Issue Briefings

Illinois news headlines tell the story: high utility rates; highways in disrepair; generous corporate tax breaks; college tuition giveaways; weak anti-smoking regulations; environmental threats. . .

What do these issues have in common? FOLLOW THE MONEY. Mammoth campaign contributions have so distorted policy decisions that public health, safety and the common good are at-risk in Illinois.

To help journalists, activists and concerned citizens understand the relationship between money and politics in Illinois, the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform has launched an issue briefing series that reveals the links between various public policy issues and campaign finance practices in Illinois.

The briefings, which began in February 1999, provide brief, clear and well-researched information on a key topic each month. Each briefing is fully sourced. These briefings may be reprinted in full, used as background or serve as the catalyst for a story.

To receive a fully-sourced fax version of any ICPR Issue Briefing, or to receive issues briefings by email, please email david@ilcampaign.org or call (312) 335-1767.

Date Title
5/20/08 Cash In A Hurry
4/16/07 Down to the Wire
8/8/06 All In the Family
6/5/06 Don't Touch that Dial: Candidate Ad Spending Before (and After) the March 2006 Primary
4/18/06 ICPR Looks Beyond the Ryan Verdict
3/3/06 The Gerrymander That Ate the Ballot Box
10/27/05 Power Markets: How the Legislature Determines Who Can Sell Electricity (and How!)
5/27/05 Money Behind the Med Mal Debate: Both Sides Combined for $7.7 Million in 2003-2004
5/10/05 Bet the Budget: Gambling and the End of Session
5/5/05 Attack of the Gigantic Campaign Contributors
4/14/05 Direct Line: Telecom Political Giving Is Up 47% at Illinois Capitol
4/5/05 Who Gives to Illinois Politicians?
10/5/04 Truth in Political Advertising: Illinois' New Disclosure Requirment
6/27/04 The Sky’s the Limit,Illinois Politics and the $10,000 Hello
05/20/04 Gambling Interests Contributed $9.6 Million Since ’94, $3.5 Million Since ‘01
05/05/04 Doctors, Lawyers, and Campaign Contributions
04/30/04 Payday for Legislators
04/05/04 Lesson in Politics: Illinois’ Teachers Unions are Illinois’ Two Largest Political Givers
05/16/03 Pony Up! Political giving by horse tracks surges past casinos
05/07/03 Hardwired: Dramatic increase in telecom giving precedes heated legislative debate
10/21/02 Wrong and Dispensible: Ban Big Campaign Contributions to Illinois Politicians
09/01/02 An Investment Tip: Put a Stop Order on Stock Purchases by Political Action Funds
01/17/02 Financial Alchemy: How Illinois' Political Parties Use Soft Money Funds for Hard Money Purposes
11/30/01 Tip the Bar: Liquor bill draws continuing surge in campaign contributions
08/17/01 Institutional Priorities: How special interests wage the battle of the budget
05/11/01 Dialing for Dollars: Telecom revisions ring up campaign contributions
03/22/01 Banking on Misery: Campaign contributions and regulatory reform
02/15/01 Money in Politics: How Illinois campaign system fuels voter disgust
01/14/01 Licenses for Bribes: The roots of corruption, closer to the top
04/13/00 Cash in a hurry: The rise of the payday loan lobby
11/02/99 Hitting the jackpot: The gambling industry and Illinois politicians, part II
06/16/99 Doctors in the (state) house: Campaign contributions and the HMO reform effort
04/22/99 The power of money: Campaign contributions in the utility deregulation battle
03/11/99 Cash machines: Bankers, ATM fees, and Illinois politicians
02/03/99 High rollers: The gambling industry and Illinois politicians


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