Elizabeth Jimenez decides to not take oath of office

[markberwyn]

Elizabeth Jimenez, who currently serves on the D100 school board and who was elected Berwyn Township trustee in the April 4, 2017 election, has decided she will not take the oath of office for Berwyn township trustee because she claims she was threatened with a lawsuit that would get her kicked off the D100 school board if she took her oath of office for Township Trustee.  Here is what she posted on Facebook:

   "It is with great sadness that I am letting all of our Berwyn residents know that I have not taken and will not be taken the oath of office for Township Trustee. Over the last couple of weeks I have been receiving anonymous information letting me know that certain individual(s) were thinking of filing in court papers that once I took the oath for Township meant that I was automatically given up my seat as school board member in School District 100. Unfortunately I was not aware of the issues it could arise. I spoke to lawyers and after careful review of the matter they agree that it MAY be. They also mentioned that we could go to court and a judge would have to decide. It would be a long process and it cost lots of money and for that reason I decided to not take the oath. To all who believed and voted for me I want to apologize. I want you to know that it was not my intention to do this. I was very excited to be your voice as Township Trustee. I have enclosed the letter I submitted to Supervisor Elizabeth A. Pechous. Any questions please feel free to reach out to me. Thank you!"

Aside from all the politcal BS we all take for granted when you live in this town, who takes her place?  Also, what kind of person decides to run and then just lay down because "it costs lots of money".  How about letting a judge decide?  You are obviously a smart woman so I believe you could represent yourself or find a lawyer who would.  To all who believed in you, well that's their mistake because you obviously were not committed to doing what's best for the City of Berwyn.  I voted for you so shame on me.

Your anger seems wildly misdirected. If you supported Ms. Jimenez as much as you say you did, you should be upset at the people who are trying to railroad people out of her position. When you have some quiet time to yourself, you should think about why you chose to publicly express your anger toward Ms. Jimenez and not them.

She is obviously a strong woman who wanted to do good for her town.  It's a shame she didn't have the backbone to take them on in a legal venue.  She knew that when she ran for this election what she would be facing.  As another poster used to say, "Nuff said".

Not "nuff said," Mrs. Northsider. As was pointed out earlier in the thread, there are plenty of examples of local politicians who've held two elected positions, so she had no reason to think that she would be targeted via a piece of legal minutiae. Perhaps you didn't read the thread closely.

I wonder if those people who hold multiple offices will now stand with Ms. Jimenez or resign from their second elected positions. If they do not, why not?

[Bonster]

It's not about a lack of backbone. Knowing Elizabeth- I know she'd fight them if she had the $. The cost of a lawyer to fight this would be completely cost prohibitive for her. AND she'd risk losing her seat on the school board.

She made no indication this was about $$.   She said counsel advised her this was the right thing to do.  If it was worth the battle, her party would have taken care of it as they did (or tried to) with the rest who were challenged.

[Bonster]

It's not about a lack of backbone. Knowing Elizabeth- I know she'd fight them if she had the $. The cost of a lawyer to fight this would be completely cost prohibitive for her. AND she'd risk losing her seat on the school board.

She made no indication this was about $$.   She said counsel advised her this was the right thing to do.  If it was worth the battle, her party would have taken care of it as they did (or tried to) with the rest who were challenged.

Her quote and did say it could be a lot of money.  Still, the party would have picked it up if it was worth it, but it would ultimately be up to a judge, and it's only a Trustee position.  Not worth losing a spot on the BoE.

[MRS. NORTHSIDER]

It's not about a lack of backbone. Knowing Elizabeth- I know she'd fight them if she had the $. The cost of a lawyer to fight this would be completely cost prohibitive for her. AND she'd risk losing her seat on the school board.

She made no indication this was about $$.   She said counsel advised her this was the right thing to do.  If it was worth the battle, her party would have taken care of it as they did (or tried to) with the rest who were challenged.

Total BS.  I just want to know who her counsel was.  And why, since her seat on the school board was so important to her, did she decide to take on another office in Berwyn that would cause a conflict of interest with it.

[markberwyn]

It's not about a lack of backbone. Knowing Elizabeth- I know she'd fight them if she had the $. The cost of a lawyer to fight this would be completely cost prohibitive for her. AND she'd risk losing her seat on the school board.

She made no indication this was about $$.   She said counsel advised her this was the right thing to do.  If it was worth the battle, her party would have taken care of it as they did (or tried to) with the rest who were challenged.

Total BS.  I just want to know who her counsel was.  And why, since her seat on the school board was so important to her, did she decide to take on another office in Berwyn that would cause a conflict of interest with it.

Again, you need to slow down and read the thread. Other Berwyn elected officials have held multiple positions without incident. She had no reason to believe that she would be targeted in this way.

[markberwyn]

I also find it weird that Mrs. Northsider, as a low-class, low-information voter ("lipstick on a dumb shit," "go fuck yourself," etc), would be suddenly so high-minded and concerned about details about this particular candidate.

[Bonster]

Ted - did you see the post where Elizabeth Pechous said she stepped down for the same reason as Elizabeth Jimenez?

I can't remember if it was on BCK, Berwyn Rocks, or Banter.

[MRS. NORTHSIDER]

I also find it weird that Mrs. Northsider, as a low-class, low-information voter ("lipstick on a dumb shit," "go fuck yourself," etc), would be suddenly so high-minded and concerned about details about this particular candidate.

I just find it hard to take when an obviously qualified candidate and winner decides to cut losses and run.  Run away, I meant.  As for my low class and low information status then why do you even bother to reply since you are obviously (in your own mind) such a high class and high information voter.  Again, what interest do you have in Berwyn aside from being a troll with nothing better to do with your time except try to shove your own brand of political righteousness down everyones throat?

[Ted]

Ted - did you see the post where Elizabeth Pechous said she stepped down for the same reason as Elizabeth Jimenez?

I can't remember if it was on BCK, Berwyn Rocks, or Banter.

No, I didn't see the post.  Was it in the last 24 hours?

[markberwyn]

I just find it hard to take when an obviously qualified candidate and winner decides to cut losses and run.  Run away, I meant.

You shouldn't take it that way. The only appropriate conclusion to come to about Ms. Jimenez, based on the available evidence, is that she was bullied out the position. Do you support bullies?

  As for my low class and low information status then why do you even bother to reply since you are obviously (in your own mind) such a high class and high information voter.  Again, what interest do you have in Berwyn

This garbage again. I say something here that people don't like, and then somebody demands that I explain why I come here and say things. As if I haven't answered every question asked of me. Every. Single. Time. The answer is the same: I lived in Berwyn, I'm close to people who live in Berwyn, I like to keep up with Berwyn, and I want to see Berwyn do well. But you don't particularly care why I'm here, I think. I think you're just mad that you're being disagreed with, a common affliction among people on this board, in my experience. Do you believe you're on this board for better, more noble reasons than I am? If so, what are those reasons?

aside from being a troll with nothing better to do with your time except try to shove your own brand of political righteousness down everyones throat?

This is funny to me, for two reasons. First, that you think my expressing opinions you disagree with represents my "shoving my brand of political righteousness down your throat." Is there anything I've said on this subject that is truly so very provocative and beyond the pale that you have to treat it this way---that I've forced you to believe something? The second funny thing is that you're acting as if you don't have your own brand of "political righteousness"---in your case a belief that bullies deserve defending and that "lipstick on a dumb shit" is sensible political discourse. You are welcome to these opinions! But I believe that they are objectively dumb opinions, and that they---and, by extension, you---do not represent the best of Berwyn.

[Bonster]

Ted - did you see the post where Elizabeth Pechous said she stepped down for the same reason as Elizabeth Jimenez?

I can't remember if it was on BCK, Berwyn Rocks, or Banter.

No, I didn't see the post.  Was it in the last 24 hours?

It was last week, sometime.  Something to the effect that she was advised there could be a conflict of interest, so she stepped down.

[Ted]

Ted - did you see the post where Elizabeth Pechous said she stepped down for the same reason as Elizabeth Jimenez?

I can't remember if it was on BCK, Berwyn Rocks, or Banter.

No, I didn't see the post.  Was it in the last 24 hours?

It was last week, sometime.  Something to the effect that she was advised there could be a conflict of interest, so she stepped down.

OK.  I didn't see the post.