IL-14: Jim Oberweis and Anthony Catella File Year-end reports with FEC

Anthony Catella
Jim Oberweis

Catella files inconsequential numbers but Oberweis files what one observer calls an “interesting” report

While the deadline to file year-end 2019 campaign disclosure reports to the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) is January 31, two of the seven Republican candidates have filed their reports early, with Anthony Catella filing on Friday, the 10th, and Jim Oberweis filing his report this morning.

Catella’s report is inconsequential since he only raised and spent just over $325 with the money coming from himself. He has no cash-on-hand and raised less than $1,000 for all of 2019.

Oberweis’ report caught people’s attention, including one of his primary opponents. Here is what was said about Oberweis’ report on Twitter:

  • Derek Willis, ProPublica: “…candidate Jim [Oberweis] loaned his campaign $600,000 on Dec. 28, his latest FEC filing shows”
  • Kirk A. Bado, New Jersey Hotline: “An interesting one: – IL-14: Jim Oberweis raised $726,000 in Q4, with a $600,000 self loan. He has $1 million COH to take on Lauren Underwood.”
  • Rob Pyers, California Target Book: “Did the campaign take the month of December off?” noting Oberweis spent only $15,968 and no payroll expenses of his $204,389.22 of his quarterly spend during the month of December

The primary opponent feedback will be shared, but here is the updated tot-board with Catella’s and Oberweis’ Q4 numbers applied:

Only candidates who’ve filed year-end reports are shown
Filings through 2:30PM CST 1/15/20

So based on the above information, Oberweis’ campaign raised $126,208.46 from donors from October through December. The remaining $600,000, as noted by observers above, was from himself.

With the additional loan on December 28, Oberweis has loaned himself $1,000,000 from his own money, while raising $472,103.54 from donors in all of 2019, from late February through December 31.

Jerry Evans

In reference to Oberweis’ year-end FEC filing, the Jerry Evans for Congress campaign released this statement:

“Republicans in the 14th District know that failed career politician Jim Oberweis is not the candidate to take on Lauren Underwood in November.

“However, the release of today’s FEC report shows he is doing everything he can to buy the Republican Primary—including writing himself a $600,000 check in the 4th quarter, which now totals $1 million of his own money to date. 

“However, the 14th District has an alternate candidate and fighter for conservative values with Jerry Evans.

“Jerry is working hard every day to meet constituents, earn their support, and offer them a fresh message of hope to Illinoisans.”

Campaign spokesperson for Jerry Evans for Congress campaign 1/15/20
.

The California Target Book published this summary slide in Twitter for Oberweis’ year-end FEC filing:

When Rob Pyers tweeted his quote, he included a more detailed summary of Oberweis’ operating expenditures broken out by month, which is usually not distributed through Twitter but was shared given the uniqueness of the Jim 2020 Committee’s numbers for the year-end report.

Two names jumped out as receiving a quarterly total payments as “staff” from the campaign as itemized below:

  • Matthew Duray, Warren Township (Lake County) precinct committeeperson, $2,500
  • Theodore “Ted” Livengood, Lake County Republican Party executive committee member, $1,500
  • Raquel Mitchell, Wheatland Township (Will County) trustee and host committee member for yesterday’s Bolingbrook fundraiser, $1,500

Given the reference by Evans’ campaign spokesperson of Oberweis “… doing everything he can to buy the Republican Primary…”, some individual supporters have been paid to be on staff a nominal amount of money.

In the 3rd quarter, McHenry County’s Chuck Wheeler was listed similarly.

Oberweis congressional bid has been endorsed by four of the seven county Republican chairs, including Lake, McHenry, Kendall and Will Counties. None of the four county party chairs are listed as being on staff for the campaign.

Oberweis’ full report can be viewed in PDF format at this link to the FEC website:


Comments

IL-14: Jim Oberweis and Anthony Catella File Year-end reports with FEC — 5 Comments

  1. Unfortunately for Oberweis’ opponents he can put any amount of his fortune he wants into the race and money means a lot in politics.

    Sorry Catella and Evans.

    I think Oberweis is trying to send a message to the other Republicans that he is willing to spend a lot of his own money.

    It will be interesting to see how much Rezin and Gradel put in of their own money.

  2. Just saw Jim Oberweis’s commercial about Lauren Underwood on Fox News.

    Shannon Bream’s show is on right now.

  3. Lol – Jimmo is gonna buy the primary – and then lose (he is good at that) to the Blue Wave incumbent because he supports a disgusting impeached president.

    Sad!

    Poor Catalina-Wine-Mixer…

    What a state of affairs for the Grand Ole Party.

  4. So Catella has spent all his money, 900 bucks, and Oberweis is hording his, even the money he “loans” to his campaign…

    what you waiting for Jimmy, get spending.

    You’ve been running for office(s) for so long I’m sure you remember how to do that.

    You’ll need more than a million to beat the Squads honorary member Underwood and her access to cash from Squad kinds of resources across the Country.

    She’s one of the designated “new radicals” the Squad wants to win so they’ll pump publicity and funding to see that it happens.

    So nice knowing a confirmed radical leftist is representing the family values of McHenry County…

    A Squad Pledge, just what we need..

    Yikes.

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