After more than a year of deliberation to determine whether former Skokie trustee James Johnson was in violation of the village’s ethics code by engaging in “prohibited political activities” as a Board member, Skokie’s Ethics Commission reached a determination — to fine him $3.
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That left the Skokie Village Board, at its April 20 meeting, to approve or reject the Ethics Commission’s recommendation.
And despite some subdued opposition by trustees, the Board moved to reject the Ethics Commission’s recommendation in a 4-2 vote, with Trustees Keith Robinson and Alison Pure Slovin dissenting. Johnson will consequently be issued no fine.
“It does really bother me that the Board was hurt by the events of the last many years, and I don’t endorse or like that in any way,” Trustee Jim Iverson said to fellow trustees minutes before the roll was called.
“However, I do admire James Johnson a great deal and appreciate what they have done for others,” Iverson added.
The original 10-point ethics complaint, filed by eight Skokie residents last February, alleged Johnson violated the village’s ethics code by using the public comment podium on multiple occasions for political purposes (Johnson was then running for village clerk).
While the Commission later moved to drop a majority of the complainants’ claims, it did move forward with an investigation over Johnson’s alleged use of “political campaigning” while on compensated village time during the Board meetings of May 6, 2024, June 3, 2024 and July 1, 2024.
Complainants argued that while attending Skokie Village Board meetings as a trustee, Johnson stepped down from the dais to the public podium to make comments in reference to “eliminating the Skokie Legal Department” and “restricting the hiring of outside law firms,” in an effort to protest what Johnson saw as political activity in the village’s legal department.
The complaint also accused Johnson of using village resources — including its microphone, projector, A-V system and village YouTube account — to do so.
Former Skokie Mayor George Van Dusen cautioned Johnson at the time to be careful what they said from the lectern, as some comments could be regarded as a potential “campaign appearance” when spoken from the public podium.
The complainants argued: “Trustee Johnson has consistently and repeatedly used their position on the Village Board to attack and disrespect their real or imagined political opponents, and anyone they deem insufficiently in alliance with their ideas.”
“Trustee Johnson did so from the dais, and from the lectern during public comments, during Skokie Village Board meetings, utilizing village resources, and while getting paid by the village using taxpayer funds,” the complaint said.
On Feb. 11, 2026, the Ethics Commission issued its decision, finding Johnson in violation of the village’s ethics code while serving as a trustee, and subsequently recommended a fine of $1 for each of the three violations.
In response to the Board’s decision to reject the recommendation of a $3 fine, Johnson told the Pioneer Press in an email that they were “not surprised.”
“[Ethics] commissioners Minkus and Matanky attempted to fine me for giving public comments during public meetings about public policy; they demonstrated little understanding or respect of the right to free speech,” they said.
“I look forward to seeing the Board reform the Ethics Commission in the months to come.”
Johnson has previously filed several of their own complaints to the Ethics Commission, one of which alleged that former Corporation Counsel Michael Lorge and Assistant Corporation Counsel James McCarthy acted “unethically” when they allegedly requested that Johnson drop out of the race for village trustee back in 2021, a claim former trustees and Van Dusen have adamantly denied.
After a fourth complaint, the former Board moved to recommend Johnson be fined $5,000 for filing “frivolous” ethics complaints, which the commission later repudiated.
According to past Pioneer Press reporting, Johnson argued the ethics complaints filed against him were “politically motivated” in nature and that one of the complainants listed, Elline Eliasoff, formerly served as Trustee Alison Pure Slovin’s campaign manager and treasurer.
Prior to the Board’s decision, several Skokie residents came to the defense of Johnson, arguing that their previous advocacy efforts for the village have long been misconstrued.
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“If you accept this recommendation of the Ethics Commission to besmirch the name of someone I know to be incredibly ethical, I’m leaving $3 on the podium to pay the fine,” said resident Kimberly Polka.
“James spoke from the dais in an attempt to merely open a discussion about the legal department and review policies and considerations to depoliticize our corporation counsel’s office,” Polka continued. “And then James, a teacher, began history lessons from the public podium to highlight an issue that they and many residents in Skokie saw as a problem.”
“To accuse James of speaking from the public podium as campaigning for clerk is patently absurd,” she said.
“I’ve been paying attention to Village Board meetings since early 2022, [and] I’ve never heard James say anything that could qualify as campaigning,” said Skokie resident Lauren Grodnicki.
“Even had James done the thing that they were being accused of, that’s what at least two of their contemporaries did…I urge you to reject the recommendations of the Commission as flawed and invalid,” Grodnicki said.
The Board’s ultimate decision to reject the Ethics Commission’s recommendation is final and will be subject to administrative review in Cook County Circuit Court.
“So this saga is finally over,” Johnson told the Pioneer Press in an email.