PEORIA - The Peoria Journal Star makes a good case as to why gambling interests are so favored in Illinois:
The state's elected officials and candidates for office received at least $9.1 million in campaign contributions from the gambling industry between 2002 and June 2011, according to Common Cause.
Among those voting for the gaming bill adding five more casinos to the state that passed the Illinois House by a 69-47 margin last week was Rep.Tom Cross, R-Plainfield, the House Republican leader, who has received $510,750 in campaign contributions from gambling interests over the past decade, according to Common Cause.
Mike Madigan, the Democratic House leader, has received $352,650 in campaign contributions from the gambling industry over the same period, while Rep. Lou Lang, D- Skokie, has received $270,651, noted Common Cause, which is seeking better disclosure of money spent in Illinois.
"Given these two facts - massive campaign contributions and a massive expansion of legalized gambling - Illinoisans deserve as much objective information as possible about the gambling," said James Browning, the Common Cause director who wrote the Illinois report (www.commoncause.org/illinois).
More at Peoria Journal Star.
