John Rowe, a multi-millionaire Republican donor is warning he will cut back contributions – or eliminate them completely – to Republican lawmakers who refuse to push for a vote on legislation protecting "Dreamers," Politico is reporting.
Rowe, the former Exelon chairman, has donated more than $500,000 to campaigns over the last three years.
In addition, he has worked to raise money for campaigns. As co-chair of the Illinois Business Immigration Coalition, Rowe is pressing for Republican lawmakers to sign onto a discharge petition to force a vote in legislation on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, according to Politico.
The program protected hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children.
As of now, 20 House Republicans have signed onto a bid to force on vote on Dreamer legislation. And none of them are from Illinois, which has the fourth-largest DACA population.
"Every member of the Illinois delegation knows this is one of the most important issues facing them and it determines how much money I'm giving them," Rowe told Politico. "This is the home state of Abraham Lincoln. We're betraying our entire heritage if we don't get this done."
And Rowe said he recently told House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., "There's a whole bunch of Republicans like me who simply aren't going to keep giving money if you don't get an immigration bill done."
But Rowe is rewarding those GOP lawmakers who are siding with his efforts. He recently helped raise $50,000 to Rep. Carlos Curbelo of Florida.
"He's my kind of Republican — moderate on social issues and very much pro-immigrant," Rowe said of Curbelo. "He wants a Republican Party that doesn't look all old, white and male."
The discharge petition, introduced by Curbelo, would force votes on four immigration measures – derailing the usual control of what gets to the floor for a vote by leaders of the majority party.
Rowe also made a $2,700 contribution to Rep. Fred Upton of Michigan after the lawmaker committed to forcing a vote on DACA.