See Kiss Video: Lyons Township Video Released, Mayor Kisses Elected Official After Hours

LA GRANGE, IL – A video shows two Democratic politicians kissing after hours in the Lyons Township office in Countryside, which has rocked the township's government over the last few days.

The July kiss was between Elyse Hoffenberg, the township's elected clerk and a Cook County Board candidate, and Bridgeview Mayor Steve Landek, a former state senator.

Liz Gorman, Hoffenberg's Republican opponent for the county board seat, filed a public records request for the video more than a week ago, but said Thursday night she had not received it.

Hoffenberg, who handles records requests, was beyond the deadline for providing Gorman the video and sought an extension. She sent the video to the Chicago Tribune, which published a story Thursday night.

Hoffenberg did not return Patch's message for comment.

In the video, Landek is speaking with Hoffenberg as they appear ready to leave the office, with Hoffenberg's purse in hand. Landek turns around, holds Hoffenberg's face and kisses her for a couple of seconds. She smiles and appears to say something. They both walk out of the frame.

In a statement to the Tribune, Hoffenberg said, "My political opponents attempted to extort me regarding this video, saying they would drop their threats to release it if I end my campaign. I am certain that our community will find this kind of old-school politics of harassment abhorrent, and I won't be bullied."

She added, "While the video lacks proper context to make it clear what is happening, what it shows is a lighthearted, friendly and non-romantic moment among colleagues."

In an interview Monday, Hoffenberg described the kiss as a peck. She said she told Landek after the kiss that it was inappropriate, prompting him to immediately apologize.

Gorman said she was informed it was more of a "romantic kiss." She declined to say who told her.

On Thursday night, Landek and Hoffenberg were scheduled to host a Family Pizza Night at a Bridgeview restaurant, according to a post on the village's Facebook page on Tuesday. It promised "family-focused" speakers, with the township's mental health commission as a sponsor.

Late Tuesday afternoon, Patch asked Hoffenberg about the status of Gorman's video request. She wrote back that she was unable to comment because she had retained an attorney to look into "the extensive harassment I have suffered."

Earlier, she released emails that she had sent Christopher Getty, the township's elected supervisor, accusing him of deleting the video in question. She said it was "imperative" that he give her the footage, so she could send it to Gorman.

Last Friday, three of the four members of the township's board called an emergency meeting for Monday to vote on an independent investigation into alleged surveillance, harassment and political retaliation. They appeared to want to investigate Getty, who is also the village of Lyons' mayor.

On Monday morning, the trustees canceled it. They did not say why.

Hoffenberg then submitted a complaint to the attorney general's office, asking for an investigation.

"How did the requester identify those particular cameras, dates, and hours from among potentially hundreds of hours of surveillance?" Hoffenberg said in the complaint.

Gorman told Patch that the kiss was an example of activity that should not have taken place in a government office.

Earlier this week, Getty said in an email to Patch that it was imperative for Hoffenberg to produce records in response to requests.

To the Tribune, Getty denied tipping off Gorman to the video. He told the newspaper that Landek and Hoffenberg have a personal relationship and that he thinks they should keep it away from the township office.

Landek has not returned a message for comment from earlier this week.