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EVENT TIMELINE
May 2001
O’Hare Timeline Events:
Sen.
Durbin Moves to Support Expansion
- In
a bid to prevent expansion at O’Hare, Sen. Peter Fitzgerald (R-IL)
pushes for Peotone to be placed on the federal airport planning list. Durbin claims he has “no position on the [Grassley/Harkin]
proposal for new runways [at O’Hare].”
(Chicago Tribune, 05/03/01)
- Durbin
opposes proposed Harkin/Grassley legislation. Exp. “Durbin
on Thursday opposed an effort by Iowa’s senators the construction of
two runways at O’Hare Airport, saying the federal government should not intrude on local decisions.” [emphasis added] (Chicago Tribune, 05/04/01)
- Durbin, thus far neutral on O’Hare expansion, calls upon Illinois politicians to settle the expansion debate by July 1 or have Congress take over the issue. (Chicago Tribune, 05/20/01)
- Durbin states: “It’s time for the governor, mayor and Congressional delegation to set a time limit. The need is now … Those who want to turn O’Hare into some kind of forest preserve should take the next plane out of town. (Associated Press, 05/21/01)
- Durbin says publicly for the first time that he supports new runways at O’Hare. Durbin says, “Harkin’s visit to Chicago played a role in the timing of his decision to publicly favor O’Hare expansion.” He also cites the pending Harkin/Grassley legislation to remove the process from the state as an impetus to move the local discussion forward. Durbin states: “We either face the unpopular decisions and make them, or we run the risk of having the decisions taken away from us.” He urges Mayor Daley and Gov. Ryan to meet and reach a “mutual agreement by July 1.” (Chicago Tribune, 05/21/01)
- The Tribune editorial board urges new runways and includes a message to Fitzgerald: “Help to settle it or get out of the way”.
- Publication reports that Illinois the previous week suspended $1.7 billion in improvements planned for roadway leading to O’Hare.(Bond Buyer, 05/16/01)
Gov.
Ryan Opposes Expansion; Rep. Kirk Still Neutral
- Ryan expresses public opposition to new runways. The same day the Civic Committee takes out ads in several newspapers and publications urging support for new runways.
- American Airlines canceled a meeting with Gov. Ryan to discuss O’Hare expansion. They were to have presented a plan for one additional runway. Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL) asks the FAA to study whether congestion would be best relieved by O’Hare expansion or the construction of Peotone. Agency reports that Kirk is still neutral on the issue. (Associated Press, 05/25/01)
Sen.
Harkin Meets with Big Chicago Business, Gives Ultimatum to Expand O’Hare;
McCain Announces Chicago Hearings
- Harkin flies to Chicago
and sets a deadline for a Daley/Ryan deal on runways and
expansion. He says if they
(Daley/Ryan) refuse to act he will introduce federal legislation to force
runways (he introduces the legislation in August). He threatens funding for other Chicago projects if no deal is made. (Chicago Tribune, 05/19/01)
- Harkin
also holds a private
meeting with Civic Committee of the Commercial Club. “Harkin’s
appearance capped a week in which the Civic Committee of the Commercial
Club ran advertisements in the Tribune … urging the immediate
construction of at least one runway at O’Hare and a Tribune
poll showed support for a new runway among residents near the airport
provided the extra capacity be used only to relieve delays.” Ryan asks to see Daley’s
plan for runways. (Chicago Tribune,
05/19/01)
- Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) announces that he will be bringing a congressional transportation panel to Chicago in June. The Sun-Times reports that McCain has no position on O’Hare expansion. (Chicago Sun-Times, 05/10/01)
Former
Gov. Thompson Brings Expansion Plans to Ryan
- Former Illinois Gov. James Thompson was expected to present Ryan with an O’Hare reconfiguration proposal (Thompson and his law firm Winston & Strawn represent American Airlines). Thompson and top governmental affairs representatives from American Airlines meet with Ryan in his capital office. “Any proposal that American would put in front of Ryan would derive from scenarios drawn up for the city by its longtime aviation consultant, Landrum & Brown.” (Chicago Tribune, 05/24/01)
- Daley
announces his plan will be ready by July 1. Michael Madigan expresses
“adamant opposition” to Peotone.
Contributions:
- Sen. Durbin (D-IL)
receives:
- $1,500 from William Daley and $250 from Michael Daley (Mayor Daley’s brothers)
- $1,000 from Norm Gold, Altheimer & Gray, a lobbyist for United Airlines,
- $2,000 from two other Altheimer & Gray attorneys.
- Airline industry lobby
contributed:
- $5,500 to Sen. Rockefeller (D-WV),
- $14,000 to Lipinski (D-IL),
- $1,000 to Rep. Kirk (R-IL),
- $2,000 to Sen. Harkin (D-IA).
- Lester Crown, Chairman
of Civic Committee Taskforce on Aviation contributes:
- $2,500 to Sen. Durbin,
- $1,000 to Rep. Lipinski,
- $1,000 to Rep. Kirk.
N.B. — Contributions are made within one week of the Civic Committee’s full-page advertisement appearing in the Tribune and Sun Times.
Table May
2001 Summary: Political contributions from Airline Executives, Lobbyists,
Industry PACs and Civic Committee. Members
|
MMYY |
AIRLINE EXECS |
CIVIC CMTE |
INDUSTRY PAC |
LAW FIRM |
LOBBYIST |
Grand Total |
|
Grand
Total |
$ 250 |
$4,500 |
$ 120,750 |
$2,600 |
$ 3,750 |
$131,850 |
Table May
2001 Detail: Political contributions from Airline Executives, Lobbyist,
Industry PACs and Civic Committee Members
|
CONTRIBUTOR |
TITLE |
AFFILIATION |
AFFILCAT |
AMOUNT |
DATE |
RECIPIENT |
Committee & Rank |
CMBR |
PARTY |
STATE |
|
Continental
Airlines Inc. Employee Fund |
NA |
NA |
INDUSTRY
PAC |
$ 1,000 |
05/01/01 |
Duncan |
Aviation
Subcmte |
House |
R |
TN |
|
General
Dynamics PAC |
NA |
NA |
INDUSTRY
PAC |
$ 2,000 |
05/01/01 |
Lipinski |
Ranking
Member, Aviation Subcmte |
House |
D |
IL |
|
Continental
Airlines Inc. Employee Fund |
NA |
NA |
INDUSTRY
PAC |
$ 1,000 |
05/01/01 |
Menendez |
Aviation
Subcmte |
House |
D |
NJ |
|
American
Airlines PAC |
NA |
NA |
INDUSTRY
PAC |
$ 2,000 |
05/01/01 |
Rockefeller |
Chair,
Aviation Subcmte |
Senate |
D |
WV |
|
Alaska
Air Group Inc. PAC |
NA |
NA |
INDUSTRY
PAC |
$ 1,000 |
05/01/01 |
Rockefeller |
Chair,
Aviation Subcmte |
Senate |
D |
WV |
|
American
Airlines PAC |
NA |
NA |
INDUSTRY
PAC |
$ 500 |
05/01/01 |
Tauscher |
Aviation
Subcmte |
House |
D |
CA |
|
Continental
Pilots PAC |
NA |
NA |
INDUSTRY
PAC |
$ 500 |
05/02/01 |
Boswell |
Aviation
Subcmte |
House |
D |
IA |
|
Gold,
Norman |
Partner |
Altheimer
&Gray |
LAW FIRM |
$ 1,000 |
05/02/01 |
Durbin |
Not a
member of Commerce Cmte |
Senate |
D |
IL |
|
Daley,
Patricia |
Lobbyist |
Daley
Policy Group |
LOBBYIST |
$ 250 |
05/03/01 |
Hastert |
Speaker
of the House |
House |
R |
IL |
|
Koontz,
Frederick |
Financial
Analyst |
American
Airlines |
AIRLINE
EXECS |
$ 250 |
05/04/01 |
Carson |
Aviation
Subcmte |
House |
D |
OK |
|
Airline
Pilots Association PAC |
NA |
NA |
INDUSTRY
PAC |
$ 1,000 |
05/04/01 |
Carson |
Aviation
Subcmte |
House |
D |
OK |
|
Airline
Pilots Association PAC |
NA |
NA |
INDUSTRY
PAC |
$ 2,500 |
05/04/01 |
Durbin |
Not a
member of Commerce Cmte |
Senate |
D |
IL |
|
Airline
Pilots Association PAC |
NA |
NA |
INDUSTRY
PAC |
$ 1,500 |
05/04/01 |
Isakson |
Aviation
Subcmte |
House |
R |
GA |
|
Airline
Pilots Association PAC |
NA |
NA |
INDUSTRY
PAC |
$ 1,000 |
05/04/01 |
Johnson |
Aviation
Subcmte |
House |
R |
IL |
|
Airline
Pilots Association PAC |
NA |
NA |
INDUSTRY
PAC |
$ 1,000 |
05/04/01 |
Matheson |
Aviation
Subcmte |
House |
D |
UT |
|
Airline
Pilots Association PAC |
NA |
NA |
INDUSTRY
PAC |
$ 5,000 |
05/04/01 |
Oberstar |
Ranking
Member, Transportation Cmte |
House |
D |
MN |
|
Aircraft
Owners & Pilots Association PAC |
NA |
NA |
INDUSTRY
PAC |
$ 2,500 |
05/07/01 |
Duncan |
Aviation
Subcmte |
House |
R |
TN |
|
Skinner,
Mary Jacobs |
NA |
Sidley
& Austin |
LAW FIRM |
$ 500 |
05/07/01 |
Fitzgerald |
Aviation
Subcmte |
Senate |
R |
IL |
|
Crown,
Lester |
Chairman |
Material
Service Corporation |
CIVIC
CMTE |
$ 1,000 |
05/07/01 |
Lipinski |
Ranking
Member, Aviation Subcmte |
House |
D |
IL |
|
Aircraft
Owners & Pilots Association PAC |
NA |
NA |
INDUSTRY
PAC |
$ 5,000 |
05/07/01 |
Lipinski |
Ranking
Member, Aviation Subcmte |
House |
D |
IL |
|
Aircraft
Owners & Pilots Association PAC |
NA |
NA |
INDUSTRY
PAC |
$ 5,000 |
05/07/01 |
Mica |
Chair,
Subcmte |
House |
R |
FL |
|
Aircraft
Owners & Pilots Association PAC |
NA |
NA |
INDUSTRY
PAC |
$ 5,000 |
05/07/01 |
Oberstar |
Ranking
Member, Transportation Cmte |
House |
D |
MN |
|
Crown,
Lester |
Chairman |
Material
Service Corporation |
CIVIC
CMTE |
$ 2,500 |
05/07/01 |
Prairie
PAC (Durbin) |
na |
NA |
D |
NA |
|
Aircraft
Owners & Pilots Association PAC |
NA |
NA |
INDUSTRY
PAC |
$ 2,500 |
05/07/01 |
Young |
Chair,
Transportation Cmte |
House |
R |
AK |
|
United
Airlines PAC |
NA |
NA |
INDUSTRY
PAC |
$ 1,000 |
05/08/01 |
Carnahan |
Aviation
Subcmte |
Senate |
D |
MO |
|
United
Airlines PAC |
NA |
NA |
INDUSTRY
PAC |
$ 1,000 |
05/08/01 |
Costello |
Aviation
Subcmte |
House |
D |
IL |
|
Greenberg
Traurig PAC |
NA |
NA |
LOBBYIST |
$ 500 |
05/08/01 |
DCCC |
na |
NA |
NA |
NA |
|
Airtran
Airlines Inc. PAC |
NA |
NA |
INDUSTRY
PAC |
$ 1,000 |
05/08/01 |
Duncan |
Aviation
Subcmte |
House |
R |
TN |
|
United
Airlines PAC |
NA |
NA |
INDUSTRY
PAC |
$ 1,000 |
05/08/01 |
Hutchison |
Chair,
Aviation Subcmte |
Senate |
R |
TX |
|
United
Airlines PAC |
NA |
NA |
INDUSTRY
PAC |
$ 1,000 |