SPRINGFIELD — On a recent Monday night, lobbyists and representatives for a variety of special interest groups traveled to Lake Springfield to pay homage — and campaign contributions — to Illinois' longest-serving speaker of the House, Michael J. Madigan.
SPRINGFIELD — On a recent Monday night, lobbyists and representatives for a variety of special interest groups traveled to Lake Springfield to pay homage — and campaign contributions — to Illinois' longest-serving speaker of the House, Michael J. Madigan.
On the 30th anniversary of the Chicago Democrat's annual Island Bay Yacht Club fundraiser, the power he commands was evidenced by the $109,000 in donations of $1,000 or more that were given that day to the Democratic Majority campaign fund he controls, State Board of Elections records show.
The Laborers' International Union, concerned about potential changes in workers' compensation, gave $25,000. The parent of tobacco giant R.J. Reynolds, which wants to end a smoking ban in Illinois casinos, contributed $10,000. The Affordable Assisted Living Coalition, a group trying to stave off budget cuts that could affect seniors and developmentally disabled younger people, donated $5,000.
But Madigan's take that day is just part of the picture. Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, also had a major fundraiser early this month for the Senate Democratic Victory Fund that he controls.
All told, more than $600,000 in amounts of $1,000 or more has flowed into political funds controlled by Madigan and Cullerton this month. That campaign cash is changing hands during a month when lawmakers traditionally face the most controversial legislation — an agenda dictated by the two Democratic leaders.
Madigan spokesman Steve Brown dismissed the concept that donations affect decision-making by Democratic House members.
"Our only criteria in the Democratic caucus in the House is whether legislation represents a common-sense solution to a problem or making sure a program operates in a common-sense fashion," Brown said. He said it is "critical" to raise money "every month of the year" to defend incumbents because of the recent effect of groups that accept unregulated and anonymous sources of money "to put slop on the heads of candidates."
By contrast, Republicans who have spent the past decade out of power in the House and Senate saw their leadership funds raise only $38,500 in donations of $1,000 or more in May, state records show.
"Clearly, the Democrats are in power, they're the committee chairmen, they have the majority votes, they have the speaker's gavel and the Senate president's gavel," said Kent Redfield, a political science professor and campaign finance expert at the University of Illinois at Springfield. "The interests want to have at least an ear and access to the people that are in power."
For years, lawmakers have been raising money as they took important votes during the homestretch. But the public didn't get a glimpse at who was getting how much until it was disclosed months later.
This year, for the first time, the public can see that information in close to real time, thanks to a new campaign finance law approved in the wake of ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich's arrest on political corruption charges. Donations of $1,000 or more must be reported within days on a year-round basis instead of what used to be as little as a few times a year.
Supporters argue the provision boosts transparency. The quicker campaign cash reports also are causing some to question whether interest groups are giving money at a critical time when the fate of legislation is being decided.
"Six hundred thousand dollars at the close of session when all the very controversial legislation is attempting to move forward?" asked Sen. John Millner, R-Carol Stream. "It doesn't look good and it might create more cynicism on the part of our constituents. I think we really have to seriously re-evaluate how we're doing business."
Democratic Sen. Don Harmon of Oak Park, the sponsor of the current campaign finance law, said he's concerned that Illinois is increasingly seeing "unregulated public interest groups, who don't disclose where they get their money, launching campaigns to influence public policy." Harmon, a member of a bipartisan commission looking at the law, said he remains open to suggestions and recommendations.
Some major interest groups, including the Illinois Manufacturers' Association and the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, have agreed not to give donations to lawmakers during the session. Millner, who raised most of the more than $29,000 he's collected this year in April, said he would support a prohibition on any donations during the session, which typically runs from January through May 31.
Already, the state prohibits legislative fundraisers on days the General Assembly meets. The Madigan and Cullerton cattle calls were held on Mondays, with the legislature convening the next day.
From May 1 through last week, the largest contributor listed was Ameren, a downstate electrical utility. Records showed Ameren donated at least $70,500 this month, including a combined $40,000 to funds controlled by Madigan and Cullerton.
Ameren and Commonwealth Edison are asking for regulatory changes to make it easier to gain rate increases, in part to pay for so-called smart-grid technology and infrastructure to deliver electricity more efficiently. ComEd and its parent company, Exelon, traditionally major donors, gave $6,000 this month and more than $40,000 in the first three months of the year.
Another major donor is the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, which made $55,000 in donations in May, most of it to House and Senate Democratic leaders. The trial lawyers have been a major player in negotiations over plans to change workers' compensation laws to make the job-related injury payment system less costly to business.
Also involved in that issue is the Illinois Hospital Association, which has given $51,500 this month, and the Illinois State Medical Society, which gave $15,000 to Madigan's personal campaign fund.
Unions also have poured money in the final weeks of session. In addition to the $25,000 that the Laborers' International Union gave Madigan's Democratic Majority fund, the group gave $25,000 to Cullerton's Senate Victory Fund. The Chicago Federation of Labor and Operating Engineers Local 150 each sent $10,000 to Cullerton's leadership fund.
"Clearly, it's not the time to be raising this type of money. It looks bad," said Senate Republican leader Christine Radogno of Lemont. "The question is: What is the next step and does it really impact things or is the same money just being raised at a different time? Every time we try to put some limit on (money), it just finds a different way into the system, one that is oftentimes harder to follow."