South Cook News

The Chicago Tribune is endorsing Republican Jeff Coleman over Democratic incumbent Rep. Thaddeus Jones in the 29th House District.

The Tribune underscored that Jones is under criminal investigation and that he holds multiple offices. 

"We have two problems with the Democratic incumbent, Thaddeus Jones of Calumet City," the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board said. "First, he’s under criminal investigation for tax issues involving his campaign funds, the Tribune reported earlier this year. No charges have been filed yet. Second, he’s a double-dipper - along with receiving a paycheck as a state legislator, he’s also on the municipal payroll as mayor of Calumet City.”

Jones has been accused of misappropriating campaign funds and has a reputation for exercising his power at the lowest levels of government. He was chastised over his handling of alleged embezzlement at the Calumet Public Library, and Jones allegedly locked a city employee out of the building after having a feud with him. 

Calumet City Alderman Monet Wilson, who lost the Democratic primary to Jones,  said she doesn't want "to see someone just holding their seat and not doing anything with it." 

"He cannot have complete power," Wilson said of Jones. "He doesn't know what to do with it. He's the state rep. He's the mayor and now he's running for committeeman at Thornton Township." 

Wilson also has election integrity concerns in the 29th House district.

"Jeff (Coleman)’s opponent (Rep. Thaddeus Jones (D-South Holland)) is on the ballot. And over the library, [Jones's] wife is a consultant for the library....And now he has appointed State Rep. Rita Mayfield to be library director right before early voting and it’s just suspect to us," Wilson said. "We want to make sure that this election is not stolen. Everything should go to our city clerk and not a state representative who appears on the ballot...Because Rita Mayfield is the library director she holds the keys to the doors of the library opening and closing ... where (balloting) will take place." 

An anonymous whistle-blower from the library said that five staffers have quit since Jones' appointee became director, that much of the budget does not go toward books and DVDs, and that Mayfield frequently leaves early. 

Jones will face Coleman in the general election next week. 

According to his campaign website, Coleman's priorities are cutting taxes, defending the second amendment, and reducing crime.

"Coleman is a moderate Republican, who's pro-choice and correctly says that consolidating school districts would save millions of dollars in administrative duplication," the Tribune stated, according to Coleman's website. "Our endorsement goes to Coleman."

Coleman is part of the Black Voter Project whose founder, Brian Mullins, told South Cooks News: "The goal is to organize the Black voter block in the State of Illinois. So it's a specific media-targeted door-to-door survey and data-driven effort to engage the Black electorate in issues relating to the Black community. Not Democratic, not Republican, not Independent, specifically not libertarian, but start with the issues so that we can then push people to the right candidate, not a party." 

Mullins says that most conversations that take place in the black community happen between the Black elite and the Democrats, which leaves out 90% of the community. Mullins says the Black vote controls who is elected in Illinois, and he hopes his project will inform black voters on the best candidate on the issues they care about.