Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Monday, Jul 23, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Campaign contribution stories are almost always uniformly negative. For instance…

With no statewide elections to fund this year, Illinois campaign contributors nonetheless managed to donate, loan and transfer more than $54 million worth of political money in the first six months of 2007, according to newly filed records.

As usual, industries with high-stakes policy fights pending before the Legislature were among those pumping money into the state’s no-limit political contribution system, according to campaign disclosure reports that were required to be filed by midnight Friday.

Between Jan. 1 and June 30, the records show: […]

Ameren and ComEd utilities, currently close to a deal with legislators that will prevent an electric rate freeze, contributed more than $100,000 to those same legislators as the talks were progressing, including thousands of dollars individually to key legislative negotiators.

Not noted anywhere in the story was that several legislators refused to cash their ComEd checks. According to ComEd’s latest political action committee filing, a dozen legislators never cashed their ComEd PAC checks, for a total of $28,700. One would think that might be considered news. But that would be “good” news, so you probably won’t see it anywhere.

And, here’s something odd. Last week, Lee Newspapers reported this…

…utility records show ComEd gave state Rep. John Bradley, D-Marion, and state Sen. Gary Forby, D-Benton, $300 each.

But those contributions don’t show up on ComEd’s PAC report or on either of the two legislators’ disclosure reports. Strange, that.

Also, Exelon and ComEd have always maintained that they are two distinct entities, but Exelon contributed well over half the money that ComEd’s PAC raised during the filing period.

ComEd, through its PR front group CORE, spent way more on advertising this year than it gave to political campaigns. No mention of that anywhere.

* Also, the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform is trying to paint a falsely ominous portrait of Act Blue, a national pass-through PAC which allows Internet users to contribute to Democratic campaigns online. The users themselves (not Act Blue) completely direct their own contributions to individual candidates or committees, but this is how ICPR described the PAC…

It looks like it’s taking a page from U.S. Senator Barack Obama and others who have focused on Internet fundraising on a national scale; but this one seeks to funnel that money into state legislative races.

All ICPR had to do was go to the group’s directory and see that people can choose which state to focus on, and then contribute to any Democratic candidate in those states. And it’s not just legislative candidates, it’s all candidates for every state office, plus Congressional offices and presidential.

* Related stories, compiled by Paul…

* Campaign finance reports reveal politicians interests

* Blagojevich campaign fund pays $1.1 million to law firm

* Exchanges good to Daley, but they don’t need his help

* Tribune: Service Employees International Union, gave more than $2.7 million in campaign cash and services to council candidates, records show.

12 Comments

- Bull McCabe - Monday, Jul 23, 07 @ 9:24 am:
“Blagojevich campaign spokesman Doug Scofield declined to release details….”

Question: Why is Doug Scofield, a registered lobbyist, who clearly lobbies the Blago administration, serving as a spokesman for the Governor’s campaign?

That is an arrogant conflict of interest. Is it not?

- RickG - Monday, Jul 23, 07 @ 9:28 am:
Pretty sure that The Southern issued a retraction on the Bradley portion of that ComEd report, Rich. I believe they said they mistook JOHN Bradley for RICHARD Bradley.

Just an FYI. Don’t know about Forby.

- Tell Tale - Monday, Jul 23, 07 @ 9:41 am:
How do Blagojevich’s legal expenditures compare to previous Illinois governors legal bills?

- Squideshi - Monday, Jul 23, 07 @ 10:02 am:
“But those contributions don’t show up on ComEd’s PAC report or on either of the two legislators’ disclosure reports.”

Section 9-20 of the Illinois Election Code provides, “Any person who believes a violation of this Article has occurred may file a verified complaint with the Board.” Section 9-21 provides, “Upon receipt of such complaint, the Board SHALL hold a closed preliminary hearing to determine whether or not the complaint appears to have been filed on justifiable grounds.” (Emphasis added.) In addition, Section 9-22 provides, “Any party to a Board hearing, any person who files a complaint on which a hearing was denied or not acted upon within the time specified in Section 9‑21 of this Act, and any party adversely affected by a judgment of the Board may obtain judicial review…”

Further, according to Section 9-6 of the Illinois Election Code, “It shall be the duty of the board and of each county clerk…to report apparent violations of law to the appropriate law enforcement authorities…”

- Squideshi - Monday, Jul 23, 07 @ 10:03 am:
“Exelon and ComEd have always maintained that they are two distinct entities….”

They’re full of baloney. According to their own website, “Commonwealth Edison, ComEd, is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation…Frank M. Clark is president, ComEd and executive vice president and chief of staff, Exelon Corporation.”

- Squideshi - Monday, Jul 23, 07 @ 10:10 am:
“Also, the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform is trying to paint a falsely ominous portrait of Act Blue, a national pass-through PAC which allows Internet users to contribute to Democratic campaigns online.”

I don’t understand why this would be “falsely” ominous. Is there any legal guarantee that the PAC is REQUIRED to expend funds as requested by contributors? Also, it seems to me that this will thwart Illinois campaign finance disclosure laws, as all funds funneled through this PAC will show up on reports as transfers in, rather than containing the name, address, employer, and occupation of each individual contributor. If the idea of private and corporate sponsored election campaigns weren’t already ominous enough, it seems to me that thwarting state campaign finance disclosure laws can be considered ominous.

- Squideshi - Monday, Jul 23, 07 @ 10:16 am:
“A Chicago law firm has received more than $1.1 million in legal fees from Governor Rod Blagojevich’s (bluh-GOY’-uh-vitchz) campaign fund since 2006.”

According to Phil Huckelberry, add that to the more than $800,000 that he cost Illinois taxpayers with the thousands of frivolous objections that his operatives filed in an attempt to kick Rich Whitney off the ballot in 2006.

- Squideshi - Monday, Jul 23, 07 @ 10:22 am:
“Daley’s chief of staff and Gov. Blagojevich’s economic development chief sent letters to the exchanges’ leadership offering their support.”

I wonder if Daley will do anything to bring the 2008 Green Party National Convention to Chicago, as proposed by the Illinois Green Party. After all, this would also be an economic boon to the city, and Daley has been trying to prove that he’s Green friendly; but then again, neither of these organizations have made any contributions to his campaign fund.

- So So Ill - Monday, Jul 23, 07 @ 11:18 am:
There was definitely a correction on John Bradley’s figure. A pretty large mistake, unfortunately. I didn’t see a correction on Forby, however.

- Disgusted - Monday, Jul 23, 07 @ 11:38 am:
Squideshi - not only is Frank Clark the “Boss Hogg” of Exelon and ComEd, he’s Emil’s golfing buddy, along with the former head of IEMA. I bet Emil’s finagled it so he pays all the club memberships and greens fees also. Ah, the good ol’ boy system, always present.

- Anonymous - Monday, Jul 23, 07 @ 1:41 pm:
Wow, Squideshi, you’re all over this post !

- Spyridon - Friday, Aug 3, 07 @ 12:10 am:
Sorry

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