Paid ally talks up Welch in TribLocal post

• Reprints

Updated: February 22, 2012 12:14PM

Emanuel “Chris” Welch’s campaign staff touted the labor and political endorsements the 7th District state representative candidate recently received by sending out a number of press releases last month.

But Francine Harrell, who sits with Welch on the Proviso District 209 school board and is working on his campaign, did some additional legwork.

Using a feature on TribLocal — a suburban supplement to the Chicago Tribune — that allows citizens to post entries, she wrote a piece that trumpeted Welch’s endorsements. In it, she also detailed his campaign platform.

At no point, though, did she state that she has any affiliation with Welch, that she is involved with his campaign, or that they are friends and allies on the school board.

Likewise, there is no mention of her receiving any money for “services rendered.”

But Illinois State Board of Elections campaign disclosure reports reveal that Harrell was paid a combined $1,655 from The People for Emanuel “Chris” Welch — Welch’s campaign committee — between October and December 2011.

The money was for “services rendered” and for a “reimbursement for expenditures,” according to the report.

Pioneer Press tried to contact Harrell to ask if she thought the move was a conflict of interest, but she did not return a call.