A Grundy County judge is ordering LaSalle County Republican Party Chairman Larry Smith to pay about $3,000 in attorney fees for County Clerk Lori Bongartz. That’s after last month’s decision to dismiss Smith’s complaint that Bongartz bungled the November 2020 election results and wrongly gave wins to two Democrats in local races.
That doesn’t mean Bongartz’s lawyer will get a check soon. Smith’s lawyer says he’ll appeal Judge Scott Belt’s decision. The elections Smith contested were for the Illinois House 76th District and the LaSalle County State’s Attorney. In the House race, Lance Yednock won reelection against Travis Breeden. In the state’s attorney race, Todd Martin defeated incumbent Karen Donnelly.