Trump's Illinois race donations top other 2016 candidates
PEORIA, Ill. (AP) — A review of presidential nominee donations to Illinois politicians over the last two decades shows Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump gave money to both Democrats and Republicans, including imprisoned former governors Rod Blagojevich and George Ryan.
Illinois State Board of Elections and Federal Election Commission records show Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton's campaign committee made one Illinois donation — $1,000 in September 2008 to the Federation of Women Contractors political action committee.
The Journal Star reports that Trump has donated more money to past Illinois races than any of the current major party candidates and their running mates.
In June 1998, Trump gave $5,000 to Ryan's campaign committee during his race for governor against Democrat Glenn Poshard. He gave him another $5,000 in June 2001 after Ryan was entangled in scandal and just weeks before he announced he'd step down.
The following year, Trump gave $5,000 to Democratic gubernatorial candidate Blagojevich's campaign fund. He gave $2,000 more in November 2007 when Blagojevich was also involved in a scandal.
Blagojevich received another $2,000 in July 2003 from Trump Hotel, one of several names listed under the same address for the billionaire's primary Chicago business interest, the Trump International Hotel and Tower.
Another series of three contributions from the hotel ranging from $200 to $400 went to the Green Industry PAC between 2009 and 2011.
Trump has also donated to the Cook County Democratic Party, Democratic U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and Chicago Alderman Brendan Reilly. Trump's largest contribution was a $50,000 donation to former Obama chief of staff Rahm Emanuel's mayoral campaign in December 2010.
After Trump, Libertarian Party vice presidential candidate Bill Weld, a former Massachusetts governor, gave the next-largest amount of money to Illinois politicians.
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Information from: Journal Star, http://pjstar.com