Quinn vetoes campaign finance bill riddled with loopholes

Gov. Pat Quinn vetoed Illinois' first sweeping limits on campaign contributions Thursday with the support of reform groups who opposed it and legislative leaders who pushed it.

"We want to make sure everyone in Illinois feels we have truly accomplished fundamental reform," Quinn said at a news conference flanked by good government advocates and legislative leaders. "It is imperative that we come up with our very best effort with respect to finance campaign reform."

But there is "no agreement yet" on what new limits might emerge in the coming October legislative session, said Senate President John Cullerton, a chief negotiator.

Plus, Quinn and the legislative leaders in attendance refused to discuss details of a pending compromise or problems with the original legislation. Arguably the most power Democrat in the room, party leader and House Speaker Michael Madigan, refused to answer questions about where he stood, other than to say he wanted to "continue to work on the bill."

Of the Democrats in charge of the process, only Quinn has expressed a strong desire in the past for broad campaign contribution limits. Cullerton and Madigan, both of Chicago, have been skeptical of such limits.

With the veto, the future of any campaign finance limits becoming law is under threat if lawmakers fail to come up with an agreement that passes muster with reform groups, Quinn and politicians who thrive under the current wide-open fundraising system.

Still, some reform groups supported the veto, pinning their hopes on stronger limits coming from lawmakers in October.

Illinois Campaign for Political Reform Director Cindi Canary stood up for Quinn, Madigan and Cullerton Thursday, asking critics to "withhold some of this judgment."

"This is how things happen," she said of the legislative process. "It can be frustrating, but people of good will can make a difference. I believe there is a lot of good will in this room."

Quinn had originally supported the legislation, which was pushed by lawmakers but opposed by his own blue-ribbon reform commission as too watered down. Critics said loopholes in the measure allowed legislative leaders to maintain too much power over fundraising. The limits were also double those at the federal level, $5,000 per individual and $10,000 per group.

But once the measure was at his desk, Quinn wavered in his support as watchdog groups pushed him to veto the plan and pressure lawmakers to pass a stronger package. Quinn also could have rewritten the bill and sent it back to lawmakers or pressed for follow-up legislation to close any loopholes.

Cullerton conceded it is "obviously unusual" that legislative leaders were supporting Quinn's veto of legislation they all originally pushed.

Republican leaders had opposed the original measure and showed up to Quinn's conference agreeing to work with Democrats in October. Yet, Senate Republican leader Christine Radogno of Lemont did blast the Democratic leaders in front of the cameras for not including the GOP in crafting the earlier measure.

Campaign finance limits have been pushed in Illinois for decades, but only gained traction with lawmakers this year as they faced pressure for reform in the wake of the arrest and ouster of Gov. Rod Blagojevich.