Big Trouble for Illinois Senate Leader: A Campaign Money Mess

The Illinois Senate President, Don Harmon, is in hot water. Here's why: His campaign group is accused of taking way too much money. The state's election board says he owes nearly $10 million in fines. That's a lot of money! A group called the Liberty Justice Center, which usually supports Republican ideas, filed a complaint. They want the court to step in because the election board is stuck. The board has four Democrats and four Republicans. They can't agree on what to do about Harmon's fines. Harmon's lawyer says the board needs five votes to make a decision. Without that, the fines aren't official. But the board's staff says Harmon's campaign took over $4 million more than the state allows. This all started because of a rule Harmon helped create. It was supposed to help candidates who aren't rich. But now, it seems like some leaders are using it to get unlimited money. Harmon put $100, 001 into his own campaign. He thought this would let him collect unlimited money until the November 2024 election. But the board said no. The loophole only works until the March 2024 primary. Harmon isn't running in 2024, but he is up for election next year. He thinks the election cycle runs until he's up for election. But the board disagrees. The complaint by the Liberty Justice Center could force the court to look at the board's actions. It's a big mess, and it's not over yet.