Term limit measure blocked by judge for November ballot

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A Cook County judge has blocked an attempt to get a term limit measure on the November ballot, marking a setback for Republican governor candidate Bruce Rauner.

Rauner told reporters that after spending his own money to collect nearly 600,000 signatures, he will not give up the fight to impose term limits on state lawmakers.

"Folks should serve as public servants and leave office after eight years," he said.

But Judge Mary Mikva wrote that Rauner's term limits plan and a separate amendment to change how legislative districts are drawn violated a portion of the Constitution, which says any "initiative must be limited to structural and procedural subjects."

Gov. Pat Quinn, a long-time term limits supporter, opposed Rauner's plan because it also would change the House and Senate sizes and increase the number of votes needed to override a governor's veto.

"We are going to pursue appeals," Rauner said. "We'll appeal all the way to the Supreme Court."

Rauner also took questions for the first time since the Chicago Public Schools inspector general revealed that Rauner's daughter, who grew up in Winnetka and went to elementary school there, was admitted to the highly-touted Walter Payton Magnet School in the city despite not meeting the required test score.

"She tested well, but not well enough to meet Payton standards," said James Sullivan, CPS Inspector General.

Rauner repeated his denial that he "clouted" his daughter into the school.

"She was admitted under the discretionary program that they had in place at the time," he said.

The Quinn campaign inferred Thursday that Rauner, who later donated $250,000 to Payton, is not telling the truth. Rauner wrote the whole controversy off to politics.

"I do know that this is a distraction that Quinn and his allies are trying to create," Rauner said.

Rauner said the governor is trying to deflect attention from investigations into the Quinn administration handling of a botched 2010 anti-violence program.

Rauner said he could not comment on Sullivan's motivation or connections.