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Rauner Calls For Compromise, Then Attacks

John Cullerton, Bruce Rauner and Michael Madigan
Brian Mackey
/
NPR Illinois
Senate President John Cullerton, Gov. Bruce Rauner, and House Speaker Michael Madigan are pictured in these file photos.

Gov. Bruce Rauner has called state legislators back to Springfield this week. He says he wants a budget deal. But Rauner is also spending money attacking Democrats.

The attacks have come in at least three forms: online ads, direct mail, and TV commercials.

RAUNER AD: “Mike Madigan will do anything to keep power. …”

Rauner is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on that ad alone. At the same time, he’s calling for people to “come together” on the state budget.

Senate President John Cullerton says that’s not way to start negotiations.

Speaking on WGN radio’s “The Sunday Spin,” he said imagine sitting down to talk about something with your spouse: “You don’t really want to start off by saying, 'You know, before we start, I just wanted to let you know that I always really hated your mother.'"

Legislators are scheduled to begin 10 days of special sessions on Wednesday.

Brian Mackey formerly reported on state government and politics for NPR Illinois and a dozen other public radio stations across the state. Before that, he was A&E editor at The State Journal-Register and Statehouse bureau chief for the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.
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