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* WGN TV…
Reached by phone, F. Scott Winslow, Wilson for Mayor campaign spokesman, told WGN News Sunday’s event was “absolutely not” a campaign event. Winslow says since Wilson launched his second bid for Chicago mayor, he’s probably given away $500,000.
Winslow insists the campaign is not violating any campaign finance laws since the campaign was not involved. He said he didn’t think any of the governor’s money was distributed in cash Sunday, but there was no way to know how much of the governor’s money was part of the hand out.
Once people contribute to Wilson’s foundation “all the money gets mixed together,” he said.
He also said there is a Chinese wall between the foundation and Wilson’s campaign. He said they bent over backwards Sunday to avoid any appearance of vote influencing, even removing political signs from nearby yards.
A Chinese wall? Check out the main media contact listed on the press release for the Wilson Foundation’s Sunday event…
Yep. None other than Wilson’s campaign manager himself. That wall has a very big hole.
* Dahleen Glanton in the Tribune…
The governor, who is facing a tough re-election campaign, knew that Wilson would be at that church on Sunday talking about tax relief. It’s unclear whether he knew the checks would be handed out, too.
At a news conference Monday, Rauner said he donated money for people who were vetted through the foundation. He said he had no idea that Wilson would be handing out cash.
“Just handing out cash randomly to people, I’ve never done that and I think it’s not a good thing to do,” Rauner told reporters. “It’s one thing if you’re just a person and you just want to walk around and throw money. I mean, it’s a free country. If you’re a candidate for office, it’s not a proper thing to do.”
Anyone who knows Wilson, though, knows that’s what he does. He gives on the spot and doesn’t spend a lot of time and energy interviewing the recipients. He takes people at their word that their financial horror stories are true.
That last paragraph is totally true. And it shoulda been crystal clear to Rauner that money would be handed out if anyone had bothered to read Wilson’s press release…
On Sunday, July 22nd at 10:00am, Wilson will give away $300,000 to assist struggling homeowners who are being threatened with losing their homes because of staggering property tax bills.
* Rauner didn’t know that cold, hard cash would be handed out? Seems a tiny bit difficult to believe after reading this Sun-Times story…
Wilson’s spokesman Scott Winslow said this isn’t the first time Rauner has attended an event in which Wilson has handed out cash and checks. Winslow said Wilson has been doing it for more than 20 years.
And a Wilson campaign ad called “Helping Others” is posted on Wilson’s campaign Facebook page featuring a video of Rauner crediting Wilson for being “generous.” The video was posted on June 19 and features a church banner which reads “God Reigns in 2018.” The campaign ad shows Wilson passing out money in a church.
Wilson’s campaign said it’s a “composite spot.”
“The portion where he is handing cash to a member of the church was a January 15 MLK event, before he had declared himself a candidate for mayor,” Winslow said.
“He’s a wonderful entrepreneur. He’s built his own business from scratch. He’s been very successful. And he’s very generous,” Rauner says in the ad while the camera shows Wilson handing out cash to a man in a church. “He’s taken his success and given back to the community, to help many families who need help.”
* You gotta watch that ad…
ALL IN FOR DR. WILLIE WILSONWillie Wilson For Mayor
Helping Others !Posted by Willie Wilson on Tuesday, June 19, 2018
Oof.
Very unfortunate editing.
* Related…
* There’s nothing subtle about Willie Wilson’s giveaway
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 11:03 am
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Ofcourse Rauner knew what was going on. Look at that video from January.
Comment by Real Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 11:20 am
After an entire term in office, Rauner goes there.
How daft is this guy?
Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 11:23 am
“He’s very generous” as the video shows Wilson handing out cash. Yup. Very unfortunate editing.
Comment by Anon0091 Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 11:24 am
Maybe he thought Wilson was giving out green Kleenix to people crying put their property taxes./s
Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 11:24 am
If this was not a campaign event accoriding to Wilson then why did Rauner have a campaign staffer in attendance? What was the role of the campaign staffer?
Comment by Real Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 11:29 am
There is a reason Governor Rauner left this event off of his public calendar: he didn’t want the media to attend.
Let’s face it, he gave Wilson $200,000. I think it’s safe to say he knew what Willie was going to do with it, especially since it wasn’t the first time Rauner helped Wilson hand out the cash at church.
But when discovered and questioned, Rauner starts going full Sgt. Schultz on us. Only children and the very gullible believe Rauner’s side of the story.
Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 11:30 am
Yes, but Madigan!
/snark
Comment by Hamlet's Ghost Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 11:32 am
There is a reason Governor Rauner left this event off of his public calendar: he didn’t want the media to attend.
- You would think this type of event would be on Rauner’s public schedule since it’s an event promoted as helping out homeowner’s with property tax… Only thing is Rauner knew what he was doing at this even was not ethical and probably not legal. This is why he left it off his schedule.
Comment by Real Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 11:37 am
I dunno. It’s all weird.
But Rauner’s involvement — here and previously — smacks of desperation. Be where the guy is handing out money. Show up, then meet and greet.
It’s desperate.
Comment by Macbeth Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 11:42 am
So yesterday Rauner claims that he has known Willie Wilson for 5-6 years and participated in a service in January where money was handed out but claims that he was completely caught off guard by the events of the weekend?
None of it adds up.
Comment by Pundent Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 11:48 am
“Paid for by Willie Wilson for Mayor”
You betcha it is.
Comment by PublicServant Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 11:58 am
Well, at least we now know why the Guv gets all those standing ovations at churches.
Comment by Henry Francis Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 11:58 am
Ridley Scott made a good movie about this type of character. His name was Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson.
Comment by don the legend Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 12:00 pm
Has Rauner formally endorsed Willie Wilson for Mayor?
Comment by Montrose Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 12:15 pm
Hard to say what’s more baffling: calling it a “Chinese wall” (just … why?) or the fact that the same guy who said that is listed as the press contact for the foundation.
Comment by PJ Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 12:22 pm
I’d like to know if Rauner ever went to church there before running for office.
Comment by 360 Degree TurnAround Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 12:22 pm
As a state employee, this really tics me off. This is as unethical as it gets. We are forced to take ethics courses and are told to be ethical in delivery of state services and time. This Governor should be ousted for his ethical lapses.
Comment by Generic Drone Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 12:22 pm
I hear Trump is considering tariffs on Chinese walls.
Comment by allknowingmasterofracoondom Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 12:25 pm
–Ridley Scott made a good movie about this type of character. His name was Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson.–
That’s just completely unfair and wrong. Bumpy was the Genovese Family’s man in Harlem, a convicted heroin dealer.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 12:26 pm
So, let me get this straight. He can hand out more than 7 years worth of my teaching salary yet I make too much money?
Comment by historic66 Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 12:32 pm
WS. Probably is too far. But it reminded me of the scene where Bumpy is throwing Holiday turkeys off the back of a truck. That’s all.
Comment by don the legend Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 12:35 pm
And then, right after, an old lady came up to Rauner and said she was a lifelong Democrat and that he was doing the right thing by fighting madigan and not passing a budget.
Comment by True story Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 12:40 pm
== there was no way to know how much of the governor’s money was part of the hand out. ==
See fungible …
Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 12:48 pm
Two candidates for elective office and at least one campaign staffer attend an event where they discuss a major component of their platform, property tax rates. One candidate then hands out cash and checks funded largely by the other candidate. If that doesn’t merit an investigation, what is the point of any of this regulation?
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 12:50 pm
Rauner is through the looking glass, beyond parody.
Comment by Stark Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 12:55 pm
Passing out street money has always been sausage making. Ain’t never pretty.
Comment by A guy Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 1:11 pm
It doesn’t really matter if the Wilson and Rauner people deny that the handing out of money was campaign related or not. These guys are participating in politics and need to follow the same rules as anyone regardless of whether or not they are generous or business men.
Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 1:20 pm
“It’s one thing if you’re just a person and you just want to walk around and throw money. I mean, it’s a free country. If you’re a candidate for office, it’s not a proper thing to do,” says the man who throws millions in campaign funds to legislators in exchange for their votes.
Comment by DuPage Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 1:22 pm
Looks awful skeevy to me.
Comment by Deadbeat Conservative Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 1:23 pm
Never seen walking around money being pre-paid
Comment by 100 miles west Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 1:47 pm
Governor, your “base” in the angry outback struggle with property taxes and go to church too. Kinda figurin’ they’d like some democracy-demeaning dollars as well. /s
Comment by Stumpy's bunker Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 3:04 pm
At least the Gov gets dressed up to go to church. No fleece vest on Sundays.
Comment by Stooges Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 3:15 pm
Different rules for rich people I guess.
Comment by Albany Park Patriot Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 4:18 pm
Rauner apologists, Trump apologists.
Potato, Potahto.
Some people will stand by these two compromised oafs even after they are being taken away in cuffs.
Comment by efudd Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 4:35 pm
The state employee is correct, the ethics training we take would never allow giving away cash like this. They used to call it old fashioned vote buying….I cannot believe a governor would be a part of this.
Comment by Uncle Ernie Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 4:46 pm
=The state employee is correct, the ethics training we take would never allow giving away cash like this. =
The courts’ rationale on this disparity has been that elected officials are held to a lower standard because the voters are supposed to hold them accountable, so the extremely low standard for elected officials is an intentional public policy, as repugnant as it is.
Regarding churches, most of who are tax-exempt, engage in political activities and the public bears higher tax burdens to make up for the lost due to these organizations.
Another day, another example of why churches should not recieve blanket tax-exemptions for advancing political positions.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jul 24, 18 @ 5:29 pm
The Chicago machine has done (election day handouts)this for generations and never an uproar from the press.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jul 25, 18 @ 9:38 am
–The Chicago machine has done (election day handouts)this for generations and never an uproar from the press.–
How’d you hear about it then? Pony Express?
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jul 25, 18 @ 9:53 am
I know it’s an old legal/ethics rule term (made by white folks), but “Chinese” wall? Really? It’s 2018 people. Find a new term.
Comment by Veil of Ignorance Wednesday, Jul 25, 18 @ 11:15 am