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Idea for Campaign Spending Limits
The people who are not in power in the Illinois House are floating another idea intended to weaken those who are. Minority Leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego) says he is again trying to impose campaign spending limits on the legislative leaders and political parties.

Cross says a "campaign finance reform" bill signed into law last year stops short of "real reform" because it allows the leaders to share their wealth with other candidates, without limits. Cross points to a Downstate House race in which the Democrats -- under the control of Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) -- spent $1 million.

Cross and three members of his caucus announced the bill at a news conference Tuesday at the Capitol.

Madigan spokesman Steve Brown says the House Democrats' position is that the issue has already been discussed, though the Republicans are welcome to bring it up again. Further, he says weakening the caucus leaders could strengthen special interest groups.

The limits in the bill would make the limits in a primary election cycle identical to those in a general election cycle. A legislative leader or party would be able to give no more than $200,000 to a statewide candidate, $125,000 to a State Senate candidate, and $75,000 to a State House candidate.

(Illinois Radio Network)
01 26 10 by Newsroom
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