Lovero Filings

IVB

The Independent Voters of Berwyn

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Campaign Filings Connect Lovero to Chicago Political Operative, Shill Candidacy

Mayoral candidate Robert Lovero’s filings with the Illinois State Board of Elections show that he lied about his role in putting John Meshek, a phony candidate, on the Independent Voters of Berwyn (IVB) Primary Election Ballot.

A Democratic Citizens of Berwyn (DCOB) campaign manager, named Jesse Ruben Juarez, collected petition signatures for John Meshek for the Feb. 24 IVB Primary Election. Mr. Meshek has never been a member of the IVB nor has he ever attended an IVB meeting. The Chairman of the DCOB is Robert Lovero.

Documents filed this week with the Illinois State Board of Elections clearly show Mr. Juarez’s ties to Lovero and the DCOB. In these filings, the Citizens for Lovero campaign fund lists three payments in the last half of 2008 totaling $4,400 to JRJ Consulting, 1075 N. Marshfield, Chicago.

This address also appears on Mr. Meshek’s notarized petitions, which were filed by Mr. Juarez with the Berwyn City Clerk on Dec. 15. And, according to the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office, JRJ Consulting is registered under the name of Jesse Ruben Juarez.

Lovero has publicly denied any connection to Mr. Meshek’s candidacy, which has triggered a Mayoral Primary Election in Berwyn that will cost Cook County taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars.

“This is an expensive political prank to pull on our voters and taxpayers,” Mayor Michael O’Connor said. “My opponent has tried to hide his involvement, then lied to cover up the truth.”

“This election is a critical one in terms of the future of Berwyn. We can either continue to move forward in terms of the work we have done in the areas of reform and economic development, or we can go back to the corruption, patronage and irresponsible spending of previous administrations.”

The Citizens for Lovero filings from June 30 to Dec. 31, 2008, include three payments to JRJ Consulting, 1075 N. Marshfield, Chicago. Two payments were made to JRJ Consulting on Nov. 28, one for $1,000 and another for $2,400. JRJ Consulting also received $1,000 from Citizens for Lovero on July 27.

Lovero had pledged to advise registered Democrats in Berwyn that there is “no contest requiring their vote in the February Primary Election,” but has of yet, apparently, failed to do so.

BACKGROUND:

From the Independent Voters of Berwyn Web site, www.BerwynIVB.com

DCOB Tries to Dupe Voters, Puts Shill Candidate on Ballot (Dec. 17, 2009)

“The Democratic Committee of Berwyn (DCOB) can’t even get to the first day of the upcoming election season without dirty political tricks.

On Dec. 15, just before the filing deadline, a DCOB campaign manager filed candidate petitions for a phony Independent Voters of Berwyn (IVB) mayoral candidate for the upcoming Primary Election on Feb. 24.

The shill candidate, Berwyn resident John J. Meshek … is not a member of the Independent Voters of Berwyn and has never attended a meeting of the group, according to incumbent Berwyn Mayor and IVB Chairman Michael O’Connor.

“This is business-as-usual for the DCOB. They think they are hurting the IVB, but they are really just playing games with you, the voters, the same people whose interests we represent,” Mayor O’Connor said. “While I respect Mr. Meshek’s service as a veteran, it’s unfortunate he would get involved with a group of people who desperately want to manipulate our democratic system in order to turn back the clock to the days of rampant cronyism and corruption here in Berwyn.”

Jesse Ruben Juarez, a campaign consultant for Berwyn Democratic Committeeman Robert Lovero, is the 1^st Ward Committeeman in the City of Chicago. Along with other Chicago Democrats, Mr. Juarez circulated petitions on behalf of Mr. Meshek, who is a registered Republican …”

To read the entire press release, please visit http://www.berwynivb.com/shill.htm

From The Democratic Citizens of Berwyn Web site, www.DCOB.org

DCOB Responds to False Allegations (January 2009)

“DCOB mayoral candidate Robert J. Lovero is disappointed by recent false allegations by the IVB party chairman Michael O’Connor that the Democratic Citizens of Berwyn have any interest or involvement in IVB candidate John Meshek’s candidacy.

The DCOB would never support – or encourage Democrats to cast a vote for – a candidate running with an opposition party. With the exception of the 2^nd Ward (where DCOB candidate Jeff Boyajian is running against Democrat Jim Ramos), residents who plan to support only Democratic candidates have been advised that there is no contest requiring their vote in the February Primary Election.

Lovero is frustrated that these fabrications have entered into what he hoped would be a positive, issue-oriented campaign. The discussion does nothing for Berwyn residents and the irresponsibility of a recent article concerning this issue that appeared on the IVB’s official Web site is appalling and completely false.”

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