Rauner makes $1M deposit promised to South Side credit union

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Republican candidate for governor Bruce Rauner made good on a promise to deposit $1 million in a South Side credit union for small business loans.

Rauner arrived in his 20-year-old Volkswagen van. At the teller's window he made a $200,000 donation and an $800,000 deposit to help the African American-owned credit union make small business loans.

"I would have done what we've done today irrespective of the campaign," Rauner said.

But a Democratic governor's association spokeswoman cynically wondered otherwise.

"Is he the kind of person who would rather buy votes in the community as opposed to being here all along?" said Rikeesha Phelon of the Democratic Governor's Association.

And Gov. Pat Quinn, who says he has campaign money deposited in South Side banks, says there is more to it than money.

"I think it's good to make investments," Quinn said. "The bottom line, though, is what are your policies."

Quinn, who won an overwhelming majority of black voters in 2010, has bought radio commercials on the fact that Rauner's investment firm had no African American employees.

"Zero employees out of 51. So Bruce Rauner, if you're listening. Did you really think no one would ever find out?" the ad says.

The Republican nominee cited he and his wife's past contribution to a historically black college and other social services agencies on the city's South Side.

And on another topic, Rauner said Quinn had not - as promised - fired political cronies, or so-called "special assistants," at the Illinois Department of Transportation.

"Who's he protecting, what's he hiding, he should follow through," Rauner said.

"I'll ask the secretary to review that to determine if anyone who had the title in the past went and got another position," Quinn said.

Back at the credit union, ABC7 asked community activist Otis Monroe if he was more likely to vote for Rauner after the multi-millionaire made good on his promise.

"Black businesses that are struggling and are used to hearing no from mainstream financial institutions will take note of today's investment by Mr. Rauner," Monroe said.