Lake County Gazette

Longtime Antioch Township Republican Committeeman Michael Scornavacco is sounding the alarm on what he calls the “ideological takeover” of Lake County government under Democratic Board Chair Sandy Hart. 

Scornavacco says Hart prioritizes progressive political goals over practical governance and fiscal responsibility.

“Chair Hart talks a lot about inclusion, but governs with an iron grip,” Scornavacco told the Lake County Gazette. “Her leadership may sound soft-spoken, but her policies are anything but neutral. She’s focused on growing government, checking off ideological boxes, and reshaping Lake County into a progressive stronghold that doesn’t reflect the values of hardworking families. She calls it ‘collaboration’—but if you don’t align with her agenda, your voice is ignored.”

Hart recently posted enthusiastically on Facebook about flying the LGBTQ flag at Lake County government offices alongside the U.S. and Illinois flags. | Facebook / Sandy Hart for Lake County Board

Scornavacco delivered a sharp rebuke of Hart’s public image versus her record. 

“Sandy Hart may present a polished image, but her record reveals a pattern of top-down control, partisan priorities, and ever-growing government,” he said. “Lake County has become more expensive, less accountable, and more divided under her watch. Voters deserve leadership that reflects the values of all Lake County residents—not just the loudest progressive activists.” 

Hart, a Democrat from Lake Bluff, became the first Democratic chairwoman of the traditionally Republican-led Lake County Board in 2018. 

Her election marked a political shift as Democrats secured a 12–9 majority, with support not only from her own party but also from Republican Commissioner Steve Carlson who has now been on the board for 23 years. 

Since then, Hart has made headlines for her overt support of progressive causes and leaders, including a recent post promoting the LGBTQ flag flying alongside the U.S. and Illinois flags at the Lincoln Plaza county government offices in Waukegan.

“Lake County Government continues to proudly fly the LGBTQ flag, and we have plenty of company-Highwood, Waukegan, Highland Park, Mundelein, Buffalo Grove…what cities/towns am I missing?” Hart asked in a Facebook post with an image of the rainbow flag. 

Hart has also been an enthusiastic backer of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. Hart’s Facebook page includes a cover photo of her and Pritzker with big smiles. 

“I’ve never been more grateful and proud to live in Illinois,” Hart said in a Facebook post made earlier this year. “Thank you Governor Pritzker for standing up for reproductive rights, common sense gun reform, and now for protecting our most vulnerable residents.” 

She has also been a vocal supporter of other left-leaning leaders, including Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, a candidate for Illinois' 9th Congressional District and a former state senator and gubernatorial candidate who once proposed raising Illinois’ income tax to the highest rate in the nation.

Most recently, Hart endorsed Obama-backed Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton’s campaign for U.S. Senate, praising her for her “empathy, compassion, and courage.” 

Scornavacco said Hart’s overt leftist posturing has overshadowed the traditional responsibilities of local government, and to critics like him, her leadership has narrowed the range of voices allowed at the table.

“The Board has operated as a progressive policy machine,” he said. “Conservative and independent voices are routinely sidelined or silenced. Ideas that don’t fit the narrative are dismissed, and any push for fiscal discipline, public safety, or individual rights gets labeled as obstruction. That’s not representative government—it’s ideological groupthink.”

Scornavacco argues that under Hart’s leadership, the county has strayed from core priorities—focusing instead on politics.

“Hart’s tenure has shifted the county away from practical, kitchen-table issues and toward unchecked government expansion,” Scornavacco said. “Killing the Route 53 project was a blow to commuters and businesses alike. She’s championed bloated transit programs and mental health initiatives with no accountability while ignoring real infrastructure and tax relief. Meanwhile, property taxes keep rising—and so does the burden on seniors, working families, and small business owners.”

For decades, Illinois planned to extend Route 53 north toward Wisconsin to ease suburban traffic, spending nearly $87 million on land acquisition and studies. However, strong opposition from local residents and officials like Hart over environmental concerns ultimately halted the project in 2019. 

Scornavacco called for a return to what he described as “common-sense leadership” focused on core responsibilities. 

“It’s time to get back to common-sense leadership: safe communities, lower taxes, local control, and personal freedom,” he said. “That means standing with law enforcement, fixing roads before adding more bureaucracy, cutting red tape, and letting parents and business owners make their own decisions. We don’t need a bigger government. We need a better one that respects taxpayers and puts families—not politics—first.”