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* A release of internal e-mails by the Special Projects Desk at Gizmodo Media Group shows why Todd Ricketts might have a bit of a tough time if he decides to run for Illinois governor in 2022…
From: [Republican strategist] Fred Davis
To: Joe Ricketts, Pete Ricketts, Todd Ricketts
Date: May 17, 2012
Subject: URGENT. Suggest not taking calls right now.
We just got a call that the NY Times has a HARD copy of our proposal on Reverend Wright.
Putting aside the terrible disappointment that this was leaked, we’re waiting for Brian to get off his TV appearance so we can work out a strategy on how to respond. The story is for tomorrow, and needless to say they think it’s a big deal.
The writers are Jeff Zeleny and Jim Rutenberg. They say they will soon be, “calling around,” and I wanted to get you this news immediately to be sure none of the three of you take their calls and get caught off guard.
As soon as we have Brian, we’ll be back in touch with a response plan.
Just when things yesterday were going so well…
Fred
* From that NY Times story…
A group of high-profile Republican strategists is working with a conservative billionaire on a proposal to mount one of the most provocative campaigns of the “super PAC” era and attack President Obama in ways that Republicans have so far shied away from. […]
The group suggested hiring as a spokesman an “extremely literate conservative African-American” who can argue that Mr. Obama misled the nation by presenting himself as what the proposal calls a “metrosexual, black Abe Lincoln.”
* Back to the e-mails…
From: Todd Ricketts
To: Joe Ricketts
Date: January 25, 2012
Subject: The Greece Nextdoor
This why every other day I contemplate moving out of Illinois. If Scott Walker wins maybe I will move north. If not, I may have to move to Texas. Government unions self-dealing themselves outrageous benefits and pensions through the Democratic party have gutted not only Illinois but the entire nation.
Daley bankrupted the city over the last 20 years and when push came shove he conveniently decided to leave office when he realized to was getting around the situation.
Walker won, but Todd never moved, of course.
From the link he forwarded…
In other words, higher taxes led to fiscal deterioration in Illinois, just as tax increases in Europe have been followed by bad outcomes.
That actually didn’t happen until the tax hike was allowed to roll back.
* More…
From: Todd Ricketts
To: Joe Ricketts, Pete Ricketts, Tom Ricketts, Laura Ricketts, and others
Date: July 4, 2009
Subject: new religion
One of the reasons I am so skeptical of global warming alarmism is for exactly what this article points out. Global warming is a religion and anyone who doesn’t believe is a heretic.
Todd […]
From: Todd Ricketts
To: Tom Ricketts, Joe Ricketts, L.B.
Date: February 3, 2010
Subject: canadian health care
So if we adopt a Canadian style healthcare, as much of the Obama plan would be, where would we go when we actually want to get good care?
Not everything in these e-mails is a killer issue, but some of it is enough to paint a not-so-pretty picture.
* By the way, Bruce Rauner makes an appearance in the e-mails in this exchange with Todd’s father…
From: Bruce Rauner
To: Joe Ricketts
Date: May 20, 2012
Subject: (no subject)
Hi joe – hope you’re doing well despite all the recent baloney in the media – I’ll be riding the harley from livingston down to jackson for nfwf board meeting aug 13-15 and the freedomworks/tea party conference aug 16-17th – will be free afternoon of 15th and morning of 16th and was wondering if you’d like to go for a ride or have a cigar
From: Joe Ricketts
To: Bruce Rauner
Date: June 3, 2012
Subject: RE: (no subject)
Hi Bruce,
I’m co-hosting a cocktail party for AEI in Jackson on the 15th but these things usually don’t last long. I don’t have the details as yet so let me get back to you after I get them.
I’m not a taking my motorcycle out of storage this summer as I will not have time to ride it; got a very full summer lined up. I enjoy being busy but not really this busy but things will slow down after the elections. If the mandate of Obama Care is not knocked down and if Obama gets reelected I may have to give up my citizenship and go to New Zealand.
A cigar sounds good.
Rauner was at a tea party event in 2012?
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 3:33 pm
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
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This is my shocked face.
Comment by thunderspirit Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 3:44 pm
-Government unions self-dealing themselves outrageous benefits and pensions-
Right, my incredible 22,000 a year in 2034 is gonna really rip up the country.
Why?
Really…..Why?
Pritzker is even more wealthy and I never get this feeling from him or heard of him saying something like this.
Why are Rauner and Rickets like this?
I wonder if Rickets shares the same sociopathic traits as Rauner.
How is it that I have to give up my tier II pension which I am terribly grateful for so that they can get richer?
How about they do without another yacht.
Just sayin
We want to play class war
Let’s do it.
Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 3:45 pm
So Bruce has always been a fan of “baloney”
Comment by Seats Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 3:46 pm
No Guv Ricketts. A sigh of relief for IL.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 3:46 pm
Transparency has served a very valuable purpose here.
These people, these people.
Comment by Stumpy's bunker Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 3:49 pm
==If the mandate of Obama Care is not knocked down and if Obama gets reelected I may have to give up my citizenship and go to New Zealand.==
He’s aware New Zealand has universal healthcare right? And that they pay extremely high taxes there?
==outrageous benefits and pensions ==
lol. Says the uber rich guy. Got to keep the peons down so we can make sure us rich guys can get even richer.
Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 3:50 pm
I have family in Nebraska. The Ricketts should be happy they can call that place home. Not sure why any of them moved here since the hate it so much, but I’d be happy to show them the way back home whenever they tired of making so much money here.
(Deleted).
Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 3:52 pm
Does anyone ever follow through on their threat to leave the state/country?
Comment by Anon E Moose Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 3:52 pm
It’s remarkable that the owners of the Cubs talk about moving out of state or out of the country.
Comment by anon2 Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 3:54 pm
Another phony heard from. How about leaving Illinois for real, all y’all phony, privileged criers, both super-rich and economically comfortable?
This is even more reason to get a progressive income tax. The super-rich people who haven’t paid their fair share of taxes for decades, and who are downright nasty and hateful to workers and their unions, need to pay more, like yesterday.
Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 3:55 pm
Maybe a progressive income tax will be enough to convince the I’ve-got-mine-and-I’m-coming-after-yours crowd to move on.
Comment by Stumpy's bunker Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 4:00 pm
Well, this is kind of right.
Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 4:01 pm
Isn’t this the knob who released a TV commercial calling Democrats violent just as the alleged MAGAbomber sent bombs to Democrats?
Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 4:02 pm
Having read that I feel like I need a shower.
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 4:02 pm
“I’m taking a look at the top 10 freest economies in the world which include Australia, New Zealand and Canada.”
I thought they hated Canada??
Comment by Anon E Moose Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 4:02 pm
Guess the apples did not fall all that far from the tree! Another layer of veneer removed from them. Cubs just another way to make $$$. Remember how they were after funds from the city for the renovations? Didn’t get what they wanted. Still here for now.
Comment by Nearly Normal Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 4:04 pm
“Paulie hated email. He wouldn’t have one in his house. He used to get all his emails second hand, then you’d have to write the people back from an outside computer. There were guys, that’s all they did all day long was take care of Paulie’s email.
Comment by Stuntman Bob's Brother Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 4:14 pm
Another reason Madigan keeps winning. The guys doesn’t use email.
When will people learn that email has a half life longer than nuclear waste.
Comment by don the legend Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 4:15 pm
I don’t much care for Tom Tunney…but in a Ricketts-Tunney fight, it’s not a hard choice.
Comment by Anon324 Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 4:15 pm
Ask any Canadian, or British- they love their healthcare system.
As for Illinois/Chicago, Alderman Tunney just got himself another donor and volunteer. I suspect this all will accrue to
Tom’s benefit.
Comment by labour Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 4:18 pm
These guys are pathetic, Rauner included. I am not sure how this happened, but they see it as beneath them to pay taxes.
Yes, a lot of wealthy people find ways to minimize their tax exposure hence the whole Pritzker/Toilet issue. But most of them stay under the radar and don’t act so aggrieved when they face paying a little bit of their billions to support the infrastructure that helped make them wealthy or the services that keep them safe.
They are pathetic little babies with their little whiny self-pitying support group.
Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 4:22 pm
We should all be so lucky to have our non-government emails between kin published for the world to see. It’s kind of sickening to me.
Comment by Shemp Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 4:23 pm
So the modern GOP is filled to the brim with scam artists. How utterly shocking/S
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 4:25 pm
Guessing the Ricketts aren’t going anywhere?
Sorry their bottom line wasn’t as padded as it could have been and they could have made more money.
Guess the stint on Undercover Boss learning how a hot dog vendor got by or a parking attendant was trying to pay for college was just a quick one time feel good story to help promote the Cubs.
Comment by Frank Talks Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 4:27 pm
As a wise man once told me - EMAIL stands for Evidence Made Available In Litigation…I suppose there are other ways that evidence is made available too…
Comment by Recovering Former State Employee Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 4:28 pm
I don’t know if I’m more or less troubled to learn that BVR speaks similarly in private as he does in public.
Comment by AlfondoGonz Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 4:38 pm
Oooh boy. As if we ever had a reason not to support those Cubs. Undercover Boss be darned.
Comment by AnneBancrupt Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 4:39 pm
“Remember how they were after funds from the city for the renovations?”
- Um, no. They didn’t.
Comment by Nopers Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 4:53 pm
===One of the reasons I am so skeptical of global warming alarmism is for exactly what this article points out. Global warming is a religion and anyone who doesn’t believe is a heretic.===
Dude. Back away from the Fox News campfire.
Comment by Nick Name Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 4:58 pm
What a wretched family.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 4:58 pm
This is an example why Mike Madigan never emails. If someone doesn’t want something ever publicized- stay off electronic messaging of any kind. It always turns up and it’s never flattering
Comment by Sue Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 5:02 pm
So the Ricketts family is outraged by government pensions, benefits and the affordable care act because it deprives their businesses of the government subsidies they seek? Sounds like the makings of a good campaign.
Comment by Pundent Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 5:03 pm
more fodder for why I’m happy I’m not a Cubs fan.
Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 5:08 pm
== Ask any Canadian, or British- they love their healthcare system. ==
Have a friend who is a Doctor (general practice) in Canada. We’ve had a number of discussions about the healthcare systems in our respective countries.
Each system has it’s advantages and it’s flaws. And the growth of a parallel and private healthcare delivery system in both Canada and Great Britian for the wealthy should give you pause …
Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 5:09 pm
Todd Ricketts - Unelectable
Say hello to the newest Sox fan.
Comment by PublicServant Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 5:11 pm
I wish Rauner had kept his word and moved to New Zealand. Illinois would be in a much better situation.
Comment by Glengarry Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 5:20 pm
The great John Wooden said, “The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching.”
Todd Ricketts’ emails record him repeatedly failing Wooden’s test of character.
– MrJM
Comment by @misterjayem Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 5:24 pm
I’m open to suggestions where to move my assets when I close my tdameritrade account. What pieces of work.
Comment by Original Rambler Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 5:31 pm
“Does anyone ever follow through on their threat to leave the state/country?”
(glances at congressional seats)
Yes.
Comment by Liandro Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 5:39 pm
Maybe he tried. NZ may not have wanted him, you know.
Comment by Jibba Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 6:03 pm
“Rauner: The Sequel” is apparently going direct to video.
Comment by Not a Superstar Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 6:04 pm
This is meaningless. I am trying hard to see how any of these would impact Ricketts in a gubernatorial campaign. Only the first one raises an issue, and it was an email not from Todd Ricketts that seems to pale in comparison to comments by our governor-elect.
Comment by Anon Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 6:14 pm
Anyone else find the humor of him complaining about the ACA and threatening to go to New Zealand, a country with a national healthcare system? And I’m sure he’ll love the tax rates there.
Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 6:19 pm
Government unions self-dealing themselves outrageous benefits and pensions through the Democratic party have gutted not only Illinois but the entire nation.
Why don’t you so certain this issue won’t resonate with more people?
I would reserve judgement on that until that after the next tax increase in Chicago and Illinois and see how it polls then.
There is a breaking point on tax increases on the “wealthy”.
The fact that Rahm and other Democrats are finally acknowledging this problem after 4 years under Rauner where they pretended it did not exist is quite a shift.
Comment by Lucky Pierre Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 6:37 pm
The funniest thing is, “I’m not taking my motorcycle out of storage…”
You know what 99.99% of people who have motorcycles do to take it out of storage? They open the bleeping garage. Nothing disqualifying, but man this looks like total elitist baggism.
Comment by Ducky LaMoore Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 7:10 pm
“Government unions self-dealing themselves outrageous benefits and pensions through the Democratic party have gutted not only Illinois but the entire nation.”
Rauner called public employee pensions financial tumors destroying America right as he was profiting off of them. Out of the other side of his mouth he said his business was “relatively flush” with public employee pension funds.
So when are you leaving Illinois?
Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 7:41 pm
A new article is out on corporate stock buybacks hitting a record this year: over $1 trillion. The massive corporate tax cut is going to make super-rich investors and corporate leaders even richer. Some who are either super-rich or their reps like the IPI are crying about public employee compensation in light of this, and in light of growing deficits caused by shoveling billions of dollars to those who need it least? Puh-leaze.
Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 8:02 pm
==If the mandate of Obama Care is not knocked down and if Obama gets reelected I may have to give up my citizenship and go to New Zealand.==
Me so sad.
Yeah, that makes no sense, mate. New Zealand has universal health coverage, like most of Planet Earth.
Maybe you should take your daddy’s money and make a go of it on Mars with your Ayn Rand onanism.
Also, New Zealand automatically registers every 18-year-old to vote. And vote, they do.
Screwball rich brats like you would never have a chance, in such a system.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 8:32 pm
–“Does anyone ever follow through on their threat to leave the state/country?”
(glances at congressional seats)
Yes.–
Huh?
You’re obviously indulging this holiday season.
Have fun.
But be responsible and give up your car keys.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 8:46 pm
So Rainer without the common touch and bit of empathy. That’s a winner
Comment by Archpundit Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 8:58 pm
Does anyone follow through on a threat to leave the country?
I don’t know if Jerry Weller ever made the threat but…
Comment by ArchPundit Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 9:00 pm
Rich Miller who is the “group of high-profile Republican strategists” mentioned in this email who created this GOP Savior, Rauner in 2012? Is it the same Chicago Political Consulting group and PAC now working to bring Jeanne Ives as the new GOP Savior?
Comment by Free Thinker Tuesday, Dec 18, 18 @ 10:18 pm
==(glances at congressional seats)==
I believe this refers to the anticipated loss of one or two U.S. Congressional seats after the 2020 census. Not new, the article linked says we lost two seats after the 1990 census as well. The state was likely buoyed by immigrants in 2000. It’s going to be quite a while before Ohio, let alone Arizona, eclipses us though.
https://herald-review.com/news/state-and-regional/illinois-population-loss-may-take-out-congressional-seats/article_6fa7dadb-8a77-5ff7-8788-92ab000c5b2d.html
Comment by Stuntman Bob's Brother Wednesday, Dec 19, 18 @ 5:03 am
Perhaps one day a Republican billionaire will be revealed to be something other than the living embodiment of a Marxist’s parody of a Republican billionaire, but today was not that day.
– MrJM
Comment by @misterjayem Wednesday, Dec 19, 18 @ 6:32 am
=We should all be so lucky to have our non-government emails between kin published for the world to see. It’s kind of sickening to me.=
Were you just as sickened when the Tribbies shared sealed FBI evidence tapes?
Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Dec 19, 18 @ 8:40 am
All I can say is I’m proud to be a Cardinals fan after seeing how these people think themselves above the entire city of Chicago simply because they’re wealthy.
Comment by Stark Wednesday, Dec 19, 18 @ 8:42 am
“Rauner was at a tea party event in 2012?”
He may have been looking for someone to run for governor in his place.
Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, Dec 19, 18 @ 8:47 am
I just became a Cardinal fan…..
Comment by Uncle Ernie Wednesday, Dec 19, 18 @ 9:04 am
They wanted 200 million from the taxpayers in Chicavo for their private business. Socialism for me, not for thee.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Dec 19, 18 @ 9:11 am
Geez. All the people on here throwing stones. Are all your email’s to your friends and family pass your political preference tests from the opposite party? My lord. As a comment said, this is why Madigan doesn’t use electronic communication. Why the outrage? Last time I looked, owning the Cubs doesn’t make you such a target, if he was a liberal democrat you would all be outraged, right? Spoiler alert. None of us are perfect.
Comment by BenFolds5 Wednesday, Dec 19, 18 @ 9:20 am
“if he was a liberal democrat you would all be outraged, right?”
Yes. Why does he deserve $200 million for his private business. The selfish brat deserves the stones thrown.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Dec 19, 18 @ 10:22 am