June 06--Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner on Monday said Mayor Rahm Emanuel's failure to stand up to Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan and help pass Rauner's economic agenda is the biggest disappointment of his 18 months as Illinois' chief executive.
Emanuel responded by doubling down on his comparison of Rauner to Donald Trump, saying it sounded like the governor is trying to be the running mate of the controversial presumptive Republican presidential nominee.
The back and forth between Rauner and Emanuel continues as the state remains with a budget or an education funding bill following the end of session last week. House and Senate Democrats split on a spending plan, which Rauner already had vowed to veto if it reached his desk.
The prospect of schools throughout much of Illinois not opening on time this fall is raising the pressure on the politicians involved as a triangular blame game unfolds this summer between Rauner's Republicans, Madigan's Democrats and a Chicago mayor ahead of the November legislative elections.
Rauner delivered his critique of Emanuel while speaking to reporters after touring the 1871 tech hub in Chicago.
"If I have one major disappointment in the last 18 months, it's with the mayor. And that's not -- people say oh, it's personal and you guys hate each other. We're friends. We're always going to be friends. You can separate friendship from what's good public policy," Rauner said. "The mayor has stayed behind the speaker and supported the speaker's position when the mayor should be fighting."
The governor then listed elements of his much-disputed legislative agenda, including pro-employer changes to the state's worker compensation system, scaling back collective bargaining rights in local government contract negotiations and a state worker pension proposal.
"(Emanuel) is not fighting, advocating for it with the working groups. It's my single major disappointment. And it's not personal, and it's not personal attacks. It's just where we are. We've got to stand up."
Emanuel, who toured 1871 on Monday morning after Rauner had left, then delivered his Trump vice presidential jab.
"Last week, I said his rhetoric of division and divisiveness, of targeting one community against another or one group of people against another, was Trump-like," Emanuel said. "Now it sounds like he's auditioning to be Donald Trump's running mate. And I would just say to him that this is not about right-wing ideology, it's about results."
The latest Trump comparison came after the mayor last week suggested both of the wealthy businessmen-turned-politicians use a "playbook of demonizing one group of people for his political advantage."
Hours later, Rauner responded in kind, comparing Emanuel to one of his top political foils, Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis, who is known for her cutting political nicknames.
kgeiger@tribpub.com
