Former Illinois Department of Transportation Deputy Stanley Moore was selected by Democratic leaders Thursday to serve the remainder of Beavers' term which ends in December 2014.
Despite the ethics violation on Moore's record, Cook County Democrats selected him to fill the 4th District vacancy on the County Board.
Just minutes after Moore was sworn in, one of the Democratic politicians that selected Moore was on the defensive.
"He was not convicted of any crime, he was not convicted of a felony or a misdemeanor," Alderman Howard Brookins said.
Moore, a South Side political insider, was fined $3000 for campaigning in 2008 when he supposed to be on his state job. He says the allegation was untrue and he paid the fine only because he did not have money to fight the charge.
"We just weren't in a position, financially, to be able to defend ourselves," Moore said.
But State Representative Monique Davis, who Moore ran against five years ago, questioned the committee's selection.
"He is a person who has proven he has a character flaw, so now the question will be 'what's next?'" she said.
Moore replaces Beavers on the county board. He's awaiting sentencing after being convicted earlier this year for tax evasion.
Eleven candidates vied for the appointment including former Cook County President Todd Stroger.
"I still have a desire to do public service," Stroger said.
The selection committee denied any inside deal was struck to appoint Moore. Investment banker Ken Sawyer, who promised to donate his public salary for scholarships, was disappointed but said he understood the process.
"There are political aspects to this that you just have to accept," Sawyer said.
Sawyer and several other applicants are considering running for the county's 4th district seat in the 2014 election. The list of possible candidates would include former board president Todd Stroger who styled himself Thursday as the most experienced candidate for the job.
