Prairie State Wire

Illinois congressional candidate Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) would like to know when her 2020 opponent in the 6th District, incumbent U.S. Rep. Sean Casten (D-Downers Grove), will finally stand up and take some accountability.

“It was reported today that U.S. Rep. Casten claimed his luxury [Washington, D.C.] condo at 555 Massachusetts as his primary residence in order to take a homestead deduction,” Ives said in a press release. “The problem is he is claiming primary residence in D.C. while running for congress in Illinois.”

According to Ives, Casten purchased his $515,000 Washington condo just over a year ago, even though he knew he would be defending his seat in November 2020 in a traditionally Republican district.    

U.S. Rep. Sean Casten (D-Downers Grove)

“In presidential years, it has historically delivered a Republican congressman,” Ives said. “It seems a rather presumptuous move for a freshman Democrat to make such a significant and permanent purchase in D.C. He bought a condo and took a homeowner exemption. Hopefully, the housing market is better in D.C. than in Illinois when he goes to sell after Illinois 6 rejects his big-government ideas.”

As for Casten’s loose interpretation of the residency requirements, Ives intimated that just seems to be the Democratic way – especially here in Illinois.

“An Illinois Democrat making a ‘clerical error’ on his property taxes comes as no surprise,” Ives posted online. “The state is governed by a man who pulled the toilets out of his second mansion – next door to his larger mansion – to get a property tax deduction. The rules apply to you, your family and your business, not to ‘men of the people’ like [Gov.] J.B. Pritzker, Sean Casten or any other member of Illinois’ privileged ruling class.”

Ives says that Casten is the last thing Illinois needs at such a critical time in the state's history.

“Just what Illinois needs, another career politician who has trouble with the rules he wants to write for everyone else,” she said.  “Careless or intentional, Sean Casten clearly intends to stay in D.C. a while. Let’s make sure he doesn’t.”