Todd Stroger files for unemployment

Former Cook County Board President Todd Stroger is seeking unemployment benefits.

A spokeswoman for current board president Toni Preckwinkle says Stroger applied Jan. 7 to the Illinois Department of Employment Security, seeking unemployment benefits for the $170,000 he received yearly as president.

Preckwinkle spokeswoman Jessey Neves says county officials protested the claim because he's ineligible.

Greg Rivara is a spokesman for the employment security department. He says he can't comment on a request for unemployment benefits, but he says money elected officials earn in their official duties isn't included when calculating possible unemployment benefits.

Stroger left office in early December. The 48-year-old came in fourth in the Democratic primary after serving one term. He replaced his father in 2006.

A message left Sunday for Stroger wasn't immediately returned.