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Pritzker distances administration from Sandoval, tries to assure public that capital plan is “on the up-and-up”

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* As noted earlier in two different posts, the governor held his first press conference in well over a month today.

Before even taking questions, Pritzker called on Sen. Martin Sandoval to either resign from or be removed from the chairmanship of the Senate Transportation committee. “Corruption and self-dealing will not be tolerated,” he said. “Sometimes I have to say some difficult things to the leaders,” he said later in response to a question about whether he’d talked to Senate President John Cullerton about Sandoval.

* I told subscribers this morning that the governor’s office told me IDOT has received no federal subpoenas. Pritzker said this afternoon that neither the governor’s office nor IDOT had been served with subpoenas or search warrants. He also said this…

I know there’s reference [in the Sandoval search warrant] to some IDOT employees, but, as of now anyway, there’s no allegation, there’s no interviews that we’re aware of, that have been requested.

He also said he didn’t know who the unnamed IDOT officials were.

* He was asked about Sandoval’s involvement in the capital bill…

We were at odds with Sen. Sandoval in a number of very important ways. He, in fact, put forward a different capital bill than the one that was ultimately put through. And his was rejected, and amendments he put forward were rejected. So, I feel confident that the procedures that were gone through were good ones. But as I say, as we go through and those projects are reviewed we’re going to make sure and identify any challenges that may exist so that we’re doing the right thing and the entire thing’s on the up-and-up.

Sandoval introduced a “horizontal” capital bill weeks before the governor’s office was prepared to issue its own. As subscribers may recall, it caused some tension.

Pritzker later mentioned something I told subscribes about on Monday. Pritzker said there was opposition from IDOT over Sandoval’s pressure to use recycled asphalt shingles, a business dominated here by Mike Vondra.

* The first question out of the gate was about our Question of the Day, the $250,000 appropriated to the Village of McCook “for costs associated with upgrades to the municipal building.” Pritzker’s response…

All of the allocations that are made have to go through a rigorous process before they are paid out, before those projects are initiated. That is one that is in place. It of course means that we should make sure that it is transparent, that it’s done completely on the up-and-up and I am making sure that we’re reviewing all the policies and procedures so that any projects that get approved are approved with the utmost confidence that these are done in the best interest of taxpayers and nothing of the sort of corruption or self-dealing that has been alleged.

* He was also asked about his fractured leg, which has kept him from most public appearances…

For the last couple days anyway it’s felt pretty good.

He told reporters that they’ll be seeing him more now.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Oct 2, 19 @ 3:33 pm

Comments

Seems like JB is trying to get out in front of this as much as possible. Obviously he’s unhappy if he talked about it before being questioned. The passive Senate President might want to take a similar approach.

If the Sandoval thing gets nasty, with too many parties involved, it is going to make the progressive tax a tougher climb. It’s early, but getting more interesting.

Comment by SSL Wednesday, Oct 2, 19 @ 3:46 pm
= He also said he didn’t know who the unnamed IDOT officials were. =

The plot thickens if the Senate Democrats have not shared that information with the Governor.

Comment by Bertrum Cates Wednesday, Oct 2, 19 @ 3:57 pm
@ourmagician Why should the governor rescind the appointment? That’s a different Sandoval.

Comment by ETown60120 Wednesday, Oct 2, 19 @ 4:07 pm
For Pete’s sake that Sandoval board appointment issue has already been discussed. It’s a different person.

Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, Oct 2, 19 @ 4:08 pm
Pritzker could easily tell Cullerton that the president is unwelcome until Sandaval is removed. Kind of like what Biden did in the Ukraine😆

Comment by Sue Wednesday, Oct 2, 19 @ 4:11 pm
Looks like the senator is flying solo. Not good for him.

Comment by Lincoln Lad Wednesday, Oct 2, 19 @ 4:26 pm
“Has the Governor rescinded the appointment to the Lincoln Library Board for Sandoval?”

This is what happens when you pay attention to right wing talking points.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Wednesday, Oct 2, 19 @ 5:22 pm
That $250K to McCook needs to be looked at, corruption probe or not. Even though it’s only $250K McCook doesn’t need that money, not with the minute number of residents and the large industrial tax base. That’s money that could be better spent on small towns with larger populations than McCook that are struggling to fund infrastructure projects.

Comment by MyTwoCents Wednesday, Oct 2, 19 @ 5:26 pm
Sandoval needs to stop worrying about keeping his Chairmanship, and start worrying about being impeached, arrested, convicted, and being Blagojevich’s roommate.

Comment by Just Me 2 Wednesday, Oct 2, 19 @ 5:48 pm
A breach of public trust continues to occur as long as Sandoval remains chairman of the Transportation Committee. His silence on the allegations is also unbecoming.

From the Illinois Government Ethics Act:
(5 ILCS 420/3-107) (from Ch. 127, par. 603-107)
Sec. 3-107. No legislator may engage in other conduct which is unbecoming to a legislator or which constitutes a breach of public trust.

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?DocName=000504200HArt%2E+3&ActID=129&ChapterID=2&SeqStart=2300000&SeqEnd=4400000

Comment by {Sigh} Wednesday, Oct 2, 19 @ 5:53 pm
I thought the first comment was meant as a joke based on the two completely different Martin Sandovals. If not, maybe OurMagician should just do a disappearing act from commenting. Also, Sue, as the Ukrainian government has pointed out, their country in “Ukraine”, no “The”.

Comment by West Side the Best Side Wednesday, Oct 2, 19 @ 6:27 pm
“is” not “in”

Comment by West Side the Best Side Wednesday, Oct 2, 19 @ 6:28 pm
$50 mil for Illinois arts. Jewish museum. Muslim museum. Pickleball courts. Dog parks. Just scratching the surface of these much needed capitol improvements.

Comment by Blue Dog Dem Wednesday, Oct 2, 19 @ 7:22 pm
At the end of the day. This governor owns the capital bill. We shall see if it is good or not. Very soon.

Comment by Blue Dog Dem Wednesday, Oct 2, 19 @ 7:32 pm
He really has to get control of IDOT regardless. They still don’t have anything out for this fiscal year. We have no idea how they are going to use this money. They really need someone from another state. When Iowa got it’s big haul the had regional meetings to get feedback on what to do with major projects.

Comment by Not a Billionaire Wednesday, Oct 2, 19 @ 8:10 pm
The Governor did the right thing. Cullerton sticking with Sandoval is not surprising. Rich, have you heard from Harmon, other would-be Cullerton successors?

Comment by Adam Wednesday, Oct 2, 19 @ 9:19 pm
=Rich, have you heard from Harmon, other would-be Cullerton successors?=

I think crickets have taken over the entire senate.

Comment by {Sigh} Wednesday, Oct 2, 19 @ 9:56 pm
“…and the entire thing’s on the up-and-up”

says the man holding the recently removed toilet.

Comment by Downstate Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 8:31 am
JB’s remarks would have been more powerful if not for the toilet caper.

Comment by Pick a Name Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 8:49 am
Gov. comments are refreshing.
I remember years ago I was supporting a candidate
that a lady active in politics for a long time was
critical of. I saw her at an event for a candidate we both knew and she told me “ Be careful, if you sleep with dogs you are likely to get fleas”. I learned the hard way that she was absolutely right.
Good move by Gov.

Comment by Back to the Future Thursday, Oct 3, 19 @ 9:20 am