Toni Preckwinkle | Toni for Chicago
Toni Preckwinkle | Toni for Chicago
With less than two weeks to go before the April 2 election, Chicago mayoral candidate Toni Preckwinkle has stopped purchasing television ads.
The Cook County Democratic Party chair claims her campaign is just making “strategic decisions.” But to some, the move is a sign that her mayoral bid may be dead on arrival.
If so, the loss will be particularly humiliating -- and costly -- to the Service Employees International Union. One of the state's largest public sector unions, the SEIU has poured more than $3.23 million into Preckwinkle’s campaign, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections.
Jerry Morrison
A loss for Preckwinkle won’t be the only embarrassment for the SEIU. Jerry Morrison, assistant to the president of SEIU Local 1, recently appeared in court to answer a charge of misdemeanor battery involving an off-duty Chicago police officer. According to Chicago Police Records, Morrison allegedly struck the man with an umbrella in the lobby of City Hall on June 26, 2018 after yelling insults, including calling him a “fascist.”
Morrison has largely driven the SEIU's backing of Preckwinkle over the years -- including her disastrous soda tax.
The candidate's comfy relationship with the union has long raised conflict of interest claims. As Cook County board president, she often negotiated with the SEIU as it funneled money into her campaign coffers.
If Preckwinkle's mayoral bid has indeed died, her relationship with the SEIU may also be coming to an end.
---
SEIU Contributions to Toni for Chicago Sept. 9, 2018-March 18, 2019
| Contributor | Date | Type | Amount |
| SEIU HealthCare Illinois Indiana PAC | 3/18/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $1,885.69 |
| SEIU HealthCare Illinois Indiana PAC | 3/18/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $1,720.39 |
| SEIU HealthCare Illinois Indiana PAC | 3/18/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $1,681.14 |
| SEIU HealthCare Illinois Indiana PAC | 3/18/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $1,463.44 |
| SEIU HealthCare Illinois Indiana PAC | 3/18/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $1,416.48 |
| SEIU HealthCare Illinois Indiana PAC | 3/18/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $1,386.32 |
| SEIU HealthCare Illinois Indiana PAC | 3/15/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $2,263.05 |
| SEIU HealthCare Illinois Indiana PAC | 3/15/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $1,943.12 |
| SEIU HealthCare Illinois Indiana PAC | 3/15/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $1,732.86 |
| SEIU HealthCare Illinois Indiana PAC | 3/15/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $1,681.15 |
| SEIU HealthCare Illinois Indiana PAC | 3/15/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $1,386.32 |
| 1199/SEIU New York State Political Action Fund | 3/12/2019 | Transfer In | $25,000.00 |
| Service Employees Local #1 PEC | 3/5/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $63,630.57 |
| Service Employees Local #1 PEC | 3/5/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $8,179.64 |
| Service Employees Local #1 PEC | 3/5/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $6,620.00 |
| SEIU Illinois Council PAC Fund | 2/25/2019 | Transfer In | $500,000.00 |
| Service Employees Local #1 PEC | 2/25/2019 | Transfer In | $250,000.00 |
| SEIU HealthCare Illinois Indiana PAC | 2/24/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $4,779.24 |
| SEIU HealthCare Illinois Indiana PAC | 2/24/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $4,694.69 |
| SEIU HealthCare Illinois Indiana PAC | 2/22/2019 | Individual Contribution | $7,500.00 |
| SEIU Healthcare Illinois Indiana PAC | 2/21/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $2,460.48 |
| SEIU Healthcare Illinois Indiana PAC | 2/21/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $1,867.72 |
| SEIU Healthcare Illinois Indiana PAC | 2/21/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $1,681.15 |
| SEIU Healthcare Illinois Indiana PAC | 2/21/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $1,566.12 |
| SEIU Healthcare Illinois Indiana PAC | 2/21/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $1,527.92 |
| SEIU Healthcare Illinois Indiana PAC | 2/21/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $1,386.36 |
| Service Employees Local #1 PEC | 2/21/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $46,998.69 |
| Service Employees Local #1 PEC | 2/21/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $3,020.00 |
| SEIU United Healthcare Workers West PAC | 2/16/2019 | Transfer In | $50,000.00 |
| Service Employees Local #1 PEC | 2/14/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $49,796.00 |
| SEIU Illinois Council PAC Fund | 2/11/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $5,000.00 |
| SEIU Illinois Council PAC Fund | 2/11/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $3,000.00 |
| SEIU Healthcare Illinois Indiana PAC | 2/8/2019 | Transfer In | $50,000.00 |
| SEIU Healthcare Illinois Indiana PAC | 2/8/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $1,211.50 |
| SEIU Healthcare Illinois Indiana PAC | 2/8/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $1,107.42 |
| Service Employees Local #1 PEC | 2/8/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $48,639.66 |
| SEIU Local 2015 State PAC | 2/5/2019 | Transfer In | $50,000.00 |
| Local 32BJ SEIU American Dream Fund | 2/4/2019 | Transfer In | $5,000.00 |
| Service Employees Local #1 PEC | 2/1/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $25,000.00 |
| SEIU Local 73 Bi-Partisan PAC | 1/31/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $1,541.32 |
| SEIU Local 73 Bi-Partisan PAC | 1/31/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $1,136.08 |
| SEIU Local 73 Bi-Partisan PAC | 1/31/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $1,011.56 |
| Service Employees Local #1 PEC | 1/31/2019 | Transfer In | $50,000.00 |
| SEIU Illinois Council PAC Fund | 1/25/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $3,000.00 |
| Service Employees Local #1 PEC | 1/22/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $47,775.57 |
| SEIU Illinois Council PAC Fund | 1/14/2019 | In-kind Contribution | $5,000.00 |
| SEIU Illinois Council PAC Fund | 1/8/2019 | Individual Contribution | $500,000.00 |
| Service Employees Local #1 PEC | 12/31/2018 | In-kind Contribution | $19,139.82 |
| SEIU Healthcare Illinois Indiana PAC | 12/26/2018 | Transfer In | $100,000.00 |
| Service Employees Local #1 PEC | 12/21/2018 | In-kind Contribution | $22,938.78 |
| Service Employees Local #1 PEC | 12/21/2018 | In-kind Contribution | $6,182.40 |
| Service Employees Local #1 PEC | 12/21/2018 | In-kind Contribution | $4,689.00 |
| Service Employees Local #1 PEC | 12/10/2018 | In-kind Contribution | $32,160.52 |
| SEIU Illinois Council PAC Fund | 12/7/2018 | Transfer In | $1,000,000.00 |
| Service Employees Local #1 PEC | 11/21/2018 | In-kind Contribution | $38,918.58 |
| Service Employees Local #1 PEC | 11/21/2018 | In-kind Contribution | $3,000.00 |
| Service Employees Local #1 PEC | 10/31/2018 | In-kind Contribution | $28,971.43 |
| Service Employees Local #1 PEC | 10/22/2018 | In-kind Contribution | $28,826.17 |
| Service Employees Local 1 | 9/29/2018 | Transfer In | $100,000.00 |
| Total: | $3,232,518.35 |
Alerts Sign-up