From the SJ-R:

Big-time spenders
Local bars, eateries benefit from politicians' campaign cash

By BERNARD SCHOENBURG
POLITICAL WRITER
Published Sunday, October 22, 2006

Campaign donations pay for more than television ads, literature and banners. In Springfield, money donated to political candidates often ends up being spent on food and drink - lots of food and drink.

Some of the money finances big events, such as fundraisers tossed by legislative leaders - such as House Speaker Michael Madigan, who spent more than $27,000 to hold one local fundraiser in 2004.

But other bills are rung up for meals or drinks bought by individual lawmakers or candidates who say they used the events to talk about government with colleagues, entertain constituents or plan campaigns.

Cynthia Canary, director of the Chicago-based Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, said many political meetings legitimately take place in restaurants.

"It's certainly a boon to the restaurant industry in Springfield," she said.

Tim Farley, executive director of the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau, agrees that being the seat of state government is great for the bottom lines of hotels, restaurants and other businesses.

"We're the only ones that like to see the legislature run over," he said of extended General Assembly sessions that keep not only legisla-

tors, but lobbyists and others in town to patronize local businesses.

Saputo's, an Italian restaurant at 801 E. Monroe St., is popular among politicians of all stripes. For one thing, it's in walking distance from the two major hotels downtown. Mike Coffey Jr., an operator of Saputo's, says the restaurant's flexibility also is an important element.

"They know that it's a place where they can call and say, 'Hey, Mike, we're going to be an hour late,' and everything will be taken care of.

"Any time you get businesspeople in the city of Springfield, whether it be politicians, lobbyists or conventions that are business dominated conventions, it's great for the city of Springfield, great for our business," Coffey said.

Illinois law allows campaign funds to be used for political, governmental and public policy duties, and nothing in this story alleges any illegal activity.

But the law does not define proper uses of campaign funds, except to specify several prohibited uses - campaign money cannot be used as collateral for home mortgages, to reimburse a candidate or officeholder for non-job-related travel, and to repay loans for non-job-related expenses.

One of the prohibitions says campaign donations cannot be spent for any purpose "for which any person has been reimbursed by the state or any person." But the law goes on to say that, for purposes of that provision, "a per diem allowance is not a reimbursement."

As a result, there is no legal conflict between the $125 per diem that lawmakers are paid by the state on days the General Assembly meets in Springfield and campaign fund spending for meals while in town. That per diem can also cover hotel or other housing costs.

Personal use of campaign funds used to be permissible, as long as income taxes were paid on that money. But that was largely banned in 1998.

"Clearly, in the bad old days ... there was no question that people were using their political committees to supplement their personal lifestyle," said Kent Redfield, political studies professor at the University of Illinois at Springfield. The new law has squelched obvious misuse of campaign money, such as spending it on a new house, he said, but it otherwise remains silent about how campaign funds should be spent.

"Essentially, if you went out to dinner by yourself, that is probably not a proper use of campaign funds," Redfield said. "If you have a political meeting that is over dinner or drinks, then that appears to be legal."

While Canary recognizes that discussion over a meal or drinks in a bar can accomplish a legitimate purpose, the ambiguity in the law concerns her a little.

"You know, it really begs the question at a certain point as to why we pay them a per diem," she said of politicians who regularly use campaign funds for meals in Springfield. "If your living expenses are being covered, it starts to look a little like double dipping."

One big source of campaign spending in Springfield is Friends of Michael Madigan, the political committee of the House speaker. Some expenses of the committee are big and obvious, such as the amounts paid to Island Bay Yacht Club at Lake Springfield for Madigan's annual fund-raisers. Since 2002, for example, the fund has paid more than $80,750 to Island Bay - the most in one shot being more than $27,500 in May 2004.

But there are also more than 80 separate listings since 2002, totaling more than $16,000, for meals at Saputo's.

The Madigan committee has spent more than $134,000 in Springfield since 2002, the records show.

"Where others might accept a meal from a lobbyist, he (Madigan) pays for his own meals and typically for the people that are eating with him," said Madigan spokesman Steve Brown.

Brown said he attends Madigan's dinners "on a fairly regular basis" and called those gatherings "sort of an extension of the workday." Legislative or political issues are the usual topic of discussion, he said.

Senate President Emil Jones Jr.'s campaign fund has many fewer entries than Madigan's for spending in Springfield, and they concentrate more on big events.

Under the name of his own committee, Jones, also a Chicago Democrat, spent at least $15,500 since 2002.

Bigger numbers enter into spending by Jones' side when the Illinois Senate Democratic Fund is viewed. Fifteen entries since 2002 totaled more than $151,000, reflecting fund-raising events at the Crowne Plaza Hotel along Interstate 55 on the city's east side.

House Minority Leader Tom Cross, R-Oswego, who has led his caucus since 2003, has spent more than $24,000 from his fund at Springfield establishments since 2002. The biggest event was an $8,000 inaugural reception in January 2005 at the former Indigo Grill (now Capitol Steakhouse), at 620 S. First St.

Some other fundraising is done for House Republicans through the House Republican Organization, which spent, for example, $2,520 in February at Springfield's Pasfield House, 525 S. Pasfield St.

David Dring, spokesman for Cross, said that campaign often buys lunches for staff members.

"There's been a little bit of a trend with some of our members - they're paying their own way instead of letting lobbyists buy as much," Dring added.

Senate GOP Leader Frank Watson, R-Greenville, has spent more than $21,000 on Springfield restaurants and bars since 2002, and the Republican State Senate Campaign Committee spent at least $37,800 more. Popular venues include the President Abraham Lincoln Hotel, where a March 2005 fund-raiser cost $20,600, the Sangamo Club, and Sammy's Sports Bar & Grill, 217 S. Fifth St.

"The majority of the expenses are to entertain others," said Patty Schuh, spokeswoman for Watson. "A fundraiser has overhead."

Gov. Rod Blagojevich's campaign fund listed 12 bills from the Northender, a liquor store at 1215 N. Ninth St., for a combined $2,812 from 2003-05. The reasons were listed as "meals and entertainment for political supporters, contributors and campaign staff."

The new owner of the Northender, Scott Robinson, said he's not sure what was sold there in past years, but the only food available now is snacks such as chips and crackers. Sheila Nix, spokeswoman for the Blagojevich campaign, said the spending sounded like normal event expenses.

The campaign fund of state Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka, the GOP candidate for governor, has spent more than $27,000 in Springfield since 2002. More than $15,100 went to Poe's Catering, which supplied food on four occasions.

State Rep. Raymond Poe, R-Springfield, whose son, Lance, runs Poe's Catering, has employed his son's business to the tune of more than $16,700 since 2002, but totals in other establishments raised his spending to more than $24,200. Most of the money spent on catering was for food for fundraisers.

Poe said Poe's Catering often gives his campaign a better price than other caterers.

State Rep. Angelo "Skip" Saviano, R-Elmwood Park, said his appointment by Cross as head of the House Republican Organization contributed to him spending, from his own campaign fund, more than $23,800 in Springfield establishments since 2002. That includes more than $7,850 spent in more than 20 visits to Indigo restaurant, 3013 Lindbergh Blvd., since 2002. He spent $2,000 at the former Remy's Steakhouse, 620 S. First St., to buy food for a state-qualifying eighth-grade cheerleading team from his district in 2003.

As chairman of the HRO, he said, "I will entertain a lot - mostly, of course, lobbyists or interest groups that ... could be contributors for HRO and for myself."

Saviano added that he used to be "one of the highest entertained legislators" on lobbyist reports, but he said rules are changing, and he no longer wants that distinction.

"If lobbyists take me out to dinner, I'll usually try to pick up the check," he said.

Asked if all the meals listed had a political or governmental purpose, he said, "Since I took this chairmanship, my whole life is political."

Secretary of State Jesse White has held major fund-raisers at the Crowne Plaza, where his campaign fund has spent nearly $76,000 since 2002. Smaller amounts include $292 for four lunches at Hooters restaurant, 3241 Horizon Drive, in late 2004. His total campaign spending in Springfield since 2002 comes to more than $82,800.

The campaign fund of State Sen. Dan Rutherford, R-Pontiac, has spent more than $20,600 in Springfield since 2003. The largest beneficiary has been Saputo's, where Rutherford incurred more than 50 bills totaling more than $10,500.

Also among lawmakers, Rep. Kurt Granberg, D-Carlyle, has spent more than $19,000 from his political fund on Springfield establishments since 2002. That includes more than $9,900 at the Sangamo Club, and more than $4,600 at Remy's Steakhouse.

Sometimes, Granberg said, his campaign fund pays for meals for school groups or individuals from his district when they come to Springfield. He said he recently took an official of Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital in St. Louis to lunch at the Sangamo Club. The hospital official had presented him with an award for work protecting children.

Granberg said he also lets people use his Sangamo Club membership number to eat there even if he can't join them.

Unlike many of his colleagues, Granberg often includes a note to indicate who he was with while at a campaign-paid meal or meeting. More than 30 entries indicate Todd Ely was among those there. Granberg said Ely is a development consultant from Springfield who helps Granberg constituents for free.

"I'll buy him drinks while we talk about coal gasification," Granberg said. "And ... I'll buy him dinner or lunch. He comes down to my district and meets with presidents of companies to try to help them."

Other people listed on Granberg's spending reports are former Department of Natural Resources Director Joel Brunsvold, lobbyist and former state Rep. Michael McClain of Quincy, Joe Ciaccio, president of the Springfield-based Illinois Railroad Association, and Phil Novak, a former state representative from Bradley who retired as chairman of the Pollution Control Board.

Redfield praised Granberg's more detailed reports.

"If you're trying to comply with the spirit as well as the letter of the law, you should probably indicate who you're doing business with (and) what the business is about," Redfield said.

State Rep. Lou Lang, R-Skokie, is another lawmaker who often uses his campaign fund in Springfield, spending more than $23,900 since 2002. Lang said he generally uses campaign money for issues "related to the appropriate goodwill and political future of Representative Louis I. Lang."

Lobbyists sometimes buy him dinner, Lang said, but he often buys dinner for lobbyists or others from interest groups or constituent groups. Sometimes the people become donors to his campaign fund.

"I think it's in my best interest to make an investment in them, and politically speaking, I get an investment back," he said.

He said it's better to spend campaign money on dinner than to let lobbyists spend it on him.

"I'm certain that there are many legislators that don't buy dinners because they have, every night, another lobbyist taking them out," Lang said.