Candidate for state representative arrested
By Brian Stanley bstanley@stmedianetwork.com May 9, 2012 8:34AM
Democratic state representative candidate Natalie Manley is shown in this Will County sheriff's booking mugshot.
Updated: June 11, 2012 10:12AM
JOLIET — A candidate for state representative was arrested early Tuesday after a fight with her adult daughter turned physical, reports said.
Natalie A. Manley, 50, a certified public accountant who is the Democratic candidate in the 98th District, was taken into custody about 2:30 a.m. at her residence in the 3100 block of Ingalls Avenue.
Manley posted a $300 bond to get out of jail at about 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to a spokeswoman for the Will County sheriff. Her next court date is June 4.
A Will County state’s attorney’s spokesman said Manley has yet to be formally charged. That office has sought a special prosecutor to review her case.
Chief Mike Trafton said Manley’s 21-year-old daughter, who also lives at the residence, came into the police station early Tuesday with “facial injuries and bruising,” claiming her mother had attacked her.
“The victim said she had come home from a bonfire and told her mom she had lost her phone. An argument ensued and (Manley) then began to hit her in the face with closed fists, kick her about the body and swing (and strike) at her with a set of keys,” Trafton said.
The young woman reportedly fled following the fight and had a friend bring her to the station.
After interviewing the victim, officers found Manley at her residence and took her into custody.
“She acknowledged there was a confrontation and said her daughter had come home drunk, but denied any physical contact,” Trafton said.
Manley was charged with misdemeanor domestic battery.
Manley also is one of the hosts of the “Lynne, Mary & Natalie” show that airs Friday mornings on WJOL-AM. The station announced Wednesday that she will not appear on the show Friday.
WJ0L reported that Manley’s campaign had issued a statement saying that she was embarrassed for her family and friends and asking that her family’s need for privacy be respected.
Attempts to reach Manley were unsuccessful.
At her Joliet condominium, a person answering the intercom told a Herald-News reporter that Manley was “not available.” She did not respond to a request to call and address the incident as well as the future of her campaign.
Manley’s campaign website referred visitors to a Facebook page, which posted information about her candidacy but did not include any statement about her arrest. Her campaign phone was answered by a recording, and no one returned messages.
Manley ran unopposed in the party primary in March.
Will County Democratic Party Chairman Scott Pyles, when asked whether the party would seek a new candidate in light of the incident, said: “The choice of whether or not she stays on the ballot is up to the candidate. From a party perspective, we look forward to finding out what happened.”
Pyles noted that the justice system provides that Manley should be “presumed innocent” as her case proceeds.
He said he has received calls from other Democrats since news of the incident came out, but, “They were mostly calls about, ‘Did you hear?’”
Manley’s Republican opponent in the November election is Robert Kalnicky of Bolingbrook.
Asked to comment about the incident, Kalnicky said: “My thoughts and prayers are with Natalie and her daughter. Obviously, they have a personal issue that they need to resolve. I’m going to respect their privacy on that matter.”
Bob Okon and Jon Seidel contributed to this story.
