Mo’ money
Tuesday, Feb 25, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sun-Times…
The Illinois Unity PAC filed organization papers today noting it would back two Republican House members — state Reps. Ron Sandack, R-Downers Grove, and Ed Sullivan, R-Mundelein.
Both members broke with their party in the Illinois House last year and voted in favor of same-sex marriage against staunch opposition from conservatives and some churches in Illinois — including the Catholic Church.
The independent expenditure PAC hasn’t reported raising any money as of yet.
Glen Schillerstrom is the committee’s chairman. He’s the son of former DuPage County Chairman Bob Schillerstrom.
By the way, Stand for Children Illinois just gave Rep. Sandack $10,000.
* In other news, Bruce Rauner hasn’t just been giving money to himself. His recent contributions include $25K to Illinois House candidate Mark “The Bat” Batinick (who hasn’t used his Batman logo for this election). He’s also given money to various county party organizations, including Fayette, McHenry, Logan, Ford and Adams, and that’s just in the past week or so.
* Meanwhile, NBC 5 took a look at a leadership PAC that spends almost half its cash on expenses…
Take Peoria Republican Aaron Schock’s Generation-Y PAC, for example. According to documents filed with the Federal Election Commission, the fund started 2012 with $50,004.18 cash on hand. Over the next 24 months, the PAC had total receipts of $550,633.00. About half of that came from other PACs. But of the over $600,000.00 available to spend, less than half of GEN-Y’s disbursements went to candidates and committees. More than $250,000.00 went to expenses apparently involved in running the PAC itself.
That included over $56,000.00 spent at hotels. During the 24-month period examined by NBC5 Investigates, the Schock PAC listed three stays at the legendary Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles, totaling $9,462.27. There were three nights at L.A.’s luxurious Mondrian, and other stays at the Luxe and Beverly Wilshire. Gen-Y dropped another $12,285.00 at the Wynn in Las Vegas. In Chicago, the PAC listed 14 stays totaling over $11,000.00 at the Peninsula, and another four stopovers at the Trump.
The Generation-Y PAC dropped over $26,000.00 on private aircraft. Fine restaurants across the country added another $36,909.00. They shelled out $11,604.00 at a Colorado ski resort, with hundreds more for snowmobile rentals - all during a 24-month period.
Who enjoyed the largesse? Schock’s staffers won’t say.
Yikes.
- Soccermom - Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 12:32 pm:
Wow. I really need to change parties.
- PolPal56 - Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 12:43 pm:
Wow. I really need to form a PAC.
- OneMan - Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 12:48 pm:
Well you know PACin ain’t easy…
- Whatever - Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 12:51 pm:
Could the Schock story possibly be payback from Rauner for Shearer’s campaign?? Wow, those two don’t like each other.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 12:53 pm:
Perhaps Aaron is making Hollywood know that he is available to star in that Doogie Howser movie project.
- And I Approved This Message - Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 12:59 pm:
I get that you have to spend money to get money but these expenses are way over the top. If I were a potential donor and saw this kind of foolishness I’d stop taking calls from Mr. Schock or his Gen Y-ers. Come on kids. Grow up.
- A guy... - Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 1:02 pm:
Wow. Even Holiday Inn Express has a gym area. What gives?
- Formerly Known As... - Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 1:12 pm:
This is the fourth or fifth time a Schock PAC has come under fire for such nonsense.
Once or twice could be a mistake. Third strike? You’re out.
My donor dollars would be better spent getting candidates elected to office than providing room service at the Ritz.
- Formerly Known As... - Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 1:16 pm:
It seems logical, based on the staff’s reluctance to say “who enjoyed the largesse”, that Mr. Schock himself enjoyed those expenditures.
Apparently he has stopped funding his fancy hotel stays through his own political fund and started paying for them through Generation-Y PAC.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 1:49 pm:
Soccermom, you and I should form a PAC.
Maybe we could call it “Americans for Freedom and Drinks at Maya Del Sol.”
- SonofSuperAbe2014 - Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 1:50 pm:
Good to see a PAC formed to fight homophobes like Matune, IFI, Bednar, Proft & Caprio.