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Rep. Jones accused of misusing campaign funds

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Illinois

* Brad Edwards at CBS 2…

Thaddeus Jones, a Democratic state lawmaker, Calumet City alderman and a mayor hopeful, is accused of misusing campaign funds in a recently filed complaint with the Illinois State Board of Elections.

The complaint uses words like “highly suspicious” and “truly unbelievable” to describe Jones’ use of campaign dollars.

“The spending as reported is severe and outrageous,” says Ross Secler, a Chicago attorney who filed the complaint.

The complaint alleges that since Jan. 1, 2014, Jones’s campaign committees have paid more than $5,000 to Jones’ fiancée and more than $2,000 to his ex-wife for, among other things, “school” and “tuition assistance.”

“This isn’t just bad reporting or bad bookkeeping,” Secler says. “This is a clear violation of the law.” […]

Jones later emailed a statement that said in part, “The allegations have nothing to do with my official duties as State Representative or as 3rd Ward Alderman in Calumet City. The allegations they raise are untrue and my campaign team is confident of overcoming these dirty tricks and winning election as Mayor of Calumet City.”

Yikes.

Click here to search his legislative campaign account for the word “school.”

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jan 13, 17 @ 10:14 am

Comments

A graduate of the Frank Mautino school of ethics in expenses and reporting.

Comment by Big Muddy Friday, Jan 13, 17 @ 10:22 am
A lot of car rental expenses, best guess back and forth to Springfield. Did he then pocket the mileage reimbursements from the state? What about the toll charges on his campaign disclosures? Not sure if this is illegal or if he ever claimed reimbursements, purely speculation.

Comment by Realist Friday, Jan 13, 17 @ 10:29 am
Also it would appear a owl themed dining establishment was popular with the campaign…

Comment by Oneman Friday, Jan 13, 17 @ 10:31 am
These laws are very confusing. There are variations in federal vs state laws, public vs private donations, active vs inactive, etc.. I always thought it was illegal to use campaign funds for personal use, but then saw on the news where it was legal as long as it reported as income and taxes were paid on it. Why would this be brought up by a private citizen (possibly financed by some billionaire)? Wouldn’t the State Board of Elections have done something if this was really illegal?

Comment by DuPage Friday, Jan 13, 17 @ 10:34 am
Over six grand to pay tuition and book fees to some school? What school? What the heck was he thinking? This is flagrant.

Comment by hot chocolate Friday, Jan 13, 17 @ 10:36 am
His campaign finance report is a mess. It says he’s loaned the Chicago White Sox $6,800. What is that about?

Comment by Rahm's Middle Finger Friday, Jan 13, 17 @ 10:37 am
Wrote too soon… almost as amazingly are 18 separate expenditures at Hooters for “meals”. Crazy.

Comment by Rahm's Middle Finger Friday, Jan 13, 17 @ 10:39 am
looks like he paying private school tuition; a quick glance at his latest D2 shows much of this is funded with donations from the likes of IBEW, SEIU, and the Carpenters union. Hope they approve

Comment by Texas Red Friday, Jan 13, 17 @ 10:40 am
I could understand donating $$$ or supplies for a back-to-school drive or even having a one-time scholarship/essay competition. But when the same names appear multiple times that is a red flag.

RMF - that was clearly to help offset the costs of all those ruined retro jerseys that Chris Sale destroyed.

Comment by Team Sleep Friday, Jan 13, 17 @ 10:41 am
The debts and obligations on his other committee is worth a read too…

Comment by Oneman Friday, Jan 13, 17 @ 10:41 am
The complaint alleged he made over 100k in suspicious loans transferred between his account for the GA, his Cal City Aldermanic account, his “foundation” and to himself

Comment by Estubborn Friday, Jan 13, 17 @ 10:44 am
Found a link to the video.

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/video/category/spoken-word-wbbmtv/3606648-2-investigators-cal-city-pol-accused-of-misusing-campaign-funds/

Comment by Chucky Jay Friday, Jan 13, 17 @ 10:47 am
Why won’t they ever learn?

Comment by phocion Friday, Jan 13, 17 @ 10:50 am
Communities throughout the South Suburbs are being decimated by demographic changes, economic forces that leveled the industry that built the region, and now by vulture lawyers/lobbyists/connected guys, non of whom live in any of the communities they are ravaging.

One of the main leaders of this movement is the lead attorney for Cal City who bills an average of 2.25 million per year to the City of 37,250 residents. He has done this with the willing participation of the current Mayor and the complicity of the former Mayor who since being released from prison is now on the attorney’s payroll. They use their sophisticated knowledge of the law and a manipulation of the referendum process to take full advantage of the minority tax payers and de facto end the democratic process.

Cal City is less than 20% white yet they control all the levers of power iand are now using their sizable resources and nefarious tactics to take down a good man all because he had the audacity to try and change a corrupt system. This cabal is operating throughout the south suburbs. Check lobbyist registrations. Look at who the lawyers are for all these towns, the special counsels for TIF’s and such. There is a group thats all in the soup together, from law, accounting and insurance. Even the ambulance service is being outsourced to the vendor who part of the group. Its more than sickening. Its criminal.

Yet It’s Jones that’s the bad guy? I guess this is modern government when the media is weakened and no one is around to connect the dots.

Comment by Altgelds Ghost Friday, Jan 13, 17 @ 10:52 am
Yet another Illinois public official misusing funds. Is Illinois competing for another title in addition to Chicago - Murder Capital of the Nation?

Comment by Gone, but not forgotten Friday, Jan 13, 17 @ 10:58 am
On the bright side for Jones, the story was on Channel 2, so only people who can’t find their remote have seen it.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Jan 13, 17 @ 10:59 am
It just seems to temptin’ for some of ‘em.

Comment by A guy Friday, Jan 13, 17 @ 11:02 am
“so only people who can’t find their remote have seen it.” - that’ funny!

Comment by siriusly Friday, Jan 13, 17 @ 11:18 am
@Altgeld .. Ross Secler is the municipal attorney in Calumet City?

Comment by Dr. Who Friday, Jan 13, 17 @ 11:53 am
@Dr. Who
Burt Odelson is the city attorney

http://calumetcity.org/dept-direct/calumet-city-department-directory-department-of-law/

Comment by titan Friday, Jan 13, 17 @ 11:56 am
@titan I don’t see Burt Odelson’s name in the report anywhere, which was kind of my point to @ALtgeld.

Comment by Dr. Who Friday, Jan 13, 17 @ 11:59 am
Dr. Who You don’t know what your talking about

Comment by Altgelds Ghost Friday, Jan 13, 17 @ 12:07 pm
The city attorney didn’t visit Hooters 73 times with money from lobbyists and unions, Thaddeus Jones did.
The city attorney didn’t hire Jones’ wife to a 4K a month job paid for the out of his taxpayer-funded expense account the same month Leslie Munger stopped paying legislators, Thaddeus Jones did.

Comment by Estubborn Friday, Jan 13, 17 @ 12:08 pm
@altgeld Enlighten me?

Comment by Dr. Who Friday, Jan 13, 17 @ 12:41 pm