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Day 3: Rauner Office Reinforcing “Not in Charge” Slogan as Two No-Bid Contracts Awarded Under Rauner Shut Down

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Earlier This Week Rauner Did Not Know U.S. Senate Passed Major Tax Overhaul

 

It’s Day 3 of Governor Bruce Rauner’s new reelection strategy – “I’m not in charge” – and Rauner’s office has been hard at work reinforcing the new slogan. In the past two days, two different no-bid contracts awarded by Rauner’s administration have been shut down, and the Governor was somehow not aware that the United States Senate passed a major tax overhaul.  

Yesterday, the Associated Press reported the State’s Procurement Officer cancelled a $12.5 million no-bid contract with McKinsey & Co., a consultant that “maintains a direct line of communications” with Rauner’s office, for violating procurement rules. The contract is related to the $63 billion state Medicaid managed care transition, which inexplicitly jumped $23 billion in costs that the administration will not explain. The Associated Press said the cancellation is “likely unprecedented.”

And this morning, the Department of Children and Family Services announced it was ending a “high-profile” data mining program that failed to keep children safe. The deal was one of a “series of no-bid deals” awarded under disgraced former Director George Sheldon. In May, Sheldon resigned in disgrace but Rauner reportedly urged him to stay on. 

For his own part, Rauner did not know that a major federal tax overhaul passed the United States Senate just days before. The Governor is clearly not in charge.

“Bruce Rauner seems intent on reminding voters of his administration’s failures,” said Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “Rauner wants to deflect blame for the state falling behind but his office’s missteps clearly show that the Governor is the problem. Illinois families see the state fall behind every day, and will not be fooled by Rauner’s lame attempts to dodge responsibility for his actions.”