Attorneys representing Calumet City aldermen are asking a Cook County judge to dismiss a lawsuit brought by Mayor Thaddeus Jones that seeks to prevent them from representing the city in ongoing proceedings.
The City Council appointed Odelson, Murphey, Frazier and McGrath, a firm based in Evergreen Park, to represent them in December, after repeatedly asking for legal support from hired attorneys Ancel Glink, a Chicago firm, to no avail, 2nd Ward Ald. Monet Wilson said.
“We could email Ancel Glink, call, and not receive responses,” Wilson said. “And then they were heavily supportive or responsive to the mayor.”
But Ancel Glink representatives said Odelson, Murphey, Frazier and McGrath overstepped by petitioning to represent Calumet City in both a labor dispute and a lawsuit where a former employee claims Jones extorted him and wrongfully terminated his employment.
The firm and Jones filed a lawsuit in March asking a Cook County judge to prevent Odelson, Murphey, Frazier and McGrath from representing the city in these matters. Ancel Glink attorney Keri-Lyn Krafthefer says she has no problem with the City Council hiring a firm to represent the legislative body, but only the mayor can appoint a firm to represent the city in proceedings.
“They can’t encroach on the powers of the mayor or the city attorney,” Krafthefer said.
Judge Alison Conlon denied a request for a temporary restraining order that would have immediately prevented the City Council’s hired attorneys from interfering with the ongoing litigation.
Now, Odelson, Murphey, Frazier and McGrath are seeking to dismiss the lawsuit altogether, claiming the City Council never authorized the city’s filing of the lawsuit, while they did vote in favor of the firm representing the city in the litigation brought by the former employee during a Feb. 5 meeting.
Krafthefer said Odelson, Murphey, Frazier and McGrath has since withdrawn from its efforts to represent the city in that litigation, agreeing to act as a supplement to the current counsel “to watch what’s happening.” She said once the two parties agree on Odelson, Murphey, Frazier and McGrath’s role within the city, Ancel Glink will drop the lawsuit.
“The lawsuit is a waste of money, but I think they just want to push the envelope and take away some of the mayor’s power,” Krafthefer said.
Representatives from Odelson, Murphey, Frazier and McGrath did not respond to requests for comment.
Tensions between the City Council and mayor’s office came to a head after aldermen found Jones charged $44,000 to a city credit card in September, much of which was during a legislative conference in Washington D.C.
The Chicago Tribune previously reported that Jones, who is also a state representative, is under federal investigation for tax issues involving his campaign funds, with the mayor and state representative paying tens of thousands of dollars last year to a law firm that specializes in criminal defense.
Odelson, Murphey, Frazier and McGrath previously stepped in amid conflict between former Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard and board members, with the board voting to turn over files on pending litigation to the firm away from a firm hired under Henyard in early 2024.
Wilson previously said aldermen were hesitant to hire Odelson, Murphey, Frazier and McGrath due to the firm’s ties to Dolton. She said they ultimately decided on the firm because of its history representing Calumet City, before Jones was first elected mayor in 2021.
The next hearing in the lawsuit against Odelson, Murphey, Frazier and McGrath is set for 9:15 a.m. June 11, at Chicago’s Daley Center, 50 W Washington St.
ostevens@chicagotribune.com
