Sangamon Sun

Former U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Dist. 10) who is running against U.S. Rep. Robert Dold (D-Dist. 10) in a rematch of the 2014 race to try and reclaim the seat, said he strongly supports campaign finance reform, yet he has accepted contributions from powerful D.C. stakeholders in an apparent loophole allowing him to load up his campaign coffers, a high-ranking state GOP official said recently.

As one of the initial members of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), the purpose of which is to focus on top Democratic campaigns nationwide and provide “financial, communications, grassroots and strategic support," Schneider walks a fine line when he declares his desire to overturn the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision regarding Citizens United

and the regulation of campaign spending by activist groups and companies.

| Contributed photo

“(The) voices of voters throughout the country are being drowned out by the wealthy few mega donors,” Schneider said on his website. “That’s why I am a fierce advocate of passing a constitutional amendment that would overturn the Citizens United decision. We must give democracy back to the people."

At the same time, the DCCC appears to have spent over the legal limit on campaign donations, with Schneider possibly funneling donations to elude Federal Election Commission (FEC) regulations via carefully crafted language. The online D.C. news website Politico said that combined, Schneider and the DCCC have outlaid over $3.2 million on advertising for his campaign.

“Brad Schneider is a disingenuous hypocrite who is exploiting campaign finance laws while campaigning against them,” Nick Klitzing, executive director of the Illinois Republican Party. “He has accepted millions from D.C. elites via a legal loophole in the law, while claiming to be for reform that would prohibit the loophole.”

Having defeated Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering in the March primary, Schneider is battling Dold for the fourth time since 2010. Schneider won the second battle in 2012 and hopes the seat soon will be his again.

“Schneider’s double-talking duplicity is the reason why voters decided in 2014 they couldn’t trust Schneider to be an independent-minded voice in Congress, and it’s the reason why they still can’t trust him,” Klitzing said.