Chicago City Wire

David Krupa has the full support of the Chicago Republican Party in his run to end Mike Madigan’s stranglehold in the 13th Ward.

If the last few days are any indication, the 19-year-old DePaul University freshman probably could use it.

“The Chicago Machine has gone over the top this time, right in Madigan's backyard,” Chicago Republican Party officials posted to their website on Dec. 12, insinuating that Madigan’s political machinery could have been swamping Krupa’s campaign with complaints.

David Krupa

"To run for alderman, you only need 473 valid signatures. David Krupa running in the 13th Ward filed 1,703 signatures,” the officials said in the post. However, “2,796 affidavits from residents were turned in claiming they want their signatures from Krupa's petitions removed. While only 187 signatures matched up with the affidavits, it still leaves 2,609 false affidavits, which is a felony.”

The suggestion seemed to be that the powerful longtime Democratic House Speaker wanted Krupa out of the picture.

The story quickly gained national traction, with none other than Chicago Democrat Bill Daley—taking time from his campaign to become the third member of his family to be Chicago mayor—weighing in about the purported heavy-handed tactics.

“I saw your story on the 19-year-old in the 13th Ward,” Daley told the Chicago Tribune. “I mean, really? Really?”

The elections board is slated to formally begin assessing the situation on Dec. 22. 

“Filing false affidavits is a felony,” Krupa's attorney Michael Dorf said on “The Chicago Way” podcast. “To prevent anyone from supporting a candidate (intimidation) is also a felony. I’ve never seen anything like it. We’re asking that the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners refer this to the Cook County state’s attorney. This is clearly two felonious violations of the elections code.”

For Krupa, it’s all been a learning experience he probably won’t soon forget.

“With everything going on, with Madigan trying to crush me and everything, it’s just crazy,” Krupa told the podcast. “But it’s also obvious that I live in a unique American political system.”