Conservative Slams Elmhurst Mayor, LGBTQ Group

ELMHURST, IL – An Elmhurst conservative activist on Monday criticized the city’s mayor, saying he was under the influence of a “radical” LGBTQ group.

Resident Tom Chavez, who often addresses the local school board, spoke at Monday’s City Council meeting.

Mayor Scott Levin did not respond to Chavez’s comments. A representative for the Elmhurst Pride Collective said Tuesday that Chavez was “very confused” about what the group is and does.

In his comments, Chavez referred to the mayor’s proclamation recognizing June as LGBTQ Pride Month. The 2023 statement says the city welcomes the LGBTQ community.

It also says Elmhurst “is dedicated to the acceptance of all of its residents, regardless of age, beliefs, disability, ethnicity, identity, race, religion, gender identity, sex or sexual orientation.”

Chavez accused the mayor of using his public position to promote the goals of the Elmhurst Pride Collective, whose organizers he said were “radical political activists.”

He said the collective has a link to the campaign of Marti Deuter, an Elmhurst alderwoman who is running as a Democrat for the area’s state representative.

“Is Marti’s campaign pressuring you? Are you trying to curry favor with her campaign to score political points for your re-election campaign?” Chavez asked.

The Elmhurst Pride Collective, Chavez asserted, was connected to groups that he said wanted to abolish the police, end “global white supremacy” and overthrow the “cisgender, heterosexual patriarchy.”

“None of this sounds safe to me, especially if you are white, heterosexual, male and appreciate secure borders and a functioning justice system and police to protect your family,” Chavez said.

He questioned whether businesses painting their windows for Pride Month know where the mayor is leading them and what the collective is endorsing.

“What the Elmhurst Pride Collective seems to be doing with your help is camouflaging a nakedly aggressive ideological agenda that targets impressionable children as some sort of community human rights endeavor,” Chavez said. “We don’t need a proclamation from a politically compromised mayor to remind us how we should be behaving.”

In an email to Patch on Tuesday, collective board member Stephanie Wargin said the mayor has delivered a Pride proclamation three times.

“I’m not sure why this is suddenly a concern for Mr. Chavez, but we are grateful for this small symbolic act that recognizes the many LGBTQ+ residents and allies in our community,” Wargin said.

She also encouraged Chavez to speak to business owners who take part in the local Pride window-painting initiative before trying to speak for them.

“It’s unfortunate that he distorts what is clearly a fun and celebratory community-building effort that celebrates everything that makes Elmhurst a truly wonderful place to live,” Wargin said.

In 2021, Chavez started regularly appearing at school board meetings. At the time, he contended local schools were teaching “critical race theory,” though he provided no evidence.

He ran for school board last year, but lost by a wide margin.