By Illinois Review
Recent revelations show that IL GOP national committeeman Richard Porter’s law firm, Kirkland & Ellis, where he is a senior partner, donated to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in 2020, during the height of the pandemic and lockdowns.
In 2020, partners of the firm donated $680,670 to Joe Biden; $164,536 to Kamala Harris; and $80,400 to the Republican Party of Illinois.
In 2022, partners of the firm donated $269,100 to US Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-IL; $144,719 to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY; and $69,000 to the Republican Party of Illinois.
Kirkland & Ellis also represents Pritzker family interests, including Pritzker Private Capital.
On December 1, Illinois Review revealed in an article that IL GOP chairman Don Tracy, a friend and ally of Porter – that his family-owned business, Dot Foods, where he is an owner, donated to Biden and ‘Never Trumpers’ in 2020 and 2022.
During the Republican Primary, Porter served as advisor and co-chairman of the Richard Irvin for governor campaign. In 2014, 2016 and 2020, Irvin pulled Democratic ballots; and in 2020, he spoke at a Black Lives Matter rally shouting, “I can’t breathe!”
Irvin would lose the primary to grassroots conservative Republican Darren Bailey by 42 points, despite his campaign spending more than $50 million on Irvin’s race.
Following massive Republican losses during the midterm elections, embattled GOP chairman Don Tracy is struggling to hold on to his position. And as of Tuesday evening, Porter continues to support and defend Tracy’s tenure as chairman.