Board of Elections schedules investigative hearing for Stone front group

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Chicago, Illinois, United States of America (Free-Press-Release.com) February 25, 2011 -- Attorneys representing candidate for Alderman Debra Silverstein have filed a complaint with the Illinois State Board of Elections regarding a front group that has been putting out negative mail pieces on behalf of Alderman Bernard Stone.

The Concerned Citizens of the 50th Ward has sent out at least three ward-wide mailers and paid for multiple robocalls. The cost of postage to mail one piece to 12,000 50th Ward households is at least $2,900.

The group failed to report contributions and contributors as well as expenditures for the ward-wide mailings and robocalls. The hearing is scheduled for next week.

Election attorney Jim Nally said the organization demonstrated it couldn’t accomplish the most basic responsibilities mandated by election law.

“They failed to file their reports and they didn’t tell the Illinois State Board of Elections where their money came from and where it went,” Nally said.

Concerned Citizens of the 50th Ward is headed by 22-year-old Erik Avila, a 50th Ward resident who lives in the 6400 block of North Damen Avenue, according to documents filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections.

Avila has never voted in an election.

Silverstein said the situation raises numerous serious questions.

“Here’s someone who has never voted and now he’s running a shadow politcal organization that no one has ever heard of and putting out 36,000 pieces of negative mail. The facts just don’t add up. We’re going to leave it up to the hearing officer – and the press – to get down to the bottom of this situation,” she said.

“If you’re going to make a negative attack, stand up and take credit for it like an adult. The real citizens of the 50th Ward made it very clear on election night that they want change in the City Council. I’m confident they will vote for change again on April 5.”

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