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State rep Annazette Collins, a Democrat from Chicago’s west side, agreed earlier this week to pay a $20,000 fine and issue an apology for filing inaccurate campaign finance reports with the state board of elections. From 2005 to 2007 Collins claimed she didn’t raise or spend a penny. Turns out both sides of the ledger were off by more than $100,000.
Collins has some company. A couple weeks ago I wrote about how 12th Ward alderman George Cardenas said he’d eschewed fund-raising, instead asking supporters to donate to charity in his honor—a maneuver that some campaign finance experts don’t think is legal. A couple of his colleagues, the 11th Ward’s James Balcer and the 35th Ward’s Rey Colon, also reported raising zilch in the first six months of 2008, while other politicians say they've brought in next to nothing: county commissioner Bill Beavers reported getting a meager $350, 17th Ward alderman Latasha Thomas just $600. And that's just what I found after a quick search.
Maybe there's a sudden movement afoot to ask potential donors to save their money for a worthy cause.
Probably not. It's more likely sloppy record keeping or some dubious scheme. “If they’re an incumbent claiming zero contributions, it’s a red flag,” says Tony Morgando of the state board of elections’ campaign finance division. “In the city of Chicago, especially, there’s money out there.”
And the board isn’t going to catch everybody who fails to comply with reporting requirements. Every six months each of the 3,600 active political committees in Illinois is supposed to submit itemized campaign finance records; active campaigns have to file additional reports in the weeks before the election. In other words, in election years like this one the board will receive a total of about 10,000 finance reports. It has 15 people on staff to go through them all.
Morgando says they conduct a “cursory review” of each report—for example, if a committee says it transferred money to another candidate, the staff will check that candidate's records to see if the numbers square. But that’s typically after the reports have become available for public viewing, since most are filed electronically and show up online almost immediately. And by law “deep audits” only happen when someone presents evidence of a problem.
“We operate this on an honor system, and anyone who knows anything about Illinois politics knows that probably can’t work here,” says Jim Bray, a spokesman for the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, whose complaint against Collins resulted in the penalties.
Of course, some politicians are on the opposite end of the disclosure spectrum. House speaker Michael Madigan recently reported making “contributions” to five of his legislative allies that totaled $1.29; the cash was apparently spent on highway tolls. And former state rep candidate Phillip Jackson meticulously listed the series of loans he’d received from his nonprofit education organization, for $2.16, $2.95, and $3.05.
1. CoCoRAT are you the source of the fox stories on MW?
2. CoCoRAT did you get your info from avila sr office?
3. CoCoRAT does avila sr really pay the tuition for your kids private schooling?
4. CoCoRAT does avila jr really provide you with free legal representation?
5. CoCoRAT did avila sr really get you a job at MW?
6. CoCoRAT are you really the self absorbed self destructive idiot everybody knows you are?
dos avilas want no part of a forum about this special relationship of the joker taking orders. push the envelope and let the public decide of avila sr misused his office for some political advantage thru his evil son.
• • Bang! Bang: Daley praised the feds for devoting their lives to public service, but emphasized the need to get guns off the street. Lemonhead may be right when he states Fitzgerald will never prosecute Daley. Maybe it is an Irish thing.
Another gem from the comments section of:
http://secondcitycop.blogspot.com/
"Off Topic, but this comment needs to be placed where it can be read by all your readers.
Your contract:
Please do not fall for the gimmicks being offered to buy your "loyalty," such as new color schemes for our squads, new Tahoes, etc. The city can find money for this stuff, but cannot find money for your contract?
Come on guys and gals, wake up!
What is wrong with our current color scheme? How much is it going to cost to redo all the Department's vehicles?
Recently, an Order came out wherein Overtime for CAPS was canceled. I'm sure soon you will see all Overtime canceled, because of the budget, except for court related Overtime.
But, the Department keeps creating new positions.
Just announced, a Personal Assistant position was assigned to the Bureau of Strategic Deployment.
Come on people! A Personal Assistant!
In addition to the new Personal Assistant, the Bureau of Strategic Deployment has a Deputy Superintendent, an Assistant Deputy Superintendent, a Chief of Homeland Security, and a Deputy Chief of Homeland Security.
The Department has 2 CAPS Exempts: Chief of CAPS, and the Director of CAPS Implementation, who by the way, should be in jail because of his involvement with the GD's.
Why do we need 2 Exempts doing essentially the same thing?
We have a Superintendent's Policy Group. Why can't Research and Development handle policy suggestions; after all, policy falls under their purvue.
In IAD, there is a Chief, and a Director of Investigations, which will soon be filled by another FBI Special Agent who recently retired.
Look at the Personnel Division, a civilian heads Personnel now. Also, the Department has a Director of Marketing; again, isn't this a responsibility of Research and Development?
If these new spots and some existing spots were eliminated, think of the savings that could be used for your contract. At the very least, you are talking about 2 million dollars.
Let me talk about morale. They want you to be aggressive, yet you are told you will be fired if you disclose an illegal aliens status.
They have already proven that they will go after you in other ways if the Cook County justice system doesn't suffice.
Also, they tell you they have your back, but what does the Supt do, he hires an FBI Special Agent to be Director of Investigations in IAD.
What message is this sending?
Nepotism. The Supt said at one of his first meetings that he was going to eliminate clout on the job, but what does he do, he hires his Best Man, and another Fed, and now another Fed.
If you really need these positions, how about filling them with officers from within our ranks.
You mean that you couldn't find people qualified within our ranks instead of going outside the Department. A slap in your faces.
Outsiders: Deputy Superintendent of Professional Standards, Chief of Homeland Security, Director of Investigations for IAD, Director of Marketing, Director of Petrsonnel.
Not one person within our ranks is qualified to fill these spots?
Getting rid of good bosses before you even got to know them.
Hiram Grau - had the trust of the rank and file - was part of the Violence Reduction Initiatives that worked!
John Risley - knew how to handle major events - also part of the Violence Reduction Initiatives that worked.
Michael Chasen - like him or not, he was the right man for police shootings.
George Rosebrock - held 019 up to standards.
Yes the other dumps were on target: Kohlman - O'Donnell - Chizewski.
How about the fact that the Cmdr of Management and Labor Affairs was inept but was laterally moved.
M. Bonds. Terrible representative of the Department. Has done more damage than good.
Manpower. How about assigning SWAT members to Districts on all three watches. Provide them with cell phones. If a call comes out, you already have SWAT personnel working who can respond from their assigned Districts within minutes.
More manpower and less time waiting for SWAT to assemble.
Time Due. Watch Commanders are looking at your activity to base whether or not to approve your time off. They are playing favorites as well.
Guys and Gals, this is just a few things you need to look at.
Keep doing what you are doing. It is not worth loosing your job.
To the FOP, you should seriously look at a no-confidence vote.
8/10/2008 10:34:00 PM"