Cicero Town President Larry Dominick, left; opponent Juan Ochoa. (Cicero; CBS)
Reporting Brad Edwards
CICERO, Ill. (CBS) – Tuesday morning, a lot of Cicero will be getting a lot of extra attention.
Not just by voters electing their town president, but by investigators with several departments, including the Cook County sheriff, and the county clerk.
In Cicero, current President Larry Dominick is in a bitter fight against contender Juan Ochoa.
“I believe Larry Dominick will illegally use public resources to help his campaign,” Ochoa, who also accuses the incumbent of nepotism, tells CBS 2’s Brad Edwards.
Dominick has said Ochoa has gang members working for his political organization, which Ochoa denies.
The incumbent did not make himself available for comment Monday. A spokesperson offered this statement: “He has been vilified by the media which has focused on his personal life and ignored his achievements. He’s confident voters who live in Cicero see the improvements.”
To ensure no fraud occurs, the state’s attorney will provide manpower, as will the sheriff’s office. The county clerk will pony up 11 election attorneys, when two would be typical.
“I just want it to be prepared,” Clerk David Orr says. “I just hope things are smooth and people behave themselves.”
