Illinois United for Change is the Super PAC that has lifted contribution caps in the 22nd District House race between House Speaker Michael Madigan and challenger Jason Gonzales. The organization has spent a total of $256,070 so far supporting Gonzales, with new filings coming in almost daily. The Super PAC first filed its statement of organization on January 15, 2016, and since then  has taken in $577,500 in contributions, mostly from LLCs and a 501(c)4.

 

The committee's chair, Nick Antonacci, is a lawyer in Chicago. Could it be the same Nick Antonacci who worked on Madigan's campaign and legal staff back in 2010? It appears he has had a change of heart. Antonacci describes the Super PAC online as "a group dedicated to defeating 32 year Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and supporting his opponent Jason Gonzales."  They've spent a total of $331,870 so far on advertising to further that goal. $175,286 of that spending has gone to BrownMillerGroup, a political consulting firm in New York, for mailers, field work, and robocalls. The other $156,584 has gone to Screen Strategies Media, a firm in Fairfax, Virginia for TV and radio advertising.

Donors to Illinois United for Change

Donor	Amount
Hull Investments, LLC	$320,000
116 Windsor Drive, LLC	$150,000
Illinois Opportunity Project	$20,000
Other Donors	$87,500
Total	$577,500

The contributions to Illinois United for Change have come mostly from donors outside of the political system. $320,000 came from Hull Investments LLC, which was licensed in 2000 under Edward Chez, a CPA at Schultz and Chez LLP in Chicago. It's no secret (although the group doesn't have to disclose its donors) that they are funded primarily by Blair Hull - a former candidate for US Senate in Illinois. The group has also donated $5,400 to Jason Gonzalez's candidate committee.

 

The Super PAC's second biggest donor is 116 Windsor Drive, LLC, which has given $150,000 to Illinois United for Change. The LLC was formed in September of 2011, and listed a Buffalo Grove address with the Illinois Secretary of State. However, it appears the organization may be located in Glencoe, IL. It's unclear where the actual 116 Windsor Drive is...

 

The Illinois Opportunity Project also donated $20,000 to Illinois United for Change. The Opportunity Project is a 501(c)4 organization run by Dan Proft, Matthew Besler, Pat Hughes, and Mark Cavers. The group was registered with the state in October of 2010 under Steven C Gustafson, a managing partner at Gould Ratner in Chicago. The Illinois Opportunity Project recently gave a record-breaking $500,000 to Friends of Ken Dunkin - although you can't find this donation by traditional search. The name was misspelled as "Illinois Oppurtunity [sic] Project" when reported to the State Board of Elections.