The most prominent local Democrat left the political stage as the balance in Jack Franks’ campaign fund hit zero. This didn’t happen when he was beaten for McHenry County Board Chairman by Republican Mike Buehler.
Franks, State Representative for eighteen years, then Board Chairman for four, wrote a check for $3,900 to Ekl Willams and Provenzale on February 15th. Terry Ekl is the attorney who successfully defended State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi when the establishment tried to take him down.
The $3,900 is not the first use of campaign funds by Franks to the Ekl law firm. When there were sexual allegations against Franks in Springfield, Franks also engaged the firm’s services.
In total, Franks paid the Ekl law firm $86,445.15, starting with $66,906 in mid-July 2020. At that time, the Sangamon State’s Attorney was considering whether 1038 pages of evidence from the Illinois State Police was adequate for an indictment. No indictment occurred.
Franks is not the only politician to use campaign funds to pay legal bills. Ed Burke, who was convicted in Federal Court and a regular contributor to Franks, did so as well. Mike Madigan is also taking that route to pay for his defense attorneys.
