In the aftermath of his conviction for embezzling public funds, Charles Griffin has resigned as mayor of Ford Heights, his attorney confirmed Friday.
“The law in Illinois is, when the word ‘guilty’ came out of the judge’s mouth, he was removed from office,” said Phillip Turner, Griffin’s Chicago-based attorney. “Obviously, you have to resign — and trying to help the village, you resign … so they don’t get into chaos.”
Griffin was convicted of stealing between $10,000 and $100,000 of public funds “for his own personal and economic benefit” from 2014 to 2017, both during and after his first tenure as Ford Heights mayor, Cook County Judge James Obbish ruled Monday. Despite having been indicted after secret accounts holding $147,000 in public funds were discovered and reported to authorities by the mayor who succeeded Griffin in 2017, Griffin was elected mayor of the small impoverished village for a second time in 2021.
Turner maintained Griffin is innocent and said he plans to ask the judge to overturn the conviction. He said evidence presented by prosecutors during the trial was “woefully insufficient,” including testimony that the former mayor made purchases at retailers such as Walmart and Sam’s Club that benefited himself or those close to him and used public funds to pay for campaign signs when he was running for reelection.
Post trial motions, including potential sentencing, are scheduled for Oct. 27. Turner said if the judge refuses to overturn Griffin’s conviction, he will appeal the decision.
Ford Heights village Clerk Nyree Ford, who testifited on behalf of Griffin during the trial, declined Friday to comment on Griffin’s conviction or provide his letter of resignation. The Village Board now is charged wih electing one of its trustees to serve as mayor until the position is up for election — in this case, 2025. Their next meeting scheduled for Wednesday.
ostevens@chicagotribune.com
