Darby Hills | Village of Barrington Hills photo
By Bill Dwyer for Chronicle Media
The petals seem to have already wilted on newly appointed GOP 26th State Senate hopeful Darby Hills’ Valentine’s Day roses.
Hills, the Barrington Hills village trustee who on Feb. 14 was selected to replace Dan McConchie after his Feb. 2 resignation, has still not been sworn in as of Feb. 19. A lawsuit filed Feb. 18 in McHenry County Circuit Court argues her appointment was illegal under Illinois law.
The lawsuit, filed by southern Illinois attorney Thomas DeVore, with Algonquin resident Brittany Colatorti as plaintiff, names the Republican legislative committee for the 26th Senate District and Hills as defendants. It seeks a declaratory judgment voiding Hills’ selection.
In a nutshell, DeVore and Colatorti argue that, Hills has not shown herself to be an actual Republican, as required by law, and that the committee that selected her did not legally exist and did not inform the public of its intentions as legally required.
DeVore and Colatorti argued that the law exists to protect Republicans “from having their party infiltrated by a pseudo-Republican,” and that Hills “has never engaged in any behavior which would have put the public on notice that she is a Republican.
Hills was selected from a four-person field that also included current 52nd District State Rep. Martin McLaughlin of Barrington Hills, Ela Township Trustee Tosi Ufodike of Hawthorn Woods; and Long Grove Trustee Chris Borawski.
The selection committee, which interviewed candidates at the Palatine Township Republican Organization offices Feb. 14, included Lake County GOP Chair Keith Brin, McHenry County GOP Chair Jeff Thorsen; Kane County GOP Chair Andro Lerario; Palatine Township Supervisor Andy-John Kalkounos; and Barrington Township GOP Chair Peter Kopsaftis.
Read more here.
Related: “McConchie’s would-be successor isn’t a Republican and can’t serve, lawsuit alleges,” “Darby Hills Appointed as New State Senator for Illinois’ 26th Senate District”
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