* I told subscribers about this earlier…
Third-party candidate Sam McCann reported receiving $550,000 last week from the Engineers Political Education, the Washington-based political arm of the union that’s endorsing both him and Democrat J.B. Prtizker, according to campaign finance records filed Monday.
McCann, who’s running under the Conservative Party banner, previously reported that various entities of the International Union of Operating Engineers have given his campaign $200,000 in direct cash — half coming from Local 150, records show. Local 150 provided $77,692 in assistance, including more than $60,000 on professional petition passers, to help McCann make the November ballot.
In a statement, Travis Sterling, recently named as the new executive director of the state GOP, sought to paint the operating engineers involvement as revealing that McCann was a “Democratic plant whose sole purpose in this race is to benefit Mike Madigan and J.B. Pritzker.”
* McCann’s campaign released this statement from the candidate today…
Since Governor Rauner took office, he has made union members and middle class workers out to be the “bad guys” in Illinois, constantly blaming them for economic strife and making reduction of their quality of life a central part of his plan to return Illinois to fiscal health. Enough is enough.
Illinois does better when middle class workers are doing well. When workers can earn a living, get benefits, and plan for their retirement through their jobs, it reduces demand for government services. Our state should celebrate those jobs and try to create more of them.
A strong and vibrant middle class adds value to Illinois. I want to grow a middle class economy where workers are moving forward instead of losing ground. And union members won’t have to look over their shoulders if I am elected Governor.
Limiting workers’ rights, reducing wages, and attacking benefits is not the way to economic prosperity. I’ve fought Bruce Rauner’s attempts to weaken unions and hurt workers in Illinois, and I will continue this fight as Governor.
…Adding… Related…
* Democrats are hoping 2 endorsements are better than 1: Reading the political tea leaves properly, Democrats decided to exploit Rauner’s difficulties with his right wing by getting McCann into the race.
- Robert the 1st - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 1:14 pm:
The fake Marine gets a fake endorsement while running as a fake conservative. How exciting.
- Nieva - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 1:15 pm:
None for Bruce??
- BlueDogDem - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 1:18 pm:
Man. I thought Jeanne ives had a grudge.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 1:18 pm:
Nice timing since yesterday Rauner thumbed his nose at the Labor Board and continues doing everything he can to avoid paying the back pay they ordered him to pay.
- Real - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 1:19 pm:
McCann or Pritzker would be a great gov. Let white republicans vote for Rauner.
- Back to the Future - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 1:23 pm:
This Union sure has a lot on money to contribute to
Political campaigns.
It seems you see a story every few weeks on them. After a while the amounts really begin to add up.
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 1:26 pm:
=This Union sure has a lot on money to contribute to
Political campaigns.
It seems you see a story every few weeks on them. After a while the amounts really begin to add up.=
Corporations sure do have a lot of money to contribute to campaigns. I wonder when they will start giving out good raises?
- Back to the Future - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 1:33 pm:
Get your point.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 1:37 pm:
McCann needs only 5% or so of the Ives voters, the labor folks not sold on Pritzker, and downstate conservatives who felt betrayed by Rauner.
Just a mere 5%… but that’s still a big ask.
These monies will help get a message in those tight windows
- Robert the 1st - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 1:37 pm:
Funny how PUBLIC sector union defenders always bring up shadowy, faceless, boogeyman, PRIVATE corporations. I guess addressing their actual management, taxpayers, is a losing argument.
- City Zen - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 1:40 pm:
==This Union sure has a lot on money to contribute to Political campaigns.==
Local 150 reported $131M in net assets (the highest of any union based in IL) and $66M in receipts (2nd only to IEA). They have a lot of money to contribute to anything (except income taxes as they are tax exempt). They are the Monsanto of the Illinois labor world. Tread lightly.
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 1:45 pm:
==Corporations sure do have a lot of money to contribute to campaigns. I wonder when they will start giving out good raises?==
I’d settle for any raises at all. Very few workers are benefiting from Roskam’s tax scam bill, from which he and every other republican promised big benefits for workers in the form of salary increases. There’s a ton of stories out there about corporate stock buybacks and “eye-popping” bonuses for CEO’s, though, so yay for capitalism I guess?
- Texas Red - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 1:48 pm:
The unions are spending wisely, $550,000 is chump change when compared to the payoff of A JB administration.
- Ike - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 1:48 pm:
Robert the 1st - not sure how corporations are faceless boogymen. They have lobbyist that literally write legislation that favors thr corpations they represent, and give campaign donations to the legislators that introduce it and help get it passed. You just seem to support government that only represents the highest bidder.
- Texas Red - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 1:52 pm:
“Very few workers are benefiting from Roskam’s tax scam bill, from which he and every other republican promised big benefits for workers ”
…CNBC headline yesterday ” Worker pay rate hits highest level since 2008″
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/07/31/worker-pay-rate-hits-highest-level-since-2008.html
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 1:59 pm:
Real - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 1:19 pm:
This has nothing to do with white people or race, STOP IT.
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 2:00 pm:
Funny how SHADOWY, faceless commenters on the internet CAPITALIZE words WHILE defending the private BUSINESS practice of ripping off their hard working, tax paying employees. I guess addressing the actual merits of McCann’s statement is a losing argument.
- City Zen - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 2:06 pm:
==Corporations sure do have a lot of money to contribute to campaigns.==
Can you name one corporation that has outspent the Operating Engineers for state and local elections? Exelon? Walgreens? McDonalds? Abbott? Comcast?
- Honeybear - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 2:06 pm:
Wait I thought all caps was banned.
Can I cyber scream again?
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 2:09 pm:
I’m guessin’ Rauner wishes he had followed Walker’s model of divide and conquer on the public sector/private sector unions.
Every point that McCann/Jackson take from Rauner will be almost impossible to make up with increased turnout.
When’s the DGA spot that “McCann is too conservative for Illinois” coming out? Almost won it for Ives.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 2:11 pm:
===I’m guessin’ Rauner wishes he had followed Walker’s model of divide and conquer on the public sector/private sector unions.===
The Decatur PowerPoint was the end of the charade Rauner had with the trades. No turning back that February day…
… no one stopped him, so here he is.
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 2:14 pm:
==…CNBC headline yesterday ” Worker pay rate hits highest level since 2008″==
Counterpoint: https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.usatoday.com/amp/505122002
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 2:19 pm:
Yikes, my bad.
The day… January 27, 2015…
- Back to the Future - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 2:27 pm:
Cyber scream.
Good one.
Will never capitalize again!
(Actually don’t think I ever capitalized complete words, but sure won’t ever do it now!)
- Real - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 2:34 pm:
This has nothing to do with white people or race, STOP IT.
-Bring up some statistics and prove I’m wrong. I’ll wait.
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 3:22 pm:
==-Bring up some statistics and prove I’m wrong. I’ll wait.==
I don’t have any statistics to back this up, but I’d personally prefer it if white republicans (or really republicans of any color) vote for McCann -instead- of for Rauner. You know, just to rub salt in the wound.
- Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 3:38 pm:
Great statement from McCann. I hope he runs a great campaign, a tight one, or toight, as Austin Powers’ Goldmember would have said.
Trust and loyalty have to mean something. Rauner lied about not prioritizing anti-union policies. Rauner lied about abortion. If these things are important, then a vote for McCann for some is one of good conscience.
- Real - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 4:05 pm:
Since you have no statistics and since the media willingly doesn’t show vote statitistics on the republican side for some strange reason.. I wonder why that is, but Rauner’s vote count is over 90% white republican.
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 4:50 pm:
Can you name one corporation that has outspent Operating Engineers for state and local elections?
From Illinois State Board of Elections website from the end of the last voting cycle to present.
Exalon: Your search found 162 receipts totaling $541,330.00
Walgreens: Your search found 195 receipts totaling $138,610.00
McDonalds: Your search found 3 receipts totaling $2000.00
Abbot Your search found 63 receipts totaling
$91,140.00
Comcast: Your search found 499 receipts totaling $786,940.51
Comcast is the winner.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 5:27 pm:
Real - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 2:34 pm:
This has nothing to do with being White, Period.
- City Zen - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 5:30 pm:
==Comcast is the winner.==
Chicagoland Operators Joint Labor-Management PAC
D-2 Quarterly Report
4/1/2018 to 6/30/2018
This report has 69 itemized Transfers Out totaling $1,395,173.62
$1.4 million in 3 months.
Who’s the winner?
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 6:20 pm:
You said corporations. PAC is a different animal altogether, since it can contain many corporations, unions, organizations and individuals.
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 6:22 pm:
Movin’ the goalposts.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 7:51 pm:
==Movin’ the goalposts.==
Like wrappin’ yourself in the flag, the refuge of scoundrels.
- City Zen - Wednesday, Aug 1, 18 @ 7:54 pm:
==You said corporations. PAC is a different animal altogether==
Usually, but the Chicagoland Operators PAC receives 99% of its funding from “Midwest Operating Engineers Construction Industry Research and Service” (read Local 150) or one entity. The rare contributions from other entities, like the Senate Democratic Victory Fund, usually make their way back. It’s the equivalent of Comcast forming Comcast PAC and just made those same contributions you noted above. That’s not to say Comcast hasn’t joined some sort of communications PAC (like beer distributions, trial lawyers, etc), but it doesn’t look like it.
In Q4 2017, Chicagoland Operators (one company) contributed $3.1M dollars (see: https://bit.ly/2varhWX) That’s more than each company you mentioned above combined. In one quarter.
So I’ll ask again, who exactly are the big corporations dominating Illinois politics?