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* Tribune
Ken Griffin, in a billionaire battle with Gov. J.B. Pritzker over the governor’s effort to switch Illinois to a graduated-rate income tax system, pumped another $7 million of his wealth to oppose it, state campaign finance reports showed Friday.
Griffin, the founder and CEO of Citadel, a Chicago-based hedge fund and investment firm, has now given $53.75 million to the Coalition to Stop the Proposed Tax Hike group, which is opposed to Pritzker’s signature agenda item — a proposed state constitutional amendment on the Nov. 3 ballot to move Illinois from a flat-rate income tax to a graduated-rate income tax that increases the levy along with income. […]
Griffin, regarded as Illinois’ wealthiest person, is worth $15 billion, according to Forbes. Pritzker, an heir to the Hyatt Hotel fortune, is worth $3.4 billion, according to Forbes. Pritzker has put $56.5 million into the Vote Yes for Fairness group backing the proposed amendment.
Griffin’s donation, which the group received Wednesday but wasn’t reported until Friday, came as he launched a personal attack on Pritzker and Democrats. He called Pritzker “a shameless master of personal tax avoidance” in an email to his Chicago employees on Thursday.
* One Illinois…
[Chris Mooney of the Institute of Government and Public Affairs] suggested that Griffin could potentially be using his huge contributions on these hot-button issues to raise his political profile for a run against Gov. Pritzker in a battle of billionaires. “It seems very unlikely, especially after the experience of the Rauner administration,” he said, adding that Griffin would likely be labeled “Rauner II.”
“On the other hand,” Mooney said, “hubris is a very powerful force for the superrich, as it is for a lot of people. So who knows. Maybe he’s going to do it anyway and see what happens.”
* The Question: In your opinion, will he run? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please…
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 3:38 am
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No way. He’s just not that much a people person. He’d rather fund them than run himself.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 3:46 am
“In your opinion, will he run?”
No. It’s much more fun — and much less likely to be personally humiliating — to fancy ones-self a king maker than to step into the arena.
– MrJM
Comment by @misterjayem Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 5:48 am
No, it’s much more convenient to take shots from the sidelines……another Rauner for sure
Comment by former state employee Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 6:59 am
No. Griffin is Illinois’ Koch brother. Being an anti-tax billionaire who fought to avoid paying a little more tax and to cut the poorest would be a terrible image.
Comment by Grandson of Man Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 7:31 am
No, the oppo research would be a gold mine.
Comment by Pyrman Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 7:45 am
I voted no for most of reasons listed above. better to pull strings than actually have to do anything. I do wish though he would run with Proft as his lieutenant and rest of eastern block and finally be humiliated and move to Mississippi
Comment by DuPage Saint Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 8:18 am
No, it is so much easier and more fun to snipe from the outside with no responsibility.
Comment by Bruce( no not him) Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 8:19 am
Voted “no”
The main reason is what happen in 2013, when Uihlein and Griffin “convinced” Rauner to run, and they supported Rauner thru the Rauner years, sure, but the goal of other rich folks is to find the most ego driven and foolishly led by that ego to run, and let that person (Rauner) be publicly humiliated in the end.
Did Griffin or Uihlein lose by the largest margin by a sitting Republican Governor in 100 years? Did Griffin or Uihlein *need* to leave Illinois after a humiliation, need to ask 4 people to run in their place to avoid that personal humiliation?
Egos are fragile.
It’s easier to convince someone to eventually face humiliation by helping them win then put your own name on a ballot.
Wait till Ricketts is framed as one with bigoted and angry views of people, and the brand of the Cubs gets dragged because of it. Will Ricketts realize the trap Rauner walked into? Griffin “helping” Rauner last time and basically “sitting” out Illinois state house races and donations (while putting tens of millions on the Fair Tax defeat, boy, I bet Durkin and Brady woulda loved $40+ million for their races… but I digress) Griffin knows… donate and get a museum named after you… get an ego-driven, fool-hearted, wealthy soul to take the personal hit of campaigning.
Voted “no”
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 8:31 am
I don’t think he’ll run for Governor. But I do think he’ll put his money where his mouth is IF the Repubs are smart enough to nominate a respectable candidate. And I think it might make a difference in a year like 2022….especially if Gov Pritzker fails to get the progressive income tax passed.
Comment by McGuppin Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 8:34 am
No. Griffin learned everything he could possibly need to know about holding public office from Bruce Rauner. And given everything we know about Griffin at this point there’s no way he could reinvent himself to look like anything other than Bruce Rauner. He’d be far more successful finding another empty Carhart jacket with less name recognition that he can bankroll.
Comment by Pundent Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 8:37 am
Griffin will not run. He doesn’t need to run to dictate the future of this state when he has that much money to throw at misleading campaign commercials against politicians or policies he doesn’t like.
It’s too bad the Cult of Madigan in the IL Dem establishment is too cowed to send MJM packing.
Would be nice if we had an IL Dem Party that could make taking money from Ken Griffin have political costs the way taking money from the IL Dem Party now has for its candidates thanks to MJM.
Comment by hisgirlfriday Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 8:42 am
No. Governing is too close to actual work.
Comment by Cheryl44 Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 8:44 am
==No. Governing is too close to actual work.==’
You do realize you’re comparing one guy who inherited his fortune with another who built his, right? I’m pretty sure Ken Griffin is familiar with the concept of “work”.
Comment by A Guy Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 8:56 am
No, but he’ll hire someone to run for him.
Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 9:02 am
Voted no. Who in the heck would want that job?
Comment by Flat Bed Ford Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 9:03 am
No, but he will hire a mercenary/proxy to do his dirty work.
It is really sad that the ultra wealthy cannot pay a little more when they have benefitted so much from our governmental system. Especially those in the financial sector. Especially.
Comment by JS Mill Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 9:17 am
Yep.
While never underestimating the ego of the ultra-rich, I think he has surrounded himself with enough sycophants to convice him he’d be a shoe-in.
Comment by Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 9:18 am
Voted No. I can’t see Griffin traveling the state in an RV. Him giving a speech in Vienna talking about how he visited Vienna, Austria and saw the Opera would be hilarious.
Griffin is smart and has money, I think he will back a competent candidate come 2022. My guess would be Jason Barickman, but he might need to be wined and dined to run for governor.
Comment by Almost the weekend Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 9:25 am
No, he’s smart enough to realize it’s better to be the guy behind the scenes. He’ll try to convince someone else to do it.
Comment by CubsFan16 Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 9:37 am
I had voted yes, but having read everyone’s responses before offering my explanation, I’m swayed.
That said. Griffin might have inclination to run because the field is barren. Of course, Jeanne will likely throw her hat in the ring immediately after being crushed next week.
Comment by AlfondoGonz Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 9:39 am
Hot Taeks
=It depends on whether Ken Griffin is too scared to be exposed for his connections to Dennis Hastert and Jeffrey Epstein=
You have anything to back that assertion?
Comment by RWP Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 9:40 am
To the question:
Nope. For all the reasons listed. He saw how it went with Rauner; he will not want a repeat.
Comment by RWP Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 9:43 am
No- so far his personal life has been what he dictated through his company and selected pr folks. Once you run for office, disgruntled employees come forward, your divorce papers get opened up etc etc etc
Rich folks don’t like the mediocre of society knowing about their life.
Comment by Frank talks Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 9:43 am
Voted no. In the words of Logan Roy in Succession “Not to be crude about it, but politics is what comes out the a**hole. Wouldn’t you rather be up front, feeding the horse?”
Comment by AD Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 9:55 am
He literally would not be able to do it.
Comment by Ok Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 10:03 am
Agree with everyone saying he’ll hire someone to do it for him. At this level of wealth, it’s like hiring someone to wait in line for you. He’s not down for the icky but will hire someone to do it. Probably not you though, Bailey. Sorry.
Comment by Universal DH Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 10:05 am
Todd Ricketts is the more likely plutocrat of the cycle.
Comment by Rich Hill Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 10:24 am
I’m going to be a contrarian and say he will run. The last decade we’ve seen lots of wealthy people try to gain office to try to directly control things instead of working from behind the scenes. Some have even succeeded in gaining office; here in Illinois Rauner immediately comes to mind.
Comment by RNUG Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 10:25 am
“Todd Ricketts is more likely”
Man, I’d love to see the die hard conservatives/Cardinals’ fans have to vote for the owner of the Cubs for gov.
Comment by Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 10:26 am
Does Griffin fund Dillard?
Comment by Eire17 Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 10:27 am
Just remembered this dude had a wedding at the Palace of Versailles.
Seems like a colorful detail tailor-made to include in mail pieces or campaign ads that this is the guy bankrolling the misleading fair tax commercials.
Why have the Dems failed to do this? Just to protect JB from rebound attacks?
Comment by hisgirlfriday Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 10:35 am
Voted no. He probably doesn’t think it’s worth the effort. It would be incredibly difficult to fix this state. The decisions necessary will be very unpopular. Why work yourself to the bone to be despised?
Comment by SSL Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 10:37 am
Thinkin’ Griffy runs for nothing except the next mansion. Too many silly art buys, gal pals and on and on. Had not heard about Epstein…but Jeffrey did love big givers. Griffy found from Rauner that a gov had to actually do stuff rather than just race around IL while ISP showed high speed driving school talents
Comment by Annonin' Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 10:43 am
I bet Bailey hasn’t been this concerned about a Capitol Fax story ever. He just knows in his heart is the messiah preparing to lead his people to the promise land.
Comment by South Paw Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 10:49 am
I’m a Cardinal fan and I would vote for Ricketts in a second.
Griffin much more likely to relocate to another state than run for governor
Comment by Petey L. Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 11:07 am
If Madigan is still Speaker then Griffin runs for Governor.
If JB leads in removing Madigan then Griffin doesn’t run.
Comment by Frumpy White Guy Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 11:08 am
No. Having earned his own money rather than inheriting billions, Griffen has nothing to prove to anybody self-worth-wise. JB did want to be called governor. I wonder how much he now regrets that idea.
Comment by Responsa Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 11:12 am
Nope. Griffin saw what happened to Rauner. It’s much better to have power without responsibility.
Comment by Montrose Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 11:15 am
He will not run for Illinois Governor, ever. He will run for the Florida border, however.
Within 6 months, Mr. Griffin will no longer be an Illinois citizen. He will make a big splash about leaving and save for those charities he supports, no one will miss him.
Comment by Colin O'Scopy Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 11:15 am
No one will miss him?
He is the richest person in Illinois and if he leaves Illinois will definitely miss the taxes he and Citadel pays.
Comment by Lucky Pierre Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 11:20 am
Griffin could run a Rauner 2.0 campaign and outspend Pritzker 3 or 4 to 1. The guy prints a billion dollars a year…
Comment by northside reformer Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 11:22 am
=== I would vote for Ricketts in a second.===
Good to know, - Petey L -, supporting someone with known overt racist thoughts. Thanks for letting me know.
If Griffin leaves, he leaves. Kowtowing to a man willing to fork out $40+ million to not pay taxes… hmm.
Tough for a political party to have outside money deciding it’s about their own wealth and not the betterment of society.
Like Rauner, you can donate to charity and still be a person willing to hurt people for an agenda that is designed to hurt even *more* people.
It’s like Bruce hurting The Ounce of Prevention… and Diana Rauner… needed the Pritzker Family and the Pritzker Foundations to bail out The Ounce from Diana’s husband.
Griffin leaves, he leaves.
Bruce was more harm to social services than any number of nickels and dimes he donated to them.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 11:24 am
==Man, I’d love to see the die hard conservatives/Cardinals’ fans have to vote for the owner of the Cubs for gov.==
McCann in ‘22?
Comment by Chatham Resident Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 11:31 am
No.
He’s got better ways to spend his time.
And, he doesn’t seem to have the need to stroke his ego like some billionaires.
Comment by OOO Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 11:31 am
No. Who in their right mind would *want* to run Illinois?
Comment by Nobody In Particular Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 11:41 am
Sharp enough to know he does not need the headache.
Comment by Touré's Latte Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 12:01 pm
==No. Who in their right mind would *want* to run Illinois?==
Sounds like some of those press conference reporters during the Governor’s COVID pressers seem like they want to run the state themselves. Based on the questions they ask.
Maybe some of them could run for Governor.
Comment by Chatham Resident Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 12:34 pm
I would be surprised if he ran. He remains successful and busy with work and has the option of creating some downtime for family. Running for Governor is a full-time commitment for an entire year, and he knows Illinois will be a tough state for a Republican to win, especially against a popular incumbent.
Comment by James Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 12:45 pm
I’d gladly vote in advance for his opponent today, should he decide to take the leap.
Comment by Keith Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 12:52 pm
Voted No. he’s already picked Shemp to be the next victim.
Comment by Blue Dog Dem Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 1:01 pm
Voted yes but have been swayed by comments here. I still think hubris will prevail. He will definitely bankroll another loser to run for Govenor if he doens’t run.
Comment by Froganon Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 1:35 pm
Yes…because the ultrarich need better representation and more influence….as He has publicly stated.
Comment by Dotnonymous Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 2:02 pm
After the disastrous governing of Bruce Rauner still fresh in people’s minds, it is unlikely he would even try. More likely he will continue this role of backing candidates.
Comment by MrGrassroots Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 2:37 pm
For the Griffin is going to locate to (fill in the blank) crowd, what the heck is stopping him?
Can’t afford a U-Haul?
Comment by Flying Elvis'-Utah Chapter Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 2:49 pm
=For the Griffin is going to locate to (fill in the blank) crowd, what the heck is stopping him?
Can’t afford a U-Haul?=
He’s waiting for the Fort Lauderdale office build-out to conclude. Fire up that G-6.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 3:35 pm
Please run, Ken. Please run.
Comment by Shytown Monday, Oct 26, 20 @ 3:42 pm