Pubdate: Wed, 24 Sep 2014
Source: Chicago Sun-Times (IL)
Copyright: 2014 Sun-Times Media, LLC
Contact: http://mapinc.org/url/5QwXAJWY
Website: http://www.suntimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/81
Author: Natasha Korecki
Page: 6

RAUNER 'OPEN' TO LIMITING POT OFFENSES

One week after Bruce Rauner said he wouldn't have signed a bill 
supporting medical marijuana in Illinois, the Republican 
gubernatorial candidate on Tuesday said he was "open to the 
discussion" of decriminalizing small amounts of the substance statewide.

When asked about Mayor Rahm Emanuel's proposal to decriminalize 
possession of small amounts of marijuana and reducing to a 
misdemeanor the penalty for possession of one gram or less of any 
controlled substance, Rauner said: "I think we can and should talk 
about ways we can creatively deal with nonviolent offenders. We 
should have that discussion . . . We have a massive failure by Pat 
Quinn to deal with violent criminals."

Did that mean he could be for it?

"I'm open to the discussion," he said. "What we've got to focus on is 
the violent crime that's occurring in our communities. That's what 
we've got to focus on. We've got to prevent it."

Rauner made the remarks in what grew into a combative news conference 
on Tuesday, in which Rauner, appearing alongside New Jersey Gov. 
Chris Christie, was asked about his role with a troubled nursing home chain.

When questions turned to Trans Health Care, a nursing home chain once 
managed by GTCR, which is under scrutiny in Florida bankruptcy court 
this week, Rauner said they were just a distraction orchestrated by Quinn.

On Monday, the Chicago Tribune reported that Rauner minimized his 
role with Trans Health Care, saying a new document that's part of the 
court case indicates Rauner served on the board four years after its 
inception. Rauner is not named as a defendant in the court case, but 
his former firm, GTCR, is.

"This is a distraction from a failed governor who is creating a 
diversion away from his failed administration," Rauner said. "Pat 
Quinn is under criminal federal investigation."

When a reporter pointed out that Rauner was standing next to Gov. 
Christie, whose administration is under federal investigation and 
asked what was the difference, Rauner didn't respond, taking a 
different question.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom