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WATCH: J.B. Pritzker AGAIN Dodges on Releasing His Tax Returns

208 days since Pritzker first pledged to make his tax returns public

“While his sister was just caught parking assets offshore, J.B. Pritzker continues to hide his tax returns from the public. We already know he schemed with crooked Democrat insiders to slash the property tax bill on his Chicago mansion by over $230,000. It’s time for him to come clean.” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot

After receiving the endorsement from yet another career politician who’s loyal to Madigan, J.B. Pritzker was again asked when he will be releasing his tax returns.

Watch Pritzker continue to dodge on releasing his tax returns HERE.

Pritzker’s response? “It’s somewhat complex… We’re working on it… We’ll get it done soon.”

That’s the same response Pritzker gave nearly a month ago around when tax returns were due to the federal government.

208 days have passed since J.B. Pritzker first pledged to release his taxes returns.

Other Democrats have already challenged Pritzker on his obfuscation, and Illinois voters are demanding to see what Pritzker is hiding.

We already know that Pritzker has gamed the system to receive a $230,000 tax break on his Chicago mansion thanks to the help of his fellow crooked Democrat insider Joe Berrios.

What is J.B. Pritzker hiding?

Well, J.B., we’re waiting…

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It’s Been 206 Days Since J.B. Pritzker Promised To Release His Tax Returns

His long delay is raising questions among Illinois voters

On April 14th, J.B. Pritzker pledged to release his tax returns ‘soon.’ Now, six months later, we’re hearing the same old promises from Pritzker, who continues to stall and hope this goes away.

Other Democrats have already challenged Pritzker on his obfuscation, and Illinois voters are demanding to see what Pritzker is hiding.

We already know that he has gamed the system through fellow Madigan crony Joe Berrios so he could receive a $230,000 tax break on his Gold Coast Chicago mansion.

What else might Pritzker be hiding? If you ask Pritzker, we’ll find out ‘soon.’

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Madigan’s Cook County Affiliates Endorse One of Madigan’s Senate Partners, Kwame Raoul, for Attorney General

In the Illinois Senate, Raoul has blocked reform, pushed Madigan’s rigged legislative maps and tax hikes

“It’s no surprise that the most crooked organization in Illinois politics with close ties to Mike Madigan is backing Kwame Raoul for Attorney General. As one of Madigan’s top partners in the Illinois Senate, Raoul has blocked reform and pushed Madigan’s rigged legislative maps and tax hikes. The people of Illinois deserve a reform-minded Attorney General, but Kwame Raoul is just another career politician from Chicago who does Madigan’s bidding.” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot

No group in Illinois politics reeks of crooked insider dealing more than the Cook County Democratic Party.

This past June, the Chicago Tribune exposed how Mike Madigan-ally Joe Berrios, the Cook County Assessor and Chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party, runs what is essentially a property tax racket, but the corruption doesn’t end there.

The Cook County Democrats are so corrupt, they’ve been criticized by top Democrats like Daniel Biss and Chris Kennedy, both of whom have said that the organization prefers “backroom deals” and “preserving the status quo” to reforming state government and returning power to the people.

So it’s no surprise that Mike Madigan’s Cook County affiliates are backing Kwame Raoul for Attorney General. Raoul is one of Madigan’s top partners in the Illinois Senate – he has a record of blocking reform and protecting Madigan’s power.

As Chairman of the Senate’s Redistricting Committee, Raoul was a key player in ensuring Mike Madigan’s rigged legislative maps were enacted into law. In 2011, Raoul shamelessly voted for Madigan’s maps, disenfranchising voters all across Illinois.

Even worse, Kwame Raoul has supported Madigan’s unbalanced budgets and massive tax hikes. In 2011, Raoul voted for the 67% Quinn-Madigan tax hike. And recently this year, Raoul voted for Madigan’s permanent 32% tax hike three separate times.

Whenever given the chance, Kwame Raoul has always chosen Mike Madigan over Illinois families. The people of Illinois deserve an Attorney General who will put the people before the power political class.

Unfortunately, Kwame Raoul is just another career politician from Chicago who does Madigan’s bidding.

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Blagojevich Asks to Get Out of Federal Prison Early as Pritzker Talks Criminal Justice

Does Pritzker support his imprisoned friend’s petition before the U.S. Supreme Court?

 

“J.B. Pritzker’s favorite governor is back in the news. As Pritzker is scheduled to talk criminal justice this afternoon, lawyers representing his imprisoned friend Rod Blagojevich plan to file a petition to the US Supreme Court, asking them to review his conviction on corruption charges. Blagojevich’s petition begs the question – does J.B. Pritzker, Blagojevich’s fifth-largest campaign contributor, support Blagojevich’s request to get out of prison early?” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot

Today, lawyers representing imprisoned former governor Rod Blagojevich plan to file a petition for a writ of certiorari before the United States Supreme Court, asking them to review his conviction on corruption charges.

Currently, Blagojevich is five and a half years into his fourteen-year sentence in a Colorado federal prison for orchestrating a “political corruption crime spree” ranging from attempts to sell a U.S. Senate seat appointment to shaking down state vendors for campaign contributions.

Blagojevich’s petition to the U.S. Supreme Court is his latest attempt to get out of prison early.

Blagojevich’s most recent request begs the question – does J.B. Pritzker, Blagojevich’s fifth-largest campaign contributor and now Democratic candidate for governor, support Blagojevich’s request to get out of prison early?

In a bombshell investigative report from the Chicago Tribune, it was revealed that Pritzker was recorded on FBI wiretaps conversing with Blagojevich about being appointed State Treasurer, among other offices. Pritzker and Blagojevich also discussed campaign contributions on the same call.

Upon the release of the wiretaps, news outlets called it a “campaign crisis” for Pritzker. Pritzker was later scrutinized for a $100,000 campaign contribution to Blagojevich that one reporter said “sounds like pay-to-play to me.”

Given Pritzker’s well-documented close ties to imprisoned former governor Rod Blagojevich, surely he has an opinion on Blagojevich’s latest attempt to get out of prison early.

So, as Pritzker plans to discuss criminal justice this afternoon, does he support his imprisoned friend Rod Blagojevich’s petition before the U.S. Supreme Court?

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Tick Tock: Two Weeks Since Pritzker Said He’d “Soon” Release Tax Returns

As Pritzker debuts ad about taxes and makes the list of richest Americans, he’s still keeping Illinoisans in the dark on his own taxes

Days ago, Democrat candidate for governor J.B. Pritzker made the list of richest Americans. Forbes rated Pritzker, whose personal wealth totals $3.4 billion, the 219th richest American.

Now, Politico Illinois Playbook is reporting that J.B. Pritzker released a new campaign ad calling for a progressive income tax. In the ad, Pritzker says that increasing taxes on the wealthiest would make our tax system “fair,” but Illinoisans still don’t know how much Pritzker himself pays in taxes.

This past April, Pritzker pledged to release his tax returns, but so far, he has failed to do so. A clock on Daniel Biss’ campaign website says 200 days have elapsed since Pritzker first made that pledge.

Although Pritzker pledged two weeks ago that he’d “soon” let voters know how much he pays in taxes, he still refuses to release his returns.

J.B. Pritzker’s hypocrisy on this issue is stunning – as he continues his calls to make the wealthiest pay more in taxes, Pritzker, one of our nation’s wealthiest individuals, continues to hide his own income taxes from the public, even as he orchestrates schemes to cut his own property tax bill.

Illinoisans should be worried if a politician like Pritzker is able to turn the Governor’s Mansion into “A Nightmare On Astor Street.”

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ILGOP Halloween Feature: “A Nightmare on Astor Street”

Warns of spooky future of insider dealings if Madigan’s man Pritzker wins

On the spookiest day of the year, the ILGOP is warning about the frightening future Illinois has in store if people like Mike Madigan and his pick for Governor, J.B. Pritzker, get the chance to set policy for our state. 

Illinois will see more taxes, more backhanded insider dealings, and zero willingness to reform a system that has failed Illinoisans for decades.

All this while Pritzker, one of the richest men in Illinois, took massive tax breaks on his Chicago Gold Coast mansion. As part of his tax-dodging scheme, Pritzker had the toilets removed from his spare, buffer mansion so it could be declared “uninhabitable” by Pritzker’s good friend Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios, providing Pritzker with over $230,000 in breaks.

Read more on the A Nightmare on Astor Street page.

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Pritzker and Kennedy Continue to Dodge on Releasing Their Tax Returns

Tuesday’s forum highlighted growing pressure on Pritzker and Kennedy to honor their word, release tax returns

Tuesday’s Democrat gubernatorial forum at Aurora University raised questions for the two candidates who have yet to release their tax returns, J.B. Pritzker and Chris Kennedy, drawing criticism from fellow Democrats.

Both Pritzker and Kennedy pledged to release five-year’s worth of tax returns six months ago, though neither has followed through yet. Daniel Biss set up a counter on his campaign website to mark the days since the candidates made the pledge to release their tax returns, as well as lambasting them publicly for avoiding the subject.

The candidates provided no details on a timetable for releasing their taxes other than saying they will be released “soon,” the same answer each has been telling the media for months.

While the Democrats debate who comes from a wealthier family and dodge on releasing their tax returns, they continue to prove that the Democratic gubernatorial primary is a race to the bottom.


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Pritzker Refuses to Oppose Madigan’s Speakership Because He’s Madigan’s Candidate for Governor

At last night’s Dem debate, Pritzker refused to say if it’s time for Madigan to go

Another day, another attempt from J.B. Pritzker to cover up his close ties to Speaker Mike Madigan.

Last night at an Aurora debate with the Democrat candidates for governor, the candidates were presented with a simple question: should Madigan stay in power. Even though Democrats Daniel Biss and Chris Kennedy have their own close ties to Madigan, they took the question as an opportunity to attack him, with both saying he’s been in office too long and wields too much power.

When it came time for Pritzker to answer the same question, he balked, refusing to say whether Speaker Madigan has been around too long or if it’s time for him to leave state government, surprising no one, as Pritzker is running for governor with Madigan’s blessing.

From the Chicago Tribune’s story, Dem gov. debate: Kennedy, Biss bash Madigan; Pritzker won’t say if it’s time for speaker to go:

“The Democratic candidates for governor sought to sell themselves to primary voters at a Tuesday night forum in Aurora, but much of the focus was on a guy who wasn’t on the stage: veteran Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, who also heads the Illinois Democratic Party.

“State Sen. Daniel Biss and businessman Chris Kennedy ripped Madigan, saying he’s been in office too long and wields too much power. Meanwhile, entrepreneur and philanthropist J.B. Pritzker, who has received the backing of much of the Democratic establishment, declined to say whether it’s time for Madigan to go.”

Pritzker’s silent support of Madigan’s Speakership comes after he was asked about the same issue at a recent Chicago debate with the Democratic candidates for governor.

When asked about his relationship with Mike Madigan, Pritzker repeatedly dodged the question, fumbling over his inability to change the subject. His discomfort was so plain that after being challenged on the issue by moderator Mary Ann Ahern, Pritzker’s non-answers were met with laughter from the crowd of Democrat activists.

It’s clear – J.B. Pritzker is Mike Madigan’s candidate for governor and even other Democrats aren’t buying Pritzker’s spin.

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ICYMI: Madigan attempting a nasty-to-nice makeover

Illinoisans are keenly aware of the real Mike Madigan – they know he’s bad news

Longtime Speaker of the House Mike Madigan shocked the internet on Friday when it was revealed that Madigan has finally entered the 21st century with the creation of a new Facebook page and website, both ironically branded as “Madigan for Us,” in an attempt to put a positive spin on his tarnished image.

But Illinoisans are keenly aware of the real Mike Madigan and they know he’s bad news. Madigan has been described as “the constant in key decisions that created the mess.” Under Madigan’s watch, Illinois has seen massive tax hikes, out of control pension debt, and the worst-in-the-nation out-migration.

Unfortunately for Madigan, staged pictures of him sporting a smile won’t save him from his decades of destruction.

News outlets have been reporting on Madigan’s “nasty-to-nice makeover”:

Chicago Tribune: The softer side of Michael Madigan

Someone call the police about a missing person. Missing and replaced by a person of interest, actually. A man with a distinct resemblance to House Speaker Michael Madigan has been photographed reading books to children. He is smiling. And they are smiling. And he is wearing a plaid shirt. Where is the real Speaker Madigan and what has someone done with him?

The alleged explanation for the warm, welcoming Michael Madigan is that he’s launched a website, www.madiganforus.com, that attempts to soften his image as a cutthroat politician. He also has a Facebook page and an email address. This is big news. Until recently, Madigan famously didn’t use digital technology, email or social media.

…We wonder if, following the photo shoot with the kids, he handed them each a bill for $45,500. That’s how much accumulated state debt a 2016 Truth in Accounting study determined each Illinois taxpayer owes.

So there you go, kiddos. Scan the website. Enjoy the fairy tales.

The News-Gazette: Jim Dey: Madigan attempting a nasty-to-nice makeover

…So what gives with the Madigan makeover?

There’s no doubt that the millions of dollars the GOP has spent savaging Madigan as a sociopathic politician who puts politics first and policy second has taken its toll on the Democratic Party and its legislative candidates. All of a sudden Democratic legislators are being asked by constituents exactly why Madigan commands so much clout.

Democratic legislators know they must pay fealty to Madigan in Springfield or pay an unacceptably high price for crossing the big man. But they also know that they’ve got to keep that reality to themselves when they’re back home or, alternatively and incredibly, tout their independence from Madigan when talking with gullible constituents.

Chicago Tribune: Mike Madigan smiles!

Mike Madigan — he’s just like us!

…At least, that’s the cuddly face the long-serving Illinois House speaker is projecting on a new-look website. The rebranding exercise appears to be a response to several years of well-funded advertising by Republicans that paint Madigan as the dour, calculating root of all of the state’s problems (Gov. Bruce Rauner last week committed $4.45 million to the GOP’s “2018 Madigan Retirement Plan”).

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Mike Madigan Creates Facebook Page, Website to Put a Happy Face on His Decades of Destruction

Pictures of a smiling Madigan reading to children won’t save him from all the damage he’s done to Illinois

“More than four decades of destruction with massive pension debt, unbalanced budgets, machine politics, and self-dealing – that’s the Madigan record. Welcome to the 21st century, Speaker Madigan, but pictures of you sporting a smile with children won’t save you from all the damage you’ve done to Illinois.” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot

Longtime Speaker of the House and technological dinosaur Mike Madigan shocked the internets on Friday when Capitol Fax reported to the Twittersphere that Madigan has finally entered the 21st century with the creation of a new Facebook page and website, both ironically branded as “Madigan for Us,” with “us” being insiders, special interests, and the political class.

Madigan’s newfound internet presence showcases pictures of a smiling Madigan reading to children, enjoying a cup of coffee with fellow senior citizens, and telling wisecracks to area youngsters outside a grocery store.

But after taking a brief look through the comments on Madigan’s inaugural Facebook post, one will quickly realize that voters aren’t buying the spin.

Madigan is known to virtually all Illinoisans and not in a good way. He has been described as “the constant in key decisions that created the mess.” Under Madigan’s watch, Illinois has seen:

  • Years of pension holidays that led to over $130 billion in debt for Illinois’ five pension systems

Unfortunately for Madigan, staged pictures of him sporting a smile won’t save him from his decades of destruction.

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