(The Center Square) – A Chicago alderman has launched his reelection campaign and continued his push to get on the ballot for Congress, even after recently-unsealed divorce records showed he previously spent marital funds on prostitutes and pornography.
Byron Sigcho-Lopez has represented Chicago’s 25th Ward on city council since 2019.
Byron married his former wife, Patricia Sigcho, in 2007. Their marriage was dissolved in April 2012 after Patricia filed for dissolution the previous September.
In May 2012, Byron moved to seal the claim of dissipation records, citing his position as a teaching assistant at the University of Illinois, his aspirations to teach at the university level and potential harm to his career.
The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy petitioned that the couple’s divorce records be unsealed, arguing that the people of Illinois have a right to vet public officials and candidates for public office.
Last month, DuPage County Judge Robert E. Douglas ordered the documents to be unsealing, stating that the records were not properly sealed and impounded and that they are of interest whether they occurred before or after a candidate sought office.
The unsealed documents say Byron spent marital funds on escort services, prostitutes and his pornography addiction.
Adam Florek was the attorney for the Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy in the case to unseal the records.
“These kind of personal shortcomings certainly speak to a person's character, and they're something the electorate should be able to discuss and consider when voting for their representatives,” Florek told The Center Square.
Florek is also a litigator of counsel at FOIA Solved. His boutique practice, Florek Law, is based out of New York.
“Given how involved state and local governments are becoming in everyone's day-to-day life, it's important that the public have an opportunity to vet their public servants. Mercifully, the First Amendment does provide this right of access for us to understand what's going on behind closed doors.” Florek said.
Sigcho-Lopez launched his reelection campaign Tuesday night in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, where he told The Center Square the divorce records don’t concern him.
“I know AIPAC is trying to defame me, and that has been always the case. The rumor campaign, the campaign of gossip, of defamation, that's AIPAC,” Sigcho-Lopez said.
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee did not immediately respond to The Center Square’s request for comment.
Florek said Sigcho-Lopez’ counsel filed an appeal seeking to re-impound the records, but they are available on the DuPage County e-access website and to the public at large.
Several candidates had already announced plans to challenge Sigcho-Lopez in the Chicago election on February 23, 2027.
Sigcho-Lopez said he was not concerned that his opponents might use the divorce records against him.
“I'm always used to big fights. I think that if we're not having opponents that are financed by the billionaire class, we're not doing our job,” Sigcho-Lopez said.
Florek said the reason for the litigation was Sigcho-Lopez’ aspirations for high constitutional office.
The alderman filed to run for the U.S. House in Illinois’ Fourth Congressional District as an independent, but the state elections board rejected his petition signatures.
Following the decision, Sigcho-Lopez called Democratic Party nominee Patty Garcia and U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, D-Chicago, “two individuals hiding from the public.”
Sigcho-Lopez said his team filed a federal lawsuit challenging the decision, but he thinks the chances are slim for him to get on the November ballot.
“We're going to continue fighting for our constituents…and we'll keep fighting for democracy, so in the future we hope that independent candidates don't have to deal with these barriers,” Sigcho-Lopez said.
