DuPage board members' response to harrassment claims

DuPage County Board members Elizabeth Chaplin, Dawn DeSart, Mary FitzGerald Ozog and Julie Renehan on Monday released the following statement in response to claims made by fellow board member Sadia Covert:

We, the undersigned members of the DuPage County Board, at no time have ever "stalked, followed, and threatened" or keyed and damaged the car of DuPage County Board member Sadia Covert. "Keyed and damaging a car" is a serious allegation of criminal activity and we have never engaged in any such activity.

During the 8 a.m. finance meeting of the DuPage County Board on Oct. 8, a contract to approve the purchase of E-poll books for the election division of the DuPage County Clerk's Office was unanimously approved. Member Sadia Covert was not present at this meeting.

During the regular DuPage County Board meeting at 10 a.m. that same day, the E-poll book contract was brought up for consideration.

At the start of the discussion about the E-poll book contract, member Covert expressed that she had read a "bad review" of the E-poll book vendor chosen from five requests for proposals (RFP's) received by the clerk's office; she also referenced at least one other RFP vendor.

Staff responded. Other board members asked if staff had called the Philadelphia election office where the problem occurred. Another board member asked what if the contract was postponed for two weeks.

Member Chaplin asked if any board members had visited any election equipment vendors. Member Covert responded that she had received an email from a vendor, had visited said vendor, and had contacted the clerk to suggest she also visit this vendor.

Members Ozog and Renehan expressed issues with the propriety of visiting vendors; member Ozog felt that visiting a contractor whose product was of interest to the clerk's office (a separate office from the county board), was of concern.

At the end of discussion, the contract for the E-poll books was approved unanimously. At the end of the meeting, member Covert stated that she had faced "repeated bullying, intimidation and harassment" from some female Democrats on the board; she also stated, "I have never been attacked by a man on this county board, but I've been constantly attacked by the female members - some of the female members - on this board."

She then named members Chaplin, Ozog and Renehan. In a story published in the Daily Herald on Thursday, Oct. 10, four members were named by Ms. Covert with claims they have bullied her: members Ozog, Renehan, Chaplin and DeSart.

The Thursday, Oct. 10, Daily Herald story headline read, "DuPage County Board Member Says Fellow Democrats Are Bullying Her." Later that day, member Covert shared this story on her Facebook page (and on other group Facebook pages), with an accompanying post claiming that she was "cornered in the hallways … there was keying and damage to her car in the parking lot … harassment on social media … letting loose other women bullies to do your dirty work." Please note that Ms. Covert removed this post by midday Friday, Oct. 11.

That article was shared on social media by several Republican members of the DuPage County Board.

Last Thursday, Oct. 17, a group called Illinois Anti-Bullying PAC (registered with the Illinois Election Commission under the name of Kurt Dorr, a former Republican Naperville Township trustee candidate), posted a video on Facebook which contains Ms. Covert's board meeting accusation of bullying and uses visuals of a Facebook post from Ms. Covert (and has since been withdrawn by Ms. Covert), claiming that she was "stalked, followed and threatened" by us and we "key and damaged ... cars."

On Friday, this video - which speaks of unsubstantiated criminal activity and false accusations by sitting DuPage County Board members - was even shared by DuPage County Chairman Dan Cronin.

We have never bullied member Covert. Ever. Her words on the board floor on Oct. 8, and subsequently, are pure deflection. Everything the four of us have said, written, and posted on social media has been fact-based.

We wish to make clear: At no time have we "stalked, followed and threatened" Member Covert, and we certainly have never keyed and damaged her car.

Many of us have been bullied at some point in our lives. We understand the horrible ramifications bullying has on a person. Low self-esteem, brokenness, self-harm, suicide: Bullying has very real consequences. So do false accusations, which seek to harm our reputations and good names.

We want to continue to do the important work we were elected to do.