Openly lesbian Police Sergeant Pam Cap is fighting to stay on the ballot for mayor in this year’s election in Calumet City, Ill. According to the The Times, Cap’s attorneys filed a challenge in Cook County Circuit Court in Chicago, stating that the Calumet City electoral board gave too broad of an interpretation of the limits of police involvement in politics.

The Times reports that some statutes prohibit police officers from becoming mayors because they are municipal employees, possibly presenting a conflict of interest on votes.

If Cap’s petition is unsuccessful, incumbent Mayor Michelle Markiewicz Qualkinbush will run unopposed. Cap says community members have encouraged her to still pursue her bid for public office.

The Times reports:

“Many people have told me I am doing the right thing (by continuing to campaign), so that is why I am moving forward,” said Cap, who also has received encouragement from the Fraternal Order of Police.

She says the president of the Illinois chapter of the police union has assured her that her candidacy for mayor is on sound legal ground, despite the claims of Calumet City officials that police cannot seek political office.

Illinois FOP state President Ted Street previously told The Times that state law would prevent Cap from doing campaign work while in police uniform or on duty, and that she would have to resign her police post prior to taking office.

Cap has said she will resign her police post if she wins the mayoral election, and that she uses vacation to create blocs of time in which to do campaign work. Calumet City officials previously said Cap should have taken a leave of absence from her post to avoid the appearance of conflicts.

Cap, who is not currently a Victory Fund endorsee, received support from The Times in an editorial entitled “Well, That’s One Way to Win an Election.”

If officials in Calumet City are serious about getting rid of thugs in the city, maybe they should start with City Hall.

It’s a harsh word, but I don’t think it’s out of line to describe what lawyers and the city’s electoral board did to police Sgt. Pam Cap, who wanted to run again for mayor in February and again take on incumbent Michelle Markiewicz Qualkinbush.

The three-member board voted Thursday, on the advice of attorney Burt Odelson, to deny Cap that chance.

Now Qualkinbush runs unopposed, and the $1.5 million Cap says Odelson’s law firm collects annually from the current administration for legal services is safe.

…

It’s happened before, and not only with Cap and McHenry. The 50-member Chicago City Council at one time had at least three city police officers as aldermen, and one — Pat O’Connor of the 40th Ward — is still an alderman. They are required to take a leave of absence in order to avoid a conflict.

I smell a conflict too. Only it has more to do with $1.5 million than it does with Cap.