Pass the popcorn because this is pure entertainment: An internal email distributed by a Quinn Administration aide reveals a laundry list of lawmakers' gripes, slights and bruised egos in often amusingly specific detail.
The memo, reported by the Pantagraph and posted in full on Capitol Fax, became public after a batch of emails were handed over to a legislative group probing Quinn's botched anti-violence program. In her September 2012 email, Jessica Brushkin, the go-between for the governor and the General Assembly, relayed touchy feedback from five Illinois representatives as well as one senator, Chicago Democat William Delgado, who demanded an apology from Quinn in the name of party solidarity.
Quoth Brushkin: "He wants this to be shared with the Governor: he is tired of the Gov blaming legislators for issues and problems in the state. When he bashes legislators, he is trageting (sic) ALL of them. If Gov. Quinn has issues with certain legislators he should single them out & not blame all of them. Delgado says he is a Democrat, just like Quinn & that they should work together as a team & team members–don’t bash each other."
Here's Brushkin paraphrasing Democratic Rep. Lou Lang: "The Gov’s office had better not think they can negotiate a (gaming) compromise without me at the table, or just Link and Cullerton at the table without me, they are wrong and will not succeed."
And Central Illinois Republican Bill Mitchell: "Rep. Bill Mitchell was upset that the Governor did not invite him (nor Rep. Brown) to events the Governor was at in Decatur. He stated he was only agreeing to listen to the Governor’s point of view on these issues because I requested the meeting. He would not have met with anyone else."
A Quinn staffer jokingly responded that Lang's rant "sounds like something out of The Avengers."
By the way, if you happen to be privy to a funny (or not-so-funny) internal email related to one of Ward Room's political influencers, and if you'd like to see it posted on NBC 5, send us a tip at tips@nbcchicago.com.
