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* From the governor’s office…
Gov. Bruce Rauner today asked the Illinois Investment Policy Board (IIPB) to investigate the listing practices of home-sharing company Airbnb to determine if there is a violation of Illinois state law prohibiting investment in companies engaged in boycott, divestment or sanction (BDS) against the Jewish state.
Airbnb Inc., the San Francisco-based online marketplace that its members use to list properties for lodging or other tourism experiences, recently decided to remove all listings in Jewish settlements in the West Bank, a development that Rauner called “abhorrent and discriminatory.”
“We find Airbnb’s decision highly disturbing and we are calling on the company to reverse its West Bank decision,” Rauner said. “We are also looking into ways that we can exert pressure on Airbnb to end its prejudicial policy against the Jewish state.”
“We must not — and will not — remain silent when we detect discrimination of the sort being practiced by Airbnb,” Rauner told the IIPB in a letter released today. “An investigation — and the scrutiny that accompanies it — could impact the behavior of investors around the country if Airbnb follows through with a reported potential public stock offering and these concerning policies remain in place.”
Under Rauner, Illinois became the first state in the nation to pass a law aimed at halting discriminatory business practices against Israel. The country is one of the state’s most important business, education and cultural partners.
* He’s holding a press conference right now on this and other things, including the veto session…
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 2:12 pm
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A good read on a complex situation:
https://www.hrw.org/report/2018/11/20/bed-and-breakfast-stolen-land/tourist-rental-listings-west-bank-settlements
Comment by njt16 Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 2:22 pm
Florida is doing the same thing. Their new Gov. plans to aggressively enforce their no boycott law.
Comment by Fav Human Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 2:23 pm
What sort of lame-duck quackery is this?
The governor who moaned that he was impotent in his own state feels the need to weigh in on the West Bank, the most complicated and vexing issue in the international arena for decades?
Stick with Brewskis with Bruce in your final lap, champ.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 2:25 pm
I guess we have an answer, Bruce is not exiting gracefully. Loves to grandstand; another day, another role to play.
Comment by Molly Maguire Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 2:29 pm
“We must not — and will not — remain silent when we detect discrimination of the sort being practiced by Airbnb”
But no sympathy for the Palestinians that are being run out of their homes by the settlers/colonists and the Israeli government.
Comment by TaylorvilleTornado Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 2:30 pm
“I was asked to run for Governor. It’s not what I wanted to do.”
More blaming others. Pathetic.
Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 2:37 pm
Does anyone know if Airbnb has taken the same steps with respect to any other countries or places with similar ongoing issues?
Comment by slow down Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 2:38 pm
There’s this thing called the door right over there…. Bruce please leave.
Comment by Gohawks123 Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 2:41 pm
Airbnb is considering doing the same thing in the Western Sahara, which was annexed by Morocco, but is unsettled as far as its status.
Comment by Lt Guv Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 2:45 pm
I’m as pleased as anyone that Rauner lost but that doesn’t make him wrong.
The question again to me is whether Airbnb is delisting homes in other regions of the world with similar political disputes or whether it’s policy is only for the West Bank.
Comment by slow down Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 2:45 pm
Just looked it up. It’s the West Bank only. Rauner is absolutely right in my opinion.
Comment by slow down Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 2:48 pm
There aren’t enough eye-rolling emojis in the world. The United State’s lamest duck.
Comment by lakeside Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 2:49 pm
[No one is more irritated by my typo than me.]
Comment by lakeside Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 2:50 pm
After his remarks on Airbnb he spoke about the many veto overrides and his frustration. It’s all so self-inflicted, that’s the thing he had this great opportunity to advance his interests but through his own actions it all imploded on him and it doesn’t seem like he has the self awareness to realize it’s on him.
Comment by The Captain Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 2:50 pm
Sorry, I can’t bring myself to watch. Did anyone ask him about the AFSCME backpay? No? Didn’t think so.
Comment by Anon Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 2:50 pm
Lakeside: if there is one thing this state is united on, it is disdain for Bruce V. Rauner.
I don’t consider it a typo.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 2:52 pm
“eyeroll” This is how you want to end your time as governor?
Comment by NeverPoliticallyCorrect Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 2:55 pm
I guess all lllinois probems have been solved. This is right up there with Quinn signing into law a ban on shark fin soup.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 2:55 pm
Those settlements are a violation of international law, so hard for me to share the gov’s outrage. Then again, those who have pointed out that AirBNB isn’t doing the same in other diplomatic hotspots make a good point.
Comment by Roman Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 2:56 pm
Lakeside — not to pile on, but it’s “No one is more irritated by my typo than I…”
Comment by Soccermom Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 2:57 pm
I see a governor looking at his own irrelevancy and still trying to ignore blame, push unpopular things, and realize that his below 40% is indeed a reflection on himself, his policies, and the President couldn’t help someone so under water.
Each override is a victory over “no $&@#% problems”
I will give him props for taking questions. It had to have been tough.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 3:01 pm
Crimean listings have also been removed-
“Have you stopped allowing reservations in other disputed territories?
The global framework will be applied in an ongoing manner. Airbnb has previously removed listings in Crimea as a result of international sanctions and they are currently not available on the Airbnb platform.”
https://press.airbnb.com/listings-in-disputed-regions/
Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 3:02 pm
Soccermom - my work here is done.
Comment by lakeside Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 3:11 pm
I just saw a clip in which Rauner said he’s scared for Illinois because the politicians who created the mess are back in power. The dude purposely caused more per-capita damage than anyone. In Greek tragedies at least characters like Oedipus and Creon admitted the damage they caused and took blame. Not Rauner. Good riddance.
Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 3:14 pm
@TaylorvilleTornado: as a Jew and a decent individual, I, personally, have plenty of sympathy for the Palestinians…at least the innocent ones that don’t lob hundreds of rockets into Israel. I place most the blame on the likes of Hamas and other like-minded groups and Arab countries hell-bent on the destruction of Israel. One would think that the numerous Arab governments would come to the Palestinians’rescue, but doing so would interfere with using those same individuals as political pawns.
But, really, the mid-east aside, Illinois has plenty more problems to address than Airbnb.
Comment by Yiddishcowboy Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 3:16 pm
Rauner ignores questions from the Little Birdie news service. These include:
- “How are your Italian lessons coming?”
- “Is it true your gubernatorial portrait will be painted in reddish hues in commemoration of the huge bill debt you ran up?”
Little Birdie is thankful that looks can’t kill.
Comment by Norseman Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 4:02 pm
I’m not sure how taking down listings in a potentially dangerous and disputed territory equals a boycott of Israel.
I’d also be curious to know how many Illinois residents have utilized AirBnB to secure housing in that area.
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 4:13 pm
I’m curious whether this affects his financial holdings. Time for him to go back to makin’ money.
Comment by Henry Francis Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 4:22 pm
–“I was asked to run for Governor. It’s not what I wanted to do.”–
Did he really say that?
If so, to the end, he thinks everyone is stupid and will believe anything that comes out of his mouth.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 5:00 pm
I’m paraphrasing a bit, but he said running was not his idea, he just reluctantly agreed to do it. Presumably to save us, as only he could.
Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 5:33 pm
“I am nobody that nobody sent” vs “I was asked to run.” Either past Rauner or present Rauner was not telling the truth.
Comment by A Jack Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 5:54 pm
Bruce ought to give Illinois its first female governor and resign. Let Evelyn run the show for the last month or so.
Comment by GOP Turned Dem Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 6:14 pm
Who asked him to run? The Koch Brothers?
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 7:15 pm
Ah, but when he was Governor, Diana said it was the happiest he’s ever been. So whomever made him run, did him a solid, sounds like.
Comment by pawn Thursday, Nov 29, 18 @ 8:41 pm
You’d think after Rauner said he was asked to run the, press would have sounded like a flock of owls.
Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Friday, Nov 30, 18 @ 7:43 am
It’s annoying to me that anyone who criticizes Israel for legitimate, though somewhat subjective, reasons gets labeled anti-Semitic. It’s a country, a government, and should be held to the same scrutiny and standards as any other.
Comment by Perrid Friday, Nov 30, 18 @ 8:20 am
I though the Governor was a freedom of speech kind of guy. Didn’t he support Mark Janus? Janus didn’t want to pay for the costs of running his union, because he thought that violated his freedom of speech.
So Airbnb doesn’t want to invest somewhere. How is this not the same? Doesn’t Airbnb have freedom of speech?
Comment by 17% Solution Friday, Nov 30, 18 @ 3:13 pm