* An excerpt from a Donna More campaign e-mail to her Cook County state’s attorney campaign supporters…
Lately people supporting other candidates in the race for State’s Attorney have attacked me, not for my qualifications, my ideas, or the reforms I’ve been pushing. What they want to talk about are political labels.
So let’s set the record straight. Two years ago, like many people, I was concerned about the direction of our state. We were in fiscal peril and the power structure in Springfield was simply unable to function. I felt we needed change, and needed it badly. Even though I’m a proud, registered Democrat, I made a contribution to Bruce Rauner’s campaign because of his representations that he would bring a business-like pragmatism to a badly broken system. Today I regret that contribution, not because my political opponents have seized on it, but because Governor Rauner has fallen far short of my expectations.
I am a lifelong, independent-minded Democrat. I take a backseat to no one when it comes to championing progressive values. I give my support to candidates who I believe can do the job and people with ideas that can make a difference.
The fact is, my family and I have contributed to many Democrats, including County Board President Toni Preckwinkle.
It is unfortunate that politics today is so polarized that a single contribution to someone from the other party is considered intolerable by the political class. But that’s the very reason I’m running for State’s Attorney. Because it should be obvious by now that this office, perhaps above all others, must be held by someone who thinks first about justice and the law, not about party or politics.
So that’s what you will get from me. I am a progressive Democrat. But I’m also an independent thinker and I know that will not always be popular with the political crowd.
Um, OK, but she made her $2500 Rauner contribution in September of 2014, which is most definitely not “two years ago.”
And More’s “family” may have made a lot of contributions to Democrats, but More has contributed just nine times in the last 14 years. And she only gave one person more money than she gave Rauner.
…Adding… A commenter checked the Federal Elections Commission site and discovered that Ms. More contributed to former Republican Congressman Eric Cantor in 2006.
…Adding, um, More… Another commenter points out that Ms. More contributed to Republican US Senators Peter Fitzgerald and the disgraced John Ensign.
*** UPDATE *** Hmm…
From the link…
State records show More contributed $2,500 to Rauner’s campaign in September 2014. She offers no apologies for it.
“I’m bipartisan,” she says. “I don’t view the state’s attorney as being Democrat or Republican. I’m not beholden to anybody on either side of the aisle.”
Nice catch by Biss.
- LizPhairTax - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 9:51 am:
Totally worse than covering up a murder
- Mama - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 9:51 am:
She admits that she made a mistake so…
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 9:53 am:
===I am a lifelong, independent-minded Democrat. I take a backseat to no one when it comes to championing progressive values.===
…except when I wrote a $2,500 check to a man running for governor who, then, complained about Unions, collective bargaining, and threatening to shut some the state… other than that, don’t question my progressive Democratic credentials.
===I give my support to candidates who I believe can do the job and people with ideas that can make a difference.===
… but I’m, I’m… “I am a lifelong, independent-minded Democrat. I take a backseat to no one when it comes to championing progressive values.”
Pathetic.
Reminds me of Bruce Rauner explaining HIS support of Forrest Claypool…
- Bored Chairman - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 9:53 am:
Burn the witch!
- walker - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 9:55 am:
A lot of us had hopes for Rauner that have been dashed. Even Quinn supporters.
She’s not a plant. Just pro-turnaround Dem who bet on the wrong horse.
Let’s get off the party purity thing.
- NorthCenter - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 9:57 am:
Why do people insist on calling themselves ‘registered Democrats’ in Illinois?
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 9:57 am:
===Today I regret that contribution, not because my political opponents have seized on it, but because Governor Rauner has fallen far short of my expectations.===
“Today I regret that contribution, not because my political opponents have seized on it, but because Governor Rauner has fallen on such hard times, and his want to dismantling unions and collective bargaining and his distain for teachers, if I don’t get ahead of this, yikes, my campaign is over.”
Better.
- The Captain - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 9:58 am:
Typical Democrat behavior:
MORE, DONNA CHICAGO IL 60610 GREENBERG TAURIG LLP CANTOR, ERIC VIA CANTOR FOR CONGRESS 01/23/2006 250.00 26960030611
- DuPage - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 10:00 am:
The contribution was an error in judgement on her part. The explanation is worse, and is not an error.
- wordslinger - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 10:02 am:
“I now regret this contribution because no one in Rauner’s funder network is contributing to my campaign, which was the point of the exercise.”
- PublicServant - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 10:11 am:
It’s always good to know what the candidates in a campaign have done politically in the past. If you just listen to what candidates say without the context of their past actions with which to compare to their campaign blather, it’s much harder to separate fact from fiction. Saying you’re a progressive Democrat when you’ve previously given a chunk of change to a candidate whose views couldn’t be more at odds to what the views of someone calling themselves a progressive Democrat should be, is an important piece of information to have. Vote accordingly.
- Give Me A Break - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 10:12 am:
“Why do people insist on calling themselves ‘registered Democrats’ in Illinois?”
Reminds me of working my first campaign in southern Illinois; Local Dem. committeeman says to me: “these are southern Illinois Democrats which means they vote Republican.”
- Johnny O'Veritas - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 10:16 am:
She’s not allowed to write checks to anyone she wants? That’s what we’re picking on her about? And she has to apologize for it? And you still pick on her for it? Such a red herring. Based on these reactions I am absolutely voting for More.
- Honeybear - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 10:18 am:
No sorry, I’m not cutting her any slack. Progressive and Independant are not compatable. For her progressive is an attitude. Giving to Rauner is an act of fealty BEHAVIOR. Attitudes and behaviors have to match for there to be trust. At my office, there are those who said they couldn’t be at the rally last night but wore their 1805 orange t-shirt. Then there were a few who said they were going, didn’t go and didn’t wear their t-shirt during the day. Behaviors and attitudes, wheat and chaf. It’s being noted folks. Donna More…noted. (The rally btw was packed and awesome! Labor is SO united. Steel workers, miners, SEIU, AFSCME, mail carriers, IBEW, Carpenters, Pipe Fitters, you name it they were there!)
- walker - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 10:20 am:
Eric Cantor? Really?
I Fold
- Willie Stark - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 10:20 am:
According to Open Secrets, all of her federal giving history has been to Republicans. You’d think somewhere in her history a progressive Democrat might have seen fit to give a few coins to, I dunno, Illinoisan Barack Obama. Nope. Or, maybe even former Illinoisan Hillary Clinton. No.
- Ducky LaMoore - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 10:21 am:
Here is my take… First, this contribution is very recent. It is not like it was 5, 10 or 20 years ago. Second, it was to Bruce Rauner. It wasn’t to Kirk Dillard. It wasn’t to Judy Baar. It wasn’t to Bill Brady. IT WAS TO BRUCE RAUNER! And basically, I think of anyone now associated with Bruce Rauner like I think of Kurt Granberg. And that ain’t good.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 10:28 am:
The only progressive Democrats I could think of that could give $2500 to a GOP candidate running as Rauner did would be Union members working against their better selves and got burned.
Eric Cantor and Bruce Rauner don’t sound like candidates progressive candidates would say;
“I’m independent minded, I’ll choose Cantor and Rauner to prove my independent thought.”
I was born at night…
- VanillaMan - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 10:29 am:
Based upon my experience, I find it hard to believe that a progressive liberal Democrat could have found Bruce Rauner attractive. Pat Quinn might have been a mediocre governor, a caretaker governor, and too incompetent to handle the job - but it is quite another for a progressive liberal Democrat to support Bruce Rauner.
Rauner might not have exposed his fangs during the General, but he definitely let us all know during the Primary, that he had them. What got Rauner elected was persuading those voters that he wouldn’t use them. Rauner promised he wouldn’t, then reneged on those promises almost immediately.
Based upon what I know about my progressive liberal friends, the fact that an unproved GOP candidate had fangs, should have been a signal that they were unsuitable until they have proved themselves otherwise, as Edgar did during his stints as SOS.
Rauner should not have been a viable alternative to Quinn for progressive liberal Democrats for many reasons. So I find her explanation unconvincing.
I also don’t like how she wants to blame politics for her confession. She didn’t have to run. Questions regarding her Rauner support are worthy of discussion.
Her support of Rauner exposes her to more than just hypocrisy. She contributed thousands to a man who had $65 million of his own money to burn. Giving Rauner money is like giving Lake Michigan a drink of water. Additionally, Rauner has turned out to not be just “disappointing”, but a catastrophe. As a progressive liberal Democrat, she isn’t displaying the right level of anger at how this rube took her for $2500, didn’t need it, and then chucked her community into a deep ditch, then blamed her party for it.
I’m not sensing enough anger, frankly, and that also makes it challenging for me find her story believable.
Giving Rauner money is an admission of poor judgment, unsuitable for anyone, and especially for a liberal progressive Democrat.
- Chicago Cynic - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 10:44 am:
Rich, it’s not just Eric Cantor. It’s John Ensign - the disgraced former Senator and Peter Fitzgerald. Wow.
MORE, DONNA CHICAGO IL 60606 ATTORNEY ENSIGN, JOHN E VIA ENSIGN FOR SENATE 06/29/2000 1000.00 20020190028
MORE, DONNA CHICAGO IL 60606 ATTORNEY ENSIGN, JOHN E VIA ENSIGN FOR SENATE 06/29/2000 1000.00 20020190028
MORE, DONNA CHICAGO IL 60606 FREEBORN & PETERS ENSIGN, JOHN E VIA ENSIGN FOR SENATE 06/10/1997 1000.00 97032273991
MORE, DONNA CHICAGO IL 60606 FREEBORN & PETERS ENSIGN, JOHN E VIA ENSIGN FOR SENATE 05/03/1999 1000.00 99020072905
MORE, DONNA CHICAGO IL 60606 FREEBORN & PETERS FITZGERALD, PETER G VIA FITZGERALD FOR SENATE INC 05/26/1999 500.00 99020083228
MORE, DONNA CHICAGO IL 60606 ENSIGN, JOHN E VIA ENSIGN FOR SENATE 08/25/2000 -1000.00 20020322922
MORE, DONNA CHICAGO IL 60610 GREENBERG TAURIG LLP CANTOR, ERIC VIA CANTOR FOR CONGRESS 01/23/2006 250.00 26960030611
MORE, DONNA CHICAGO IL 60610 SELF ENSIGN, JOHN E VIA ENSIGN FOR SENATE 10/11/2005 1000.00 26020132021
- Politix - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 10:45 am:
She donated to the fake Rauner. Can’t fault her for being fooled like so many others.
- Politix - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 10:46 am:
Guess I should’ve read the thread first. Nothing gets past you folks, eh?
- Patrick Mauro - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 10:46 am:
How do you say super DINO?
- chi - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 10:48 am:
Her statement won’t convince a single undecided person.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 10:54 am:
Ugh.
“D _ N _ “, as bad as “R _ N _ “…
What is going on is More is an opportunist.
That’s the ball game. Nothing… more.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 11:15 am:
She was a lobbyist at Greenburg Traurig and she wrote a check to Eric Cantor. That comes with the profession, doesn’t it?
I’ve written checks to Republicans too, as a lobbyist, to have access to the right people. I don’t think anyone should read too much into this, especially the so-called insiders here, most of whom should know better.
- Frenchie Mendoza - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 11:17 am:
She’s obviously not happy with the ROI on her GOP investments.
“One of these days, one of these days …”
For her sake, I hope she never goes to a racetrack and places a bet.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 11:26 am:
- 47th Ward -
With respect, and your points are solid. This is… the business we’ve chosen.
The point of her remarks, were personal donations, not professional.
Using that angle, the proper cover would also include all business related, lobby-driven, legal donations as a “sign” that politics intersects some lines in many ways.
She didn’t.
The better statement would’ve been to include those business, lobbying, donations to strengthen her point.
My critique is based on what she gave me as her mea culpa.
Would be a heck of a barstool to barstool discussion, bud.
With respect.
- Rahm'sMiddleFinger - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 11:36 am:
You emailed your supporters to tell them you gave a contribution to Rauner??? She has spent a ton of money on consultants who are bleeding her campaign dry. This is what they came up with?
Toast. Please exit stage right Ms. More.
- Keyrock - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 11:38 am:
She left the U.S. Attorney’s Office after one year. People don’t normally leave the U.S. Attorney’s Office after one year.
In the Carol Felsenthal article this week in Chicago Magazine, she boasted that there was one project at the State’s Attorney’s Office where she got to meet with State’s Attorney Daley.
On top of that, there is the New Jersey court opinion, cited on the blog before, criticizing her conduct.
This is not a first string, professional candidate. Now we here she’s not much of a Democrat. But she does have money.
- Amalia - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 12:02 pm:
wow, and here this blog thought Fritchey knew all!
- anon - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 12:06 pm:
> I’ve written checks to Republicans too, as a lobbyist, to have access to the right people.
Direct-to-camera TV ad?
“I’m Donna More, and I’m not a Republican! I just fund them to get access to Congressmen for wealthy special interests.”
…I’m kidding, but only kind of. If you want to cash those lobbying checks, you should know that you’ll wear the jacket for that stuff if you run for office. At a minimum, you probably shouldn’t apologize for a “single contribution” if you gave to four Republicans, on like 10 occasions, over like a decade.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 12:12 pm:
Um, - anon -
Bruce Rauner - Rahm, Daley, Ed Rendell…
“At a minimum, you probably shouldn’t apologize for a “single contribution” if you gave to four Democrats, on like 10 occasions, over like a decade.”
That Rascal Rauner…
It’s past noon, so if you each to start taking alcohol shots, please…
- Orzo - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 12:22 pm:
There are no, repeat NO “progressive Democrats” who gave contributions to John Ensign (remember what a sleaze that guy was?) and Eric Cantor, not to mention Bruce Rauner to the tune of $2,500. She can call herself whatever she wants but facts are facts. Anyone who’s from Chicago and is giving money to Ensign and Cantor is making a statement louder than her current claim to be a progressive Democrat.
- Dale Cooper - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 12:24 pm:
“So that’s what you will get from me. I am a progressive Democrat. But I’m also an independent thinker and I know that will not always be popular with the political crowd. ”
Congratulations for being an independent thinker! Why did you write this article again?
- @MisterJayEm - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 12:29 pm:
She’s a “progressive Democrat”?
Money talks and More’s explanation walks.
– MrJM
- KB1 - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 12:52 pm:
==Based upon my experience, I find it hard to believe that a progressive liberal Democrat could have found Bruce Rauner attractive. ==
Many unions found him more attractive than Quinn.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 12:55 pm:
To Senator Biss,
Well played, sir, well done.
That’s ball game.
- Centennial - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 1:27 pm:
This is on her campaign staff/consultants to me. Why send out an email making this an issue now? Especially at a time of crisis in the SAO and when a simple google search leads to much more interesting contributions…
- walker - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 2:16 pm:
Maybe she is just trying to be what many claim, but few, if any, can achieve: “Conservative” on fiscal and economic issues, “Progressive” on (non-economic) social issues.
- Joe cannon - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 2:28 pm:
So at least she didn’t support Fitzgerald in his campaign against illinois first African American senator, cmb, but waited 5 months to see how he would reflect her progressive values in the u s senate. But I’m sure African Americas won’t care in her primary
- Southside Markie - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 2:32 pm:
These campaign contributions are small potatoes in comparison to the questionable activities she was involved in regarding the Tropicana in Atlantic City. http://lasvegassun.com/news/2008/jul/10/nj-appeals-court-upholds-tropicana-license-revocat/
- Gooner - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 3:09 pm:
I’m fine with her record of bipartisan contributions.
We’ve had, effectively, one party rule in Cook County since O’Malley. The result is that people got too cozy, and that leads to events like those we saw with Alvarez.
It would be great to have a SA who appears able to look beyond party labels.
- Gooner - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 3:12 pm:
For what it is worth — while I tend to back Democratic candidates (writing checks and showing up on election day) I might have written a check for Rauner last year. He ran as a pro-business moderate. The only reason I didn’t was because when a guy is dumping $50 million into his race, my $500 means more to me than it would to him.
- crazybleedingheart - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 3:44 pm:
The More campaign is particularly confusing to me because she’s from the same exact party as Alvarez (D-aley).
- James - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 3:55 pm:
I voted for Alvarez in 2008, because she was the most qualified–a lawyer who had tried hundreds of felony cases before juries. She’s still the most qualified in experience, but I can’t support her anymore because she appears to be biased in favor of the police. I don’t know what law enforcement credentials Foxx has. More has some, but I can’t vote for someone who donates to Rauner and Cantor and works for the casino industry, while calling herself a progressive Democrat. I’ll be voting for Foxx in the primary, not because of her experience, but because she has fewer negatives than her opponents and I don’t think she’ll make the same mistakes as Alvarez. I hope Alvarez lands a partnership in a big firm where she can make some rain and go back to trying cases. This management job just doesn’t suit her talents. I don’t really care what happens to More. She’ll land somewhere.
- crazybleedingheart - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 3:57 pm:
James, according to this Foxx was a Cook County ASA for 12 years.
http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/Felsenthal-Files/October-2015/Kim-Foxx/
- crazybleedingheart - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 3:58 pm:
(some of those years were in this decade. Moore’s 5 years were in the 80s.)
- Muscular - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 4:02 pm:
I knew Willie would be jumping all over a professed progressive Democrat who donated thousands to Bruce Rauner. Word answered my question why she donated so much money in the final months of the campaign when it was clear that Bruce Rauner had a sustained edge in the polls and could coast to victory in November.
- James Knell - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 4:12 pm:
Yeah, tell that to all those unemployed, soon to be unemployed, and businesses who aren’t getting paid by the state for goods & services rendered. Maybe if Ms. More could remember what it’s like to live paycheck-to-paycheck she would be more responsible with her campaign donations. A lot of good her regrets are now.
- Ducky LaMoore - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 4:19 pm:
=== when it was clear that Bruce Rauner had a sustained edge in the polls and could coast to victory in November.===
Huh? http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2014/governor/il/illinois_governor_rauner_vs_quinn-4224.html#polls
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 4:31 pm:
Oh - Musclar -
===- Oswego Willy - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 10:54 am
What is going on is More is an opportunist.
That’s the ball game. Nothing… more.===
Please read what I write, exactly as I write it.
- Keyrock - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 4:31 pm:
Again, the main problem with Ms. More is there is nothing about her that says she would be excellent (or even good) at fixing a troubled office. The State’s Attorney’s Office needs an excellent, experienced criminal attorney with management skills who will change a culture every bit as ingrown, self-protective, and problematic as the CPD. Ms. More’s record suggests she isn’t that person.
The contributions to conservative Republicans show a lack of political qualification — but that’s not the main problem.
- DecaturGuy - Friday, Dec 11, 15 @ 4:38 pm:
Hey Dan Biss-remember when you said you would never take any money from Mike Madigan? what triggered your change? asking for a friend…