WASHINGTON — Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch (D-Hillside) has launched a massive fundraising campaign targeting donations to organized labor and nationally known Illinois labor unions. He is in the capital to attend Sunday's memorial service for leader Ed Smith.
On Monday afternoon, Mr. Welch raised money for the “Emmanuel Chris” Welch Committee for the People. The amounts range from $1,000 for a single ticket to $68,500, the Illinois State Board of Elections' limit on contributions to political action committees for each election. cycle.
The event at the Washington Hilton will be held in conjunction with the 2024 North American Building Trades Union Legislative Conference, which will be held at the same hotel. Illinois State Treasurer Mike Frerichs is scheduled to speak at Tuesday's meeting.
The Welch event is hosted by Eric Dean, president of the International Union of Ironworkers. Tim Drea, president of the Illinois Federation of Labor. Mike Maceraio, president of the Chicago and Cook County Building and Construction Trades Council; James Gardiner, Chairman of the Chicago Ironworks District Council; Bob Reiter, Chicago Labor Federation President;
The Emanuel 'Chris' Welch Committee for the People had a cash balance of $7,271,044.07 as of March 31, according to the committee's latest report released April 15. .
Mr. Welch's political spokesperson, Takuoya Maconico, said the Illinois House members scheduled to attend Mr. Welch's donors in Washington include Rep. Marcus Evans, chairman of the Labor and Commerce Committee; (D-Chicago) said that included. Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, D-Aurora; Congressman Mike Kelly (D-Chicago).
Ed Smith, who died in January, was chairman and chief executive of Urico, a unionized life insurance company.
Mr. Welch replaces Mr. Yarbrough in township political post.
Welch will be appointed by the Cook County Democratic Party as the new Provisio County Commissioner in Chicago on Monday, replacing Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough, who died earlier this month.
