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* UPDATED x1 * Rauner campaign blasts Pritzker defense

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* Will Allison at the Rauner campaign…

Hey, all-

In response to our new TV ad featuring JB Pritzker encouraging Blago to engage in a quid pro quo, the Pritzker campaign issued a puzzling response.

Here’s a quick reality check:

Pritzker Claim: “JB was never accused of wrongdoing”

Reality Check: Just because Pritzker was lucky enough to avoid an indictment that doesn’t mean what he did was aboveboard or morally right. Pritzker encouraging Blago to pull off a quid pro quo so he could personally benefit should set off alarms for anyone concerned about corruption.

–

Pritzker Claim: The tapes are “selectively edited”

Reality Check: Nope. Just as the ad states, the audio was completely unedited. However, due to the laws of physics, we weren’t able to squeeze 11 minutes of phone conversations into a single 60-second TV spot. So if the Pritzker campaign would like to listen to the whole thing, we’ve got it posted here: www.pritzkerblago.com

–

Pritzker Claim: These are “nine-year-old tapes”

Reality Check: Surely JB Pritzker, as a lawyer, is aware that voters don’t have a statute of limitations. While this conversation happened in 2008, no one even knew about it until last May. Essentially claiming “but it was a long time ago” is a weak defense for an episode that demonstrates the nature of J.B. Pritzker’s character.

Some good points, although “lucky enough to avoid an indictment” is a bit much. There is zero evidence that Pritzker was even a minor target back then. The government never released the audio and neither did the judge, which probably says something. We only know about this because the Tribune published the audio, which had been sealed by a federal judge.

* Anyway, let’s look at what Blagojevich says on that particular tape…

Ok, so, but, what if, and I’m telling ya this could happen, because I know how Madigan is, he says ‘I’ll give ya health care, I’ll give ya a capital bill, OK. We’ll work with you to balance the budget the way you want to do it and I’ll raise taxes on people…and you make Lisa the senator, OK?’

Speaker Madigan wouldn’t even consent to be in the same room as Rod Blagojevich by that point. Madigan refused to approve a capital bill because he believed Rod and his pals would steal every dime. But he’s gonna give away the store so his daughter could be appointed to a Senate seat she didn’t want?

The man was beyond delusional.

*** UPDATE *** Pritzker campaign…

Bruce Rauner is getting desperate. With no accomplishments to run on and growing turmoil surrounding the Quincy Veterans’ Home, this failed governor is desperate to distract from his failed record and inability to lead. Here are five of Desperate Rauner’s countless crises that he would like voters to ignore:
1. LEGIONNAIRES CRISIS TAKES 13 LIVES: Rauner’s fatal mismanagement of the Legionnaires crisis in Quincy led to 13 deaths and 11 families suing the state for negligence. After seeing the “beginning of an epidemic,” the Rauner administration waited six days to notify the public and residents’ families of an outbreak in 2015. Two more outbreaks occurred each year afterwards, but Rauner’s agency heads continue to defend their failed response. Rauner still refuses to take responsibility.

2. DAMAGE DONE FROM HIS BUDGET CRISIS: At social service agencies and medical providers across the state, services were cut, hours were reduced, staff were let go, and some were forced to close altogether. State bonds were downgraded to one notch above junk status while the bill backlog tripled to historic highs. After 736-days, Republicans and Democrats came together to end Rauner’s historic crisis.

3. SCHOOL FUNDING JEOPARDIZED: Rauner vetoed the first bipartisan school funding formula, then claimed credit for passing the historic legislation, only to amendatory veto a trailer bill that now puts the entire formula at risk.

4. MEDICAID DEAL COSTS SKYROCKETED: Rauner’s MCO scheme violated procurement law, skyrocketed in cost overnight, and has been shrouded in secrecy from day one. This historically massive deal could jeopardize Medicaid in Illinois as dangerously low reimbursement rates threaten to upend the entire system.

5. SECRET SCANDALS: Former communications chief Diana Rickert is suing Rauner for the public release of emails from First Lady Diana Rauner and top administration officials regarding a state agency and HB 40. Former General Counsel Dennis Murashko also abruptly resigned after penning an ethics memo on the separation of Rauner’s political and government operations.

“After spending three years lurching from crisis to crisis, Bruce Rauner is desperate to distract from his failed record as governor,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “With his fatal mismanagement of the Legionnaires crisis, damage done to working families across the state, brewing scandals, and new school funding turmoil, this Desperate Rauner can’t run on his record so he’s running scared from the truth.”

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jan 11, 18 @ 10:11 am

Comments

Is the whole point of this that Rauner is intervening in the Dem primary, and would prefer to run against Kennedy or Biss? And who - Kennedy or Biss - benefits more from all this? I think Kennedy but not sure.

Comment by DarkHorse Thursday, Jan 11, 18 @ 10:16 am
So “yeah, yeah, sure-ing” your way through a conversation is an indictable offense in Rauner-world?

Comment by One hand //ing Thursday, Jan 11, 18 @ 10:18 am
The Pritzker Blago attack is definitely one that is effective. A smart thing for their campaign to do now would be to use some SEO magic to prop up the pritzkerblago.com website.

Comment by Chicagonk Thursday, Jan 11, 18 @ 10:19 am
Is lying to a cardinal aboveboard and morally right?

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jan 11, 18 @ 10:20 am
Speeakin’ of leakin’ stuff maybe someone could share Fast Eddy V. with GovJunk consultant Stu Levine…wouldn’t that be fun. Might make someone’s teeth ache

Comment by Annonin' Thursday, Jan 11, 18 @ 10:20 am
Gonna need more than a press release to get the story back on the tape with Hurricane Greitens making landfall.

Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Jan 11, 18 @ 10:21 am
Let’s break some of this down…

===Just because Pritzker was lucky enough…===

So, after all the indictments, evidence, testimony, convictions… is this an indictment of the US Attorney?

Then let’s take this on it’s totality…

===Just because Pritzker was lucky enough to avoid an indictment that doesn’t mean what he did was aboveboard or morally right. Pritzker encouraging Blago to pull off a quid pro quo so he could personally benefit should set off alarms for anyone concerned about corruption.===

So how does Diana Rauner feels about those alarms… are they concerned about corruption?

===”More than three decades of experience have led us to identify some big bets that have the potential to transform early learning. We are so grateful to the J.B. and M.K. Pritzker Family Foundation for sharing our belief in these innovations,” said Diana Rauner, president of the Ounce of Prevention Fund. “By developing strong leaders and programs, empowering parents and strengthening early learning systems, together we can change lives for children and families.”===

The Rauner campaign really wants to taint JB…

Ok.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 11, 18 @ 10:24 am
=So “yeah, yeah, sure-ing” your way through a conversation =

I know you are hearing what you want to hear but any human who understand tone can tell you that at the very end where the AG position is dangled in front of JB, there is a overwhelming hint of excitement in JB’s voice.

Doesn’t matter if he yeahd his way through most of the conversation, the mere fact that Rod was on the other end of that phone call is enough to hit the airwaves hard with this fun moment in time.

Comment by Iggy Thursday, Jan 11, 18 @ 10:24 am
The jury was not allowed to hear any of the tapes except select segments selected by the prosecution. The rest of the tapes were sealed by the federal judge and were not to be released. The question is, how did Rauner’s campaign get these tapes? Seems like something highly illegal happened.

Comment by DuPage Thursday, Jan 11, 18 @ 10:28 am
==where the AG position is dangled in front of JB, there is a overwhelming hint of excitement in JB’s voice==

Eh. I’ve taken jobs from people worse than Blago. Momentary interest that ultimately amounted to nothing…ultimately amounts to nothing.

BTW, if I were Governor and presented with this deal:

== he says ‘I’ll give ya health care, I’ll give ya a capital bill, OK. We’ll work with you to balance the budget the way you want to do it and I’ll raise taxes on people…and you make Lisa the senator, OK==

I’d take it in a heart beat. Health care, jobs, a balanced budget, and all I gotta do is make a completely qualified person a Senator? Sign me up.

(The last graf isn’t really a defense of JB, as the reality of the situation is that that deal *wasn’t actually offered* and I get that talking to Blago about anything in any context is bad politics and reasonably so. I’m just saying, real talk, *that’s* a bargain.)

Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Jan 11, 18 @ 10:30 am
==The question is, how did Rauner’s campaign get these tapes?==

Probably just from the Trib. Guess it’s worth asking how the Trib got ‘em.

Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Jan 11, 18 @ 10:31 am
“here is a overwhelming hint of excitement in JB’s voice.”

Umm, no. There really isn’t. And if there was was, why would JB have said the job he thought made sense and where he could best serve was Treasurer and not AG. I guarantee that tape will be used in another ad so that kind of blows your theory up real quick.

Still trying to figure out how JB supporting Rod’s idea to make Lisa Madigan Senator is a bad thing in a Democratic primary.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jan 11, 18 @ 10:32 am
Does Rauner really want to go down the Blagojevich path, since Rauner had ties to Stuart Levine?

Comment by Sigh Thursday, Jan 11, 18 @ 10:33 am
I’m a little more puzzled about Rauner announcing he’s forming a Quincy “task force” more than two years after the first deaths.

Sure you want to rush into things like that, chief?

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Jan 11, 18 @ 10:38 am
== Does Rauner really want to go down the Blagojevich path, since Rauner had ties to Stuart Levine? ==

He may … everybody knows who Blago is but most people don’t know who Levine is without been nd db/ put it into context.

Comment by RNUG Thursday, Jan 11, 18 @ 10:45 am
Supposed to read “being reminded”

Comment by RNUG Thursday, Jan 11, 18 @ 10:46 am
Bruce. Take it from old Blue himself. Yup. The same dummy who voted for you in 14. Save your money. Your toast.

Comment by blue dog dem Thursday, Jan 11, 18 @ 10:51 am
==there is a overwhelming hint of excitement in JB’s voice.==

Which is it - overwhelming, or a hint? LOL.

Comment by Nortorious RBG Thursday, Jan 11, 18 @ 10:52 am
Rauner and his crew
Are the undisputed masters of
Perfidy
Immoral Deception to gain advantage
Treachery
Obfuscate real intensions
And actions
Like Intersect Illinois pinstripe patronage
Like Munger fast tracking payments to IT
Like hiding the damage to agencies
Like hiding invoices to contractors
Like vetoing any progress
Like destroying the private social services
“Compassionate and Competative”
2014’s slogan
Total perfidy
He achieved the opposite of both
Perfidious Rex

Comment by Honeybear Thursday, Jan 11, 18 @ 11:04 am
The Rauner campaign needs to give my handle back. lol

Comment by Reality Check Thursday, Jan 11, 18 @ 11:05 am
Honeybear-
Does the 2018 calendar have the same ‘Word of the Year’ as 2017?

Comment by Robert the 1st Thursday, Jan 11, 18 @ 12:45 pm
“Does the 2018 calendar have the same ‘Word of the Year’ as 2017?”

For as long as 1.4% is in office.

Comment by Huh? Thursday, Jan 11, 18 @ 1:02 pm
Fair hit Robert. But in truth the personal word of the year is
Novaturient

But it seems to be perfidy season with the governor
So your your hit is fair
“Foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds” Emerson
;-)

Comment by Honeybear Thursday, Jan 11, 18 @ 1:09 pm
–Honeybear-
Does the 2018 calendar have the same ‘Word of the Year’ as 2017?–

The dude just claimed to have “created” 1,500 jobs in B-N that don’t exist.

What would you call it?

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Jan 11, 18 @ 1:14 pm
**Gonna need more than a press release to get the story back on the tape with Hurricane Greitens making landfall.**

LOL - You mean like a 60 second ad? A lot more people will see the JB/Blago ad than will ever see or care about Greitens.

Comment by JoeMaddon Thursday, Jan 11, 18 @ 1:52 pm
==A lot more people will see the JB/Blago ad than will ever see or care about Greitens.==

And a lot more people will see an ad about Quincy, too, so the paid media is basically a wash. Rauner wanted it to break into earned media so he could force JB to talk about it. He might’ve been on his way to that last night. But that opportunity ended when the Greitens story broke, and the proof is in the pudding, JB ain’t breaking his stride to talk about that ad.

Rauner can probably find another chance to wrong foot JB, and I wouldn’t bet against him. But this is a missed opportunity, and a press release ain’t bringing it back.

Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Jan 11, 18 @ 2:41 pm
the FBI has weighed in on elections, does the FBI approve this message

Comment by Rabid Thursday, Jan 11, 18 @ 3:11 pm
“The dude just claimed to have “created” 1,500 jobs in B-N that don’t exist.

What would you call it?”

Personally I prefer mendacity but that’s just cause I’m a “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” fan and Rauner reminds me of Big Daddy.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Thursday, Jan 11, 18 @ 3:57 pm
I hadn’t read any of the transcripts before except the “i hear ya” part, but I have to admit that the other audio tapes are worse than I thought. Not talking politics here, just how clearly close Pritzker was with Blago and how willing he sounded to play ball despite knowing Blago was under Federal investigation. And no, I don’t believe everybody does this. Not good.

Comment by Veil of Ignorance Thursday, Jan 11, 18 @ 4:36 pm
=What would you call it?=

Deceit, deception, dishonesty fabrication,
or falsehoods.

I’m still a fan of you Honeybear (despite your disdain for me). I just have to jump in from time to time.

Comment by Robert the 1st Thursday, Jan 11, 18 @ 11:52 pm
And once again, you taught me a word I had to Google. I like Novaturient.

Comment by Robert the 1st Thursday, Jan 11, 18 @ 11:58 pm