Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Chicago Tribune

COOK COUNTY -- A Florida man involved in a child visitation dispute with Cook County Commissioner Robert Maldonado accused Maldonado on Tuesday of having him falsely arrested on a misdemeanor charge of making a telephone threat.

Rene Viamontes of Orlando said in court papers that he drove to Maldonado's home Saturday to pick up his 6-year-old son from a previous relationship with Maldonado's wife, Nancy.
 
When he arrived, three Chicago police squad cars were waiting for him, Viamontes said in a petition for an emergency protection order filed in Circuit Court.

On Tuesday, Maldonado said he had every right to call the police on Viamontes.

"He threatened to physically assault me on two occasions when he called the house," Maldonado said. "I did what any responsible father would have done."

Viamontes' attorney, Moria Bernstein, said her client made no threats and called the arrest "an abuse of [Maldonado's] power as commissioner."

Judge Drella Savage on Tuesday granted Viamontes' request for a protection order.

The order doesn't address Viamontes' allegations, but it directs the Maldonados not to interfere with Viamontes' visitation rights until a hearing can be held March 2.