McHenry Times

Jack Franks, a former state representative and former McHenry County Board chairman admitted that he was involved with the Illinois Integrity Fund and sent out flyers that had false information.

"I publicly acknowledge my role and involvement in the publication of the Flyers in connection with the 2018 Republican primary election through my association with the Illinois Integrity Fund,” a signed acknowledgment by Franks said. “I acknowledge that any implication or assertion in the Flyers that Mr. Tirio has a ‘secret taxpayer-funded slush fund’, committed theft, used public funds to pay for a personal ‘vacation', hired ‘cronies’, or was ‘crooked' is false. I regret any reputational or professional harm the Flyers may have caused Mr. Tirio.” 

When asked for a comment, Tirio responded to Edgar County Watchdogs that the matter was resolved.

“The matter has been resolved and the parties have released their respective claims against each other,” Tirio said, the watchdog group reported. 

Back in 2018, Tirio was running for McHenry County recorder when mailers were released alleging that he and other Republican candidates for county offices were “crooked, sleazy and filled with racist hate-filled ideas.” 

Phil Prossnitz, Tirio’s attorney, said that while some of the text was just mudslinging, some of it was worse. 

“A certain amount of mudslinging is to be expected,” Prossnitz said in a statement, McHenry Times reported in 2018. "But what was done here was unconscionable. Joe is a good man. We believe in the eye of the law these mailers went too far.”

Tirio told the McHenry Times in 2018 that the accusations in the mailers were only there to misinform voters.

“I wasn’t just called names," Tirio told the McHenry Times. "I was accused of committing crimes with taxpayers’ money. Throughout my political career, I’ve tried to make county government more efficient and responsible, and save the taxpayers’ money. These accusations serve no purpose but to misinform a voter, rob him of his or her vote, and discourage civic-minded people from getting involved in politics.”

McHenry Times reported that the company that printed the mailers, Breaker Press, has a list of clients that are all Illinois Democrats.