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The report is called “Follow the Money: How Illinois Trial
Lawyers Fuel a Lawsuit-Friendly Legislature” and was compiled by
the group Illinois Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse.
According to Executive Director Phil Melin, from 2022 through
early 2025, the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association Political
Action Committee has contributed to only one side of the aisle,
sending 100% of its contributions to Democrats in the General
Assembly and statewide offices.
“When you're a trial lawyer lobby, it’s a pretty good investment
to kick in a million dollars to one party in power here in
Illinois and get results from something like [the Biometric
Information Privacy Act] where that generated hundreds of
millions of dollars in attorney fees for in-state and
out-of-state law firms,” said Melin.
The report shows that the vast majority (81%) of ITLA PAC’s
contributions were directed toward legislative candidates or
PACs associated with the Illinois General Assembly and Senate,
"ensuring that the very lawmakers responsible for shaping civil
justice laws remained financially beholden to the trial lawyers'
agenda," it says.
The top beneficiaries were Illinois House Speaker Chris
"Emanuel" Welch, D-Hillside, at $80,000, and Illinois Senate
President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, at $75,000.
Melin said legislators should spend time with their constituents
and small businesses who are under siege from predatory
lawsuits.
“Hopefully they can look beyond their Springfield lobbyists and
parties that come with checks and actually start representing
the best interests of their constituents,” said Melin.
The ILTA didn't immediately return a message seeking comment |
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