CHICAGO (AP) - The Latest on a Chicago mayoral candidate giving out $200,000 at a service attended by Gov. Bruce Rauner (all times local):
5 p.m.
Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner says he didn’t know a Chicago mayoral candidate was going to hand out close to $200,000 to churchgoers during a service where the governor also spoke.
Rauner said Monday that a candidate handing out cash is “outrageous.” He says he learned “after the fact” that Willie Wilson distributed the cash and checks at an African-American church.
Wilson’s campaign sent a news release early Sunday alerting media to the philanthropist’s plan. He said the money was to help African-American homeowners pay their property taxes.
Rauner said he’s given $200,000 over the past year to Wilson’s foundation for the same purpose, but he didn’t know if it was among the funds distributed Sunday. The Republican, who’s running for re-election, spoke about his efforts to reduce taxes during the service.
Critics accused him of trying to buy votes.
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1 p.m.
Chicago mayoral candidate Willie Wilson says he wasn’t trying to buy anyone’s vote when he handed out close to $200,000 to churchgoers.
The millionaire businessman says Sunday’s appearance at the New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church was nothing more than “one of the biggest property tax relief assistance” events of the year and the kind of thing he’s done before.
Republican State Rep. David McSweeney described the sight of the Democratic candidate on WGN-TV peeling bills from a thick wad of cash in the church as “so wrong.”
The Illinois State Board of Elections said Wilson didn’t break any campaign finance laws because the money came from his non-profit foundation.
Gov. Bruce Rauner, who is running for re-election, also spoke at the church about high property taxes on Sunday.
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