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October 10, 2024

Village of Wheeling paid $34,000 to Watchdogs to settle FOIA lawsuit –

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen

On October 16, 2019

Wheeling, IL. (ECWd) –

The Village of Wheeling recently agreed to pay $34,000 in attorney fees to settle a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit brought by Kraft for their denial of public records requested in mid-2017.

This case involved key-swipe-card data (building entry) and specific security camera footage from specific dates/times within and without the village hall.

In Feb of 2019, a Cook County Judge Granted our Motion for Partial Summary Judgment and ordered the village to provide the requested records (here).

Our attorney, Josh Burday from Loevy & Loevy had this to say: “After the Court ruled in Plaintiff’s favor and ordered Wheeling to produce all of the requested records, Wheeling also agreed to pay Plaintiff $34,000 in attorneys’ fees.  The FOIA statute requires that a public body pay for a plaintiff’s attorneys’ fees and costs when he prevails in a case.

Incidentally, security camera footage is also part of our lawsuit against Algonquin Township.

Wheeling FOIA Settlement_Redacted

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1 Comment
  • Roger
    Posted at 20:05h, 17 October Reply

    Funny, a majority of those sitting trustees signing the resolution to pay $34k of taxpayer money just this past March (just before relection) were in the Daily Herald saying one candidate running for a 4 year term was not the “selfless good government watchdog” as she had been portrayed.

    They need to look at themselves in the mirror before they cast aspersion. Taxpayers need a reminder next election.

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