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* From earlier this week…
An Illinois official has canceled a $12 million contract she says should have been offered to the highest bidder by Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration.
Chief Procurement Officer Ellen Daley decreed Tuesday that the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services should have bid the contract with McKinsey & Co.
* Yesterday…
Gov. Rauner on Wednesday blamed House Speaker Michael Madigan for the cancellation of a $12.5 million state contract with management consulting company McKinsey & Co. […]
Ironically, the cancellation was made possible by new guidelines for how the state buys and sells services that Rauner signed into law earlier this year. The new law was one of the few items on Rauner’s original “turnaround agenda” that lawmakers granted him, though he said Wednesday that it hadn’t gone far enough.
“Procurement in Illinois is broken, it has been broken and it is still broken,” Rauner said when asked to explain what went wrong with the McKinsey contract. “We did pass a modest procurement reform bill. Didn’t go nearly far enough. It probably fixed about a third or a quarter of the problem.”
Then he pivoted to Madigan, saying the speaker “has resisted because he controls a lot of the procurement people through his patronage operation. He likes the current procurement system. That’s how he gets some of his political power that we have to defeat.”
Asked if he thought the procurement officer who’d voided the contract was controlled by the speaker, Rauner said he thought Madigan had “heavy influence.”
Oh, please. The no-bid contract was supposed to be about “anticipation of litigation” for the Department of Healthcare and Family Services. But as you can see if you click here, the CPO pointed out that lots of the actual contract had nothing to do with “anticipation of litigation.”
You can’t just blame Madigan for literally everything under the sun. I mean, yeah, he deserves blame for a lot, but this? C’mon, man. Daley has been CPO since July of 2015. Before that, she did procurement work for CMS and CPS.
* Meanwhile…
The Illinois state comptroller has halted payment on a second contract that Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration signed last year because it’s similar to one a state regulator invalidated.
Comptroller Susana Mendoza notified the Department of Healthcare and Family Services Wednesday that she would not pay a $12.5 million contract with consultant McKinsey & Co. for Medicaid-program assistance. […]
Mendoza’s letter adds that there will be no further payments on $12.9 million contract with McKinsey signed last year because of its similarities to the one canceled. Mendoza spokesman Abdon Pallasch said the state has paid $6 million on that deal.
*** UPDATE *** AP…
A Republican lawmaker is challenging Gov. Bruce Rauner over a claim that the Democratic House speaker influenced the cancellation of a $12.5 million no-bid contract the administration signed.
Barrington Hills GOP Rep. David McSweeney says Republican Rauner must provide proof or apologize.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 9:33 am
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I thought Blgo went to jail for this stuff.
Comment by Red rider Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 9:39 am
So that’s $20 million not going to Mckinsey? Some consultant(s) not going to get their Christmas bonus to put in that new swimming pool for next summer.
Comment by Baloneymous Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 9:40 am
Rauner: “Madigan and the (fill in the blank) he controls!”
This is getting kind of old.
Comment by DuPage Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 9:40 am
If mom is in charge,he should fire Bruce for incompetence. No union. Did he take the exams for his position like the rest of the pesents.
Comment by Red Rider Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 9:42 am
This is where Rauner is just spewing nonsense.
Seriously — if you abdicate your own power — and admit that you’re not in charge — how in the world do you “defeat” Madigan.
In order to destroy power, you need to have power. This isn’t a superhero thing — this is how it works. Power trumps power — impotence doesn’t.
Comment by Macbeth Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 9:42 am
Rauner, State of the State Address, 2016:
To save taxpayers money, we must also change the way we buy our goods and services.
In order to counter the procurement system abuses of prior governors, the General Assembly passed the 2009 procurement reform law.
Unfortunately, that law is creating far more problems than those it was designed to correct.
The law more than tripled the time it takes to complete an RFP process, taking the process from 2-3 months to 9-12 months.
The solution is comprehensive procurement reform – both legislative and administrative – that maintains necessary ethics and transparency safeguards, streamlines bureaucracy, offers greater flexibility to agencies, and follows best practices from other states.
Done properly, we believe this can save Illinois taxpayers more than $500 million per year. We look forward to working with the legislature to get it done.
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20160127/full-text-gov-rauners-state-of-state-address
From the Procurement Bill signing on Aug. 9, 2017:
Rauner- “We’ve made an effort to try to encourage ethical behavior”, said Rauner, “and encourage good government, but try to also balance that with making government efficient and effective and transparent.” https://will.illinois.edu/news/story/governor-signs-procurement-reform-bill
All fodder for another JB video to make Rauner eat his own words.
Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 9:51 am
File this in the fat folder marked just made an enemy of the wrong person.
Comment by Sonny Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 9:52 am
If Rauner is right, and she was heavily influenced by Madigan, then Madigan can take a bow for encouraging sound fiscal practice. Is America’s Worst Republican Governor now complimenting Madigan?
Comment by igotgotgotgotnotime Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 9:58 am
It took me a minute or so to understand why the gender of the CPO was included on the post title. Then I remembered that we have a theory in play about Madigan controlling female politicians. But the CPO is not a politician.
Doesn’t the CPO work in the admin branch of government? Isn’t that supposed to be under Rauners control? Is he saying that his employees have no confidence in him?
Isn’t this an example of following a law he wanted? So even when it is want he wants, it’s only happening because Madigan?
Comment by Thoughts Matter Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 9:59 am
I’m starting to think that Rauner believes so much in his own superiority that if you happen to not be a Rauner sycophant, then it must be because Madigan is pulling the strings.
Comment by Juice Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 10:00 am
In Rauner’s mind Yoda has nothing on MJM.
Comment by Cubs in '16 Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 10:04 am
This is getting complicated, so the easiest thing to do is blame Madigan. Heads up Rauner, there’s lots more of these embarrassments coming.
Comment by Barrington Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 10:07 am
“Madigan can take a bow for encouraging sound fiscal practice”
Let’s all give him a standing ovation for finally standing up for taxpayers. Don’t just stop there Mike.
What took so long?
Comment by Lucky Pierre Bot Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 10:10 am
===In Rauner’s mind Yoda has nothing on MJM.
I think you meant Palpatine.
So the Governor is saying MJM was behind a decision that reinforced good government practices for procurement.
That’s funny on a lot of levels.
Comment by ArchPundit Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 10:11 am
Let me just add that if these contracts are voided because they didnt meet the proper requirements then didnt McKinsey also avoid minority participation requirements?
Comment by old time golfer Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 10:11 am
Lucky Pierre, any thoughts on your idol’s claim against Madigan this time?
Comment by Honeybadger Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 10:20 am
Rauner was given the advice very early on to “blame everything on Madigan”. He hasn’t the personality that would abridge that line in the face of its counter-productive use. He can’t get off that track - he’s welded to it. The tipping point of his decline was about the time he fired his original staff, and the fall is accelerating. And, good.
Comment by WasAnon Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 10:23 am
This is hilarious. Rauner took office January 2015. He has 5 of 9 appointments to the Ethics Boad and made them right away. The board he controlled choose Ms. Daley as the “independent ” CPO and she assumed role in July 2015. She had been CMS’ lawyer and ran on the platform that became of her close relationships with the new administration procurement would be better as she portrayed the prior CPO as too adversarial with agencies. It’s Rauner who has controlled her.
Comment by Thinking Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 10:26 am
Having worked in IL State Procurement at the agency level for 13 years I’ve had many communications with Ellen Daley as it relates to Procurement and Contracts both in her role as legal counsel and as CPO. I can say without reservation that Ellen Daley is a woman of integrity. To suggest that she would allow political influence to shape her decisions or official actions is ludicrous and insulting.
Comment by Happy Retiree Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 10:28 am
It’s shaping up to be an epic spring session. And the budget address is scheduled for Ash Wednesday. Fitting.
Comment by Nick Name Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 10:31 am
Bruce—Xanax
Comment by Langhorne Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 10:31 am
A better retelling of history is most thought Matt Brown was doin’ a great job, but GovJunk tossed him. Looks like more folks have finally figured GovJunk and his nonsense do not cover his long, long list of failures.
Comment by Annonin' Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 11:40 am
“I am not in charge.” Proves it every day….
Comment by downstate commissioner Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 11:46 am
=Wasn’t CPO Ellen Daley fired by the Rauner administration as Deputy General Counsel for CMS?=
When Rauner campaign operatives comment why do they always go by “Anonymous”?
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 12:11 pm
“She is certainly not a woman of integrity” said the anonymous troll. The Governor doesn’t seem to believe women can think for themselves.
Comment by GOP Extremist Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 12:11 pm
===Wasn’t CPO Ellen Daley fired by the Rauner administration….She is certainly not a woman of integrity.===
Gov. Gaslight, is that you?
Comment by Nick Name Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 12:31 pm
No, CPO Daley was not fired from her position at CMS. She is a woman of integrity.
Comment by keysport Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 12:43 pm
===Wasn’t CPO Ellen Daley fired by the Rauner administration as Deputy General Counsel for CMS?===
She was promoted to CPO at Rauner’sr request.
Comment by truth Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 12:49 pm
Rich: You can’t just blame Madigan for literally everything under the sun.
Rauner: Hold my beer…
– MrJM
Comment by @MisterJayEm Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 1:08 pm
Yes Daley promoted at Rauner request. His Ethics controlled board appointed her in Spring 2015, took office July 1. Lots of rumors of deals cut between her and Rauner people. That’s what should be investigated by inspectors general office.
Comment by Thinking Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 1:10 pm
Rauner has been mesmerized by speaker Svengali
Comment by Rabid Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 1:29 pm
Let’s just cut to the chase here. The State can do sole source procurements any time they want to IF the appropriate person signs off as it “being in the best interest of the State”.
Doesn’t mean it is a good deal or ethical, but it does make it “legal”. Few Directors will go out on that limb in questionable procurements.
The only real check on such practice is the light of publicity shining on questionable deals. It looks like the heat got turned up on this deal …
Comment by RNUG Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 1:40 pm
Let’s see, Rauner claims a strong independent woman Comptroller is Madigan’s “puppet”, a strong independent woman Attorney General is under Madigan’s control, and now a strong independent woman CPO is under Madigan’s control. All this from a guy who vowed to “destroy [a female CEO] and her family.” Am I making a mountain out of a molehill?
Comment by Skeptic Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 1:49 pm
Governor, do you think paranoia and impotence in defense of no-bid contracts is a good look for you?
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 2:32 pm
So it seems this Madigan fella has the same mind control ability over the Governor that Bill Belichick had over Dan Quin and Pete Carroll in Super Bowls LI and XLIX
Comment by LevivotedforJudy Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 3:50 pm
=Barrington Hills GOP Rep. David McSweeney says Republican Rauner must provide proof or apologize.=
Throw him out - McSweeny’s a heretic. How dare he suggest an evidence-based position. He has no place in today’s GOP alt-universe.
Comment by Not a real republican Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 5:48 pm
Rauner is a stain on the GOP, put up or shut up, the cat have your tongue
Comment by Rabid Thursday, Dec 7, 17 @ 11:28 pm
didn’t Evelyn say she would step up when Rauner wasn’t in charge
Comment by Rabid Friday, Dec 8, 17 @ 8:54 am