Wilson says donation aims 'to turn up heat' on Emanuel

He has invited fellow mayoral challengers Garry McCarthy and Paul Vallas to his downtown penthouse to talk about going easy on each other, attacking Rahm Emanuel and uniting behind whoever forces the mayor into a runoff.

Yet millionaire businessman Willie Wilson on Wednesday did Emanuel a gigantic favor by making a $100,000 contribution to his own campaign - a donation that lifts the caps on campaign contributions for all candidates in Chicago's crowded 2019 race for mayor.

"I wanted to make sure that everybody had kind of an even playing field. Open it up and have other people be able to get more money as well. … Then they can be more competitive," Wilson said.

"I'm doing everything I can do to turn up the heat because he is the worst mayor this city has ever seen. There's no compassion there."

Emanuel survived Chicago's first mayoral runoff after spending a record $24 million, four times more than County Commissioner Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, a relative political unknown.

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