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Developer tried to help Delavan mayor

ELKHORN — The Illinois developer who took out political advertisements in support of the incumbent Delavan mayor in two Walworth County newspapers but failed to identify himself as the sponsor in violation of state campaign finance laws was trying to help a pro-business candidate, police reports show.

Herbert P. Golding, 61, of Lincoln Shire, Ill., was cited Nov. 3 for failure to identify the sponsor of a political communication. He appeared in Walworth County Court on Nov. 17, pleaded no contest and now faces a $500 fine. According to court records, Golding has not yet paid the fine.

Golding’s attorney, Robert Leibsle, declined comment.

According to police reports obtained from the Walworth County Sheriff’s Department on Wednesday, an ad appeared in The Week on March 30. It read: “Mayor Mel Nieuwenhuis has done an excellent job supporting our community. We encourage you to give him the opportunity to continue his good work!” The disclaimer at the bottom of the ad listed a group called “Friends of Mayor Mel” as the sponsor.

Bliss Communications, the parent company of The Janesville Gazette, owned The Week at the time the ad appeared in the paper. The Week ceased publication in August.

Nieuwenhuis and the Delavan City Council directed City Attorney Steven Koch to contact the Walworth County District Attorney’s Office to investigate the group for possible violations of state campaign finance laws, according to police reports.

City Clerk Sue Kitzman and Walworth County Clerk Kim Bushey told police a group by the name of “Friends of Mayor Mel” had not registered as a political campaign, according to police reports.

Police subpoenaed documents from The Week that showed Maria Loomer placed the ad and Golding paid for the ad, according to police reports.

Loomer told police she placed the ad on behalf of Golding. She told police she wanted to place the ad as paid for by Golding, but the staff at The Week told her she was not allowed to do that, according to police reports. She said the staff at The Week suggested naming “Friends of Mayor Mel” as the sponsor, according to police reports.

Loomer told police in addition to the ad she placed in The Week for $420, she also placed ads in the Walworth County Shopper Advertiser and the Walworth County Sunday for $22 and $120.60, respectively, according to police reports.

Bliss Communications also owns Community Shoppers Inc., which publishes the two Walworth County papers, but it did not acquire the company until June.

Golding, who owns First Real Estate Partners, the developer of a 28-lot housing development at Highway 11 and Lawson School Road in Delavan, told police he wanted to support a candidate with a business base, according to police reports.

Golding told police Nieuwenhuis never approached him to support his campaign, but rather he called Nieuwenhuis and asked if he could help, according to police reports.

Golding said placing the ads was “a private action by a private individual and that individual is me.”

Nieuwenhuis told police he declined Golding’s offer of a monetary campaign contribution. He also said he didn’t know Golding was going to take out the ads in support of his candidacy, according to police reports.

“I think he had good intentions but didn’t realize there are election laws (that must be followed),” Nieuwenhuis said.