Bolingbrook Election: Mayor Accuses Opponent Of 'Deception'

BOLINGBROOK, IL – Mayor Roger Claar said a campaign staffer for opponent Jackie Traynere showed up uninvited to a meeting he held for residents of a Bolingbrook apartment complex. Claar heads up the Bolingbrook First slate, which is facing opposition from Traynere's Bolingbrook United slate in the April 4 election.

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“He walked in as if we were an invited guest,” Claar said of the staffer.

Erika Harris, who works with Traynere’s press office, confirmed that campaign manager Drew Duzinskas attended the meeting.

Claar said his slate was hosting an event for residents of the Promenade Apartments.

“About a half an hour after starting … he walked in and sat at my table,” Claar said in an email. “Since this was an apartment complex, I ask him how long he been in the area and he said he had moved up here from Springfield and had been here only a few months. We continued as a group, discussed a lot of things about the community and some of the issues in the campaign. During the conversation I ask him what he did for a living at which time he abruptly stood up and announced he was Jackie Traynere's campaign manager and walked out.”

Duzinskas was reportedly at the meeting for about 45 minutes before he left.

Claar said he’d like to know from Traynere’s slate, “Why would your campaign manager sneak into a coffee?”

“He probably wanted to hear what I was saying (and) see if I said anything about his candidate,” Claar added.

Harris confirmed that Duzinkas was there to “keep tabs” on what was said. “Roger Claar has a history of being less than truthful about Jackie,” Harris said.

Duzinskas, using the Facebook handle "Duzi Drew," apparently responded to an angry Facebook post, acknowledging that he attended the meeting.

Mir Ali, a Bolingbrook businessman and zoning board commissioner, said Claar and Bolingbrook First trustee candidates Mike Lawler, Sheldon Watts and Maria Zarate were having “great conversation” with residents when Duzinskas walked in.

“A guy walks in carrying a book bag about 30 minutes later,” Ali wrote, including a photo of the round-table discussion. “He grabs a chair, moves it up to the table where Mayor was seated, takes a seat at the table and immediately took a selfie,” he added.

Duzinskas apparently responded to Ali, pointing out that the chair was already at the table.

“Does it even matter that the picture you're showing here doesn't seem consistent with your claim that I came in and pulled a seat up?,” Duzinskas wrote. “It changes the dynamic of my entrance. You welcomed me in warmly, and I responded in a reciprocally affable and engaging manner. I find this post misleading, and appreciate you being honest as I was when I answered Mayor Claar's question regarding my profession. Let's keep this honest.”

During a Facebook back-and-forth, several Bolingbrook First supporters lashed out at Duzinskas for attending.

“What a 'get'. LOL I mean you got a selfie with the mayor? That never happens! Wow! Oh wait! ( I'm cracking up.) And the mayor was NICE to you? Shut the front door! You don't say...? What a coup!,” one supporter said sarcastically. Former Bolingbrook Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Michael Carpanzano also urged residents to report Duzinskas’ Facebook account for using a fake name.

“If we thought that (Bolingbrook United) were playing DIRTY politics before. They are now playing FILTHY and disgusting politics,” Carpanzano added. The United slate includes Traynere for mayor, trustee candidates Robert Jaskiewicz, Terri Ransom and Mary Helen Reyna, and village clerk candidate Jaimie Olson.

Harris said she didn’t anticipate that Duzinskas' attendance would create such a stir in the Bolingbrook First camp.

“We were expecting a larger crowd,” she said. Claar estimated that there were 15 to 18 people in attendance at various points during the coffee, but Harris said about five people there when Duzinskas arrived. “He was offered the seat and he took it … It was going to be a ‘listen and leave’ situation,” she said.

Harris said Duzinskas initially sat in the back of the room, but due to the size of the crowd, he was invited to Claar’s table. She said Duzinskas participated in the conversation and was honest when Claar asked him if he’d lived in Bolingbrook long and what he did for a living.

“Drew was honest and said 'I’m Jackie Traynere’s campaign manager, and this is awkward and I’m going to leave,'” Harris said. “It was not malicious. There was no intention to be surreptitious.”

Harris added, “I’m surprised that it was such a big deal.”

Despite the dustup, Claar said he feels good “about where we are in this campaign."

“I really don’t care (that Duzinskas attended),” he said. “I just thought it was strange. The guests that were there were stunned at the deception.”

Bolingbrook Mayor Roger C. Claar