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* Crain’s takes a look at Senate President hopeful Kimberly Lightford’s history with ComEd and Exelon. Exerpt…
Among those bills was ComEd’s most recent major initiative—a 10-year extension of the generous formula rate that enables it to change rates each year, at a locked-in profit, with little scrutiny from state regulators. Lightford was a chief co-sponsor of that bill when it was introduced last spring. ComEd lobbied hard for the measure before the May adjournment, but uncharacteristically failed to win approval. It later came to light that contract lobbyists for the company had had their homes raided by federal investigators in that month.
Lightford was the primary Senate sponsor of ComEd-backed legislation in 2015 that for the first time allowed the utility to profit on the increasing amounts it invests in promoting energy efficiency, financed through a surcharge on customers’ monthly electric bills. The legislation, as introduced, would have authorized six ComEd-built “microgrids”—dedicated power generators and lines serving discrete areas. ComEd’s bill was rolled into the broader Future Energy Jobs Act, enacted in late 2016, which also bailed out two nuclear plants parent company Exelon had threatened to close, and in the final product authorized just one microgrid, serving the Bronzeville neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side.
According to the Center for Illinois Politics, Lightford raised the sixth most in the Senate from ComEd and Exelon. Senate President Cullerton and Sens. Tony Munoz, Bill Brady, Sue Rezin and Terry Link raised more. Sen. Don Harmon, who is also bidding to replace John Cullerton, raised the eleventh most. Among just ComEd recipients, Lightford ranked third in the Senate behind Senate President Cullerton and Sen. Tony Munoz.
* This, however, jumped out at me…
Asked about how fellow senators might view the ComEd issue in light of her bid, she said they don’t want “a leader who was not engaged” in major issues. She’s made stronger ethics rules a key plank of her campaign, which some might view as hard to square with a record of staunch support for ComEd and Exelon’s priorities. But, she said, “I don’t know that Edison has any direct relationship to us changing the ethical things we need to change.”
I think I know what she may have meant to say there, but it surely didn’t come out that way. She’s going to talk herself out of the top job if she isn’t careful.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Nov 22, 19 @ 9:39 am
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She needs a stronger ethics platform.
Come out against gerrymandering. Demand special elections. Ban lobbying for elected officials.
Comment by Hawaii 5-0 Friday, Nov 22, 19 @ 9:46 am
Tone deaf to issue a statement like that and she’s been at this long enough to know better. Stinks. Doesn’t pass the sniff test to me. But she’ll probably get the job and we’ll all continue business as usual. Out with the old, in with the…old.
Comment by Chambanalyst Friday, Nov 22, 19 @ 9:56 am
Not unexpected for Harmon and his allies to pitch Daniels on this. Don’t think it landed with the thud they expected. But Lightford will have to distance herself strongly.
Comment by Ok Friday, Nov 22, 19 @ 9:57 am
Reporters shouldn’t just ask Lightford and other GA members about campaign contributions, those things are a matter of public record and pretty much every member has received one. They should be asking about other ways Exelon/ComEd has “helped out.” That’s where the real action is.
Questions like: Has ComEd ever hired an employee or lobbyist at your urging? Do you have a financial interest in any company or consultancy that has business ties to ComEd? Have you ever asked ComEd to make a donation to a favored charitable organization?
Comment by Wrong question Friday, Nov 22, 19 @ 10:03 am
“Questions like: Has ComEd ever hired an employee or lobbyist at your urging? Do you have a financial interest in any company or consultancy that has business ties to ComEd? Have you ever asked ComEd to make a donation to a favored charitable organization?”
Those are the right questions.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Friday, Nov 22, 19 @ 10:13 am
=== Lightford is a real gift for the Illinois Republican party.===
Narrator: it’s not.
Safe district, no GOP candidate against her, no matter what, still a member of the Illinois Senate.
You keep pushing this ignorance, will the SGOP have enough candidates, if they *all* won, would flip the chamber.
In 2018, they couldn’t.
Wishing and understanding are not always similar. Ugh.
To the post,
=== She’s going to talk herself out of the top job if she isn’t careful.===
That’s the fear and concern right now. Self-inflicted damage while trying to curry favor from 29 others in her caucus, you can’t speak anymore frivolously, the plain speak to things will go further, and here, say what you need to say, *exactly* as you want it reported.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Nov 22, 19 @ 10:14 am
–”I don’t know that Edison has any direct relationship to us changing the ethical things we need to change.”–
This might turn out to be a disqualifying statement if the Feds drop an indictment or seven before the caucus meets to vote on the next president.
Comment by Anon y mouse Friday, Nov 22, 19 @ 10:17 am
So basically, the top candidates for Senate President have accepted donations from ComEd? Got it.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Nov 22, 19 @ 10:18 am
OW
Lightford is an amazing image for suburban and downstate voters with those ComEd/Madigan/ Democrat party machine ties. In her district , her image is acceptable. But, in others…
Comment by Steve Friday, Nov 22, 19 @ 10:19 am
=== suburban===
How is Trump polling in the burbs?
=== Democrat party===
Done with you today. Hee Haw at someone else today. I’m sorry I keep thinking you’re a rational person.
To this…
=== the top candidates for Senate President have accepted donations from ComEd?===
As of right now, it’s going to be difficult to *find* few not accepting ComEd cash, it might come down to who accepted the smallest? Yikes if that’s the criteria
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Nov 22, 19 @ 10:22 am
OW
Lightford is one great campaign commercial to tie all Democrats to: she not only wants to raise your taxes ; she so greedy she wants you to pay a higher utility bill with the track record to back it up. OW do you really think Donald Trump will be as unpopular as Mike Madigan in Illinois in by November of 2020?? I don’t know. You got to have faith.
Comment by Steve Friday, Nov 22, 19 @ 10:28 am
=== Lightford raised the sixth most in the Senate from ComEd and Exelon. Senate President Cullerton and Sens. Tony Munoz, Bill Brady, Sue Rezin and Terry Link raised more.===
Senate President Cullerton - retiring
Sen. Tony Munoz
Minority Leader Bill Brady
Sen. Sue Rezin
Sen. Terry Link
“Bipartisan” monies ahead of Lightford.
If we decide “all ComEd money is tainted, what will we say about the GOPers taking more cash than Lightford?
Does the partisan to all this want a blanket statement while trying to split hairs?
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Nov 22, 19 @ 10:29 am
- Steve -
Move on. I’m done with you.
#LessonLearned
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Nov 22, 19 @ 10:30 am
Move on from Trump. Now.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Nov 22, 19 @ 10:30 am
Wrong Question at 10:03 is right that more specific questions should be asked. You know who can compel honest answers to those questions: the Feds. If the feds look at ComEd activities closely some of the senate democrat leadership will be leaving the building in a non-voluntary way. There are undoubtedly some sweaty palms in republican leadership too but the rot is deeply embedded with many senior D’s. Everyone in the caucus knows this. It’s time for new leadership. Cullerton did right by retiring.
Very strange that Manar is ok with Lightford. Hey Andy, how about President Collins or Bush? Both have much better ethics than Lightford.
Comment by Orange is the new black Friday, Nov 22, 19 @ 10:36 am
Sorry, why are we talking about Trump?
Comment by Chicago Cynic Friday, Nov 22, 19 @ 10:38 am
- Chicago Cynic -
That was all on me. I’ve learned now, - Steve - is trolling and bring out things not needed “#LessonLearned”
To again bring it back,
The monetary measure shouldn’t be the measure of “engagement, that’s where words matter. So, if you aren’t taking monies you aren’t “engaged”?
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Nov 22, 19 @ 10:43 am
Lightford is, in important ways, too much of the same old same old when it comes to corporate money and lobbying. And, in my limited experiences with her directly, the aforementioned is only a part of the problem.
I think Lightford can be a bully, and if you are not a constituent she has no time for you as demonstrated during the SB 7 and SB 100 fiasco.
She should not be the senate president.
Comment by JS Mill Friday, Nov 22, 19 @ 10:51 am
==she’ll probably get the job and we’ll all continue business as usual. Out with the old, in with the…old.==
If you haven’t already you really should check out Ron Goldman’s fantastic flashback article in today’s onine Trib. (This is not OT.) It is about the wheeling dealing and political corruption associated with 19th century transportation in Chicago. It’s final sentence is: “F.L. Goddard, the conductor (of the final cable car), was asked if he felt a pang of regret. “Pang, nothing,” answered Goddard. “I’m progressive. This is an age of electricity.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/opinion/commentary/ct-opinion-flashback-chicago-cable-cars-charles-yerkes-20191122-yykzxzjbergndmd4ms3xcydfym-story.html
Comment by Responsa Friday, Nov 22, 19 @ 11:27 am
A Senate president with ties to ComEd and Exelon? Ha. Take a look at our attorney general, who has ties to ComEd, Exelon, and SafeSpeed.
Comment by Moist von Lipwig Friday, Nov 22, 19 @ 11:47 am