Month: August 2020

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Is State Senator Andy Manar Violating His Own Ethics Proposal?

Manar receives compensation from a DC-based consulting firm who has a $500k/year no-bid contract from a community college that covers his senate district

Last week, State Senator Andy Manar led a group of Democratic lawmakers in announcing an ethics reform proposal that includes provisions such as:

  • Prohibit legislators from lobbying elected officials from other units of government
  • Better define who is a lobbyist to ensure consultants and lawyers aren’t able to use loopholes to perform lobbying and skirt registration as a lobbyist
  • Expand disclosure of legislators’ outside income

But does Manar’s own side gig at a Washington, D.C.-based consulting firm violate his ethics proposal?

Since early 2012, Manar has worked for THG Advisors, previously known as The Horinko Group. According to their website, THG Advisors is “a community-building consulting firm operating at the intersection of policy, science, and communications” that specializes in “regulatory intervention.” Although the firm does not lobby at this time, they employed lobbyists in 2008-2009 and 2015-2016, according to the U.S. Senate Lobbyist Disclosure Act Database. Lobbying clients included defense contractor BAE Systems.

According to Manar’s 2013 through 2020 statements of economic interest filed with the Secretary of State, he earned at least $1,200 each year from his position with the firm. State law does not require lawmakers to disclose the exact dollar amount of outside income earned, so the public does not know how much money Manar has earned from his position.

Although he continues to report income from the company, Manar’s company biography was removed from the THG Advisors website. A 2017 screenshot from Manar’s company bio says he serves as “Senior Advisor for Public-Private Partnerships & Stakeholder Engagement” for THG Advisors and “brings a boots on the ground perspective on how to effectively engage local communities and state program managers and budget officers.”

THG Advisors has received scrutiny locally for receiving $500,000 a year no-bid contracts from Lewis and Clark Community College (LCCC). According to The Telegraph, former LCCC President Dale Chapman was “criticized for signing a no-bid contract with a consulting firm, The Horinko Group in Washington, D.C., at $500,000 annually since 2008.” The LCCC district covers the Macoupin County and Madison County areas of Manar’s senate district.

Andy Manar has many questions to answer regarding his work at THG Advisors:

  • What is the nature of Manar’s work at THG Advisors?
  • How much does Manar earn from his position at THG Advisors?
  • As “Senior Advisor for Public-Private Partnerships & Stakeholder Engagement,” what “stakeholders” is Manar “engaging”?
  • Does Manar communicate with any public employee or elected officials at the federal, state, or local level regarding his work at THG Advisors? If so, has he ever encouraged them to take official action?
  • What is the expanded definition of “consultant” under Manar’s ethics proposal and does it cover his work at THG Advisors? If it does cover his work, when does he plan to leave his position due to the lawmaker-lobbyist prohibition in his ethics proposal?
  • If it does not cover his position, does his consulting side gig violate the spirit of his own ethics proposal?
  • Is Manar’s salary paid for in any part by the no-bid contract THG Advisors received from LCCC?
  • Are there any other units of government in Manar’s senate district that have given contracts to THG Advisors?
  • What is the nature of Manar’s work at Priorities USA?
  • Does Manar think it’s appropriate for a sitting legislator to receive compensation from a Super PAC?

“Andy Manar has a lot of explaining to do regarding his side gig at a D.C. consulting firm that received many no-bid contracts from a community college in his senate district. As Manar pushes ethics reforms and new disclosure requirements for lobbyists and lawmakers, he should lead by example and explain the nature of his DC consulting firm.” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesperson Joe Hackler.

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An Open Letter to IL Grassroots Republicans

Friends, I write to you today to help make sure our minds are focused and our energy is channeled towards positive change for the state of Illinois during the home stretch of the 2020 campaign season. Our state is in serious trouble. Has been for quite some time. But like you, I choose to stay and fight because this is my home and I won’t abandon it. Your dedication to a better Illinois inspires me everyday. 

We owe it to ourselves and future generations to make sure we do everything in our power to move the needle towards reform – towards sanity – on election day this year.

And we DO have the power.

I get messages sent to me and I see comments on social media posts everyday from angry Illinoisans who simply want to know what they can do to stop the madness. They wonder how they can make an impact to move Illinois from financial ruin, never-ending population loss, and massive government overreach to an Illinois on the side of the taxpayer, affordable to raise a family, and safe from those who seek to destroy. 

Not having an answer to that question, many angry Illinoisans turn to social media as the extent of their involvement in fighting for change. Unfortunately however, I would argue that individuals have largely sorted themselves out ideologically on social media into different spheres of influence, thus lessening it’s impact for political transformation. Put another way, every meme or complaint you post about the Governor is largely seen by people who already agree with you. 

Are undecided or swing voters – people we need on our side in blue tinted Illinois – being swayed by your newsfeed on Facebook? Probably not…no offense.

And herein lies the hard truth of this. There is no silver bullet, no magic wand to waive, and yes, no court case that will save our state from Mike Madigan and JB Pritzker’s destruction. There is only one method to fixing Illinois: electing reform-minded Republicans, and defeating Democrats at the state level.

And what does it take to elect Republicans and defeat Democrats? I won’t lie – it takes a lot of hard work. It takes an army of patriots willing to engage in street level campaign voter contact such as making phone calls or knocking on doors. It takes some generous individuals willing to send in a check to their candidates of choice. Whether it’s $5 or $500, everything adds up.

We will never change Illinois if we do not channel our collective anger and energy towards productive means. For example, which do you think makes a bigger electoral impact? Arguing with your ill-informed uncle or socialist co-worker online over politics or spending an hour on the phone talking to 20 undecided voters? I know the answer and I think you do too.

Making sure your efforts are productive also means making sure they are targeted for maximum impact. With that, the Illinois Republican Party is excited to roll-out a program called “Races to Watch” to answer that question we started with: what can the average person do to make a difference?

The candidates within the Races to Watch program represent the most competitive contests in the state – both challengers who have a good chance to knock off a Democrat and incumbent Republicans who face well funded opponents in swing districts. In order to push back against Madigan and Pritzker’s control, we must keep the Republican legislative seats we have and eat into their majorities by defeating incumbent Democrats. These races will all be decided by low single digit margins and they need your help.

I’ll say it again, Races to Watch is your tool to maximize your efforts for change this fall and defeat Democrats. I encourage you to check it out by clicking the link below and signing-up TODAY to make some calls, knock on doors and/or donate a few bucks.

All of your help is much appreciated by myself and the candidates who need you.

Sincerely,

Tim Scheider

ILGOP Chairman

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ILGOP Calls for Vote of Non-Retention for Supreme Court Justice Thomas Kilbride

During the most recent State Central Committee meeting of the Illinois Republican Party, the ILGOP voted unanimously to formally recommend a vote of non-retention for Illinois Supreme Court Justice Thomas Kilbride of the 3rd Judicial District. Justice Kilbride is up for retention on the November 2020 ballot and must meet the 60% retention threshold in order to keep his seat on the Illinois Supreme Court.

The ILGOP recommends removing Kilbride from the bench because of his very close ties to corrupt House Speaker Michael Madigan. In 2010, the last time Kilbride faced retention, Mike Madigan made Kilbride’s retention one of his top political priorities because he knew Kilbride was essential to retaining his power over the Supreme Court.

Chicago Sun-Times: “The speaker’s greatest victory, arguably, is the retention of Supreme Court Justice Thomas Kilbride. With Madigan’s massive help, Kilbride remains on the bench, maintaining Democrats’ 4-3 majority on the court. That majority will be critical to the party in redistricting the political boundaries of this state.” (“Mr. Speaker, you’ve got work to do,” Editorial, Chicago Sun Times, Nov. 7, 2010)

Chicago Tribune: “And Madigan elected Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas Kilbride, despite a stop-Kilbride campaign, as the speaker prepares that new political map.” (“Mike Madigan wins big,” Editorial, Chicago Tribune, Nov. 4, 2010)

Chicago Tribune: “Kilbride’s response? He has raised a whopping $2.48 million to save his job. The money is coming largely from the same sources that funded his 2000 campaign: House Speaker Michael Madigan and organized labor. The Madigan-controlled Democratic Party of Illinois has kicked in $1.42 million.”  (“Kilbride & Madigan,” Editorial, Chicago Tribune, Oct. 27, 2010)

In return for millions in campaign cash from Madigan, Kilbride has reliably voted to protect Madigan’s power and sided with Madigan’s powerful allies. Kilbride ruled against term limits and struck down pension reform in spite of criticism that he took millions of dollars from those with a stake in the decision.

Worst of all, in 2016, Kilbride wrote the majority opinion striking down the citizen-led ballot (“Fair Maps”) initiative that would have given voters a say in redistricting and taken the power away from Madigan to draw gerrymander maps. The decision was all about Madigan, as evidenced from the Chicago Tribune headline immediately following the decision on August 26, 2016: “Supreme Court’s Democratic majority sides with Madigan on redistricting. Surprise!” August 26, 2016.

“Justice Kilbride is a Madigan pawn occupying a seat on the Illinois Supreme Court, and he must be defeated. Kilbride has been elected by Madigan’s millions and has returned the favor, rejecting every good government reform that has appeared on the docket all in service to Madigan’s stranglehold on Illinois politics. The Illinois Republican Party strongly urges a vote of non-retention for Justice Kilbride.” – ILGOP Chairman Tim Schneider

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