CHICAGO — Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner said Monday he didn’t know a candidate for Chicago mayor planned to hand out $200,000 to churchgoers at a service where the governor also spoke, a scene that prompted opponents to accuse the Republican of trying to buy votes for his own re-election. Rauner, who’s facing a tough fight for a second term this fall, said he learned “after the fact” that Willie Wilson distributed the cash and checks at an African-American church Sunday morning and was “pretty upset” about it. “I think the idea of handing out cash if you’re a candidate for office is outrageous,” he said. “It should not happen.” Critics questioned Rauner’s version of events, with Conservative Party governor candidate and state Sen. Sam McCann saying Rauner had reached “a new low.” The director of the Democratic Party of Illinois, state Rep. Christian Mitchell, called it “one of the most highly unethical campaign stunts Rauner has ever conducted.” Wilson, a Democratic businessman and philanthropist running for mayor, sent a release to news media early Sunday announcing the 2019 mayoral candidate would give away $300,000 to help homeowners pay “staggering” property tax bills. WGN-TV video showed him peeling bills from a thick wad of cash and handing them to people as they filed by him. The Illinois State Board of Elections said Wilson didn’t break any campaign finance laws because the money came from his non-profit foundation, not his campaign fund. Wilson’s campaign also denied he was trying to buy votes. Wilson has given out funds for the same purpose in the past, and Rauner said Monday he’s contributed $200,000 to Wilson’s foundation over the past year to help with the effort. The wealthy former private equity investor said it was his understanding that people receiving the funds are vetted, and the money is provided via check to people who might lose their homes because they can’t pay their taxes. Rauner said he wasn’t sure if his donation was part of what was handed out Sunday, but said he’d ask for his money back if it was. During his speech at Sunday’s service, Rauner outlined his efforts to reduce property taxes. He said the pastor at New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church invited him to speak, and a campaign aide accompanied him. Rauner also faced questions about vote buying in Chicago’s African-American community in 2014, when he deposited $1 million of his personal funds in a South Side credit union while TV cameras rolled. Rauner said the money was to encourage economic development through small business loans.<doc-sep>Willie Wilson, a millionaire Democrat businessman running for mayor of Chicago, handed out hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash to potential voters in a church on Sunday, allegedly to “help them pay property taxes.” Speaking in a black church at an event on Chicago’s crime and poverty-stricken south side, Wilson passed out notes from a thick stack of cash, telling the congregation that, “My wife and I have been blessed by God...so it’s up to us to now continually to share back with all of you.” Willie Wilson literally handing out cash at New Covenant Baptist Church this morning. pic.twitter.com/CXdlS4EufO — Tahman Bradley (@tahmanbradley) July 22, 2018 According to aides, Wilson handed out $300,000 to some 2,000 people, local news station WGN reported. Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner (R) also spoke at the event, promising criminal justice reform and addressing the issue of Chicago’s property taxes, which are among the highest in the US. He did not, however, directly hand cash to voters. Wilson was criticized from all sides for what looked like a blatant attempt to buy votes. After it emerged that Rauner had donated $100,000 to Wilson’s charitable foundation - indirectly funding the handouts - the governor said that he disapproved of the stunt and will demand that any of his money that was used be returned. Republican State Rep. David McSweeney blasted Wilson on Twitter, calling the event “a national joke” and “so wrong.” Check this out if you wonder why Illinois politicians are often a national joke. How can Willie Wilson, a candidate for Mayor of Chicago, literally hand out CASH at a public event? This is so wrong! — Rep. David McSweeney (@1980reagan) July 22, 2018 Meanwhile, Democrat State Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch described the event as Rauner using Wilson to buy votes ahead of his reelection bid this November. “What the hell?” Welch tweeted. “Is Bruce Rauner using Willie Wilson and Corey Brooks to buy votes??? Handing out cash in the Black Church. Smh! How about creating jobs dudes!” What the hell? Is Bruce Rauner using Willie Wilson and Corey Brooks to buy votes??? Handing out cash in the Black Church. Smh! How about creating jobs dudes! https://t.co/gy5lACDRib — Emanuel Chris Welch (@RepChrisWelch) July 22, 2018 Wilson’s team insist that the Sunday bonanza was legal, as his appearance was not technically a campaign event. “While he happens to be a candidate, he’s been a philanthropist for 30 years,” a spokesman told WGN, with Wilson himself adding: “We’ve been paying people’s property taxes for years.” The Illinois State Board of Elections declared everything above board too, on account of the fact that the money came from Wilson’s charitable foundation, instead of his campaign funds. “As far as we can see, it looks like he didn’t use campaign funds for this,” Board spokesman Matt Dietrich told the Chicago Tribune. “And there doesn’t appear to have been any quid pro quo, like, ‘Here’s some money, vote for me.’ So from our perspective, it doesn’t look like there was anything illegal about this.” Nevertheless, Wilson’s antics are raising eyebrows on Twitter. Chicago mayoral candidate Willie Wilson attempts to bribe people - openly? WTH. https://t.co/8jJUjS4uwr — Todd Doyle (@whizkids) July 23, 2018 Us Black folk are so oppressed, that black millionaire businessman mayoral candidate in Chicago is just handing out cash to potential voters..@handymayhem@WhitlockJasonhttps://t.co/ibEtg8glar — Will. Power (@KIR_bigg50) July 23, 2018 Desperate Willie Wilson will pay for votesMust be Chicago https://t.co/ecSiA9lzZI — patricia martin (@pulsarzen) July 23, 2018 Wilson is challenging Chicago’s two-term incumbent mayor, Rahm Emanuel, who has held office since 2011. Chicagoans will go to the polls in February 2019. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!<doc-sep>CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago mayoral candidate Willie Wilson gave away cash on Sunday at a South Side church as part of his effort to help the needy.Wilson was at New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church giving out tens of thousands of dollars to help people during an event he organized.The State Board of Elections said the cash and check giveaway, which was done via his charitable foundation, does not appear to have violated any elections laws.But Wilson defended himself. "What I do with my own money, is my own money," Wilson said. "I mean look, can't nobody tell me to do with my own money. "Wilson was called out by Gov. Bruce Rauner, who also attended the event and was put on the hotseat over the perceptions of what went on. "I did not see anybody hand out any cash yesterday," said Rauner who said he was not aware of Wilson's giveaway.Rauner said that a candidate for office giving away cash is "outrageous. "Rauner, at a bill signing Monday that dissolved the DuPage County Board of Elections, said he did give Wilson's foundation $100,000 to help pay people's property taxes. Wilson kicked in $200,000 of his own and gave away tens of thousands of dollars in cash Sunday to people with other needs.Rauner said if any of his money was handed out in cash, he was going to demand it back. "None of it was the governor's money, his money was given in checks," Wilson said.Wilson said he has been giving away about $300,000 to people in need for more than 20 years. "It doesn't really matter to me what people think, because you should look at my record, it proves I've been doing it for years. And people have to make their own decisions from that, but certainly I'm not going to do anything that break any laws," Wilson said.Wilson and Rauner both said that at no time did they ever ask for people's votes.The Attorney General's office, which is the state agency that oversees charities, said it is looking into the charitable aspects of Wilson's giveaway.<doc-sep>
A millionaire Democratic candidate for Chicago mayor reportedly handed out hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash to church members on Sunday to help them pay their property taxes. “My wife and I have been blessed by God to be able to get a few of the material things out of life and so it’s up to us to now — continually to share back with all of you all and others,” Willie Wilson, a prominent businessman and philanthropist, said in remarks at an event at New Covenant Missionary Baptist church on Chicago's South Side, according to WGN News. A Wilson aide said the candidate gave out $300,000 to 2,000 people through his nonprofit charitable foundation. ADVERTISEMENT F. Scott Winslow, a spokesman for Wilson’s mayoral campaign, told WGN News that there was no violation of campaign finance laws since the event was not connected to the campaign. He added that Wilson has donated about $500,000 since his campaign launch. “While he happens to be a candidate, he’s been a philanthropist for 30 years,” Winslow said. Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner (R), who is up for reelection in November, also spoke at the event, where he discussed his efforts to overhaul the state’s criminal justice system and improve education funding. He briefly discussed property taxes. “You pay the highest property taxes in America here in Chicago, and the South Side and the south suburbs,“ Rauner said at the event. “This is wrong. The system is broken and I’m trying to fix it.” State lawmakers from both parties questioned the nature of the event. “What the hell? Is Bruce Rauner using Willie Wilson and [Pastor] Corey Brooks to buy votes?? ?” wrote Democratic state Rep. Emanuel "Chris" Welch on Twitter. “Handing out cash in the Black Church. Smh! How about creating jobs dudes!” What the hell? Is Bruce Rauner using Willie Wilson and Corey Brooks to buy votes??? Handing out cash in the Black Church. Smh! How about creating jobs dudes! https://t.co/gy5lACDRib — Emanuel Chris Welch (@RepChrisWelch) July 22, 2018 GOP state Rep. David McSweeney called it “so wrong.” “Check this out if you wonder why Illinois politicians are often a national joke,” McSweeney tweeted. “How can Willie Wilson, a candidate for Mayor of Chicago, literally hand out CASH at a public event? This is so wrong!”