Caps off in comptroller’s race
Monday, Sep 26, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Scott Kennedy…
* Mendoza campaign…
“By loaning herself $260,000, Leslie Munger has now broken the campaign finance limits and now can take unlimited money from Governor Rauner, either directly from him or laundered through the Republican Party that he bought with over $20 million in personal contributions. Either way, Leslie Munger will continue to be a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Governor, not the independent financial watchdog Illinois desperately needs.
This is unprecedented — no comptroller in Illinois history has broken the limits and accepted potentially massive contributions from the very officeholder she is supposed to watch over. Judy Barr Topinka didn’t do it. Shelia Simon didn’t do it. Even by Illinois standards, this is beyond the pale.”
* More…
The individual contribution limit in Illinois is $5,400. It’s $10,800 for a corporation or labor group and $53,900 from a political committee. Under state election law, dollar limits for state office seekers is lifted for all candidates in the race if one of them accepts a contribution of $250,000 or more. Rauner himself blew the caps in his successful bid for governor, ultimately spending the bulk of his $60 million campaign become the first Republican governor in Illinois in a dozen years. […]
“Susana Mendoza has proven herself to Speaker Madigan by delivering ten years of votes for his unbalanced budgets, tax increases and pension holidays. In return, he has ensured she has the special interest resources she needs for her campaign,” the Munger campaign said in a statement. “With this contribution, Comptroller Munger is balancing the playing field and demonstrating her complete commitment to standing up for Illinois taxpayers.”
At the end of the second quarter of fund-raising, Munger, a Republican, closed out her campaign account with just about the size of her loan — $281,600 in all. Mendoza ended that same period with $1.13 million.
- Old Timer Dem - Monday, Sep 26, 16 @ 9:47 am:
Mendoza and Munger are both lapdogs.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Sep 26, 16 @ 9:50 am:
===Judy Barr Topinka===
It’s things like this, Mendoza’s Crew continues to prove they just aren’t up to the task.
After ALL the things to prepare for, the spelling of Judy Baar Topinka is something anyone running right now show know how to spell.
Pathetic… pathetic Crew work. It will be the details, and a lot of other things, that will sink Mendoza.
Mendoza’s Crew is just … not. The Mendoza Crew lacks, period.
To the post,
I’m not oblivious or ignorant as to “why” Munger’s Crew waited to blow the caps. 100% understand the tactics. By freezing the money, it has hampered Mendoza far more than it as hurt Munger because Munger can summon the cash quickly.
Odds are it should work. But, “Jack O’Malley”. With this voting universe & Munger not necessarily a “known”, it IS a gamble to wait & then bury Mendoza. I had been of the belief Munger swamping Munger earlier could’ve taken Mendoza out far earlier. We’ll see. Waiting is a gamble.
Question is… Can labor offset this onslaught that Munger will unleash with the caps off? It will get ugly, and constant. Will Mendoza answer with enough money to get a counter message going and THEN be positive out there too?
Dunno
- 47th Ward - Monday, Sep 26, 16 @ 10:00 am:
So Mr. Munger “loans” his wife $260,000 and now Rauner can give her unlimited cash? So Rauner, in effect, might end up paying back Mr. Munger’s loan?
That feels sort of ethically “icky” to me.
- Anon - Monday, Sep 26, 16 @ 10:07 am:
I wish I was a Republican political consultant these days. They’re just throwing all kinds of money at anything and anyone.
I hope they do an evaluation of their spending after this so some of the buffoons that are cashing in on this get black listed.
- HRC2016 - Monday, Sep 26, 16 @ 10:08 am:
Illinois elections have become a joke! Thanks Governor Rauner! Uber wealthy people will be the only ones running in the very near future.
- Anonymous - Monday, Sep 26, 16 @ 10:11 am:
10:07 - I know a few people who work for the State Party and Rauner’s apparatus. They make decent money but nothing crazy. Most of the cash is earmarked for TV, radio, print, mailers, calls, etc. There will always be a market for highly-paid “consultants” but a lot of people working on the races are not in that category.
- VanillaMan - Monday, Sep 26, 16 @ 10:13 am:
Who cares?
The voters needed by Mendoza don’t care about this. Rauner is governor. If this issue mattered to voters, he wouldn’t be.
Good lord, you are wasting your breath. Only Mendoza supporters care.
- Team Sleep - Monday, Sep 26, 16 @ 10:28 am:
10:11 was me.
- A guy - Monday, Sep 26, 16 @ 10:30 am:
Geez, Ms. Mendoza. It’s just not fair leaving you out in the cold with nary a buck coming your way. /s
- Last Bull Moose - Monday, Sep 26, 16 @ 10:45 am:
Munger not paying the legislative salaries at the time prescribed by the Illinois Constitution is a clear breach of her Constitutional duties. Why isn’t Mendoza highlighting that issue?
“If the do nothing GA won’t act to preserve the Constitution, the voters must fire the law breaking official.”
- Anonymouth - Monday, Sep 26, 16 @ 10:45 am:
Mendoza will still win. Presidential headwinds are too strong.
- The Captain - Monday, Sep 26, 16 @ 10:54 am:
=== Mendoza and Munger are both lapdogs. ===
I guess I’m in the minority but I happen to think they’re both impressive women. While it will help both of their campaign accounts I hate that they’ve been absorbed into this proxy war between Madigan and Rauner. These are two accomplished women who’ve been reduced to the pawns of a larger narrative, itt’s very disappointing.
- wordslinger - Monday, Sep 26, 16 @ 11:12 am:
47, I’m guessing the Mungers will do the math just fine when it comes to getting their “loan” paid off in a hurry with Rauner’s money.
- hot chocolate - Monday, Sep 26, 16 @ 12:09 pm:
Sounds like a bunch of whining. The unions have plenty of money to throw away on Mendoza, so why aren’t they doing it?
- thechampaignlife - Monday, Sep 26, 16 @ 1:36 pm:
Seems like campaign loans could use some tighter regulations, especially as they relate to caps. I suppose someone could also make an actual contribution and then return it later after the cap is gone to the same effect.
What purpose do loans serve anyway? Could we do away with them entirely?
- LessAnon? - Monday, Sep 26, 16 @ 1:36 pm:
I’m guessing that 1.13 mil in Mendoza’s account was all small donors, right? Right. The word “laundered” used here is also pretty amusing. Wonder how much Speaker Madigan has “laundered” to candidates through DPI? Oh wait. That’s different, I’m sure.