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Riopell: Lieutenant governor from Wheaton there to help Rauner

Republican Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti said she plans to be heavily involved in Gov. Bruce Rauner's administration in a way recent running mates haven't been.

The former Wheaton City Council member says she's working to help Rauner and his staff pick top agency officials as the new governor keeps working to fill out his administration.

“I made it very clear that I wanted to work alongside him. I see the lieutenant governor's role as kind of an understudy,” Sanguinetti said. “I should be able to hit the ground running and lead the state. And how could I do that unless I'm working alongside Bruce Rauner?”

Helping will include traveling the state, Sanguinetti said, while she remains based in her home of Wheaton. She said she wants to visit all of Illinois' 102 counties in the next year, perhaps even staying in Hayes House, the little-known governor's residence in southern Illinois.

“Wherever he can't be, I'm there delivering the same message,” Sanguinetti said.

She said she's not yet ready to unveil what her top priorities outside of Rauner's will be. She said it could be health, as she has multiple sclerosis. “I do not know what my pet project will be,” she said.

Wheaton south

“I often times, as I travel the state, tell everyone to close their eyes and imagine what it would be like if the state of Illinois could be Triple-A bond rated,” Sanguinetti said. “Well, we did it in DuPage County. We did it in Wheaton, and I hope to bring that to the state of Illinois.”

COD troubles

I asked about the big DuPage County news of the moment, College of DuPage President Robert Breuder's $762,868 severance package.

Sanguinetti said the COD board is going through its own process.

“I'm keeping a close ear on the outcome of everything,” she said. “That said, I look forward to meeting with Reps. (Peter) Breen and Jeanne Ives so that the College of DuPage can deliver all that it can to its residents. Other than that, we have no opinions because they do have their own process in place.”

Republicans Breen and Ives are among lawmakers who have sharply criticized the COD board for the retirement deal.

He's back

Following his GOP primary loss for U.S. Senate to Jim Oberweis last spring, businessman Doug Truax of Downers Grove announced this week he's launching a conservative political action committee to help “high-level federal candidates” in coming elections.

Truax, 44, said he's lined up key donors to get the committee, Restoration Action, started, but he doesn't list them. The group will rate candidates, as well.

“As a candidate, my objective was to help change the direction of the country,” he said in a statement. “By forming Restoration Action and Restoration PAC, I have the same objective. Our country has steered off course and we need to right the ship.”

Speculation station

The move sparked at least some speculation that Truax's efforts to remain involved in federal-level politics could mean a 2016 primary challenge to U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, a Highland Park Republican.

Truax was asked by Illinois Watchdog Radio Thursday if he's preparing for a run.

“No,” Truax said. “No, I'm not. That's not my intention.”

Honoring McBride

U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, a Naperville Democrat, took to the House floor this week to honor the memory of former DuPage County Board member Jerry McBride, who died in October from cancer.

“J.R. was an equal opportunity listener — and a friend — to Republicans and Democrats alike,” Foster said. “He knew the importance of cooperation and compromise. Of humor, and humanity. He saw in his fellow public servants the common aspiration to do what is right for the people that we have been elected to represent.”

Truth in lobbying?

Cook County Clerk David Orr released his annual tally of lobbying activity in Cook County.

He says lobbyists were paid more than $2.4 million in 2014 to lobby county officials.

That's a little less than 2013, and the contacts lobbyists made with officials dropped more sharply, to 814 from 1,276.

Orr isn't buying that.

He said lobbyists should have to report on their activities more often.

“I suspect the level of lobbying activity didn't slow, and I question it when no lobbying is reported on big money contracts,” Orr said. “Reporting every six months isn't enough. Real-time reporting of lobbying activity should be required, rather than just twice a year.”

Hultgren fighting human trafficking

U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren, a Plano Republican, has introduced legislation that says if a country's government doesn't move to restrict or ban prostitution, the United States would be of the opinion that the country isn't doing enough to fight human trafficking.

“Many nations have worked hard to combat the exploitation of human lives for profit, but fighting human trafficking doesn't stop at targeting the commercial sex enterprise itself,” Hultgren said.

“Where commercial sex abounds, the sex trade flourishes.”

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