For Immediate Release October 19, 2004

Contact: Cindi Canary (312) 335-1767

Since declaring for office in September, 2003, the two candidates for Illinois’ only open Supreme Court seat have reported raising over $5 million, besting the previous national record for candidate spending in a state Supreme Court race. With just under two weeks to go before Election Day, Illinois’ political campaigns are reporting dramatic fundraising totals.

The Supreme Court race, in the farthest southern reaches of the state, has already shattered the fundraising total for Illinois’ previous general election high court contests. Counting cash on hand on June 30, 2004 plus reported receipts since July 1, Republican Lloyd Karmeier and Democrat Gordon Maag have combined reported receipts of $4.8 million; more than three times the previous record for high court spending in Illinois.

* - Reported fundraising is cash on hand plus investments as of June 30 plus reported totals since July 1

Neither candidate had a primary opponent; since declaring for office more than a year ago, both have combined to raise $5.175 million. The previous national record for candidate spending in a state high court race was $4.4 million, set in 1996 in Alabama.

The bulk of Gordon Maag’s support is coming through the Democratic Party of Illinois, which has taken hundreds of thousands from personal injury trial lawyers. Trial lawyers have traditionally been strong Democratic funders, but this year’s totals show new levels of support. The Democratic Party of Illinois reports over $3.5 million in receipts since July 1; at least $1.4 million of that came from trial lawyers Another $1.1 million was transferred from the personal PAC of House Speaker and DPI Chair Michael J. Madigan, which, in turn, reported at least $450,000 in trial lawyer giving.

For Lloyd Karmeier, the funds are coming primarily from groups seeking tort reform. National tort reform groups have contributed in excess of $1 million, including the U.S. Chamber ($1 million), and the American Tort Reform Association ($325,000). Locally based groups have also donated, including the Illinois Coalition for Jobs, Prosperity, and Growth ($150,000), and ISMIE, affiliated with the Illinois State Medical Society and also the state’s largest medical malpractice insurer ($50,000). Much of this money is coming through the political action committee of the Illinois Civil Justice League.

Among legislative contests, a few stand out:

The bulk of funds raised by these candidates has come in transfers from the four major caucus PACs. Including funds on hand as of June 30 and reported receipts since then, the four caucuses show funds available for the fall campaign.

Both the Sunshine Project (located at the University of Illinois at Springfield) and the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform are nonprofit, nonpartisan projects that work to increase public awareness of how political campaigns are funded in Illinois.Ü For additional information on campaign fundraising in election 2004, please visit www.ilcampaign.org.