14 Bensenville Vendors Give To Official's Campaign

BENSENVILLE, IL – Bensenville Village President Frank DeSimone, who faces no opponent in the April 1 election, has received donations from more than a dozen firms that do business with the village.

Patch found at least 14 contractors that gave a total of nearly $14,000 in political contributions to DeSimone's campaign since last July.

Combined, the vendors made nearly $1.7 million from the village in 2023, according to the Bensenville treasurer's report.

The contractors include engineers, car dealerships, consultants, law firms, a construction company and a lobbyist.

In response to a Patch inquiry, DeSimone said the companies voluntarily contributed to his campaign. All the contributions complied with the law and are listed on the state Board of Elections website.

Last week, resident Chris McCullough, who has criticized DeSimone at Village Board meetings, accused the president of taking donations from village vendors.

"These contributions create a conflict of interest and are highly unethical," McCullough said in a Facebook post on a local page. "Is the purpose of this money to intimidate potential candidates from running against him?"

DeSimone appeared to respond on his campaign page, calling McCullough "a self-proclaimed community watchdog" and a "keyboard coward that is dividing this town."

Threatening legal action, DeSimone accused McCullough of attempting to "slander my name."

"The people and businesses who donate to the fundraiser not only do it to have a good time (Golf Outing and Dinner), but they believe in me and the direction the village is headed," DeSimone said in the Facebook post. "Your attempts to link it to wrongdoing is a joke and honestly makes you sound desperate or maybe even jealous."

DeSimone, who retired as a Schiller Park detective last year, said his critic labeled him "corrupt." Patch asked DeSimone to show where that allegation was made, but he did not respond to that part of the inquiry.

In his Facebook post, DeSimone said, "I am not going to allow it and will seek legal action if necessary (stay tuned)."

In the email to Patch, DeSimone said he had no problem with people who post public records.

"It is unfortunate when some go beyond this and make innuendos or accusations that wrongdoing is taking place," the village president said. "When this occurs, I have no hesitation to set the record straight and hold those that make unfounded claims legally responsible."

At the end of the last quarter, DeSimone reported $120,760 in his campaign accounts. That's far higher than leaders in other towns. At quarter's end, Elmhurst Mayor Scott Levin's campaign had $32,374. He is facing an opponent.

Late last year, the Bensenville Village Board set in motion a far higher salary for the village president to $157,000, up from $38,000 now, plus health insurance for the first time. The raise is conditioned on the voters doing away with the managerial form of government in the April 1 election.

Not long before the Village Board's referendum decision, it voted to fire Manager Evan Summers after eight years. No explanation was given.

The decision on the potential salary hike for the village president occurred after the candidate filing period ended.