Illinois Governor Rauner, by seizing heating assistance, has become a "domestic terrorist"

According to the FBI:

1. "Domestic terrorism" involves acts dangerous to human life that violate federal or state law.

Theft -- Rauner has seized and redirected funds that were collected on behalf of the poor by utility
companies. Impeding the implementation of a Federal Program -- Rauner has intentionally stopped
millions of Federal dollars that make up half of LIHEAP from being distributed.

2. "Domestic terrorism" involves acts that are intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population.

Holding back millions in heating assistance to the poor has many scared people calling their representatives out
of fear of losing all assistance.

3. "Domestic terrorism" involves acts that are intended to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion

Rather than see their constituents suffer, Democratic legislators are being pressured to concede to
Rauner's demands.

4. "Domestic terrorism" involves acts that are intended to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction,
assassination, or kidnapping.

By holding the well being of the poor in Illinois hostage in order to have his demands met, people are likely to
suffer, die, and in the process property will be destroyed.

Whether you agree that the actions of Governor Bruce Rauner meet the definition of "domestic terrorism" or not, this governor's callousness is about to have real consequences. Winter is coming.

My mom, like tens of thousands of Illinoisans, lives on the Social Security minimum. She called to reapply for LIHEAP (Illinois' Low Income Heating Assistance) this morning and was told that there is no funding for the program this year. Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner has taken the money meant for the poor, that the utility companies annually collect, and plans to use it to pay off part of Illinois' debt. Evidently, since matching funds from the Federal Government are based on the local funding number, the Federal half of LIHEAP is also being held up.

My mom will be around in April. We'll see to that. But how many Illinoisans will go home to find parents or grandparents with frostbitten toes, or sitting in a chair, dead, from a space heater's carbon monoxide? How many kitchen stoves will be left on? How many fires will spread through neighborhoods in the dead of winter, all because of one bastard governor's callousness?

If the country knows what Rauner is doing, it may have an effect. Please help get the word out before restoring funding for this heating season is no longer possible.

Thanks for your attention.