ECWd‘s – State Treasurer
In numerous recent interviews and debate settings, State Treasurer Dan Rutherford has denied there is anything to the allegations of sexual harassment of his employees to include pressure to campaign for him on state time. Even after a federal law suit was filed against him, denial has been the stance. Denial backed with allegations that Bruce Rauner was behind it, without a shred of proof, which he finally admitted during the recent debate in Springfield.
As usual, we did what we do best, filed a Freedom of Information request. We asked for all severance agreements over the last two years and all resignations for the last year.
Someone is lying!
On one hand we have Dan Rutherford with a bully pulpit at his disposal to tell the world he did nothing wrong and he expects people to believe him while at the same time we have him spending tax dollars for an investigation that now he won’t release?
What’s the other side of this that no one has covered?
How about 25 resignations in the last year?
Over half of those happen in the last several months!
I wonder how many other state offices had 25 resignations in such a short time frame, let alone 6 resignation from one office, which was the Unclaimed Property Division?
What was going on in the Unclaimed Property Division?
Granted, some of those resignations appear to be for valid reasons like advancement to another position or simply worked so long it’s time to quit. However, reading the dates and content, it’s pretty clear to anyone with just a tidbit of common sense there was a problem in those offices.
As if the resignations don’t paint a picture of a problem for Dan Rutherford, let’s look at his comments in a recent video interview found here in the second video on the page:
“We will walk away and keep it under wraps- now that smells.”
He chose to attack the person making allegations against him but his comment says a lot about the double standard that is clearly present with Dan Rutherford. He stands before the microphone at his choosing and tells people how something smells because the person claimed that they would walk away and keep it under wraps.
What smells is the agreements we received that Dan Rutherford approved for two employees, which state:
“Callaway & Medina- agrees that she shall keep confidential any and all information relating to treasure, its operations, including its clients, personnel information, and any other confidential information of Treasurer that she acquired or may have acquired while employed by Treasure. The details of this agreement and shall not discuss or reveal to any person or party, other than his attorney, accountant, spouse, or as required by law, without the prior written consent of both Treasurer & Callaway, the terms of this agreement.”
For starters, why on earth is it OK for the State Treasurer to enter into an agreement that outlines the person walks away with certain benefits and must keep it under wraps but it “smells” when someone presents him with a very similar arrangement?
For an administration that claims to be open and transparent, it sure smells!
As an example of how the agreement is about as hypocritical as anything I have seen, how is it that state FOIA law requires such an agreement to be open to the public view, which is how we got this, yet the people signing them can’t discuss the terms of what is in the agreement that you can all read? Does that make any sense to anyone?
Our tax dollars should not be used to suppress information from the public! The only reason to create such an agreement is because someone has something to hide and by all indications its Dan Rutherford, the guy wanting your vote for Governor.
We The People are not stupid so maybe its high time more folks stepped up and share what they know on these matters. There’s a lot of great employees in our state government and many who need to share the truth to expose the ongoing corruption in our system of Illinois Politics.
Consider this a call to action for anyone that knows anything about this scandal. Feel free to use our tip line and let us know the rest of the story and know you can do so in complete confidence that the source will not be disclosed.
7 Comments
JP Kruchten
Posted at 12:03h, 25 February“Someone is lying!” Who? You or the person who filed the lawsuit?
“I wonder how many other state offices had 25 resignations in such a short time frame, let alone 6 resignation from one office, which was the Unclaimed Property Division?” File an FOIA request and find out before you make accusations.
“However, reading the dates and content, it’s pretty clear to anyone with just a tidbit of common sense there was a problem in those offices.” I guess if you’re trying to discredit someone, anyone can find suspicion in anything. A simple non-disclosure smells? Tell that to every soldier and government contractor that had a security clearance, some information just does not need to be made public.
“We The People are not stupid so maybe its high time more folks stepped up and share what they know on these matters.” That’s right and “We The People” can see a politically motivated attack on a good candidate!
“Feel free to use our tip line and let us know the rest of the story and know you can do so in complete confidence that the source will not be disclosed.” You cry for disclosure, then say you won’t disclose your sources? So anyone making up lies is protected by you? What HYPOCRISY!
Still waiting on all the scandals surrounding Bruce Rauner.
Still waiting on all the scandals surrounding Bill Brady.
Give it up ECW, you’ve lost credibility.
jmkraft
Posted at 12:37h, 25 FebruaryDid you even read the resignations? Try page 16 and the last page of the resignations file linked to in the article. You obviously can’t distinguish between a PUBLIC SERVANT and private individuals when it comes to disclosure. Sounds to me like your panties are still in a wad over the outing of your buddy Kevin Garner.
Kirk Allen
Posted at 12:48h, 25 FebruaryJP, reading what you wrote makes my brain hurt. If you have information to support your claims then PLEASE share them. With limited time we cant cover everything but we do cover what what we have documentation on. I have asked you some questions by PM and you refuse to respond? As far as people sending tips, we don’t just run with what they say. They have to be backed up with documents so quit implying we would print lies because we don’t, no matter how hard that is for you to accept. The disclosure relates to actions taking place. People must be protected when they provide that type of information. Who they are doesn’t matter if what they have to provide can be substantiated, which we do all the time. Just like you, if you provided information that was credible, we would not source your on the information if you didn’t want exposed. What smells is not the non disclosure. What smells is that he claimed the one presented to him smells all while using them himself for other employees. Reading comprehension comes easier when you put your emotions on the shelf! Curious as to what “accusations” have been made? Wondering how many other agencies have resignations like that is hardly an accusation. Why don’t you step up and get involved and file a FOIA to the other 30 plus agencies and see what the results are? Are you incapable of a simply FOIA?
Aware n Arcola
Posted at 10:13h, 26 FebruaryI don’t know everything that’s at play here,but JP Kruchten you sound as if you’ve got an axe to grind.The ECWD have been at work here in Arcola and are gaining ground at finding out what is going on in our Township Office.I can vouch for them in the fact that they do not act on here say or unsubstantiated information.They believe as more and more people are coming to understand that in order to fix what is wrong in goverment it must start at the local level.The law applies to everyone not just when it’s convenient,sometimes it’s hard,but it’s still the law.Here in Arcola they are asking for taxpayer funded information through a FOIA,but the Township is fighting it in court rather than releasing the information.The ECWD are asking for that information through FOIA’s,which the Arcola Township will not fully answer.You wrote in your post “You cry for disclosure,then you say you won’t disclose your sources.”There is a reason for that,in a town the size of Arcola repercussions come easy,and that makes it hard for someone to put a name on questions that need asking.So for those of us that want wrong doing to end,the ECWD need to keep asking the questions.As for your claim that they have lost their credibilty,think again.Look around you and read the paper,more and more their is an article about some problem at the local level of goverment.It may not be in your community-yet,but problems do exist.And that’s why we the people need the ECWD.
Mike Casbergen
Posted at 06:19h, 28 FebruaryRutherford’s been playing dirty politics behind the scenes for years. When an elected official takes votes from little old ladies sitting in the pews of his local churches, then turns around and votes for gay rights (so the broke state of Illinois can make tax payers pay for gay partners), that person is using people. Rutherford has used unsuspecting Christians to support the very immorality they preach against in their churches. His home-town Livingston County support comes from Apostolic church members and the like, and it is a sick joke he has played on them. Of course they don’t even know about the joke.
Jefferson defined that kind of forced support as tyranny, and I agree. Rutherford just practices a sophisticated and invisible form of tyranny. I once heard him preaching to a local republican group that he would bring home the bacon so those local politicians who supported him would reap the benefits of more tax money flowing into their communities. He was pay-to-play then and nothing has changed. I never forgot a campaign flyer I got showing he got heavy support from one of the worst gay groups in Chicago, and I believe campaign money was also coming from them. Now his jig looks to be up, and he can shrink away into the disgusting hole from whence he came.
Gary Baxter
Posted at 09:15h, 04 MarchHa Ha ha…….I am glad he’s finally been caught. I had always heard about his proclivities as a whisper campaign….now maybe people will stop giving this loser their votes. He did vote to give gay partners state benefits rights, (HB101), which was nothing but dipping into the tax revenue of this broke state we call Illinois. Bankrupt in money…and bankrupt in moral leadership. No wonder Obama came from Illinois. (Have any of you heard that Obama and Rahm belong to the same gay men’s club in Chicago? Also I hear Rutherford gets a lot of campaign money from the gay lobby in Chicago..which is controlled by the mafia by the way)
Think B4 Voting
Posted at 18:41h, 07 MarchAn official investigation paid for with tax money should not be withheld just because Rutherford has been sued. Why would a tax-paid investigation be sealed up? Only one reason I can think of and that is it must substantiate the claims in the lawsuit (alleged fondling of a man’s gentials, and allegedly requiring this guy to campaign for Rutherford while on the state dime–that one’s a felony if proven I think). Oh what a pickle Rutherford seems to be in. I hope Rutherford’s closet skeletons aren’t the open secret among the GOP leadership as I’ve heard they are. If so, the GOP leaders are guilty of fraud and deception as well by promoting this guy as a legitimate conservative.