La Salle County IL. (ECWd) –
La Salle County State’s Attorney Brian Towne has been using drug fine money in what appears is an attempt at keeping his name out there in front of voters.
At least he wasn’t using the controversial “Civil Asset Forfeiture” fund, and the even more controversial “State’s Attorney Felony Enforcement” team – ruled illegal by the Appellate Court and appealed to the Supreme Court awaiting a hearing. Chicago Daily Law Bulletin has also written about the SAFE unit and the court decision (HERE).
Instead, it appears La Salle County State’s Attorney Brian Towne has leveraged the drug fine fund (fund 25) in the fight to keep his name in front of the public and to become re-elected as State’s Attorney.
This most recent purchase from 2015 was to place his name on t-shirts for sports teams within La Salle County. He donated $6,000.00 to the LP Renaissance Club, and then traveled to Orlando with them in July of 2015 and 2016, bringing his wife and stepdaughter with him this year. We do not yet know if he donated in 2016.
While some people might say “What’s the big deal, it’s drug money” – we say wait a minute, if this was not about a reelection bid, why not put “LaSalle County S.A.F.E.” or “Paid For With Drug Fines” on the shirts instead of “Brian Towne State’s Attorney” on them, which by the way is the exact same logo he uses in his campaign? He gives the appearance that he has personally donated the funds, but the fact is those funds are public funds.
T-shirt bought with Fund 25
Campaign Logo
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4 Comments
Anonymous
Posted at 08:12h, 07 SeptemberAccording to State board of election records, on July 24,2015 The Citizens For Towne State’s Attorney Campaign Committee Spent $513.98 from their campaign funds at the Lake Bona Vista Florida,(Disney based) T REX Restaurant for what they suggest were for “Meals Citizens for Towne States Attorney”.
While certainly not the Hundreds of Thousands in questionable spending of Local Frank Mautino…….what LEGITIMATE “campaigning” could Towne, A Lasalle county Illinois States Attorney and or his Committee have been doing in FLORIDA?
It appears he not only used drug fine money for the school club and,his and his families Florida trip, but Campaign Committee money as well?
Anonymous
Posted at 06:25h, 28 AugustThis is outrageous and only in Illinois would such a thing be somehow legal yet it is completely unethical. Any drug money fines should go to:
A. Law enforcement, to pay for expenses and give the taxpayers a break for covering police officer and equipment expenses.
B. Drug abuse prevention programs, even spending the money on something not highly (no pun intended) effectual like D.A.R.E. would be a better use of drug fine money than T-shirts.
Rory Steidl
Posted at 15:08h, 27 AugustGive a guy an inch – and a little power / authority – and he’ll likely abuse it.
Since when does any elected official who is in charge of prosecuting and essentially “collecting” drug fines use that fund to purchase shirts with his / her own name / campaign logo on them?
PS – What does the $6K donation to the the Renaissance Club have to do with the drug fine fund? He surely didn’t use the drug fine fund for the donation, did he?
jmkraft
Posted at 15:11h, 27 AugustYes, he used the drug fine fund money for the purchase(“donation”).