CHICAGO (AP) - Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn is taking heat over his running mate’s new job.
Paul Vallas is joining DSI Civic Financial Restructuring, a Chicago-based firm specializing in government restructuring and reorganization.
The company’s CEO is Bill Brandt, whom Quinn re-appointed chairman of the Illinois Finance Authority. State records show Brandt gave Quinn’s campaign $100,000 in December.
John Filan, who was budget director under former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, is the company’s vice president.
Mike Schrimpf is spokesman for Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner. He called the hire a “Blagojevich-style move” - a reference to now-imprisoned ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s pay-to-play politics.
But Brandt told the Chicago Sun-Times (https://bit.ly/1iqodXE) he’s never spoken to Quinn or his staff about Vallas.
Quinn said Monday if Brandt and Vallas want to work together “that’s up to them.”
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