Mayor Against Protest Due To Political Reasons: Jackie Traynere

BOLINGBROOK, IL — In a statement to Patch, Jackie Traynere (D-Bolingbrook) said that the mayor of Bolingbrook owes an apology for wrongfully stating names of people who he said had organized a protest on Tuesday that was later cancelled.

In his live video Monday, Mayor Roger Claar talked about a protest organized by Traynere, calling it "reckless". He also said Jamie Olson and Bolingbrook attorney Joseph Giamanco were involved in it.

"The Mayor has a political agenda, and he used it yesterday. He owes Mr. Giamanco an apology, as he was not involved in organizing anything," Traynere said. "Mr. Giamanco has called the mayor repeatedly, as of the last 18 hours, still no response. As for Ms. Olson, I would say the same. Sharing information doesn't make you the organizer."

During the 2017 mayoral election that was rife with accusations of deception, negative campaigning and connections to President Donald Trump, Traynere had conceded to Claar who had won by 103 votes.

"The mayor is not being truthful about the demonstration or for his reasons for opposing it,she said. "He narrowly won his last election and it is still eating at him."

According to Claar, the protest was organized without prior permission of the village officials or the police department. He also said it was to take place during rush hour, and Traynere did not confer with The Bolingbrook Promenade management before deciding to hold the demonstration there.

"Many in our community are searching for a way to be heard. One such person created a flyer and I shared it. I attended a similar rally on Friday at the corner of Route 59 and Caton Farm. It was not an organized event, I had no idea who created it, neither did the others around me," Traynere said. "It was people coming together to visibly support one another. If someone doing that here makes me the organizer, then that is a title that they use, not me."

She said she did not contact the police because it was not an organized event.

"I spoke with the person who created the flyer and urged them to let me post a cancellation notice. Had they not agreed, I would have contacted Ken Teppel head of public safety, but as I am sure you know he was fully aware of the event."

Traynere said Mayor Claar "has been silent all of the past week, but once he saw an opportunity to make a political attack, suddenly he is talking about George Floyd."

"The Mayor of Naperville walked with the protesters yesterday, even took a knee in front of the police department. He didn’t attack people in his community, he embraced them," she said. "What we need is peace love and understanding right now. Not more hate. Change doesn't happen by saying please — never has, never will. "