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DuPage candidates deny involvement with negative campaign ad
Updated: December 16, 2012 6:38AM
OAK BROOK — DuPage County Board candidates say they weren’t involved with a flier carrying their name.
The District 2 candidates were endorsed on a pre-election flier that criticized fellow candidate Elmhurst Mayor Peter DiCianni.
The card, titled, “The Right Choices for County Board District #2.” Under the heading, “CHOOSE,” listed Elizabeth (Liz) Chaplin, Elaine Zannis and Sean Noonan. Chaplin is a Democrat, while Zannis, Noonan and DiCianni Republicans.
Chaplin, Noonan and DiCianni won election last week to the three open seats representing District 2.
The three candidates said they did not give their permission for their names to be used, nor did they know about it before the election.
“I had no involvement whatsoever with the negative literature piece that was distributed as an attack against DiCianni,” Noonan said Monday. “Regardless of the Election Day results and whether I won or lost, I am proud to say I never made any negative remarks towards any of the other candidates, nor did I ever collaborate with any of the candidates in an attempt to defeat another.
“I ran my own campaign with the assistance of family and friends,” Noonan said. “Unfortunately, my name was included on the piece without my knowledge and/or permission and may create a negative perception of me.”
Zannis, an Oak Brook village trustee, said she was not aware of the mailing, until a neighbor mentioned it.
Zannis lost the election, having received 33,258 votes, the fewest of the four candidates. Zannis received 99 votes fewer than Noonan, who finished in third place.
Zannis said Monday she did not collaborate with any of the other candidates to run as a slate.
While one side of the campaign ad endorsed Zannis, Noonan, and Chaplin, the other side criticized DiCianni for being willing to give up his job as Elmhurst mayor to serve on the County Board, which pays $40,000 more in annual salary. The flier also criticized DiCianni for originally wanting to hold both positions.
DiCianni with 34,044 votes, finished second to Chaplin with 34,625.~.
