Two hours after posting about the mysterious Dillard letter resigning as Illinois Chairman of the American Legislative Exchange Council, it arrived from Dillard’s office in my email
The letter is a stunning rejection of all that ALEC stands for and the anti-union work Dillard has engaged in these past years.
Kidding.
It just says he didn’t have enough time to do ALEC’s work and run for governor.
October 24, 2013
Ron Scheberle
Executive Director
American Legislative Exchange Council
2900 Crystal Drive, 6th Floor
Arlington, VA 22202
Dear Mr. Scheberle:
As you know, I am currently in a hotly contended race for the Republican nomination for
Governor in Illinois.
The demand on my time has been even greater than when I ran in 2010. As a result, I
have to admit I just don’t have time for everything. I cannot reduce my commitment to
my family or my legislative duties. And, my senatorial career will end next year.
I am therefore resigning as Public Sector Co-chair of ALEC. I will assist in identifying as
Co-chair to work with Representative Reis.
Sincerely,
Kirk Dillard
Illinois State Senator- 24th District
cc: The Honorable David Reis
The Honorable Renee Kosel
Ray Drake
Zack Stamp
Fred Klonsky 
I’d like to say unbelievable, but unfortunately it is.
I also worry that if the courts find in our favor that the next step is a constitutional amendment negating our protected pensions.
Not having Dillard co chair anything is really not much of a loss.
Is my reading comprehension off today? This doesn’t say a thing about resigning from ALEC. It says he’s resigning as “Public Sector Co-Chair”.
Dienne, my sentiments exactly. Of course Dillard says nothing about being opposed to ALEC’s tenets so I’m assuming he’s still out to screw state pensioners and state employees in general.
I’ll write more about this tomorrow. But this isn’t so much about Dillard who is what he is. It’s about the IEA leadership which made much about “the letter” when I said he was Illinois ALEC chair. So he quit. But he made no political break. So, again, what does this say about the IEA leadership?
Fred I’ll send you an email resigning from ALEC also! Don’t expect to see a hard copy on file anywhere. I may have given one to the IEA leadership, go check.
“I am therefore resigning as Public Sector Co-Chair of ALEC,” Wait, what? Isn’t he the ILLINOIS CHAIRMAN of ALEC? Seems like this is not the same job, so it would appear that he is STILL the Illinois Chairman of ALEC. And what’s up with, “I will assist in identifying as co-chair to work with Rep. Reis.” Tsk tsk, what kind of English is this? It seems that Dillard is offering to help identify a NEW co-chair, not “assist in identifying as co-chair.” And, still, nothing about the “resigned” job in question, that of ILLINOIS CHAIRMAN of ALEC?
Of course, perhaps, Dillard had TWO jobs–one of “Public Sector Co-Chair” (whatever the #@% THAT is) AND ILLINOIS CHAIRMAN of ALEC (which, according to this letter, was NOT the ALEC job resigned. Usually, I wouldn’t use this phrase, but this so-called “resignation” letter just begs for a WTF?!
Fred, I eagerly await your follow-up post on the 21st!
There is not a single Illinois Chairman of ALEC. Dillard was always the Public Sector Co-Chair, along with Representative Reis. The state has four co-chairs. Two are elected legislators. Two are private sector people. The self-defined role of ALEC is to bring state legislators and corporate representatives together to create state level legislation that serves their anti-worker, conservative agenda. And so they created this co-chairmenship.
But you are right. Dillard does not resign from ALEC in this letter. He did not politically break with ALEC. He resigned over the issue of time. He offered to help find a replacement to work with Rep. Reis.