Chicago City Wire

Longtime Republican lawmaker and DuPage County Board member Pete DiCianni is reported to be profiting in a big way off Democratic machine politics in Chicago.

A source tells the DuPage Policy Journal that over an 18-year period beginning in 2002, the Democratic-backed Coalition for Better Government has been a frequent client of DiCianni's company, DiCianni Graphics, a graphics and marketing communications firm, with the company receiving at least 36 payments from the including funds from former Chicago Ald. Dick Mell and Democratic state Sen. James DeLeo.

While accepting work from the Coalition for Better Government, DiCianni associated with Dominic Longo, who was convicted of voter fraud, and John “Quarters” Boyle, who served as a special events director for the Coalition for Better Government as recently as 2002 and later spent time behind bars for using his armored truck company to steal at least $4 million, mostly in quarters, from the Illinois Tollway.

Despite his checkered past, Boyle continued to benefit from his connections, landing a City of Chicago job after being released from custody.  

Mell was first elected alderman in the 33rd Ward in 1975 and was later also elected ward committeeman and vice mayor.

On his biography page, a passage reads “Ald. Mell has always taken pride in representing a multi-ethnic, multi-racial community which keeps striving for a better way of life for all its residents. He has remained open to the people by attending community meetings and maintains an open door policy, by making himself accessible to everyone who wishes to see him.”

In 2013, Mell was succeeded as 33rd Ward alderman by his daughter, Deborah.