Elmhurst Politician Expresses Regret In Handling Critics

ELMHURST, IL — An embattled DuPage County Board member from Elmhurst stopped short of an apology Tuesday, but admitted to regrets in his dealings with Black Lives Matter supporters. Under pressure, the Republican stepped down as chairman of one of the board's committees.

Much of the county board's meeting Tuesday dealt with District 2 board member Pete DiCianni's conduct at a pro-police rally outside the Elmhurst police station late last month and a crude email to a critic afterward.

During public input, most of the speakers showed support for DiCianni, saying he helped them with their issues over the years. Then for the next two hours, the board read aloud written comments from residents about DiCianni's conduct at the June 27 pro-police rally.

The critics pointed out that video shows an unmasked DiCianni, a former Elmhurst mayor, walking up to a counterprotester and speaking loudly in the person's face.

"I did make a mistake. I didn't have a mask. I took it off," DiCianni told the board after the public input. "Shame on me, but I stood up for the people I worked with every day for years."

Later the day of the rally, constituent Lauren Sussman emailed DiCianni, saying she was disappointed in his actions and his participation in the demonstration. She said his actions made African Americans feel unwelcome in Elmhurst and demanded his resignation.

DiCianni wrote back, "Go stick you(r) vote in your a--! I stood up for my cops today."

At Tuesday's meeting, DiCianni told the board that this was "not my finest moment and something I do regret, but I will not apologize for standing up for our fine police officers who consistently provide their best."

On Monday, DiCianni drew the wrath of the board's chairman, Dan Cronin, an Elmhurst Republican, who alleged DiCianni circulated a misleading robocall that the county board was considering defunding the police. In a statement, Cronin said the robocall caused "unnecessary fear and anxiety."

At the end of his speech, DiCianni announced he would step down as chairman of the board's Health and Human Services Committee. He said he used that role to help people gain access to Medicaid.

"This is challenging for me to do. This is a position I love and hold very dear to me," DiCianni said. "My love and compassion for people are never-ending."

DiCianni said the counterprotesters at the pro-police rally were "armed with megaphones and hatred toward our cops."

"My own passion and emotions admittedly got the best of me," DiCianni said. "Showing my support for our police officers does not equate to being against equal rights for people of color."

On Tuesday, DiCianni told Patch in an email that Democratic members of the Finance Committee had considered defunding the police, but one of those members said that was untrue.

He declined to answer Patch's questions whether he circulated a robocall and whether he would release it publicly if he did. He did not address the robocalls at Tuesday's meeting.

DiCianni was Elmhurst's mayor from 2009 to 2012, leaving to become a county board member. He is CEO of DiCianni Graphics in Addison and makes about $52,000 a year as a county board member. His seat is next up for election in 2022.