Mediaboss Marketing

Welcometo Clout Street: Morning Spin, our weekday feature to catch you up with what's going on in government and politics from Chicago to Springfield. Subscribehere.

Topspin

The Illinois Republican Party heavily funded by Gov. Bruce Rauner has worked for years to tell voters that Democrats wanted to raise state taxes.

Then a bunch of the party's own lawmakers voted for a tax hike and bucked the governor's override. Shortly after, Rauner's hand-picked state GOP chairman released a statement sharply critical of them.

After all we have accomplished together, it is astonishing that these legislators would now turn their backs on taxpayers across the state, the statement from party Chairman Tim Schneider read in part. I am confident voters will hold those politicians accountable for choosing Mike Madigan over the people of Illinois.

Assuming Schneider isn't suggesting he wants Democrats to defeat those Republicans, the statement suggests those GOP lawmakers could face primary opponents next spring.

On Sunday, 15 House Republicans voted for the tax hike. By Thursday's override, there were 10. In the meantime, Rauner had vowed to do"everything possible"to prevent the override.

To make up for the Republicans that changed their minds, four Democrats who had originally voted to reject the tax hike changed theirs. The GOP lawmakers that jumped off the proposalcited talks with constituents.

The more than one thousand calls, emails and Facebook messages I have received have been about 10 to 1 opposed to any more taxes. The message from my constituents has been loud and clear that they do not want a tax increase so I had to oppose this plan with a permanent tax increase, state Rep. John Cavaletto, R-Salem, said in a statement.

Republican Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer of Jacksonville said that since the first vote he "had many conversations with constituents and laid out the facts as well as the possible ramifications of not having a budget."

At least one of the Republicans who voted for both the tax hike and the override anticipated a primary challenge immediately.

"For me right here today, right here, right now, this is the sword that I'm willing to die on," Rep. Michael Unes, a Republican from East Peoria, said after the first vote. "And if it costs me my seat, so be it."

What's on tap

*Mayor Rahm Emanuel's schedule says he'll be out in the morningto talk about progressin separating the lakefront bike and pedestrian trails.

*Gov. Rauner has no public schedule.

*State lawmakers have gone home after overriding the governor's budget veto.

From the notebook

*Emanuel doesn't engage McCarthy:Mayor Emanuel wouldnt engage directly Thursday with the possibility former Police Supt. Garry McCarthy could run against him for mayor.

Emanuel was leaving a brief news conference when he was asked about a potential McCarthy challenge following a Tribune story noting McCarthy supporters are passing out campaign buttonsfor him. McCarthy, who the mayor fired in late 2015 during the fallout from the Laquan McDonald police shooting video, did notrule out taking on Emanuel in 2019.

The mayor returned to the mic, but immediately pivoted to talking about his goals for the remainder of his second term.

Look, heres my thing. I know what my job is, in the next two years, to make sure theres more thriving community and neighborhood investments, make sure that we have education investments like this that have not only (a) rising graduation rate but every child is 100 percent college-ready and 100 percent college-bound, Emanuel said after handing out grants to small-business owners at a school in Back of the Yards. Those are my priorities, those are my focus; and thats what Im going to focus on. And theres nothing else really to say. Thanks. (John Byrne)

*Quick spins: State Sen. Daniel Biss' campaign for governor announced an endorsement from fellow Sen. David Koehler of Peoria. ... From the Champaign News-Gazette: Longtime Illinois House fixture former state Rep. Bill Black of Danville is considering a return to politics. ... The Illinois Campaign for Political Reform announced an event it's holding July 12 in Chicago called"Illinois: A state divided?"

*On the Sunday Spin: ChicagoTribune political reporter Rick Pearsons guests are state Rep. Steve Andersson of Geneva, the Republican House floor leader; Democratic Rep. Carol Sente of Vernon Hills; and Christopher Mooney, director of the Institute of Government and Public Affairs for the University of Illinois. The Sunday Spin airs from 7to 9 a.m. on WGN 720-AM.

Read more from the original source:
Morning Spin: Will Republicans who bucked Rauner face primary challenges? - Chicago Tribune

CORALVILLE Its not often a candidate tells Johnson County Republicans shes counting on them, but Gov. Kim Reynolds said shes expecting big things from the minority party in the one Iowa county that never supported her previous boss, former Gov. Terry Branstad.

Despite that record, Reynolds reminded Johnson County GOP activists at their party fundraiser Thursday evening Branstads vote total there grew from less than 18,000 in 2010 to more than 20,000 four years later. And given the 10 percent increase in the number of registered Republicans in Johnson County, I expect even bigger numbers in 2018.

Thats when Reynolds anticipates being at the top of a Republican ticket trying to hold onto not just the governors office but both chambers of the Iowa Legislature a goal the party has been chasing for two decades.

She wont be running alone, Reynolds said. Shell be running on the accomplishments of the Branstad-Reynolds administration over the past 6-1/2 years. She noted Iowas 16-year low unemployment rate of 3.1 percent and the largest investment in our classrooms.

Were not done yet. Im never satisfied with status quo, she told about 75 Republicans at the Coralville Radisson. I see a lot of opportunity to build on what weve put in place over the last six years.

Reynolds didnt mention the biggest issue in state government at the moment the possibility of a $350 million revenue shortfall in the current budget year until a former lawmaker asked.

Iowa lawmakers already made nearly $118 million in cuts and transfers and wrote $131 million in IOUs by borrowing from the states reserve funds. Now the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency says the state may collect $350 million less than anticipated.

Reynolds has authority to transfer $50 million from the reserves to cover the shortfall, but the Legislative Services Agency suggested it may take twice that by the time the states books are closed Sept. 30. If thats the case, Reynolds likely will call lawmakers to Des Moines for a special session.

Making budget cuts in a special session was the hardest vote she ever took, former Sen. Sandy Greiner of Keota told Reynolds.

The governor acknowledged that likelihood, but said its important to understand Iowas economy is growing, but its just not as robust as projected by the Revenue Estimating Conference, the state panel that projects revenue collections.

The shortfall is a combination of things, she said, adding the sluggish agriculture economy is having rippling effect on all other areas of our economy.

Its not the only reason, but (farmers) are not purchasing like they normally do when input costs are above the price of corn and livestock, she said.

Also, 70 percent of the softening has been in sales tax collections as Iowans increase their online purchasing, Reynolds said.

Reynolds expressed confidence the Iowans who stood up and showed up to elect President Donald Trump and Statehouse Republicans in 2016 will be back in 2018 to support her and the GOP legislative majorities that delivered on their promises.

Republican Party of Chairman Jeff Kaufmann added his voice, saying he hasnt seen GOP enthusiasm waning since the last election.

I got to tell you, theres a roar out there still, he said. By every measure, Republicans know whats up for grabs. Republicans know what we have to do and dont want to lose what were gaining.

If anyone doubts that, Kaufmann said, Talk to new voters, the people Trump brought in. They know whats at stake here.

Go here to see the original:
Reynolds looks to Johnson County Republicans - Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier

CORALVILLE Its not often a candidate tells Johnson County Republicans shes counting on them, but Gov. Kim Reynolds said shes expecting big things from the minority party in the one Iowa county that never supported her previous boss, former Gov. Terry Branstad.

Despite that record, Reynolds reminded Johnson County GOP activists at their party fundraiser Thursday evening that Branstads vote total there grew from less than 18,000 in 2010 to more than 20,000 four years later. And given the 10 percent increase in the number of registered Republicans in Johnson County, I expect even bigger numbers in 2018.

Thats when Reynolds anticipates being at the top of a Republican ticket trying to hold onto not just the governors office but both chambers of the Iowa Legislature a goal the party has been chasing for two decades.

She wont be running alone, Reynolds said. Shell be running on the accomplishments of the Branstad-Reynolds administration over the past 6-1/2 years. She noted Iowas 16-year low unemployment rate of 3.1 percent and the largest investment in our classrooms.

Were not done yet. Im never satisfied with status quo, she told about 75 Republicans at the Coralville Radisson. I see a lot of opportunity to build on what weve put in place over the last six years.

Reynolds didnt mention the biggest issue in state government at the moment the possibility of a $350 million revenue shortfall in the current budget year until a former lawmaker asked.

Iowa lawmakers already made nearly $118 million in cuts and transfers and wrote $131 million in IOUs by borrowing from the states reserve funds. Now the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency says the state may collect $350 million less than anticipated.

Reynolds has authority to transfer $50 million from the reserves to cover the shortfall, but the Legislative Services Agency suggested it may take twice that by the time the states books are closed Sept. 30. If thats the case, Reynolds likely will call lawmakers to Des Moines for a special session.

Making budget cuts in a special session was the hardest vote she ever took, former Sen. Sandy Greiner of Keota told Reynolds.

The governor acknowledged that likelihood, but said its important to understand Iowas economy is growing, but its just not as robust as projected by the Revenue Estimating Conference, a state panel that projects revenue collections.

The shortfall is a combination of things, she said, adding the sluggish agriculture economy is having rippling effect on all other areas of our economy.

Its not the only reason, but (farmers) are not purchasing like they normally do when input costs are above the price of corn and livestock, she said.

Also, 70 percent of the softening has been in sales tax collections as Iowans increase their online purchasing, Reynolds said.

Reynolds expressed confidence the Iowans who stood up and showed up to elect President Donald Trump and Statehouse Republicans in 2016 will be back in 2018 to support her and the GOP legislative majorities that delivered on their promises.

Republican Party of Chairman Jeff Kaufmann added his voice, saying that he hasnt seen GOP enthusiasm waning since the last election.

I got to tell you, theres a roar out there still, he said. By every measure, Republicans know whats up for grabs. Republicans know what we have to do and dont want to lose what were gaining.

If anyone doubts that, Kaufmann said, Talk to new voters, the people Trump brought in. They know whats at stake here.

Read more:
Reynolds looks to Johnson County Republicans - Quad City Times

The package lacks policy changes that Gov. Bruce Rauner had pushed as part of any spending plan. | AP Photo

By Natasha Korecki

07/06/2017 05:59 PM EDT

Updated 07/06/2017 11:50 PM EDT

In an extraordinary rebuke to GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner, a group of Illinois House Republicans joined the Democratic majority to override the governors veto of a $36 billion budget.

Thursdays action ends a stalemate that has stretched two years, causing the state to build up a $15 billion backlog and teeter on the edge of an unprecedented "junk" bond rating downgrade.

Story Continued Below

The passage means the state has a budget for the first time since 2015 when Rauner first took office.

No other state in the union had gone this long without an operating budget.

The agreed-upon budget package increases the state personal income tax from 3.75 percent to 4.95 percent and the corporate income tax from 5.25 percent to 7 percent.

The package lacks policy changes that Rauner had pushed as part of any spending plan a demand that was at the core of a protracted political fight that has stalled progress in the state.

The voting capped an intense day at the Illinois Capitol, which was on lockdown after a security incident. That delayed the voting by two hours.

In all, 10 House Republicans and one Senate Republican broke from Rauner to vote with Democrats in an override. It was with the help of 16 Republicans overall that the budget bill was sent to Rauner in the first place.

Sign up for POLITICO Playbook and get the latest news, every morning in your inbox.

By signing up you agree to receive email newsletters or alerts from POLITICO. You can unsubscribe at any time.

For two years, Rauner had a tight grip and considerable influence over legislative members in his party. The Republican governor, who has already deposited $50 million into his campaign account, spent more than $1 million in an unsuccessful attempt to oust just one Republican member who had broke from the ranks on a bill involving unions.

GOP Floor Leader Steven Andersson said he didn't want to support a tax increase but he also did not want to oversee the destruction of his district.

"For those of you who say there's a better option, do you have the votes? No. You do not have the votes!" Andersson said. He said the choice is between saving the state "or let it melt down."

The budget package needed 71 votes to override the governor's veto. The most controversial of the budget bills, a move to hike the state's income tax, passed with Republican support and with no votes to spare.

Rep. Tom Morrison, a Republican, said an income tax increase would only cause more Illinois residents to leave the state.

"We're squeezing so hard, we're squeezing them out, we're reducing our base of taxpayers, he said.

Any budget passage relieves pressure for Rauner, already considered the most vulnerable gubernatorial incumbent in the country. At one point, analysts feared the governor would be unable to pass a budget in the entirety of his first term as governor. Now a budget has happened in spite of him.

Rauner is attempting to capitalize on a tax increase vote to demonstrate to voters that he is needed to battle Illinois Democrats. Having so many Republicans break with him on an override, however, could scuttle those plans.

Illinois GOP Party Chair Tim Schneider was already promising revenge.

After all we have accomplished together, it is astonishing that these legislators would now turn their backs on taxpayers across the state, Schneider said in a statement. I am confident voters will hold those politicians accountable for choosing Mike Madigan over the people of Illinois.

Rauner called the vote for a permanent tax increase that amounts to a 32 percent hike, another in Illinois never-ending tragic trail of tax hikes, which he firmly blamed on Madigan. Rauner also had supported a proposal to increase income taxes by 32 percent but on a temporary basis, along with policy changes including to workers compensation and freezing property taxes.

His tax-and-spend plan is not balanced, does not cut enough spending or pay down enough debt, and does not help grow jobs or restore confidence in government, Rauner said in a statement. It proves how desperately we need real property tax relief and term limits. Now more than ever, the people of Illinois must fight for change that will help us create a brighter future.

Democrats complained they attempted to work with the governor on some of those changes but that he kept wanting more. Earlier this session, Rauner scuttled a bipartisan package in the state Senate that included a temporary property tax freeze, among other changes that he said didn't go far enough.

Madigan said the state could not move forward until the budget impasse concluded.

Today, Republicans and Democrats stood together to enact a bipartisan, balanced budget and end a destructive 736-day impasse, Madigan said. The people in this chamber did not do what was easy today. But we did what was right for the future of our state.

Missing out on the latest scoops? Sign up for POLITICO Playbook and get the latest news, every morning in your inbox.

View original post here:
Illinois Republicans help override Rauner's veto, sealing budget deal - Politico

WASHINGTON Republicans are seeking answers about the Democratic National Committee hacked computer server and the private firm that had exclusive access to its cyber-security system.

So far, only the California-based cyber security company, CrowdStrike, which concluded the hack of embarrassing DNC emails was the work of the Russians, has had access to the server, the Washington Times reported.

I want to find out from the company [that] did the forensics what their full findings were, Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who is leading the Judiciary Committees inquiry, told the paper.

The DNC says it has complied with all of the FBIs requests, provided a carbon copy of its server and intends to continue to cooperate with law enforcement.

The Democratic group maintains the FBI has never asked for direct access to its hacked servers.

The FBI confirmed the DNC has provided all the information it needed to make its assessment, the DNC said in a previous statement that a spokeswoman confirmed Thursday is still accurate.

Republicans including President Trumphave stepped up their criticism of the DNC after former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson told a congressional panel last month he learned of the DNC hack several months after the fact.

And when he approached the DNC to offer cyber help to patch vulnerabilities, they declined, he said.

By the time DHS approached, the DNC insists it had already booted Russia out of the system with the help of CrowdStrike.

Why did Democratic National Committee turn down the DHS offer to protect against hacks (long prior to election), Trump tweeted June 22. Its all a big Dem HOAX!

Former FBI Director James Comey previously told a Senate panel in January that the FBI issued multiple requests at different levels for access to the Democratic server, but was denied.

Instead, CrowdStrike, which Comey dubbed a highly respected private company was given access and shared its findings with the FBI.

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) and Gowdy both have suggested the DNC is hiding something.

Why would they not invite them in? Gohmert told Fox Business Network in June. And Im really interested in their excuse. But just from my own experience in all those years, usually the reason somebody didnt want to invite law enforcement in to investigate is because they knew they would find that they had committed crimes if they came in and started investigating.

Spokespeople for members of the House and Senate Intelligence Committee did not immediately respond to requests for comment on whether the DNC or CrowdStrike would be called to publicly testify before their committees.

Read more:
Republicans want answers from private firm with access to hacked DNC server - New York Post