Lake Station mayoral nominee doesn't want job - yet
NWI Times
September 15, 2015 - 7:00 AM
LAKE STATION | Christopher A. Anderson could be mayor before the end of this month, but isn't ready for the prize he long has sought.
After winning one of the hardest-fought mayoral campaigns this year, the 36-year-old attorney was handed a political windfall other Lake politicians can only dream about when a federal jury removed former Mayor Keith Soderquist from office Friday for political corruption.
Any city Democrat can compete before an upcoming party caucus to serve the last three and a half months of Soderquist's unexpired term. Local and county Democratic leaders said Monday the job is Anderson's for the taking.
Monday, Anderson demurred. "If I had to make a decision today I would say there is no way that can happen," he said.
He said he won't dump his law clients on short notice. "I'm a solo practicing attorney, and it's my sole source of income. I don't think it would be right if I took the position knowing I wouldn't be able to be a full-time mayor for the next couple of months.
He said his Republican opponent, Edward "Ed" Peralta, won't concede the office to him, either. "I still have an election in November. A lot of people say it should be an easy election. I'm not treating it that way. I want to campaign," Anderson said.
Lake Sheriff John Buncich, the county Democratic party chairman; Ed Grinder, the city's Democratic chairman; and Lake Station Clerk Brenda Samuels endorsed Anderson for the job. "The people wanted him. He is the obvious solution," Samuels said.
Lake Auditor John Petalas, a veteran of county politics, said he cannot remember anyone turning down an office being handed to them on a silver platter. "Most politicians would say, hell yes, because they can run as an incumbent."
Anderson said, "This puts me in a very difficult predicament. I haven't completely made up my mind. I had earlier today, but then then I talked with someone, and I might go back to revisit the question. But I don't feel it would be right to say I can do it and not be there half the time. I have to call it a long shot."
It leaves the city of Lake Station in a dilemma too, since someone has to finish out the year as mayor. City Council President John McDaniel has stepped into the mayor's duties until the Democratic party holds a caucus within 30 days. Buncich said a date for the caucus will be fixed by next week.
Anderson said he has heard both McDaniel and City Councilman Rick Long may be interested in running for the job of interim mayor. Neither men could be reached for comment, and calls into the mayor's office Monday went unanswered.
Anderson burst into local politics during his 2008 election as city judge. He said he and Mayor Keith Soderquist became political enemies in 2012 after he fired the mayor's stepdaughter over missing court bond money.
City and party officials attempted to abolish Anderson's court and remove Anderson from office on grounds he didn't live within city limits. Both efforts failed. Anderson announced last January he would run for mayor and won a landslide victory over Soderquist in last May's primary.
A U.S. District Court jury convicted Soderquist and his wife Friday of conspiracy, wire fraud and filing false income tax returns on evidence they improperly withdrew money contributed to his political campaign and a city food pantry and gambled at area casinos, losing more than $100,000.
They claimed they only lost their their personal funds. Their attorney plans to appeal the conviction, although Keith Soderquist is unlikely to regain office before his term expires at the end of the year.
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