DuPage Official Wears Official Name Tag To Democrat Fundraiser

ELMHURST, IL – A DuPage County Forest Preserve commissioner is among the officials lately who have worn their government-issued name tags to political events.

In Illinois, government officials and employees are barred from misappropriating any public property for the benefit of a campaign for elective office or any political organization.

Democrat Tina Tyson-Dunne is seeking re-election as the District 2 member on the forest preserve board. Her district includes parts of Elmhurst, Hinsdale and Clarendon Hills, among other towns.

Her opponents in March's Democratic primary are Jacalynn "Jax" West and Dana Moreau.

Tyson-Dunne did not return an emailed message for comment left more than a week ago.

Tyson-Dunne wore her official name tag at the Democratic Women of DuPage County event last month in Lombard, as seen in photos she posted to her campaign's Facebook page.

The event was a $70-a-plate fundraiser for the Democratic group, which has donated $1,250 to Tyson-Dunne in past elections.

Forest preserve commissioners make $50,000 a year, though Tyson-Dunne proposes cutting their pay by 25 percent, to $37,500.

Commissioners are also offered health insurance, a benefit that Tyson-Dunne says commissioners should not get.

Tyson-Dunne is not alone in wearing her official name tag to events.

In the fall, Elmhurst Alderman Guido Nardini, who is running as a Democrat for the DuPage County board, said he would stop wearing his official city pin to political events when the issue was pointed out.

District 2 County Board member Andrew Honig, a Democrat and Lombard resident, appeared in photos on his campaign's Facebook page, where he appears to be wearing his government-issued pin. He did not return Patch's messages.

In October, area watchdog Edgar Pal submitted a complaint to the county's investigator general about Honig's alleged violation of the rules.