A few weeks after being pardoned by former President Donald Trump, Casey Urlacher is throwing his hat into the Mettawa mayoral race once again.
Feds charged Urlacher with conspiracy and running an illegal gambling business, and he faced a maximum of 10 years in prison.
Now, Urlacher will run for reelection as a write-in candidate.
According to an email obtained by the Daily Herald, Urlacher wrote the following note to his constituents:
“Residents I am speaking to want to keep Mettawa as the special hidden gem of Lake County that it is today.
“This is a small local race, (but) in the end, I believe voters care that they have a mayor who shares their values and will work for them.”
He did not address the charges or pardon in his email.
The former White House issued the following statement in pardoning Urlacher:
“President Trump granted a full pardon to Casey Urlacher. This pardon is supported by his friends and family, and countless members of his community. Mr. Urlacher has been charged with conspiracy to engage in illegal gambling. Throughout his life, Mr. Urlacher has been committed to public service and has consistently given back to his community. Currently, Mr. Urlacher serves as the unpaid Mayor of Mettawa, Illinois. He is a devoted husband to his wife and a loving father to his 17-month old daughter.”
Notably, the statement does not dispute the charges.
Casey Urlacher seeks reelection, but why?
One might expect Urlacher to be content with getting off scot-free. Instead, he’s using that freedom to pursue reelection.
Urlacher is running against former Mayor Jess Ray, who previously served from 2009-13.
“I don’t understand why he’d want to do it,” Ray said Monday. “He’s a competitive animal and he loves the limelight.”
Ray added that an Urlacher win would be “a defeat for power, not for the good of the residents.”
Vince Del Giudice pleads guilty, Trump pardons Urlacher
Casey Urlacher’s older brother is Brian Urlacher, the legendary Chicago Bears linebacker. Brian Urlacher has been a vocal Trump supporter over the years, and even met with the former president at the White House in March.
It’s telling that the former White House’s statement provided no specific reason for Urlacher’s pardon. It didn’t even try to address the charges, instead rationalizing his actions by saying he’s a good guy.
Others involved in the scheme, however, haven’t been so lucky.
Feds charged 10 people, including Urlacher, last year. The ring-leader pleaded guilty this week.
Vincent Del Giudice, 55, also known as “Uncle Mick,” pleaded guilty to gambling conspiracy and money laundering charges.
He faces up to a year-and-a-half in prison. Prosecutors are also seeking $8 million, as well as his Orland Park mansion and a 2017 Lexus.
Del Giudice’s father, Eugene, also pleaded guilty a few months ago and received a year of probation and three months of home detention.
Vincent Del Giudice allegedly hired people to recruit new bettors and collect their debts. That was Urlacher’s role in the scheme, and he would receive a cut of bettors’ losses.
One thing worth noting is both Del Giudice punishments were lighter than expected. Had Urlacher not been pardoned, perhaps he wouldn’t have faced anything significant.
But it’s quite a look to not only walk away with zero penalty, but to immediately seek public office after a pardon that appears baseless.
At the same time, if you’ve been following this story over the past few months, it’s the perfect plot twist. And precisely on brand.
