Electoral Board rules Colatorti to stay on ballot

HUNTLEY – Antonio “Tony” Colatorti will remain on the Republican primary ballot June 28 for McHenry County Sheriff.

Colatorti will face current McHenry County Undersheriff Robb Tadelman.

In a marathon hearing, the McHenry County Electoral Board voted three to zero to deny objections filed by William Brogan and Joel Brumik both of McHenry. The objectors sought to have Colatorti’s name removed from the ballot.

Electoral Board members Chairman Samuel J.H. Weyers; Steven Cuda and Lisle A. Stalter issued their findings April 14 at a McHenry County Administrative Building hearing.  The party seeking judicial review must file a petition with the Circuit Court within five days of the decision,” according to the findings.

The findings issued by the Electoral Board determined “based on the testimony from Colatorti and John Keigher, chief legal counsel for Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board (ILETSB), Colatorti meets the qualifications required to run for Sheriff. The candidate has successfully completed the Minimum Standards Basic Training Course as prescribed by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Board, and has obtained the certificate required.”

The objector’s argument that Colatorti’s “inactive” status as reflected on the ILETSB’s web site was waived because such argument was not included in the objection to the nominating petition.

Early on at the hearing, the Electoral Board voted unanimously to deny a motion from Colatorti’s legal team to dismiss the objections and the hearing continued.

Colatorti’s lawyer, Kevin Chrzanowski, questioned Keigher, ILETSB legal counsel, as both sides agreed he is qualified to testify as an expert witness with respect to enforcement training in the State of Illinois.

“There is no difference in the exam for full-time and part-time officers nor was there a difference in 1999,” Keigher said. “Full-time and part-time officers have the same police powers and the only way an officer loses that certification is if he is de-certified or commits a felony.”

Colatorti was employed in law enforcement at Tower Lakes, Holiday Hills and Prairie Grove police departments as well as Crystal Lake Park District before running for sheriff.

He testified that he took courses to satisfy with the Minimum Standards Basic Law Enforcement Officers Training Course as prescribed by (ILETSB.

“I took the course three days a week, and the pep one through four courses as well as a firearms training course. Part-time officers have 18 months to complete the certification, full time officers six months,” he said.

He said “absolutely” when asked if the course for full-time and part-time are the same.

Keri-Lyn Krafthefer, attorney for the objectors, said this does not meet the continuous education requirement, nor the substantial compliance standards were not met. She noted no ILETSB board members were not part of the testimony, She added that there are higher agency standards that should be met and standards are in place so that people with no law enforcement background are not elected as sheriff according to the Police Training Act.

Colatorti’s legal team of Chzanowski and Persiles Abbasi summarized the candidate’s case:

“At first, I thought that it would be a ‘slam dunk’ for the objectors because of the missing certificate. But then I studied it and found a lot to discuss and to look at the relative statutes. I find that Colatorti is qualified to be on the ballot for sheriff; as Keigher testified, he is a part-time certified officer. The role of the Electoral Board is to make sure he is qualified, not look for reasons to kick candidates off.”

“What it comes down to is the testimony of the witnesses that he did take the training courses,” Stalter said.

“I thought Keigher’s testimony was compelling,” Weyers said. “The amount training for part-time and full-time is substantially the same. As Keigher testified, the only way to be de-certified if if you are convicted of a felony.”

McHenry County Sheriff candidate Antonio “Tony” Colatorti campaign released the following statement after the McHenry County Electoral Board found him qualified to be on the Republican primary ballot June 28:

“Despite my opponent yet again trying to bring the Chicago style politics to our county, McHenry County voters will decide their next sheriff. I applaud the electoral board for their decision in support of a fair election.” Colatorti continued, “I have been honest and forthright about my qualifications since the beginning of my campaign. The State of Illinois, the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, and now the McHenry County Electoral  Board have all deemed me qualified to serve as McHenry County Sheriff.”

The objector’s petition was originally filed on March 21 to the Electoral Board.