A diary here that starts off like this
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner pledges to run Illinois government “like a business.” In light of some disturbing facts which have come to light through multiple lawsuits involving Rauner’s former private equity firm, voters had better do their homework into what exactly the catchphrase “like a business” means to Mr. Rauner.
would not attract much attention.
But when the former general counsel of the Illinois Republican Party writes this -- as the lead of a post titled "Rauner's GTCR linked to nursing home deaths and abuse" -- it's going to get noticed.
The gist of Doug Ibendahl's post at Repubican News Watch summarizes legal woes faced by GTCR, the investment firm which Rauner headed until October 2012, when he began his coronat-, er, campaign for the GOP gubernatorial nomination in this November's election.
In a nutshell, after Medicare reimbursement rules changed as a result of the 1997 balanced budget act, Rauner's firm, GTCR, began investing in nursing homes. Ibendahl writes:
GTCR’s foray into the nursing home business might have been good for the bank accounts of Bruce Rauner and his friends. But according to court documents, some elderly residents of those nursing homes paid the ultimate price.
He then details two cases and provides links to them, and more.
Check it out and follow the Prairie State reaction at the always indispensable Capitol Fax Blog. As Rich Miller notes, "This one's gonna sting."