The DuPage County Republican Central Committee has had virtually no funds donated to it in the second quarter of 2023.
According to the report, the committee received a total of $26.48 in contributions during the three-month period. The details were released in the DuPage County Republican Central Committee D-2 Quarterly Report to the Illinois State Board of Elections covering the period from April 1, 2023, to June 30, 2023.
"The June 2023 Quarterly Report must include all committee activity from April 1, 2023, up to and including June 30, 2023," the Illinois State Board of Elections stated on its website. "This Quarterly Report must be filed by all active political committees, regardless of whether the committee had any activity during that period of time."
The lack of fundraising comes amid Republican in-fighting over donations to the Democratic DuPage County Chair Deb Conroy from notable Republicans including DuPage County Board Member Sam Tornatore and former DuPage County Board member Donald Puchalski. Another Republican, former DuPage County Board member Pete DiCianni, was paid by Conroy’s campaign for marketing efforts to get her elected.
DuPage GOP Chair Jim Zay explained away the donations to Conroy in a letter to the county’s GOP faithful. Zay has steadfastly refused to criticize fellow Republicans who financially and materially supported Democrats in the once-Republican stronghold as GOP hopes and funds have plummeted. In a letter to the DuPage GOP, Zay emphasized the need for unity within the party and calls for an end to public criticism of fellow Republicans, stating that it only weakens the party and hinders its ability to expand its base. The statement came after Tornatore and Puchalski were outed by the DuPage Policy Journal for making campaign donations to Conroy, drawing attention and controversy within the party.
Now, activists have turned their sights on Zay himself, who oversaw the paltry fundraising effort. In an appearance at the Downers Grove Republican Township Organization, Zay and Tornatore explained away the material support for party opponents.
“Chairman Zay’s remarks focused on coming together as Republicans and not dwell in the past,” Noel Manley, a Downers Grove Republican Committeeman, told DuPage Policy Journal after the July 10 meeting. “Both justified their actions as efforts necessary to protect the budgets of the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office and the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office.
“However, what struck me was the level of indignance both Commissioner Tornatore and Chairman Zay demonstrated in their explanations. Specifically, their justifications were peppered with comments such as, ‘I didn’t have to be here tonight.’ In addition, questions and comments raised by committeemen regarding the lack of support in recent elections, and contributions to Democrat events were simply dismissed or ignored. In fact, there was no effort to demonstrate any humility or contriteness regarding these matters.”
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