Ethics panel sides with DuPage Election Commission

A newly convened ethics panel has determined the DuPage Election Commission did nothing wrong by rehiring a Republican strategist to be the commission's spokesman.

It was the first opinion rendered by the three-person ethics commission since the body was empaneled less than a year ago. The opinion was issued Aug. 9.

Dan Curry received a $3,000-a -month professional services contract in April. Leaders of the DuPage County chapter of the Illinois Ballot Integrity Project filed the complaints in June. Jean Kaczmarek, co-founder of the chapter, said she was not surprised by the decision because the ethics panel is appointed and paid by the election commission.

"The election commission promotes itself as a bipartisan entity ... but to have a person who works on partisan political campaigns as a PR person is a red flag," she said.

Curry had a similar contract in the past, but left to work on former Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan's Republican gubernatorial primary campaign late last year. He said that several government agencies have hired spokesmen with partisan backgrounds. Curry said Kaczmarek's group has routinely filed complaints against him and his company Reverse Spin, but to no avail.

"This is the latest body to find that the individuals in question have made accusations with mo merit," Curry said. "These individuals have long ago crossed the line between watchdog citizenry and partisan, bitter, vendetta-seeking activism."

Kaczmarek's group has long complained about Curry's political relationship with DuPage State's Attorney Joe Birkett. Curry has worked for Birkett in the past and Kaczmarek contended in the complaint filed with the ethics panel that the prior relationship between the two taints any future dealings between the election commission and Birkett's office.

The Illinois Ballot Integrity Project calls itself a "not-for-profit, nonpartisan civic organization." But local and statewide GOP officials have taken umbrage with the group's financing and leanings.

Retired Circuit Court Judge Edward Duncan, who heads the ethics panel, wrote in the opinion that "the fact the two men continuing to be on friendly terms does not, in these circumstances, indicate a violations of the ethics ordinance."

Duncan said the ethics panel met just once in private at his law firm's offices and spoke about the complaints with one another over the phone a few times before deciding no violations had occurred because Curry is a contracted employee. He suggested the Ballot Integrity chapter should take up its concerns with the state legislature, which could enact laws preventing some of the things the group is complaining about.

Duncan said he didn't know the exact amount he billed the election commission for the work of the ethics panel, but said it would have been "a couple hours worth." Calls to the election commission seeking information about the invoices were not returned.

Despite the county having its own ethics office operating in the same building as the election commission's headquarters, the commission's attorney Pat Bond said the election agency has to have its own panel.

"The election commission is an independent, autonomous body from the county," he said.

However, the three-member election commission is appointed by the county board chairman.

Bond, who was also targeted in the complaint for political contributions he made to Republican candidates, said this isn't the first time Kaczmarek's group has made these complaints and been rebuked.

"They've gone to several agencies about it," he said. "It would certainly be my belief that it would be the end of their inquiries."