Illinois politicians continue to accept campaign money from Boeing despite the company’s ongoing legal troubles and safety concerns. Records show that Boeing’s political action committee has donated $22,000 to Illinois legislators and other political figures in the past month. This includes donations to Illinois Senate President Don Harmon, Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, and Illinois Senate Minority Leader John Curran.
Since 2020, Harmon has received a total of $9,000 from Boeing, while Welch and Curran each received $1,000 in July. Overall, Illinois state and local political figures have accepted more than $90,000 from Boeing since the company was accused of fraud by the federal government in 2021.
In addition to Illinois politicians, members of Congress from the state have also accepted campaign contributions from Boeing this year. The company has a long history of contributing to political campaigns, with more than $1 million going to members of Congress from Illinois and candidates representing the state since 1990.
Boeing has faced safety concerns, including an incident where a door panel blew off a Boeing 737 MAX in mid-air in January. The company has also been accused of violating a legal agreement related to design flaws in the 737 MAX that led to deadly crashes overseas. Despite these challenges, Illinois politicians continue to accept campaign money from Boeing, raising questions about the influence of corporate donations on political decision-making.
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