rauner that may have inquired on the selection processes.
In two separate instances, Rauner takes no responsibility but hides behind his daughter’s scores that he knew already denied her, and hiding behind his wife, because just saying “I tried and successfully did this for my daughter” is too much, so why not drag Diana Rauner in, by Bruce’s own words.
The Rauner’s denied Winnetka-living daughter clouding happened a whole 20 years later… than the Pritzker $87 worth of checks being written.
If Rauner wants to go about this campaign about “ethics”….
… I think Mr. Pritzker wouldn’t mind that.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 9:37 am
In Pritzker’s defense, he was probably stocking up on new music releases such as Genesis Invisible Touch and Steve Winwood Back in the High Life. Those were solid albums.
Comment by City Zen Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 9:37 am
Pretty brutal stuff - college kids writes bad check. They should check which way he puts the toilet paper on the toilet role. Stunning work.
I will say while he may be hiring the “best” inside and outside Illinois. Has his new campaign manager won a race?
Hillary PAC-loss. In 2014 ran 33 states for DSCC, hope it wasn’t the States that ended up turning over the Senate to the GOP? There is something to be said for experience but there is also something to be said for winning. Don’t see wins in this release? I would think that wins would be something to highlight, if there are any?
Comment by DuPage Bard Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 9:37 am
If Illinois, knowing what they did (or should have known), can elect George Ryan, Blago and Rauner as Governor, then this … is nothing.
Comment by RNUG Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 9:39 am
I’ll take the college kid who wrote a bad check (gosh, how many of us miscalculated our accounts and bounced checks in college? - I sympathize) over an adult who allowed the elderly to die in his nursing homes!!!!!
Comment by RIJ Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 9:40 am
I’d like to see new Rauner oppo. I mean, if this is what we’re doing — surely Rauner has more than we haven’t seen?
Comment by Mr. K. Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 9:40 am
Die needlessly through carelessness and neglect, I should have said.
Comment by RIJ Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 9:41 am
J.B. learned early to not write checks when there is no money in the account. Apparently Rauner still needs to learn that lesson.
Comment by A Jack Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 9:44 am
Can we talk about Rauner’s parking tickets next?
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 9:44 am
A college student wrote a check and couldn’t cover it? That’s it, throw the book at him! Oh wait, they already did? 30 years ago?
OK, why are we talking about this?
Hey, speaking of checks, have any social service agencies received any lately?
Comment by illini97 Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 9:44 am
In the immortal words of Colonel Walter E. Kurtz….”The horror! The horror!”
Comment by Moby Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 9:46 am
Wait until they drop the overdue library book fines from middle school. No wonder decent people don’t want to run for office.
Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 9:49 am
It could be anyone. Hey, if I were one of the less wealthy Dem candidates, I’d try to provoke a “Hofeld v. Dixon” war. Of course, if I were Rauner I’d try to do the same thing.
That said, do grocery store chains really press charges against millionaires over a check overdraft that happens to legions of people every day? Not that I think it’s a serious issue - it’s not - but dontchathink there was something else going on (a pattern, or that he didn’t go through a “Doh! So sorry, I’m coming over with the cash right now” dance?)
Comment by lake county democrat Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 9:51 am
Hmmm… bounced checks 30 years ago (Pritzker) vs bounced contracts not even two years ago (Rauner). Exactly who is more fiscally challenged here???
Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 9:53 am
This was the result of the Bert Lance check kiting scandal…something that seems very quaint by todays scandals and abuse. Before Bert banks always let their good customers overdraw because they knew you had the money. This is really nothing and I cant believe he was chraged with anything. If this is all they have…..
Comment by illinois manufacturer Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 9:55 am
J.B. Made good on his checks.
Rauner would have created a shell corporation to take responsibility for those checks and then sold that shell corporation to a feeble old man for a nickel and walked away claiming a $78 profit.
Comment by A Jack Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 9:55 am
Let’s be clear about something - writing two bad checks two years apart is not and should never be characterized as check kiting. Maybe not be all loosey goosey about making mistakes a crime that is actually very complicated.
Comment by Springfieldish Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 9:58 am
Since it’s Politico and Korecki, I expect the next breathless scoop to be:
“Multiple sources confirmed to Politico that while in college JB Pritzker shared an apartment with two other men.
“They were men, not women, and they lived in the same apartment at nighttime, often turning out the lights so you couldnt see anything when you peeked in the windows,” said one source who wished to remain anymous. “Wink, wink, nudge, nudge, say no more, say no more.
“Pritzker refused to deny to Politico that he had slept in an apartment overnight with other men, or offer any explanation as to what was going on there at night in the dark when no one could see in the windows.”
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 10:00 am
Also, when playing cops and robbers sometimes he volunteered to be the robbers, totally bad guy, dangerous. Sad!
Comment by The Captain Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 10:01 am
All this seems to have done is bring up all the unethical and perhaps illegal crap Rauner has done (most of which I hadn’t thought about in months).
Comment by RIJ Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 10:02 am
Keep digging. They may find an overdue notice on his bills. No wait, that would be our current Governor.
Comment by pool boy Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 10:04 am
Oh boy,
30 years, $78 dollars. I’m as confused today with numbers as Rauner’s Crew is on balanced budgets. Apologies.
===If I were running Pritzker’s not-yet-a-campaign, I’d suggest that he leak this himself at this early stage of the game.===
I keep reading this, and I can’t shake it.
Lots of “possible” there with - @MisterJayEm -. Lots of “possible”. It’s out there, it’s benign, it’s old, it allows an attacking.
I can’t shake it, yet.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 10:08 am
Rauner: got his kid into a magnet school, bumping other more deserving and needy kids.
Madigan: got legions of his and other Dem donors/favorgranters’ kids into state’s top university (among others), bumping other more deserving and needy kids.
Comment by lake county democrat Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 10:09 am
No wonder the GOP is distancing themselves from this political bombshell.
They should be embarrassed by whomever did leak it. This is about the weakest weaksauce that ever pretended to be oppo-research.
What’s next? He turned in a book report late in 3rd grade and blamed it on the family dog?
Comment by How Ironic Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 10:11 am
- lake county democrat -
I read your comment.
Good luck.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 10:14 am
Lamest oppo dump ever.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 10:17 am
The real scandal is JB spending $78 to buy New Coke, Pop Rocks, and Jello Pudding Pops!
Comment by Jocko Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 10:20 am
LCD, I grew up in a college town and extracting money from out-of-town students any which way you could was the biggest industry.
If you could get over on someone named Pritzker that would be like an early visit from Santa: prosecute him, make him lawyer up locally, collect the fine, the victim gets restitution-plus.
That’s a bread-and-butter play. Everyone wins.. Not as big as never returning security deposits, but good.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 10:21 am
===extracting money from out-of-town students any which way you could was the biggest industry===
Agreed.
It would be interesting to know how prevalent these sorts of charges were back then, but whatevs.
Hey, he did it, he has to deal with it. I doubt it’ll mean much unless a pattern develops here. These dumps often lead to other, similar dumps. So watch for those.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 10:25 am
Dare to dream this is the biggest scandal out there for the Dems. Dare to dream.
Comment by Montrose Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 10:36 am
NC Worthless Check Program: http://www.nccourts.org/Support/FAQs/FAQs.asp?Type=9
Some background on the 1980’s numbers handled- go to Disputes Handled and Services Provided Minor criminal case mediation heading: https://www.ncjrs.gov/txtfiles/172203.txt
Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 10:47 am
===Lamest oppo dump ever.===
I can’t wait for the one where he only tipped 10% because it was a buffet. “I physically had to get my own food. Come on, 10% is more than sufficient!”
Comment by Ducky LaMoore Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 10:49 am
==I grew up in a college town and extracting money from out-of-town students any which way you could was the biggest industry.==
Will this fit on the water tower in Charleston?
I suppose if I’m a college kid targeted by the townies for my deep pockets, I might as well attend a school in Texas…or Colorado…or North Carolina…
Comment by City Zen Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 10:50 am
This is such an irrelevant and stupid tidbit to release that it makes me suspect it was really released by the Dems in an effort to make Rauner look the fool. If not…..
Comment by Anony Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 10:59 am
CZ, it wasn’t Charleston, but I suspect it happens all over.
A buddy of mine participated in the joyous tradition of tearing down the goal posts in Iowa City after a win over Michigan and it ended up costing his old man $1500 by the time it was all over.
I imagine that stuff happens in North Carolina, too, which was my point.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 11:10 am
so Politico obtained court records that show the check stuff.
how do we know who told Politico to look for this? is it an oppo effort? or is it a hanging the lantern effort?
Comment by Amalia Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 11:13 am
This is a non story. The real story is why has he been so quite?
Comment by Rocky Rosi Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 11:21 am
–There are two ways of looking at this. 1) A guy screwed up when he was in college thirty long years ago and got prosecuted over an incredibly minor thing; or 2) An heir to a billion-dollar fortune kited checks, so how trustworthy can he be?–
Is it possible that as an heir to a great fortune he didn’t see or value money the same way other college students do and that this was a very hard way to learn about money (and life). If he presents this unfortunate occurrence as a life lesson, I’m certain he will be just fine. It’s interesting that his parents didn’t spend 100 or 1000 times the value of the checks to keep him from getting a criminal record - different times or good parents properly preparing a son to take on large responsibilities?
Comment by Mr Wippley Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 12:31 pm
Mr Whipley, FYI, Both his parents had died before he even got to college.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 3:15 pm
I’m not a billionaire, but even I made sure my collegiate brats had a credit (debit) card to buy some emergency Ramen Noodles when they were doing some higher learning.
Comment by A guy Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 4:56 pm
So here’s a question, and I mean it seriously: In the age of Trump, does oppo matter any more?
Comment by Soccermom Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 6:56 pm
===In the age of Trump, does oppo matter any more?===
It doesn’t matter if you’re Trump. Still matters for everyone else.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 7:08 pm
At least this billionaire’s kid didn’t hold up a Walgreens for oxy.
Comment by Daniel Plainview Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 7:28 pm
–So here’s a question, and I mean it seriously: In the age of Trump, does oppo matter any more?–
For some of the people, all of the time, I think the answer is “no.”
Any GOP candidate was going to have a puncher’s chance after a Dem second term and with Clinton’s high negatives.
To me, the question is why did Trump beat out 17 other GOP candidates, many of whom you could argue were much more “conservative” than him.
Judging by the footage of his rallies, it seems to me the folks really dug the bashing of the Mexicans, the Muslims, the media, the “beat the s– out of him,” and the “lock her up.” No dog-whistling there. The message was loud and clear.
–It doesn’t matter if you’re Trump. Still matters for everyone else.–
It didn’t matter for Rauner: the snake-pit nursing homes in Florida; the Medicaid fraud in Georgia; the baby medicine gouging; the laying off of liability on a confused old man in a wheelchair; the slew of bustouts of desperate small businesses; the bankruptcies.
With both Trump and Rauner, just enough voters ignored their negatives and focused on their attacks on folks that they, too, didn’t like.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 7:37 pm
It seems like Politico blew a great chance with their IL bureau and that their star reporter has become the person you go to if no one else will print your opp research.
Comment by Actual Politico Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 7:56 pm