Storm in the USA: Politician reveals footage of herself kissing the mayor during campaign
Elise Hoffsberg revealed the video on her own initiative to «get ahead of the leaks». The candidate, who is married, claimed it was a «friendly act between colleagues» and accused her rivals of blackmailing her to drop out of the race.
A political storm has erupted in Illinois, USA, following the publication of security camera footage in which Elise Hoffsberg, the clerk of the town of Lyons, is seen kissing the mayor of Bridgeview, Steven Landek. Hoffsberg, a candidate for the Democratic Party for the position of Cook County Commissioner, decided to publish the footage herself, claiming that her political rivals had threatened to distribute it in an attempt to blackmail her into dropping out of the race.
51-year-old Hoffsberg stated that she chose to publish the video in the interest of transparency, aiming to get ahead of those who sought to use it against her. According to her, rivals promised to stop threatening to publish the video if she ended her campaign.
The video, first published by the Chicago Tribune, documents Hoffsberg and 70-year-old Landek inside the town clerk's office in Lyons. Landek is the mayor of Bridgeview, a former Illinois state senator, and a veteran leader in the Democratic Party, considered a figure of significant political influence. The footage was filmed on July 13, shortly before 6:45 PM, after office hours.
In the video, the two are seen talking before kissing on the lips. Immediately after the kiss, Hoffsberg is seen smiling and leaning back as they continue to talk. Despite the intimate appearance of the footage, Hoffsberg insisted it was not a romantic moment. She described the kiss as a «light, friendly, and non-romantic act between colleagues.» She added that she told Landek immediately after the event that the gesture was inappropriate and unprofessional, and that he apologized.
Hoffsberg, who is married to attorney Jeff Hoffsberg, pointed to her Republican rival, 61-year-old Liz Gorman, as the source of the leak. She also alleged that Chris Getty, 43, the supervisor of the town of Lyons, was involved in a plan to obtain the video to harm her politically. Gorman rejected these claims, stating she never approached Hoffsberg or demanded anything in exchange for suppressing the video.
Despite the controversy, Hoffsberg clarified that she has no intention of dropping out of the race. She stated she will continue to focus on her campaign, adding that she will not be bullied by what she termed the «old politics of harassment.»
