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In praise of Mary Ann Ahern

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* NBC 5’s Mary Ann Ahern aired some footage yesterday of her interview with Gov. Rauner last month. She asked him back then about “allegations of sexual misconduct by a former member of his inner circle.” His response…

Ahern: Did you do everything you should’ve done?

Rauner: I don’t, Mary Ann, I’m not even sure what you’re referring to. I don’t, that’s a, I don’t, I don’t agree with that question whatsoever. M… M… Mary Ann, you’re…

Ahern: Staffers are aware, but are you not aware of it?

Rauner: Mary Ann, you’re making some claims that I think you should be, you know, go check out. I’m not sure what you’re referring to.

That was not easy to transcribe. But while I had the video on pause during that stuttering burst (you really should click here to watch it), I made this screen capture…

She really knows how to make politicians uncomfortable.

* As we discussed yesterday, Rauner’s answer these days is more polished…

Any specific requests or questions you have about anything pending really needs to go to the inspector general. I am not authorized to comment about it.

* Last night, I hunted down an old video of Mary Ann grilling Gov. Rod Blagojevich. She obviously hasn’t lost her touch…

Heh.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 10:39 am

Comments

Caption on the Rauner still: …and this is my chicken-pecking pose.

Comment by PublicServant Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 10:46 am
That screen shot is the look of a man who doesn’t want any F’ing problems.

Comment by Cubs in '16 Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 10:46 am
“Do you know how hard it is to find my veto pen with this nose?”

Comment by PublicServant Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 10:47 am
The $1,500 question is an all-time Rod classic

Comment by OneMan Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 10:49 am
Just curious, how should have Rauner answered Ahern’s question?

Comment by My New Handle Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 10:50 am
That stuttering response ranks right up there as a “Manfort moment “.

Comment by Anon221 Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 10:50 am
https://youtu.be/wK9odsWwfIo

Comment by Honeybadger Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 10:54 am
Good for Mary Ann Ahern for asking the tough questions but no other reporters seem to want to ask Governor Rauner. Bravo

Comment by Honeybadger Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 10:56 am
@My new handle

If it is true his staff knew about whatever alleged incident happened he should of known as well. A decent answer would of just been that he cannot speak to the allegations and trusts the IG to review any reports.

Comment by Buford Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 10:59 am
– how should have Rauner answered Ahern’s question?–

Honestly?

He knows what she’s referring to. His claim that he doesn’t is just another lie.

He lies a lot, if you haven’t been following along the last few years.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 11:00 am
Buford either the governor is lying or he’s a complete incompetent. You remember when his staff knew about the cartoon that the IPI published but he hadn’t seen it and didn’t know about it come on give me a break

Comment by Honeybadger Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 11:00 am
==He knows what she’s referring to. His claim that he doesn’t is just another lie.===

Sling, I’m not saying he doesn’t. I don’t know and can’t tell by this footage. How do you know he does?

This is pretty hot video. Hanging on to it for a month is an interesting thing to me. Did Maryann still have some checking to do? It’s a good question to ask how something like this was delayed a month before airing.

Comment by A guy Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 11:05 am
Now, that’s a photo that deserves a caption contest…”Do you know who I am? DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?”

Comment by IllinoisBoi Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 11:06 am
Rich - can you re-link the post of your’s they attribute. And not to cast dispersions, but could this incident be left over from former Rep. Anthony’s dismissal or is this a separate case altogether?

Comment by CornfieldCowboy Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 11:08 am
It would be nice to have a Governor who thought that honesty, transparency, conviction, and accountability were character traits worthy of pursuit.

Comment by AlfondoGonz Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 11:08 am
– how should have Rauner answered Ahern’s question?–

The law says that management is expected to know about sexual harassment incidents. The guv is management, so he should know and is culpable if he doesn’t. His best answer is that he *knows* the incident did not occur or that it did occur but is a personnel matter on which he cannot comment publicly until it is resolved.

Comment by Flapdoodle Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 11:09 am
Sgt. Schultz did that bit a lot better.

Comment by igotgotgotgotnotime Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 11:10 am
She’s incorrigible and we are lucky she hasn’t been pushed out of the business because of her age/sex.
Carol Marin and Maryann are great women and savvy reporters…

Comment by Loop Lady Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 11:31 am
=== How do you know he does? ===

Ahern August story:

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner’s top attorney – whose end of August departure was announced Thursday – was escorted out of the governor’s office at the Thompson Center in downtown Chicago on Friday, according to published reports, nearly a week ahead of his planned exit.

One can only come to one of two conclusions as to the response on the video. He’s lying or totally clueless. My money is on lying. Either way, it demonstrates the need to get rid of him as gov.

Comment by Norseman Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 11:33 am
-Rich - can you re-link the post of your’s they attribute. And not to cast dispersions, but could this incident be left over from former Rep. Anthony’s dismissal or is this a separate case altogether?-

Anthony’s situation was an issue for DOC, not the Governor’s office. Although the Governor’s office would have been made aware of the situation before any disciplinary action was taken.

Comment by Olivia Pope Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 11:38 am
My questioning of this would be that the OEIG’s would also regulate over the agency and more often than not an OEIG report’s findings come months or in some cases a couple years after the incident in question.

Comment by CornfieldCowboy Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 11:45 am
Rauner’s response would make a great ring tone. “uh,um, Mary Ann!, I don’t you …”

Comment by 360 Degree TurnAround Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 11:46 am
it is called plausible deniability

Comment by Texas Red Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 11:56 am
If facial expressions can be translated, I’d say Ms. Ahern elicited BVR’s best Iceberg-Dead-Ahead response.

Comment by Stumpy's bunker Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 11:56 am
If he doesn’t know about it, what is his chief of staff doing? Isn’t keeping the executive informed part of the duties?

Comment by NoGifts Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 11:58 am
Rich - How can this not be the Caption Contest of the Month, if not Year?

Comment by West Side the Best Side Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 12:02 pm
Thank you for your responses to my question. His “more polished” recent answer seems to be an appropriate one then. Is his more recent response the Schuh influence?

Comment by My New Handle Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 12:02 pm
Cornfield Cowboy- based on the media coverage from the Anthony incident, that was handled by DOC. Again, that situation would be reflected under DOC and not the Governor’s office if it was handled by OEIG. So obviously to separate issues.

Comment by Olivia Pope Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 12:14 pm
Mr/Ms HoneyBadger
GovJunk is both incompetent and a liar
The item in question has nothin’ to do with Rep. Anthony
Mary Ann has been foloin’ the various staff purges and should have plenty of sources for this stuff.
GovJunk does not nee OEIG to clear this up.

Comment by Annonin' Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 12:29 pm
Remember when a spokesperson for the Governor said this about the OEIG’s investigation involving the former Director of DCFS? The Governor’s office has already set precedent on confirming cases before a founded report is published.

Rauner spokeswoman Laurel Patrick said the governor’s office concurred with a report from Hickey that alleges Sheldon violated state conflict of interest rules. However, the spokeswoman said Hickey’s findings and the governor’s response cannot be made public until they have been approved by the state’s Executive Ethics Commission, which is scheduled to meet behind closed doors on July 26.　

“We respect the investigatory independent function of the (Executive Inspector General) and take seriously all employees’ ethical obligations,” Patrick said. “We agreed in full with the report’s recommendations and are working to implement them.”

https://www.google.com/amp/www.chicagotribune.com/news/watchdog/ct-dcfs-ig-report-met-20170719-story,amp.html

Comment by Olivia Pope Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 1:48 pm
Honeybadger, I agree, just was saying what would of been a better answer than his initial “I have no idea what you are talking about”

Comment by Buford Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 2:10 pm
What’s Bruce hiding?

Comment by Precinct Captain Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 2:17 pm
Mary Ann Ahern is good. Constantly asking questions, even in social situations, collecting information, a real pro. And a very nice person.

Comment by Amalia Friday, Nov 17, 17 @ 4:29 pm