Des Plaines candidates withdraw objection
Two candidates for aldermanic seats on the Des Plaines city council have withdrawn their challenges to their opponents' candidacy petitions.
During a meeting of the city's electoral board Friday night, Fourth Ward Alderman Dick Sayad said he was dropping his objections to opponent Mark Setzer's petitions since Mayor Matt Bogusz decided not to recuse himself from the three-member panel. Sayad, the city council's most senior alderman who is considered one of Bogusz's most vocal critics, recused himself from sitting on the electoral board and suggested Friday that Bogusz do the same.
Bob Porada, running against 7th Ward Alderman Don Smith, agreed to drop his objections to Smith's papers because Porada said he didn't think he would get a fair hearing with Bogusz on the board. Porada said he believed the mayor couldn't be impartial, having appointed Smith to the council last year following the death of Alderman Joanna Sojka.
Despite withdrawing their challenges, Porada and Sayad said after the meeting they still believe some items on their opponents' petitions were not in line with state election laws.
Bogusz said he is statutorily obligated to serve on the board and believes there was "absolutely zero conflict of interest."
He called Sayad and Porada's objections "frivolous," leading to increased city costs on legal fees, paying for a court reporter and paying a public member of the board.
That board member, Thomas J. Keevers, was appointed by the chief judge of the Cook County circuit court after Sayad and Smith recused themselves from serving on the board in light of potential conflicts of interest.
The electoral board is normally composed of the most senior alderman, mayor and city clerk. Two separate three-member electoral boards would have convened - one with Sayad, and the other with the next most senior alderman, Smith - because each couldn't hear the other's case.