Union with low opinion of DuPage senator throws him fundraiser

One of the more curious marriages of the young political season is happening next week.

At first glance, it looks like another labor union is organizing a fundraiser for another politician. However, it's the union and the politician that make this event unique.

The Greater Chicago and Vicinity Port Council Maritime Trades Department is the union organization. State Sen. Dan Cronin of Elmhurst is the politician.

The union is affiliated with the AFL-CIO and represents "people who work in or on the waters," according to Illinois AFL-CIO spokeswoman Beth Spencer. Cronin is running in the February GOP primary for county board chairman of the landlocked DuPage County.

Additionally, the AFL-CIO doesn't appear to think highly of Cronin. In a 2007 ranking of Illinois legislators, the AFL-CIO ranked Cronin the least friendly legislator to labor unions. He was given a rating of six out of 100, according to Project Vote Smart.

The union organization lists District 1 DuPage County Board member Don Puchalski's father as a president emeritus. His sister, Bonnie Heraty, is the union group's treasurer and secretary. Puchalski has received thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from the Maritime Trades Department over the years.

"One concern we have is the connection between Cronin, Puchalski, Puchalski's sister and the money the maritime departments have given to candidates," said DuPage Democratic Party Chairman Bob Peickert. "Do their members know they're giving money to a legislator with the lowest voting rating for them?"

Cronin did not return calls seeking comment about the fundraiser and neither did Heraty nor Puchalski. But some of Cronin's opponents in the chairman's race believe they know how it came about.

"My first impressions are that Dan Cronin, the ultimate political insider, has called in a favor from somewhere," said state Sen. Carole Pankau of Bloomingdale. "It's very, very strange to me and it would seem that unions don't do fundraisers for people unless they expect something in return."

Besides Pankau, Cronin is set to face off against current District 4 board member Debra Olson and Burr Ridge Mayor Gary Grasso for the GOP nomination in the February 2010 primary.

The Oct. 22 fundraiser has a minimum single ticket purchase price of $75, but donor levels go up to $1,000 to be an "event sponsor."