Gov. candidate Proft to return campaign donation
Republican Dan Proft is returning a campaign donation that may have violated a 'pay-to-play' ban in his run for governor, an accusation he has made himself against one of his challengers.
Proft, a Chicago conservative commentator, received $500 from the owner of a south suburban construction company on Jan. 6, according to state records.
The company registered with the Illinois State Board of Elections as a business that either has state contracts of more than $50,000 or is seeking them. Such companies are not allowed to contribute to candidates for the office that oversee those contracts.
After the Daily Herald questioned Proft campaign manager David Scalzo about the donation Friday, he said the candidate would return it.
It remains unclear what state agency the company was seeking or holding a contract under. A search of the state database of contracts found none. But the company did voluntarily register under the new pay-to-play ban. The company owner has not returned a phone call seeking comment.
"We are trying to hold ourselves to the most conservative reading of" the law, Scalzo said.
Scalzo said the donation came in over the Internet via credit card directly into the candidate's campaign fund account. Therefore, he says, there was no ability for campaign staff to check the contributor's background.
Regardless, under the law the onus is on the contributor to notify the candidate of their status as a state contractor. And it is the contributor who would take the brunt of any punishment.
This is the first election the ban is in effect and loopholes detailed by the Daily Herald Friday illustrate it is not putting an end to campaign donations from companies that do state work on the taxpayers' dime.
The law was passed in late 2008, in part as an attempt to restrain the fundraising habits of Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was later arrested on accusations of pay-to-play schemes in which he allegedly tried to sell off contracts and a Senate appointment for campaign cash and other favors.
Lawmakers heralded the law as the end of "pay-to-play." It was the first contribution limits in the state's history, but it was quickly followed by wide-ranging caps approved late last year. Those stricter limits do not take effect until the 2012 election cycle.
Proft had accused Republican candidate Andy Mckenna, former head of the state party, this week of taking more than $13,000 from executives of companies that do business with the state.
McKenna has said since late Wednesday that his staff is looking into the matter. On Friday, the campaign offered no results of any such probe.
Regardless, it remains unclear what state agency - if any - will police or enforce the ban. The Illinois State Board of Elections says it is up to various state managers who oversee contracts.
Under the law, a company that violates the ban three times in 36 months can lose its state business. The candidate has to write a check for the amount of the donation to the state's general revenue fund.
The other candidates in the Republican primary for governor include state Sen. Kirk Dillard of Hinsdale, DuPage County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom, state Sen. Bill Brady of Bloomington and Hinsdale businessman Adam Andrzejewski.
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<li><a href="/story/?id=351066">Gov. candidates taking cash from companies with state ties<span class="date"> [1/15/10]</span></a></li>
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