* Two years ago, the Illinois Chamber’s independent expenditure PAC spent $960,000 to help Rep. Ken Dunkin (D-Chicago) in the Democratic primary. Dunkin lost, of course.

On March 1st, the Chamber reactivated that IE PAC. Two days ago, the Chamber disclosed depositing $165,000 in the account.

Guess what? Check out this screenshot of an online ad that a buddy of mine forwarded me today…

* I talked to the Chamber’s President/CEO Todd Maisch this morning and he wouldn’t say how much of that $160K was going to Dunkin or how much more money will be added to the IE committee.

You just can’t make this stuff up.

       

33 Comments - The Captain - Thursday, Mar 8, 18 @ 11:45 am: In 2016 the Illinois Chamber got that $1 million from IllinoisGO which doesn’t exist anymore. Absent IllinoisGO it will be interesting to see if anyone is willing to pony up to back Dunkin. I mean, I can’t believe there’s a groundswell of dues-paying Chamber members who want to bankroll Dunkin, and whatever that gets you. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 8, 18 @ 11:46 am: Whew. It’s good to know Todd Maisch will still jump when he’s told. I know, he’s looking out for the Chamber, LOL - Stark - Thursday, Mar 8, 18 @ 11:47 am: So nice of him to bring all those jobs to Illinois after he left a greater amount of state employees out in the cold following his decision to take a scenic trip from New York home during the arbitration bill. - Precinct Captain - Thursday, Mar 8, 18 @ 11:49 am: Looks like a lot of jobs for people not in Dunkin’s district according to the ad. - Anon221 - Thursday, Mar 8, 18 @ 11:51 am: Does the WW4C group also endorse Dunkin??? /s - Joe M - Thursday, Mar 8, 18 @ 11:53 am: The Illinois Chamber would sell their mothers if they thought it would be profitable for their members. - 360 Degree TurnAround - Thursday, Mar 8, 18 @ 12:02 pm: Is there a footnote on the “25,000 jobs” statement? For as long as Ken Dunkin was in the General Assembly…that actually isn’t very good. Maybe they had to subtract all the social service jobs he helped cut when he missed those votes while watching tennis. - factchecker - Thursday, Mar 8, 18 @ 12:07 pm: If the Chamber had any credibility left, doubling down in this folly shredded it. - wordslinger - Thursday, Mar 8, 18 @ 12:17 pm: Didn’t see that coming, again. I thought Maisch took a lot of heat from members for backing Dunkin last time. - 360 Degree TurnAround - Thursday, Mar 8, 18 @ 12:19 pm: why doesn’t it say what office he’s running for? wouldn’t that be helpful? - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 8, 18 @ 12:44 pm: If the Illinois Chamber believes running up bills, closing social services, crippling higher education, it makes total sense they would support Ken Dunkin. That, or Todd Maisch just does what he’s told and it doesn’t matter what Ken Dunkin is or his history the last time he was in the General Assembly I just thought the Illinois Chamber cared more about Illinois than supporting someone whose absences and votes hurt Illinois so very much. That’s on me, my bad. - Eugene - Thursday, Mar 8, 18 @ 12:45 pm: A laughably inept piece of direct mail, for so many reasons. - Because I said so.... - Thursday, Mar 8, 18 @ 1:01 pm: I hope a lot of memberships get pulled from the Chamber over this. - Ron - Thursday, Mar 8, 18 @ 1:14 pm: Yeah, I’m sure a lot of members will be real mad about the Chamber supporting a pro business Democrat. - wordslinger - Thursday, Mar 8, 18 @ 1:23 pm: LOL, Dunkin was one of the lowest rated GA members on the chamber’s scorecard. They took the ILGO money and spent it on Dunkin because Rauner told them to. - Norseman - Thursday, Mar 8, 18 @ 1:26 pm: === … pro business … === LOL. The only business that Dunkin is pro is taking care of Dunkin. - Ron - Thursday, Mar 8, 18 @ 1:34 pm: Sure, 80% rating is real low, right? - Mama - Thursday, Mar 8, 18 @ 1:43 pm: Since Trump was elected, it appears politicians think it is ok to lie. I know they have always told tall stories, but somehow it seems worse now. - wordslinger - Thursday, Mar 8, 18 @ 1:44 pm: –Sure, 80% rating is real low, right?– Schockingly, Ron, you’re just making up nonsense. You’re just not good at it. It was 47%. https://capitolfax.com/2016/03/10/chamber-spends-almost-a-million-dollars-on-dunkin-tv-ad/ - Ron - Thursday, Mar 8, 18 @ 2:06 pm: Wrong, Dunkin was rated 80% for the 2015-16 session. - Ron - Thursday, Mar 8, 18 @ 2:07 pm: Look at the Chamber website. Won’t let me link to it here. - Centennial - Thursday, Mar 8, 18 @ 3:25 pm: Dunkin the “pro business” Democrat. hahaha Whatever helps you sleep at night… - walker - Thursday, Mar 8, 18 @ 3:48 pm: The state-level Illinois Chamber of Commerce has absolutely nothing to do with supporting small and mid-size businesses — they are separate from and work counter to local Chambers — and those businesses are where job growth is occurs. - Ron - Thursday, Mar 8, 18 @ 4:03 pm: 80% rating from Illinois Chamber for Dunkin. Keep your head buried deep in the sand Centennial. - Ron - Thursday, Mar 8, 18 @ 4:04 pm: I bet you think all is swell in the Land of Lincoln! Horrible job growth, unbalanced budget for decade upon decade. One of the highest tax burdens in the nation. - Whatever - Thursday, Mar 8, 18 @ 4:36 pm: ==80% rating from Illinois Chamber for Dunkin. == Compared to 50% the prior session and 44% the one before that. And based on a handful of bills, with a rating system that ignores bills on which he didn’t vote. How many of the representatives that got 100% ratings got a dime from the Chamber? - Ron - Thursday, Mar 8, 18 @ 4:52 pm: Decades of kleptocracy have finally caught up to Illinois. I’m very much in favor of electing business friendly pols. People are leaving this state at the fastest rate of any other than West Virginia. There are far more opportunities for employment elsewhere and people are fleeing. It doesn’t need to be this way. - Ron - Thursday, Mar 8, 18 @ 4:54 pm: Good to see the Chamber support business friendly Democrats. We need more of them. - wordslinger - Thursday, Mar 8, 18 @ 6:02 pm: Gee, Ron, it’s sad that you’re not able to back up your claims with links. How’s about this one? In the #metoo revolution, are Maisch and his chamber members comfortable going all in on Dunk? Seriously, they don’t remember any of this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVn5ABLjsG4 - Austinman - Thursday, Mar 8, 18 @ 9:17 pm: Whew love all the negative talk on dunkin, but as a rep he got alot of good accomplished. Yes he was watching tennis with some black children whom happen to be some of his constituents. Amazing how it’s ok for Robinson to accept all kinds of money and Dunkin isn’t? - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 8, 18 @ 9:23 pm: ===Yes he was watching tennis…=== LOL … just as Bruce Rauner brags. He kept Durkin in New York ===Mr. Rauner vetoed the legislation. In Illinois it takes three-fifths of each legislative chamber to override a veto, and Democrats had the requisite supermajorities. Yet the House sustained Mr. Rauner’s veto. “I got one Democrat,” he says. “Boy, did we work our tails off. We got one Democrat to stay in New York at the U.S. Open during the vote override.”=== Ken Dunkin, Raunerite extraordinaire, lol Or as was questioned… ===HOW exactly did he get that Dem to stay in New York? That’s a much more interesting question.=== Hilarious. - Ron - Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 8:18 am: Word, for some reason the site won’t allow me to link to the Chamber’s website. Dunkin had an 80% rating in 2015-16. - Whatever - Friday, Mar 9, 18 @ 9:02 am: And 50% and 44% in the two prior sessions. And exactly how many representatives with 100% ratings is the Chamber giving money to? Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.