Ethics Panel Clears DuPage Official For Name Pin Issue

ELMHURST, IL – A DuPage County Forest Preserve commissioner was among area officials over the last year to be photographed wearing an official government name pin to a political fundraiser.

Watchdog Edgar Pal filed a complaint.

Under state law, political campaigns must be kept separate from government functions.

Earlier this month, the forest preserve's ethics commission cleared District 5 Commissioner Barbara O'Meara, who represents southwest DuPage County.

The Democrat wore her official name tag for the York Township Democratic Organization's St. Patrick's Dinner in Lombard. Pal named other forest preserve officials as witnesses.

He also reported a similar instance at a campaign event last July in Lombard.

In a letter to forest preserve officials, Randon Gardley, the ethics commission's chairman, said Pal's complaint was "legally insufficient" to proceed.

In an email to Patch this week, Pal said the commission promptly dismissed the complaint without explanation.

"This is concerning because administrative agencies in Illinois typically are expected to include detailed reasoning in their written decisions," Pal said. "Here, they haven't even provided anything that would educate the parties or the public on how ethics issues should be handled going forward."

O'Meara has not returned messages for comment since Patch reported on the issue in April.

Over the last year, Patch has reported on several area officials doing the same thing as O'Meara. Some have acknowledged the mistake, including a DuPage County Board member and an Elmhurst alderman running for county office.

Others have stayed silent, including a DuPage County Board member.

In December, O'Meara's forest preserve colleague, District 2's Tina Tyson-Dunne, also stayed mum when asked about wearing her government-issued name tag to political events.

All are Democrats.

In November's general election, O'Meara faces Republican Michael Farmer.