* Tom Collins…
Did Democratic House candidate Lance Yednock take an illegal campaign contribution from Michael Madigan?
A Peru attorney alleges that Yednock, running against state Rep. Jerry Long (R-Streator), improperly took $55,400 from the House speaker — and she wants the state Board of Elections to look into it. […]
“It is my belief that the Friends of Michael J. Madigan laundered a $55,400 campaign contribution to Friends of Lance Yednock through Friends of Marty Durkan,” she wrote.
As Ajster described it, Madigan gave $55,400 to Durkan, a commissioner on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, on March 19 — a day ahead of the election Durkan won.
An identical sum was later deposited Aug. 19 from Durkan’s committee into Yednock’s.
The attorney is basing her claim on two parts of the state’s Election Code: The contribution cap limit (which is $55,400 this year from a candidate committee) and this…
No person shall make an anonymous contribution or a contribution in the name of another person, and no person shall knowingly accept any anonymous contribution or contribution made by one person in the name of another person.
Basically, she’s arguing that since Madigan has already given Yednock $1,582 he laundered the money through Durkan to get around the cap “in the name of another person.”
* Madigan does this a lot. His 13th Ward committee, for instance, gave Durkan another $55,400 on March 19th. But it’s not mainly from his own account. He appears to direct others to give his members big checks and then they transfer the $55,400 to candidates in need.
Madigan’s lawyers basically wrote the election code, so they know where the loopholes are. But he’s currently facing a federal civil suit for putting up a couple of sham candidates in his own primary and I never thought it would get this far because nobody figured that was against the law, either.
A State Board of Elections spokesperson said this afternoon that the board had not yet received the complaint.
*** UPDATE *** Lance Yednock…
Now that his own party has called on him to resign over his inappropriate conduct with a female staffer, Rep. Long has resorted to simply making things up. Marty and I are both members of Operating Engineers Local 150, and he is supporting my campaign because Jerry Long has proven that he will not stand up for working families and his treatment of women shows he is unfit to represent us. I look forward to serving our community with honesty, independence and integrity which Republicans and Democrats alike agree Rep. Long is clearly lacking.
- TopHatMonocle - Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 2:43 pm:
Both Yednock and Durkan are business representatives at Local 150, so it’s not like they are totally unknown to each other and Madigan is the only connection. Wonder if the people filing this complaint even know that, or care. I for one think it’s very nice for co-workers to be so supportive of each other.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 2:48 pm:
Meh. To prove this, they’d have to show that MJM knew the money given in March to Durkan was bound to Yednock in August; that MJM exercised direction and control despite giving the money to someone else, and despite the months in between. And their only basis for suggesting that is that the dollar amount maxed out the cap.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 2:52 pm:
From the area, I would google Julie Ajster and you will find she does this kind of stuff a lot. Seems to be a attention seeker, she is embattled in her own turmoil as well. Oh well it’s October and silly season why wouldn’t she get involved!
- hisgirlfriday - Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 3:00 pm:
I would put more merit in these allegations if the lawyer making them was an election law expert. From a brief google search it appears Ms. Ajster’s specialty instead is in the area of personal injury with a bit of being a LaSalle County gadfly on the side.
Then again I thought the Gonzales lawsuit was meritless (well still do) but a judge found otherwise so we shall see.
- Texas Red - Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 3:03 pm:
“Both Yednock and Durkan are business representatives at Local 150.
The one constant in this election cycle seems be Local 150.
- Grand Avenue - Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 3:07 pm:
Why wouldn’t he just funnel it through DPI or Democratic Majority?
- The Captain - Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 3:11 pm:
Transfers are permitted, they’re not anonymous and they’re not a contribution in the name of another. It’s a widespread practice and seeing how almost the entire 2016 Republican legislative effort was funded this way, originating from Rauner’s non-capped fund through a party committee and then to each candidate committee (or via in-kind), this is probably a pandora’s box no one wants opened.
- “Lola” - Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 3:23 pm:
Julie Ajster is she Jerry Long’s attorney? Is Jerry paying her or are her legal services and radio appearances in-kind contributions?
- wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 4:49 pm:
–Madigan’s lawyers basically wrote the election code, so they know where the loopholes are–
Yeah, that’s what I figured., too.
- Fixer - Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 4:56 pm:
Lola, yes, same woman.
- City Zen - Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 6:58 pm:
==The one constant in this election cycle seems be Local 150==
The Koch Industries of Illinois politics.