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Life In Brief
Current Title: Governor
Political Party: Democratic Party
Born: January 19, 1965
Birthplace: Atherton, CA
Religion: Jewish
Ethnicity: White/Caucasian
Marital Status: Married
Education Summary:
Northwestern University School of Law (IL), JD,
1993
Family:
2 children
Work History:
Governor of Illinois, 2019-CURR
Founder and Managing Partner, Pritzker Group,
1996-2019
Co-chairman, Hillary Clinton 2008 Presidential
Campaign, 2008
Founder, 1871, 2012-2016
Office of Sen. Alan Dixon (D-IL)
Office of Sen. Terry Sanford (D-NC)
Quick Summary
Progressive with an investment and philanthropy
background; Democratic majorities in state
legislature allowed him to achieve significant
policy victories in his first year
Handily defeated incumbent Bruce Rauner (R)
in 2018, despite scandals related to his
campaign, property taxes and past comments
Lifelong liberal campaigned for Sens. Ted
Kennedy (D-MA) and Terry Sanford (D-NC) as
a student; worked for Sanford on Capitol Hill
Used fortune to address his core issues,
entrepreneurship and early childhood education
Born and raised in California but identifies with
Chicago, where he made his investing career
Founded 1871, a successful start-up “incubator”
that provides capital, training, and workspace to
Chicago entrepreneurs
Pursues greater state spending on public
services, such as education, while attempting to
tackle enormous fiscal deficit
Budget proposals criticized by IL Republicans,
who blame Pritzker for increasing taxes
Democratic legislature majorities allowed
Pritzker to pass several of his priorities in 2019,
including a minimum wage hike
Approach and Motivations
Driven by deep commitment to Chicago and
influenced by mentor Terry Sanford; sees
combination of increased revenue and public
investment as solutions to intractable problems
Chicagoan speaks glowingly about the city’s
past and has invested significantly in its future;
made his ventures there a centerpiece of his
campaign and vision for the state
Mentor figure Terry Sanford’s imprint is visible
on Pritzker’s agenda; like Sanford, Pritzker
wants to raise taxes to pay for education
Believes the answer to high public debt and out-
migration is to increase state revenue and
improve social services and infrastructure
Officeholding novice facing severe challenges
has brought in experienced operatives to top
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levels of government, doubling their salaries
with his own fortune
Policy Position and Areas of
Focus
Seeks to increase state revenue and level the
playing field for disadvantaged state residents
State Budget: Finding new sources of income to
pay for policy objectives and balance the budget
Entering his first year in office, Pritzker called
the state budget his number one priority; state
has billions in debt, low credit ratings
Supports a graduated income tax that places a
greater burden on wealthier residents; must be
approved by voters in November, 2020
Signed bill legalizing marijuana; offered
conservative projection that sales would raise
$46 million for the state
Proposed full funding for state pension system,
which has been underwater for decades
Social Equity: Enacting liberal priorities to benefit
workers and marginalized communities
Signed legislation raising state minimum wage
to $15 per hour by 2025, which he claims will
raise 1 million people out of poverty
Pardoned over 11,000 residents convicted of
minor marijuana-related charges; called for an
end to the “war on cannabis” that has mostly
affected African American residents
5-year economic plan specifically calls for
expanding capital access and improving
educational opportunities for disadvantaged
communities
Disadvantaged Children: Increasing education
opportunities, funding for school meals and child
welfare department
As a philanthropist, Pritzker participated in a
public-private partnership to a fund preschool
program for disadvantaged children in Utah
JB and MK Pritzker Family foundation provided
funding to Rise and Shine Illinois to promote
school breakfast for low-income students
In a 2017 op-ed, called early childhood
education a “fiscally sound investment”
Proposed raising IL Department of Children and
Family Services budget by $147 million and
state spending on preschool and early learning
by $100 million in 2020
Core Communities
Pritzker leverages experienced, well-payed staff;
his network is centered on Chicago, where he has
ties in business, philanthropy, and political circles
Staff: Prioritized experience for key roles
Deputy Governor for Budget and Economy Dan
Hynes was state comptroller from 1999-2009
Deputy Governor for Public Safety,
Infrastructure, Energy, and Environment
Christian Mitchell is a former state legislator and
director of IL Democratic Party
Brought in former state Sen. Toi Hutchison to
implement cannabis law; longtime advocate for
cannabis reform
Chicago Business: Investor and philanthropist
with relationships in business community
Speaks at Chicago-area business forums (e.g.
Economic Club of Chicago)
Top campaign donors include Chicago-based
investor James Star
Founded high-tech incubator 1871 with Chicago
investor Howard Tullman; organization board
consists of prominent Chicago business leaders
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Chicago Democrats: Relationships with
significant figures past and present
Boosted by endorsement from Pres. Barack
Obama, who built his political career in Chicago
Lt. Gov. Julianna Stratton is a Chicago native
and represented part of the city in the IL state
legislature
Donated over $180,000 to the campaigns of
former Chicago mayor and Obama chief of staff
Rahm Emanuel
Pritzker Family: Wealthy allies based in Chicago
Cousins and fellow billionaire philanthropists
Matthew, John, and Karen made significant
contributions to J.B.’s campaign
Sister Penny Pritzker is a former U.S. cabinet
secretary; asked by J.B. to chair the Illinois
COVID-19 Response Fund
Political History
Candidate (IL09), US House, 2008
Relevant Financial Information
Nation’s wealthiest officeholder and major
Democratic donor mostly self-funded his 2018
campaign; ran successful private equity firm with
his brother
Political Donations
Pritzker accounted for the vast majority of his
campaign’s funding ($170 million out of $176
million)
Since 1998 Pritzker has also donated $17
million to other candidates, overwhelmingly
Democrats
Top recipients include former Obama chief of
staff and Chicago mayor Rahm Emmanuel,
former VA Governor Terry McAuliffe (D-VA),
and former IL Governor Pat Quin (D-IL)
Biggest Interest Group Donors (2018)
Illinois Education Association: $111,000
Illinois AFL-CIO: $24,000
National AFL-CIO: $23,000
Biggest Individual Donors (2018)
Matthew Pritzker, Founder, Matthew Pritzker
Company (Chicago, IL): $250,000
James Star, CEO, Longview Asset
Management (Chicago, IL): $153,000
Fred Eychaner, Chairman, Newsweb Corp.
(Chicago, IL): $100,000
Haim Saban, CEO, Saban Capital Group (Los
Angeles, CA): $100,000
James Sprayregen, Partner, Kirkland & Ellis
LLP (Chicago, IL): $100,000
Personal
Heir to the Hyatt Hotel fortune has an estimated
personal net worth of over $3 billion, making him
the wealthiest current officeholder in the U.S.
Operated investment fund, the Pritzker Group,
with his brother Tony until he ran for governor
Company manages over $7 billion in assets;
portfolio includes tech companies and start-ups
Upon taking office, Pritzker placed his assets in
a blind trust
Publications, Media and Speaking
Pritzker has mostly focused on Chicago and
Illinois media and events, with an emphasis on his
philanthropy and policy objectives
Publications: Writes occasional op-eds on
education
Favorite Outlets: Southern Illinoisan
Favorite Subjects: Early childhood education
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Media: Interviews with Chicago and Illinois TV
networks and newspapers to discuss policy
objectives and accomplishments
Preferred Outlets: Chicago TV stations (e.g.
WGN), Illinois newspapers
Favorite Subjects: Legislative achievements,
legalization of marijuana
Social Media Habits: Active personal and office
Twitter accounts
Prior to COVID-19, Pritzker used personal
account to promote his policy priorities,
condemned racism, announce endorsements,
and share friendly articles
Speaking: Pritzker has mostly addressed
philanthropic and non-profit organizations,
mostly in Chicago and Illinois
Favorite Subjects: Philanthropic ventures, early
childhood education entrepreneurship,
economic development
Preferred Audience: Philanthropic organization
events (e.g. Clinton Global Initiative America
conference), Illinois non-profits (e.g. Chicago
Innovation)
Professional Affiliations
Former District Chair, ChicagoNEXT
Chair, Pritzker Family Foundation
Supporter, Center for Wrongful Convictions
Awards
Children's Initiative
Entrepreneurial Champion
Family and Personal Background
Heir to part of successful family’s fortune; has
been active in liberal politics since he was a
teenager
Full name is Jay Robert Pritzker
Great-grandson of Jewish-Ukrainian immigrant
who founded a Chicago law firm
Describes himself as “very fortunate” to have
grown up in a successful family
Raised in CA, where his father worked on the
Hyatt hotel chain founded by his uncle; mother
was an activist for liberal causes, including the
Equal Rights Amendment
Family was deeply intertwined with Democratic
politics; Pritzker worked on Ted Kennedy’s
primary campaign in 1980
While at Duke, participated in former Duke
University President Terry Sanford’s successful
1986 Senate campaign
Pritzker has called Sanford a model; southern
Democrat fought for desegregation as North
Carolina governor and increased education
funding
Worked in Sanford’s D.C. office and for Sen.
Alan Dixon (D-IL); met his wife Mary while they
both worked on Capitol Hill
Death of family patriarch and uncle Jay Pritzker
in 1999 pitted the family’s heirs against each
other, including J.B. and his sister Penny; they
have since mended their relationship
Penny was the U.S. Secretary of Commerce
from 2013-2017 under President Obama
Criticisms and Controversies
Campaign sued for racial discrimination; forced to
apologize for remarks caught on 2008 wiretap
about African American politicians; scrutinized
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for potential tax avoidance maneuver on Chicago
property
Lawsuit against campaign
Ten Pritzker campaign staffers filed a racial
discrimination lawsuit against his campaign,
alleging that they were placed in race-specific
roles, faced harassment and dangerous
conditions, were not given opportunity to
advance
Plaintiffs requested a $7.5 million settlement
Pritzker and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton denied the
allegations
Leaked discussion with disgraced governor
In conversations wiretapped by the FBI, Pritzker
discussed political appointments with then-Gov.
Rod Blagojevich in 2008; Blagojevich was later
convicted of corruption
Pritzker declined Blagojevich’s offer to take
former Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-IL) seat
Made disparaging remarks about potential
African American appointees; called then-U.S.
Rep. Jesse Jackson a “nightmare”
Release of the tapes by the Chicago Tribune
prompted an outcry; Pritzker embarked on an
apology tour to repair ties with the African-
American community
Toilet removal from Chicago home
In 2015, the Inspector General for Cook County
(IL) alleged that Pritzker removed the toilets
from a mansion he owned next to his home to
reduce his tax liability for the property
After the report surfaced during the 2018
campaign, Pritzker agreed to pay over $330,000
to the country treasurer
Contact Information
Main Office Address: 207 State House, Springfield,
IL 62706
Phone: (217) 782-0244
Contact:
https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/gov/contactus/Pages/V
oiceAnOpinion.aspx
