PRESS RELEASE
Contact Keith Pekau
Telephone 708-670-9573
Email [email protected]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 13, 2016
McLaughlin Too Busy to Attend Veterans and Senior Forums
Hopes to Run Out The Clock Without Facing Opponent
Orland Park, IL –Taking a page from the playbooks of Hillary Clinton and Speaker Mike Madigan,
Orland Park Mayor Dan McLaughlin continues to refuse to address key voter groups alongside his
opponent Keith Pekau. In a letter dated March 6th, Pekau invited McLaughlin to appear with him at
a Veteran’s forum March 12th and a senior’s forum March 19th. McLaughlin declined stating “I will
not be altering my schedule, on short notice, to participate in your campaign’s forums.”
“Given the tremendous response we have received for these forums, I thought it would be a great
opportunity for the Mayor to address these groups,” said Pekau. “Apparently he is too busy to speak
to our veterans and seniors and is using ‘short notice’ as his excuse, even though he was invited six
days prior to the veterans event and thirteen days prior to the senior’s event,” Pekau added.
The forum refusals are part of a systematic pattern by the Mayor of avoiding any debate prior to
the election. This is the same tactic that Speaker Madigan is using to run out the clock on Governor
Rauner until his hand picked candidate Chris Kennedy can try to reclaim the mansion in Springfield
and the same tactic Hillary Clinton employed while sitting on a lead she thought was safe last
November. “I’m not sure what the Mayor is afraid of. I’m out here talking to the people about issues
important to Orland Park,” continued Pekau. “If his record is so great, why won’t he face me?”
In addition to not facing Pekau in any public forums McLaughlin is even avoiding questions from the
public at his own taxpayer-funded events such as the State of the Village event last Thursday. At
the few events where he takes questions, the questions are pre-screened. “Instead of the mayor
facing me in public, and answering real questions, he’d rather spend our taxpayers hard earned
money running self-promoting tele-town halls and city newsletters," offered Pekau.
Copies of both Pekau’s invite and McLaughlin’s response are attached.
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About Keith Pekau
Keith Pekau, 50, was born and raised in Orland Park and is a Sandburg High School Graduate. He holds a
B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Arizona State University and an MBA from Duke University.
Pekau served in the United States Air Force from 1989 to 1998 where he rose to the rank of Captain and
became the youngest Mission Ready Navigator and youngest Instructor Weapons System Officer in the
F-15E fighter jet. He is a decorated combat veteran serving 3 tours to Southern Iraq where he flew 45 combat
sorties and logged 150 combat hours in Operations Desert Storm and Southern Watch.
Pekau is currently a small business owner and entrepreneur. He purchased a tree service business in 2003.
Today, GroundsKeeper Landscape Care is a full service landscaping and tree service company with over 25
employees during peak season. Under his leadership, the business has grown over 600%. He is also the
founder of Fahrenheit Consulting Group and serves as a management consultant to two International firms,
Marakon Consulting, and L.E.K. Consulting.
Pekau’s full platform and bio can be found at: www.keith4mayor.com
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March 6, 2017
The Honorable Dan McLaughlin
Village of Orland Park
14700 Ravinia Avenue
Orland Park, Illinois 60462
Dear Mayor McLaughlin:
I am writing today to invite you to join me at forums I am hosting for two of Orland Park’s most valuable
groups of citizens, our veterans and our seniors. Due to the overwhelming response I am getting from these
groups, we expect a large turnout at both events. I am hereby extending this invitation to you as a courtesy
to address these groups with me and participate in question and answer sessions as well.
The veteran forum takes place on March 12th from 3-5 at the Riviera Country Club and the senior forum takes
place on March 19th from 3-5 also at the Riviera Country Club. It is my sincere hope you will be able to join
us as we look to learn more about the issues facing these important groups.
Please respond not later than March 9, 2017 at 4PM. Due to the tight time line, you can email all
correspondence to [email protected] so that you don’t need to rely on regular mail. If you have any
questions, please don’t hesitate to call. Thanks for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Keith Pekau
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Mr. Keith Pekau:
When you and I sat for a discussion in December 2016 -- at the start of your campaign -- it was a courtesy
to you, and even more so, was out of concern for our community members -- to establish the framework
for an open and honest discussion of the facts.
In that meeting, I told you I felt it would be a disservice to the residents of our Village to distort the facts
and engage in fear mongering on issues like crime, corruption and economic development.
Since then, you’ve conducted your campaign in such a way that has nothing to do with the truth, and
nothing to do with the real issues that affect Orland Park families. As a consequence, I will not be altering
my schedule, on short notice, to participate in your campaign’s forums.
Sincerely,
Dan McLaughlin
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