Campaign cash rolls in Wexstten-Cates race

Appellate Court Judge James Wexstten's campaign committee picked up nearly $100,000 in campaign contributions in the past week, including a few sizable ones, according to financial disclosure records.

Wexstten reported receiving a $15,000 donation from Granite City attorney Gregory Becker on Jan. 16. Also, this week, Wexstten lent his campaign $59,875.

A report filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections on Thursday showed that Wexstten also received $5,000 donations from SimmonsCooper attorneys Jeffrey Cooper and Stephen Jones, as well as from Citizens for Hertz (Madison County Sheriff Robert Hertz).

Attorney Nathaniel Mudd of SimmonsCooper donated $2,500 and The Law Office of Rhonda D. Fiss P.C. donated $500 to Wexstten.

Any donation exceeding $500 within 30 days of an election must be disclosed on an "A-1" report. The primary election is Feb. 5.

Earlier in the week, Wexstten's campaign reported receiving $6,000 in contributions.

On Monday, Wexstten reported receiving $2,500 from Louis DePaepe of Taylorville, $1,000 from from Richard Garretson of Mt. Vernon and $1,000 from Mathis Marifan Richter & Grandy Ltd. in Belleville. He also received $500 donations from Thomas J. Archer of Washington, D.C., Fred Kern of Belleville and the Shelby County Democratic Central Committee.

Wexstten has reported receiving more than $188,000 in donations since Jan. 4.

In the meantime, his opponent, Belleville personal injury lawyer Judy Cates, has reported receiving three separate donations, $2,500 from Foote Meyers Mielke & Flowers in Geneva; $1,000 from Brad and Mary Badgley of Belleville and $750 from Law Offices of Michael R Bilbrey P.C. in Edwardsville.

D-2 reports, which detail campaign contributions and expenditures for the period of July 1 through Dec. 31, 2007, are due Jan. 22.