City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin announced endorsements from two Chicago aldermen, the first to support her 7th District congressional run.
Along with the Illinois Nurses Association and Chicago Firefighters Local 2, Aldermen Jeanette Taylor of Chicago’s 20th Ward and Chris Taliaferro of the 29th Ward have both pledged their endorsements for Conyears-Ervin, who will be on the Democratic ballot for the March 19 primary election.
“It’s time for change in the 7th Congressional District,” they said in a Feb. 2 news release. “Melissa Conyears-Ervin is a working mom who will get a Congress that isn’t working for our community back on track. She has the energy and vision to bring a new focus and commitment to lowering costs, building up our neighborhoods, and investing in our children’s education. We’re proud to endorse her.”
Conyears-Ervin, who was elected as the city’s treasurer in 2019, has lived in the 7th District her whole life.
“As a working mother who knows how hard it is to raise a family today, we need to help families deal with rising costs, protect abortion rights, and help make our neighborhoods safer and stronger,” Conyears-Ervin said in the statement announcing her endorsements. “Our campaign is picking up momentum at a crucial time because the voters of Illinois know that what’s going on in Washington right now isn’t working.”
These endorsements come amid allegations of unethical conduct against Conyears-Ervin. Last year, the city released a 2020 letter from two of Conyears-Ervin’s former staff members. Tiffany Harper, who was Conyears-Ervin’s former chief of staff, and Ashley Evans, a city treasurer employee, said they were fired after questioning what they call Conyears-Ervin’s abuse of power.
Among other complaints, the letter included alleged examples of Conyears-Ervin hiring a former Chicago police officer as an assistant, though he lacked financial training required for the job. It also stated that Conyears-Ervin pressured BMO Harris Bank to give a loan on the building that houses the 28th Ward office, where her husband, Alderman Jason Ervin, worked at the time. Ex-Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration paid $100,000 to Harper and Evans.
In September, Conyears-Ervin denied the allegations, but said she did approach the bank, not knowing it was wrong.
“I have never, nor will I ever abuse or misuse taxpayer dollars and breach the public trust,” Conyears-Ervin said in a statement,
When asked about the allegations, Tom Bowen, managing partner at New Chicago Consulting, said, “the Treasurer has answered it in the media and is prioritizing what voters in the District have said to her repeatedly: Washington isn’t working, and they need somebody in this seat to get it back on track and focus on things that are important to them, like lowering the high costs that are affecting people every day and investing in communities that need it.”
Conyears-Ervin’s campaign has raised more than other candidates – more than $100,000 more than incumbent Congressman Danny Davis, according to data published by the Federal Election Commission.
