Dorothy Brown has Major Gripe with Rivals in County Clerk Race

Larissa M. Tyler | As of Thursday, December 10, 2015

Dorothy Brown
Dorothy Brown

Cook County Clerk Dorothy Brown has a bone to pick with a few Democrats she claims she has supported for years.

Brown griped about it last week via a press release that clearly illustrated she is, to say the least, peeved at these individuals who also happen to be running against her in the upcoming election.

Brown targeted Chicago Ald. Michelle Harris (Ward-8th) who announced last month she is running for the county clerk’s seat. The Cook County’s Democratic Party also unanimously endorsed Harris for county clerk in next March’s primary.

This did not sit well with the incumbent Brown, who has held her position for 15 years.

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“Clerk Brown is disappointed that certain members of the Democratic Party, individuals she has long supported, have filed petitions to challenge her in the March 2016 election, namely Alderman Michelle Harris, who would turn back the hands of time by having political ward bosses in control of the jobs,” the press release read.

Harris high-browed Brown’s comments by responding to the Chicago Citizen Newspaper’s request for comment with the following statement:

“I look forward to travelling throughout the County, meeting with voters to share my thoughts, plans and vision for how to improve the Circuit Court Clerk’s office, including ways to better work with the independently elected officials who depends on the services provided by that office. I am proud to have the full support of the Cook County Democratic Party and look forward to campaigning over the coming months.”

Clerk Brown’s release also hammered Tio Hardiman, Atty. Jacob Meister and former Chicago alderman Shirley Coleman who all have filed petitions to run against her in the county clerk’s race.

“Former Alderman Shirley Coleman…it appears, is being used as a stalking horse for Jacob Meister, a perennial candidate that will run for any office imaginable. Another perennial candidate, Mr. Tio Hardiman, has filed as well,” Brown’s release read.

“I am not a not a perennial candidate. I captured close to 30 percent of the state vote when I ran for Governor against Pat. Quinn in the March 14, 2015 democratic primary,” Hardiman told the Chicago Citizen Newspaper. “I believe the voters of Cook County are ready for change but I’m not going to go on a tirade and embarrass Dorothy Brown or none of the candidates. That’s not my plan. Dorothy Brown, like I’ve told her, to me, she’s an African queen and I’m not here to bash an African queen. But her time may have come and gone as it relates to the position.”

Hardiman also said that he acquired 12,000 signatures while petitioning to run for county clerk; 5300 signatures were required.

Meister said he collected over 15,000 petition signatures and vehemently disputed Brown’s claim that he is a perennial candidate.

“I am hardly a perennial candidate,” said Meister in response to Brown’s description of him. “I have run for one office previously…I have been in this race as the only practicing lawyer since the beginning of the year. I am in the leadership position in the race because I’m a practicing lawyer I’ve been practicing on the circuit court of Cook County for the last 25 years. She [Brown] is trying to be dismissive of everyone and I think in the process dismissive of her own problems which have come up in the press.”

Coleman could not be reached for comment by Chicago Citizen Newspaper press time.

Ald. Harris’ endorsement from the Cook County Democratic party came after news reports that FBI agents visited Brown’s home and seized her government-issued cell phone.

A subpoena served on Brown and her husband Benton Cook III earlier this year asked for documents tied to her husband’s meat business and Sankofa Group LLC, according to news reports.

Brown told the Chicago Citizen Newspaper last month that she would continue to seek her seat without the party’s endorsement.

“Life goes on and I’m going to continue to run,” Brown said. “I want to continue to do a great job that I have been doing.”

Brown has served as clerk of the circuit courts since 2000.

Brown, who has an MBA from DePaul University and a law degree from Chicago Kent-College of Law, previously worked for Arthur Andersen and Commonwealth Edison as a certified public accountant.

She also was employed as general auditor for the Chicago Housing Authority.

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