Round Lake Heights political party's financial reports challenged

A political slate that featured Round Lake Heights Mayor Terrance Lumpkins is accused of not obeying state election law in the filing of campaign financial disclosure reports.

In response, Lumpkins said Monday the latest accusations are just another in a series of complaints by a political opponent that he's confident will go nowhere.

Jeffrey Kissinger of Round Lake Heights filed the complaint against the Party for Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow with the Illinois State Board of Elections. Daniel White, the agency's executive director, confirmed the complaint was received Friday.

Kissinger, 37, ran for mayor on the Party for Putting People First slate that challenged Party for Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow headlined by Lumpkins in the April election. The Party for Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow swept seats for mayor, trustee and village clerk.

In the complaint, Kissinger claims the Party for Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow improperly omitted cash donations, in-kind contributions and expenditures in the final campaign financial disclosure report that covered the period Jan. 1 to June 30.

Part of Kissinger's complaint, filed Aug. 12, states the opposing political slate listed $1,752.81 in total election expenditures without showing what the money was spent on, as required in the final report. Round Lake Heights Trustee Marva Meeks chaired Party for Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow.

Lumpkins said Kissinger's gripes will become moot because his slate's paperwork will be amended and filed with the state.

"He must have a beef with us," Lumpkins said of Kissinger. "He's had a beef with us ever since he ran for mayor."

Kissinger said he didn't file the complaint because of unhappiness over his political slate's election loss.

"The bottom line is if the law is broken, it's broken," Kissinger said. "It doesn't matter if it's political or not."

It also is alleged thne Party for Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow didn't properly list in-kind contributions or expenditures for a "complimentary appetizer buffet" held for three hours as part of a campaign fundraiser Jan. 30. Kissinger contends the event crossed the $150 threshold requiring details on financial disclosure reports.