The political tug of war at Calumet City Hall just tightened another notch. On Wednesday, attorneys for several aldermen asked a Cook County judge to throw out a lawsuit filed by Mayor Thaddeus Jones, arguing the City Council never signed off on the case in the first place. The clash over who actually speaks for the city in court is set to play out in a hearing at 9:15 a.m. on June 11 at the Richard J. Daley Center in downtown Chicago.
Aldermen’s counsel says council never authorized suit
The council-appointed firm Odelson, Murphey, Frazier & McGrath, which the City Council voted to hire in December 2025, filed the motion to dismiss the mayor’s complaint and argued the council never authorized the city to pursue the lawsuit. That framing turns the case into a fight over who controls Calumet City’s legal strategy, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Ancel Glink sued in March
Back in March, the law firm Ancel Glink went to court to try to block Odelson, Murphey, Frazier & McGrath from representing the city in related litigation, as Law360 reported. Ancel Glink attorneys told aldermen they were waiting for direction from the mayor and that only he can appoint counsel for the city, Daily Southtown reported.
Judge denies immediate restraining order
Cook County Judge Alison Conlon refused to grant a temporary restraining order that would have immediately sidelined the council-hired attorneys from intervening in the litigation, according to the Chicago Tribune. The Tribune reported that Ancel Glink told the court it would withdraw from trying to represent the city and instead serve as supplemental counsel, and that attorney Keri-Lyn Krafthefer called the mayor’s suit “a waste of money” and an attempt to strip some of his own authority. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for 9:15 a.m. on June 11 at the Daley Center.
Why this fight matters
The courtroom drama is unfolding while Calumet City wrestles with financial strain and spending questions. Aldermen previously flagged more than $44,000 in municipal credit card charges tied to a September trip to Washington, D.C., and pushed to curb the mayor’s card limit, Daily Southtown reported. Tensions spiked again earlier this week when the mayor announced temporary layoffs amid a budget shortfall, a move city leaders say has widened the rift between City Hall and the council, as reported by NBC Chicago. The mix of money fights and dueling legal teams has left even routine city business tangled up in court filings and veto threats.
What to watch next
All eyes are on whether the judge grants the aldermen’s motion to dismiss or allows the mayor’s lawsuit to move ahead. Either way, the decision will shape which lawyers are empowered to speak for the city in federal and labor matters. Court filings already show how the infighting can slow or complicate other cases, and observers say appeals are possible depending on how the June 11 hearing plays out. Law360 has outlined the March complaint that first challenged the new firm’s role.
