Froehlich finds controversy after decision not to run

If state Rep. Paul Froehlich's interactions with the Cook County Board of Review are truly under investigation, he wishes someone would at least tell him about it.

In the wake of the Schaumburg Democrat's announcement that he won't seek re-election, a local Fox News report suggested his practice of helping property owners appeal their tax assessments remained under scrutiny by authorities.

The Cook County State's Attorney's office wouldn't confirm an investigation. But in a June letter to the review board, which handles assessment appeals, Special Prosecutions Bureau Chief Jack Blakely of the state's attorney office asked the board not to release documents pertinent to an active grand jury investigation. The letter does not, however, specify the target of that probe or name Froehlich.

None of the Board of Review commissioners - Brendan Houlihan, Joe Berrios and Larry Rogers Jr. - could be reached for comment.

Questions over Froehlich's involvement in assessment appeals began when a former staff member of his, whom he fired, asserted he traded that help for campaign support. Froehlich has denied that.

He's said he's looking ahead to an unspecified new opportunity in the public sector, which might prompt him to leave the legislature even before his term is up in January 2011. But reports of a possible investigation fueled rumors that he has other reasons for walking away.

Schaumburg Township Republican Committeeman Mike Adelizzi said he's heard speculation ranging from Froehlich considering an appointment to Gov. Pat Quinn's administration to Froehlich attempting to avoid further scrutiny over his tax-appeal activities.

Quinn's office wouldn't comment on any prospect of a Froehlich appointment.

Adelizzi also suggested a hybrid of the two theories: that Froehlich had lost the support of his party over scandal, but was negotiating a new position for himself in exchange for going quietly.

"Paul is an opportunist and sees the lay of the land," Adelizzi said.

Froehlich quipped that people with true mind-reading abilities should be making a killing at poker.

"It's instructive that those who would divine the real motives of others never attribute benign or flattering motives," Froehlich said.

Other suburban Democrats have speculated Froehlich has simply tired of politics following a difficult re-election campaign last year, his first since becoming a Democrat.

State Rep. Fred Crespo of Hoffman Estates, in the neighboring 44th District, said he too could only speculate about Froehlich's announcement.

Crespo didn't think the timing was all that unusual, saying he's heard other legislators talk about not seeking re-election. Crespo is also a former Republican and called running as a Democrat in the suburbs rough.

"You know in Chicago, for the most part, the biggest campaign is the primary. Out here, in my 21/2 years in office, the biggest campaigns are the general," he said. "Paul had a tough primary and a tough general back to back. ... I'm wondering if that had something to do with his decision."

While Froehlich said he hasn't changed his mind about not running again, he said that if anything might tempt him to do so it's that he doesn't want to appear like he's running away from something.

And if he is under investigation, Froehlich said he realizes that his decision not to run again wouldn't change that.

But he acknowledged concern that any taint to his reputation could hurt his chances for the new opportunity he's spoken of seeking.

• Staff writers John Patterson and Ashok Selvam contributed to this report.

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