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Money talks

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Illinois

Democratic Senate President John Cullerton of Chicago collected more than $765,000 for three campaign funds, much of it from labor unions that are allied with Democrats during the state budget impasse against Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.

The pattern of giving shows how campaign contribution limits in Illinois can be worked around. The construction and general laborers’ political fund gave at total of $136,700 — the maximum $53,900 to Cullerton’s state central committeeman fund and Cullerton’s Senate fund and $28,900 to the Senate Democratic fund. An operating engineers’ fund gave $158,700 — the maximum $53,900 to Cullerton’s state central committeeman and Senate Democratic funds, plus $50,900 to his Senate account. All told, that’s nearly 40 percent of the haul Cullerton reported receiving Friday.

* Tribune…

State Rep. John Bradley of Marion reported nearly $100,000 in campaign contributions, including the maximum $53,900 the Laborers’ D.C.-based fund has been given to numerous potential Republican targets next year as well as political funds controlled by Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan.

But, yeah, they’re gonna fold any day now and fully buy in to the Turnaround Agenda.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Nov 9, 15 @ 8:53 am

Comments

The Labor Movement and Social Servies and their Advocates are starting to come to serious, serious grips that the Raunerites can only be stopped by uniting with the Democrats, and Democrats, embracing both the Labor Movement and Social Services and their Advocates as their allies and the tree of them together, and only together have the hope of stopping Bruce Rauner.

Can they do it?

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 9, 15 @ 9:03 am
Do it or die trying OW.

Comment by Honeybear Monday, Nov 9, 15 @ 9:12 am
Nothing builds solidarity quite like a bad boss. Rauner shows Illinoisans a view of the future where everyone is carrion, which makes us more attractive to vultures.

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Nov 9, 15 @ 9:19 am
Just how it goes. It feels very much if you arent in a public union or well connected in business you are moved very much to the back of the line in this state.

Comment by Very Fed Up Monday, Nov 9, 15 @ 9:19 am
Last week I saw Jim Durkin speak at SIUC. He of course talked about the budget impasse but highlighted just how uncompetitive the Illinois business climate is. He said the Caterpillar CEO has said that he won’t open new manufacturing lines in Illinois without improvements to the business climate. This year we’ve seen numerous manufacturing job losses as highlighted in an Illinois Policy Institute blog entitled “This Must End” on July 24, 2015. Yes it’s the IPI, but the numbers are the numbers. Durkin claimed that Madigan thus far has refused to budge on worker’s comp reform or other points on the turnaround agenda. What else will it take for Madigan and Cullerton to wake up and smell the layoffs? We can scoff at the Turnaround Agenda but calls for Rauner to cave and just pass a budget is an endorsement for the failed political and business climate of the last several years.

Comment by Matt Monday, Nov 9, 15 @ 9:26 am
- Matt -

If those IPI numbers are so strong, why hasn’t Rauner used those numbers to show why the Turnaround Agenda must be passed?

Why isn’t there ever a dossier showing a ROI?

Isn’t that odd? A businessman not having a well thought ROI to present?

Seems odd to me.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 9, 15 @ 9:37 am
When in doubt, pass the ball to Oswego Willy, who aims with Jordan-like precision and scores.

Comment by Aldyth Monday, Nov 9, 15 @ 9:42 am
Raunernomics (h/t Word?) are a fail, and all the nonsense that goes with it, but…

Mr. Madigan, please address causation. It is gutter-cleaning season, but not on my job-site. I have confidence that you understand this is a necessary adjustment. Thank you.

Also, please add a few strings to the “term-limit demand,” as we work toward the release of The Hostages. If the “elected” should only serve a certain term, the “elected” should also have not been put into office because a FEW people have BILLIONS. (I can’t hear the fire alarm in the crowded theatre because the Billionaires are making too much noise.) Set a bar for the rest of the country and negotiate a tough campaign finance rule. Someone has to start to disassemble CU vs FEC. Be tough. Talk tough.

Thank you.

Comment by cdog Monday, Nov 9, 15 @ 9:49 am
In comparison to the Rauner and his wealthy friends campaign funds, the Dems money is whispering. They need to keep working on getting more and planning their boots on the ground strategy.

Comment by Norseman Monday, Nov 9, 15 @ 9:53 am
@Matt:

So how’s that no budget thing working out for the business climate?

Comment by Demoralized Monday, Nov 9, 15 @ 9:53 am
Does IPI have to declare where they get their money from? What about Americans for Prosperity? They play the same political game Cullerton does.
Leave it to the Trib to have unbiased reporting.

Comment by DuPage Bard Monday, Nov 9, 15 @ 10:02 am
The Dem fundraising pails when you think of the money Bruce And Ken Griffin can push to PACs. Griffin reportedly recently paid $200M for three floors in a residential building in NYC. The political funding is chump change.

Comment by Lincoln Lad Monday, Nov 9, 15 @ 10:06 am
Just follow the money. You will never under any circumstances see Cullerton/Madigan putting their foot in the sand to ask for a vote on a progressive income tax, millionaire surcharge, raise minimum wage, mandatory sick pay, overtime threshold, easing process for private sector unions etc etc. Everything starts and ends for them with public unions and keeping gerrymandered districts free of term limits.

Comment by Very Fed Up Monday, Nov 9, 15 @ 10:07 am
Money talks, until it comes time to try trimming pensions again. The unions are getting temporary friends. Senate bill 1 was despicable.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Nov 9, 15 @ 10:38 am
==and the tree of them together,==

OW: now that’s the south side Irish way! lol

Comment by walker Monday, Nov 9, 15 @ 10:41 am
- Honeybear -, you and your family are in my thoughts often, along with many in the same plight

(Tips cap, humbly, to - Aldyth -)

- walker -, lol, I guess I was channeling my inner Bridgeport… or my misguided spelling made a funny that kinda works out.

Unintended humor I guess?

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 9, 15 @ 10:49 am
=He said the Caterpillar CEO has said that he won’t open new manufacturing lines in Illinois without improvements to the business climate.=

Just curious, what “competitive” states are they opening manufacturing plants in these days? What with all of the downsizing, if the world is not competitive enough maybe they can off shore some work to the moon. I hear tell that their minimum wage is very “competitive”.

Comment by JS Mill Monday, Nov 9, 15 @ 11:44 am
The $20 Million in Citizens for Rauner and the $9 Million in IllinoisGO makes these numbers seem totally insignificant.

Guess we will eventually see how these monies will be spent!!!!!

Comment by illini Monday, Nov 9, 15 @ 2:29 pm