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Oberweis has loaned his campaign $1 million

Thursday, Jan 16, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Lynn Sweet

House GOP hopeful Jim Oberweis loaned his campaign $1 million, according to a Federal Election Commission report posted Wednesday, while former Army 1st Lt. Clint Lorance — pardoned by President Donald Trump for the murder of two civilians in Afghanistan — headlined a series of fundraisers this week for the state senator. […]

Others in the March 17 Illinois GOP primary are state Sen. Sue Rezin, from Morris; investor Ted Gradel, from Naperville; Catalina Lauf, from Woodstock, who worked for Uber and the Trump Commerce Department; Jerry Evans, from Warrenville, who owns a music school; James Marter, from Oswego, a former Kendall County Republican Party chairman; and Anthony Catella of St. Charles.

Oberweis has a history of pumping his fortune into his campaigns. FEC records show that Oberweis loaned his campaign $600,000 in the last quarter of 2019 on top of the $400,000 he put in earlier. […]

Oberweis is a wealthy investor and ice cream magnate whose stores in the Chicago area, now run by his son, bear the family name. He loaned or gave his campaign $1.6 million for a 2014 Senate bid and loaned or gave $3.8 million for two House contests in 2008.

The problem I have long had with people loaning money to their campaigns is that when they raise money from special interests to pay off the debt all the money is going right back into their own pockets. And contributors know it.

       

35 Comments
  1. - ItsMillerTime - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 9:06 am:

    “ while former Army 1st Lt. Clint Lorance — pardoned by President Donald Trump for the murder of two civilians in Afghanistan — headlined a series of fundraisers this week for the state senator.“

    Of course he would, why am I even surprised? Hope Underwood criticizes him for this, war criminals should not be headliners for political fundraisers.


  2. - Colinsville Kevin - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 9:08 am:

    Well you know what they say about a fool and his money…and nothing like having a war criminal stumping for you. Unbelievable.


  3. - Soccermom - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 9:14 am:

    The Abominable Milkman strikes again.


  4. - Donnie Elgin - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 9:19 am:

    love their chocolate marshmallow ice cream


  5. - Moe Berg - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 9:29 am:

    Has me remembering the Chopper Jim days. As pertains to today’s GOP, he was far ahead of his time.


  6. - efudd - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 9:30 am:

    Joe the Plumber not available?


  7. - Froganon - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 9:46 am:

    How very GOP, war criminal as a headliner. Ugly person for an ugly organization.


  8. - Last Bull Moose - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 9:51 am:

    I don’t have a problem with loaning the campaign money. Sometimes you have to prime the pump. In the first presidential election I followed, JFK used his family money to get an edge in the primaries.

    Looked up the Clint Lorrance story. His own troops testified against him. His actions were counter productive. Trump‘a pardon undermines our military.


  9. - John Lopez - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 9:56 am:

    While Jim Oberweis is not the “presumptive” Republican nominee in the 14th district like Jeanne Ives is in the 6th, the conventional wisdom has Oberweis winning the race handily.

    He’s got the name ID, he’s got the money, he’s got high-level endorsements, including four of the seven county Republican chairs (Lake, McHenry, Kendall, Will).

    And a very crowded field with at least three other viable candidates (Ted Gradel, Sue Rezin, Catalina Lauf) will enable a likely Oberweis win with only 35 to 40 percent of the primary vote.

    Oberweis is already running commercials (must have missed the rating here on Capitol Fax) on FOX News channel on impeachment, and apart from Ted Gradel, no one else is running commercials.

    Polling is scarce, but rumor is Oberweis’ name ID gives him a 20-point lead over his nearest competitor.

    Early voting starts in three weeks from today.

    And two months from tomorrow night, the primary will be over, and we’ll see if Oberweis is the nominee.

    And yes, Lauren Underwood will beat Jim Oberweis in the general.


  10. - Nick Name - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 9:57 am:

    ===while former Army 1st Lt. Clint Lorance — pardoned by President Donald Trump for the murder of two civilians in Afghanistan — headlined a series of fundraisers this week for the state senator===

    A war criminal headlining GOP fundraisers. I just don’t know what to say. That party is finished.


  11. - efudd - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 10:01 am:

    “That party is finished”

    As far the as GOP I grew up with, has been for a while.
    20 years from now a Republican will run for president that will make Trump look like Mondale.


  12. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 10:05 am:

    The only good of all this is hopefully once losing again this will end the Oberweis political career;

    With an overt racist campaign history and now events with a pardoned war criminal, an exit from the stage by Jim Oberweis only strengthens the ILGOP, an addition by subtraction.

    Old, angry, rich, “conservative” isn’t going to be a winning look beyond 2021 in Illinois for a new ILGOP. Let Oberweis be exactly who he is. The voters will hopefully reject him… again.


  13. - Amalia - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 10:21 am:

    large amount of money. even the smaller amounts…tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands….which candidates set on loan or with which they self fund is interesting in a bunch of campaigns.


  14. - Bertrum Cates - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 10:45 am:

    = The only good of all this is hopefully once losing again this will end the Oberweis political career =

    What’s the over-under on that?


  15. - Lincoln Lad - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 10:49 am:

    Lorance was convicted of 2nd degree murder, primarily on the basis of testimony of 9 people under his command. He was sentenced to 20 years by a military court. Embracing this man on the campaign trail is in itself, a disqualifying event. What have we come to?


  16. - All This - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 11:16 am:

    What message is Oberweis trying to send with Lorance, that he’s soft on crime?


  17. - Fav human - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 11:21 am:

    I’m not sure I see a huge difference in:

    I’m giving money to your campaign.

    And

    I’m giving money to your campaign to pay off a debt to you.

    Either way the money is going to benefit the candidate.

    If he’s going to like me for one, he would surely like me for the other?


  18. - Fav human - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 11:23 am:

    As an fyi, I live in that district. I got a text message inviting me to take a poll.

    It was a poll for Gradel and very much against O. Lots of hits on O


  19. - Donnie Elgin - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 11:23 am:

    “A war criminal headlining GOP fundraiser”

    very questionable tactics used by prosecution, dude was in the first week of commanding a new unit. Multiple past motorcyclist attacks by insurgents - fog of war and split second decision making under fire. If you know the military most soldiers have a contentious relationship with LT. Hate to see any young man in such a situation. He was legally pardoned so he is not a war criminal.


  20. - Rich Miller - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 11:29 am:

    ===Either way the money is going to benefit the candidate. ===

    One benefits the candidate’s committee, the other directly benefits the individual personally.


  21. - DIstant watcher - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 11:45 am:

    Sure he can pay himself back with future contributions. If he wins.

    His track record ain’t so great. And it would come from money raised for future races, leaving less for those future races if he uses some to pay himself back.

    Not disagreeing with Rich, just noting that the practical difference between a loan and a donation is about zero.

    Now, if he gets a tax break for writing off bad debt, that’s another issue…


  22. - thechampaignlife - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 11:50 am:

    ===JFK used his family money to get an edge===

    As a loan, or just a regular contribution? A contribution is fine. Borrowing funds to run for office just seems like a bad idea, or at least need to be on your personal funds that are not reimbursable by campaign contributions.


  23. - JS Mill - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 12:37 pm:

    =very questionable tactics used by prosecution,=

    Yeah, I am sure. None of this is based off of your political bias right? It is all due to your experience with the case right?

    The guy is still a war criminal.


  24. - DuPage Saint - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 12:42 pm:

    Efudd. You are right the Republican Party I grew up with is gone. I can only hope after we hit rock bottom if we are not there already in 20 years we might have candidates like Percy, Ogalvie, Dirksen Edgar or Thompson
    Maybe Oberweis gone by then. With that headliner another reason his wife will not vote for him


  25. - Pundent - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 12:59 pm:

    =He was legally pardoned so he is not a war criminal.=

    Right. Just like Scooter Libby and Joe Arpaio.


  26. - Can - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 1:04 pm:

    He’s a war criminal. A bunch of people in his unit testified against him.


  27. - Roadrager - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 1:06 pm:

    ==What message is Oberweis trying to send with Lorance, that he’s soft on crime?==

    “Own The Libs with Oberweis in 2020″

    That’s the core messaging now. Vote for me, because look how mad I make those “other” people you don’t like. Doesn’t that make you feel good?


  28. - CubsFan16 - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 2:37 pm:

    Any Republican that wants to flip Il-14 back to GOP hands should be hoping for anyone but Oberweis. Lauf, Gradel, Rezin all would suffice.


  29. - Techie - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 3:04 pm:

    Oberweis doesn’t understand how economics works, or if he does, he pretends not to. Go ahead, dude, waste your money.


  30. - TominChicago - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 3:09 pm:

    Donnie Elgin. You are wrong according to the USDOJ:

    No. Expungement is a judicial remedy that is rarely granted by the court and cannot be granted within the Department of Justice or by the President. Please also be aware that if you were to be granted a presidential pardon, the pardoned offense would not be removed from your criminal record.


  31. - TominChicago - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 3:14 pm:

    I meant to include the link to the DOJ website. It is here:
    Department of Justice (.gov) › pardon
    Frequently Asked Questions - Department of Justice


  32. - DuPage Saint - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 3:46 pm:

    There are people especially after serving all their time that refuse a pardon. Taking a pardon means you were guilty of something. It was raised with a Nixon whether or not he would accept one because press at that time said it proved guilt


  33. - Donnie Elgin - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 4:03 pm:

    “There are people especially after serving all their time that refuse a pardon.”

    It wasn’t theoretical or a stand on principal for 1st Lieutenant Lorance. He was 5 years into a 19 year Leavenworth sentence, of course he took the Pardon.


  34. - 17% Solution - Thursday, Jan 16, 20 @ 5:05 pm:

    ==fog of war ==
    9 other soldiers who testified against him didn’t see any fog.
    Society is so much worse off having this violent person walk among us.


  35. - jerry - Tuesday, Jan 21, 20 @ 12:54 pm:

    Is anyone surprised that Sen. O is trying to BUY his next office?


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