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Rauner Accuses Democrats Of Collaborating On Shutdown

Gov. Bruce Rauner
Brian Mackey
/
NPR Illinois
Gov. Bruce Rauner speaks with reporters in Springfield on Wednesday, March 7, 2017.

Governor Bruce Rauner is accusing three of Illinois’ top Democrats of “coordinating” to shut down state government. All three deny the charge.

Rauner made his accusation in relation to legal disputes with Attorney General Lisa Madigan and Comptroller Susana Mendoza.

Both Democrats are fighting Rauner’s ongoing attempt to pay state workers as he sees fit — even in the absence of a budget.

“And this is clearly part of a ... coordinated pattern between the attorney general, our comptroller, and frankly our speaker, who coordinates it all, to create a crisis and shut down the government,” Rauner told reporters Wednesday.

Mendoza, Lisa Madigan and House Speaker Michael Madigan all deny the accusation.

The speaker's spokesman, Steve Brown, pulled no punches: “It just really sounds like sort of delusional babble.”

Brown says Rauner’s allegation has “no basis in fact."

Brian Mackey formerly reported on state government and politics for NPR Illinois and a dozen other public radio stations across the state. Before that, he was A&E editor at The State Journal-Register and Statehouse bureau chief for the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.
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