State House GOP pushing campaign finance reform

SPRINGFIELD - Republican leaders Tuesday again stressed a need to limit the influence of party leaders in political campaigns - a push that comes one week before primary elections where they hope to set the stage for a comeback against the majority party.

State Rep. Dan Brady, a Republican from Bloomington, said money transferred from party leaders to their respective candidates consolidates too much power.

"Simply put, unlimited money means unlimited power in the hands of a few individuals," Brady said in a written statement. "That's business as usual in Illinois and it's unacceptable."

In order to weaken that influence, House Republican leader Tom Cross heralded legislation that would place caps on party contributions comparable to the limits imposed in December on individual donors. Those caps limit individual donations to $5,000 and businesses and labor unions to $10,000. They take effect in 2011.

"The current law puts contribution limits on everyone except the four legislative leaders and political parties in elections," Cross said in a statement. "That is not fair. We must apply the rules to everyone."

Contribution limits for political parties and party leaders was supported by a commission hand-picked by Gov. Pat Quinn early last year, but was not included in the legislation passed in December.

Cross, who held a media conference on the legislation with Rep. Brady and Springfield Republican Rep. Rich Brauer, denied that addressing the legislation so close to next week's primaries was politically motivated.

Rather, Cross said the issue was addressed Tuesday because of a recent deadline with the General Assembly's research unit, and because the legislative session starting next week is scheduled to be shorter than usual.

For the complete story, see Wednesday's Daily Herald