Elgin councilwoman: No violation, only clerical mistake
An Elgin councilwoman says bank receipts prove she didn't violate election law as claimed by two residents earlier this week.
The receipts show checks for two $5,000 contributions and one $1,000 contribution made to Rose Martinez's campaign were cashed Feb. 4. The contributions were reported Feb. 8 - or within the required five days - according to the state of board of elections website.
Miguel Martinez, who handles campaign disclosure filings, said he made a clerical mistake when he reported the contributions, marking the date the checks were written rather than the date they were cashed. That's why the state board of elections website shows the contributions as dated Jan. 12 and Jan. 28, he said.
Two Elgin residents, Margaret Miller and Chuck Keysor, made the accusations against Rose Martinez on Wednesday. Miller said she notified Rose Martinez and the Illinois State Board of Elections' Chicago office via certified letter.
"It's obvious what Mr. Keysor and his group is trying to do," Rose Martinez said. "They're just trying to slander me. He himself admitted (to the Daily Herald) he wanted to take votes from me."
Miller did not return a request for comment. Keysor, the chairman of the conservative group Elgin OCTAVE, said he doesn't regret raising the issue, even if it was a clerical mistake. "All we go could off and all anybody could go off - is what was reported (on the state board of elections website)," he said.
Andy Nauman, deputy director of the state election board's campaign disclosure division in Chicago, said Miller's letter had not been received as of Friday morning. Candidates' campaign statements cannot be amended, but candidates can send a letter to clarify such issues, Nauman said. Miguel Martinez said he's planning to do that.
Martinez, who was appointed to her seat in May, is among 11 candidates vying for four open seats on the Elgin City Council in Tuesday's election.