From The State Journal-Register:
Birkett pledges to reject questionable contributions
By ADRIANA COLINDRES
STATE CAPITOL BUREAU
Joe Birkett, the Republican nominee for Illinois attorney general, on Thursday signed what he calls a “voter bill of rights” and pledged to turn down campaign contributions from “anyone publicly known to be under major investigation.”
But Birkett, who also urged Democratic opponent Lisa Madigan to sign the document, said he has no plans to return contributions from political funds controlled by former state Republican Party chairman Lee Daniels.
Daniels, the Illinois House Republican leader, resigned as state GOP chairman in July as federal investigators began looking into allegations that his House staffers performed campaign work on state time.
“I’ve looked at the issue with my campaign team,” Birkett said during a Statehouse news conference. “There’s no allegation that that money was in any way tainted. Those moneys are from contributors who gave freely to Lee Daniels.”
“He’s under investigation now. He was not at the time” the money was given, Birkett said, adding that he hasn’t accepted any Daniels contributions since the spring primary election.
Birkett, the DuPage County state’s attorney, faces Madigan, a state senator from Chicago, in the Nov. 5 general election.
Meanwhile, Birkett said, there are “some serious questions” about contributions to his opponent’s campaign.
Earlier this week, the Chicago Tribune reported Madigan received a total of $50,000 last year from two brothers whose father was running for a Cook County judgeship. The father, Sheldon Harris, was endorsed by the Cook County Democratic organization, and he received staff help from the state Democratic Party. Madigan’s father, House Speaker Michael Madigan, is state party chairman.
The Tribune also reported that one of the brothers, Andrew Harris, has been associated with heavy-metal bands whose music advocates hatred. Madigan’s campaign, which said it had been unaware of that, announced it would give anti-hate organizations the $25,000 she received from Andrew Harris.
Mike Noonan, Lisa Madigan’s campaign manager, said Thursday that Birkett’s news conference was “smoke and mirrors” designed to cover up scandal in the DuPage County state’s attorney’s office.
A recent report in Crain’s Chicago Business described three DuPage County criminal cases in which defense attorneys donated or loaned money to Birkett’s campaign and received seemingly lenient plea agreements for the clients. In one instance, a defendant accused of trying to murder his wife got 34 days in jail and probation.
But Birkett said justice isn’t for sale in his office.
Other parts of his “voter bill of rights,” written by the Birkett campaign, call for at least three debates between the candidates and advertising campaigns that stick to issues and qualifications while avoiding “distorted or personal attacks.”
In addition, the document calls on candidates to “answer all legitimate questions with clear answers, not meaningless and distracting counter-charges.” It also urges candidates to ask their supporters to behave courteously toward the opponent and to avoid “dirty tricks.”
Noonan wasn’t able to say specifically whether his candidate would sign the document, but he added, “We have no problem with this bill of rights.”
Noonan said Madigan already has signed the Code of Fair Campaign Practices, a voluntary and nonbinding document that candidates may file with the State Board of Elections. The code outlines principles aimed at urging open discussion of issues while discouraging unfair attacks on candidates.
Birkett spokesman Steve Binder said he believes his candidate also has signed that document.
Adriana Colindres can be reached at 782-6292 or adriana.colindres@sj-r.com.