The Chicago Tribune reported over the weekend that GOP congressional candidate Jeanne Ives sent mailers to voters in Illinois’ 6th Congressional District soliciting campaign contributions that clearly break the legal federal limit. The headline says it all: “GOP Congressional candidate Jeanne Ives campaign flyer asks for donations of up to $80,000. The federal limit is $5,600.” More from the report:
A campaign flyer from west suburban congressional candidate Jeanne Ives sought contributions of “$40,000.00, $60,000.00, $80,000.00,” despite a federal campaign donation limit of $5,600.
Potential supporters were asked to return the flyer with a message that read: “I am choosing you (Ives) to fight for our right to live as free citizens with free minds in a free enterprise, market economy. I am choosing to support you with a campaign contribution of,” followed by a listing of the over-the-limit amounts.
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Under federal campaign finance law, individuals are limited to contributing a maximum of $2,800 each for the primary and general election campaign.
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Ives, a staunch social conservative and supporter of President Donald Trump, unsuccessfully challenged then-Gov. Bruce Rauner in the 2016 GOP primary and lost by 3 percentage points.
In contrast to that race, in which she used a controversial ad to attack Rauner for backing legislation supporting abortion, immigration and gay and transgender rights, Ives is attempting to portray herself in a softer light in her bid for Congress.
“Jeanne Ives knows it’ll take more money than she can ever legally raise to conceal her reputation as ‘a staunch social conservative and supporter of’ Trump, which is why she’s resorted to soliciting illegal campaign contributions. Unfortunately for Ives, her reputation as a firebrand conservative isn’t going away any time soon and neither are the federal contribution limits that she so blatantly tried to ignore,” said DCCC Spokesperson Courtney Rice.