Earlier this year, Oak Brook Village President John Craig insisted “there is not a cent of money in my campaign fund from a bar or a restaurant, nor will there ever be.”
That remark came during the Jan. 25 village board meeting—a day after the Better Government Association revealed that Craig had accepted, and then returned, a $10,000 campaign donation from Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse.
The BGA’s disclosure was significant because Craig doubles as Oak Brook’s liquor commissioner—and months before the October donation, he’d signed off on a liquor license allowing Gibsons to open for business in the western suburb.
Now comes word that a Gibsons investor also contributed to Craig, raising another conflict of interest question.
Dick Portillo, who runs the Chicago-area’s popular Portillo’s hot dog/Italian beef chain, gave $500 to Craig’s campaign fund around the same time the Gibsons check was cut, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections.
Reached on the phone by the BGA, Craig said he didn’t know Portillo was part of the Gibsons ownership group—even though Portillo’s name is listed on the village’s liquor license application. Now that Craig is “becoming aware of that,” he said he “will return the $500 immediately.”
The donation was tied to “a little cocktail party that he attended, it had nothing to do with business,” Craig added.
Dick Portillo told the BGA the donation had nothing to do with Gibsons—and everything to do with helping a solid candidate and “great guy.”
“He didn’t solicit me or anything, I’ve been in this community for a long time, I have an office here, my grandkids go to school here…I just think he’s the best man for the job,” said Portillo about Craig.
He added: “Public service really takes a significant contribution and sacrifice…if I can get qualified people in office, I’m happy to do so…I’m a resident of Oak Brook and as a result I really have a personal interest in the leadership.”
Portillo noted that as an investor in the Oak Brook Gibsons, “I have no say in the management or other activities” of the restaurant. Documents filed with the village as part of the Gibsons liquor license application list Portillo and his wife as a “Class A Member” with no voting rights.
(Separately, the Portillo Restaurant Group has offices in Oak Brook, but no eateries or liquor licenses in the western suburb, Craig said.)
Portillo said he hopes this topic and line of questioning by the BGA “is not politically motivated by the other party.”
Craig is running against Oak Brook Plan Commission member Gopal Lalmalani in the April 5 election.
For the record: The BGA is a non-profit non-partisan group, and does not endorse nor back political candidates.
This story was reported and written by Robert Herguth, the BGA’s editor of investigations. Contact us with tips, suggestions and complaints at (312) 821-9030, or at rherguth@bettergov.org.
Storm Still Swirls Around Oak Brook Village President John Craig
Cartoon/Pioneer Press
The Village of Oak Brook has cleared away enough snow from the recent blizzard to get back to business as usual.
But Oak Brook’s village president still is trying to get out from under another storm—of negative press.
Recently, the Better Government Association, in conjunction with the Chicago Sun-Times and the Daily Herald, ran two reports on Village President John Craig.
One report pointed out that, despite his attempts to cut pensions for firefighters in his town, his household is pulling in multiple public-sector pensions worth $142,000 annually. The second highlighted a troubling incident at a local nightclub, where Craig was accused of being drunk and interfering with the cops who showed up for a routine “liquor check.”
Craig confirmed his household’s pension haul. But he’s denied wrongdoing in the nightclub incident and has paid for a polygraph exam to bolster his case. He’s also suggested some of the village cops are out to get him for political reasons.
Craig has yet to publicly address a series of reform recommendations drafted by the BGA. But, at a recent village board meeting, Craig announced changes that might be regarded as a “start.”
From now on, all village contracts, and a regularly updated list of village employees and salaries, will be posted on Oak Brook’s official website, Craig said. What’s more, all Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and responses will be put online for anyone to see.
Craig also relayed that, at his direction, Oak Brook Police Chief Tom Sheahan asked U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald to investigate the nightclub incident—and Craig indicated the FBI would be interviewing the responding officers. (A FBI spokeswoman said the agency doesn’t confirm or deny the existence of an investigation if and until charges are brought.)
Whatever happens from here, let’s hope our recommendations are taken seriously.
Among other things, they call for a ban on local political figures accepting campaign money from businesses or individuals regulated by the municipal government.
Craig, who also serves as Oak Brook’s liquor commissioner, has taken heat for accepting a $10,000 donation from Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse months after signing off on its liquor license. Craig later returned the check.
We’re told our proposed reforms will be on the village board agenda later this month.
Unlike a lot of the cars on the road lately, let’s hope our agenda gets some traction.
This blog entry was reported and written by Robert Herguth, the BGA’s editor of investigations. Contact us with tips, suggestions and complaints at (312) 821-9030, or at rherguth@bettergov.org.
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