Anthony Cvek (R) DeKalb County Board Dist.
Calls on State’s Attorney to request a Special Prosecutor to Investigate
The nomination of DeKalb County Board Member Riley Oncken to chair the County’s Law & Justice committee by Board Chairman Jeff Metzger has brought renewed scrutiny of Oncken by fellow County Board Members. At issue is Oncken’s July 2013 appointment by DeKalb County Presiding Judge Robbin Stuckert to the position of Conflict Assistant Public Defender.
While Oncken’s return to the Board in March 2013 raised eyebrows, his appointment by Judge Stuckert to this paid position with full County health benefits appears to directly contradict an August 30, 2010 informal opinion from the Illinois Attorney General’s Office which concluded the public offices of County Board Member and Assistant Public Defender are not only incompatible, but holding both public offices constitutes a violation of the Public Officer Prohibited Activities Act (50 ILCS 150/1 (West 2008)).
Riley Oncken (R) DeKalb County Board Dist 3
When Mr. Oncken’s appointment to this County paid position became known to Board Members during the budget process in late 2013 DeKalb County State’s Attorney Richard Schmack assured Board Members this was a legal appointment.” According to Mr. Schmack all Mr. Oncken needed to do was abstain from voting on the County budget and any potential conflict was removed,” stated Cvek.
“Mr. Schmack’s advice appears to have been a complicit element of Mr. Oncken’s alleged violation of the law which conflicts Mr. Schmack from further weighing in on this issue with any integrity,” said Cvek. “Today I call on our State’s Attorney to do the job right by recusing himself and requesting the appointment of a Special Prosecutor to investigate all actions and activities surrounding this questionable appointment.”
See more… http://dekalbcountyonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Oncken-Conflict_Supporting-Docs_08-21-14.pdf
Editor’s Note: This press release was submitted by Anthony Cvek
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