Earlier this year, Lyons Township Clerk Elyse Hoffenberg, a Democratic candidate for Cook County Board, pushed for the installation of surveillance cameras at her Countryside government office at taxpayer expense.
Footage from those cameras is now at the center of a bizarre political and legal dispute that’s becoming a campaign issue in Hoffenberg’s race — leading her to make accusations of extortion and dirty politics, while others question whether she used public property for private purposes and is lashing out to try to tamp down a scandal.
At the center of it: Video images showing Hoffenberg getting kissed by Bridgeview Mayor Steve Landek, a former state senator who is Lyons Township’s Democratic committeeman, after hours at the township office on July 13.
Hoffenberg’s Republican opponent in the County Board race, former Cook County Commissioner Liz Gorman, says she fielded a tip that there might be something incriminating on the video system, so she filed an open-records request for a copy.
Under state law, government records are generally accessible to members of the public upon request to a public agency, whether written documents, emails or images, and the like.
Gorman, of Orland Park, says she still hasn’t gotten everything she requested from the township. But under increasing pressure, Hoffenberg, who lives in La Grange with her family, released images to select media, along with a written statement that said:
“Today, in the interest of transparency, I am releasing a video clip publicly that has generated some attention. My political opponents attempted to extort me regarding this video, saying they would drop their threats to release it if I end my campaign. I am certain that our community will find this kind of old school politics of harassment abhorrent, and I won’t be bullied.”
“While the video lacks proper context to make it clear what is happening, what it shows is a lighthearted, friendly and non-romantic moment among colleagues,” though she previously described the kiss, according to an online account by Patch, “as a peck and said she told the mayor it was inappropriate, prompting him to apologize.”
Her public statement released Friday adds: “I am staying focused on my campaign to bring strong leadership to this community, and I look forward to continuing this work.”
Gorman said she was not involved in any harassment or extortion, and that her attorney submitted a letter to the township asking that any video not be deleted.
“Nobody talked to her, nobody visited her,” Gorman said. “Extortion — that’s a pretty strong accusation, but when you don’t have the facts you go to lying, and pointing figures and not looking in the mirror.”
Gorman says the issue is not really the kiss, but rather her opponent’s judgment in using a government office for seemingly private matters.
Hoffenberg wouldn’t answer questions, and she’s accused Lyons Township Supervisor Chris Getty — the mayor of Lyons who’s running as an independent for Congress to replace U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia (D-Ill.) in the U.S. House — of leaking the video to Gorman and also trying to delete the video.
A lawyer representing Getty on governmental and political fronts, Burt Odelson, says neither of those claims is true.
There’s been talk by some township officials about hiring a politically connected Chicago law firm to investigate the matter, potentially at taxpayer expense, but it’s unclear whether that will happen.