Madison County Auditor Rick Faccin’s campaign committee spent almost $40,000 on “community relations” since 2001, apparently receiving nothing in exchange but good will.
State law prohibits campaign expenditures “clearly in excess of the fair market value of the services, materials, facilities or other things of value received in exchange.”
Faccin has given $5,519 to Catholic Charities, $5,325 to 100 Black Men, $5,160 to the Alton branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, $3,560 to St. Mary’s Catholic Church, and $3,488 to Marquette High.
He has given to other churches, Knights of Columbus, Kiwanis Club, Boys and Girls Club, the county tavern association, the labor federation, and many more.
His donations represent about a fifth of all his itemized expenditures.
In 2011, his campaign spent $454.68 at Palmer House in Chicago and $352 at a Chicago restaurant for Marquette High.
Last year, his campaign spent $203.91 at Hyatt Regency for Catholic Charities, plus a $190 donation to the charities on the same date.
This March, his campaign spent $271.69 at Hyatt Regency for Marquette High.
His campaign has given $800 to St. John’s Missionary Baptist Church in four payments since 2008, and the church has given his campaign $750 in three contributions.