D’Arcy Campaign Attorney Linked To Secret Attack Ads: O'Dekirk

JOLIET, IL — With 12 days until the election, two-term Joliet Mayor Bob O'Dekirk issued a press release Thursday denouncing opponent Terry D'Arcy regarding this week's political campaign mailer that informers voters: "BAD COP BOB O'DEKIRK IS WRONG FOR JOLIET."

O'Dekirk has not been a Joliet police officer for roughly 24 years. He worked at the Joliet Police Department during the 1990s, and then became a lawyer. For the past several years, he has had a downtown Joliet law firm and works in private practice as a criminal defense attorney.

The campaign mailer "BAD COP WORSE COP" informs voters O'Dekirk had seven suspensions on the Joliet police force totaling 49 days. It misspells the word "assault," stating, "Assualt of a peaceful protestor while Mayor" and "Videos detailing years of abusive behavior as an officer."

In Thursday's press release, O’Dekirk indicated it took him 20 minutes to link the campaign mail back to D’Arcy.

"I have pointed out the failures and contradictions of Terry D’Arcy’s candidacy, but I am man enough to put 'Paid For By Citizens For O’Dekirk' on the mailing, so people can ask me about it," O'Dekirk announced. "As a former boxer, I know that if you throw a punch, you need to take a punch. If Terry D’Arcy wants to throw a punch, he should do it himself and not hire political thugs to punch me in the back of the head when I’m not looking.”

According to O'Dekirk, D’Arcy’s Cook County-based campaign attorney Burt Odelson created the nominations papers for D’Arcy and his running mates for Joliet City Council and has donated more than $7,500 to the Cook County based Integrity PAC — including current funds in the PAC account at the time of the negative O’Dekirk mailing.

Joliet Patch reached out to D'Arcy campaign for their response to O'Dekirk's accusations blaming D'Arcy for the campaign mailer about O'Dekirk's career with Joliet's Police Department.

JR Patton, D'Arcy campaign manager, released the following statement to Joliet Patch:

“The D’Arcy campaign had no prior knowledge, nor did it participate in the development or financing, of the political mail piece critical of Mayor O’Dekirk’s professional conduct in his position of trust as a Joliet police officer.

"Every publication developed and financed by the D’Arcy campaign is, in strict accordance with Illinois election law, identified as Paid for by D’Arcy for Joliet. Since his candidacy for mayor announcement last July, Terry D’Arcy has run a positive, issues oriented campaign addressing matters important to the voters and future of the City of Joliet.

"In his eight years as mayor, Bob O’Dekirk has amassed a Rolodex of enemies, any one of which could be the source of the mail piece. Terry D’Arcy cannot be held responsible for what other people do. This statement is an obvious attempt by a mayor who's trailing in the polls to dirty up a man who has spent his life devoted to his community."

On Monday, the Terry D'Arcy for Mayor of Joliet campaign announced that a new Public Policy Polling survey showed D’Arcy leading O’Dekirk among likely voters in the upcoming municipal election by an 18-point margin, 39 percent to 21 percent.

Another 30 percent of Joliet's voters remained undecided in the mayor's race, while 10 percent of the voters are supporting Tycee Bell, who is also challenging O'Dekirk for mayor.

According to D'Arcy's campaign, this marked the second poll showing D’Arcy leading O’Dekirk. A previous poll conducted August 12-14, 2022 that surveyed 502 likely primary voters showed his favorability higher than O’Dekirk, with 31 percent of votes compared to O'Dekirk's 25 percent.

In Thursday's press release criticizing D'Arcy, O'Dekirk said he worked hard at being polite and fair with people during his time as a Joliet police officer.

“Politics is a rough game, but there is a difference between political spin and outright lies about a law enforcement officer's record,” O’Dekirk announced. "I was recognized repeatedly for my outstanding police work, including four nominations for officer of the year, the 1995 recipient of the Martin S. Murrin Labor award, officer of the month commendations on several occasions, and selected to serve as an executive board member for the Fraternal Order of Police."

Joliet's mayor said he used Odelson to create petitions for him in 2015, but Odelson later told him he expected to be named the Joliet City Attorney and direct all city legal work.

“Odelson has a history of helping candidates, then demanding government legal work," O'Dekirk declared Thursday. "I don’t work like that. I told him no and to send me a bill for the small amount of work he did. I don’t know what kind of deal Terry D’Arcy made with Odelson, but if Terry D’Arcy does somehow succeed in this election, I would not be surprised if Odelson and his army of Chicago lawyers come in and take over Joliet city government."

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

$93,000 Settlement In Lawsuit Against Joliet Mayor O'Dekirk

Mayor Kneels At Black Lives Matter Rally, Refuses To Apologize

Mayor O'Dekirk Scuffle: Charges Dropped Against 2 Men