ILGOP Calls on Quinn/Frerichs to Return Tainted Campaign Cash

“After all the damage that’s been done to our state’s reputation on ethics, you’d think Gov. Quinn and Sen. Frerichs would know better,” said Andrew Welhouse, communications director for the Illinois Republican Party. “At the very least, both Gov. Quinn and Sen. Frerichs need to return this tainted cash immediately, and any other contributions they’ve had funneled to them in a similar way.”

This month, The News Gazette and The Southern Illinoisan reported that two employees in the IDNR Office of Mines and Minerals are being investigated for improperly accepting campaign contributions from a coal mining company that they regulated as state officials. 

Michael Woods, the head of the Douglas County Democratic Party, has been moved to another position “pending the outcome of an investigation,” and Tony Mayville, chairman of the Washington County Democratic Central Committee and Democrat candidate for the 115th state house seat, went on unpaid leave earlier this month.

Before the scandal came to light, Woods’ county party accepted $10,000 in contributions from a mining company that Woods oversaw, transferring $5,000 to Gov. Quinn, who oversees the IDNR, and another $250 to Sen. Mike Frerichs’ campaign fund.

Gov. Quinn was Rod Blagojevich’s lieutenant governor, and Sen. Frerichs served in the state Senate during the final two years of Blagojevich’s time in office.

“Illinois deserves better than this,” Welhouse said. “Gov. Quinn shouldn’t stand for his public employees using their taxpayer-funded jobs to grease the wheels of the Democrats’ campaign operation. And why should the taxpayers trust Mike Frerichs with their tax dollars if he’s not even willing to separate himself from this kind of scandal?”