Darien Bar Owner Aimed Wrath At Ex-Official

DARIEN, IL – Former Darien Alderman Tom Chlystek said Friday he was the recipient of angry private Facebook messages from a local bar owner. Meanwhile, the owner apologized for the remarks.

In an interview, Chlystek, who lost his bid for re-election in April, described himself as shocked when he read the messages, which Patch reported about Thursday.

He was speaking about the comments from Q Bar owner Robert Taft, a member of Darien's Economic Development Committee.

The messages were sent a few hours after both men spoke out at last week's Downers Grove Village Board meeting about video gambling, with Taft in favor and Chlystek against.

In the messages, Taft called Chlystek a "f------ loser" and Chlystek's wife "a pig." He also suggested Chlystek take his own life and bragged that he made a lot more money than Chlystek.

In a text message to Patch on Monday, Taft said he regretted what he wrote in a private message to Chlystek.

"I don’t feel getting into a debate about our past is worthwhile. There is a long history there, and I’m not rehashing it," Taft said. "I apologized for what I said in anger and regret it. I think we have way bigger issues to worry about in our country currently, than a private text message. I apologized, and I’ve moved on."

In a text message to Patch last week, Taft said he was asking Chlystek why he wouldn't end his ongoing harassment of him.

"This relates to prior history in another town, not in regards to video gaming. It was sent due to frustration of years of feeling harassed," Taft told Patch.

Taft provided no specifics.

In Friday's interview, Chlystek, who now lives in Downers Grove, said he has not harassed Taft. He also said he did not respond to last week's messages from Taft.

"It's not acceptable," he said. "It's never warranted. Bullying should be called out."

He said Taft has done some good things for Darien, particularly his help for Darien Fest.

In 2021, Chlystek twice weighed in at Darien City Council meetings when neighbors complained about noise from Q Bar.

"Obviously, this has been going on for quite a while, and this is why I support looking into this," he said at one meeting.

He said no residents, especially police officers and medical personnel, should have to lose sleep over loud music. He said Q Bar may want to invest in soundproofing as a possible solution.

"We'll keep looking at it and see what we can do," Chlystek said at the time.

Taft's private messages became public last week when a Downers Grove Village Board commissioner posted screenshots on Facebook.

Asked whether he still had confidence in Taft as an Economic Development Committee member, Darien Mayor Joseph Marchese told Patch on Thursday he was reserving judgment until he meets with the bar owner.