Brandon Johnson Takes, Returns Campaign Cash from Businesses Sharing in $300M CPS Contracts

Four janitorial companies and executives contributed to Johnson’s campaign before CPS bidding process

A Chicago Sun-Times investigation last year showed Johnson violating an executive order by accepting contributions from companies doing business with his administration. He ended up issuing dozens of refunds.

The contributions were subsequently returned by Friends of Brandon Johnson the day before the bid process began and a day after the Chicago Sun-Times asked about the parent company of one of the four businesses — Chicago-based United Service Cos. — giving $2,500.

Johnson’s campaign aides won’t respond to questions about why the money was returned and, if it was because of the contracting process, how they knew which companies were interested in bidding before the process started.

Twin Cleaning Professionals, Vargas Group, Total Facility, and United Service contribute and then return funds

Records from CPS and the Illinois State Board of Elections show:

• Johnson’s campaign got a $1,000 contribution August 7, 2023, from Marc Brooks, who is affiliated with two maintenance companies that were part of Aramark’s proposal, including Hyde Park Hospitality. Friends of Brandon Johnson hasn’t returned the money.
• Twin Cleaning Professionals Inc. gave $1,500 to Johnson’s campaign August 21, 2023, and the campaign returned it November 9 — a day after the Sun-Times asked about city contractors giving money to Johnson and about United Service’s contribution because of controversies involving its top executive Richard Simon. Based in Oakbrook Terrace, Twin Cleaning is a subcontractor for two of the newly hired contractors, Wood Dale-based Total Facility Maintenance Inc., and United Maintenance Co. Inc., an affiliate of United Service.
• Vargas Group Inc. gave $1,500 to Johnson’s campaign August 21, 2023, and the money was returned November 9. The Chicago business is also a subcontractor for Total Facility and United Maintenance, along with another one of the seven new prime contractors, GDI Services Inc., which has offices in Alsip.
• Total Facility Maintenance’s president Jimmie Daniels gave $1,500 to Johnson’s campaign on August 21, 2023, and the money was returned November 9.
• United Service Cos. contributed $2,500 on August 21, 2023, and the money was returned November 9.

Johnson campaign spokesman defends decision to keep one contribution

Ethics rules allow the mayor to accept campaign money from companies and people doing business with CPS even though the mayor oversees the school system.

Johnson’s largest campaign giver — the Service Employees International Union — represents CPS janitors and was pushing for the school system to dump Aramark, saying the Philadelphia company was doing a bad job at keeping schools clean and wasn’t being responsive to complaints over the decade or so the firm was overseeing custodians.

Concluding remarks

In a move that has sparked controversy, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson accepted campaign contributions from four janitorial companies and executives that were set to bid on a lucrative CPS contract worth $330 million. The contributions were later returned, but not before the campaign had benefited from the donations.

Johnson’s campaign aides have refused to comment on the matter, leading some to question whether the mayor’s office has properly policed its own financial ties to businesses doing work with CPS.

FAQs

Q: What did the four companies and executives contribute to Mayor Brandon Johnson’s campaign?

A: The four companies and executives contributed a total of $9,500 to Johnson’s campaign between August and November 2023.

Q: Why did the campaign return the contributions?

A: The campaign returned the contributions on November 9, a day after the Sun-Times asked about the city contractors giving money to Johnson and about United Service’s contribution.

Q: How does this controversy impact Johnson’s administration?

A: The controversy has raised questions about the mayor’s office’s ability to effectively regulate its own financial ties to businesses doing work with CPS.

Q: Will this impact the contracting process with CPS?

A: It is unclear whether this controversy will impact the contracting process with CPS. However, the mayor’s office has announced plans to explore ways to improve school cleanliness and facilities management in the coming months.