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Topinka slammed on money
Monday, Aug 7, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller This is pretty much the same thing that happened to Glenn Poshard in 1998. Reporters and editors feel the need to balance out negative coverage of one candidate with negative coverage of the other. And everyone enjoys knocking a self-proclaimed reform off his/her pedestal (just ask Gov. Blagojevich). So, Poshard was regularly portrayed as a hypocrite on campaign finance because he “violated” his own campaign contribution limits even though it was George Ryan who was the real crook. The key message of Republican Judy Baar Topinka’s campaign for governor is that the Democratic incumbent has allowed political money to corrupt his administration and dictate who gets state jobs and contracts. Meanwhle, Finke had some harsh words for the Topinka campaign. Instead of just hammering away at why Blagojevich’s campaign needs to spend $700,000 on legal fees, Topinka asked why Blagojevich was spending the money on “George Ryan’s law firm.” That allowed the Blagojevich campaign to basically issue a “look who’s talking” response, since Topinka took money from Winston and Strawn attorneys. And why Topinka would even want to raise Ryan’s name - after all the shots she’s taken from Blagojevich about her and Ryan being practically joined at the hip - is anyone’s guess. Meanwhile, the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform looked at large campaign contributions ($10K and up). Gov. Blagojevich reported $6.7 million in receipts in the first half of the year. Of that, at least $4.2 million came from large donors — 64% of his total take. About a fifth of his haul came from donors who gave more than $100,000. His Republican opponent, Judy Baar Topinka, reported $3.4 million in receipts, of which 42% came from large donors. Chuck Sweeny asked Topinka about the fundraising gap. “I’d like more money, but never do I want so much money that I’m willing to compromise my principles. We do not seek money in exchange for favors given,†Topinka said from the deck at Cliffbreakers.
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- Squideshi - Monday, Aug 7, 06 @ 8:03 am:
If Topinka was really worried about the corrupting influence of campaign contributions, she would refuse all money from corporations, exactly as Rich Whitney, the Green Party candidate, is doing.
- anon - Monday, Aug 7, 06 @ 8:27 am:
Unforunately, Squideshi, Topinka doesn’t know any other way. She’s a repub hack and has fed off the troth for years; she said nothing of the well known corruption during the Ryan era et al. I guess she’s been “born again.”?
- argoNOT - Monday, Aug 7, 06 @ 8:43 am:
to brian mcfadden:
You better have some nuclear material and I mean absolutely destructive or we are going to lose respect for you. He can spend 871k per week and you are standing there with nothing. no message, no money, no staff, no ability to gain momentum and no help from your handlers (BK and cousin BC). What the heck did they tell you? They have to be the best two liars on earth. Promises, promises but all that seems to happen is they get richer on the chess game and we all take from behind. Look at maynard. Fights the good fight for 20 years as Mrs. BC lapdog in “her baby” agency and then under the bus. Brian, for god sakes get out of this racket. You are way to smart to be treated like a common drone. Cini and Monk are going up river like scott, just like scott, so lose the shovel and tell them all to go to hell. Ask Carter for the truth and advice because unless you are holding that wmd you need a plan. You could change things. We are all so sick of the good old boy network, which through you, these power addicted freaks are sticking it to another generation. There is nobody left to help brian because they are all in a constant state of vacation spending all the money so many people who read this blog made for them over all these quickly passing years.
- HANKSTER - Monday, Aug 7, 06 @ 10:17 am:
Maybe if Topinka had some policy plans she could promote those as opposed to attacking the Governor for things that she could easily be attacked for as well. Topinka and Roskam are running two of the weakest campiagns of the season.
- Cassandra - Monday, Aug 7, 06 @ 10:21 am:
The larger donors are betting that Blago will win and want to make sure they are first in line for lucrative contracts. This is hardly irrational behavior. They have to make a living and the money we taxpayers pay to the state is a huge and growing source of wealthy livelihoods–for the contractors, their relatives, and the politicians who “help” them. A strong argument for an income tax cut, to my mind.
JBT could make the point that a higher percentage of smaller dontations suggests a broader and less obviously corrupt base of support. She could also point out, as Blago has done, that she is not breaking the law and it seems self destructive to refuse large donations when the primary opponent accepts them. And clearly, Illinois citizens support this type of campaign funding as there has been little or no support for changing it.
Blago is bringing in more money because he is perceived as the likely winner. That does not make him more corrupt or JBT more ethical with respect to raising campaign funds. The process rewards corruption but the voters allow the process to go on.
- Anonymous - Monday, Aug 7, 06 @ 10:32 am:
I agree with everything that you said about how inept Topinka’s campaign is… The only thing that was inaccurate was saying that she had no staff.
She has too much staff!
Topinka paid her staff like $450,000 while Blago only spent around $225,000.
Blago has a better staff and for far less money. You would think that Topinka would try to save every dollar she can…
- Veritas - Monday, Aug 7, 06 @ 10:45 am:
Anon,
Not really all that surprising that Topinka would focus campaign funds on political hacks rather than getting out her message. I seem to rmember a time, some years ago, when the ILGOP cleaned house, firing a large portion of its staff; They seemed to find homes rather quickly in the treasurer’s office. Point being, Topinka’s office, be it as the Treasurer or Candidate, is nothing amounts to little more than welfare for political hacks.
- Veritas - Monday, Aug 7, 06 @ 10:47 am:
Again, Rich can we please get an edit function on this blog. I would love to be able to clean up my own botched typing.
- Anonymous - Monday, Aug 7, 06 @ 10:49 am:
The disgusting corruption in both parties, makes me eager to vote for any third party that puts together a comprehensive plan to reform Illinois politics.
While Greens rejecting donations from corporations is a nice start, it should also include any other group or PAC. Only personal donations should be allowed to make it much harder to hide the real sources of money used to influence distribution of our taxpayer dollars.
- HANKSTER - Monday, Aug 7, 06 @ 11:08 am:
The problem is that, unless you publically fund campaigns and/or give free media, largely limiting donations will make it certain that only people with money who can fund their own campaigns can compete.
We have this problem now but not nearly as much as we would if we, not an extreme, limited donations to candidates.
- Anonymous - Monday, Aug 7, 06 @ 12:11 pm:
That wasn’t a proposal to restrict the size of donations, just under what name it is made.
Only individuals are allowed to vote and only they should be allowed to donate. Some even suggest limiting that to registered voters in the district.
Groups, PACs, and corporations don’t deserve more opportunities to mooch off the taxpayers. They should certainly encourage members to sign pledges and checkoffs that authorize money in their name (up to the max they donated to the group, PAC, or company), but no matching funds.
This would go a long way towards decentralizing power thereby reducing the corruptive effect of power.
Be realistic, you can’t take everything away from the rich and powerful without a fight you deserve to lose for overreaching, but you can demand higher standards that don’t cost taxpayers more money.
When that proves insufficient, then you can ask for public funding.
The alternative is to hope the rich/powerful are too stupid to realize when they need to make token reforms to prevent media leading peasant uprisings. They didn’t get rich/powerful because they’re stupid.
- Veritas - Monday, Aug 7, 06 @ 12:42 pm:
True Campaign Finance Reform:
1) Bar corporations from making political donations.
2) Allow only individuals who live in the district to donate funds to candidates in the district.
- Bubs - Monday, Aug 7, 06 @ 2:03 pm:
The Sun-Times piece is just AP feed, reprinted.
Gee-Willikers, the AP feed out of Chicago, slamming Topinka for the Blago campaign, again. What a surprise . . . not.
- B Hicks - Monday, Aug 7, 06 @ 3:55 pm:
12 comments.
Topinka isn’t the only hypocrite.
- Bubs - Monday, Aug 7, 06 @ 6:09 pm:
This AP Chicago bias against Topinka just goes on and on.
Today’s example. The Metropolitan Planning Council held its annual fundraising luncheon at the Hyatt for $150 a ticket, promising a gubenatorial forum. The MPC is a very worthwhile civic organization. Topinka shows. Blago, however, blows it off to head for Las Vegas for a “pipe trades union convention” (a/k/a “Union Boondoggle in Vegas for Blago”)!
How does the AP Chicago (and Channel 2) frame the headline? Does it fault Blago for blowing off an important civic organization? Nah.
“TOPINKA APPEARS ALONE AT FORUM.”
The article immediately notes that she “she offered few specifics” on education. Mind you, she has not even released her plan yet.
It’s time to bring in Ann Coutler!
- Anon - Monday, Aug 7, 06 @ 9:34 pm:
Rich I don’t know if it was your intention or not, but reading your opening it makes it sound as if … I don’t want to say a Topinka apologist, but whatever is a step below that, maybe indifferent I guess. I mean she did take money from banks and she did have no bid contracts so glass houses right?
I guess you were trying to make the point that they have to go after her to balance things out but the way you worded it makes it seem like she should get a free pass for engaging in the same behavior she scolds the Governor for. Then again since it’s been there all day I’m probably a little late for my point.
- the ole precinct captain - Monday, Aug 7, 06 @ 10:20 pm:
Topinka - No programs + No message + No Money, equals a loser. Is this the best the Republicans can do after all these years in power? Also, why spend so much money on staff?