Portrayal of campaign finance during Buncich trial prompts more detailed reporting
Chicago Tribune
February 09, 2018
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/news/ct-ptb-campaign-finance-post-buncich-st-0204-20180210-story.html
As Lake County Councilman Dan Dernulc prepared his annual campaign finance report, he made sure he accounted for every dollar.
Dernulc, R-Highland and also chairman of the Lake County Republican Central Committee, said he routinely lists every contribution he receives for his campaign committee, but the lengthy days of discussion of campaign finance during the trial of former Lake County Sheriff John Buncich prompted him to be more detailed than normal.
"This year I even went a step further," Dernulc said.
Dernulc said he wants to be transparent and marked down every contribution, even those under the $100 threshold for reporting.
"Everybody is on the list," Dernulc said.
Buncich's campaign finance reports were scrutinized during his trial and federal prosecutors questioned cash donations, county vendor donations and pointed out anomalies in reporting.
Dernulc said Buncich's trial showed that candidates need to be forthright and honest.
"If you get contributions, make sure it's out there," Dernulc said.
Elected officials are held to a higher standard, Dernulc said, and if people think they're not going to get caught, they will.
"I think it makes it better for everybody to see who is donating," Dernulc said.
James Wieser, chairman of the Lake County Democratic Central Committee, said he's not aware of any major impact on how candidates filed their reports but he knows staff at the Board of Elections and Voter Registration has made themselves more available for advice.
Wieser said he's always told candidates and officials they should always be honest with campaign activities and filings.
You need to comply with Indiana law," Wieser said.
During Buncich's August trial, federal prosecutors sought to show how the former top cop's campaign finance practices raised questions.
Buncich was convicted in August for using his office to solicit bribes from tow operators, often in the former of campaign fundraiser tickets. Judge James Moody in January sentenced Buncich to more than 15 years in prison.
The former sheriff's defense attorneys said Buncich was conducting legitimate campaign fundraising and not soliciting bribes. Buncich has maintained his innocence and plans to appeal the conviction.
Bryan Truitt, one of Buncich's defense attorneys, said the case showed that if someone wanted to run for public office, they'd better finance a campaign themselves.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip Benson, during the trial, questioned the sheriff on why he had his staff soliciting fundraising tickets from tow operators and other county vendors.
Given the sheriff's ethical obligations, Benson asked if he saw a problem with the people he supervised going to sell campaign fundraiser tickets to county vendors.
"It's no different than any other office in Lake County," Buncich said during his testimony. "Every elected official in Lake County does it."
Throughout Buncich's 14-day trial, towing company operators testified they bought the fundraising tickets willingly but others said they felt they needed to make the purchases to keep doing business with the Sheriff's Department.
Defense attorney Larry Rogers said during the trial witnesses testified that selling and buying campaign tickets is not a crime.
"In this instance, the government is trying to make it seem like it's illegal," Rogers said, during the trial.
Wieser said he thinks officeholders account for donations from vendors appropriately and don't consider anything received as a quid pro quo.
Candidates should avoid the appearance of impropriety, Wieser said, but receiving donations from vendors isn't necessarily a violation of law. Wieser said as long as officials are following laws around bids and transparency, they won't be doing anything wrong.
Dernulc said he thinks there's a mindset that if a donor gives to a campaign they'll get something back.
"It doesn't work that way," Dernulc said.
Contributors should make donations for good government, Dernulc said, and not for what's good for them.
"They should not expect anything from you," Dernulc said.
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