McHenry County Blog

A press release from Cliff Surges responding to a press release from State Senate opponent Karen McConnaughay responding to a press release citing what was a “cozy relationship” between and supporter of McConnaughay and “McConnaughay Properties.”  The supporter’s side of the story is here.

Surges responds to McConnaughay claims

Gilberts, IL – Cliff Surges, Republican candidate for the Illinois Senate in the 33rd district, recently pointed out a “cozy” relationship between Geneva Twp. Road Commissioner Mark Wissing and McConnaughay Properties.

The paid spokesman for the McConnaughay campaign reacted by making the false claim that the Surges campaign called Ms. McConnaughay’s mother-in-law a “criminal”.

“At no time did I or my campaign, allege any criminal activity, nor was Ms. McConnaughay’s mother-in-law even mentioned.” Cliff Surges says.

“We simply pointed out yet another questionable political insider deal that has benefited from the ‘Karen McConnaughay Friends and Family’ plan.”

“What I hear loud and clear from the voters of this district as I walk door-to-door, is that they are sick and tired of the ‘politics as usual’ insider deals that benefit only the politically connected. Transparency is a word my opponent likes to use, but she does not seem to understand that with transparency, comes accountability. This is why the main focus of my campaign is the positive message of Restoring the Public Trust!”

“Ms. McConnaughay has been in office for 19 years, and in that time she has made some friends, and she has certainly made some enemies. Her detractors are her burden to bear, not mine. Perhaps if Ms. McConnaughay would have been as responsive to her constituents’ concerns as she is to our campaign, she would not be in the position of explaining over and over again why friends connected to her appear to benefit from her official actions.”

“We welcome the support of many people in this campaign and some who support me feel strongly about McConnaughay’s 19 years in office. They have every right to examine and question her conduct and policies while she was in office. Just as my opponent is happy to accept the endorsements of some, she must also accept the criticisms that come with her public record as well.”

“But there is one thing I would like to make clear.

“My campaign is about restoring the public trust, getting the State of Illinois to live within its means and improving education for our children. If voters want to change the direction of the State of Illinois, they need to change the people who represent them. Rewarding career politicians with a promotion is not a solution.”

Cliff Surges will be available for Press calls on Monday, February 27, from 11am to 12:30 am at (224) 699-5200.

A press release from State Senate candidate Karen McConnaughay, who is facing off against Cliff Surges:

Surges mudslinging reaches a new low in effort to save failing campaign

Karen McConnaughay responds to opponent’s claim that her 76 year-old mother-in-law, businesswoman and family matriarch is a criminal

St. Charles, IL—The following is a statement from State Senate candidate Karen McConnaughay regarding a press release issued by her campaign opponent.

“For some time, my opponent’s campaign has paid only lip-service to the crucial issues our state faces and has chosen instead to peddle rumor, innuendo, personal attacks and a smoke screen of fabrications to cover the fact that his campaign is going nowhere.

While his web of falsehoods is nothing new in politics it crosses a line when he levels personal attacks at my family, particularly my 76 year-old mother-in-law.

To imply that my mother-in-law, a respected business woman and matriarch of one of the oldest families in Geneva is somehow involved in a public corruptions scheme is disgusting and unforgivable.

My mother-in-law has been in the real estate business in Geneva for decades. Her company recently rented warehouse space to the Geneva Township Highway Department to store equipment at a lower cost that has saved local taxpayers thousands of dollars.

The facts are simple. I played no role in this transaction and at no time did I discuss it with either party. This transaction in no way involves Kane County government, county funds, personnel or resources. My husband and I have no management role in McConnaughay Properties, my mother-in-law’s business, we have no ownership in the company or the property involved, and derive no financial benefit at all from this transaction.

But these facts are not important to my opponent. He will attack the integrity of one of the leading citizens of our community at the drop of a hat if there is the chance for some political gain. His snide implications that this completely legitimate and cost-saving transaction is some sort of political pay-off is an outrage.

Attacks against me are nothing new. I have been in the arena of public life for some time and know that if you are going to get things done and make progress, you are going to ruffle feathers. But I will not stand by and see my family, particularly someone with the spotless reputation of Rosemary McConnaughay, be dragged into my opponent’s mudslinging circus.

My opponent and his professional political attack dog “demand an explanation” and I am happy to oblige. The explanation is that the voters appreciate my record, my leadership and my position on the issues we face, and because of that they have fabricated another “scandal” out of thin air because it is the only way they can hope to succeed.”

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You can find Surges’ press release here.

Geneva Township Road Commissioner Mark Wissing has a beef with the press release sent out by State Senate candidate Cliff Surges.

Surges is running against Karen McConnaughay.

In the press release, Surges points out that “McConnaughay Properties” owns a garage which the new Township Road Commissioner rented after taking office.

Wissing told me that when he took office, the Road District was paying $51,000 a year for truck storage.

“As you may know, there isn’t a lot of industrial property in Geneva Township,” he said.

“I looked for a new location to house the trucks because I planned to sell the trucks– one of them is sold already–because I adopted a different method to operate the Road District.  I decided to contract with private operators to perform the plowing operations in my District.

“I needed to locate a facility to store the trucks with a 12 foot by 12 foot overhead door.

“I was able to locate one near by home–by the way I can walk to the facility, so in case of an emergency I can get there quickly–and it cost $19,800 a year.

“That’s one-third the cost of the previous  Highway Commissioner’s agreement.

“It happens to be owned by Rosemary McConnaughay.  She is the mother-in-law of Karen [the State Senate candidate] and a large industrial property owner in Geneva.

“Karen has no ownership interest in the property.  I know because I have a contractual agreement with Rosemary, the owner of the building.”

A press release from Cliff Surges:

Cliff Surges Demands McConnaughay and Mark Wissing Explain Over $46,200 in Government Payments from Geneva Township to McConnaughay Properties since 2009

(Gilberts)- “The cozy relationship between political friends and the resulting cost to taxpayers is legendary in Illinois. We have seen it time and again in Chicago and Springfield. Unfortunately political cronyism, and pay-to-play, is alive and well in Karen McConnaughay’s Kane County and this is why we can’t afford to send her to Springfield,” said Cliff Surges, Business Owner and Republican candidate for the 33rd Senate District.

During the relationship between Kane County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay and Geneva Township Road Commissioner Mark Wissing, McConnaughay supported Wissing in his bid to defeat Geneva Township Road Commissioner John Carlson in 2009, after Wissing had worked for her campaigns in 2004 and 2008 for Kane County Board Chairman.

Wissing won the election for Highway Commissioner in 2009.

There are only 10 miles of roads in Geneva Township that are still unincorporated, outside the city of Geneva limits.

Why would Wissing want the job and why would Karen McConnaughay want to help him get it?

The answer to that could be buried in public documents unearthed last week.

Since August 2009, the Geneva Township Road District has been making $1650 monthly payments to McConnaughay Properties for rental of a small, one bay garage space on Roosevelt Road in West Chicago.

Since August 2009, the taxpayers of Geneva Township have been on the hook for this payment.

Why does the Road District need this space now, if it did not need it before Wissing was elected?

Were there other places to rent, what other properties did Wissing consider, and at what prices, as an alternative to awarding this contract to his political sponsor?

Why not sell off excess equipment, rather than pay to store it?

When Wissing endorsed McConnaughay for Kane County Board Chairman for 2004 and 2008, in his capacity as Geneva Township Republican Chairman, it was just another example of cronyism.

This is done in a blatant attempt to fool good voters into thinking endorsements like this are legitimate.

It is just like

• the endorsement of McConnaughay by Ellen Nottke, the Batavia Township Republican Chairman who has received over $44,000 from the McConnaughay campaign fund for political work and
• the endorsement of McConnaughay by St. Charles Township Chairman Ken Shepro, who has made hundreds of thousands of dollars as McConnaughay’s appointed attorney for county business.

”

These examples of political payoffs and paybacks are disgusting,” said Surges.

“People are sick and tired of tax dollars being used by politicians to help their friends and family.

“The culture of corruption in Springfield is well-documented.

“We can’t send someone who has been practicing that style of politics in our home area down to Springfield where she will have an even bigger pool of tax dollars to waste.” Surges said.

“I call on McConnaughay and Wissing to explain this relationship and payments immediately.

“We, as taxpayers, do not have any patience or tolerance for secretive deals and tactics. Illinois residents deserve elected officials they can trust and respect,” Surges declared.