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* No surprise here, but Robin Kelly is announcing her bid [or just exploring her candidacy] for state treasurer today. Kelly is a former south suburban state Rep. This is from an e-mail to supporters sent today…
Dear Friend,
There’s been a lot of talk around the state about different people running for different offices. I wanted to take this opportunity to personally inform you that I am exploring a bid for the Illinois State Treasurer’s office.
I hope you’ll take a moment to visit www.robinfortreasurer.com. You can forward this message to your friends and make a contribution today!
I believe Illinois families need a leader they can count on to guard their tax dollars and help them during these difficult economic times.
As Chief of Staff in the Treasurer’s office, I helped lead a complete turnaround of the agency. We made great progress by improving transparency, demanding accountability, and establishing tough ethical guidelines. I am proud that this is the first Treasurer’s office in history to ban contributions from banks and contractors who do business with the office, a policy I will continue as Treasurer.
We invested Illinois tax dollars wisely, generating more revenue for the state, and protecting jobs by providing Illinois businesses with low-interest loans.
We have made protecting opportunities for college students a top priority. That’s why we transformed the Bright Start college savings program from one of the worst into one Money Magazine ranked in the top three nationally. We also created the Fallen Heroes Scholarship Fund, which gives a $2,500 deposit into a college savings fund to children whose parent made the ultimate sacrifice. In addition, aggressive legislation we championed to crack down on the overly aggressive marketing of credit cards to college students is on the Governor’s desk! …
Obviously, if Kelly and Giannoulias don’tt get that Bright Start problem straightened out soon, it will be an issue. Also, the SUV thing won’t help.
For now, at least, there aren’t any other Democrats talking about the treasurer’s office. That may change. We’ll know more soon after Lisa Madigan announces her own intentions - an event that will undoubtedly spur a gigantic domino effect.
Discuss.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 10:47 am
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So is she going to take a leave of absence or is she just going to run from the spot as Chief of staff … boss to a number of people?
Comment by WOW Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 10:54 am
Thank you for entering the campaign. We wouldn’t have a democracy without willing candidates. Regardless of party, policy positions or experience, your willingness to participate as a candidate is a welcomed one.
Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 10:56 am
Everyone running for office has issues they need to straighten out.
It all depends if the voters know about the issues, and many time voters don’t know about the issues and the ones who do know don’t understand the problem.
Than you have the media who spins the news which in turns really confuses the voters.
Finally the voters are so confused they just won’t vote.
This is one gigantic domino effect.
Comment by Boscobud Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 10:59 am
given her accomplishments, kelly has been pressed to run for a number of things since she left the legislature. definitely a rising star in illinois politics, one of the true reformers who is street-smart and understands how the political process works…
Comment by bored now Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 11:01 am
She was riding “shotgun” in that suv and I sure hope she has 85 milliion excuses for losing the hard earned savings of Illinois families. I doubt she even makes it to filing day.
Comment by party of one Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 11:03 am
Robin’s a great candidate, and it addresses the concern discussed in these pages previously (FYI-not my concern as i try not to tokenize any group) about not having enough African American presence on the dem ticket for the constitutional offices.
Comment by corvax Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 11:15 am
plus, she’s (technically) downstate, living south of i-80 and understands the neglect that people who live south of i-80 feel wrt government services…
Comment by bored now Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 11:18 am
Who is going to run the office while she is campaigning for Treasurer and Alexi is campaigning for U.S. Senate? Will we get an answer?
Comment by ChiCountryGuy Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 11:18 am
Whenever I see someone running for comptroller or treasurer, I wonder:
What job do they really want?
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 11:21 am
Art Turner will be on the ticket and at least he is very well respected and has a record of accomplishment. He and Jesse White are both excellent candidates and represent the African American community very well. Robin Kelley shouldn’t be eliminated because of her race but we shouldn’t overlook her weaknesses because of it either.
Comment by party of one Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 11:22 am
Robin is bright and the electorate will be well served by her if elected…she has experience in local politics, served as state Rep, is good with numbers, and is a Mom with kids…
Comment by Anonymous45 Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 11:27 am
Her race is a weakness?
Comment by Scooby Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 11:28 am
scooby, are you that daffy? You quoted it right, now try reading it.
Comment by party of one Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 11:32 am
Actually, she lives in Matteson, which isn’t considered downstate. It’s a south suburb of Chicago. On a decent day, you could get downtown in 30 min. Matteson is a neighbor of Country Club Hills, Olympia Fields, Richton Park, Flossmoor, etc…it’s where Lincoln Mall is located. 15 minutes from Orland, 20 minutes from Calumet City, 20 minutes from Merrillville, Indiana. About 5 min south of I-80. Not “downstate” at all.
Comment by first hand Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 11:34 am
bored, what are the accomplishents?
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 11:36 am
Ok, lemme get this straight; your boss is somewhat coy about his political future, including re-election, so what do you do, as a Chief of Staff, as de facto head of the political operations entwined in the treasurer’s office???? You announce for your boss’ job, leaving an option for your boss, the Principal, completely off the table … unless you are … RUNNING AGAINST YOUR BOSS. This is a fiasco, it shows a lack of constraint on Kelly’s part, a lack or leadership, a keystone kops view, of Alexi’s political apparatus. So, thanks to Kelly, Alexi has no fallback option, makes him look like a mope who can’t control political operations, and there is a lack of deference on Kelly’s part, even if she asked Alexi if she could announce, and by the sound, she very well may not have!
Comment by In the Land of Silos and Cows ... Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 11:44 am
===even if she asked Alexi if she could announce, and by the sound, she very well may not have!===
You win the Tinfoil Hat contest! Congratulations!
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 11:48 am
Rich,
I take the Tinfoil Hat Award, but the purpose of that sentence is simply to point out that annouincing before her boss officialy decides what he is doing … and the over the top “even if she asked Alexi if she could announce, and by the sound, she very well may not have!” was just highlighting that …
So I accept the award … but I will try not to wear it.
Comment by In the Land of Silos and Cows ... Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 11:58 am
To In the Land of Silows and Cows reread the e-mail:
“I wanted to take this opportunity to personally inform you that I am exploring a bid for the Illinois State Treasurer’s office.”
She is exploring, not yet running, the status of her campaign is exactly the same as Alexi’s. She is not running against Alexi.
Comment by wndycty Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 12:37 pm
==makes him look like a mope==
No one makes him look like a mope, least of all Kelly. He just is one.
Comment by Bill Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 12:54 pm
The Treasurer’s spot on the ticket is usually a fallback position for a candidate who begins running for a different spot. Look at all the Senate candidates and Lt. Gov candidates. They are all “exploring” other offices so they can decide whether to run for the office they are exploring, rachet down or stay put. Kelly will have a lot of company.
By the way Kelly, the Treasurer’s Office is not an Agency.
Comment by Tom Joad Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 1:07 pm
wdycty -
I want you to go tell your boss … although you may be exporing an idea of you getting a promotion, and haven’t taken the step toward a promotion, I am going to explore your job for me …
Also, making light that Alexi has not said what he is going to do, thus sarcasm that she is exploring a run against her boss …
Hope that clears it up.
Comment by In the Land of Silos and Cows ... Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 1:10 pm
Is Ms. Kelly the same person who was placed by Blago at IDOT to “reorganze” the Bureau of Traffic Safety out of existence
Comment by curious Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 1:51 pm
No.
Sheesh, you IDOT people are relentless.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 1:54 pm
responses:
1.) wordslinger asks: “What job do they really want?”
curious question. it assumes that the offices of treasurer and comptroller aren’t worth having. and, perhaps, for most politicians, you might even have a point. but for someone who’s coming out of the office itself?
2.) first hand says: “Actually, she lives in Matteson, which isn’t considered downstate. It’s a south suburb of Chicago.”
personally, i always love this debate (which is probably why i brought it up). since i’ve moved here, i’ve been told that “downstate” is south of i-88 or south of i-80 — both posted right here on capfaxblog. but, again, rockford is considered downstate, too. except maybe by people in little egypt, who seem to think that springfield is an exurb of chicago.
the ‘burbs south of i-80 in cook may technically be suburbs of chicago, but they are the poor step-children of the suburbs of chicago. they understand what it is like to be ignored or sidelined by the rest of the county. which is, as i understand it, the complaint of those who hail from “downstate.”
3.) Anonymous wonders: “bored, what are the accomplishents?”
off the top of my head, i’d say:
1. defeated an incumbent, machine hack, to win her ilga seat in 2002
2. united progressives in the south suburbs, and has led a political renaissance there
3. (with alexi,) succeeded in professionalizing the treasurer’s office, turning it from a patronage stable to an office that is much more concerned about taking care of illinois’ money
4.) In the Land of Silos and Cows, in either a fit of naivete or trying to make trouble, writes:
“Ok, lemme get this straight; your boss is somewhat coy about his political future, including re-election, so what do you do, as a Chief of Staff, as de facto head of the political operations entwined in the treasurer’s office???? You announce for your boss’ job, leaving an option for your boss, the Principal, completely off the table … unless you are … RUNNING AGAINST YOUR BOSS. This is a fiasco, it shows a lack of constraint on Kelly’s part, a lack or leadership, a keystone kops view, of Alexi’s political apparatus.”
i get that one might think something like this if one is immersed in the traditions of the machine, but it’s a lot less plausible in an office that has been reformed and among colleagues who actually support one another. while illinois undoubtedly remains corrupt, robin kelly is a breathe of fresh air, a real progressive who will get down in the trenches and do the heavy lifting. just as machine pols were dismissive of barack obama’s chances, feel free to underestimate kelly’s. better for her…
Comment by bored now Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 2:16 pm
Rich, that was pretty funny. I guess Alexi must’ve lost all our money, attempted to close Pontiac Prison, move Traffic Safety to Jupiter and unveiled a “Doomsay” plan. Ha.
This is interesting. I am sorry to say that this smacks more of insider politics than most people on this board are willing to admit. It doesn’t matter what people think of Ms. Kelly. She is a current statewide officeholder’s right-hand person and is now poised to possibly takeover for that person. Yep, that’s insider baseball.
Comment by Team Sleep Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 2:17 pm
first hand–
while she may now live in the southern suburbs, it is worthy to note that she attended bradley univ. in central illinois. and is it too crazy to think that perhaps during her tenure as state rep and C-O-S she hasn’t made visits to southern illinois? as an advocate for public safety and mass transit, i’m sure she can relate…
Comment by IUGirl Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 2:28 pm
It’s fascinating to see her crowing about Bright Start when they pulled an ultimate bait and switch act on those who invested in the program. It’s simple. They convinced people the Core Bond fund was like T-Bills but they failed to read the fine print. It clearly said up to 50% of the cash could be invested in mortgage backed securities and junk bonds. Sold as safe…invested in risky…lost people’s $$.
Yea, now that’s a record I’d like to run on.
Truth is this whole thing is a nightmare for Alexi, Robin and Raja. The brighter the spotlight on their office, the more trouble each of them will be in. In this case, it’s reverse synergy that should bring all three of them down.
Good luck.
Comment by They lost our money and now they want a promotion Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 2:36 pm
Bored now….she has done a great job of taking care of money. Lost 85 Million and all she has to show for it is a used SUV!!
Comment by party of one Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 2:38 pm
Can someone please explain to me what Alexi and team have done that is so amazing and great that he deserves to be a US Senator, Robin Kelly deserves to be State Treasurer and Raja Krishnamoorthi (his Dep Treasurer) deserves to be Comptroller? I mean, come on.
It is one thing for Alexi to try to m ove up after 24 months in office but for all of them to make this move at the same time is a joke. They have done some good things and there a some things that have raised question marks. Jury is still out ultimately. To make these moves simutaneously is a bit reaching.
Comment by Cosmic Charlie Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 2:43 pm
A team player does not announce for her boss’ job, when the whole point of Alexi exploring his run is to decide what is best for him. Team players, when hired by someone for their “…street-smart and understands how the political process works… ” shows no deference to her boss. She can’t wait for Alexi to announce? She just can’t wait that short time left for him to make a move. Sounds a little less of a team player, and more like a “me” player…
Comment by In the Land of Silos and Cows ... Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 2:53 pm
i don’t believe that robin has announced yet. do you know something i don’t? feel free to document her announcement, which i apparently missed. i’m sad that i wasn’t able to be there…
Comment by bored now Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 3:04 pm
She basically is the State Treasurer now! AND she watched all of that $$$$ disappear.
So the 10′ treas race looks good for Rutherford for the time being.
Comment by scoot Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 3:12 pm
“So the 10′ treas race looks good for Rutherford for the time being.”
Well that’s a REAL leap!
Comment by They lost our money and now they want a promotion Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 3:13 pm
I think Robin’s intentions are to continue her fight to help Illinois families maintain economic stability and community development, so I think it’s a little unfair to attack Robin without hearing her ideas for the future. Have Giannoulias’s folks released any statement of her announcement?
Comment by IUGirl Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 3:20 pm
==Sheesh, you IDOT people are relentless.==
Too much time on their hands. Idle minds are the devil’s workshop.
Comment by Bill Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 3:21 pm
I think “bored now” and “IUGirl” are Kelly fans and can’t think outside the box. It seems you have worked directly with her to know so much and probably live south “bored now”…..you sound alot like AR or DP.
Comment by first hand Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 3:39 pm
***She basically is the State Treasurer now! AND she watched all of that $$$$ disappear. So the 10′ treas race looks good for Rutherford for the time being.***
And there you have it, folks…
… Drive-by posting!
Nothing factual… Nothing constructive.
Listen, being from the South Suburbs, I echo the sentiments that many have shared on this board when it is said that the South Suburbs are often overlooked by the county and city. Only time people pay any attention to the area is when election time rolls around other than that we are hardle spoke of.
The fact is, the South Suburbs is a place that has done an immense job of shedding the image of “county politics” and works together in solving the needs of the area.
Robin Kelly was a leader in that movement as she defeated an incumbent hack who had held the seat for some time without much success. Her, along with many other great legislators from the area, moved the area into a better direction by bringing home much needed resources and legislation that benefitted the area.
Personally, unless you are from the area, I don’t see how anyone can rightfully say that she is only riding the coattails if they haven’t looked at her record as a state legislator and/or sought opinions from people who have worked with/for her.
Just my two cents though…
Comment by The Rookie Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 3:57 pm
lol, first hand. yep, that’s me, a conventional thinker. i sure can’t think for myself!
i am a kelly fan, no question about it. she challenged the machine and came out on top. she’s been willing to set aside her own political ambitions to do something good for the state (by cleaning out the treasurer’s office) and i doubt that this is her first choice in future jobs. the nice thing about robin is that she is willing to do what is best for the state and not just what is best for herself. i am *definitely* a kelly fan, no doubt about it. and it is very easy to see a clear path to victory for robin kelly.
ac (sorry, everybody tells me that my identity isn’t much of a secret — or, as one capfax poster put it: it’s the worst kept secret in illinois politics)
Comment by bored now Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 4:09 pm
I saw that someone posted earlier asking about Robin’s accomplishments. I know that she has done some really good things for her community and district both in and out of office. As a State Rep, Robin really worked hard on bills that helped protect consumers from fraud, made voting easier and protected victims of domestic violence. From what I have heard she has brought life back to the Treasurer’s office and has really helped the office’s work ethic. I think she would make a great Treasurer.
Comment by CC425 Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 4:23 pm
CC425 said: “From what I have heard she has brought life back to the Treasurer’s office…”
You may not have liked everything Topinka did as Treasurer, but her tenure did not lack ‘life’, to be sure. Just because the smoke is out of the curtains and the coffee rings gone from the conference tables, does not mean the Treasurer’s office has seen a ‘complete turnaround’.
Comment by SangamoGOP Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 4:33 pm
CC425, you sound like a good friend of Kelly’s but come on, she lost 85 million dollars in just a couple of years. Can we really afford to give her 4 years. God only knows how much that would cost us.
Comment by party of one Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 4:34 pm
Bill said: (of Alexi)
“No one makes him look like a mope, least of all Kelly. He just is one.”
Bill, that’s hard to top, so AA will just say I agree.
IUGirl, could you elaborate on Robin’s plans to help the Illinois families who are out $85 million due to her office’s lax oversight of BrightStart maintain their economic stability?
I’m all ears.
If any of these people are real reformers, they should support merging the Treasurer’s and Comptroller’s Offices, a move that will really save money, unlike Alexi’s ILL-PERS pension shell game that was debunked by real investment professionals. He clearly has no interest in the office if his top sidekick is wanting to take it over before he has even taken his basketball and gone home. Pathetic.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 4:46 pm
curious - Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 1:51 pm:
Is Ms. Kelly the same person who was placed by Blago at IDOT to “reorganze” the Bureau of Traffic Safety out of existence
Wrong Robin. That was former IDOT chief of staff Robin Black.
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 4:50 pm
Robin who???? I am guessing nobody will have to worry about aquainting themselves with her record.
Comment by reform now! Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 4:53 pm
Let’s end this “south of I-80″ nonsense right now. bored now’s turf was once my own, and anything in Cook County is Chicagoland (including Robin Kelly’s house), especially if it’s near a Metra Electric stop, the Southland’s inferiority complex notwithstanding. To me, “downstate” is defined by an imaginary line going thru Beecher, Monee, Wilmington, Minooka, Sandwich, Hampshire, Harvard, and Hebron. Anything outside the line is downstate, and anything to the Chicago side is NE IL.
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 5:04 pm
i didn’t make the definitions, i just enjoy noting the inherent hypocrisy in them. the problem with your particular configuration is that it defines rockford as a part of chicagoland. people from rockford, of course, would beg to differ.
*political* people — such as myself — define regions by media markets. within them, you’d also find segmentation by urban, suburban, ex-urban and rural communities. this makes much more sense than the pseudo-cultural differentiations that seem to be a result of chicago-envy. i’d think that was funny if chicago didn’t call itself “second city”.
anybody who thinks that monee or manhattan are the same as mount vernon or taylorville has simply never been there. so, i agree, the “downstate” differentiation *is* silly — which is why i will continue to mock it…
Comment by bored now Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 5:33 pm
the problem with your particular configuration is that it defines rockford as a part of chicagoland
No it doesn’t - check your map. Hampshire and Harvard are east of Rockford and in fact east of Boone County. Boone County and Rockford are home to a few bedroom commuters to the NW burbs, but by and large they operate outside of the influence of the Chicago mishmash and IMHO qualify as “downstate”.
And I’ve been to Monee, Manhattan, Mt. Vernon and Taylorville, as well as Tucson and Tucumcari. Yes, southern IL is different than northwest IL, and each town and county of the “96″ has something to distinguish itself, but I’ll stick with my loose definition as what “feels right” about what is and isn’t the entity known as “downstate.”
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 5:45 pm
Robin Kelly not only went to Bradley university, she lived in Peoria for several years. She has a doctorate and was a well respected legislature who brought significant resources back to Chicago’s southland.
Comment by GreAt Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 6:38 pm
Man, I miss Judy Baar Topinka…
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 7:10 pm
“…leader in the movement to beat a political hack.” Harold Murphy was her opponent..not the strongest of canadiates in a new district.
Comment by anon Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 7:19 pm
strangely, anon, we still run into the political divide of the kelly-murphy race…
Comment by bored now Tuesday, May 19, 09 @ 7:49 pm