Synek for Senator

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Henry T. Synek was a Chicago-based attorney who ran for Illinois State Senate in 1970. Synek won the democratic nomination in March of 1970 and ran against incumbent Republican W. Russell Arrington in the general election in November. Arrington had held the seat for five terms since a special election in 1954. Arrington took 60% of the vote to Synek’s 40%. This would be Synek’s only campaign in politics. 

In 1971, Synek represented five plaintiffs in a legal case against the deceased Illinois politician Paul Powell’s estate. Powell was Illinois Secretary of State and despite earning a salary of $30,000 was found to have acquired over $2 million unaccounted for upon his death. Synek, on behalf of his clients, sued to have the money put under the charge of a court ordered trustee.  Eventually, it was discovered that Powell had received nearly $4.6 million in bribes for giving government contracts to political associates. Several contractors were later jailed for their roles in the bribery.