Former Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White has withdrawn his coveted endorsement for a DuPage County primary candidate who was recorded yelling at protesters of police violence during a west suburban rally in 2020.
Peter “Pete” DiCianni was a Republican member of the DuPage County Board at the time video was captured of him shouting at protesters to “leave our town then,” as they countered a pro-law enforcement demonstration outside the police station in Elmhurst, where he once served as mayor.
Now running in the Democratic primary for DuPage County recorder of deeds, DiCianni had the backing of White — one of the most popular elected officials in Illinois history — until the longtime Democratic secretary of state saw videos of the behavior and deemed it “inappropriate and divisive.”
“While I remain a strong advocate for law enforcement, I equally support efforts to ensure all people are treated fairly,” White said in a statement Thursday. “Once you experience discrimination of any kind, you understand how deeply it cuts. Pete’s conduct in these videos disappoints me and is not what I expect from our political leaders.”
In an email, DiCianni said he “was not being negative to protesters, just defending the police who do an excellent job protecting our community. ... I’m hoping Secretary White will reconsider understanding the circumstances.”
Another video from the 2020 rally shows DiCianni going back and forth with a protester in a sometimes heated conversation. “We fund our cops, you better believe it,” DiCianni says.
He wasn’t wearing a mask during either encounter, which happened in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Patch.com reported that when a constituent sent DiCianni an email criticizing his participation in the rally, he responded: “Go stick [your] vote in your a--! I stood up for my cops today.”
DiCianni later told colleagues on the county board that it wasn’t his “finest moment,” and he stepped down as chair of the board’s Health and Human Services Committee.
He ran unsuccessfully in the 2022 GOP primary for chair of the board before switching his party affiliation to run as a Democrat for recorder of deeds this year. The Democratic Party of DuPage County has issued a no-confidence vote on DiCianni, asserting he “has strong ties to the Republican Party and has only been elected as a Republican.”
“As a Mayor and County Commissioner I have always had strong support for first responders of every race, gender and orientation,” DiCianni said Thursday. “Actions speak louder than words, the laws and many families that I’ve advocated for will tell you firsthand, I’m not a racist nor do I discriminate.”
DiCianni faces incumbent Recorder Kathleen Carrier and Elizabeth Chaplin in the March 19 primary.
