* Hard-hitting Pat Quinn radio ad called “Insisting”…

The spot is running on African-American stations.

* Script…

Politician Kwame Raoul keeps insisting (insisting) that the hundred thousand dollars he took from Big Tobacco won’t play a role in how he handles the state tobacco lawsuit if he’s elected Attorney General. (Pay to play).

Kwame Raoul keeps insisting that the campaign cash he’s raked in from big utilities won’t affect his oversight of utility company rate hikes. (Pay to play).

And Kwame Raoul keeps insisting (insisting) that the thousands in campaign cash he pocketed from the red light camera operators won’t play any role when it comes to protecting citizens from red light camera abuse. (Pay to play).

With all that campaign cash (pay to play)(pay to play), do you think Kwame Raoul is going to stand up for you……. or them?

You don’t fight the big utilities and the red light camera operators when you’re on their payroll.

With all those conflicts of interest Kwame Raoul can’t be trusted to be on our side as Attorney General.

We need a fighter for us, like Pat Quinn (Pat Quinn).

Paid for by Taxpayers for Quinn.

Ouch.

A positive Quinn ad is here.

* Meanwhile, Tribune…

The Southern Illinois Democratic County Chairmen’s Association is endorsing state Sen. Kwame Raoul’s attorney general bid.

The group said it was an attempt to head off former Gov. Pat Quinn’s candidacy in the race.

“It is time for fresh faces in the leadership positions of Illinois and to move beyond the same-old-same-old so we can grow as a party,” said Nancy Mitchell, chair of the White County Democratic Party.

The group represents Democratic organizations from Alexander, Edwards, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Massac, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, Union, Wabash, Wayne, White and Williamson Counties.

* Also from the press release…

3½ years ago former Gov. Pat Quinn failed to carry one southern Illinois county. Meanwhile, Raoul has extensively traveled the state and picked up support from organized labor, elected officials and voters along the way. His campaign enjoys the support of elected officials downstaters trust like Secretary Jesse White, state senators Dave Koehler and Andy Manar along with state representative Jay Hoffman.

*** UPDATE *** From Ron Holmes at the Raoul campaign…

Pat Quinn having to pay black actors just to say something nice about him on black radio is the definition of pay to play.

Voters shouldn’t be surprised though. They know Pat Quinn’s failed tenure as Governor was plagued by scandal and now Illinois is a broken mess thanks to Quinn. Pat talks a big game on campaign finance but in the interest of disclosure let’s take a look at his record on “big tobacco, big utilities, and red-light camera operators.”

Some of his contributions from “Big Tobacco”…

Taxpayers for Quinn Altria Client Services 11/23/2009 $10,000
Taxpayers for Quinn National Tobacco Company, L.P. 6/29/2013 $10,500
Taxpayers for Quinn VMR Products, LLC 6/29/2013 $5,000

Some of his contributions from “big utilities”…

Taxpayers for Quinn BlueStar Energy Services 01/18/2010 $1,000
Taxpayers for Quinn BlueStar Energy Services 06/25/2010 $1,000
Taxpayers for Quinn Walls, Charles (ComEd VP of Customer Revenue Assurance) 08/19/2010 $500
Taxpayers for Quinn NextEra Energy Resources, L.L.C. 01/05/2011 $2,500

And those red-light camera operators?

Quinn received $4,000 in contributions from lobbyist Alfred G. Ronan, whose firm, Ronan Potts LLC, had reportedly retained red-light camera vendor RedSpeed Illinois as a client. In 2009, Ronan was described as, “Red Speed’s chief lobbyist in Springfield.” The Chicago Tribune also ran a piece specifically about lobbyist involvement in pushing red-light camera laws around the state, and it reported that Ronan had lobbied for RedSpeed since 2007. The piece also noted that Ronan lobbied for passage of the 2006 state law that opened the suburban traffic camera market to RedSpeed while working for another client.

Taxpayers for Quinn Ronan, Alfred G. 06/25/2013 $500
Taxpayers for Quinn Ronan, Alfred G. 06/26/2013 $1,500
Taxpayers for Quinn Ronan, Alfred G. 11/03/2014 $1,000
Taxpayers for Quinn Ronan, Alfred G. 12/23/2014 $1,000

In February 2012, Quinn SIGNED THE BILL that allowed Chicago to retrofit red-light cameras with speed sensors at intersections near schools and parks.

“Quinn signs Emanuel speed camera bill into law,” Monique Garcia, Chicago Tribune, 2/6/2012.
Gov. Pat Quinn signed a measure into law today that allows Mayor Rahm Emanuel to start using red light cameras to fine speeding drivers as much as $100 for violations.

“I think that you’ve got to understand that if you save even one life, you are saving the whole world,” Quinn said at a morning event at a Chicago school. “I mean, what do you say to a parent that’s been there from the day their son or daughter was born, and they’re killed by a speeding motorist next to their school, or their park?”

Bottom line: Pat Quinn will say or pay someone anything to get elected. He can’t be trusted.

*** UPDATE 2 *** Sharon Fairley…

In the final months of the Democratic primary for Illinois attorney general, the majority of candidates have put their ethics on hold to accept tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions from corporations, utility companies, tax attorneys, and alleged domestic abusers.

Scott Drury - who at a recent forum attacked Speaker Madigan on the issue of sexual harassment and misconduct - was not above taking a $10,000 contribution just two days ago from businessman Blair Hull, who was arrested for abusing his ex-wife.

Pat Quinn, who has repeatedly criticized the broken Cook County property tax assessment system on the campaign trail, pocketed a check for $200,000 on March 1, 2018 from a property tax appeal attorney.

Kwame Raoul’s many questionable campaign contributions are well documented. He has taken money from tobacco billionaires, political leaders, utility companies and red light camera operators. He continues to stand with Senate President John Cullerton, one of his biggest funders and a staunch supporter of disgraced state Senator Ira Silverstein.

Jesse Ruiz and Nancy Rotering have taken tens of thousands of dollars from big utilities as well. Rotering often brags about how she stood up to ComEd as mayor of Highland Park, but she also has no problem taking a check for $11,100 from them.

“We need an independent, experienced and qualified attorney general who is accountable only to the voters of Illinois,” said Sharon Fairley. “I’m not taking money from utility companies, corporations and other donors with conflicts in the office. You wouldn’t hire an attorney who receives thousands of dollars from someone who is suing you. You shouldn’t vote for one either.”