Emanuel Quietly Boosting Campaign Coffers
By Chuck Sudo in News on Jan 17, 2013 3:00PM
The Tribune reported Wednesday that Mayor Rahm Emanuel has been quietly raising campaign cash after a lengthy period of inactivity. (We say "quietly" because this mayor doesn't so much as sneeze without his press office releasing a statement.)
More than $567,000 was deposited into the mayor's main campaign fund, Chicago for Rahm Emanuel, in the final three months of 2012, and another $87.000 has been raised so far in January. His other campaign fund, the Chicago Committee (not to be confused with the Human Fund), raised $150,000 in the final quarter of 2012. Emanuel isn't up for re-election for more than two years, but the Tribune says it's "the clearest sign yet" Emanuel is running for re-election in 2015 for what he calls "the greatest job in the world."
Emanuel political consultant John Kupper said there's a simple reason for the increased fundraising: Emanuel was focused on getting Barack Obama re-elected as President.
"After raising funds for President Obama's successful re-election on Nov. 6, Mayor Emanuel has begun to focus on his next campaign for a stronger, safer and more prosperous Chicago. His donors support those goals and value the mayor's leadership," Kupper said in an email.
How well do Emanuel's donors value his leadership? Very well. The city's major law firms handed over more than $130,000; employees at the firm of Kirkland & Ellis raised over $88,000. Employees of insurance giant Aon Corp. raised over $44,000 in December for the mayor's campaign coffers.
An even deeper look at where Emanuel's campaign cash is coming from shows that some things don't change in Chicago. The Trib spoke with Robert Clark, chairman and CEO of St. Louis-based construction firm Clayco, who gave $10,000 to the Chicago Committee but said he didn't remember doing so. "I guess somebody called me and asked me for it."
The mayor's office announced earlier this month that Clayco was moving its headquarters to Chicago, part of Emanuel's continued push to encourage private-public infrastructure improvements.