McHenry County judge dismisses appeal filed against Colatorti’s candidacy in judicial review
MCHENRY COUNTY — As reported in a previous My Huntley News story, on April 14, members of the McHenry County Electoral Board made a unanimous decision to deny the Verified Objectors’ Petition that was filed on behalf of McHenry residents William Brogan and Joel Brumlik, who sought to have Republican McHenry County Sheriff’s candidate Antonio “Tony” Colatorti removed from the ballot.
A few days later on April 19, Keri-Lyn Krafthefer, the attorney for Brogan and Brumlik, filed a petition for a judicial review of the Electoral Board’s decision, which was to be overseen by McHenry County Circuit Court Judge Kevin G. Costello.
Within that petition, Krafthefer and the objectors alleged that Colatorti and expert witness John Keigher, chief legal counsel for the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board (ILETSB), both testified to the Electoral Board that the part-time law enforcement classes Colatorti took “were not continuous or full time as required by the administrative regulations.”
Additionally, the objectors argued that Colatorti did not possess the mandatory certificate required by the Illinois Counties Code, which therefore made him ineligible to run for the office of McHenry County Sheriff.
A conference hearing was originally scheduled to take place on July 19, but seeing as early voting for primary elections takes place on June 13, a motion was made to advance the proceedings to a sooner date.
The new hearing date was set for May 11.
After having heard arguments from both Colatorti’s team of attorneys and the objectors, Costello told the parties that he would be making his decision on May 13 on whether or not it was appropriate for Colatorti to remain on the ballot.
The May 13 decision hearing took place at 9 a.m. in Courtroom 204 of the McHenry County Courthouse, where Costello revealed that he agreed with the Electoral Board’s ruling that Colatorti did have the proper qualifications to run for the office of McHenry County Sheriff, despite the arguments made by the objectors.
In response to Costello’s decision, Colatorti issued a press release statement.
“I am grateful that the judge ruled in our favor and will let the voters choose our next sheriff. After my opponent (Robb Tadelman) and his two supporters were shut down in a unanimous decision by the electoral board, they continued to disenfranchise voters and waste taxpayer’s money,” stated Colatorti in his press release. “An electoral board consisting of three experienced attorneys, and now a circuit judge, have unanimously ruled me qualified.”
Both Brumlik and Brogan are known supporters of Tadelman, who is the other Republican candidate running for the office of McHenry County Sheriff and currently holds the position of undersheriff within the sheriff’s office.
“My opponent insists on trying to steal this election so that he runs unopposed. My opponent knows he will lose if he has to run in a free and fair election against me. I will always stand for election integrity and your constitutional rights, and I call on my opponent to stop trying to steal this election away from the voters. It’s time for a change,” Colatorti added in his press release statement.
