Meeks, Brooks, Bill Daley Join Rauner's Transition Team

By Chuck Sudo in News on Nov 6, 2014 10:40PM

In his first public appearance since winning the election Tuesday, Illinois Gov.-elect Bruce Rauner announced a transition team flush with heavy hitters and power brokers, as well as a new slogan of bipartisanship he hopes will serve as a balm for the wounds of a nasty campaign.

Rauner added former White House Chief of Staff and Commerce Secretary Bill Daley, former Gov. Jim Edgar, the Rev. James Meeks, so-called “rooftop pastor” Corey Brooks, Caterpillar CEO Doug Oberhelman, attorney Manny Sanchez, U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock and former congressman and gubernatorial candidate Glenn Poshard to his transition team, which is headed by Lt. Gov.-elect Evelyn Sanguinetti.

Rauner thanked Gov. Pat Quinn for agreeing to help with the transition and said he hoped Quinn and the state Legislature would not use the upcoming lame duck session in Springfield to push through a minimum wage increase and other agenda items. “My position on the minimum wage is very clear,” Rauner said (is it?), adding any raise in the wage should be part of a more comprehensive reform package involving changes to workers' compensation, tax and tort reform. Rauner promised a transparent transition process, including disclosing and capping donations to the effort. (That last note is ironic, given the $27.6 million of his own money he donated to his campaign.)

Daley said he was “thrilled” Rauner asked him to be part of the team.

"Bruce's love for Illinois and his competitive drive can make it great once again, the second to none," Daley said.

Rauner hammered home his new slogan of being “compassionate and competitive” while stressing “I believe we have a mandate to provide bipartisan solutions.”

[Tribune, Sun-Times]