Peraica volunteer accused of harassing Gorman
September 13, 2007
BY Steve Patterson Special to the Daily Southtown
A day after accusations surfaced that
a one-time campaign staffer for Tony Peraica made obscene
phone calls to Liz Gorman, the two Cook County commissioners
and bitter political rivals shared a table at a Southland
awards luncheon.
But Peraica quickly got up and walked
away from the table at Wednesday's Chicago Southland
Convention and Visitors Bureau event in Tinley Park.
Later, the two spoke separately about
Fred Ichniowski, 63, of Hickory Hills, who is accused
of making nasty calls to Gorman.
"It's just a shame," Gorman
(R-Orland Park) said. "No employees or members
of my staff should have to endure those types of calls."
Ichniowski is charged with making repeated
harassing calls to Gorman in which he called her names
and demanded that she "work with" Peraica.
"Tony didn't make me do anything,"
Ichniowski said Tuesday. But he then referred all questions
to Peraica's chief of staff, Mike Manzo, and those in
Peraica's law office.
Peraica (R-Riverside) distanced himself
from Ichniowski. "He was a volunteer who did work
for my campaign, made some calls, worked at our headquarters,"
he said, adding Ichniowski was not a top operative.
Peraica said he met Ichniowski after representing
him on a criminal charge in 2002 of slashing the tires
of several cars that belonged to nuns.
Records show Ichniowski also has a previous
conviction for telephone harassment.
"I'm not aware of'' calls made to
Gorman's office, Peraica said. "I wouldn't condone
that. It's outrageous."
But police reports show Ichniowski told
police that "Peraica encouraged his volunteers
to contact (Gorman) and expressed his disapproval of
her new position" as county Republican chairman.
Ichniowski, who is charged with misdemeanor
telephone harassment, also told police he was drunk
when he made the phone calls.
On Wednesday, Peraica accused Gorman of
only bringing up the phone calls because he now is running
for state's attorney, he said.
"The timing is very curious, now
that (candidacy) petitions are being filed," he
said.
Gorman said she regularly received harassing
calls from the same man but only notified police after
he grew more angry and vulgar in late February, when
the county board was in a budget battle and she ran
for GOP chairman.
The caller said Gorman was "acting
like a bitch" and "that c--- better learn
to work with Peraica or she'll find herself out of a
job."
Gorman said "whenever (Peraica) and
I were on opposite ends of an issue, the calls would
come. (Peraica's) name always came up."
"Peraica thinks everything is a fight,
but it takes two to fight, and I won't be part of this,"
Gorman said. "He's tossed too many grenades. One
was bound to backfire on him."
Contributing: Kim Mathisen
Chicago Sun-Times
