Republican Gov.-elect Bruce Rauner funneled record-setting amounts of his own money to win November's election. Paperwork filed with the state late in the afternoon on Wed., Dec. 31 shows he isn't stopping there.
Rauner is capping off 2014 with a massive infusion of cash into his campaign fund. He reports about $20 million in the final days of December, from just five contributors.
As with his campaign for governor, Rauner's biggest contribution to himself, comes from himself. The private equity investor gave another $10 million to his "Citizens for Rauner" fund.
Illinois' richest resident, Ken Griffin, the CEO of Citadel, put in $8 million. The Republican Governor's Association also pitched in.
When asked in early December about rumors he was going to create a political action committee, Rauner brushed aside the question, saying he was focused on the state budget. But the warchest build-up is a high-dollar sign that Rauner will use his own, and his friends', deep pockets, to help push his agenda. Legislators may be apt to go along with his ideas, for example, if they know they could be rewarded with campaign contributions, or with the threat of a Rauner-funded opponent lining up against them.
