Years of exorbitant political spending in Illinois – more than $24.3 million since 2010 – has secured an enormous amount of political influence for the Chicago Teachers Union. It is now the main political player not just in Chicago, but across the state.

Illinois government workers’ union dues fund Democratic Party campaign committees, which are now seeking to tip the presidential election outcome in swing states. That fails to align with at least 40% of members’ politics.

Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch and Illinois Senate President Don Harmon are taking heat from staffers for killing legislation allowing the workers to unionize. Statehouse leaders are big on union rights, as long as it’s not in their offices.

Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch – who supported an Illinois constitutional amendment granting government unions unprecedented power – is reportedly refusing to meet with a union seeking to represent his own staff.