Endorsement of Judy Fiske: Letter

Submitted by Nick Agnew.

As a candidate who has tried to make an issue of transparency, Lee Cabot should explain a few things to the voters of the 1st Ward. Throughout this campaign, she has been heavily financed by outside interests and many of her "volunteers" come from outside the ward. (A recent flyer/mailer, Ms. Cabot sent out en masse, contains the names of supporters, almost half of whom live outside the First Ward). Cabot is an employee of Northwestern University and hollowly asserts that would not create any conflict of interest if she were asked to vote on the many measures the University brings before the City Council.

And now we learn that Cabot has the endorsement of a shadowy group that, although they purport to stand for transparency, are not at all what they appear to be.

First Ward residents have been encountering pricey online pop-up ads bashing incumbent First Ward Alderman Judy Fiske and supporting Cabot. The ads are from a group that calls itself A Better Evanston and claims to promote growth and transparency. Those are both admirable goals, but a closer inspection of A Better Evanston, finds that it is in fact the co-creation of an Illinois Republican committeeman who was an advocate for Donald Trump.
and, in the past, has threatened to sue the City of Evanston over its progressive stance on guns. We are not suggesting that there is no room for pro-Trump, pro-NRA voices in First Ward politics, but it would be better if those voices were actually of the First Ward and didn't hide their identity behind an innocuously named group whose primary motivation seems to be defeating Judy Fiske.

We don't know whether Cabot has repudiated or welcomed their support. But we do think she owes 1st Ward residents a more thorough explanation of where her support comes from, and a more convincing explanation of how she would handle the inherent conflict of being asked to vote on measures affecting her employer.

This is not the first time that supporters of popular two-term Alderman Fiske have seen influxes of outside money and influence attempting to unseat her. In addition to homeowners and residential renters, the Ward is home to Northwestern and downtown Evanston and it is no shock that outside interests would prefer an Alderman who is "easier to work with." We love Judy because she can not be bought and brings her independent vision to bear on behalf of literally everyone in the ward.

We ask 1st Ward voters to stand with us in preserving the independent representation we enjoy and vote for Alderperson Judy Fiske.

First Ward Residents:

Nick Agnew
Richard Alexander
Camille Blachowicz
Clare Delgado
Jack and Susan Mortell
Patti and Dan Montgomery
John Moore
Laura Pelletier
Corinne Peterson
Jeanne Weiden
Betsy Wilson