League of Women Voters of Illinois^®

Campaign Contribution Limits for Legislative Leaders and
Political Parties in the General Election

March 7, 2011

ACTION NEEDED: Please contact your State Representative and State Senator today and urge them to co-sponsor and pass legislation limiting contributions in the general election by legislative leaders and parties.
You can find contact information for your elected officials at: http://www.ilga.gov  or
http://www.elections.il.gov/DistrictLocator/DistrictOfficialSearchByAddress.aspx .

TALKING POINTS:

1. There should be limits on campaign contributions to candidates from political action committees controlled by the four legislative leaders and by political parties.
2. The state’s recently enacted limits law was an important first reform step, but its lack of limits on leaders and parties in the general election was a significant omission in the new law.  Please work to close that loophole before the 2012 general election campaign season begins.
3. Several bills have been introduced to limit contributions by legislative leaders and political parties in the general election including SB 1272, HB 232, HB 1344 and HB 1688. Please co-sponsor and help pass legislation limiting contributions by legislative leaders and parties.

BACKGROUND:

1. The LWV believes that the methods of financing political campaigns should ensure the public’s right to know, combat corruption and undue influence, enable candidates to compete more equitably for public office and allow maximum citizen participation in the process.
2. The state’s recently enacted campaign contributions limits law (PA 96-0832) was an important first reform step. But there was one significant omission in the law:  The new law does not limit contributions by legislative leader PACs and political parties in general election campaigns. (As of January 1, 2011 there are limits on contributions that individuals, corporations, unions and associations, and PACs can make to candidates and political parties in primary and general elections.)
3. Four bills have been introduced that would close the loophole before the 2012 general election campaign season begins.  HB232 (House Minority Leader Tom Cross) and HB 1688 (Rep. Sidney Mathias) would make the current law’s primary election limits on leaders and parties be effective during the election, too.  SB 1272 (Sen. Heather Steans) and HB 1344 (Rep. Karen May) would set the leader/party limits slightly higher in the general election.
4. Placing limits on contributions from state parties and legislative leaders would allow Illinois to have a comprehensive system of limits covering all contributions year round.  This would encourage candidates to turn to local supporters for financial support and free rank-and-file lawmakers to vote in the interest of their constituents rather than parties, leaders and contributors to those PACs.

With a lack of contributions limits for Legislative leader PACs and political parties:

1. Unlimited campaign transfers between legislative leaders and legislative candidates concentrate the power held by legislative leaders.
2. Legislative leaders and political action committees dominate the campaign finance scene in the very few legislative districts that are competitive.
3. In 19 high spending legislative races in the 2010 general election, spending by parties and leaders in those 19 contests totaled more than $15.4 million- 63 percent of the spending in those races was done with money from parties and leaders.
4. The power of the leaders causes special interests, corporations, labor unions and wealthy individuals to channel their political contributions to legislative leaders.