State Board of Elections Appears Still Split on Harmon Fine
Senate President Don Harmon before a Statehouse news conference last month. (Photo: Chicago Tribune)
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Sources say there is “no reason” to believe the eight members of the Illinois State Board of Elections has reached any changes in its stalemate over a proposed $10 million fine against Senate President Don Harmon.
Harmon, an Oak Park Democrat who has been Senate President since 2020, was accused of unlawfully breaking campaign contribution limits during the 2024 election cycle. A hearing officer ruled that while he broke campaign contribution caps with a personal loan in 2023, it didn’t apply in 2024 because Harmon didn’t appear on the ballot.
The hearing officer recommended a $9.8 million fine against Harmon, which was also recommended by the SBE’s General Counsel, but the Board was split 4-4 along party lines last month whether to implement the fine. Any vote requires five votes to implement the fine.
Multiple sources say there have been few discussions among board members since the board deadlocked last month. It isn’t clear whether Harmon’s campaign has negotiated any solution with SBE staff. Harmon’s attorney, Michael Kasper, did not respond to a request for comment Monday.
Last month, Kasper promised to sue if the board implemented any sort of fine.
If the board stays deadlocked today, it leaves the Board in a precarious position. Without a resolution on the recommended fine or action by the board, Harmon’s ballot access for the March primary could be in jeopardy, sources say.
The issue could end up in court, anyway. The conservative Liberty Justice Center filed a complaint with the State Board of Elections last week regarding Harmon’s campaign donations. We’re told the group could sue over the action if the board remains deadlocked.
