Rauner Admin Can’t Find “Tens of Thousands” of Jobs Created from Overseas Trips

Where Are The Jobs? Rauner Job Creation Record “Is A Disaster”

In a revealing interview this weekend, Governor Bruce Rauner was challenged on his failed record of job creation and his empty rhetoric on accomplishments. Rauner returned from a European trade trip nearly three four months ago promising “many thousands” would be announced in the “next few weeks” – echoing similar statements he made following an Asia trip a year ago. But, WCIA writes:

“However, the administration has not yet been able to show any of the jobs that Rauner promised.”

Asked about the discrepancy in the interview, Rauner insisted that “tens of thousands of jobs have come” from his overseas trips. But again, his office could not back up the Governor’s rhetoric: 

“The Governor’s office has not yet responded to requests to outline precisely where those 20,000-plus jobs are in the state. In a similar email question last month, Rauner spokeswoman Beth Tomev told WCIA that the overseas missions were ‘expected to lead to significant foreign direct investment in Illinois.’ Tomev also pointed to Rauner’s ‘official announcement’ in April 2018 of an international trade show in Chicago’s McCormick Center. However, that news was already announced in September 2017.”

WCIA concluded that Rauner’s overall job creation record ranked “near the bottom of job growth rates during a time when most of the country was gaining momentum” and lagged behind his predecessor. The station concluded:

“By Rauner’s own definition, that rate of job growth is a disaster.”

“Three-and-a-half years of failed leadership under Bruce Rauner has been an utter disaster for the state of Illinois,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “Rauner’s historic budget crisis drove up debt and drove people out of the state and now the failed governor is lying about his record and boasting about tens of thousands of imaginary jobs.”