Coffee clout in Cook County

In Cook County, Illinois, it's not what you know, but who you know. The Prairie Stater reports that the county spent $76,291 with ACE Coffee Holdings, Inc., which sells coffee and related products, as well as other beverages.

Because of the "Open County Initiative," which allows the public to view the Cook County check register, the blog was able to uncover these expenditures.

But the coffee cash is just the reaction. Prairie Stater shows the action.

According to Illinois State Board of Elections web site, ACE also has been an active political contributor over the past decade, contributing almost $30,000 to local politicians and political committees since 2000. The great majority of those contributions ($20,250, to be exact) have gone to political committees affiliated with longtime 14th Ward (Chicago) Alderman and Democratic Committeeman Edward M. Burke, including:

-- $11,250 to Friends of Edward M. Burke

-- $3,000 to The Burnham Committee (of which Burke is listed as chairman)

-- $3,000 to the Democratic Party of the 14th Ward (of which Burke is committeeman)

The company's CEO, Bernard E. Cavitt, also made $10,500 in contributions to Burke-related committees since 2000.

The Open County Initiative is the result of the efforts of Tony Peraica (R-Riverside), and he has this to say about it:

Our check registry on-line shows that taxpayers can blow the whistle on corrupt practices of their government. Go ahead, take a look, and find your most offensive expenditure.

Related posts:

Republican Tony Peraica: Keeping an eye out for Cook County taxpayers

Tony Peraica on Dems sending property tax bills after Election Day

Technorati tags: politics Democrats Illinois Politics Cook County taxes tony peraica republican chicago