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Judge Issues Temporary Restraining Order Against Former Mayor Keith Pekau for Releasing Confidential Village Information
Cook County Circuit Court Judge Caroline Kate Moreland has issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) against former mayor Keith Pekau, ordering him to immediately remove his publication of the Village’s confidential information he received access to while in office, and to cease publishing or disseminating any additional non-public confidential information related to the Village of Orland Park.
The court’s action comes in an emergency lawsuit the Village filed against Mr. Pekau, who lost re-election in April 2025, in response to recent blog and social media posts in which Mr. Pekau disclosed sensitive internal documents and details concerning ongoing litigation involving the Village and non-public information related to Village employees.
According to legal counsel, this conduct violated certain privacy laws and threatens to undermine the Village’s position in active federal lawsuits and could ultimately expose taxpayers to greater liability and financial harm when these cases are resolved.
Prior to filing the lawsuit, the Village requested Mr. Pekau to voluntarily remove the confidential information, but he refused, instead posting on social media, “I will not be silenced.”
“This reckless and irresponsible behavior is not just disappointing, it is potentially damaging to every taxpayer in Orland Park,” said Orland Park Mayor Jim Dodge. “We are working to protect the public interest, not just in terms of transparency, but also in safeguarding the legal and financial integrity of the Village.”
Mayor Jim Dodge emphasized that protecting the Village’s legal position must remain a top priority. “The court’s ruling confirms what we already knew: sensitive legal matters should be handled responsibly, not politicized online,” Mayor Dodge said. “We will always uphold transparency, but not at the expense of putting the community at legal and financial risk.”
Village Attorney Michael Stillman added, “The Temporary Restraining Order is an important step in preventing further harm. Mr. Pekau’s disclosure of confidential information may have jeopardized the Village in pending litigation. We are actively assessing the potential consequences and will take all necessary legal measures to limit the damage created by Mr. Pekau.”
During the court hearing, Ancel Glink attorneys Keri-Lyn Krafthefer and Tom DiCianni argued that Mr. Pekau’s publication of the Village’s confidential information violated his oath of office, the Village Code’s requirement that current and former officials cannot divulge the Village’s confidential information, and the Illinois Municipal Code’s requirement that outgoing officials turn over all records to their successors. Krafthefer reiterated that the Village was committed to transparency, but that transparency laws still permit municipalities to keep limited information confidential for a number of reasons permitted by the Illinois General Assembly. Krafthefer stated, “It’s hard to fathom why Mr. Pekau would intentionally publicize confidential information to harm the Village unless he is simply doing so to be vindictive.”
The TRO prohibits Mr. Pekau from posting, sharing, or discussing any confidential Village communications, including legal memoranda, settlement discussions, personnel matters, and internal emails protected under attorney-client privilege. The motion also originally requested to compel Mr. Pekau to list where he published the remarks, but the Village’s attorneys were unable to identify those locations on their own. As such, the court denied that component of injunctive relief because it was no longer needed by the Village. The Village’s request the Mr. Pekau return any confidential Village records in his possession was deferred for an evidentiary hearing, which will be considered with the Village’s request for a permanent injunction against Mr. Pekau, which is scheduled for October 17.
The Village of Orland Park remains committed to open, transparent and responsible governance and will continue to take legal action when necessary to protect its interests and those of its residents.
For additional information, please contact the Village’s Communication and Marketing Division at [email protected] or 708-403-6155.
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Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.
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