Chicago City Wire

Republican strategist Chris Robling said it’s important to remember that Gov. J.B. Pritzker has not been charged with a crime, much less convicted.

But that doesn’t mean he is not without fault Robling said. He is the founder of Clearspan Strategic LLC with a background in regulatory, finance, media, public and government relations fields and extensive experience in infrastructure, agriculture, water, real estate, pharmaceuticals, petroleum, cybersecurity, education and finance.

A graduate of Georgetown University and the Northwestern University Law School, Robling is a frequent guest on local media outlets. He is known for his wry, incisive commentary and sense of history. He said Pritzker may be under investigation, but he is legally free as sunshine on a July afternoon.

“The governor enjoys a presumption of innocence regarding the investigation that is under way,” Robling told Chicago City Wire. “However, he is clearly guilty of cynically manipulating the state of Illinois to benefit his political supporters, and it’s my hope he’ll be the last Democratic governor put in office by the unions to fleece the taxpayers for a long time.”

Pritzker is under investigation for a $330,000 property tax break he received in 2015 when a second mansion he bought was declared vacant, and the assessment lowered 90 percent. Pritzker, a billionaire, had five toilets taken out of commission to earn the reduced assessment.

It was briefly an issue in the 2018 gubernatorial election, causing Pritzker to pay the money after all. It has floated back to the surface with reports that federal prosecutors are currently demanding communications between Pritzker and the Cook County Assessor’s Office.

This news comes hard in on the heels of investigations that have focused on longtime House Speaker Mike Madigan. Commonwealth Edison pleaded guilty to a single count of bribery and agreed to a $200 million fine for attempting to influence “Public Official A,” identified as the speaker.

On June 24, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago said it is seeking information on the relationship between Madigan and AT&T lobbyists. Madigan has resisted calls to resign, including one from the governor.

Robling, a Republican political strategist and longtime Illinois political analyst and observer, is clearly not a fan of Pritzker, a Democrat elected governor in 2018. He made that clear when asked about a recall effort launched this spring.

“I really know zilch about the recall, except that we have had the worst five governors in history: [George] Ryan, Blago [Rob Blagojevich], [Patrick] Quinn, [Bruce] Rauner and now J.B.,” Robling told Chicago City Wire. “All should [be] expunged.”

In July he said the governor was mishandling the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I await the day when Gov. Pritzker treats Illinoisans as adults who can understand the circumstances of the virus and take appropriate actions to protect themselves and others from the virus,” Robling told Chicago City Wire. “So far the governor acts like he is running a preschool and it is really insulting to the grownups that make Illinois.”

U.S. Attorney John Lausch said there is more dirt to move and more answers to find.

“Our investigation is ongoing” Lausch said. “It’s vibrant and it will continue.”