State Rep. Ammons responds after federal indictment

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - A federal grand jury indicted Illinois State Rep. Carol Ammons (D-Urbana) and Champaign County Clerk Aaron Ammons on Tuesday on fraud and obstruction-related charges.

House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch announced he had temporarily removed Ammons from the Illinois House Democratic Caucus effective Wednesday.

The indictment alleges Carol Ammons carried out a scheme from about 2017 to June 15, 2025, to defraud the State of Illinois, taxpayers and campaign donors.

Prosecutors claim Ammons converted campaign donations for personal use and helped local organizations obtain state grants that financially benefited her and her daughter.

"People are going to do what people are going to do, but if there's enough holes they're going to continue to do things like this," said House GOP Leader Tony McCombie (R-Savanna). "I can tell you as the leader of the House Republicans, if this [were] my caucus, this would be handled immediately."

The indictment comes about a month after Titianna Ammons, the daughter of Carol and Aaron Ammons, was also indicted by a federal grand jury on three counts of wire fraud.

Carol Ammons is now charged with multiple counts of wire fraud and one count of making a false statement to the FBI.

Prosecutors argue that money from the Friends of Carol Ammons campaign account was paid to Ammons and family members for expenses that were not legitimate campaign services. They also claim D-2 forms filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections misstated or omitted certain campaign expenditures, including payments allegedly routed back to Ammons in cash.

The indictment alleges Ammons and her daughter received more than $100,000 in financial benefits.

Hood Vote, Bridgewater Sullivan Community Life Center and the Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center were all organizations named in the indictment. Prosecutors believe Ammons helped facilitate grants to these organizations.

Prosecutors also allege Carol falsely told an FBI agent she did not know a conflict of interest involving Hood Vote paying her daughter from a state grant.

Rep. Ammons responded to the indictment with a statement Friday morning denying the allegations:

"On July 8, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against me. I recognize that this news is deeply concerning to the people I have the privilege of serving, my supporters, my colleagues, and my community. Public service is built on trust, and I do not take that responsibility lightly.
I want to be clear: I have done nothing wrong, and I strongly disagree with the allegations outlined in this indictment. I have complete confidence that the facts will demonstrate my innocence, and I intend to vigorously defend myself through the judicial process.
Because this matter is now before the courts, I will not litigate the facts through the media. I have great respect for our judicial system, and I am confident the legal process will provide the appropriate forum for the truth to be established.
Serving this community has been one of the greatest honors of my life. Every decision I have made in public office has been guided by my commitment to improving the lives of the people I represent, and that commitment remains unchanged today.
To everyone who has reached out with prayers, encouragement, and words of support, thank you. Your kindness has meant more than you know during this incredibly difficult time for me and my family.
I remain committed to serving the people of this district with integrity and transparency while this process moves forward. I ask for patience as the legal process unfolds, and I remain confident that the facts will ultimately speak for themselves."

Speaker Welch said Ammons will not be allowed on any House committees while the case is pending, and she will no longer have access to staff or resources from the Speaker's office. Welch has also asked staff to review the budget to determine whether any funds need to be paused or reconsidered.

"She's presumed innocent until proven guilty," Welch said. "She has every right to due process, but these are some very serious allegations. Let's not be mistaken by that. These are some very serious allegations. I have to take them seriously."

However, McCombie stressed that Welch should call on Ammons to resign. She also believes lawmakers should block Ammons from using campaign funds to pay for legal defense.

"In this case, the representative has $67,300 in her account," McCombie said. "She shouldn't be able to use those dollars to defend herself with a criminal charge."

Champaign County Clerk Aaron Ammons is facing obstruction-related charges, including conspiracy to obstruct justice and a separate obstruction count. The indictment claims he told a potential witness to “muddy the waters” with the FBI and discussed using code words about the investigation.

Gov. JB Pritzker's office sent the following statement to WAND News:

"Governor Pritzker believes all elected officials need to be held to the highest standards of integrity and ethics. While everyone is entitled to due process in a court of law, the information outlined in the indictment is extremely concerning and needs to be taken very seriously to ensure elected officials are accountable to the people they represent. As the indictment notes, the State of Illinois had identified and took steps to stop an impermissible conflict of interest with a state grant. The Governor's Office will review all the other grants listed in the indictment to ensure we are taking all steps possible to protect taxpayer dollars."

The Champaign County Democratic Party also responded to the indictment:

"The recent indictments against local elected officials are significant and concerning. The Champaign County Democratic Party takes these allegations seriously and believe that the oaths of office taken by elected officials carry a duty to serve with integrity. Elected officials have an obligation to uphold the highest ethical standards, act with transparency, and remain accountable to their constituents. We respect the judicial process and will continue to monitor the proceedings as additional facts and information become available."

Clerk Aaron Ammons has not responded to requests for comment after the indictment.

This is a developing story and will be updated as we learn more.