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Rauner tells staff that three have resigned

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* During a Rauner administration staff meeting this morning, three comms staff resignations were confirmed: Diana Rickert, the governor’s deputy chief of staff for communications; Laurel Patrick, his communications director; and Brittany Carl, a comms person best known for her “Nazi eugenics” comment.

The governor told staffers that reports that his chief of staff Kristina Rasmussen and his chief legal counsel Dennis Murashko could also be resigning were “vicious rumors.” But I’m told Murashko has been asked to stick around until a replacement can be found. His policy director, Michael Lucci, appears to be safe.

The communications team departures, Rauner insisted to staff, were “mutual decisions,” and that the staffers were “not a good fit.”

The governor also reportedly blamed many of his current problems on the top staff members who were fired or resigned in July and, I’m told, said he would use legal means to go on offense and stop them.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:15 am

Comments

Vicious rumors? What happens if those vicious rumors become reality?

What about Looch?

Comment by wndycty Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:18 am
https://youtu.be/X_mK0nrrsbI

Comment by Honeybadger Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:18 am
There should be a 30 for 30 on Illinois under Rauner, in the United States, under Trump. Good lord, save us.

Comment by From the 'Dale to HP Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:20 am
I was happier when I thought he realized they all needed to be replaced. Make a clean break from the IPI, Bruce, please…

Comment by ash Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:22 am
“A mutual decision”

Does that mean “Diane agreed with her husband? ” After bringing these people in to better get the message out?

Comment by Roadiepig Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:22 am
Rauner can’t fire Rasmussen now or he will otherwise look like he told a flat out “fib” to her status

Any day we get more of The Looch, the more inept Rauner will seem.

I welcome The Looch staying. Keep him there. Thank you.

Brittany Carl had 36 days to plan her own exit. Now, besides her own writings, her departure will be linked to “as a white male”

Not great.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:23 am
How can Rasmussen possibly stay after this?

Comment by Michael Westen Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:24 am
Mutual decision is usually a euphemism for aconversation that boils down to ‘resign or you’re fired’

Comment by (Un) Happy Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:25 am
“vicious rumors” sounds a little trumpian to me…. if the shoe fits.

Comment by We'll See Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:25 am
Maybe they weren’t the best team in America after all. Well this shows that someone gave Rauner some good advice and he took that advice.

Comment by The Dude Abides Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:25 am
Gov,

The Mooch is still available out there. Team up The Mooch with The Looch, and you’ll run over JB no problem. /s

Comment by Can Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:29 am
They still lasted longer than the Mooch…silver lining?

Comment by Veil of Ignorance Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:29 am
@Michael Westen, totally agree. Either Rasmussen has (had) no control over the comms staff or Rasmussen signed off on the “as a white male” statement. How is this not a ‘gots to go’ situation?

Also, letting the three comms staffers resign isn’t a very good look for Rauner, imo. Just fire them for being a) bad at their job and b) insubordinate.

Comment by From the 'Dale to HP Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:30 am
Rauner’s next test will be SB31. And that clock is ticking.

Comment by Hamlet's Ghost Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:33 am
Bruce Rauner and the communications staff he doesn’t control.

As a white male, I find this ineptitude hilarious.

Comment by Mittuns Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:35 am
New Comm startup radio ad:
Whipsaw Communication - We Change ‘Em So Fast Nobody Knows Who’s On First - And THAT’s The Way To Keep It”
(….fast talkin’ garbled weaselly nonsense, then ad ends abruptly)

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:36 am
Bottom line is he can hire the best comms team in existence but if people ain’t buyin’ what he’s sellin’ it won’t matter. The message is the problem, not the way it’s being delivered. Although the latter is definitely an issue as well with the BTIAtm

Comment by Cubs in '16 Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:37 am
Timing is an issue. Governor has 284 bills sitting on his desk, of which about 250 he has to either has to sign or veto this week or they automatically become law. This normally a huge time for Governor (any governor) and their press department of putting out feel good press releases of bills that were signed. Generally you don’t have to compete with any one for the headlines as GA is not in session and it’s a slow news cycle.

Comment by Thinking Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:37 am
This mess is all 100% Rauner’s creation. Rather than learn from his missteps and failings in his first 2-3 years in office, he doubled down and brought in unqualified and unprepared extremists. Where humility was needed, he showed only arrogance. The man is simply incapable of self-reflection and this disaster of an administration is the result.

At this point, Rauner’s basically rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. The ship is going down because Rauner is its captain and all the staff changes in the world aren’t going to change that inevitability.

Comment by slow down Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:38 am
So you keep tne COS who brought in the comm. staff and signed off on the brilliant “as a white male” message?

You keep the general counsel who made a fool of you because he didn’t know or didn’t tell you about the 3/5 vote needed to accept an override, leaving you at the mic babbling about simple majorities?

I’m all for it.

Shine on, you crazy diamonds.

But they ain’t going to last long. No way, no how. He can’t run for re-election putting out the fires from these daily demonstrations of incompetence.

He needs some time to find replacements.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:40 am
No offense, Governor, but your track record on honesty when it comes to situations involving leaked info is questionable, at best. This got out prior to when you wanted it to and now you’re having to walk it back.

“Vicious rumors” lol…

Comment by Fixer Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:40 am
My guess is that Rasmussen was going to be let go too, but then Rauner decided to call a staff meeting and needed her to assemble the help because he still hadn’t learned everyone’s name yet.

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:40 am
==he would use legal means to go on offense and stop them.==

Wow. Is he going to “bury [them] . . . Bankrupt [them] with fees. I don’t know if [they] have a family or not but if [they] do [they] better think twice about this”.

And he is going to need to get a general counsel first.

Comment by Henry Francis Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:43 am
What exactly has his former staff done that would prompt legal action? They’re no longer employees, he’s a public figure (whom they haven’t slandered or libeled anyway), and NDAs, even if they signed them, are legally unenforceable for state employees. He’s really grasping at straws. Sounds more like POTUS every day. I welcome his meltdown.

Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:43 am
So what is the next realm of crazy beneath IPI from which Rauner will assemble Dream Team 3.0?

Comment by Man with a Plan Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:44 am
Mike Madigan and the Rauner staff he controls. Hilarious implosion. WGN is saying Murashko is out. Good riddance.

Comment by Anon Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:45 am
“…said he would use legal means to go on offense and stop them.”

Huh? Stop them from what?

Making a living?

Comment by Mr. K. Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:45 am
By all means, governor, take “legal means to stop” whatever you think your old peeps are doing to undermine you.

Let’s all meet at the courthouse to read the filings and depositions, view testimony, etc. It could go on for months.

Pretty please. With sugar on top.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:46 am
===The governor also reportedly blamed many of his current problems on the top staff members who were fired or resigned in July and, I’m told, said he would use legal means to go on offense and stop them.===

Guess escorting people out of the building didn’t work out all that great.

Diana’s emails… 350+ of them, worrying about her brand… and the pearl clutching about how the RaunerS are received at Winnetka Cocktail Parties doesn’t sound like a solid legal argument, even if Rauner wants to go after the emails.

“We’re going to have to subpoena Dr. Rauner’s emails, and depose her at her convenience.”

That’s fun.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:48 am
Bad leaders blame others.

I sense a historic meltdown coming.

Comment by Anon Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:50 am
Farewell, Best Team in America. I will always have enjoyed our time together. Next up: the Better than Best Team in America

Comment by Dornford Yates Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:51 am
Administration staff meeting: https://youtu.be/-8SqX_-f5vM

Comment by We'll See Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:52 am
I’ve never heard of the envelope that said to blame your old staff.

Nothing better than legally threatening former staff who know where the skeletons are buried.

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:56 am
What is Tillman’s response? Will he welcome these foragers in public service back into the IPI tent?

Comment by My New Handle Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:57 am
==said he would use legal means to go on offense and stop them==

LOL. If he were to try any “legal action”(for what, exercising their right to free speech by commenting on current Government officials?), I’m guessing sthere would be a line of attorneys at the doors of the former staffers offering their services to countersue. Bruce Rauner and the deep pockets of money he controls.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:57 am
To: Rauner
From: Superstars
Re: Who is to blame

Look into mirror. With kind regards from those you disrespected.

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:59 am
If I did such a bad job, why did sales go down and costs go up after you fired me. - Mr Mom

Comment by Steve Polite Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 10:03 am
Is Bruce trying to eclipse Trump as the most nonsensical “leader”?

Comment by Precinct Captain Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 10:04 am
@ Dornford Yates: The Next Best Team in America™?

Comment by Northsider Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 10:06 am
Norseman, you said it.

Rauner’s pouring gas on the fire by threatening his old staff.

He can’t bully former staffers like he did when he was a vampire capitalist nobody ever heard of or cared to know about.

Now, he’s the biggest public figure in the state. His actions in that role — past, present and future — are fair game for the media. In fact, it’s their duty to report them if someone serves them up.

Breathtakingly stupid threat.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 10:07 am
We can make all the jokes we want, but it’s frightening to think no one knows who is actually governing. Who’s really making decisions on which bills to sign? Who’s really making decisions about the $7B managed care contract? What the hell is going on?

Comment by Tbd Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 10:07 am
It’s becoming readily apparent that the ego of business titans is a bad fit with political leadership. As a result, and in its own way, this may work against JB Pritzker’s primary run.

Comment by phocion Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 10:08 am
So now, it’s really four that “resigned”? How many more “resignations” will soon trickle out? We know we can’t trust anything this guy says, but geez, he can’t even message a staff purge.

And good luck with that legal offensive against the “Superstars”. Remember, discovery applies to both sides.

Comment by Whatever Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 10:09 am
====The governor also reportedly blamed many of his current problems on the top staff members who were fired or resigned in July and, I’m told, said he would use legal means to go on offense and stop them.

LOL–this made my day. I try not to compare Rauner and Trump too much as they are pretty different characters, but they both seem to have no clue there aren’t NDAs for (most) government work.

Rauner might have thought of this problem before he fired people outright and treated their staff assistants and people they care about in a crappy manner.

Comment by ArchPundit Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 10:17 am
Hey Bruce? This is Karma. Nice to meet you.

Comment by Jocko Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 10:17 am
Rauner, whinis actually a very bright guy, is looking more and more like Trump every day.

Trauner needs to give up the my way or highway approach.

Comment by Ghost Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 10:18 am
===“We’re going to have to subpoena Dr. Rauner’s emails, and depose her at her convenience.”

Exactly, if Rauner wants to set discovery in motion with a now hostile former staff, be my guess–just let me know. I want popcorn company stock if so.

Comment by ArchPundit Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 10:19 am
So Rauner feels a need to threaten his former staffers with legal actions? They must have been great staffers, eh? Who picked them? An incompetent person? How long did these people stay in power before he realized they weren’t working out? Now Rauner says he’ll sue them?

Rauner sounds like a great boss for absolutely no one.

Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 10:21 am
In addition to the bad legal advice on the override, the appellate court recently schooled Murashko that you can’t argue separation of powers when everyone in the dispute is in the same branch.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 10:22 am
Maybe it is old and super wrong news, but AboveTheLaw had a blurb speculating that Dennis Murashko was a top 3 finalist for a federal judicial appointment.

http://abovethelaw.com/2017/07/circuit-court-nominees-in-the-trump-administration-the-latest-news-and-rumor-part-2/

I can’t imagine Murashko’s connection to Rauner is helpful to him with either Trump or Durbin/Duckworth though.

Comment by hisgirlfriday Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 10:41 am
Why only three? Hey, he’s got to keep someone around to fire all the others.
That stuff about him takin’ the bullets was stretchin’ the truth just a bit.

Comment by Winnin' Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 10:42 am
I just reread the post for the third time. No mention of Madigan and corruption. Now I know Governor Junk has completely lost it. /s

Comment by don the legend Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 10:49 am
“… said he would use legal means to go on offense and stop them.”

Does it sounds like 1.4% is getting a little what …. emotional?

Comment by Huh? Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 10:51 am
>>”It’s becoming readily apparent that the ego of business titans is a bad fit with political leadership. As a result, and in its own way, this may work against JB Pritzker’s primary run.”

Comment by Northsider Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 10:58 am
Trying to bully and silence former communications staff that know how and where to leak is a text book example of stupidity.

Comment by RNUG Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 10:58 am
Don’t know what happened to the other half of my post, but here it is:

I doubt it. I get no “I am the great and powerful CEO; all kneel before me!” vibe from Pritzker.

Comment by Northsider Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 10:59 am
==The governor also reportedly blamed many of his current problems on the top staff members who were fired or resigned in July and, I’m told, said he would use legal means to go on offense and stop them.==

How? His problems seem to be 1) the budget override 2) the SB1 mess 3) the cartoon thing which was entirely done in public by the people he hired to speak on his behalf.

I don’t think I’m missing any devastating leaks or monkey-wrenching that seem plausibly (or even implausibly!) tied anyone who he’s fired. I’m assuming he’s just blowing off steam but who knows.

Comment by whetstone Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 11:01 am
To the tune of Mrs. Robinson.

So here’s to you best team in America, Richard Goldberg has left and gone away hey hey hey…

Comment by Honeybadger Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 11:02 am
“… said he would use legal means to go on offense and stop them.”

Does it sound like 1.4% is getting a little emotional.

Comment by Huh? Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 11:04 am
@Northsider and @Dornford yates: The Bestest Team in America??

Comment by Steve Rogers Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 11:22 am
This is all Riches fault for twitterbarasing them. capfax should hire them

Comment by Ghost Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 12:24 pm
Next up: replace the replacers. Then replace those that replaced the replacers, THEN..

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 1:43 pm
“The women were removed hours ago. And the governor — as a white male — does not have anything more to add to the discussion”

Comment by crazybleedingheart Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 2:06 pm
Late to the game here, but any word on the BTIA(tm) campaign team, Besler, etc.?

Comment by Whatever Thursday, Aug 24, 17 @ 9:39 pm