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EVENT TIMELINE

July 2001

O’Hare Timeline Events:

City, Big Business and Airlines Ramp Up Pressure on Congress, White House and Governor

• City officials lobby “members of Congress, staff of key congressional committees, air traffic control union representatives and the FAA.” Civic Committee members meet with Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta and congressional leaders. Blagojevich is described as having no position on the expansion. (Chicago Tribune, 07/12/01)
  
  
• American Airlines officials tell Gov. Ryan they “believe he has no legal authority to block new runways,” based on an analysis of the Illinois Aeronautics Act. “American Airlines officials contend the finding backs their claim that O’Hare expansion is free from state regulation.” An American spokesman claims the legal arguments “represent an option,” and that the airline “would rather see the mayor and the governor be able to come together on a local agreement to improve O’Hare.” (Tribune, 7/15/01)
  
  
• The city announces “that it plans to hire three public relations firms at a cost expected total ‘a couple of hundred thousand dollars.” The firms include Jasculca/Terman (which creates the bogus grassroots organization, the Campaign to Expand National Aviation Capacity), MK Communications, and Eugene Morris. (Chicago Tribune, 07/24/01)

• Chicago admits that it is overly optimistic in its estimates of how long O’Hare expansion construction would take. “The officials acknowledged that their timetable to complete airfield improvements and a series of road and transit projects within 10 to 15 years was based on the assumption that the controversial plan wouldn’t encounter opposition and technical problems.” City aviation officials also admit underestimate “the amount of flights a [reconfigured] O’Hare could handle.” Estimates on the expanded capacity run from 1.6 million to 2 million flights a year. The city also admits that it underestimated the cost. IDOT, CTA, ISTHA, and the RTA estimate that road and transit projects alone would cost $3.75 billion. (Chicago Tribune, 07/06/01)

• Senate appropriations committee moves forward with plans for federal intervention in the O’Hare matter if Ryan attempts to veto any expansion plans. The committee instructs Norman Mineta to impose a federal solution on Chicago aviation problems. Durbin writes the legislation and plans to attach it to a measure to fund roads and air traffic systems etc, in front of the appropriations committee.

• Ryan says he will answer Daley’s proposal. Fitzgerald introduces legislation that would require the U.S. Department of Transportation to put Peotone on the airport project planning list. Daley’s plan is described as costing $6 billion for airport work and $4 billion for transportation infrastructure for a total of $10 billion by the Tribune’s estimate. (Chicago Tribune, 07/25/01)

• Paper reports that Elmhurst Mayor Tom Marcucci quoting Ryan as saying, “I am going ahead with Peotone,” following a meeting with suburban officials. (Daily Herald, 07/28/01)
  
  

Contributions:

• Rep. John Mica (R-FL), House Aviation Subcommittee Chair, receives $8,000 from aviation industry PACs.

• Sen. Ernest Hollings (D-SC), Senate Commerce Committee Chair, receives $7,500 from aviation industry PACs.

• Sen. Harkin (D-IA) receives $1,000 from Delta Airlines’ PAC.

Table July 2001 Summary: Political contributions from Airline Executives, Lobbyists, Industry PACs and Civic Committee Members

MMYY	CIVIC CMTE	INDUSTRY PAC	LAW FIRM	LOBBYIST	Grand Total
Grand Total	$1,300	$31,000	$750	$500	$33,550

Table July 2001 Detail: Political contributions from Airline Executives, Lobbyists, Industry PACs and Civic Committee Members

CONTRIBUTOR	TITLE	AFFIL-IATION	AFFILCAT	AMOUNT	DATE	RECIPIENT	Committee & Rank	CMBR	PARTY	STATE
Waite, Norman Jr.	NA	Winston & Strawn	LAW FIRM	$ 250	07/09/01	Illinois Republican Party	na	NA	R	NA
Rowe, John	President & CEO	Exelon	CIVIC CMTE	$ 300	07/10/01	Petri	Aviation Subcmte	House	R	WI
American Airlines PAC	NA	NA	INDUSTRY PAC	$ 1,000	07/16/01	Kirk	Aviation Subcmte	House	R	IL
American Airlines PAC	NA	NA	INDUSTRY PAC	$ 1,000	07/16/01	Smith	Aviation Subcmte	Senate	R	OR
American Pilots' Association PAC	NA	NA	INDUSTRY PAC	$ 1,000	07/18/01	Hollings	Chair, Commerce Cmte	Senate	D	SC
Alaska Air Group Inc. PAC	NA	NA	INDUSTRY PAC	$ 1,000	07/19/01	Hollings	Chair, Commerce Cmte	Senate	D	SC
Allied Pilots Association PAC	NA	NA	INDUSTRY PAC	$ 1,000	07/20/01	Breaux	Aviation Subcmte	Senate	D	LA
Allied Pilots Association PAC	NA	NA	INDUSTRY PAC	$ 1,000	07/20/01	Brown	Aviation Subcmte	House	D	FL
Allied Pilots Association PAC	NA	NA	INDUSTRY PAC	$ 1,000	07/20/01	Cleland	Aviation Subcmte	Senate	D	GA
Allied Pilots Association PAC	NA	NA	INDUSTRY PAC	$ 1,000	07/20/01	Dorgan	Aviation Subcmte	Senate	D	ND
Allied Pilots Association PAC	NA	NA	INDUSTRY PAC	$ 1,000	07/20/01	Ehlers	Aviation Subcmte	House	R	MI
Delta Airlines Inc. PAC	NA	NA	INDUSTRY PAC	$ 1,000	07/20/01	Harkin	Not member of Commerce Cmte	Senate	D	IA
Allied Pilots Association PAC	NA	NA	INDUSTRY PAC	$ 1,000	07/20/01	Hayes	Aviation Subcmte	House	R	NC
Allied Pilots Association PAC	NA	NA	INDUSTRY PAC	$ 2,000	07/20/01	Hollings	Chair, Commerce Cmte	Senate	D	SC
Allied Pilots Association PAC	NA	NA	INDUSTRY PAC	$ 1,000	07/20/01	Honda	Aviation Subcmte	House	D	CA
Allied Pilots Association PAC	NA	NA	INDUSTRY PAC	$ 1,000	07/20/01	Inouye	Aviation Subcmte	Senate	D	HI
Allied Pilots Association PAC	NA	NA	INDUSTRY PAC	$ 1,000	07/20/01	Menendez	Aviation Subcmte	House	D	NJ
Allied Pilots Association PAC	NA	NA	INDUSTRY PAC	$ 1,000	07/20/01	Moran	Aviation Subcmte	House	R	KS
Allied Pilots Association PAC	NA	NA	INDUSTRY PAC	$ 1,000	07/20/01	Qiunn	Aviation Subcmte	House	R	NY
Allied Pilots Association PAC	NA	NA	INDUSTRY PAC	$ 1,000	07/20/01	Tauscher	Aviation Subcmte	House	D	CA
America West Airlines Inc. Federal PAC	NA	NA	INDUSTRY PAC	$ 500	07/24/01	Fitzgerald	Aviation Subcmte	Senate	R	IL
American Airlines PAC	NA	NA	INDUSTRY PAC	$ 500	07/24/01	Grassley	Not a member of Commerce Cmte	Senate	R	IA
Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association PAC	NA	NA	INDUSTRY PAC	$ 2,000	07/24/01	Hollings	Chair, Commerce Cmte	Senate	D	SC
American Airlines PAC	NA	NA	INDUSTRY PAC	$ 1,000	07/24/01	Mica	Chair, Subcmte	House	R	FL
American Airlines PAC	NA	NA	INDUSTRY PAC	$ 1,000	07/24/01	Stevens	Aviation Subcmte	Senate	R	AK
American Association of Airport Executitves PAC	NA	NA	INDUSTRY PAC	$ 1,000	07/25/01	Mica	Chair, Subcmte	House	R	FL
Air Transportation Association of America PAC	NA	NA	INDUSTRY PAC	$ 1,000	07/25/01	Mica	Chair, Subcmte	House	R	FL
Aldlinger, William	Chairman & CEO	Household International	CIVIC CMTE	$ 1,000	07/25/01	Nat'l Repub. Congr. Cmte Contributions	na	NA	R	NA
Continental Airlines Inc. Employee Fund	NA	NA	INDUSTRY PAC	$ 2,000	07/26/01	Mica	Chair, Subcmte	House	R	FL
America West Airlines Inc. Federal PAC	NA	NA	INDUSTRY PAC	$ 1,000	07/30/01	Hollings	Chair, Commerce Cmte	Senate	D	SC
Platt, Ronald	Lobbyist	Greenberg, Traurig	LOBBYIST	$ 500	07/30/01	Hollings	Chair, Commerce Cmte	Senate	D	SC
US Airways PAC	NA	NA	INDUSTRY PAC	$ 1,000	07/30/01	Mica	Chair, Subcmte	House	R	FL
Alaska Air Group Inc. PAC	NA	NA	INDUSTRY PAC	$ 1,000	07/30/01	Mica	Chair, Subcmte	House	R	FL
Oleary, Joseph	NA	Winston & Strawn	LAW FIRM	$ 500	07/30/01	Stevens	Aviation Subcmte	Senate	R	AK