As widely reported, Evanston's ongoing municipal elections have been disrupted by negative mailings from a new, mysterious political committee ("PAC") called Evanston Together, attacking five candidates -- four challengers and one incumbent alderman, Tom Suffredin (6th) -- with false accusations. The PAC falsely accused the five of wanting to "abolish" Evanston's 70-year-old managerial form of government, when no candidate had been campaigning on such a plank or said that. In the case of one candidate, Clare Kelly, running a strong First Ward campaign, the attacks slunk into sheer character assassination. Now it appears the group, a chief contributor of which is lame-duck mayor Steve Hagerty, has also been violating Illinois campaign finance law by concealing the contributions and expenditures until this very late date.
The D-2 form just filed by the PAC shows two contributions of $5,000, one by Hagerty and one by a Wilmette resident who reportedly co-owns Evanston property, and one contribution of $1,000, all dated 3/24, along with expenditures of ~$13,000, none earlier than 3/26. The contribution and expenditure dates raised my eyebrows because voters have been receiving these mailings since mid-March. However, even taking the dates reported at face value, it looks like violation of law.
