'Lawfare' Text Harassment Case Against Ex-Aide Dropped: Attorney

WILL COUNTY — The Illinois Attorney General's Office this week opted to drop the case against a former political aide facing harassment charges linked to texts sent to a state legislator.

The charges against Timothy Pawula, 32—including harassment through electronic communication and transmission of obscene messages and obscenity—followed a purported text message scandal involving Pawula and Sen. Mike Hastings (D-Frankfort). Pawula was accused of sending messages containing fabricated, sexually explicit images depicting Hastings, Gov. JB Pritzker and Rep. Bob Rita (D-Blue Island).

Douglas DeBoer, attorney for Pawula, argued last month that Attorney General Kwame Raoul's Office could not legally prosecute his client. The office is only permitted to assist Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow’s Office with any prospective case, according to the motion filed Feb. 19 in Will County.

On Thursday, April 3, Assistant Attorney General Jonas Harger asked that the case be dismissed. Will County Associate Judge Shenonda Tisdale approved, also ordering Illinois State Police to return Pawula's phone to him within 21 days, according to court documents.

Pawula previously worked as chief of staff for former Rep. Tim Ozinga before the lawmaker's abrupt and unexplained resignation in April 2024. Ozinga was then replaced by Lockport alderman Patrick Sheehan, who ran against Hastings for the Senate's 19th District seat in 2022. Ozinga campaigned for Sheehan in that cycle, the court filing reads. Hastings won the Nov. 8, 2022 contest.

The messages were alleged to have been sent Nov. 8, 2022, and again Nov. 11, 2022. An investigation into the messages was sparked by a police report filed by Hastings in fall 2023. The messages were reportedly sent from a "spoofed" number. The investigation by Illinois State Police—which state police said was limited to Hastings' complaint—led to the charges from Raoul’s office.

Last month, DeBoer also argued that the case should be dismissed because Pawula was never properly charged following his arrest on May 2, 2024.

"This matter showcases political corruption at the highest level of Illinois state government," DeBoer said in a release. "How ironic is it that the Attorney General would send a member of his Public Integrity Bureau to commit a fraud upon the court.

"This is yet another example of lawfare intended to silence political speech. No sanctions imposed by the court will restore Mr. Pawula’s good name and his reputation. The Attorney General should be ashamed of himself."

Separately, Pawula is also currently being sued by State Sen. Michael Hastings, who alleges Pawula and several others deployed a "smear campaign" against him in the November 2022 election.