Dupage Policy Journal

Addison Township officials have failed to respond to an Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request seeking records related to the board's hiring of Democratic-aligned lobbying and consulting firm, Veritas Strategies. 

The FOIA request, submitted by the DuPage Policy Journal on July 21, sought a copy of the township's contract with Veritas and all township records mentioning the firm or its agent, William "Bill" Velazquez.

Velazquez previously worked for Bernie Sanders’ 2016 campaign and resigned from Congressman Chuy Garcia’s office following sexual harassment-related allegations.

As of Aug. 6, the township has failed to acknowledge or fulfill the public records request, violating the Illinois FOIA (5 ILCS 140), which mandates public bodies to respond within five business days or provide a legal basis for any delay or denial.

The hire was approved at the May 29 township board meeting, where the agenda referenced a “consulting firm” without naming Veritas or outlining its role. 

In a previous report, DuPage Policy Journal spoke with concerned Republican leaders in the county who cited the board's lack of transparency and the possible misuse of taxpayer funds amid the township's shift in leadership.

Newly seated Township Supervisor Bobby Hernandez had described the firm as part of his "transition team" but declined to disclose its duties or pay without a formal public records request, according to Patch. 

Despite mounting public and media pressure, newly elected Supervisor Bobby Hernandez has remained silent on the issue, and the township has yet to release the Veritas contract or clarify the firm's duties.

Former Supervisor Dennis Reboletti, whom Hernandez defeated, said the new administration is governing through secrecy and by outsourcing leadership responsibilities to partisan consultants at Veritas. 

“To me, a total waste of taxpayer money, they have to bring in a quote-unquote consultant to do the job that the current supervisor was elected to do,” Reboletti previously told the DuPage Policy Journal.

“By hiring people and not sharing the actual information about the cost, I think it is disingenuous to the residents of Addison Township,” he said.

DuPage County GOP Chair Kevin Coyne called the hire “brazen” and accused township Democrats of using public funds to pay for political influence. 

“I would just say it's another example of the damage that the Democratic Party is doing to DuPage County,” Coyne previously told the DuPage Policy Journal. “Clearly, it's wrong to pay your political consultants with taxpayer dollars.”