Daley Giving Away Remaining Campaign Funds To Charity
By Chuck Sudo in News on Apr 24, 2013 1:50PM
Former Mayor Richard M. Daley is closing his campaign fund and donating the cash &mash; over $500,000 — to charity. ABC 7 first reported the news Tuesday night. The Tribune has a breakdown of where the money is going.
The bulk of Daley’s campaign fund is earmarked to charities related to his late wife Maggie. After School Matters, Maggie Daley’s pet charity, will receive $150,000, while the Maggie Daley Center for Women's Cancer Care and the Lurie Children's Foundation of Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago will receive $100,000 each. (Maggie Daley died in November 2011 after a lengthy fight with cancer.) Misericordia Home, the center for people with developmental disabilities, and Daley’s high school alma mater De La Salle Institute will receive $25,000 each, while the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation and the Widows’ & Children’s Assistance Fund receives $10,000.
Daley had $1.1. million in his campaign fund when he left office two years ago and spent around $600,000 to organize his archives and office space where the archiving took place, move materials from his mayoralty into storage, and paid his campaign fund chairwoman Patricia Kilroe. Daley previously donated $100,000 to After School Matters.
Daley certainly doesn’t need the money. Since leaving office he’s done quite well for himself. He joined the law firm of Katten Muchin Rosenman as “of counsel” (i.e., he’s a rainmaker); was named a distinguished senior fellow at the University of Chicago, where he organizes a urban lecture series; signed with the Harry Walker Agency with an eye toward lining up public speaking appearances; launched an investment and advisory firm with his son Patrick focusing on sustainable urban development; and collects a $184,000 annual pension.