Check the Caller ID First – Fax Number and Time Stamp Gives up Campaign Treasurer Doing Political Work on State Resources and Time

Last Update: August 9th, 2021

The great state if Illinois has an ethics policy that employees “shall not intentionally perform any prohibited political activity during any compensated time. State employees shall not intentionally misappropriate any state property or resources by engaging in prohibited political activity for the benefit of any campaign for elective office or any political organizationelection ballot

That line appeared to have been potentially crossed when WGFA radio in Watseka checked the D-1 Statements of Organization for 5 Republican candidates for the 106th House district seat to find that the former campaign treasurer for Tom Bennett, one of the republican candidates, had used state time and resources (the office fax machine) to fax in the campaign papers, a fact that was noted with the fax header information showing the time, place, and number that the fax was sent from.

Although the treasurer is no longer “active” with the campaign, and any investigation is remaining confidential until it is done being investigated, it is also unclear how this may affect Mr. Bennett’s campaign.

Overall, it serves as a good reminder to both balance political and work engagements as well as resources, but on the grand scheme of things still isn’t likely near as problematic from a security standpoint as a certain former state governor who used routinely used webmail for official state communications.

For More Information, This Story is Also Covered In:

Pontiac Daily Leader (archived link via Archive.org)

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Pantagraph.com

Illinois Review