Illinois

Illinois House Speaker's Letter Rebukes Governor's Claims

The Democratic speaker of the Illinois House is upbraiding Gov. Bruce Rauner for comments the governor made about him.

Speaker Michael Madigan wrote the Republican a letter Tuesday. It said Rauner made "false statements" a day earlier that Madigan was blocking sale of the state-owned Thompson Center in Chicago.

Madigan says his staff and Rauner's continue to cooperate on the details. He says Rauner's comments were "disingenuous" and "beneath your office."

The James R. Thompson Center in Chicago's Loop is a government office behemoth that is underutilized as the state payroll has shrunk. Rauner has budgeted $300 million from its sale.

Rauner spokeswoman Eleni Demertzis says Madigan is making more excuses for the inaction that has kept the state from having an annual budget for the past two years.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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