'You're Mean and Mean Spirited,' Trustee Tells Mayoral Candidate Tr. Bob Streit

OAK LAWN, IL -- Tempers flared at Tuesday’s village board meeting after an Oak Lawn trustee and mayoral candidate accused a local Italian-American business owner of a pay-to-play land swap.

Mancari Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram’s GM Alan Siegel read a letter from his boss Frank Mancari Sr. responding to an article in Tr. Bob Streit’s political Oak Lawn Leaf blog during the public comments at this week’s village board meeting:

“I am disappointed and appalled that a recent article in Trustee Bob Streit's cowardly blog accused Mancari's of some sort of pay-to-play deal with Oak Lawn's elected officials,” Mancari said in a written statement. “Mancari's decade's long excellent name and reputation have been slandered by Bob Streit who is not even man enough to use his real name. Let me set the record straight. The only elected official who has ever been less than ethical in my dealings is Bob Streit.”

Streit is running against incumbent Mayor Sandra Bury in the upcoming municipal election on April 4. The article that appeared in Streit’s blog implied that Oak Lawn’s U-Haul had been forced into moving last year out of its former location on 95th Street so the Mancari auto dealer could expand its lot.

>> Auto Dealer Accuses Mayoral Candidate Bob Streit of Defaming Him in 'Fake News' Story

U-Haul assumed ownership of another Mancari-owned commercial property at 8900 S. Cicero Ave. The land swap involved a change in zoning and special use permits, which Oak Lawn trustees unanimously approved at their April 20, 2016 meeting.

Miguel Castillo, manager of U-Haul location at 8900 S. Cicero Ave., Oak Lawn, also expressed shock over the allegations. Castillo, too, read a letter during public comments from Rocc Bolton, president of U-haul Company of Chicago South and Southwest Suburbs.

Bolden’s letter stated that the land exchange has enabled U-Haul to expand products and services in Oak Lawn, including self-storage. Further, he was angered and offended that a current sitting official would tarnish the efforts of the people involved in brokering the deal.

“The article in Mr. Streit’s blog said … we were pressured to agree to relocate. I can tell you unequivocally that no one from the village ever pressured or coerced U-Haul to relocate. If it wasn’t better for U-Haul, we never would have agreed to it,” Bolden said.

The story on Streit’s blog also questioned a $10,000 political contribution made by Mancari to the People Who Love Oak Lawn Political Action Committee on March 13, 2017.

Bury said all of the village board members were invited to participate in the People Who Love Oak Lawn PAC when it was being formed last fall. Streit and Village Clerk Jane Quinlan, who is running unopposed for a fourth term, declined the invitation.

“You’re mean and you’re mean spirited,” said Tr. Mike Carberry. “You need to look at yourself ... More importantly this is about Mr. Mancari having to defend his character and his generosity not just to us elected officials, his generosity to people he’s never sold a car to, or people that couldn’t afford a new car. I happen to know a few of those stories. He’s a very decent man that brings so much value to our village and we have to listen to that.”

Streit apologized to the public for having to address “political comments” and “political literature,” calling it a “dog and pony show.” He attributed it to the People Who Love Oak Lawn PAC's poor messaging.

“Just very recently we had a business that needed a lot of assistance through the village and they got it,” Streit said. “And shortly thereafter they turn around and donate $10,000 to a political campaign.”

Over the years, the Mancari auto dealership has made 223 campaign contributions to a wide range of candidates and elected officials. Since 2005, Friends of Bob Streit has received $7,475 from the auto dealership, including a $2,000 donation around the time of the land swap, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections.

Contacted in Florida, Frank Mancari Sr. said he hasn’t spoken to Streit since the article appeared in his blog, which represents itself as an online newspaper.

“What am I going to do, call him an imbecile?” Mancari asked.

Mancari said the land trade between the auto dealership and U-Haul was a “win-win-win” for the businesses and residents of Oak Lawn, saying it would increase sales tax revenue for the village.

“Why do you want to slander a business that brings the village $800,000 or $900,000 in tax revenue every year? He wasn’t slandering me when he was taking money from me,” Mancari said. “I can’t believe the words that came out of his mouth. He’s talking like a guy from the street. He’s the organized criminal because he wants to muscle everybody.”

Cover photo: Oak Lawn Tr. Bob Streit (Dist. 3)