March 28, 2024
Local News

DuPage County clerk candidate says opponent used government resources for campaign

A candidate for DuPage County clerk has filed a complaint with the county state’s attorney’s office claiming her opponent has been using government resources to further his campaign.

Democrat Jean Kaczmarek, a Glen Ellyn resident, hosted a press conference Tuesday at the DuPage County Judicial Center before submitting her complaint regarding Paul Hinds, a Republican and the county deputy clerk. Both are vying to replace Clerk Gary King, who is retiring.

Kaczmarek’s complaint, which includes 85 pages of public records, said county employees – including the current clerk – notarized and circulated several of Hinds’s required petitions to run for office.

Now she’s asking the state’s attorney send the complaint to an outside body to ensure the notarization and circulation didn’t happen under coercion or during work hours.

“The chief deputy county clerk appears to have crossed a line between campaigning for an elected office and performing his duties as a county employee by using our government resources to complete his political petitions,” she said in prepared remarks. “These are among the risks when a government employee runs for political office, especially while employed at the office he hopes to officiate.”

Kaczmarek said 24 of the petitions were notarized by a county clerk employee, five of which were circulated by Hinds. Several dozen more were notarized by an employee of the county recorder’s office.

Kaczmarek said she had consulted with the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, which advised her to submit her complaint.

She said she had “no confidence” in the state’s attorney’s office, claiming multiple conflicts of interest.

During her remarks, she also said the clerk’s office gave employee Adam Johnson paid leave to try to unseat State Rep. Jeanne Ives, R-Wheaton, in this spring’s Republican primary election, for which she said the county’s personal leave policy had no provision.

Kaczmarek compared the allegations against Hinds to recent lawsuits against DuPage County Sheriff John Zaruba. Several veteran deputies have claimed they were punished by Zaruba for unionizing and refusing to support the sheriff politically. One suit has been settled, but more are pending.

“Prohibited political activity is a big problem in DuPage County. It impacts all of us,” she said. “Yet, this problem is so easy to fix with tougher policies, better training and a willingness to enforce laws which already exist. Our county officials have chosen to do nothing and here we are today.”

Hinds did not respond to requests for comment and Paul Darrah, spokesman for the state’s attorney’s office, confirmed receipt of the complaint but said he could not speak further on the matter.