IL-14: Sue Rezin Files Ethics Complaints Against Jim Oberweis

Sue Rezin
Jim Oberweis

From Rezin for Congress Press Release:

JIM OBERWEIS CAUGHT RED-HANDED ILLEGALLY
LAUNDERING CAMPAIGN MONEY

A Series of Federal Complaints Filed Against Oberweis

In his six failed campaigns for higher office, Jim Oberweis failed to learn FEC compliance. Instead, he developed and executed an illegal scheme to violate federal campaign finance laws.

GURNEE, IL…Perennial candidate Jim Oberweis was caught red-handed in an illegal scheme breaking federal campaign finance law to illegally funnel “soft” money from his state campaign account to his federal campaign for Congress.

Simply stated, this was a campaign money laundering scheme to violate federal campaign finance laws.

Federal campaigns for Congress and U.S. Senate are much more restricted than Illinois state campaigns in terms of the contributions they may receive and the sources from which they may receive them.

Federal law not only prohibits the corporate contributions permitted under Illinois law, but also places limits significantly lower than Illinois’ on contributions from individuals and political committees.

Because of these inconsistencies, federal law generally prohibits a candidate’s use of state campaign funds for his or her federal campaign.

Numerous Republican candidates have told Sue Rezin for months that Jim Oberweis called them and asked for a contribution from them to his campaign for Congress in exchange for a contribution from him of greater value (almost always double the amount) to their respective campaign committees.

This was Oberweis’ way of using funds in his state campaign account for his federal campaign —and it is illegal.

It would still be illegal if he wasn’t offering contributions of “greater value” than those he was soliciting for his campaign for Congress, but the “greater value” offers demonstrate the lengths he is going to illegally convert “soft” state campaign funds into “hard” federal campaign funds.

This has gone on for many months.

None of the state and local candidates knew this was illegal and were a bit puzzled as to why Oberweis wanted to do this.

But none were willing to go on record about Oberweis’ request.

They didn’t want to make waves.

Karen Donnelly

Until, at the beginning of February, Jim Oberweis had an agent of his campaign, Keith Becker, contact LaSalle County State’s Attorney Karen Donnelly via Facebook message saying:

“State Senator Jim Oberweis said he would make a reciprocal donation of greater value for a donation to his campaign.”

Becker then followed up with an email to State’s Attorney Donnelly with Jim Oberweis’ personal cell phone number letting her know that Oberweis was expecting her call.

No part of LaSalle County falls within either the 14th Congressional District or Oberweis’ state senate district, but Oberweis’ scheme was spreading to any Republican willing to accept a larger donation from Oberweis’ state campaign in exchange for a smaller contribution to his congressional campaign.

Donnelly proceeded to call Oberweis, who personally reiterated the offer.

He then sent Donnelly a contribution check from his state campaign fund, which she still has.

She then contacted the Rezin campaign about the incident and signed a sworn affidavit attesting to what exactly had transpired.

The Rezin campaign has submitted that affidavit as Exhibit I in its complaint today to the Federal Elections Commission (FEC).

Jim Oberweis has been caught red-handed, exposed by an affidavit from the LaSalle County State’s Attorney herself.

Yes, Jim Oberweis actually solicited a State’s Attorney in his illegal scheme.

Included in Rezin for Congress Press Release

Separately, the Rezin campaign is filing two additional complaints against Oberweis for violations of federal law relating to his congressional campaign.

When an individual running for Congress raises or spends $5,000, he or she becomes a candidate and must file certain documents with the FEC.

The first, a Statement of Candidacy, is due within 15 days of becoming a candidate; the second, a Statement of Organization, is due within 10 days of the filing of a Statement of Candidacy.

On February 17, 2019, Oberweis filed his Statement of Organization, but not his Statement of Candidacy.

In fact, he didn’t file his Statement of Candidacy until September 20, 2019, raising significant questions about the legality of any funds raised prior to that date.

The Rezin campaign is therefore demanding that Oberweis refund all contributions received between February 17, 2019 and September 20, 2019, when Oberweis formally designated the campaign as his authorized campaign committee.

In addition, the Rezin campaign has filed yet another complaint against Oberweis today, this one for failing to timely file a mandatory financial disclosure statement with the Clerk of the House of Representatives.

The complaint, filed with the Office of Congressional Ethics, outlines the law requiring candidates for federal office to file a financial disclosure statement by May 15th, unless an extension is requested and granted. Oberweis requested no such extension and, instead, opted to willfully disregard the May 15th deadline. He ultimately filed on September 3, 2019, nearly four months late.

What is exasperating is that this is Oberweis’ sixth federal campaign.

He absolutely should have known better, both regarding the second FEC complaint on failing to file a timely Statement of Candidacy, as well as this Ethics complaint on failing to timely file with the Clerk of the House.

All throughout this campaign, Jim Oberweis has been illegally using Oberweis Dairy to funnel illegal corporate contributions to his campaign.

From Republican booths at county fairs to parades, as a candidate for Congress, Jim Oberweis has been handing out Oberweis Dairy discount coupons.

Oberweis Diary has also donated ice cream to numerous Republican and conservative events, all to benefit Oberweis for Congress.

This is something he was fined for by the FEC during a previous bid for Congress.

The Rezin campaign is in the process of filing yet another complaint on these violations.

Chris Lauzen

Oberweis has been sanctioned by the FEC before.

In his 2008 primary for Congress with Chris Lauzen, Oberweis objected to Lauzen’s campaign saying that he was previously fined $21,000 by the FEC for past instances of using Oberweis Dairy to benefit a federal campaign. Oberweis stressed that it was not a sanction or fine by the FEC, but merely a “conciliation agreement.”

Well Oberweis can play with words all he wants, but a “conciliation agreement” with the FEC is not an award, a commendation or a gold star for a job well done.

It is the FEC’s equivalent of a plea bargain for illegal behavior.

All of this proves beyond a shadow of a doubt how awfully Jim Oberweis would fare as the Republican nominee for Congress in this campaign against Lauren Underwood.

He is a fatally flawed candidate and is headed for his seventh campaign loss.

The Rezin campaign’s legal counsel is Jessica Furst Johnson, a Partner at Holtzman Vogel Josefiak Torchinsky PLLC in Washington, DC, focusing her practice on political committees, campaign finance and election law.


Comments

IL-14: Sue Rezin Files Ethics Complaints Against Jim Oberweis — 11 Comments

  1. Interesting story.

    I voted this week, and not for this guy.

    Also voted no on the McHenry Township question.

    Keep the township#

    The new voting machines are a big improvement.

  2. Jim, just do the right thing.

    Suck up the pride thing that too many of your peers have and drop out as honorably as you can.

    If your intent for running for office is to replace the liberalism in the current position, then you are not the one who can do this.

    There is no way headlines like this will get you elected in the fall.

    Underwood will eat your lunch.

    Conservative values include honesty and integrity, which sounds almost laughable these days.

    Life into the values you espouse.

  3. Every time Oberweis tangles with Rezin he gets burned.

    One would think he would have learned by now but this is a man after all who has blown 6 races so far.

    I was wondering when Rezin would respond to his negative mailer and TV ad against her.

    Well.

    Is he is in a pickle now and he is the one who gave her the rope to hang him.

    I saw how Rezin turned around Oberweis’ press release last fall when he released a poll and included snarky comments about her in his press release.

    I took notice of how she turned things around on him back then.

  4. Ah-ha …. Sue Rezin, the one who voted to double your gasoline taxes.

    Nothing beats deflection in politics.

    Look at what the other guy did .

  5. NO way this guy can represent a Congressional District with that kind of funny baggage following him—

    firstly, now that its public knowledge, he’ll never survive the Primary, and

    secondly if he did, Underwood and Team would make this “ice cream trading” and Quid Pro Quo contributions nonsense, their central theme.

    Get out Jim.

    Just heard a commercial on 890AM where you espouse Conservative values and how you fought Pritzker on his liberal ways.

    You’re kidding right?

    Reading and learning this of you (not your first time) you and your STAFF are idiots.

    This is beyond oversight– its mismanagement, stupidity (asking for money from an out of District DA?), and ignorance—or its outright malfeasance.

    Step Down from the Race and go home.

    Moo.

  6. Oberweis and Gradel would get eaten alive by Underwood and DCCC if they were the nominee.

    Sue Rezin has offered a lot of in-depth substance in this campaign and has clearly demonstrated she has the toughness to win.

    Plus, she has a perfect winning record in competitive elections to prove it.

  7. Yeah Right!!!

    Sue Rezin again??

    She wants to double our gasoline taxes.

    Not in my watch!!!!

  8. “She then contacted the Rezin campaign about the incident…”

    That seems odd.

  9. Sue Rezin is the best candidate to compete against the Pelosi/Soros/Steyer conglomerate candidate Lauren. Republicans face the huge, huge bias by the mostly left wing media, national level and including most of Chicago area tv and radio. They unfairly insert garbage such as asserting unfairness by having candidates who are old white men, some rich, and white privilege nonsense. They imply anti-women when indeed it is non-existent as proved by so many women serving in political positions all over the U.S. Proof includes actual winning of elections by women and including the candidacy to president by the wife of a U.S. President, Bill Clinton.

  10. I voted to end McHenry township Revere, to put you out of a no work job!

  11. I see the quid here.

    But where’s the quo?

    Did Donnelly ever donate to Oberweis?

    Has anyone in this race received Federal donations from a state committee and then given that state committee an equal or greater amount of money back?

    Where are the examples, if any?

    I think money laundering is a strong word for this.

    The FEC will take months to sort this out so bringing it up this late produces the cloud, but the rain, if any, is a long way away.

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