DuPage Airport Officials Donated To Ex-Chair

WEST CHICAGO, IL – Over the years, four of the nine members of the DuPage Airport Authority's board contributed to the campaign of the former County Board chairman.

Another member's father donated to the campaign of the ex-chairman, Dan Cronin, an Elmhurst Republican. The board chairman appoints authority members.

In an email to Patch on Monday, Cronin said, "The airport authority is an important economic engine for the county. As chairman of the county board, I worked closely and collaboratively with the airport authority board members and these members who contributed were simply exercising their first amendment, constitutional right."

Cronin decided against running for a fourth term last year. He endorsed then-County Board member Greg Hart, a Hinsdale Republican, for chairman. Hart lost to Democrat Deb Conroy in November.

The airport authority members who gave to Cronin's campaign were Gina LaMantia, Michael LeDonne, Juan Chavez and Noreen Ligino-Kubinski, according to state election board records.

Board chairman Herbert Getz donated to other Republican politicians, including former Gov. Bruce Rauner, but not Cronin.

Member Joshua Davis' father, Stephen Davis, a former DuPage airport chairman who left the board last year, contributed to Cronin's campaign.

LeDonne, Chavez, Noreen Ligino-Kubinski and Stephen Davis also donated to Hart.

Most of the contributions to Cronin and Hart were for a few hundred dollars.

Airport board members make $10,000 a year. The board holds six meetings a year.

The board also has committees, to which members belong. Most of the committee meetings are on the same day as board sessions.