Day 63: Rauner’s Unity Effort Up in Flames as Ives Calls on Party Leadership to Resign

Governor Bruce Rauner’s unity effort went up in flames yesterday as state Representative Jeanne Ives called on the entire party leadership to step down. Over the weekend, Rauner’s allies ceded control over the Illinois Republican Party in an effort to hold back a conservative revolt. But the Prairie State Wire is now reporting the deal was marred with bribery and horse-trading as the new co-chairman offered jobs and power to resolve a lingering lawsuit. In response, Jeanne Ives, the person Rauner most needed to back the deal, is now saying this:

“If the story is true that Rauner allies promised jobs in exchange for Bob Winchester withdrawing his lawsuit against the party, then everyone in our party leadership who knew about it should resign immediately…They have been lying to the grassroots long enough. If party leadership thinks we will now turn a blind eye to corruption, then it just goes to show you how out of touch they are.”

“Bruce Rauner’s unity tour has derailed, as the most vulnerable incumbent in the nation runs out of options and out of time,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “With a last-ditch effort to keep his party from falling apart, Rauner heads into the general election with Republicans in crisis and Illinoisans of all political stripes ready to hold him accountable.”

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