Nothing says "family values" quite like a husband and wife political duo allegedly turning public office into the family piggy bank. An Illinois state representative and her county clerk husband are now staring down 11 federal criminal counts after prosecutors say they funneled campaign cash and state grant money to relatives, then tried to cover it all up. As reported by The American Tribune, both Carol Ammons and Aaron Ammons pleaded not guilty during their federal court appearance on Thursday.
So what exactly are they accused of? Well, buckle up. Prosecutors say Carol Ammons, who represents the 103rd House District, allegedly paid her daughter with campaign funds and then filed what authorities called "materially false" paperwork to the Illinois State Board of Elections to hide it. Because apparently the cover up is always more fun than the crime itself. She also allegedly steered state grant dollars toward organizations that conveniently paid her daughter and reportedly sought illegal cash payments from other groups. Carol faces eight wire fraud counts plus one count for making a false statement.
Not to be left out of the family fun, husband Aaron Ammons, the elected clerk of Champaign County, allegedly jumped in to help obstruct the investigation into his wife's financial shenanigans. He picked up one conspiracy to obstruct justice count alongside Carol and a separate obstruction charge just for himself. Most of these counts carry up to 20 years in federal prison, which is a LOT of time to reflect on your financial decisions.
Both were released ahead of trial, which is tentatively scheduled for September 22 before Chief U.S. District Judge Colin Bruce, though that date could shift as attorneys dig through discovery materials. Speaking outside the courthouse surrounded by supporters and her lawyer, Carol declared the allegations untrue and said she looks forward to contesting them through the legal process.
Her attorney, Mutaqee Akbar, pointed out that the defense team hasn't even seen the government's evidence yet, just the indictment. Meanwhile, supporter Kamm Howard, who directs Reparations United, floated the theory that the prosecution might be payback for Carol's support of reparations policies. Akbar acknowledged that possibility but basically said, "We literally haven't seen a single piece of evidence yet, so let's pump the brakes."
The fallout has already begun in the Illinois House, where Carol was booted from Democratic caucus meetings and stripped of her legislative committee assignments. A House committee is expected to launch its own investigation, though Akbar said the defense may try to delay that so it doesn't interfere with the federal proceedings.
And here's the cherry on top of this whole sundae. Both politicians are continuing their reelection campaigns while under federal indictment. Carol is running unopposed for another term, because of course she is. Aaron faces Republican Alan Anderson in November but has indicated he plans to stay in office throughout the judicial process. Carol told reporters she intends to keep working for her constituents, which is certainly one way to spend your time between court dates.
Read more American news stories at: The American Tribune
