The appearance of impropriety....at the very least

City Hall insiders gave campaign money to mayoral aide’s mother, a member of Congress from Texas
Sheila Jackson Lee, a congresswoman from Texas, visited Chicago to raise money for her failed effort to become Houston’s mayor. Her son Jason Lee is a top adviser to Mayor Brandon Johnson.
By Tim Novak and Robert Herguth




Senior adviser Jason Lee (right) with Mayor Brandon Johnson at McCormick Place in July.

U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, came to Chicago last summer and raised more than $80,000 for what turned out to be a losing campaign for mayor of Houston.

Some of the money she collected in Chicago came from people with contracts or connections with City Hall, where her son Jason Lee is a senior adviser to Mayor Brandon Johnson.

One contributor is an executive at a health care network that has contracts with City Hall.

Another is a high-powered lobbyist who does work for the White Sox and the Bears. Both teams are looking for help from City Hall for new stadiums.

Another is an insurance executive who just got an appointment from Johnson to help run an economic development organization for Chicago.



President Joe Biden poses for a selfie with U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, after delivering the State of the Union address last February.

Jason Lee said he attended his mother’s fundraiser at Alhambra Palace Restaurant in the West Loop in late August but had nothing to do with organizing the event or soliciting people to give. Johnson and his political mentor, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, also were there.

“She’s my mom,” Lee said. “She asked me to be there. She wanted to see me.

“I don’t know who gave. I didn’t recruit anybody to any events. The idea that my mom would have to use me is just absurd. This kind of insinuation or suggestion is kind of a travesty of where politics is today.”

Lee said his mother, like many African American politicians, raises money in other cities, often from African American business owners who have government contracts.

A 28-year member of Congress, Lee lost the race for mayor of Houston to John Whitmire on Dec. 9. Two days later, she announced she would run for reelection to Congress.

While running for mayor, Lee had two fundraisers in Chicago in late August, the one at Alhambra, and a luncheon in the offices of former U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos. It’s unclear how much money she raised at those events. Lee’s campaign reports show she collected $82,636 around that time from people living in Illinois.

Among the money she got from Chicago:
$10,000 from Elzie Higginbottom, the owner of East Lake Management Group Inc., and his wife Deborah. Higginbottom’s company has property management contracts with the Chicago Housing Authority, whose board members are appointed by the mayor.

Higginbottom said he didn’t attend any fundraisers for Lee and that nobody solicited him to contribute to her mayoral campaign fund.

“She’s done a great job as congresswoman,” Higginbottom said. “I always give money to good candidates. She has done a good job representing the community from where I come.”

$10,000 from Brad O’Halloran, a former Metra board member and ex-village trustee in Orland Park who’s been involved with concession companies that have had deals at Chicago’s two airports. He didn’t return calls and emails.

$5,000 from Dr. Tariq Butt, a vice president of Access Community Health Care, which has had health-related contracts with the city of Chicago for two decades. He couldn’t be reached for comment. An Access spokeswoman said Butt’s contribution had nothing to do with the company.

$5,000 from Lisa Duarte, a former aide to Gov. J.B. Pritzker and now a top lobbyist at City Hall representing gambling companies and sports teams, including the Bears and the White Sox, both now seeking new stadiums. She declined to comment.

$1,000 from Robert “A.J.” Patton, founder and CEO of 548 Enterprise. The Johnson administration announced in November that Patton’s company was chosen to help build 28 affordable homes and retail space in the 1300 block of West 79th Street. He didn’t respond to emails.

$500 from Charles Smith, founder and CEO of CS Insurance Strategies. Johnson appointed him Monday as vice president of World Business Chicago, replacing Melody Hobson at the agency, which works to retain and recruit companies for Chicago. Smith didn’t return calls.

IF MAYOR JOHNSON IS A TRUE REFORMER, THE FIRST THING HE WOULD DO IS PUT AN END TO THIS PRACTICE, WITH ONE PHONE CALL.