Click here to subscribe FREE to Ray Hanania's Columns
Chicago mayoral candidate Wilson challenges Giannoulias time spent away from Secretary of State duties
Businessman Willie Wilson, who is running for Chicago Mayor, asked the Inspector General in the Secretary of State’s office to investigate Giannoulias’ candidacy and the time he spends away from the Secretary of State’s office, and is demanding that Giannoulias resign as Secretary of State if he continues to run for Chicago Mayor.
By Ray Hanania
Businessman and Chicago Mayoral candidate Willie Wilson has urged the Ana Collazo, Executive Inspector General for the Illinois Secretary of State, to investigate if Alexi Giannoulis, who is simultaneously running for both Illinois Secretary of State and Chicago Mayor, is performing his duties as Secretary of State.
Giannoulias, who is a candidate for re-election for Illinois Secretary of State, announced August 2 he is a candidate for Chicago Mayor and has run generic campaign TV Ads promoting himself without identifying the office he is seeking.
Wilson has argued in his letter to Collazo, dated August 14, 2026, that Giannoulias has a responsibility to spend his time running the Secretary of State’s office, a full-time job that pays more than $206,000 a year, up from 2024, suggesting he is instead spending his working hours running for Chicago Mayor.
“The Illinois Election Code (10 ILCS 5/9-8-10) prohibits the use of public funds, property or resources by any unit of government for political or campaign purposes. Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias has announced his candidacy to run for mayor of Chicago— while also, running for reelection to his current office,” Wilson writes in his letter to Collazo.
“I am concerned that my tax dollars are being used to subsidize his mayoral campaign, which would be a direct violation of the law. The Secretary of State is required by law to put in a full day of work with respect to his current office.”
Wilson called for Colazzo, who works in Giannoulias’ office, to investigate her employer.
“Therefore, I am requesting that you investigate whether the Secretary of State is using government vehicles, staff, and resources to supplement his mayoral campaign. urge you to examine political disclosure reports and his public schedule. Is the Secretary of State using public and campaign staff at the same time?” Wilson argued.
“The rigors of running a campaign for mayor of Chicago while holding a current political office make it nearly impossible to not use public funds. Public officials should avoid the appearance of impropriety to protect public trust and maintain institutional credibility. I am certain that thousands of taxpayers throughout Illinois would appreciate knowing if their tax dollars are being used to boost Mr. Giannoulias’ campaign for mayor of Chicago.”
Wilson explained in posting a copy of the letter on his Facebook Page, “I am urging Inspector Generals to investigate those politicians running for multiple offices. It is illegal to use taxpayer resources to subsidize a run for mayor of Chicago. They should resign their current office.”
A successful Chicago businessman and philanthropist, Wilson, 78, has officially launched his fourth bid for Mayor of Chicago, entering an increasingly crowded field ahead of the February 2027 election.
Wilson previously ran in 2015, 2019, and 2023.
Born in 1948, Wilson is an American businessman, philanthropist, and perennial political candidate from Chicago. Born into poverty as the son of a sharecropper in Gilbert, Louisiana, he moved to Chicago as a teenager. He built a successful business career as one of the first Black owners of McDonald’s franchises and later founded Omar Medical Supplies and the Emmy-winning gospel show Singsation!
Wilson is known for his generosity and sharing of his wealth.
Click here to view Wilson’s Chicago Mayoral Campaign website.
RELATED:
Read Ray Hanania’s political column at CourageousThought.com on Alexi Giannoulias and his “Cabal of Clout” mayoral announcement by CLICKING HERE.
Click here to subscribe FREE to Ray Hanania's Columns
His award winning columns can be found at www.HANANIA.COM Subscribe FREE today
Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.
Email Ray Hanania at [email protected].
Follow RayHanania at Twitter
- Chicago mayoral candidate Wilson challenges Giannoulias time spent away from Secretary of State duties - August 15, 2026
- Leving Team Saved Falsely Accused Dad from Jail - August 14, 2026
- Chicago Public School budget challenges analyzed in Political-Review podcast hosted by Hanania and Calabrese - August 14, 2026
