Black Leaders Who Support Gov. Rauner Get Some Pushback In Return
(CBS) – Gov. Bruce Rauner thanked his most prominent African-American supporters Monday and outlined how his policies can revive black communities.
But his black supporters have paid a price, CBS 2 Political Reporter Derrick Blakley reports.
Republican Rauner praised Pastor Corey Brooks, one of his most outspoken black supporters.
The support came at a cost. Brooks' church was burglarized, money was stolen, and he has received death threats.
Other black supporters, like Hermene Hartman, also suffered.
"It had some negative impact, for me, in my business. It was harmful," she says.
Both Brooks and Hartman say they still believe in Rauner's vision of economic growth to benefit black communities.
"Lack of economic opportunity is directly tied to the violence in our communities," Rauner said.
Brooks says he has no regrets and criticizes black legislators in Springfield.
"A lot of people in our community want them to stand for us, and not just stand for Madigan," Brooks says, referring to Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, the political rival of Rauner.
Hartman did not foresee the state budget stalemate and the damage to social services.
"Some of these agencies are going out of business," she says.
She doesn't blame the governor for that?
"I blame all of them for that because they're all responsible. That's their job. Their job is to give us a budget," Hartman says.
Rauner says his pro-business reforms are crucial to making Illinois more attractive to companies and critical to growing jobs.