Will County Gazette

Although Alyssia Benford’s home is laden with security cameras, her family is worried because as a Republican candidate for DuPage Township Supervisor, she says she has recently been the focus of racist propaganda and threats. 

“My kids are concerned because my car has been tampered with,” Benford told the Will County Gazette. “I have had enough going on but I can’t live in fear.”

Most recently, a campaign mailer with photos of the Confederate flag and a noose was allegedly distributed throughout DuPage Township blaming Benford for the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol insurrection.

One of the mailers Alyssia Benford reported to law enforcement. | Provided

“I didn't attend the rally on Jan. 6," said Benford, who is African American. "The mailer is suggesting to lynch me and shut me up. It indicates to me that my opponent will do anything to get me out of office because I will not stop at anything to fight the corruption that's been going on in this township.”

Benford is campaigning against Gary Marschke, currently the vice-chair of the DuPage Township Democrats.

“What has happened is someone has hired a Florida woman to manage a Facebook page, which is posting false allegations about me in an attempt to smear my name on social media as part of this campaign," Benford said in an interview. "There has been no case filed against me but there was a federal court case filed against my opponent."

Marschke, a former Office of Illinois State Treasurer employee, was accused of sexual harassment and other misconduct in Zielonka v. Topinka, a federal lawsuit.

"In February 1996 Zielonka (still Deputy Inspector General) reported to Topinka on allegations of sexual harassment and other misconduct by Treasurer employee Gary Marschke ("Marschke"). At that time Topinka had already initiated an investigation into Marschke's behavior, so she did not believe Zielonka needed to get involved. Marschke was disciplined on February 26 and ultimately resigned," Eastern District Senior Judge Milton Shadur wrote in the Dec. 28, 1998 opinion.

Benford, who has served as a DuPage Township trustee for three years, reported the racially-offensive mailer to the local police and plans to report it to the FBI.

“It's my understanding that it is considered a hate crime and intimidation under the Civil Rights Act when you threaten a black person with a symbol, such as the Confederate flag, a noose, or the KKK,” she said. 

Benford also alleges that a Political Action Committee (PAC) called Citizens Against Benford was reportedly set up illegally to influence the election.

“Citizens Against Benford is listed on the mailer but the PAC is not properly formed with the State Board of Elections,” Benford said. “The only way you would know who has contributed is on the State Board of Elections website but you can't see who's contributing because the PAC is not legally formed.”

Benford added that the PAC has distributed at least three mailers.

“If you have sent out three mailers, you’ve spent more than $5,000 but by the time I file a complaint and go through the proper channels, the election will be over,” she said.

When asked for comment about the allegations, the DuPage Township Democrats replied by email: "Nothing to say. We didn't do anything Alyssia accuses us of. She needs to look at her own party and the enemies she has made." 

DuPage Township Democrats Chair Jackie Traynere said, "Trustee Benford used the Will County Health Department for political purposes yesterday. She arranged for vaccines for seniors to campaign for votes. Shameful."