Dupage County Elections $30,000 To GOP Consultant

Frank Salvato, a Republican media consultant, acknowledged in a brief interview with Black Box Voting today that he received nearly $30,000 from the DuPage County (IL) Elections division in 2004. Initially, when asked what DuPage County was paying for, Salvato said it was for "media consulting."

Salvato's bio from his Web site, TheRant.us, describes him as a political media strategist. "He supports and is affiliated with the Republican Presidential Task Force, the RNC's Presidential Victory Team, RightMarch.com, Republican National Committee, the National Republican Senatorial Committee and is a GOP Team Leader," his site says.

"What, specifically, is your affiliation with the Republican National Committee and the Republican Presidential Task Force," asked Bev Harris, founder of Black Box Voting.

Salvato said the work done for DuPage County had nothing to do with his activities with the Republican Party.

"What did they pay you to do?"

Salvato said the DuPage assignment was a voter registration effort, equally targeted across all demographics and with resulting increase in voter registrations in all demographic groups.

"What is meant by the word 'affiliated' with these groups?"

Salvato said he was not formally affiliated, except in the sense that they "bleed him for money."

DuPage County elections chief Robert Saar did not return calls from Black Box Voting requesting further clarification of Salvato's role.

Aside from whatever Salvato did to receive approximately $30,000 from DuPage County elections, Salvato appears to have dual roles in promoting Republican politics and a conservative agenda.

He is Executive Director of the Basics Project; his wife Nancy is president of this group, which appears to be both a conservative think tank and political "education" group. Listed as nonpartisan and nonprofit, the Basics Project advocates a solidly conservative philosophy.

Salvato is Managing Editor for The New Media Journal.us and a contributing writer for GOPUSA, American Daily, and The North Carolina Conservative. His pieces are featured in The Conservative Battleline, American Enterprise, The Washington Times, US Politics Today. His Web site refers to him as a "GOP team leader."

Black Box Voting is seeking public records from DuPage County to determine whether federal HAVA funds were used to pay Salvato, to substantiate work done for the payments, and to determine whether it was, in fact, nonpartisan.

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