The recent campaign for Mayor of Flossmoor was different than any I have ever seen in our quaint, little bedroom community. The incumbent, Paul Braun, received financial support from the Illinois REALTORS Fund (IRF), a Political Action Committee (PAC) out of Springfield.
A Political Action Committee is defined as “an organization that raises money privately to influence elections or legislation.”
There were at least 3 mailings sent to all Flossmoor residents from the IRF which I estimate cost at least $5,000 in total. To the best of my knowledge, we have never had an outside political group involved in our elections. Usually campaigns are either self-funded or supported by small campaign contributions from residents.
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Ironically, the IRF did not interview the other candidate running for Mayor, Gigi Gummerson, to determine her platform.
I have asked Mr. Braun and the Trustees repeatedly for information on this group but have received no response from any of them. I am very concerned about this and their silence speaks volumes to me. If affiliation with the IRF was above-board and a positive, ethical move for Flossmoor wouldn’t they be shouting it from the rooftops for all Residents to know about? Why did the IRF support Paul Braun?
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Aren’t Village Board Members obligated to disclose the truth of this organization to us? Why is an outside lobbyist group involved in the day to day business and decision making in Flossmoor?
The one response I did receive from a Trustee was “I have no information on this group…” A very disturbing reply. Any elected official should be doing all they can to find out about an outside organization affiliated with our town and using our name in any outreach. One of the primary roles of a Trustee is to protect the integrity of our Village. And, when a Resident is asking questions of an elected official they deserve a response.
Never did I think we would ever see such dubious campaign practices and politics in Flossmoor. This is an affront to all those who have served in the past with honesty, integrity and dignity. We’ve seen what the political machine has done to the State of Illinois and the City of Chicago and I am afraid of what lies ahead for Flossmoor. I encourage all Residents to remain engaged and demand accountability and transparency from those elected to serve us.
