City of Joliet & Mayor Named in Lawsuit by Former Councilman

A former Joliet City Councilman has filed a defamation lawsuit against Joliet Mayor Bob O’Dekirk, Inspector General Sean Connolly and the city of Joliet. The lawsuit is connected to a report that accused Jim McFarland of participating in a meeting with retired Joliet Police Chief Al Roechner, former Joliet City Councilman Don ‘Duck’ Dickinson and others to bring false charges of intimidation against Joliet Mayor Bob O’Dekirk. 

In a copy of the lawsuit obtained by WJOL, McFarland’s legal representatives state that O’Dekirk and Connolly began a “partisan, unfair, biased, investigation that was outside the standards generally recognized by inspector generals to apply their investigations to target Plaintiff (McFarland).” 

McFarland’s lawsuit also states that Inspector General Connolly does not have the authority to investigate McFarland as he is not a citizen of Joliet, not an employee of the city, and is not a contractor or subcontractor with the city of Joliet. 

The lawsuit says “that as a result of the republishing of the Connolly report by the city of Joliet on its website has damaged Plaintiff’s reputation as a person in Frankfort and has damaged his Frankfort print shop business.”

McFarland is asking for a judgment in excess of $50,000 and costs. Click below to see the lawsuit