LaHood accused of “crony capitalism”
Tuesday, Jun 23, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Breitbart…
Republican state senator Darin LaHood helped to perpetuate a cycle of crony capitalism and donor back-scratching by voting for a bill that benefited both his law firm and campaign donors at taxpayers’ expense, according to a study of his votes, law firm payments, and campaign contributions.
LaHood, who is running against Breitbart News’ Big Government founding editor Mike Flynn in a contest to replace disgraced former Rep. Aaron Schock, voted for a bill which would financially benefit his law firm, Miller, Hall, & Triggs, which represents the city of East Peoria.
On May 30, 2012, LaHood voted “yea” on a bill which established in East Peoria a new “Tax Increment District III” — a law which conveniently required the city hire to lawyers who would confirm each year that the city was in full compliance. This was the third such zone established by the city. […]
Who represents East Peoria? None other than Miller, Hall, & Triggs, for which LaHood is an associate. Yet LaHood apparently did not disclose to taxpayers that his firm stood to make significant financial gains from the new TIF zone he supported; transcripts from the vote show no evidence that LaHood made public the ties his firm has to East Peoria. […]
Since that vote, developers have also donated tens thousands of dollars to his congressional campaign after being awarded businesses in the new TIF zones in what appears to be a cozy, crony capitalist set-up.
Chairman of Cullinan Properties Diane Cullinan Oberhelman (and wife of Caterpillar CEO Douglas R. Oberhelman) earned $1,759,302 from TIF zones since 2010. Cullinan also donated $15,000 to LaHood’s state senate campaign PAC, and $10,800 to his congressional PAC. In total, she donated $25,800. The Otto Baum company, which received $4,073,797 to develop the new TIF zone since 2012, donated $5,000 to LaHood’s state senate PAC.
* From the bill synopsis…
Provides that the redevelopment project in the TIF district created by an ordinance that was adopted on January 28, 1992 by the City of East Peoria must be completed by December 31 of the 35th year (now, the 23rd year) after the year in which the ordinance was adopted.
So, it extended a TIF district’s lifespan, but didn’t create it.
Also, I imagine Mrs. Oberhelman would’ve contributed to LaHood’s campaign with or without that vote. And I didn’t see any Otto Baum contributions to LaHood’s Senate campaign when I searched the ISBE site.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 23, 15 @ 11:47 am:
If the TIF was going to expire in a few years, there are many reasons, legit reasons, to extend it. I don’t know the specifics, but my guess would be a portion on the district hadn’t been developed/redeveloped since the TIFs inception a, and a potential new business was finally proposing to develop there, but would get no incentive from the TIF to do so unless it was extended
- horse w/ no name - Tuesday, Jun 23, 15 @ 11:59 am:
So, it extended a TIF district’s lifespan, but didn’t create it.
Doesn’t mean it’s not a fair hit. Probably not a kill shot, but he does have a recorded Yes vote on something that directly benefitted the firm he works for. All in the game.
- Formerly Known As... - Tuesday, Jun 23, 15 @ 12:03 pm:
Likely would have been better off recusing from this vote.
He will still win.
- SillyMan - Tuesday, Jun 23, 15 @ 12:09 pm:
Gee whiz, Madigan has been working the system for the benefit of his law firm for how long? I guess in politics there is no need for moral consistency.
- Ben Franklin - Tuesday, Jun 23, 15 @ 12:24 pm:
An accurate charge. The young man was APPOINTED to the Assembly, that in itself is about as Crony special interest politics as it can be.
- Downstate Illinois - Tuesday, Jun 23, 15 @ 12:32 pm:
Let’s see, so LaHood was supposed to vote against a bill that the city leaders in East Peoria wanted, that would benefit his district and create jobs for the unemployed. Get real Flynn.
By the way, going by this standard Breitbart coverage of the election is crony capitalism at its best.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 23, 15 @ 12:36 pm:
A very long walk around the barn to get back to where you started, which is nowhere.
LaHood will run out the clock.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Jun 23, 15 @ 12:47 pm:
=Let’s see, so LaHood was supposed to vote against a bill that the city leaders in East Peoria wanted, that would benefit his district and create jobs for the unemployed. Get real Flynn.=
I get what you are saying here, and at the end of the day you are right. I hate TIF’s and, full disclosure, that has a lot to do with my role in a school district but I do not see the benefit to the average tax payer. East Peoria is hardly blighted. That said, LaHood would have been better to have abstained or disclosed his possible benefit. And, as OW stated, he is going to win anyway.
- William j Kelly - Tuesday, Jun 23, 15 @ 12:52 pm:
Why is this news? I always assumed the direct translation of the name ‘lahood’ was crony capitalism.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Jun 23, 15 @ 1:03 pm:
Flynn needs to win this election by creating a need for his politics. So he attacks his opponent with the latest political bugaboo popular among anti-government types. Facts on this particular case doesn’t matter because Flynn isn’t interested in facts. What Flynn wants to do is label LaHood negatively enough to win the Primary.
Fact is, there isn’t enough reason to choose a candidate without experience in government over one with experience. Fact is, one candidate doesn’t have any record of accomplishment, and one does. Objectively speaking, Flynn doesn’t have any reason to run against LaHood, other than he just wants the elected office.
So Flynn has to do the subjective thing, the emotional thing, the salesman blather, invoke an unnamed fear that would turn voters away from LaHood.
Flynn can serve in public office elsewhere, in another legislative body, or on a local level. If he really wants to serve his community, he could find open arms across this part of Illinois. The fact that he would run for Congress and overlook much better choices for public office, exposes him as a gentleman who is focused on HIS needs, not OURS.
- Jake From Elwood` - Tuesday, Jun 23, 15 @ 1:47 pm:
Is this worse than Breitbart publishing an attack article against the opponent of the Breitbart founding editor.
The crying of foul seems worse than any actual foul.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Jun 23, 15 @ 1:50 pm:
=Is this worse than Breitbart publishing an attack article against the opponent of the Breitbart founding editor.
The crying of foul seems worse than any actual foul.=
Any relation to the Trib or Sun Times editorial board?
- vole - Tuesday, Jun 23, 15 @ 2:03 pm:
Big numbers in the big name sphere. Flynn should have given Schock some competition when he had the opportunity instead of waiting for the next default shoe-in to rise to the top. All in all the whole deal just illustrates how broken democracy is in most congressional districts. Where is the Democratic farm team for giving these Republican brand names a run once in a while?
- Tough Guy - Tuesday, Jun 23, 15 @ 2:30 pm:
What’s the big deal here? Not like potential ethical lapses are anything new for this congressional district.
- anon - Tuesday, Jun 23, 15 @ 2:39 pm:
JS Mill—-Do you like it when larger companies build, use a TIF, and some of those employees buy and/or build a house in your community? Or, shop more in your community, thus paying more sales taxes and supporting small businesses in your community?
- Ghost - Tuesday, Jun 23, 15 @ 3:08 pm:
Yeah because what politician would support a tiff district to create buisness without a campaign contribution…..
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 23, 15 @ 3:19 pm:
Diane contributes to most ro business candidates. Knowing her, I do not see a quid pro quo here.
- Truthteller - Tuesday, Jun 23, 15 @ 3:50 pm:
That LaHood is a crony to capitalists like Oberhelman, the $17 million man and his spouse, is sad, but hardly news. If you think that LaHood is going to put the residents of his district ahead of the interests of his social cohort, guess again
- vole - Tuesday, Jun 23, 15 @ 4:52 pm:
Truthteller, I see LaHood representing the same interests in DC as Schock. These interests select who is going to represent this district. Not much real democracy to see here.
- Commonsense in Illinois - Tuesday, Jun 23, 15 @ 4:52 pm:
Just wondering…if this is “Crony Capitalism” what are the other classifications?
- Southside Markie - Tuesday, Jun 23, 15 @ 5:29 pm:
In the past, the Speaker would not allow a TIF extension bill to be called unless all of the taxing districts with jurisdiction over property in the TIF district had agreed to the extension, in writing. If that is still the case, what is the difference between this and any other agreed upon bill.
- TS - Tuesday, Jun 23, 15 @ 6:30 pm:
TIF extension bills require every taxing district effected by the TIF to approve of its extension before the vote is taken. And, law firms typically bill about 2 hours for one of those letters. Congrats. His vote earned his firm enough to keep the lights on for 30 seconds.
- Adam Smith - Tuesday, Jun 23, 15 @ 7:20 pm:
Yaaaaawn!!
Does this mean Flynn wants to stand up to big, bad Caterpillar? Genius.
This “hit” is a great example of why Flynn will lose big and why his ilk will consistently be no more than an irritant. He sees cataclysmic horror in a relatively benign bit of governance.
The black helicopter crowd is so 2010.
- DOI Chef - Tuesday, Jun 23, 15 @ 9:07 pm:
This is comical. Flynn — a Washington insider who voted for Obama, is against the Republican party platform and has been nowhere near the 18th District for 20 years. He has nothing to slamming LaHood is all he’s got. He’s toast.
- Chicago(D) - Tuesday, Jun 23, 15 @ 9:14 pm:
One of the biggest supporters of Right to Work and the Turn Around agenda. Makes you wonder if he see lots of campaign cash heading his way.
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Jun 24, 15 @ 9:06 am:
@anon - If TIF’s actually worked that way, but they don’t for most small to medium sized towns, which is where my TIF experience has been. It is sold that way, big plans, lots of promise and little actual growth.