When President Obama returns to Chicago later this month to help raise money for his friend, Sen. Dick Durbin, the nation's top Democrat will do so at the home of a man supporting the Republican candidate for Illinois governor.
State Board of Elections records show Michael Polsky, the President and CEO of Invenergy LLC, gave a $5,000 contribution to the campaign of Bruce Rauner on April 11, 2013. Rauner faces incumbent Democrat Gov. Pat Quinn in November.
According to an invitation posted on the Sunlight Foundation web site, Obama is due at a 5 p.m. reception at the home of Michael and Tanya Polsky on May 22. It is part of a dual fundraiser that night benefiting the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and Friends of Dick Durbin.
The second event is a dinner at the home of Fred Eychaner. Admission to the events start at $1,000 and go up to $35,000.
Polsky has been a consistent contributor to both Republicans and Democrats, including $22,500 to the campaign of Mayor Rahm Emanuel. State Board of Elections documents also show he made a $250 contribution last June to Republican David McSweeney, who won election to the Illinois House.
Polsky, according to state records, gave campaign contributions to the Quinn campaign in 2010 as well as earlier contributions to Republicans Ron Gidwitz, Jim Ryan and Jim Edgar.
Quinn's campaign did not respond for comment.
A spokeswoman for Polsky said he declined to comment on the campaign contributions and the Presidential visit.
A Durbin spokesperson called Polsky a longtime friend and supporter of the Senator saying "sometimes this is just the way politics plays out."
Polsky has given to a lot of Democrats nationally, but also Republicans, including George W. Bush and House Majority Leader and Eric Cantor, a Republican.
As the old saying goes, politics makes for strange bedfellows.
