LegiStorm

Summary

Biographical

Family:

Education

• University of Illinois at Springfield - MA, public affairs reporting (1983-1985)

• University of Maryland, College Park - BA, government and politics (1981-1983)

• Illinois College - Political science (1979-1981)

  Activities and notes: Volleyball team; basketball team

• Springfield (Ill.) High School - Diploma (1979)

Office History

Election Results

• 2021 (Nov. 3, 2020 election)

  17th Congressional District of Illinois
  Cheryl Lea Callahan-Bustos (Cheri Bustos), 52.02%

  Democrat
  Esther Joy King, 47.97%

  Republican

• 2019 (Nov. 6, 2018 election)

  17th Congressional District of Illinois
  Cheryl Lea Callahan-Bustos (Cheri Bustos), 62.00%

  Democrat
  William W. Fawell (Bill), 38.00%

  Republican

• 2017 (Nov. 8, 2016 election)

  17th Congressional District of Illinois
  Cheryl Lea Callahan-Bustos (Cheri Bustos), 60.31%

  Democrat
  Patrick Harlan, 39.69%

  Republican

• 2015 (Nov. 4, 2014 election)

  17th Congressional District of Illinois
  Cheryl Lea Callahan-Bustos (Cheri Bustos), 55.46%

  Democrat
  Robert Todd Schilling (Bobby), 44.53%

  Republican

• 2013 (Nov. 6, 2012 election)

  17th Congressional District of Illinois
  Cheryl Lea Callahan-Bustos (Cheri Bustos), 53.28%

  Democrat
  Robert Todd Schilling (Bobby), 46.72%

  Republican

Employment History

• Mercury Public Affairs LLC (Jan. 2024-)

  Partner

• Mercury Public Affairs LLC (Jan. 2023-Jan. 2024)

  Co-Chair

• Iowa Health System (Jan. 2008-June 2012)

  Vice President, Public Relations and Communications

• Trinity Regional Health System (Oct. 2001-Dec. 2007)

  Senior Director

• Quad-City Times (Davenport, Iowa) (June 1985-Oct. 2001)

  Reporter/Editor

Associated Organizations

• Friends of Cheri Bustos (Illinois)

• Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (2017-Nov. 2020)

  Chair

• East Moline (Ill.) City Council (2007-2011)

  Council Member

Awards

• Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters (Bradley University) (April 2022)

• Democracy Award for Constituent Service (Congressional Management Foundation) (Aug. 2021)

• Friend Of Agriculture (Illinois Farm Bureau) (Sept. 2020)

• Spirit of Enterprise Award (U.S. Chamber of Commerce) (June 2020)

• Democracy Award for Constituent Service (Congressional Management Foundation) (April 2020)

• Fueling Growth Award (Growth Energy Inc.) (Sept. 2019)

• Champion of Agriculture Award (American Agri-Women) (June 2019)

• Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award (Global Down Syndrome Foundation) (April 2019)

• Freedom to Fly Award (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association) (March 2018)

• Legislative Award (National Rural Health Association) (2018)

• Distinguished Community Health Advocate Award (National Association of Community Health Centers Inc.) (2018)

• Distinguished Community Health Advocate Award (National Association of Community Health Centers Inc.) (2017)

Activities and Interests

• Hobbies: running, tennis, reading, movies, biking, hiking, documentaries
  

Official Signature

Contact Information

• 
  Email, work:
  cbustos@mercuryllc.com

Washington, D.C. Office
300 Tingey St. SE
Suite 202
Washington, District of Columbia 20003
Phone: (202) 261-4000
View Larger Map

Lobbying and Foreign Representation

Listed as lobbyist by registrants:

• International Government Relations Group (2024)
• Mercury Public Affairs LLC (2023-2024)

Lobbied on behalf of:

• Ameren Services Co.
• Chicago Center
• City of Rock Island, Ill.
• Corn Belt Ports
• County of Winnebago, Ill.
See more >>

Privately Financed Travel

6 trips taken between 2013 - 2021 costing $43,549

See map of trips

Personal Financial Disclosures

Disclosures as a member:

Congressional Staff

Caught Our Eye

• A family that lobbies together, stays together

  Posted by Keturah Hetrick on May 18, 2023
  Former Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.) has more in common with her son than just DNA: They've also become first-time lobbyists together. read more

• Rep. Meuser didn't report lucrative stock buys on time

  Posted by Christian Stafford on Aug. 13, 2021
  Rep. Dan Meuser (R-Pa.) failed to report in a timely way that his wife and children purchased as much as $600,000 worth of stock at the depths of the pandemic stock market crash. read more

• Human Rights Campaign hires Democratic chief of staff from the Hill

  Posted by Jenna Ebersole on June 18, 2015
  The Human Rights Campaign has hired Rep. Cheri Bustos' (D-Ill.) top staffer for a policy position. read more

• Death by a thousand tweets for resigning Rep. Schock

  Posted by Jenna Ebersole on March 23, 2015
  As the news kept getting worse for Illinois Republican Rep. Aaron Schock, congressional staffers on both sides of the aisle spent little time mourning on Twitter the fate of a once-rising star. read more