Bennett R. Lawson's campaign money: donors, lobbyists, and money near votes
Alderperson, 44th Ward (profile). Campaign committees: Friends of Bennett Lawson.
- Cash on hand: $190,008 (as of Sep 30, 2026)
- Raised this term: $554,650; since 2019: $848,167 (964 itemized donations)
- From Chicago: 79% of itemized money
- From registered City lobbyists: $57,950 in 84 contributions
- From interests tied to legislation, in the 365 days before 11 votes: $7,650 (below)
Top donors
| Donor | Total | Gifts | Employer or occupation | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marc Lifshin | $19,200 | 3 | Core Spaces | Chicago, IL |
| Surf Development | $17,500 | 13 | Chicago, IL | |
| Michael Sacks | $14,200 | 3 | Grosvenor Capitol Management | Chicago, IL |
| Cari Sacks | $14,200 | 3 | Not Employed | Chicago, IL |
| Francis Campise | $14,000 | 5 | JAB Real Estate | Chicago, IL |
| David Gassman | $13,500 | 6 | DLG Management | Chicago, IL |
| Citizens for Gregory Harris | $12,500 | 4 | Chicago, IL | |
| Realtor PAC | $12,000 | 2 | Springfield, IL | |
| Sheffield's Beer & Wine Garden | $10,600 | 6 | Chicago, IL | |
| Vince Rizzo | $10,500 | 5 | VANV A | Park Ridge, IL |
| Rizzo's Bar & Inn | $10,000 | 7 | Chicago, IL | |
| DoorDash, Inc. (lobbying client) | $10,000 | 1 | San Francisco, CA | |
| Greg Berkowitz | $10,000 | 2 | GB Property Management | Chicago, IL |
| Trader Todd's | $9,500 | 6 | Chicago, IL | |
| Patrick Miller | $7,700 | 11 | Self | Western Springs, IL |
| Michael Alvarez (lobbyist) | $7,500 | 5 | Alvarez and Associates | Chicago, IL |
| Illinois Hospital Association PAC | $7,500 | 6 | Springfield, IL | |
| Schain Banks Kenny & Schwartz | $7,000 | 7 | Chicago, IL | |
| Kevin Vaughan | $7,000 | 5 | Vaughan Hospitality Group | Chicago, IL |
| Wrigsville Dog Inc | $7,000 | 2 | Chicago, IL | |
| Billy Lawless | $7,000 | 3 | Self | Chicago, IL |
| Lettuce Entertain You | $7,000 | 5 | Chicago, IL | |
| James Jann | $6,500 | 4 | JAB Real Estate, Inc. | Chicago, IL |
| Samuel Gentile | $6,250 | 4 | Saint Joseph Hospital | Chicago, IL |
| Arthur Hood | $6,250 | 3 | Self | Dallas, TX |
Top donors' employers
| Employer | Total | Gifts |
|---|---|---|
| Core Spaces | $19,200 | 3 |
| Jab Real Estate | $14,000 | 5 |
| Grosvenor Capitol Management | $13,800 | 2 |
| Dlg Management | $13,500 | 6 |
| Vanv A | $10,500 | 5 |
| Gb Property Management | $10,000 | 2 |
| Alvarez And Associates | $7,500 | 5 |
| Vaughan Hospitality Group | $7,000 | 5 |
| Jab Real Estate, Inc. | $6,500 | 4 |
| Thomas R. Raines Attorney At Law Llc | $6,000 | 4 |
| Sheffields Beer And Wine Garden | $6,000 | 3 |
| 1000 Liquors | $5,500 | 4 |
| Saint Joseph Hospital | $5,000 | 1 |
| Camp Out For Kids | $5,000 | 1 |
| Beal Properties | $5,000 | 1 |
Lobbyists who gave
| Lobbyist | Total | Gifts |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Koehler | $6,000 | 5 |
| Michael Alvarez | $6,000 | 4 |
| Jerry Mickelson | $5,750 | 9 |
| Tyler Manic | $4,500 | 4 |
| Thomas Raines | $4,500 | 3 |
| Patrick Carey | $3,750 | 6 |
| John Dunn | $2,750 | 5 |
| Mary Minaghan Dba Mkm Services | $2,750 | 6 |
| Guy Chipparoni | $2,500 | 4 |
| John Doerrer | $2,500 | 4 |
| Michael Ruemmler | $2,100 | 4 |
| Jerome Schain | $1,500 | 2 |
| Gabriela Manzanares Jule | $1,500 | 2 |
| Rolando Acosta | $1,500 | 2 |
| Scott Weiner | $1,500 | 1 |
Money near votes
Money from the interests tied to a piece of legislation (its lobbying clients, their lobbyists, companies and employees named in it) received in the 365 days before the vote.
| Legislation | Vote date | Their vote | Amount | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liquor Moratorium Lift on Packaged Goods on Kedzie | Oct 22, 2024 | Y | $1,500 | Michael Alvarez (lobbyist for Circle K) |
| Liquor License Moratorium | May 22, 2024 | Y | $1,500 | Thomas Raines (lobbyist for Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.) |
| Short Term Rentals Amendment | May 21, 2025 | Y | $1,000 | John Dunn (lobbyist for Airbnb, Inc.); Patrick Carey (lobbyist for Airbnb, Inc.) |
| Historical landmark fee waiver for property at 105 W Adams Street/210 S Clark St | Feb 18, 2026 | Y | $500 | Rolando Acosta (lobbyist for 105 Adams Development LLC) |
| Amendment of Municipal Code Section 4-60-023 (35.82) to allow additional package goods… | Jan 21, 2026 | Y | $500 | Rolando Acosta (lobbyist for 2616 N Milwaukee(Chicago), LLC) |
| Execution of Affordable Housing Covenant and Lien for 1810 W Jackson Blvd | Oct 16, 2025 | Y | $500 | Rolando Acosta (lobbyist for 1810 W Jackson Investors LLC) |
| Redevelopment agreement with 105 Adams Development LLC to provide tax increment… | Sep 25, 2025 | Y | $500 | Rolando Acosta (lobbyist for 105 Adams Development, LLC) |
| Used Lithium battery prohibitions on resale | Sep 18, 2024 | Y | $500 | John Daley (lobbyist for Doordash, Inc.) |
| Amendment of Municipal Code 7-5-0207 regarding Outdoor Patio Dining | Dec 13, 2023 | Y | $500 | Illinois Restaurant Association (company) |
| Amendment of Municipal Code Titles 2, 4 and 6 by modifying various sections and adding… | Nov 9, 2023 | N | $500 | Illinois Restaurant Association (company) |
| Redevelopment agreement with and issuance of tax increment financing (TIF) funds to… | Oct 9, 2024 | Y | $150 | Donna Pugh (lobbyist for Timeline Theatre Company) |
Money near a vote is not evidence that it influenced the vote.
Shares the most donors with
- Timothy R. Knudsen: 82 donors in common (8% overlap)
- Scott Waguespack: 43 donors in common (5% overlap)
- Brian Hopkins: 56 donors in common (5% overlap)
- Brendan Reilly: 57 donors in common (4% overlap)
- Samantha Nugent: 39 donors in common (4% overlap)
Legislation they sponsored that was lobbied
- Agreement to enter into Security Enhancement Project with Chicago Cubs Baseball Club, LLC for all events at…: 179 filings (Chicago Cubs Baseball Club, LLC)
- Short Term Rentals Amendment: 23 filings (Airbnb, Inc.)
- Call on Chicago City Clerk to provide Illinois Gaming Board with certified copy of Council ordinance…: 7 filings (Hospitality Business Association Of Chicago)
- Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 2-44 by adding new Section 2-44-170 regarding requirements for Low…: 7 filings (Illinois Housing Council)
- Chicago Shoreline Advisory Board: 6 filings (Openlands)
- Amendment of Municipal Code Title 13 by adding new Chapter 13-150 establishing requirements for…: 6 filings (Illinois Environmental Council, Openlands)
- Amendment of Municipal Code 7-5-0207 regarding Outdoor Patio Dining: 5 filings (Chicago Federation Of Labor, Friedman Properties, Illinois Restaurant Association)
- Designation of May 2026 as Jewish American Heritage Month in Chicago.: 3 filings (Jewish Federation Of Metropolitan Chicago, Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation Of Metropolitan Chicago)
- Amendment of Municipal Code Chapters 5-8 and 6-10 regarding protections of civil rights for individuals with…: 3 filings (Equality Illinois)
- Chicago Commission on Human Relations directed to establish working group to address issues impacting BIPOC…: 2 filings (Equality Illinois)
- Commemoration of National Hispanic Heritage Month and designation of September 15 through October 15 as…: 2 filings (Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation Of Metropolitan Chicago)
- SO2024-0008201: 2 filings (Amazon.Com Services LLC, Illinois Environmental Council)
- Call for hearing(s) on utilization of MBE/WBEs by Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) and associated spending for…: 1 filings (Comed)
- Call on Illinois General Assembly to pass transit management reform and revenue omnibus package: 1 filings (Illinois Environmental Council)
- Amendment of Municipal Code Titles 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14A, 14B, 14X and 15 (2026 Municipal Code…: 1 filings (Airbnb, Inc.)
Campaign data from the Illinois State Board of Elections (itemized: $150+). Lobbyist data from the City of Chicago Board of Ethics. Lobbyist and lobbyist-client donor flags are name matches. Street addresses are not published. Links between money and legislation are computed: lobbying filings are matched to legislation by record number, address, the client's name, or similar wording; donors are matched by exact company or employer name. Money near a vote is not evidence that it influenced the vote. See also Bennett R. Lawson's connections and money across the Council.
Sources and methods: how we get and count this data · report an error