{"id":2334780,"date":"2024-08-31T12:11:02","date_gmt":"2024-08-31T16:11:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/legislator-says-illinois-senate-president-admitted-to-quid-pro-quo-at-dnc-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-08-31T12:13:38","modified_gmt":"2024-08-31T16:13:38","slug":"legislator-says-illinois-senate-president-admitted-to-quid-pro-quo-at-dnc-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/legislator-says-illinois-senate-president-admitted-to-quid-pro-quo-at-dnc-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Legislator says Illinois Senate president admitted to \u2018quid pro quo\u2019 at DNC &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">30<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Flegislator-says-illinois-senate-president-admitted-to-quid-pro-quo-at-dnc-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2334780&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A legislator from Illinois has accused Senate President Don Harmon of admitting to &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/peter-doocy-already-getting-under-wh-press-secretarys-skin-as-he-returns-to-work\/\" title=\"Peter Doocy is already irritating the White House Press Secretary as he resumes his work.\">quid\u2062 pro quo<\/a>&#8221; actions during his comments\u2064 at the \u2062Democratic National Convention (DNC). Harmon \u2063allegedly stated\u2062 that Democrats\u2062 rely heavily on organized labor for their success, implying that\u200b unions have significant influence over political outcomes. This led State Representative Dan \u2063Caulkins to criticize Harmon, suggesting\u2064 that Democrats avoid legislative actions\u200d unfavorable to teachers&#8217; unions due to fear of losing their financial support. He drew parallels between Harmon and the controversial former Illinois House Speaker Michael\u200c Madigan, alleging corrupt practices in the state \u2064legislature. In response, \u200cHarmon\u2019s campaign defended \u200cthe \u2064Democrats&#8217; alignment with working people, contrasting it with the Republicans&#8217; stance. The controversy revolves around the Invest in\u2064 Kids Act, a program that provides tax credits to private donors who fund scholarships for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/florida-devises-new-rules-for-rooting-dei-out-of-higher-ed\/\" title=\"Florida introduces new regulations to eliminate DEI from higher education.\">low-income\u200c students<\/a>, which was not renewed in favor of unions.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Legislator says Illinois Senate president admitted to &lsquo;quid pro quo&rsquo; at DNC<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1742772\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><strong>(The Center Square) &ndash;<\/strong> An <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Illinois\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Illinois<\/a> state legislator says Senate President Don Harmon&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Democratic-National-Convention\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Democratic National Convention<\/a> comments about unions are an admission of &ldquo;quid pro quo.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Harmon delivered remarks at the DNC in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Chicago\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Chicago<\/a> for the Illinois delegation&rsquo;s breakfast.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Democrats don&rsquo;t win without organized labor and organized labor puts everything at risk when Democrats don&rsquo;t win,&rdquo; said Harmon, D-Oak Park. &ldquo;We gotta stick together.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>State Rep. Dan Caulkins, R-Decatur, explained how top Democrats, like Harmon, wouldn&rsquo;t allow the Invest in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/children\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Kids<\/a> Act renewal bill to be called this legislative session because it wasn&rsquo;t favorable to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/michigan-charter-schools-sue-department-of-education-over-new-rule-that-threatens-them\/\" title=\"Michigan Charter Schools Sue Department of Education Over New Rule That Threatens Them\">public school teachers unions<\/a>, who are large contributors to the Democrats&rsquo; campaigns.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;They were afraid of the teachers unions withholding funding for their candidates [if they were to renew the Invest in Kids tax credit],&rdquo; said Caulkins. &ldquo;Local 150 is a heavy funder of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Democrats\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Democrats<\/a>, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the unions are the money flowing into the Democratic coffers.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The Invest in Kids Act was a program that encourages private donors with a 75% Illinois income tax credit to fund scholarships for low-income students to attend a private school of their choice. In the 2022-2023 school year, 9,656 students received Invest in Kids scholarships to attend <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Schools\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>schools<\/a> that best fit their needs.<\/p>\n<p>The Illinois Federation of Teachers Committee on Political Education contributed nearly $1 million to Harmon&rsquo;s campaign, according to the Reform for Illinois&rsquo; database. UA Union Plumbers &amp; Pipefitters Vote PAC contributed $1.1 million to Harmon&rsquo;s campaign.<\/p>\n<p>At the convention, Harmon thanked James Coyne, a business manager from the Plumbers Local Union 130 UA, for emceeing at the Illinois Democratic Party&rsquo;s DNC breakfast.<\/p>\n<p>Reacting to Harmon&rsquo;s remarks, Caulkins compared the Senate president to former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, who faces racketeering and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/bribery\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>bribery<\/a> charges.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s admitting to a quid pro quo, you give us money [and we&rsquo;ll help you with favorable legislation]. This is Com-Ed, Ed Burke and Mike Madigan. He&rsquo;s just admitting how the General Assembly is run. Every [legislative] member knows it,&rdquo; said Caulkins.<\/p>\n<p>Harmon&rsquo;s campaign responded.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Republicans do not support working people, therefore working people support Democrats,&rdquo; stated a spokesman from Harmon&rsquo;s campaign when asked for comment.<\/p>\n<p>Mailee Smith, Illinois Policy Institute&rsquo;s senior director of labor policy and staff attorney, said nine of 10 lawmakers&rsquo; political campaigns are funded by union cash. Since 2010, the Chicago <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/teachers-unions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Teachers Union<\/a> has funded the political committees of 84 of 177 lawmakers currently in the Illinois General Assembly.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;And then in return you see lawmakers doing what CTU wants on six out of 10 bills that they lobby over. It definitely looks like quid pro quo,&rdquo; said Smith. &ldquo;This is why government unions, particularly, were disfavored even by early union activists because they are inherently political. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Supreme-Court\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Supreme Court <\/a>has said they are inherently political. When you have that powerful special interest influencing lawmakers, it&rsquo;s a power that residents cannot match and it puts them on an uneven footing throughout the political and legislative process.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>In 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court found that negotiations by public sector unions are inherently political and nonmembers cannot be compelled to pay for them.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1742772\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1742772\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An Illinois state legislator has claimed that Senate President Don Harmon\u2019s comments regarding unions at the Democratic National Convention indicate a \u201cquid pro quo.\u201d During his speech at the DNC in Chicago, Harmon stated, \u201cDemocrats don\u2019t win without organized labor and organized labor puts everything at risk when Democrats don\u2019t win. We gotta stick together.\u201d State Rep. Dan Caulkins, R-Decatur, pointed out that prominent Democrats like Harmon have refrained from bringing up the renewal of the Invest in Kids Act this legislative session due to its unfavorable stance towards public school teachers&#8217; unions, which are significant financial supporters of Democratic campaigns. Caulkins noted that there was concern about teachers&#8217; unions potentially withholding funding for candidates if the Invest in Kids tax credit were renewed. The Invest in Kids Act incentivizes private donations with a 75% Illinois income tax credit to provide scholarships for low-income students attending private schools. In the 2022-2023 school year, nearly 10,000 students benefited from these scholarships.<\/p>\n<p>According to data from Reform for Illinois, organizations such as the Illinois Federation of Teachers Committee on Political Education and UA Union Plumbers &amp; Pipefitters Vote PAC contributed substantial amounts\u2014nearly $1 million and $1.1 million respectively\u2014to Harmon\u2019s campaign. At the convention, Harmon expressed gratitude to James Coyne from Plumbers Local Union 130 UA for hosting an event during breakfast.<\/p>\n<p>In response to Harmon&#8217;s statements, Caulkins likened him to former House Speaker Michael Madigan who is facing serious legal charges related to racketeering and bribery. He accused Harmon of openly acknowledging a quid pro quo arrangement where financial contributions lead to favorable legislation: \u201cThis is Com-Ed, Ed Burke and Mike Madigan,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Harmon\u2019s campaign countered by stating that Republicans do not support working people; hence working individuals tend to back Democrats instead. Mailee Smith from the Illinois Policy Institute highlighted that nine out of ten lawmakers\u2019 campaigns are funded by union money since 2010; notably, Chicago Teachers Union has supported political committees linked with over half of current lawmakers in Illinois General Assembly.<\/p>\n<p>Smith remarked on how this dynamic often results in lawmakers aligning with CTU interests on many bills they lobby for: \u201cIt definitely looks like quid pro quo,\u201d she asserted while emphasizing concerns about government unions being politically influential\u2014a sentiment echoed by early union activists as well as affirmed by a U.S Supreme Court ruling indicating public sector union negotiations are inherently political<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2869,"featured_media":2334781,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/082324_DNC_WEEKLY_EDIT-13-1024x683.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[6413,39806,3740],"class_list":["post-2334780","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-illinois","tag-quid-pro-quo","tag-senate"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/082324_DNC_WEEKLY_EDIT-13-1024x683.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2334780","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2869"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2334780"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2334780\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2334781"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2334780"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2334780"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2334780"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}