Pritzker gives campaign another $20 million, bringing him to $146.5 million in self-funding

2018年10月1日星期一

Pritzker gives campaign another $20 million, bringing him to $146.5 million in self-funding

Topspin

Billionaire Democratic governor candidate J.B. Pritzker pumped another $20 million into his campaign, extending his record-setting self-funding to more than $146.5 million, a state finance report filed minutes before midnight Saturday showed.

For the record, the latest multimillion cash infusion made last Tuesday brings Pritzker's total to $146,550,034 since March 2017, state campaign finance records showed.

Pritzker's campaign also put $1 million into the Democratic Party of Illinois, which is chaired by House Speaker Michael Madigan, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner's chief political nemesis. The contribution followed $420,000 Pritzker gave the state party a week earlier.

Rauner, a wealthy equity investor, has not put any of his own money into his campaign fund since a record single contribution of $50 million in December 2016. It's part of the $95.3 million of his own money he's placed into his campaign fund since March 2013, when he announced his first candidacy. (Rick Pearson)

What's on tap

*Mayor Rahm Emanuel announce Legler Library on the South Side will be converted into a regional branch. Later, the mayor will join with Chicago Public Schools officials to announce that CPS schools are being honored nationally. The mayor also will attend a Public Building Commission meeting.

*Gov. Rauner, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao and others will take part in a news conference about the 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project in Chicago. The governor also is scheduled to speak at the 2018 Governor's Summit on Work-Based Learning in East Peoria.

*U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin will give a breakfast-time speech to the City Club of Chicago. Later in the day, the City Club will host a panel titled "Crisis in the Catholic Church" moderated by Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke.

From the notebook

*Mendoza says anti-harassment policies meant for all parties: Comptroller Susana Mendoza said policies to deal with sexual harassment proposed by a panel of Democratic women is meant for all political parties, not just Democrats.

"This is not something that we want for Democrats. It's something we want for women, and women come in all shapes and colors and all party labels. And this is really meant to help women feel more comfortable getting involved in a space that they care about, which is politics and the future of our states," Mendoza said Sunday on WGN-AM 720.

With harassment issues surfacing in both political parties, Mendoza said political campaigns pose a distinct difference from traditional workplaces where human relations departments exist.

"In campaigns, they might last two weeks to at most a year and a half until the campaign is over, so there might be an incident that happens toward the end of a campaign and the campaign's over before you even have a legit chance to report it," she said.

As a result, the panel led by Mendoza, state Sen. Melinda Bush of Grayslake and state Rep. Carol Ammons of Urbana said the political parties should provide a structure for dealing with harassment training and reporting.

The panel recommended that campaigns that do not adopt anti-harassment policies or undergo training should not receive party financial help or resources. Mendoza said that would make a "huge difference" in dealing with the issue. (Rick Pearson)

*Possible treasurer candidate: Peter Gariepy, who sought to unseat Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas in the March Democratic primary, is forming an exploratory committee for Chicago city treasurer.

But Gariepy said he won't run if incumbent Kurt Summers seeks a return to the office.

"In pushing his office to be a force for good while still executing its core duties, Treasurer Summers raised the bar not only for his successor but for the treasurer of every other city that stands with Chicago on the world stage," Gariepy said. "If he decides to run again, I will withdraw and gladly support."

Gariepy said his exploratory committee is being co-chaired by Alds. Proco "Joe" Moreno, 1st; Scott Waguespack, 32nd; and John Arena, 45th. (Rick Pearson)

*On the Sunday Spin: Tribune political reporter Rick Pearson's guests were David Yepsen, former director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, on the Kavanaugh nomination; state Sen. John Curran, R-Downers Grove, on the Sterigenics facility in Willowbrook; and Mendoza. The Sunday Spin airs from 7 to 9 a.m. on WGN-AM 720. Listen to the full show here.

What we're writing

*In Northwest Side aldermanic race, Emanuel vows: "No friend gets left on the field."

*Rauner says Kavanaugh process should be delayed.

*Van Dyke has momentous decision to make: Do I testify in my own defense?

*Cardinal Cupich apologizes, saying his "poor choice of words" may have added to suffering of sex abuse victims, survivors.

What we're reading

*At Treasure Island grocery stores, "everything must go" as they prepare to close soon.

*To avoid bankruptcy, Sears CEO proposes selling off real estate. The retailer has tried that move before.

*Overqualified? Or too old? Age discrimination case takes aim at biased recruiting practices.

Follow the money

*State Sen. Kwame Raoul, the Democratic candidate for attorney general, reported more than $320,000 in large donations. The figure included $150,000 from Michael Sacks and $100,000 from Neil Bluhm as well as $2,500 from Chicago Cubs co-owner Laura Ricketts.

*Track Illinois campaign contributions in real time here and here.