Quinn campaign cash, Madigan allies fueled McPier fight

Posted by Greg H. at 5/27/2010 11:36 AM CDT on Chicago Business

As the General Assembly moves toward final action on legislation to revive Chicago's convention business — look for the Senate to override Gov. Pat Quinn's amendatory veto later today — some of the lesser-noticed political aspects of the story deserve airing.

Like how one of the unions that would gain from the veto is pumping big cash into Mr. Quinn's campaign — $75,000 just a month ago, with lots more reportedly on the way.

And how two other labor units continue to be protected by House Speaker Michael Madigan. Why?

Or why GOP gubernatorial hopeful Bill Brady doesn't have much to say except to deplore the influence of unmentioned "insiders."

Let me start with Mr. Quinn.

Now, the guv is right that the bill sent to him by Mr. Madigan and the Senate is not perfect. The bill does include a higher new tax on taxi cabs at the airport, and arguably doesn't do enough to rein in markups by GES and Freeman, the two big companies that actually run shows at McCormick Place.

But what caught my eye was a change Mr. Quinn included in his veto message to reduce the number of unions with jurisdiction at McCormick Place. The change almost certainly would lead to the demise of the small but influential decorators and riggers unions, which would be merged into the bigger and deeper-pocketed Teamsters and carpenters unions.

As a matter of public policy, Mr. Quinn probably is right that conventions would function better here with fewer unions to deal with. Chicago's big competitors — Orlando and Las Vegas — have fewer than we do.

But Mr. Quinn dilutes his argument when one of the unions involved — the Teamsters — continues to give him huge campaign funding.

Quinn campaign aides confirm that the Teamsters on April 23 sent him checks for $50,000 and $25,000. And buzz is that local Teamsters chief John Coli has sent or is about to send another $100,000.

Mr. Coli failed to return phone calls seeking comment. Team Quinn notes that the Teamsters has been an early and regular financial contributor, and the guv's spokesman says his "only" intent in the veto is to "improve" McPier, the nickname for the agency that runs McCormick Place.

I wish I could believe that.

Once upon a time, Pat Quinn built a name as a reformer by pointing the finger at politicians who took big money from those who wanted something from government. Sure looks like he ought to point a finger at himself on this one.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the aisle, the question is why Mr. Madigan protected the riggers and decorators on this bill, and why he has done so on no other occasions in the past, according to Springfield insiders.

Mr. Madigan's spokesman says no one asked to reduce the number of unions when the House was considering the McPier bill in recent weeks. But others offer another explanation: state Rep. Angelo "Skip" Saviano, a Rosemont Republican with whom Mr. Madigan has had a close relationship through the years.

Mr. Saviano says the new trustee in charge of McPier will have the power to pretty much strip both the decorators and the riggers of work, should he choose. In theory, that's right, though I've seen no sign that the designated trustee, Jim Reilly, is prepared to actually do so.

Perhaps more on point, Mr. Saviano concedes that he indeed is and has been closer to the riggers for many years. "Their office used to be right across the street from mine," he notes.

And perhaps even more on point, Mr. Madigan and Rosemont Republicans like the late Mayor Don Stephens have been tight as ticks for decades. After all, Mr. Madigan is one of those who pushed through legislation steering a new casino to Rosemont — until regulators objected to alleged mob influence in the town, that is.

Anyhow, all of this should provide plenty of ammunition for state Sen. Brady — the GOP guv candidate — to comment. And, indeed, he put out a statement accusing Mr. Quinn of "working to cut a deal to support the same insiders who led us into this mess in the first place and who he is courting to help his own political career."

But, despite several efforts by me to get the Brady campaign to specify who those "insiders" are, he won't. "Pat Quinn knows what insiders he's been dealing with," is all his spokeswoman will say.

My translation: Bill Brady in his day job is a homebuilder. And it probably would not be a very shrewd political move for a builder to rip the carpenters union over the McPier bill.

Just a shot in the dark on my part. If Mr. Brady wants to get specific on who he thinks the bad guys are, I'll be happy to listen.

1:50 p.m. update: The House just followed the Senate in override the bill, which is now law. The trailer bill that invokes some of Mr. Quinn's changes should win final approval later today.