By Illinois Review
In December, in exclusive audio obtained by Illinois Review, it was reported that IL GOP chairman Don Tracy, during a meeting with conservative leaders in July, admits that the Richard Irvin campaign for governor was allowed to use the IL GOP Postage discount for mailers – a perk not afforded to other candidates in the race.
Using the IL GOP postage discount can save a statewide campaign tens of thousands of dollars on mailers – an expensive, but necessary evil in politics.
Tracy acknowledges use of the postage discount in the recording, but says the IL GOP was taking its “direction from the House Caucus and the Senate Caucus.”
In other words, former House GOP Minority Leader Jim Durkin and former Senate GOP Minority Leader Dan McConchie controlled who could use the party’s non-profit postage discount for mailers, and Tracy simply followed their lead.
Illinois Review doesn’t accept that assertion, given that, while Durkin and McConchie were leaders of their caucuses, Tracy was the leader of the party – and therefore, the one ultimately in charge of the postage discount.
But in addition to undeniable evidence of the IL GOP colluding with the Irvin campaign during the primary, Illinois Review has reported on some other disturbing information: the IL GOP was weaponizing their postage discount to attack conservative candidates during the primary.
And in some cases, the IL GOP was taking sides in open primaries and mailing vicious mailers attacking conservative Republican grassroots opponents on behalf of their preferred establishment-backed GOP candidates.
Illinois Review also has reason to believe that former Illinois state senator and conservative grassroots Republican nominee for governor Darren Bailey’s endorsement list became a “hit list” for the IL GOP, where they targeted 7 of the 10 candidates that he endorsed during the primary with negative mailers “Paid for by the Republican Party of Illinois” on behalf of their preferred, GOP establishment-backed candidates.
But just recently, sources confirmed that senior US Postal Service officials have been digging into the potential postage abuse by the IL GOP, and the information gathered during an initial “due diligence” phase has made its way to the Inspector General’s office in Washington, DC. – where the information is currently being reviewed.
If the Inspector General calls for a more substantive investigation from the information that they are currently reviewing, then a full audit of the IL GOP postage discount will be conducted. And that reality is very concerning to many IL GOP officials – with many GOP leaders fearing that such an audit could drive the party into bankruptcy if substantial abuse is uncovered.
Forcing an entire restructuring of the IL GOP leadership in a bankruptcy reorganization – meaning Tracy and other top officials would be forced to step down.
Senior IL GOP officials, including Tracy have denied abusing the postage discount in the primary, but just recently, Tracy tasked Republican State Central Committee members to form a brand new committee that focuses on creating policies and procedures with regards to use of the postage discount.
Illinois Review has also learned that Tracy has temporarily suspended all usage of the postage discount until further notice.
A decision about whether an official audit will take place is expected soon.
