Kane GOP files complaint over St. Charles Education Association campaign signs

Kane County Republican Central Committee Chairman Andro Lerario has filed a complaint with the Illinois Board of Elections alleging the St. Charles Education Association violated state law by not stating on its signs who paid for them.

The complaint, filed April 9, states the St. Charles Education Association-IPACE PAC – the Political Action Committee of the Illinois Education Association – “failed to include a clear disclosure identifying the political committee responsible for funding,” per the Election Code.

The SCEA, the St. Charles teachers union, had posted signs recommending candidates for the St. Charles School District 303 board in the April 1 consolidated election.

The candidates the union recommended – Kate Bell, Heidi Fairgrieve, Jenna Hancock and Kimberly Rich – won, according to unofficial results.

The signs stated across the top, “D303 Educators Recommend,” lists the candidates below that, then across the bottom states: “Vote for D303 School Board.”

“By not including this legally required disclosure, the signs misled voters into believing that the endorsements came directly from D303 educators, rather than from a political action committee,” to Lerario’s complaint states. “This lack of transparency constitutes election interference and undermines the integrity of the electoral process.”

SCEA President Jennifer Adam, responding in a text message, said, “We believe this complaint is retaliatory, following our efforts to call out disinformation circulated by Larry Bettag’s group.”

Adam was referring to an ethics complaint she filed with the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission alleging that Bettag engaged in a “deliberate disinformation” campaign in an election flyer he circulated regarding educator endorsements.

Adam alleged that Bettag listed three of the four candidates the union did not support as being supported by D303 Educators. It is the same terminology District 303’s three unions - the SCEA, the Educational Support Professionals and Transportation and Maintenance – use for their recommendations.

“The complaint against the St Charles Education Association (SCEA) was filed by an outside political group that clearly coordinates with Kane County Speaks. This is an attempt to get back at SCEA,” according to Adam’s text.

“Our signs reflected recommendations made by D303 educators and there was no intent to mislead the public. We remain committed to advocating for public education with integrity, transparency and respect for the democratic process,” according to Adam’s text.

Lerario denied there was retaliation involved.

“Kane County GOP has filed this complaint because there are rules and regulations set in place by the Illinois Election Board in which we all are bound to,” Lerario wrote in a text. “Any complaint made against Larry Bettag or Kane County Speaks is not our concern and is irrelevant to the fact that a governing law regarding information that must be stated on signs or literature paid for by PAC organizations was not followed.”

“We are all concerned for the integrity and transparency as well respect of our democratic system. It is for this reason that our complaint was filed,” according to Lerario’s text. “A good example to set would be to follow the rules set forth by the State of Illinois.”

The State Board of Elections can assess a civil penalty against a committee, according to its website.