Will County’s top prosecutor defended a case that attempted to remove a Joliet City Council member from elected office and he rejected the allegation that he is attacking minority candidates or elected officials.

On Monday, Will County Judge Jennifer Lynch ruled she “lacks the jurisdiction” to remove Juan Moreno from the City Council based on an alleged pre-election violation regarding his residency.

State’s Attorney James Glasgow’s Office filed a case last year to remove Moreno from the City Council based on the allegation that he did not meet the residency requirements before running in the 2025 election.

Glasgow’s office has appealed Lynch’s ruling in the Moreno case.

‘Vindictive action’

Moreno’s attorneys with the Tomczak Law Group issued a statement saying the case marks the third time Glasgow’s office has “sought to attack either the candidacy or the election of minority candidates.”

Moreno is the “second Hispanic elected official” whom Glasgow’s office “has attacked,” his attorneys said.

In a statement, Anna Bertani, an attorney with Tomczak Law Group, said it is “time to stop this vindictive action” against Moreno.

“The court has clearly held that this action is not only ill conceived, but without merit in its entirety. It is nothing more than a personal and unfounded attack on Joliet’s top vote-getting councilman,” Bertani said.

Bertani urged Glasgow’s office to drop the appeal and allow Moreno to move on with his political career and serve the people of Joliet.

In another statement, Moreno said he is a union worker trying to “make ends meet while doing my best to serve my community.”

“Obviously, the costs in this matter are more prohibitive and come at great expense to my family and their future,” Moreno said.

On the other hand, Moreno said the “vindictive attack” from Glasgow and Scott Pyles, an assistant state’s attorney, “costs them personally nothing.”

Glasgow responds

Glasgow’s office on Tuesday issued a statement that said the statute “controlling this matter is abundantly clear” and the issues raised—such as residency—did matter.

“Mr. Moreno’s attorneys have alleged that this is a ‘vindictive attack.’ However, this matter is simply the enforcement of the law, which is my duty. I look forward to the appellate court’s decision,” Glasgow said.

Glasgow said his office “always follows the law and never decides an action based on gender, religion or minority status.” He said it is his legal duty of his office to “seek compliance for prospective candidates [and] elected officials of all races, genders and creeds.”

“The press release issued by Mr. Moreno’s lawyers is riddled with factual and legal misrepresentations. First and most importantly, the court did not hold that this case was ‘ill-conceived and without merit,’” Glasgow said.

Glasgow said Lynch ruled she did not have jurisdiction to hear the Moreno case after previously ruling she did have jurisdiction to hear the case last September.

“Since we disagree with the final ruling, an appeal was immediately filed,” Glasgow said.

Past election cases

Glasgow also said Moreno’s attorneys falsely claimed there are three instances of his office “attacking the candidacy or election of minority candidates on the basis of their race.”

In the first case, Glasgow said Karl Ferrell, a former Joliet Township trustee, was a convicted felon whose removal from office was upheld by the 3rd District Appellate Court in Ottawa.

In the second case, Glasgow said his office defended Will County Clerk Annette Parker after her office was sued by Joliet Township Supervisor Cesar Guerrero.

Parker’s office had kept Guerrero off the ballot for township supervisor because his name appeared on a state list of candidates who forfeited a spot on the ballot over unpaid fines on campaign violations.

Guerrero paid his fines and was selected by Joliet Township Democrats to fill the vacancy created by the forfeiture list.

Will County Judge Victoria Breslan ruled in favor of Guerrero staying on the ballot and he was elected township supervisor.

The Guerrero case is under appeal.

In the third case, Glasgow said Moreno’s “public declarations of residency” indicated he was not a Joliet resident “for the one year prior to the election as required by law.”

Glasgow said it is “undisputed” that Moreno changed his address from a residence outside Joliet to an address inside the city “within seven months” of the election.

“This case was brought because the statute clearly provides that candidates for city council must reside in Joliet for one year prior to election. That is the law,” Glasgow said.

Glasgow said Moreno’s address used for filing his statement of candidacy was different than the address used by Moreno for his voter registration, driver’s license, vehicle registration, his business registration home ownership, federal taxes and more.

“Mr. Moreno’s lawyers never disputed these facts. Instead, Mr. Moreno’s lawyers characterized these violations of Illinois law as mere mistakes and negligence by Mr. Moreno,” Glasgow said.