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* Dan Proft’s People Who Play by the Rules PAC disclosed just one independent expenditure during all of the first quarter: $3,725.56 for mail on behalf of Lyons Township High School 204 School Board candidates Tim Vicek, Frank Evans and David Herndon. All three lost to the candidates supported by the Democratic Party of Illinois.
But Proft’s company, Starfish Consulting, was still paid $75,000 in three monthly installments.
* Another $26,500 in consulting fees was paid to Fahrenheit Consulting Group. Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau is a founding partner of the firm.
The new Illinois Review has been hammering Pekau for months and I’ve kinda been wondering why. IR also seems to have had a beef with Proft since the new owners took over, so maybe that’s it.
And another $41K or so went to TMKS, LLC out of Rochelle, also for consulting work. I think that’s Michael Koolidge’s firm. Koolidge works for People Who Play By The Rules PAC and is a former congressional candidate.
So, if you add that up, you get $142,500 paid to consultants, which is 38 times the amount spent on actual (losing) campaigns.
* Proft’s IE committee reported no contributions during the quarter, but ended with $1.3 million in the bank.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 12:00 pm
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The floor is yours OW-your key word is “grifting”.
Comment by regular democrat Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 12:03 pm
I know exactly what kind of starfish he is.
Comment by Big Dipper Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 12:06 pm
The Illinois Review vs. Orland Park Village President Keith Pekau is pretty clear. IR Publisher Scott Kaspar, who lost to Pekau in the IL-06 Repiblican primary last year, lives in Orland Park.
Pekau’s referendum to end the board/council-manager form of government was defeated.
But clearly, Kaspar-Pekau feud is beyond the IL-06 race or the village referendum this month.
Comment by John Lopez Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 12:09 pm
Name should be Dan “Profit”
Comment by low level Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 12:10 pm
Keep peeling back the layers of this onion, Cap Fax.
Comment by Scott Kaspar Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 12:12 pm
I’m torn here. I don’t think Proft is terribly smart, but he’s clearly smart enough to run a grift like this consistently. Which just lowers my opinion of who he is running the grift on.
Comment by ArchPundit Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 12:12 pm
The genius of the grift is always-always how much can you get from the marks *before* they catch on.
That’s the secret, from Professor Harold Hill to Dan Proft.
Think on this;
If you use your imagination and think to Ives and her primary run… and you imagine each and every EFT Proft got from that moment, merely starting there… to these school board races and each and every race in between..,
If you use your imagination then, for me, I imagine Proft each and every single time “surprisingly gleeful” that it just keeps working.
“We sent it”, “Sent”, “You get it?”, “Did you get it”
I mean… Proft at one point had to have surprised himself, no?
“I can’t believe it, he’s sending $2 million”
I’m reminded in my “Music Man” that Professor Harold Hill was constantly on the railways as he was avoiding being run out of town on a rail.
I read this garbage and I miss - Arthur Andersen - and the phony consulting firm quips, we probably woulda took “half, but in cash” and loss as spectacularly all the same.
Florida Dan knows, the marks are here, just don’t live close enough to “there” to be held accountable… even when your accountant is as shocked as you are.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 12:16 pm
Some more background on Kaspar/IRI vs. Pekau:
https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/ct-sta-orland-park-commission-member-st-0406-20220405-ljxv2k2c45ainoch4zncair2ru-story.html
Comment by Anon324 Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 12:22 pm
Think on this
The real grift in Illinois is on trial right now in the Dirksen Federal building in the first of many trials but continue your outrage against the penny ante stuff
Comment by Lucky Pierre Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 12:23 pm
I do wonder what is “Dan’s number” where he can just walk away from the marks, move his tent to maybe just focus on hate radio, base it from Florida, and let others deal with the aggrieved.
Never stay too long, get that one big last score… then move on.
That $1.3 million is a nice number, no?
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 12:25 pm
- regular democrat -
Appreciate that thought, my reviews lately have been terrible.
To the infighting aspect?
If you wonder why the GOP can’t expel the bad from the party by having the good defeat it, well, there ain’t no money to be made with intraparty harmony…
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 12:30 pm
===but continue your outrage===
There are at least two posts a day on the ComEd 4 trial. Sometimes more.
But your whataboutism in defense of Proft is duly noted, LP. How ’bout them Bears? lol
Also, where are you on putting toll booths on interstates? Just curious.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 12:36 pm
TMKS = The Michael Koolidge Show, Koolidge’s former radio venture
Comment by Mr. Jimmy Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 12:40 pm
I have read just about every article that Illinois Review has written on Pekau and to be honest if it’s true then his political career isn’t long term. Pekau has a very big opinion of himself and seems to attack anyone he disagrees with including Fireman from Chicago and Orland Park.
As for the money from Proft I find it hard to believe Pekau consulted on anything of substance to earn that money. This is why certain expenses need to be spelled on what they did when reported.
Comment by Old time Independent Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 12:45 pm
A running total for these grifters vs. the Madigan flunkies on payrolls to do nothing would be fascinating.
Comment by You Don’t Say Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 12:55 pm
Interesting that Awake gets all the heat in the press/cap fax disdain with their slim budget.
Comment by Here for the comments Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 1:10 pm
The irony of the “People Who Play By The Rules PAC” getting nailed for multiple and ongoing violations is, I’m sure, completely lost on them. Glad to see that occasionally, the rich and powerful are held to at least some account.
Where’d that 1.3m come from Dan? Find it in your couch cushions or what?
Comment by Commissar Gritty Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 1:11 pm
===your outrage against the penny ante stuff
I’m not outraged by movement conservatives flushing money down the drain, I’m amused.
Comment by ArchPundit Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 1:19 pm
the deets on the Proft side grift are easy to spot. I’m more interested in what was started here on CapFax, the deets on who got what $$ from Vallas. $20K for Thornton was icky. what else is there? If we are really trying to change things in Illinois we have to take a very hard look at the old combine piece of the Democrats. very hard look.
Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 1:22 pm
===take a very hard look at the old combine piece===
Most of that sort of money was spent on Black consultants. The White guys were apparently waiting for the real dough after the election /s
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 1:24 pm
===The White guys were apparently waiting for the real dough after the election /s===
The Daleyites and “LaSalle Street” folks traditionally wait for the back end on deals… they even alluded to it in the way they endorsed, lol
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 1:32 pm
Pay up before…Pay off after.
Comment by Dotnonymous Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 1:39 pm
==The real grift in Illinois is on trial right now==
I really had to LOL here as you are always triggered by anything done by Democrats at any level but shrug when its the GOP. Also I suppose Im glad the mayor’s race is over as it had me agreeing with you LP, which was very odd indeed.
Comment by low level Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 1:47 pm
I could guarantee the same results for half the money and I have never consulted on a campaign. Don’t these candidates ever check the track record of a consultant?
Comment by DuPage Saint Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 2:04 pm
Like I said…
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 2:30 pm
Greene is Charles Thomas part two.
Comment by Big Dipper Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 2:38 pm
I think that one of the new owners of “Illinois Review” lost to Pekau or backed a losing candidate in the 2028 primary election for Congress and is carrying a grudge or plotting another run.
Comment by Gravitas Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 2:39 pm
Nothing like a tweet to bring a visual clarity to dollars in a campaign
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 2:40 pm
Isn’t Proft operating from Naples, Florida these days?
Comment by Gravitas Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 2:42 pm
it really hits you how much Vallas spent on media when you see the chunks of $300 and $400 k going to Trippi’s company for the work and buys. wow.
Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 3:38 pm
Grifters gonna Proft, I mean, grift
Comment by Shytown Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 3:55 pm
A copy of the $3700 “mailer” can be found here:
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2023/04/uihlein-funded-pac-pays-political-consultants-142000-while-spending-just-3700-to-support-conservative-school-board-candidates-disclosures-reveal.html
Comment by Scott Kaspar Wednesday, Apr 19, 23 @ 4:35 pm
Many have wondered why Scott Kaspar bought the Illinois Review and is using it to pummel Mayor Pekau almost daily. Well, it just became crystal clear. Kaspar recently changed his committee name to run for Orland Park Village President:https://www.elections.il.gov/campaigndisclosure/CandidateDetailCD.aspx?ID=LIAws0LbiqEvCjvxYNLdkQ%3d%3d
Comment by Southwest Sonny Thursday, Apr 20, 23 @ 11:26 am