JEFFERSON PARK — The Chicago Republican Party on Wednesday ousted the newly elected 45th Ward Republican committeeman, saying she was "placed" in office by 45th Ward Ald. John Arena, a Democrat.
Roisin M. Dohl was unopposed in last month's election for Republican committeeman in the 45th Ward.
Dohl was one of 13 Republican committeemen fired Wednesday by the Cook County and Chicago Republican parties as part of an effort leaders said was designed to "end [Democratic] control over several Republican ward organizations" throughout the city.
Dohl declined to comment on her ouster Wednesday evening when reached by DNAinfo Chicago, saying she had just heard the news herself.
Arena, who is also the 45th Ward Democratic committeeman, said the claims by the Chicago Republican Party were without merit.
"I have never met her and my organization had nothing to do with her election," Arena said.
The fact that the Chicago GOP would level such a baseless accusation indicates that its Chicago organization is "disheveled and disorganized," Arena said.
The statement from the Chicago Republican Party included no details on what evidence led it to oust Dohl, or link her to Arena.
"For the first time in generations, the Chicago Republican Party is free of [Democratic] influence," Chicago Republican Party Chairman Chris Cleveland said in a statement. "It's a new era for aggressive Republican action against Chicago Democrats. We've had enough of the corruption."
Cleveland could not be reached Wednesday evening by DNAinfo Chicago. The Daily Herald reported Wednesday that all of the dismissed committeemen had voted in a Democratic primary during the last eight years.
The Chicago Republican Party also ousted the Republican committeemen in the 13th, 20th and 23rd wards, leaders said.
Committeemen — who are unpaid — slate candidates, oversee voter registration, work to boost voter turnout and ensure elections run smoothly. Each ward is supposed to have a Republican committeeman and a Democratic committeeman.
Cleveland said a 2014 state law that tasks ward committeemen with naming election judges gave Democrats an incentive to try to seize control of both parties' committeeman positions and appoint friendly judges.
That could "open the door to voter fraud" by preventing Republican election judges from keeping an eye on polling places, Cleveland said.
The number of Republican ballots requested by voters across the Far Northwest Side nearly doubled during the March 15 primary election as compared with the last time both political parties picked a presidential nominee, according to Chicago's Board of Election Commissioners.
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