The seven aldermen of Calumet City have unanimously agreed to take legal steps to acquire documentation for $76,000 of spending linked to Mayor Thaddeus Jones. According to 3rd Ward Alderman DeAndre Tillman, the inquiry into the mayor’s expenses didn’t need to escalate to this level. The need for documentation arose after Jones charged $44,000 to a city credit card during the Congressional Black Caucus’ 54th annual event in Washington. Although the mayor no longer holds the credit card, the City Council has yet to see receipts, prompting them to appoint legal counsel in December.

Alderman Tillman expressed concern when a $25,000 reimbursement check provided by the mayor originated from a business owning money to the city. He questioned the transparency of these actions: “If a person is that desperate to try to get this swept under the rug, what else is out there?” Contrarily, Mayor Jones claims that he forwarded the requested receipts in July and asserts the Council’s actions are politically motivated. He submitted documents for 2024 and 2025 expenses, including justification statements for items without receipts, insisting the aldermen received everything.

The City Council has approved some of the mayor’s past expenses, which Jones interprets as complicity. Aldermen argue that several expenditures remain unauthorized, and they are set to select an independent legal firm on September 8 to initiate litigation against Jones. Calumet City continues to struggle financially, with deficits between $2.8 and $4.7 million since 2023. The Council approved a five-year bond in June, committing to pay more than $8 million in outstanding bills. The city also reduced its workforce by 46 employees, including 13 union public works staff.

2nd Ward Alderman Monet Wilson acknowledges that suing the mayor will incur further taxpayer costs but emphasizes mounting concerns over city spending. While Jones attributes budget deficits to factors other than wasteful spending, Wilson argues for strict accountability of taxpayer funds. She highlights the difficulties faced by residents due to budget constraints, stating: “When taxpayer money is spent, every dollar has to be accounted for.” Despite the tension, she clarifies that they are not attempting to label the mayor as a criminal.

The mayor argues that the City Council lacks the jurisdiction to retain its own attorneys, leading him to file a lawsuit against the Evergreen Park-based firm Odelson, Murphey, Frazier & McGrath from acting as legislative counsel for the aldermen. Judge Alison Conlon has rejected the firm’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit, with the next hearing scheduled for September 3 at the Richard Daley Center in Chicago.