Markham Mayor Roger Agpawa is in search of a pardon from President Joe Biden in an effort to erase a 1999 federal fraud conviction that originally made the mayor ineligible for workplace.
A change in state regulation was wanted earlier than Agpawa may formally maintain the place, and he mentioned he believes “termination is the best and proper factor to do” relating to expunging his report.
Agpawa was elected to his first time period in 2017, however was ineligible to serve on the time as a consequence of state regulation barring felons from holding municipal workplace. Agpawa pleaded responsible in federal court docket to mail fraud in 1999 for his function in an insurance coverage scheme.
Agpawa served 300 hours of group service, three years of probation and paid $20,000 in restitution.
He mentioned Monday that though his proper to carry workplace has been restored, that doesn’t wipe the federal conviction from his report.
“The sentence appears to proceed in society till we get this extra doc, of pardon or clemency,” Agpawa, 63, mentioned. “I nonetheless have one thing that overshadows me.”
He mentioned that underneath his management “we now have improved the standard of life for the individuals of Markham,” together with new infrastructure jobs and metropolis companies.
Agpawa mentioned when he was first elected town had an $11 million deficit, “however now we now have balanced budgets.”
The Illinois General Assembly in May 2021 permitted modifications to state election regulation. The modifications revised the {qualifications} to carry municipal places of work by amending the Illinois Election Code and had been signed into regulation by Governor J.B. Pritzker.
Agpawa was allowed to take workplace after former Gov. Bruce Rauner signed a certificates of restoration of citizenship rights in September 2018. He had the title of mayor-elect earlier than he was formally sworn in after Rauner’s motion.
Meanwhile, previous to the governor’s motion, Ernest Blevins, Markham’s senior trustee, served as appearing mayor.
“The restoration of rights made me complete in Illinois however not in the remainder of the nation,” Agpawa mentioned Monday. If convicted of against the law, for instance, he can’t carry weapons.
Three Markham residents have sued to problem Agpawa’s eligibility to carry workplace.
A decrease court docket upheld Agpawa’s proper to function mayor, however an April 2021 state appeals court docket ruling discovered that Rauner didn’t have the authority to overturn the state election regulation when he reinstated the Agpawa citizenship rights.
In the 2-1 resolution, the appeals court docket discovered that “Agpawa is ineligible to hunt or maintain municipal workplace in Illinois.”
Agpawa obtained greater than 80% of the votes in his bid for a second time period in April 2021.
In August 2021, the state Supreme Court dominated that Agpawa may develop into mayor.
The Supreme Court cited laws handed in May relating to felons’ eligibility to carry municipal workplace and that Pritzker signed the measure into regulation in June.
Agpawa wanted a presidential pardon or a change in state regulation to nullify the implications of his federal mail fraud conviction, relating to his eligibility to carry workplace. He mentioned a pardon “is the one actual approach to get completion” and clear his felony report.
“You will not be actually full or complete till the method is accomplished,” he mentioned.
Agpawa mentioned he has been within the fireplace division for 49 years, together with 30 years in Markham, and has been fireplace chief within the metropolis and in Country Club Hills. He continues to be assistant head at Country Club Hills, however mentioned he plans to retire subsequent 12 months.
He plans to run for a 3rd time period as mayor subsequent 12 months and has up to now confronted no opposition.
Agpawa mentioned he had not actively sought letters of assist for his pardon from space mayors, however had reached out to congressional leaders, together with U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly.
He mentioned that if his try to acquire a pardon from Biden failed, he would ask Donald Trump for one as soon as he takes workplace.
“This can be ongoing for me,” Agpawa mentioned.
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