Town President Larry Dominick applauded the ruling of the Independent Election Board which rejected false claims that he does not qualify to remain on the ballot for the Feb. 26 election for Town President.

Dominick, who has served the Town of Cicero as president since 2005, said that the challenges by his political opponents were “a monumental waste of time and taxpayer money,” orchestrated by candidates who have no chance of winning elective office on Feb. 26.

The challenges were filed by David Donahue, a Bridgeview resident and strip-club owner, and Juan Ochoa, a Berwyn resident who worked as a campaign fundraiser for former Governor Rod Blagojevich. “Today was their only chance at election and they lost,” Dominick said of Donahue and Ochoa who are both candidates for office.

“The voters don’t want them and all they had was this false claim that I did not qualify to be on the ballot. Not only will I be on the ballot but I will be on the ballot with many dedicated and experienced elected officials who have given of their time and lives to make the Town of Cicero one of the best suburban communities in Chicagoland.”

Donahue and Ochoa and their campaign filed a total of 27 election challenges against all of the Town’s officials including Town assessor Emilio Cundari, Collector Fran Reitz, Supervisor Joe Virruso, Clerk Maria Punzo-Arias, and trustees Larry Banks and Lorraine Walsh. Two other trustees, Dennis Raleigh and Victor Garcia ran and were re-elected to office in 2011.

Dominick praised his election legal team led by Richard Means, John Fogarty and Mike Kasper, and the independent public election board members Adam W. Lasker, Daniel Bolin, Tiffany Nelson-Jaworski for their many hours of work.

Town spokesman Ray Hanania added, “Dave Donahue knows a lot about strip clubs, lap dances and g-strings but he clearly doesn’t know much about elections.”