Giannoulias chief of staff gearing up to replace treasurer if he wins Senate nod

Giannoulias chief of staff gearing up to replace treasurer if he wins Senate nod
BY LAURA WASHINGTON
Copyright by The Chicago Sun-Times
May 4, 2009
http://www.suntimes.com/news/washington/1556478,CST-EDT-laura04.article


She's 53, an African American from the south suburbs by way of Harlem. He's 33, Greek-American, a North Sider to the manor born. Illinois' latest political odd couple is concocting a spicy dish of Moussaka and collard greens.
Illinois Treasurer and FOB (Friend of Barack) Alexi Giannoulias wants to run as the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2010. If he goes for it (he will), Robin Kelly, Giannoulias' chief of staff and a former state legislator, is gearing up to replace him as treasurer.

The unconventional combo got hitched in an unlikely campaign. In 2006 Kelly volunteered for work in the Giannoulias bid for treasurer. At that time, she was a well-established state representative from Matteson, he a little-known community banker barely out of his 20s. Still, both had worked on Obama campaigns and friends talked him up, Kelly recalled. They said the magic words: " 'He's Obama-like and Robin-like, and I said, 'OK, OK, OK.' "

She went to Giannoulias' campaign kickoff. "That's how we met, and I jumped on board the train." Kelly knocked on south suburban doors and shook frozen hands at downtown Metra stops. "I wasn't in the trenches, I was in the mud," she laughed. "People call me the 'train lady.' "

Their warm rapport was evident over a recent lunch of acorn squash soup and a chicken focaccia sandwich at 312. After Giannoulias' hard-won victory, he fiercely recruited Kelly to join his office as chief of staff. She fiercely resisted. "He called me for three weeks -- many times." She had more work to do in the Legislature. A major goal: to bring more attention and resources to the south suburbs, which she calls the "stepchild" of the Chicago region.

After extracting some promises, she bought in. "I asked that he be the treasurer for the whole state of Illinois and that we be visible and accessible for everyone. He said that we would really be partners."

Across the table, Giannoulias nodded between glances at his Blackberry.

Now the treasury twosome is plotting 2010 runs on their record: They opened five satellite offices around the state; moved the sale of unclaimed property to eBay, corralling thousands in new dollars; boosted the proportion of the office's minority staff from 13 percent to 24 percent; overhauled Illinois' Bright Start College Savings Program; and other reforms.

Some dark clouds are hovering over Bright Start. Republican critics are calling for an investigation and have rolled out TV ads attacking Giannoulias for a decision that led to an $85 million loss last year. Oppenheimer Funds, which the treasurer tapped to invest the $2 billion in Bright Start cash, turned around and invested in some risky business, including those notorious mortgage-backed securities. Giannoulias' critics say he should have known better.

Illinois has sued Oppenheimer to recoup the funds and is in settlement talks, along with several other states around the nation. Giannoulias and Kelly won't comment much. "Four states were in the office negotiating with Oppenheimer yesterday," Giannoulias noted, adding "when all is said and done, we feel we have acted in the most responsible manner."

Kelly's got a lot more mud to slog through. If she prevails in 2010, she would become Illinois' first African-American treasurer.

She'll need to consolidate the black vote and tap into her boss' star power and fund-raising prowess. African-American support could also be pivotal in Giannoulias' Senate primary bid.

The 312 lunch was aimed as a pitch for Kelly, but Giannoulias was the prevailing topic.

The low-key Kelly must ratchet up her profile while competing for attention with higher-profile, up-ballot races like governor and Senate. Her biggest challenge: how to ride the Giannoulias train without ending up in the caboose.