Rauner Critical Of Quinn's Choice For Ag Director

Republican candidate for governor Bruce Rauner is criticizing Gov. Pat Quinn's agriculture director.
 
Lee Enterprises Newspapers' Springfield bureau reports that Rauner did not mention Bob Flider by name in outlining his agriculture plans. But he said the agency's director must ``have first-hand farming
experience.''
 
Flider was named director of agriculture after he lost a 2010 re-election race
for the Illinois House. He then voted for Quinn's 67 percent income-tax increase
after earlier opposing it.
 
Flider argued in his November 2012 Senate confirmation hearings that he isn't a
farmer but represented a farm-rich district and the Decatur headquarters of
processing giant Archer Daniels Midland Co.
 
Rauner spokesman Mike Schrimpf says the ag post might be the only one in
Rauner's cabinet with a vocational requirement.