The Chicago Tribune reports:
Former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell said Thursday he once put in a good word to help win pension business in his state for Bruce Rauner's private equity firm after Rauner donated $300,000 to Rendell's 2002 campaign.
The comments shed new light on a recurring campaign issue for Rauner, the Republican nominee in the governor's race this November, who has repeatedly accused Illinois politicians of creating a culture where campaign cash buys influence and skews policy.
There's more:
Rendell, also a former Philadelphia mayor, said it was during his tenure at the DNC that he came to know Rauner, whom he described as having been a supporter of both former Democratic President Bill Clinton and former Vice President Al Gore. Federal election records show that Rauner made $40,000 in contributions to the DNC in May 2000 while Rendell was at its helm.
Rendell said he launched his campaign for Pennsylvania governor in 2001 and toured the country seeking donations from people who had given to the DNC when he was in charge, including Rauner.
"I saw Bruce, I made my case just based on our friendship and the things that I wanted to do with government," Rendell recalled. "And he said to me, and I'll never forget this … 'Thanks for coming. I've got to go home and talk to my wife.'
"I had spent time with her, not as much time as I'd spent with Bruce. And he called me the next day and said, "We decided we're going to give you $200,000' … which was a lot more than I had hoped for."
Rahm's financial angel, Bruce Rauner.
