Mayor Brandon Johnson’s finance reports show trouble raising money, accounting for it – Chicago Tribune/MSN

Spread the love

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s latest campaign finance reports suggest ongoing issues with sloppy clerical work as well as fundraising, a troubling sign for the freshman mayor midway into his term.

State records show that from July through September 2024, the mayor’s political fund raised about $3,500, at that point his lowest haul during his first two years in office — and a surprise given his role as host mayor of the Democratic National Convention that August. After that, Johnson reported an astonishingly low total of $970 raised during the next quarter that ended Dec. 31.

Johnson’s political spokesman, Jake Lewis, did not say Friday whether that $970 was a mistake beyond suggesting that amendments were forthcoming. Another spokesperson, Christian Perry, had told Politico the previous day that the mayor actually raised about $200,000, a much higher total but one that could land his political committee in hot water with the state due to contribution reporting requirements.

“Our campaign abides by all state and local campaign finance rules and regulations,” Lewis said in a statement. “Recent changes to city campaign finance law have required us to take the necessary time to properly vet contributions and ensure compliance. As we’ve done for the entirety of this Mayor’s term, we will file the appropriate amendments to reflect contributions to the campaign, a process that is commonplace in Illinois.”

Lewis did not elaborate on what city law he was referring to, but the mayor last year clashed with his handpicked Ethics Committee chair, Ald. Matt Martin, 47th, for what Martin said was resistance by the Johnson administration to his bid to codify a ban on lobbyist contributions to Chicago mayors. Martin ultimately muscled that change through in the fall.

The latest smorgasbord of accounting woes comes after Johnson already faced thousands in fines for prior campaign financing errors during his first run for the Cook County Board, refunded dozens of donations that violated mayoral executive orders, and saw recent corrections to five quarterly reports this fall. Johnson’s team omitted hundreds of thousands of dollars in expenditures made at the end of his mayoral campaign and transition into office in 2023.

The mayor ended the most recent quarter — from October through December 2024 — with $1 million in his campaign fund, down from $2 million at the start of 2024. Contributions began dwindling last year — raising $123,000 at the start of the year — but plummeted to $3,500 this past summer.

That is despite Johnson’s bid to burnish his progressive brand in the national spotlight of the August DNC by crisscrossing a circuit of celebratory events that week, some of which featured guest lists packed with deep-pocketed donors.

Johnson’s predecessor Lori Lightfoot, who began her first full quarter in office with $1.8 million in her fund, only saw her quarterly hauls dip that low in 2020, during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and civil unrest. She had $1.2 million on hand at the end of 2020.

Former Mayor Rahm Emanuel, meanwhile, began his time as mayor raising below $1,000 each quarter until the end of 2012, his second year. He maintained a balance of more than $1 million throughout his first year-and-a-half in the mayor’s office. Making good on his reputation for turning on the spigot of cash from the business community whenever he wished, he logged nearly $570,000 in receipts by the end of 2012, his first full year in office.

As a candidate in 2023, Johnson relied on the city’s progressive labor vanguard — the Chicago Teachers Union and Service Employees International Union — to bankroll his campaign. Since taking office, his donors have diversified to include trade unions and other political interests, but the CTU remains his most loyal political ally that he can likely count on for financial backing once the 2027 election looms closer.

Meanwhile, the most recent quarter’s reports from Johnson’s political fund showed an even lower total from October to the end of 2024 — $970. If that number is indeed supposed to be $200,000, as Perry told Politico, that would then raise the question of why Johnson’s campaign did not file any Schedule A-1 forms for last quarter.

State campaign finance laws require political committees to report contributions of $1,000 or more from a single source within five business days, and sooner during election season. So unless that $200,000 only came from donations below $1,000, the mayor’s political fund would appear to have broken state reporting requirements. Johnson’s list of individual donors last quarter shows three contributions logged, each of them $100 payments from civil rights lawyer Sheila Bedi.

Another major revision, filed in October, corrected Johnson’s fund balance from the second quarter of 2023 to be about $400,000 under what was originally reported. The trouble, according to campaign filings, concerned leftover campaign spending and transition costs for April through June 2023.

Records show Johnson’s campaign omitted about $95,000 in contributions transferred from other political committees, including $10,000 from AFSCME, $25,000 from the finishing trades, and $25,000 from Ald. Walter Burnett, 27th, among several smaller donations.

The bigger accounting error was about $470,000 in expenditures not originally counted for the quarter. Among the largest omitted expenditures: $40,000 to rent Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority space in early April, $29,000 for Credit Union 1 Arena, where Johnson was inaugurated, and $95,000 to his transition committee, Chicago for the People.

Also among large missing expenditures were the cost of consultants and political workers, about $45,000 for one of his campaign worker’s salaries, $34,600 to Howleit and Associates, which provided field consulting, $19,000 to Oak Park-based communications consultant Paul Goyette, and $32,000 to Maywood-based Raymil Consulting Services. Read More At Chicago Tribune on MSN.

Related Posts

Exploring Alternative Cancer Treatments: From Ivermectin to Nanorobots!

Spread the love

Spread the love In the quest to combat cancer, a disease that remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide, the medical community continually seeks innovative and alternative treatments. Here’s an overview of several unconventional approaches currently under investigation or discussion: Ivermectin and FenbendazoleIvermectin, traditionally an antiparasitic drug, has been studied for its potential antitumor effects. Research has shown that it can inhibit cancer cell proliferation, induce apoptosis, and modulate pathways like EGFR/ERK/Akt/NF-κB, potentially reversing drug resistance in cancer cells. Similarly, fenbendazole, another antiparasitic, has garnered attention for its potential in cancer treatment. There are anecdotal reports and some preclinical studies suggesting it might inhibit cancer cell growth. Both drugs have been part of protocols like the Joe Tippens Protocol, where they are combined with other supplements and dietary changes, showing some promise in case studies. Tata Institute’s Breakthrough in Cancer Drug DevelopmentThe Tata Institute has been at the forefront of cancer research, developing innovative drugs. One notable breakthrough involves targeting cancer cell metabolism with drugs that can selectively kill cancer cells while sparing healthy ones. Although specific details on the drug are sparse due to ongoing research, this approach aims at disrupting cancer’s energy supply, a novel strategy in cancer therapy. Small Extracellular Vesicles (sEVs)Small extracellular vesicles are nanometer-sized vesicles released by cells that can transfer molecular information between cells, including from cancer cells to healthy ones, influencing tumor progression. Research into sEVs focuses on their potential as biomarkers for early cancer detection and as carriers for therapeutic…

“Powering the Future, One Chip at a Time” ~ Revolutionize Your Technology with the SUPER INTEGRATED CIRCUIT CHIP SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE!

Spread the love

Spread the love Discover the future of electronics with our SUPER INTEGRATED CIRCUIT CHIP SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE (Heterodiamond) Chip. Unmatched Performance: Experience speed and efficiency like never before. Our Heterodiamond chips handle complex computations with ease, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in electronics.Miniaturization Mastery: Smaller, yet more powerful. Our chips pack immense functionality into a space that was once unimaginable, allowing for sleeker, more advanced devices.Energy Efficiency: With lower power consumption, extend battery life or reduce energy costs dramatically, making your devices eco-friendlier and cost-effective.Versatile Applications: From cutting-edge smartphones to autonomous vehicles, from smart homes to industrial automation, our Heterodiamond chips are at the heart of innovation. Features: * Wider Band Gap Than Diamond! * High-Density Integration: More transistors in less space mean more capabilities without increasing size. * superior radiation hardness * Better Heat resistance * Electromagnetic shielding * Resistance to damage from harsh elements and environments * Advanced Manufacturing: Using the latest in photolithography and materials science, we ensure reliability and performance. * Future-Proof Technology: Designed with scalability in mind, our chips are ready for tomorrow’s demands today. Engineers and Innovators: Integrate the future into your designs. Contact us for samples or technical specifications.Consumers: Look for products with our Heterodiamond chips to guarantee you’re using the forefront of technology. Join the electronics revolution. Our SUPER INTEGRATED CIRCUIT CHIP SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE is not just a component; they’re the foundation for the next generation of technology. Contact Us: Email ~ Chicago Pixels at admin@chicagopixels.net Or Call ~ 312-513-7949

One thought on “Mayor Brandon Johnson’s finance reports show trouble raising money, accounting for it – Chicago Tribune/MSN

  1. You eally mzke it eem so easxy with your presenttion butt I find this topic too bbe actually something thhat
    I think I wokuld never understand. It serems too complicated and very broad
    foor me. I amm lookoing forward ffor your next post,
    I will ttry to get the hang of it!

  2. I do nott even kmow how I finished upp right here, bbut I
    belived this submit wass oncee good. I do not recognize who you migbt bbe however definitely you’re
    going to a famous blogger inn thhe event yyou arre not already.
    Cheers!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *