State investigating Oak Brook mayor’s full-time job

In addition to serving as the part-time village president of Oak Brook, John Craig has a full-time job with the state that pays $64,000 a year.

But a government watchdog now is trying to find out whether Craig, 76, is putting in a full day’s work on his job with the secretary of state’s office.

Jim Burns, a former federal prosecutor who serves as inspector general for Secretary of State Jesse White, has launched an investigation into Craig’s work habits because of suspicions he hasn’t been putting in a 40-hour workweek, said secretary of state spokesman Dave Druker.

“This issue of how much time he’s putting in is the focus of the investigation,” Druker said.

Craig refused to comment when contacted about the inspector general probe.

Craig is one of the secretary of state’s 46 dealer representatives assigned to visit 6,600 auto dealers and repair shops statewide to, among other things, inventory the number of temporary license plates, Druker said.

Craig is based at a secretary of state facility in Lombard, where he is supposed to check in each workday. A similar routine is supposed to be followed by other “dealer reps.” Craig currently is on leave from the job, officials said.

Druker said the reps are required to fill out daily time sheets, which are faxed to a facility in downtown Chicago. Another weekly report details what sites they visited, he said.

In January, the BGA requested copies of Craig’s time sheets, citing the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, which allows public access to most public documents. They still have not been turned over because they are now part of the inspector general investigation, Druker said.

“Where it stands at the present time is it’s a pending investigation, where it’s at in the pipeline I can’t say,” Burns said.

Druker said the investigation might also take a look at the work habits of other dealer reps.

The secretary of state investigation is the latest in a series of problems for Craig. In January, the BGA and Daily Herald reported that Craig and his wife collect about $142,000 from four government pensions — while Craig has come down hard on Oak Brook employees’ salaries and pension benefits. He would be eligible for an additional pension when he retires from the secretary of state job.

Craig also has drawn fire for a late-night visit to a local bar. He later took a polygraph test, which he says supports his version of events and refutes police officers’ description of him as drunk and belligerent.

He is running for his second term as village president, facing Gopal Lalmalani, a cardiologist and member of the village’s plan commission.