Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Griffin contributes another $1.5 million

Posted in:

Illinois

* Greg Hinz looks at Illinoisans contributing to the Republican and Democratic governors’ associations…

The just-filed RGA report for the second quarter features a $1.5 million donation from Chicago financial mogul Ken Griffin, who already had donated $3 million to Mr. Rauner’s campaign this year.

All of Griffin’s recent contributions can be seen by clicking here.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jul 16, 14 @ 3:59 pm

Comments

That’s $6 million for Bruce…

That’s $4.5 million for Griffin…

So $10.5 million for “influencing Illinois politics”? These are wholesale prices.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 16, 14 @ 4:01 pm
Upon review of his contributions one can only conclude he should stick to his profession and forget politics.

Comment by MOON Wednesday, Jul 16, 14 @ 4:10 pm
1.5 to Rauner, or 1.5 overall? There are a lot more names on there than just Rauner

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jul 16, 14 @ 4:13 pm
Nevermind, misread it

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jul 16, 14 @ 4:19 pm
Griff just wants to make sure he doesn’t have “insufficient influence” on a Gov. Rauner.

Plus, I think he likes getting his name in the papers. Even a net worth of $4.4 billion can’t make running a hedge fund sexy or interesting.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jul 16, 14 @ 4:20 pm
It’s good to be rich!

Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Jul 16, 14 @ 4:25 pm
Oh good. You know how Rauner hates having to spend his own nursing home blood money.

Comment by too obvious Wednesday, Jul 16, 14 @ 4:42 pm
Great link shows all those $ to the downstate GOPies who laundered the money and gave back to Rapid Rodney to give to Karl Rove
Thanks for the memories

Comment by CircularFiringSquad Wednesday, Jul 16, 14 @ 4:49 pm
First IL weed czar.

Comment by persecuted Wednesday, Jul 16, 14 @ 4:58 pm
Silly on Bruce’s part. He plans to run ads about “union bosses” buying influence, then accepts more from one person than Quinn has accepted from his top eight union contributors combined! He just lost one of his best ads.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Wednesday, Jul 16, 14 @ 5:03 pm
Ken doesn’t want to be #2 on that list. he needs to be #1

Comment by PoolGuy Wednesday, Jul 16, 14 @ 5:11 pm
RGA to spend $100M in final 100 days
http://www.politico.com/story/2014/07/republican-governors-association-spending-109011.html

Comment by Precinct Captain Wednesday, Jul 16, 14 @ 5:18 pm
Nothing grinds Griffin’s gears more than unions. Guarantee Rauner listed Quinn’s top donors via telephone. And Griffin said Bruce here’s $1.5 million.

Comment by Almost the Weekend Wednesday, Jul 16, 14 @ 5:24 pm
I love to say I told you so.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Jul 16, 14 @ 5:28 pm
If receiving any amount of cash constitutes a bribe according to Rauner then what does receiving that amount of cash equal? All I can say is that $1.5 million fundraiser must have been a good one.

Comment by Obama's Puppy Wednesday, Jul 16, 14 @ 5:39 pm
With the size of those donations, maybe the “Griffin” will be made our State Mythological Creature.

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Wednesday, Jul 16, 14 @ 6:06 pm
you do not spend money if you do not know the plan,what do you know about rauners plans?

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jul 16, 14 @ 7:35 pm
Must be somethin’ to have that kind of dough to throw around…unbelievable.

Comment by Just The Way It Is One Wednesday, Jul 16, 14 @ 7:41 pm
“Nothing grinds Griffin’s gears more than unions.”

I don’t know anything about him, but if this is true, how pathetic is that? Unions never stopped this guy or harmed him in his quest for wealth, yet he still hates them?

That’s the problem with Griffin’s position, and with others like him. Unions never stopped these people from becoming very wealthy, yet unions make their blood boil.

Griffin was quoted in an SJ-R editorial as asking why government workers get to retire early while the rest of “us,” as he put it, have to work longer. That’s laughable. He’s putting himself in the same class as those who have to work longer and are stuck in wage stagnation, as well as defined contribution pensions. The dude can retire 20 times over.

I believe that there is built-in liability for people like Griffin, who are super-wealthy and are funding the attacks on unions and government employees. I believe that history will judge them negatively.

Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, Jul 16, 14 @ 8:06 pm
He gets $1.5 mil from one guy but he’s going to represent the masses? Quinn gets $ from Unions representing hundreds of thousands of people and he’s catering to the special interests?

Comment by DuPage Bard Wednesday, Jul 16, 14 @ 8:24 pm
===Nothing grinds Griffin’s gears more than unions===

I don’t know him that well, I’ve spoken with him only once (although for quite a long time), but I don’t think that’s true. He disagrees with Rauner on quite a few things. But he’s Bruce’s friend, and he’s all in.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jul 16, 14 @ 9:11 pm
that 5,000 from Ken Griffin to Representative Drury is a bit odd - is it because he’s the anti-Madigan Democrat?

Comment by gopher Wednesday, Jul 16, 14 @ 10:20 pm
===…5,000 from Ken Griffin to Representative Drury…===

You’re worth billions, $5K to your state Rep. is really nothing in the big picture.

Actually would be surprised, with Griffin’s quotes about not enough influence, if he didn’t give to his Rep. and state Senator.

Not a slam or snark, just probably a reality now for Griffin.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 16, 14 @ 10:45 pm
Jeez. Somebody has a mancrush.

Comment by Jimbo Thursday, Jul 17, 14 @ 8:20 am