Defiant Wilson hands out more money for tax help despite political uproar
Defiant mayoral candidate Wilson ignores vote-buying furor, tells critics to ‘go see Dr. Phil’
Mayoral challenger Willie Wilson played summertime Santa Claus again Wednesday — doling out $500 checks to help people pay their property taxes and ignoring the political outcry about his first round of grants.
Wilson initially refused to answer questions while dozens of hard-pressed property owners created a chaotic scene outside the Cook County treasurer’s office.
Later, Wilson said he brought $150,000 in checks but had to pull some back when a records check showed taxes on some of those homes had been paid.
“I would never use any dollars that I have or any other thing to buy votes . . . . [But] unless there’s a law that says that I cannot do it, I will continue to do it,” he said.
“These people are losing their homes . . . . Nobody says nothin’ about a politician when they give people a grant for land. Nobody said nothin’ to ’em when they give out turkeys . . . . Why hop on a person who’s been doing this for a long, long, long, long time?”
On the same day the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform filed a complaint against his mayoral committee, Wilson advised those who say he’s “buying votes” to “go see Dr. Phil.”
He saved a few choice words for Chicago aldermen demanding an investigation of Wilson’s July 22 cash giveaway at the New Covenant Baptist Church — an event attended by Gov. Bruce Rauner.
The Illinois State Board of Elections says there’s no violation if the money given away came from Wilson’s charitable foundation.
“The citizens got to . . . rise up and get these crooks out . . . . How can you tax people when they don’t have any money, run ’em out of their homes and leave them with nothing?” he said.
Property owners interviewed by the Sun-Times seemed oblivious to the controversy.
Denita Rogers screamed at a reporter who asked about the appearance of buying votes.
“Why is it so important about a black man helping people?” Rogers said.
“Hell yeah, I’m happy. I’m gonna vote for him and I’m gonna get all my kids and their kids and anybody else I know . . . . And I’ve got a car. So I’m gonna ride them to the polls. What you gonna do for us, Miss? How many people are you gonna help? Answer my question. How many people will you help yourself, personally?”
Pullman retiree Jet Peterson said he “most likely” would vote for Wilson. “I can tell that he’s a better politician than most that I’ve met.”
Still, Peterson rejected the votebuying label.
“I think it’s coming from his heart . . . . It doesn’t look bad to me,” Peterson said.
Rickey “Hollywood” Hendon, a former alderman, is a longtime Wilson friend and adviser.
Hendon acknowledged he had suggested Wilson cancel Wednesday’s giveaway to put out the political firestorm, “but it’s in his heart.”
At the July 22 event, Wilson doled out $200,000 in checks and cash to help people pay property taxes. A few days later, Rauner said he would no longer donate to Wilson’s charitable foundation.
Wilson, Hendon noted, “dropped out of school in seventh grade, ran away from home at 13. Picked cotton, 20 cents a pound. But he made it so he feels like he owed back to the people,” Hendon said.
As for vote-buying allegations, Hendon said, “It’s straight bulls--t.”
“We didn’t ask nobody whether they were a registered voter. We didn’t ask nobody to vote for Willie. We didn’t ask nobody whether they’re a Democrat or Republican. All we asked them was, bring your tax bill, the ID number, the tax number, the PIN number and we’ll try to help you,” Hendon said.
“Every alderman I know — especially the black ones — is getting ready to give school supplies to the kids, turkeys for Thanksgiving and toys for Christmas. Are they buying votes? I don’t think so. This is what they do traditionally in the AfricanAmerican community. And if you don’t do it, your constituents get mad at you.”
The complaint filed Wednesday with the State Board of Elections argues, even if the money came from Wilson’s foundation, money spent by the foundation at the July 22 event should have been disclosed as a contribution to Wilson’s mayoral campaign.
The complaint notes the event was “promoted with a press release from Wilson’s campaign spokesman and streamed live on Wilson’s campaign Facebook page.”
“We don’t take issue with a charitable foundation helping people. But when such actions are so clearly tied to a political campaign, that has to be disclosed,” Mary Miro, executive director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, was quoted as saying in a press release.
“ICPR is compelled to file this complaint where the appearance of impropriety is so obvious.”