Will County obscenity case against GOP operative dismissed

An obscenity case against a Republican consultant was dismissed in Will County court and his attorney contends Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s Office intended to “silence political speech” with the case.

The misdemeanor case against Timothy Pawula, 32, of Chicago, was dismissed on Thursday following a motion from his attorney, Doug DeBoer, which claimed Raoul’s office had no authority to prosecute his client.

In a statement, DeBoer said “this matter showcases” what he called “political corruption at the highest level of Illinois state government.”

“How ironic is it that the Attorney General would send a member of his public integrity bureau to commit a fraud upon this court. This is yet another example of a criminal prosecution intended to silence political speech,” DeBoer’s statement said.

DeBoer said no sanction imposed by a judge can restore Pawula’s “good name and his reputation.”

“The attorney general should be ashamed of himself,” DeBoer said.

In response, Annie Thompson, Raoul’s senior press secretary, said their office is prosecuting Pawula in Cook County in a case “involving similar charges.”

“That case is still ongoing, and we do not comment on pending litigation,” Thompson said.

No formal criminal complaint had been filed against Pawula in Will County.

Instead, there was a pretrial release notice and a “bill of particulars” document that lists the misdemeanor offenses of harassment through electronic communication, obscenity and transmission of obscene messages.

In a motion to dismiss, DeBoer argued that a prosecution does not commence with a pretrial release notice or the bill of particulars.

“Only the filing of a complaint, information or indictment commences a prosecution,” DeBoer said.

Pawula was accused of sending “obscene, lewd or immoral” messages to state Sen. Michael Hastings, D-Frankfort.

Hastings was the opponent of state Rep. Patrick Sheehan, R-Homer Glen, during the 2022 election for Illinois Senate District 19. Hastings defeated Sheehan during that election.

Pawula, who is employed as a political consultant, promoted Sheehan’s candidacy during that election cycle, according to DeBoer’s motion.

“Although it is unclear, the [attorney general] appears to allege that [Pawula] violated state criminal law by sending some constitutionally protected political memes to [Hastings],” according to DeBoer’s motion to dismiss the case.

Hastings has said that he’s been a victim of electronic harassment in which Pawula and potentially other affiliates sent sexually explicit images.