North Cook News

Denise Rotheimer has something to say about the results of an election that cost Ira Silverstein his state Senate seat in District 8.

“It came as a great relief,” Rotheimer told the Lake County Gazette. “It symbolizes that justice has been done.”

After filing an ethics complaint against Silverstein in 2016, Rotheimer waited months for her complaint to make its way through a system that had been compromised by the lack of an inspector general and an ethics commission that some say hasn't been working properly for the past few years.

Even when Julie Porter, who was recently appointed to the inspector general post, reviewed the case, Rotheimer says she didn't get the results she wanted.

“The whole point in 2016 was for him (Silverstein) to be removed,” Rotheimer said, adding that Silverstein's advances toward her made her distraught and frightful. “It was a crisis – he played the mind games – his behaviors were very insidious, very indirect – but obvious.”

Rotheimer, a victim’s rights advocate, was in contact with Silverstein as they worked on legislation to protect residents.

“I couldn't hold it in anymore,” Rotheimer said, describing her interaction with an attorney during that year. “What he did is abuse.”

Rotheimer said the Democratic Party pumped money into Silverstein's campaign but eventually found that the voters in his district couldn’t be bought. Ram Villivalam defeated Silverstein in the Democratic primary.

“The voters found what he had done to be egregious enough not to vote for him,” Rotheimer said. “Who wants that kind of representation?”

As for what Silverstein should do now that he has been voted out of office, Rotheimer had a few ideas.

“He really ought to repent and acknowledge responsibility,” she said. “He's had a lot of unethical, immoral people who have been in his circle of influence – who have corrupted his morals… . He really needs to take responsibility to be a better person.”

Silverstein’s actions, Rotheimer said, impacted her life.

“I have had to withstand a lot of pain, a lot of hurt, a lot of tears,” Rotheimer said, adding that she knew she would be “railroaded” by the process.

In terms of legal remedies, she talked about helping to advance legislation that would help push ethics complaints through an improved process so that other accusers will get help.

“We can't sit idly by while our elected officials are abusing their power for their own self-gain,” Rotheimer said. “If they’re not representing our interests, we end up paying the price for it.”