Candidates say board should have investigated Shapiro's record
Two Wheeling trustee candidates who didn't get elected in April and a current board member say the village should have investigated allegations that Stuart Shapiro was ineligible to hold office.
According to Florida court records, Shapiro was convicted of felony grand theft in Florida in June 1986, making him ineligible to hold municipal office in Illinois. Shapiro, who was elected Wheeling trustee on April 7, resigned before being sworn in, citing unforeseen work and family demands.
About two weeks before the election, several village trustees and village attorneys were sent documents about Shapiro's prior criminal record. Shapiro told people who inquired that he was the victim of stolen identity. A Daily Herald investigation found no documents on file corroborating Shapiro's story.
Mike Horcher, whom Shapiro defeated by 160 votes, said he and his son Patrick, both incumbent Wheeling trustees at the time, pushed for an investigation, but were ignored by the rest of the board.
Village Attorney James Ferolo said he needed four trustees in favor to pursue an investigation, Mike Horcher said.
"We tried to get it out there before the election," Mike Horcher said.
The matter was never brought up for discussion during a public meeting, said Pat Horcher, who lost his bid for village president to veteran trustee Judy Abruscato, but who still has two years remaining of his trustee term.
He said he considered filing a civil complaint against Shapiro with the Cook County state's attorney and Illinois attorney general after being told that was an option, but he backed off.
"There was always that risk of what if it wasn't true, because in the back of my mind there was that little bit of doubt," Pat Horcher said. "I feel like I let people down by not pursuing this, but I was afraid. My hesitation shouldn't be excused. But the board as a group's hesitation should also not be excused."
Abruscato and Trustee Dean Argiris have said it wasn't the board's job to investigate the matter. Argiris, who was re-elected April 7 and who supported Shapiro, said he believed Shapiro's story that his brother stole his identity and committed the crimes.
Yet, as a result of Shapiro's election and withdrawal from office, Abruscato was able to appoint two people to the board, one to fill her own seat.
That part irks Charles Vallas, a trustee candidate who was thrown off the April ballot because of objections filed by Shapiro and Argiris. "I just think it should have defaulted to Mr. (Mike) Horcher because he was next in line with the number of votes."