A former Cook County Board of Tax Appeals employee has filed a whistleblower lawsuit alleging he was fired for refusing to take part in a political fight in a controversy stemming from a Chicago Bears property tax dispute.
Frank Calabrese was a ratings analyst and communications director for Cook County Board of Review Commissioner Samantha Steele and alleges in the federal lawsuit that he was fired by Steele after he refused Steele’s instructions regarding the Bears’ appeal and participated in an investigation of Steele by the Cook County Office of the Independent Medical Examiner.
Steele said he could not comment on the details of the litigation over personnel issues, but denied the allegations.
“That’s a complete lie,” she said. “There are so many lies in that lawsuit that we can’t even unravel it.”
Steele has instructed his staff to cooperate with the investigation and maintains he has done nothing wrong.
According to the complaint, in January, Steele asked Calabrese to submit a memo to the full county commission summarizing appraisals submitted in connection with the Bears’ appeal of the tax assessment of the former Arlington Park racetrack.
The team would purchase the land in 2023 for $197 million, and Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaege has valued it at $192 million.
Board of Review Chairman George Cardenas said Steele prematurely released the board’s valuation of the land before it was finalized. Cardenas and Board Chairman Larry Rogers Jr. changed their minds after reaching an agreement, she said. Ultimately, the board valued the land at $125 million, and the Bears are appealing the decision to the state.
At the time, because the appeal was still pending and the Board of Review had quasi-judicial powers, Calabrese did not think it would be appropriate to seek advice from the County Commission and instead consulted the Board of Review’s legal counsel on the matter.
The lawsuit also alleges that Steele directed Calabrese to campaign against Cardenas and Rogers. Calabrese claims that he was retaliated against by Steele and his chief of staff, Dan Baranov, whenever he approached the general counsel and human resources department about Steele’s conduct. Baranov is also named as a defendant along with the review board.
Calabrese was interviewed by the inspector general’s office in April but was fired less than a month later after he failed to provide details to Steele, according to the lawsuit.
“Chairman Steele’s actions regarding the Chicago Bears tax appeal appear to prioritize his own political image and vanity over compliance with the Board’s rules,” Calabrese said. “After I expressed my concerns, retaliation followed swiftly.”
The lawsuit seeks compensation for lost wages and emotional distress, as well as to block the board from filling his position.
