Joliet Township Supervisor Dan Vera named in lawsuit – Attorney’s statement carefully crafted

Will Co. (ECWd) –

We began our investigation into Joliet Township in early October.  The first exposure as a result of our investigation was covered by CBS News reporter Megan Hickey in this story. This is going to be the first of numerous articles we will run which will expose a laundry list of malfeasance and violations of law in Joliet township under the direction of Supervisor Vera.

In less than 24 hrs from the CBS breaking story, local media picked up the story and shared some very interesting comments.   One, in particular, was in the Herald News.

“Joliet Township attorney Jim Harvey claimed it was not true that Vera had Road District employees work on his Jefferson Street property because he doesn’t control those employees.”

Note the attorney does not say those workers did not work on Vera’s property but rather he claims it was not true Vera “had” road district employees work on his property, as if who directed the work really matters.  The statement is carefully crafted but fails to address the allegation that is supported by multiple affidavits, which is Road District employees worked on his private property with Township equipment.

According to the lawsuit, “VERA received the benefit of the work of ROAD DISTRICT employees and free use of ROAD DISTRICT equipment with the ROAD DISTRICT employees performing labor on a property owned either directly or indirectly by VERA. More specifically, ROAD DISTRICT employees performed excavation work and supplied labor repairing a retaining wall and setting concrete at the expense of the ROAD DISTRICT on a property owned by VERA.”

I did not find anything in the filing that claims Vera directed the work to be done so not sure why the attorney made the statement he did. What is most telling though is what he did not say.  He did not deny that Road District employees worked on Vera’s property, which is a good thing because Vera knows they worked on his property, as do I.

I know because Vera told me they did during a discussion after the October Township meeting we attended.  During that conversation, it was clear Vera was nervous and not comfortable being confronted with such specific questions about his property and work done by Road District personnel and equipment.  He repeatedly stated he did not direct them to do the work but did not deny the work was done. In fact, he even described some of the work done but downplayed it since he did not direct it.  When pushed on the subject of other people telling a whole different story he became evasive at best.

A copy of the lawsuit filed against the Township and Supervisor Dan Vera can be downloaded at this link or viewed below.

Stay tuned for our future articles which will clearly show the public how Joliet Township ignores our laws.  We expect this series to be upwards of ten separate articles.

.