(VIDEO) Caught in Headlights: Rauner Does Not Know How His Own Veto Works

Rauner Irresponsible Veto of Education Bill Threatens Schools Ability to Stay Open

Rauner Recently Underwent Staff Purge That Brought in Inexperienced Right-Wing Ideologues

Today, Governor Bruce Rauner issued an amendatory veto of SB1, the state’s first new education funding formula in decades. At issue is Rauner’s objection to what he calls a “Chicago Bailout” – a claim that PolitiFact called “False.” An amendatory veto allows Rauner to make changes to the bill, but those changes have to be accepted or overridden with a super-majority otherwise the bill dies. And should the bill die, schools will not get funding this fall.
With so much on the line, one would think that the Governor and his staff would fully contemplate the consequences of a veto.
Or not. Watch the video here.

REPORTER 1: What makes you think that 3/5ths of the House and 3/5ths of the Senate will agree on any particular thing here?
RAUNER:  Well, uphold – Dave, that’s a great question – upholding my amendatory veto and passing it in concurrence requires a simple majority. Upholding my amendatory veto, supporting the changes I’ve recommended –
REPORTER 2: Democrats say otherwise because of “immediate effects.” Because it needs to take effect immediately. 
RAUNER: So, okay, so, it, ‘cause, upholding it can be simple majority, and frankly they could pass a new bill with exactly the changes this afternoon and I could sign it.
REPORTER 3: They have a supreme court opinion that disagrees with your take on the simple majority.
RAUNER: Okay.
REPORTER 3: Wouldn’t that be something, though that your staff would have found out before you did this? Are you concerned at all that – there’s a big difference between simple majority and 3/5ths and this could all blow up. 

Oops. Maybe it had something to do with the recent staff purge that saw at least 21 people resign or be fired, only to be replaced by inexperienced staffers from a right-wing think tank.
“Today Bruce Rauner soared to new heights of irresponsibility,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “Rauner vetoed a school funding bill for political reasons without even fully understanding the repercussions of his actions. Illinois families were just dragged through a two-year budget crisis exacerbated by Rauner’s veto of the state’s first budget in two years – a crisis was only resolved when Republicans and Democrats joined together to override his veto. Now Bruce Rauner’s failed leadership is putting Illinois schools at risk.”

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