Former Portage Mayor James Snyder’s campaign fund remains open pending resolution of federal charges – Chicago Tribune

Years after he last ran for office and ultimately had to resign because of federal convictions on charges of public corruption and defrauding the IRS, former Portage Mayor James Snyder still has his mayoral campaign fund open.

The most recent form, filed Jan. 3 ahead of a Jan. 18 deadline for annual campaign finance reports for any open campaign committees, reflects a $6,000 loan from John Cortina, as do a handful from previous years.

Snyder was initially charged with two federal corruption charges, one involving contracts for garbage trucks and another for reportedly accepting a $12,000 bribe from Cortina for a towing contract. A jury found Snyder not guilty on the bribery charge involving Cortina; Cortina pleaded guilty in the case.

Snyder is asking for a new trial on the convictions for the charges involving the garbage truck purchases and the IRS, with the hope that he will be exonerated. Meanwhile, the fund remains open, said his campaign treasurer, Kenard Taylor, because if Snyder’s public corruption doesn’t stand, he can, under state statute, seek reimbursement for legal funds from the city of Portage.

“You cannot close a campaign account owing money to anybody or having any money in the bank,” said Taylor, who has served as a campaign treasurer for elected officials from both parties, including former Porter County Sheriff David Reynolds and former Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson, both Democrats. He also reviews campaign finance reports for Porter County’s…