Election Complaint Against Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott Dismissed

An election complaint filed against Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott, Jr., was dismissed on a unanimous 4-0 vote yesterday by the Lake Co. Elections Board according to the Northwest Indiana Times. The complaint filed by John Nauracy, Sr. questioned more than $300,000 in payments to McDermott's wife for consulting services, RV rental expenses and non-itemized reimbursements to McDermott exceeding $100. McDermott was present for the meeting, but he was not required to answer any questions. His lawyer spoke for him, who claimed the allegations in Nauracy's complaint were baseless. McDermott has admitted his campaign finance statements incorrectly identified an RV company in Albany, Indiana instead of one in Frankfort, Illinois as the business from which he rented RVs for campaign purposes after the business' owner said he had never rented an RV to McDermott. He also denied Nauracy's allegation he used the RVs for personal purposes.