Calumet City Clerk Nyota Figgs’ effort to dam Mayor Thaddeus Jones’ re-election was thwarted Friday after town’s elections board rejected her declare that she can’t function each mayor and state consultant. Illinois.
Figgs stated he believes that, primarily based on a state Supreme Court ruling on Jones’ eligibility to run in 2021, a referendum not licensed till after the election would disqualify him from holding a prime place in Calumet City authorities.
However, a Cook County Circuit Court decide’s refusal earlier this week to interchange aldermen on the board with exterior public members meant the choice got here as no shock to the clerk, who believes members Ald. Anthony Smith and Ramonde Williams facet with Jones and vote accordingly.
“I used to be upset within the Cook County courts … in permitting Jones to run amok,” Figgs stated. “Being a state consultant and mayor, he has plenty of political connections, and I feel that is what it is about.”
Smith and Williams, in addition to public member and lawyer Thomas Jaconetty who’s president of the council, agreed {that a} legislation handed by the Illinois General Assembly renders ineffective a beforehand handed referendum barring Calumet City officers from concurrently being representatives of the state or senators.
Jones stated the choice confirms what he already is aware of: that operating for re-election is inside his rights. He ought to face Ald. James Patton, who sat subsequent to Figgs throughout Friday’s elections board hearings.
“There’s nothing they will do to cease me, as a result of the state legislation is obvious,” Jones stated.
Still pending is a problem filed by Figgs that the mayor primarily resides exterior of Calumet City. The board granted the subpoenas. Figgs’ attorneys have tried to point out that Jones lives in South Holland together with his spouse, not on Paxton Avenue as he claims. The council will hear the problem at 10 a.m. Dec. 20 at City Hall, 204 Pulaski Avenue.
Jones stated his residency has been questioned in 4 elections, and his opponents have but to show he lives exterior town limits. He stated the proof introduced by Figgs will lead the board to the identical conclusion.
Figgs confronted a residency problem from Alyssia Benford, an auditor who beforehand labored for Calumet City. After a wave of confusion over the proof introduced about Figgs’ hometown, Benford’s lawyer agreed to withdraw his objection.
The political feud between Figgs and Jones has gone past election challenges, with the City Council just lately embroiled in a lawsuit filed in opposition to Figgs for destroying metropolis information. A majority of the council voted Wednesday on the steps of City Hall to dismiss the lawsuit, though Jones stated the motion was ineffective as a result of he’s the one particular person with authority over town’s litigation.
Figgs stated if the elections board fails to take away Jones from the April poll, he’ll attraction the choice by means of the courts.
“He ought to select,” Figgs stated. “If (the folks) need him as a consultant of the state, that is positive. If they need him as mayor, that is positive. But it should not be capable to do each.”
ostevens@chicagotribune.com
