Marie Newman accused of bribing potential primary opponent not to run

[George II]

Rep. Marie Newman persuaded a potential primary opponent not to run against her by offering him a six-figure job in her congressional office upon her victory, a contract the Illinois Democrat violated, a lawsuit filed by Iymen Chehade alleges.

“In an effort to induce Chehade not to run against her in the primary, Newman offered Chehade employment as Foreign Policy Advisor and Legislative or District Director,” the lawsuit states.

Chehade alleges that he and Newman entered into an employment contract in December of 2018 that said if Newman won her congressional race in Illinois’ 3rd District, Chehade would be hired in her office and paid a salary “of no less than between $135,000 and $140,000 per year.”

Newman won the primary in March 2020 but later told Chehade she did not plan to fulfill the contract, according to the lawsuit. The agreement would have also given Chehade a minimum of three weeks vacation and Newman would have had to try to provide Chehade a private office if possible.

https://www.rollcall.com/2021/05/26/marie-newman-accused-of-bribing-potential-primary-opponent-not-to-run/

[Freethinker65]

1. Wait and see?

I canvassed an afternoon for Marie Newman. She would have beaten Lipinski the race before this one if Republicans had chosen to vote in their own primary instead of voting for their darling Lipinski.

I can imagine there might have been talk not to split the vote letting Dan win the primary again, but offering $$$ and a position? Marie worked her ass off for over two years in the district to have the chance to beat Lipinski again. Cannot imagine her risking it by doing something like this.

I have read she is being heavily targeted by the GOP. Perhaps they are the ones that offered him money to file a lawsuit against her to damage her?

[Budi]

2. So she offered her Dem opponant a lucrative position to NOT run against her, THEN whe she won,

...she said she didn't offer the position even tho her signature was on the agreement?

I can see why such actions triggered an investigation.
Dismissing such a signed agreement once she was elected was an act of betrayal & now risking all she gained.
It sucks for all those who worked damned hard to help her win the election.
Maybe she should have just made good on the agreement.
I'd be kinda pissed & def feeling a lot betrayed, also.
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From Roll Call:
"If a member is suspected to have engaged in bribery or interfered in a federal election, that could trigger an ethics investigation into possible House Rules violations and potentially open them up to criminal liability."