Work is under way to replace just-convicted Cook County Commissioner William Beavers.
Cook County Chairman Joe Berrios said Friday he would appoint a committee to fill Beavers’ position on the Cook County Board.
Beavers lost his position as 4th District commissioner on the County Board after being found guilty of tax evasion. Jurors agreed with the government's assertion that Beavers failed to report thousands of dollars in income taken from his campaign funds, converted $68,000 in campaign money to beef up his aldermanic pension and failed to properly account for thousands of dollars in county expense funds.
Candidates will be screened by the committee and one will be appointed based on the committee's vote, which is weighed according to voter turnout in Beaver’s previous election.
The appointee will serve out the remainder of Beavers’ term, which is to end December 2014.
Beavers and his attorney, Sam Adam Jr., vow to appeal.
"[The jurors] didn't buy my argument," Adam said in the courthouse lobby after the verdict was read. "I wish I could have done better. I wish I did do better, and I'm hoping we get a second chance at this when the appeal comes back."
