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* The Sun-Times reports on a new staff reorganization in Gov. Rauner’s office…
Several cabinet officials now report directly to [Deputy Governor Trey Childress], instead of to chief of staff Kristina Rasmussen. Rasmussen, who joined the administration this year from the Illinois Policy Institute, a conservative think tank — released the charts to staffers earlier this week. […]
Additionally, agency heads now report directly to Childress, rather than to other officials, including the chief of staff.
“When Kristina Rasmussen came in, she wanted to organize the Office of the Governor to take greater advantage of talent in the office, to focus on policy formulation and legislation, and to align leadership more closely with the work of the units,” [Rauner spokesman Jason Schaumburg] said. […]
Former state Comptroller Leslie Munger, who Rauner tapped for her newly created $135,000-a-year deputy governor position after she lost her re-election bid, is in charge of Illinois Bicentennial events and corresponding with taxpayers, according to the organizational charts.
But [Rauner communications head Hud Englehart] on Thursday said the chart did not reflect Munger’s other duties, which he says haven’t changed since she was appointed earlier this year. Those included being involved with economic development, human service agencies, external relations and stakeholder management during the budget fight.
Go read the whole thing. One of the more interesting things about the Sfondeles story is that Rauner administration PR people actually responded to her questions and engaged on some details. That hasn’t been the case with that office in weeks, so maybe they’re finally starting to get their act together. We’ll see.
* Tribune…
Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration on Thursday announced it would start organizing its staff into groups of policy experts, the latest move in an office that went through a high-profile shake-up earlier this year.
The first group will focus on economics. Rauner made Illinois’ economic health a key priority of his first-term agenda, but he’s spent much of that time fighting with Democrats over the state budget and was unable to accomplish many of his goals so far.
The teams will be directed by deputy chief of staff for policy Michael Lucci, an alumnus of the conservative Illinois Policy Institute who joined Rauner’s staff amid the summer’s shake-up.
*** UPDATE *** Pritzker campaign…
Even though Bruce Rauner had a crisis expert consulting for months, Rauner stumbled through a “summer of setbacks” and is now doubling down on crisis management by reorganizing his top staff.
Rauner spent $12,500 a month of taxpayer dollars on this pricey crisis expert, but clearly didn’t get his money’s worth. The Sun-Times called Rauner’s summer “terrible” and “very bad” while WBEZ called it “rough” and a “summer of setbacks,” and those are just the stories published this week. Instead of moving beyond his catastrophic and crisis-filled summer, Rauner is doubling down, reorganizing his staff yet again to focus on “charting choppy waters.”
“Bruce Rauner is doubling down on creating crisis and attempting to message them in his favor,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “There’s no number of staff shakeups that can turn around the damage done by this failed governor.”
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Sep 15, 17 @ 9:42 am
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Previous Post: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
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==Leslie Munger, who Rauner tapped for her newly created $135,000-a-year deputy governor position after she lost her re-election bid, is in charge of Illinois Bicentennial events and corresponding with taxpayers, according to the organizational charts.==
Wow.. TWO whole things? Worth every penny of that six-figure salary.
Comment by Franklin Delano Bluth Friday, Sep 15, 17 @ 9:49 am
For clarification - are Rasmussen & Lucci the only IPIers still around in the Governor’s office?
Comment by Grand Avenue Friday, Sep 15, 17 @ 9:52 am
Also, word on the street is Munger might run for State Rep again now that Sente is retiring.
Comment by Grand Avenue Friday, Sep 15, 17 @ 9:54 am
They can keep re-organizing until the cows come home, but that won’t solve Rauner’s problem. He’s the problem. Although, building any staff organization around IPI folks will certainly exacerbate their sorry situation.
Comment by Norseman Friday, Sep 15, 17 @ 9:55 am
Having the Deputy Gov oversees agencies kinda makes sense to me? But then the Chief of Staff shouldn’t be iced out of hiring decisions.
Comment by Arsenal Friday, Sep 15, 17 @ 10:00 am
From Sfondeles…
===Englehart is Rauner’s new communications head. He is a crisis communications expert who teaches at Northwestern University. Englehart said he was a “volunteer” on the governor’s communications team this summer, but wasn’t paid. He said Rauner met him in a meeting several years ago, and the two spoke “sporadically.”===
HBO - “Dad’s Home State” - Season 3B, Episode 3
Bruce and Diana share a giggle and a couch catching us all up on the many changes. Bruce talks about wanting to articulate better and “as a white male” felt many changes would still be coming. Diana talks about her obsessions, and emails and the most interesting people she’s met at Cocktail Parties. Kristina tells of former co-workers and buses and the proper technique in combining the two. Diana’s State Employee blocks @DanProft from all social media. Hud and Ann argue how phony is too phony in a crisis, The Looch creates flash cards to learn acronyms to get his Twitter password back from Kristina. Comedy, 63 minutes.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Sep 15, 17 @ 10:01 am
The gang that can’t shoot straight does it again.
Comment by Stones Friday, Sep 15, 17 @ 10:04 am
So Looch the Ghost, stashed on the Illinois State Police payroll, is the whiz kid of “economics.”
That makes sense, organizationally?
Any chance we see those revised economic projections on the TA agenda promised by the governor a couple of years ago?
Does the ISP have an abacus, or something?
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Sep 15, 17 @ 10:05 am
@Willy - I am so glad that “Dad’s Home State” is coming back.
I think it has been on a hiatus for a little while.
Looking forward to the future episodes.
Comment by illini Friday, Sep 15, 17 @ 10:08 am
Deck chairs on the Titanic, unless all of this is prep for a smoother transition to a new Chief of Staff
Comment by LEA Friday, Sep 15, 17 @ 10:08 am
Looks like Governor Rauner’s hand-picked team is focused on addressing the critical issues impacting Illinois regardless of political cost. Oh wait, that has been Governor Rauner’s objective since day one. Keep your eyes on the people who elected you, Governor. The pundits have been wrong before.
Comment by Black Ivy Friday, Sep 15, 17 @ 10:11 am
- illini -
The purge scared HBO, not gonna lie, then Netflix was going to let the BTIA(tm) have a series but they only got a couple episodes out. HBO and producers of DHS knew thus evolving around cocktail parties and Diana and Bruce was worthy of a reboot. Stay tuned.
To this…
===Looks like Governor Rauner’s hand-picked team is focused on addressing the critical issues impacting Illinois regardless of political cost===
As many pointed out yesterday, correctly, Rauner’s mantra was “crisis creates opportunity”
Now the RaunerS need a Crisis Manager due to the created crisis and so many opportunities?
That’s not leadership, that’s admitting “Whew, we are way over our heads. Can we talk about crisis management at the next cocktail party, maybe you help clean up our created mess?”
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Sep 15, 17 @ 10:20 am
When in doubt, reorganize.
The first response on mungers meager duties is almost laughable, then someone realized they needed to embellish it. If you are responsible for econ dev, you dont lead w bicentennial. “Being involved with…” is weasly language.
Mistake not to have legislative point persons for the house and senate.
“Illinois’ economic health”, is that the new name for TA?
Comment by Langhorne Friday, Sep 15, 17 @ 10:21 am
2 1/2 yrs in and all this administration can talk about is who’s in the administration.
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Friday, Sep 15, 17 @ 10:24 am
=== Also, word on the street is Munger might run for State Rep again now that Sente is retiring. ===
Wishful thinking on the part of some. Absolutely not going to happen.
Comment by Team America Friday, Sep 15, 17 @ 10:26 am
OW, “Scandal” is going off the air after this season, so you may have a chance to write Olivia Pope or “Red” into the storyline of “Dad’s.”
Comment by Arthur Andersen Friday, Sep 15, 17 @ 10:29 am
Nice management of the story by the admin. Goldberg continues to come off as a petulant child, jilted lover and mom’s basement internet troll wrapped up into one.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Sep 15, 17 @ 10:30 am
Wordslinger ==So Looch the Ghost, stashed on the Illinois State Police payroll, is the whiz kid of “economics.”
That makes sense, organizationally?==
More importantly, does he qualify for ISP-level retirement benefits? /s
Comment by Whatever Friday, Sep 15, 17 @ 10:38 am
Keep getting the same feeling when I see these stories … “does anyone care?” I work in this field and I could barely get through the Sun-Times piece. I struggle to find what the average reader could possibly gain from these.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Sep 15, 17 @ 10:40 am
“When in doubt, reorganize.” And in sports, when in doubt, fire the coach.
Comment by Skeptic Friday, Sep 15, 17 @ 10:40 am
- AA -
Shonda Rhimes would ask way too much to insert fictional characters of hers into the quasi-fictional characters of DHS.
There may be twists and turns and new characters yet to be that might fit those like Rhimes has herself.
To Munger,
Lt. Sam Weinberg in “A Few Good Men” was tasked with “… various administrative duties… back up” which was deemed “having no responsibilities here whatsoever”. There’s a lot of writing there, Lt. Weinberg was Danny Kaffee’s wingman… but I digress…
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Sep 15, 17 @ 10:41 am
==Goldberg continues to come off as a petulant child, jilted lover and mom’s basement internet troll wrapped up into one.==
I don’t think that’s the consensus view of people who’ve been following Rauner’s staffing drama.
Comment by Arsenal Friday, Sep 15, 17 @ 10:42 am
==More importantly, does he qualify for ISP-level retirement benefits? /s==
Something tells me he’s not going to be around long enough for that pension to vest
Comment by LEA Friday, Sep 15, 17 @ 10:51 am
==Goldberg continues to come off as a petulant child, jilted lover and mom’s basement internet troll wrapped up into one==
Mr. Lucci, don’t you have more important things to do than post insults on Capitol Fax?
Comment by Lester Holt's Mustache Friday, Sep 15, 17 @ 10:58 am
They forgot one of Munger’s duties. She plants trees.
https://capitolfax.com/2017/04/28/question-of-the-day-2460/
Comment by G'Kar Friday, Sep 15, 17 @ 11:11 am
This is a good thing. Trey actually knows what he is doing and understands state govt. The whole Munger this is ridiculous. She has never had a clue and is kept around bc she is friends with Rauner. Her speech at the City Club of Chicago where she tried to compare her work marketing women’s deodorant to state government was just baffling and embarrassing.
Comment by Illinoisian Friday, Sep 15, 17 @ 11:19 am
==Goldberg continues to come off as a petulant child, jilted lover and mom’s basement internet troll wrapped up into one==
==Mr. Lucci, don’t you have more important things to do than post insults on Capitol Fax? ==
Dan, I mean Looch, no one is fooled by you guys. Goldberg is HILARIOUS
Comment by Mustached Friday, Sep 15, 17 @ 12:09 pm
The new plan is all the left handed people will report to a right handed person. And all the right handed people will report to a left handed person.
Comment by DuPage Dave Friday, Sep 15, 17 @ 12:32 pm
“Corresponding with taxpayers.” Don’t secretaries and clerical staff do that? And who ISN’T a taxpayer?
Comment by IllinoisBoi Friday, Sep 15, 17 @ 1:39 pm
Thanks to her hard work, Munger is going to have her own Bicentennial Minute.
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Sep 15, 17 @ 2:22 pm