Metro East Sun

Illinois State Board of Elections records show that Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Belleville), the former right-hand man to ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich, recently donated $45,500 to the re-election campaign of state Rep. Monica Bristow (D-Godfrey) -- a donation that doesn't sit too well with her Republican opponent Michael Babcock.

Vying for the 111th House District seat himself, Babcock told the Metro East Sun that the donation is part of a long history of machine politics and that it lacks transparency.

"This is the ultimate political inside game," Babcock said.

Rep. Jay Hoffman

He added that Hoffman’s massive campaign fund was built up over many years, using the same political machine that he and the now-imprisoned Blagojevich developed to rake in huge donations.

“They are now simply transferring that money to Bristow's account," Babcock said.

In addition to Hoffman's donation, Babcock pointed out that another $45,500 was donated to Bristow's campaign by state Rep. Mike Halpin (D-East Moline).

Before these donations, Bristow reported having approximately $14,500 in funds, while Hoffman reported more than $800,000 in his campaign fund, according to a June 30th quarterly report filed with the election board. 

Madison County GOP Chairman Jeremy Plank said in a press statement that “even with Blagojevich in jail Jay Hoffman is still very powerful."

"Money from his fellow personal injury attorneys and other special interest groups pours into his campaign and he shares the largess with other machine Democrats," Plank said. 

Bristow was appointed in December 2017 by House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) to serve out the remainder of former Rep. Dan Beiser's term. Beiser himself was appointed -- also by Madigan -- in 2004, “just weeks after former Rep. Steve Davis was re-elected to a 2-year term and abruptly retired," according to Babcock. 

"Bristow's allegiance is clearly to Mike Madigan and the political machine that appointed her and is now funding her campaign,”  Babcock said. “We need true political reform in Illinois. The status quo has driven Illinois to insolvency and it’s long past time that the citizens of Alton, Granite City and the rest of the 111th District had an advocate in Springfield who will work for them, not for special interests and not for Speaker Madigan."

The 111th House District includes Alton and Wood River in Madison County.