Stroger Campaign Fined Thousands

By Kevin Robinson in News on Jul 23, 2008 7:45PM

Todd Stroger might be "doing a damn good job" running the county, but he didn't do such a good job managing his own campaign for County Board President. According to state election officials, Stroger violated campaign fundraising reporting rules in 2006, resulting in $27,000 in fines. That includes $25,581 for failing to file timely reports on contributions of more than $500 that it received in the final weeks before the 2006 general election, and an additional $1,175 for failing to file its organization papers with the elections board in a timely fashion.

Additionally, 6th Ward Ald. Fredrenna Lyle, the treasurer of one of Stroger's political bank accounts, says she expects more fines to be levied after the campaign filed late papers again this week. According to Lyle, her laptop "crashed" just before the Monday filing deadline, and staffers scrambled to recreate the reports. Lyle says that Stroger raised nearly $62,000 from January through June. Stroger Spokesman Eugene Mullins, who is also treasurer of the 8th Ward Democratic Organization fund, said that a $441,000 certificate of deposit was used as collateral on a half million dollar loan the campaign obtained before the 2006 election. Mullins says that the CD was initially reported in filings with the state, but that it wasn't listed in subsequent paperwork.