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Elections board deadlocks again on Harmon, won’t impose fines and refunds (Updated)

Tuesday, Nov 18, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Background is here if you need it. You’ll recall that the Illinois State Board of Elections deadlocked last month on whether Senate President Don Harmon’s campaign committee was responsible for nearly $10 million in fines and refunds after he continued accepting campaign contributions above the state limit beyond an end-point set by a board staffer via a letter. Harmon’s legal counsel Mike Kasper claimed the staff cut-off point was counter to state law.

After the tie vote, the board’s deputy general counsel declared that the assessments would be imposed. Kasper and several board members argued, however, that state law and judicial precedent are clear that the board cannot impose any sanctions without a majority.

* The state board met again today. The board’s general counsel Marni Malowitz [corrected attribution] had this to say before the vote…

So my recommendation to the board today is to first vote on whether to impose the penalties contained in the June 5, 2025 notice. If at least five members vote to assess the penalties, then I can recommend an additional clarifying motion to ensure the board’s action is clear for judicial review if needed. Conversely, if at least five members vote against assessing the penalties, then the appeal can be granted because no violation of the election code was found and no penalties would be owed.

Now, if the board votes four to four on whether to assess penalties, no penalties will be owed because there will be no determination by at least five members that the committee violated [state law].

The board split again 4-4. Other votes were taken, but the long and short of it is that Harmon’s committee is off the hook.

* Meanwhile…

Illinois Senate President Don Harmon is facing a new challenge over a State Board of Elections staff finding that his campaign committee owes $9.8 million in fines for accepting campaign contributions in excess of state limitations.

The libertarian-leaning Liberty Justice Center, which frequently advocates on behalf of Republican causes, last week filed a citizen-initiated complaint with the election board regarding Harmon’s committee. The move could allow the matter to go to court and sidestep the bipartisan election panel’s stalemate on the issue. […]

The complaint filed through the Liberty Justice Center follows along the staff-initiated finding that Harmon violated the law. But as a citizen-initiated complaint, it could allow a court to review whether the board followed state law or to seek a judicial mandate requiring the board to act.

It’s not clear whether the courts would hear that, but we’ll see.

…Adding… From Harmon’s spokesperson…

We’re pleased to have this matter finally behind us and to focus all of our energy on solving the real problems facing Illinoisans every day.

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Finger-pointing (Updated)

Tuesday, Nov 18, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Rep. Steve Reick…

Once again, IDHS is making political statements on company time. They're going to be sitting in front of me tomorrow at JCAR, and I'm going to be asking them about this.

Posted by Steve Reick on Monday, November 17, 2025

If the statement had read “the White House” instead of “the Trump administration,” would that be OK?

Also, this is just one of Rep. Reick’s official press releases…

Covid-19 dictated the agenda on everything that has happened since 2020 and has given J.B. Pritzker the colorable pretext to do whatever he damn well pleases. The mantra justifying this has been the Governor’s insistence that he “follow the science”. It’s time for the General Assembly to reassert itself as the voice of the People of Illinois and tell the Governor that it’s time for that mantra to end.

…Adding… From Rep. Reick…

Hi Rich: I saw your post about my comments and I want you to know several things. First of all, I’m speaking only for myself and not on behalf of anyone else. What’s going on at the federal level is not something that I’m happy about, and I’m doing my best to not talk about it because it’s something over which I have no control.

I do believe that these posts on the IDHS website are over the top, especially in the hyper partisan environment in which we find ourselves. I’m trying to stay in my own lane, and I would hope that the administrative agencies would stay in theirs and not stoke the fire of political partisanship.

I know that may sound strange coming from someone who has a reputation for incendiary rhetoric, but I’m scared of what I’m seeing both at the state and federal level where politics has become performative art. Believe it or not, I’d like to see us accomplish some things beyond throwing rocks at one another. My differences with my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are completely based on policy, and I want them to stay that way. If we can’t differ on policy without becoming partisan, I see little hope for us getting anything done that will help anybody.

* Meanwhile…

XTwitter isn’t allowing embeds right now, so click the pic to see the original.

* And from the Pritzker campaign…

Illinois GOP Remains Silent While Kristi Noem-tied Firm Rakes in Big Bucks from DHS Ad Contracts

ICE terrorizes, Noem’s pals profit — Illinois taxpayers forced to fund corruption

CHICAGO — An explosive ProPublica investigation reveals that an ad firm owned by a personal friend of DHS Secretary Noem has been secretly given a portion of $220 million in taxpayer-funded contracts, circumventing traditional oversight, in order to film Secretary Noem gallivanting around Mount Rushmore on horseback during the middle of a government shutdown.

The ProPublica investigation uncovered that Noem’s DHS used a non-existent “national emergency” to bypass the regular competitive bidding process and funnel potentially tens-of-millions in tax-funded ad campaign contracts to a firm owned by the husband of Noem’s spokesperson.

“This is brazen corruption, plain and simple,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “After months of deploying ICE agents to terrorize communities in Illinois, Kristi Noem emerges on horseback with a taxpayer funded vanity campaign designed to enrich her friends. If the Illinois GOP wants to talk about ethics and fiscal responsibility, they can start by calling this what it is: a self-serving giveaway to Republican operatives in her inner circle.”

Illinois GOP Refuse to Call Out Corruption

The Illinois GOP had endless outrage when they were pointing fingers over the Republican-led shutdown. But as Kristi Noem funnels taxpayer dollars to her friend for a self-promotional political ad campaign, suddenly, the Illinois GOP can’t find its voice? For a party that claims to hate waste, fraud, and abuse, they sure go quiet when the corruption comes from inside the house.

While nearly a quarter of households live paycheck to paycheck, The Trump administration has turned corruption into a governing strategy. Kristi Noem’s self-dealing is just the latest example.

Governor JB Pritzker remains committed to calling out these abuses and defending Illinois taxpayers from politicians who put themselves before the people they serve.

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