By Illinois Review
Sources have confirmed that the Illinois Republican Party was caught off guard earlier this week after Illinois Review exposed deliberate and widespread abuse of the IL GOP postage discount during the Primary. Sources also confirmed a new strategy by party insiders to sidestep any responsibility for the humiliating revelation: blame former House GOP leader Jim Durkin, an ally and best friend to IL GOP chairman Don Tracy.
It’s clear that the IL GOP is in total panic mode and pointing fingers at everybody – including Durkin and John Fogarty, general counsel for the IL GOP.
In July, during a meeting with conservative leaders, IL GOP chairman Don Tracy deflected any responsibility after admitting that the Richard Irvin for governor campaign received the IL GOP postage discount in the primary – a perk not afforded to any other campaign for governor.
Tracy went on to say that usage of the postage discount was decided by the “House Caucus and the Senate Caucus” – again, placing the blame on Durkin, who at that time was leader of the House Caucus.
But Fogarty, who works directly with Tracy as the party’s attorney, played a role in this as well. And while Durkin could decide which campaign received the postage discount, ultimately, Tracy and Fogarty would have the final approval since the postage discount belongs to the IL GOP and no one else, including Durkin.
The Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service is quite clear on use of the non-profit charity postage rate. It’s also quite clear that Tracy and the IL GOP were in direct violation of those standards and they now risk hefty fines and a suspension of the postage discount if audited by the US Postal Service.
In the past, the IL GOP used the postage discount for positive mail pieces, but made worse under Tracy’s leadership, the discount was weaponized to target conservative grassroots primary candidates.
And while Tracy deflects the blame for overseeing widespread and humiliating losses during the November election, the US Postal Service, should they conduct an audit, will be looking for the one ultimately in charge of the postal discount – and that’s Don Tracy.
Pointing fingers and deflecting blame only goes so far. And Don Tracy and the IL GOP are about to find that out.
