Cynor Promises Not to Accept Contributions from Vendors

Democratic Party candidate for McHenry County State’s Attorney has issued a press release announcing again his Stage Left Cafe fund raiser on Tuesday with a new twist. He promises not to accept donations from McHenry County government contractors or vendors.

Besides attacking his opponent incumbent Lou Bianchi, Cynor takes on McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler.

CYNOR REFUSES GOVERNMENT CONTRACTOR CONTRIBUTIONS; CALLS FOR END TO PAY TO PLAY POLITICS IN THE COUNTY

WOODSTOCK IL. – The committee, Citizens for Cynor, announced a fundraising event today for McHenry County State’s Attorney Candidate, Thomas J. Cynor (D-Woodstock, Illinois). The event is scheduled for September 23, 2008 (7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.) at the Stage Left Café in downtown Woodstock. “The fund raising event is typical in most regards,” said campaign coordinator, Laura Asbury, “except for one very important detail. Mr. Cynor has pledged both privately and publically that he will not accept government contractor or vendor contributions – not now, not ever.”

Illinois State Board of Elections records reveal that Cynor’s opponent, Louis Bianchi (R-Crystal Lake, Illinois) however, has accepted thousands of dollars from various county contractors and other special interests. Those same records indicate that Bianchi even went as far as accepting thousands of dollars from the very same contractors who where awarded a multimillion dollar deal to remodel the government center and Bianchi’s own governmental office. Cynor stated, “When you take money from government contractors and then those same contractors get multimillion dollar county contracts, eyebrows raise. The State’s Attorney is the people’s lawyer, they should never have reason to question the loyalty of their own legal representation. If Bianchi were called upon to represent the county in a contract dispute against his major political contributors, whose interests would he be representing?”

But Bianchi is not the only county official who has accepted large sums of money from government contractors. Boards of Elections records also reveal that McHenry County Board Chairman and Bianchi supporter, Kenneth Koehler (R-Crystal Lake, Illinois) has also accepted large amounts of money from county contractors and vendors. “The majority of Chairman Koehler’s campaign contributors are entities that have contracts with the county. It seems that every time the county enters into a new contract with a consultant or contractor, there is a corresponding political contribution to Chairman Koehler’s campaign account.” Like Mr. Bianchi, is Mr. Koehler putting the interests of the people of McHenry first, or is he beholden to his well funded contributors?”

Not only has Cynor pledged to personally refuse government contractor money, but has also indicated a desire to draft and support local ordinances putting an end to the practice in its entirety. “It’s time to put an end to the pay to play politics of local government here in the county once and for all,” Cynor said. “We’ll reform this broken system by first leading by example, but after the election, if our local representatives continue to pursue these questionable donations, it will be time for restrictive ordinances. The people of McHenry County deserve public servants that put their interests first.”

The Citizens for Cynor fundraiser will be held on September 23, 2008 at the Stage Left Café, 125 Van Buren, Woodstock, Illinois starting at 7:30 p.m. The fundraiser is open to the public and RSVP’s can be made at www.CitizensforCynor.com or by telephone at (815) 861-1198. Suggested donation is $20.00, accepted at the door or mailed c/o Citizens for Cynor, PO Box 1816, Woodstock, Illinois. All individual donations are voluntarily capped at $250.00 and no donation will be accepted from McHenry County vendors or contractors.

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The photo is of Democratic Party candidate for McHenry County State’s Attorney Tom Cynor acknowledging his having been nominated by the McHenry County Democratic Party Central Committee to fill the empty slot after the February 5th primary election.


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