Keith Pekau (Left) & Jim Dodge (Right), candidates for Mayor | Facebook
Keith Pekau (Left) & Jim Dodge (Right), candidates for Mayor | Facebook
Keith Pekau, the incumbent mayor of Orland Park, Illinois, said his opponent Jim Dodge and his associates orchestrated over 125 anonymous robocalls attacking his family. In a March 10 post on X, Pekau claimed the calls included allegations against his wife, labeling her as racist.
"Jim Dodge & his cronies hit a new low," said Pekau. "A robocall falsely called my wife a racist & put a target on her back—even telling people to harass her at work. For 8 years, Dodge & his allies sent 125+ anonymous attacks on my family & Orland Park."
According to Pekau, Dodge's campaign allegedly targeted his wife through a robocall that urged people to contact the school where she works. The call reportedly named her principal and provided the school's phone number. A video response from Pekau showed a robocall message stating, "Protect your children from Betty Pekau's racism."
Pekau's post on X
| x.com/KeithPekau/status
The Real Story with Jeannie Ives on AM560 The Answer reported that these anonymous robocalls have been ongoing since early February, with over 150 calls documented. Pekau criticized Dodge for not condemning the robocalls and accused him of complicity in spreading misinformation. Dodge has denied any involvement by his campaign in these calls.
Pekau also referenced an alleged smear campaign from five years ago involving personal details released in a letter by Dodge. He described these actions as "deliberate, malicious invasions of privacy" intended to harm his wife's career. He labeled the attacks as "cowardly."
In the upcoming April 1, 2025 consolidated election for Mayor of Orland Park, Keith Pekau faces Jim Dodge as a challenger. Dodge has previously served as Village Clerk and Village Trustee in Orland Park from 1989 to 2021.
Pekau was first elected Mayor of Orland Park in 2017. According to his website, he is a decorated combat veteran who served as an Instructor Weapons System Officer in the U.S. Air Force's F-15E Strike Eagle, accumulating over 1,500 flight hours and participating in 45 combat sorties over Southern Iraq. After leaving military service, he founded GroundsKeeper Landscape Care and co-founded Fahrenheit Consulting.
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