http://www.pjstar.com/news/x600431771/Ardis-letter-to-judge-raises-questions
Mayor Jim Ardis, in his official capacity, asked a Peoria County judge to be lenient on a man facing felony drug-related charges.

In a letter dated Oct. 10 on paper with the city of Peoria letterhead, the city logo and "Office of the Mayor" across the top, Ardis urges Judge Glenn Collier to allow Jeffrey W. Campbell "to avoid a prison sentence and continue to counsel and mentor other struggling abusers" and that "incarceration would be devastating . . ."

Ardis said Tuesday it never was nor is it now his intention to attempt to use undue or improper influence. He said he respects the courts and the process.

Ardis never implied the City Council or City of Peoria supports Campbell, he said. It's a letter signed by him, Jim Ardis, as mayor, as an individual.

"I think that the effort to almost micro-analyze the ability of this person to use that letterhead for things like this . . . the appearance of impropriety has almost taken on a life of its own," Ardis said. "There definitely wasn't, as far as I know, anything illegal about it. There wasn't anything to my knowledge unethical about it."

Campbell was indicted in April on two felony counts: unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, more than 15 grams of cocaine, a Class X felony punishable by up to 30 years behind bars that is not eligible for probation and unlawful possession of marijuana more than 30 but less than 500 grams, a Class 4 felony. He has not been tried yet.

When asked by the Journal Star on Tuesday, State's Attorney Kevin Lyons said providing a character reference isn't wrong, but it shouldn't be written on city stationery.

"I do not think a mayor should be sending support letters on city letterhead on behalf of indicted drug dealers. This implies city support and approval when surely it is not," Lyons said.

"If it's so innocent and harmless, then let the council vote on whether to send out such things. Paint it, perfume it, present it however you like. Letters on behalf of your friends that are written and signed by a mayor on city letterhead are written for one purpose only and that is to get notice and benefit that might not otherwise occur from a blank sheet alone."

This is not the first time Lyons is questioning Ardis' use of power.

Last month, Lyons said Ardis may have committed a crime by using official city stationery to request campaign donations on behalf of John Vespa, a candidate for 10th Judicial Circuit judge, dated Oct. 8 - two days before the letter to Collier was written. Lyons said he has not yet decided whether to pursue charges in that case.

"Clearly it's not as isolated as I thought," Lyons said Tuesday, commenting on the second Ardis letter.

Lyons' public admonishment of Ardis' support letter for Vespa did not come until he was made aware of that letter on Oct. 20, weeks after it - and the letter to Collier - were written. City ordinance prohibits such activities.

Ardis said he uses "mayor letterhead for a lot of stuff" - from references to official welcomes to the city. He says the practice pre-dates him as mayor.

In a twist, Ardis' plea for leniency in the courts comes after he indirectly confronted Lyons in 2008 about the city's crime problem and questioned the decision to release a man booked on felony weapons and drug charges from jail on a notice to appear in court.

In his October letter to Collier, Ardis said he's known Campbell nearly his entire life. "There is value to keeping Jeff and his message in our community instead of behind bars," Ardis wrote.

Said Lyons: "There have got to be people in this city who want people to say this guy (Campbell) is different, he is not a criminal - and you should do that for your friends - but you ought not be the mayor and do it on city letterhead and do it with impunity so that other people seem to say it to you but you think it's OK."

Ardis said nothing in his letter implies that the alleged crime was OK.

"I'm not naive to think a letter is going to influence a circuit judge or that any judge in this community would consider me using mayor letterhead as trying to get leverage," Ardis said.