Cook County clerk to remain an elected position

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A proposal to make the Cook County circuit court clerk an appointed position was withdrawn at Wednesday's meeting of the Cook County Board. The current elected clerk, Dorothy Brown, attended the meeting.

Score another political win for Dorothy Brown. Cook County commissioners will not petition Springfield to change how the circuit court clerk gets the job.

"The intention was always to see if there was a way to make government more efficient and to save money," said Commissioner Peter Sylvestri.

As Commissioner Sylvestri spoke, Circuit Clerk Dorothy Brown nodded her approval. The proposal to make Brown's job an appointed position, as opposed to the current, elected position was dead.

"The item considering the resolution to petition the state government to change the law is being withdrawn," said Sylvestri.

"It's just another effort to dilute the voting rights act as it relates to local governments," said Brown, referring to the resolution.

Clerk Brown, who won the March Democratic primary despite reports she was under federal investigation, called the effort another attempt by her political opponents to undermine the voters.

"We're talking about a government by the people, for the people and of the people," she said.

Meanwhile, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, who opposed Brown's re-election, denied any involvement in the resolution.

"In this instance it was legislation that I didn't know about in advance, didn't promote and didn't encourage," Preckwinkle said.

When asked by ABC7's Charles Thomas if she believed Preckwinkle, Brown said, "If she issued that statement, that's her statement."

Among the dozens who showed to support Brown was Tio Hardiman, one of the candidates who initially opposed her re-election.

"She actually secured over 478,000 votes in the primary. So how could you turn your back on a person like that?" Hardiman, a former candidate, said.

Surrounded by supporters, Clerk Brown stood as politically strong as ever.

"Because I stand for the people. For and with the people. That's the important thing," she said.

Brown has served as Cook County's clerk of the courts since 2000, and she is running for election to her fifth term in November.