Rob Sherman is challenging Illinois legislators over money they’ve earmarked for their own pet projects — many of which enhance their personal faith and are easily a conflict of interest.
State Representative LaShawn Ford (D-08) voted to send a Grant of $500,000 (see Page 129 of the Details List) to Christ the King Jesuit College Preparatory School, a Roman Catholic parochial high school on the West Side of Chicago, for a new building. LaShawn is a Member of the Board of Trustees of Christ the King. I spoke to LaShawn last month. I asked him if he thought that there was a conflict of interest in him voting to send money to an organization at which he is on the Board of Directors and, if not, why not. LaShawn, who was a co-sponsor of the unconstitutional Student Prayer Act that I successfully challenged in federal court, replied that there was no conflict of interest and that the reason he voted for the Grant was “Because the community needed it.”; Now, it’s certainly possible that his community needed a more modern educational institution, and that public funds are appropriate for such a need, but those funds should be spent on building a public school, not a parochial school. Children should not be forced to endure religious indoctrination as a condition for receiving taxpayer support for their education.
LaShawn also voted to send a Grant of $140,000 (see Page 93 of the Details List) to Saint Martin de Porres Roman Catholic Church, also on the West Side of Chicago, for “general infrastructure.”; LaShawn is on both the Parish Council and the Finance Council of St. Martin de Porres Church, where his primary job is to raise money for the church. LaShawn helped pass a law forcing atheists throughout Illinois, like me, to donate to his church, rather than persuading the rapidly dwindling number of members of his own church to donate to it.
Rob has several other examples on his site.
It’s good to know there’s someone keeping an eye on things like this because Illinois voters and our other elected officials generally don’t.
These politicians need more exposure and more coverage.
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