You may notice another addition to the Legal Victories section of Kenosha County Eye’s website.
Today, the Illinois Attorney General’s Public Access Bureau ruled in favor of Kenosha County Eye founder and editor Kevin Mathewson, concluding that the Village of Antioch improperly withheld public records in response to a Freedom of Information Act request through the Attorney General’s internal Public Access Counselor review process.
(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
The dispute involved emails exchanged between the Village clerk and the Village’s outside attorney, James Vasselli, which the Village partially withheld by claiming attorney-client privilege. After reviewing the records privately, the Attorney General’s office determined the Village failed to demonstrate that the emails involved legal advice or otherwise met the legal standard required to withhold them under FOIA. The Attorney General ordered the records released unredacted.
Vasselli was formally appointed Village Attorney for Antioch in July 2024 after approval by the Village Board. Under the engagement agreement approved by resolution, Vasselli Law, LLC is paid a flat fee of $10,000 per month for general legal services, with additional hourly charges for certain development, TIF, and public finance matters. The agreement also notes that Vasselli serves as general or special counsel to multiple Illinois municipalities.
This determination marks Mathewson’s 22nd successful outcome involving public records and open government matters.
The Village attorney involved in the dispute, James Vasselli, shares a name with a former Cook County prosecutor who was charged in 2001 after allegedly placing an envelope of sugar on a co-worker’s desk during the height of national anthrax scares. According to contemporaneous reporting by the Associated Press and the Chicago Tribune, prosecutors alleged the act created a false biological threat and charged the case as felony disorderly conduct. Court records show the charge was later dismissed after a judge found no probable cause. Kenosha County Eye has not confirmed whether the Village attorney James Vasselli is the same individual referenced in those reports, and the attorney has not confirmed that connection. Vasselli won’t confirm with KCE, but we highly suspect it’s the same man.
(Photo of Kerkman, by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye, Photo of Becky, facebook.com)
Mathewson also has an active public records lawsuit pending against Kenosha County Executive Samantha Kerkman and Clerk of Courts Becky Matoska, a case that remains under review. In that matter, county officials retained one of the state’s most expensive private law firms, at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars to taxpayers, to defend against the lawsuit. No determination has yet been issued in that case.
14 Responses
Your rights are like muscles, if you don’t use them you lose them!!!!! Fight the power!!!!
Ok amagansett
👏🏻 👏🏻 👏🏻 bravo Kevin
GET THEM BIG DAWG 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻 KEEP IT GOING TAKE DOWN THE DEEP STATE💪🏻💪🏻😎😎
Plus extra for anything beyond a board meeting ?
Almost up in Salems attorney cost territory !
I guess we’re getting a bargain here ! NOT !!
Good Job!! Fight the power!! These elected.officials think they know more and are above everyone else! Have you ever lost a.court case? I don’t remember seeing it if you did.
Good job Kevin, and quite the lucrative little deal for the Antioch attorney $10,000 a month to answer the phone and extra money if he actually has to do anything sounds like a great gig. Sometimes you got to wonder, just kidding – when your clients are paying with someone else’s money it’s all a joke
Kevin,
I would love to have you give us a class or seminar (PAID) on the process of getting Public Records from beginning to end. I have tried, but then don’t know how to move forward properly and confidently when they are denied. ANYONE ELSE????
Great job Kevin! Antioch has a long history of corruption and insider “good ‘ole boy” deals. Thank you for your expertise and diligence in exposing this BS!
Why would Samantha and Becky need to hire outside counsel? Isn’t that what Corporation Counsel is for?
Because tax money has no value to her. She will spend anything to help her image. The county’s attorneys are very terrible attorneys. That’s why they work for the county.
It’s a shame the Republican party can’t find someone who can challenger her and win. Her and the Sheriff are about as Republican as Putin.
These temporary politician spend the people’s money on stupid vindictive BS. When they do they should pay when they’re wrong.
Great job, Kevin!!!