Mark Paul Acesor and Daniel Sullivan have filed a preliminary complaint of discrimination with the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) against Mercedes-Benz of Chicago, a Fletcher Jones Company. IDHR is the state agency responsible for enforcing the Illinois Human Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on various bases in places of public accommodation.

The complaint alleges that Mercedes-Benz of Chicago discriminated against Mark Paul Acesor (Filipino) on the basis of national origin, disability, and sexual orientation by inflating costs, providing misleading information, and ultimately  refusing to provide repair service to Mr. Acesor's Mercedes convertible even though the repairs were fully covered by Mr. Acesor's insurance policy.

Daniel Sullivan diverted time and resources to investigate this matter and provide advocacy services on Mr. Acesor's behalf during negotiations with Mercedes-Benz of Chicago regarding the refused repairs.  The complaint also alleges that Mercedes-Benz retaliated against Mr. Acesor in response to Mr. Sullivan's statements via email to the company that referenced the need to protect Mr. Acesor's civil and consumer rights.

According to the complaint, Mercedes-Benz of Chicago continues to refuse any business service to Mr. Acesor in direct retaliation to Mr. Acesor's efforts to protect and enjoy his civil and consumer rights. Mr. Sullivan and Mr. Acesor will seek compensatory damages and injunctive relief to protect other similarly situated persons from discrimination. 

Daniel Sullivan recently filed a Request for an Investigation of attorney David B. Savitt of the firm Kovitz Shifrin Nesbit for an ethics violation.  The Request was filed with the Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois (ARDC).

The basis of the Request was a letter sent to Mr. Sullivan and his partner Mark Paul Acesor regarding their right to engage in fair housing self-advocacy and educational activities in association with a condominium located at 3600 N. Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, IL.

The letter from Mr. Savitt demanded that Mr. Sullivan and Mr. Acesor immediately cease and desist from any fair housing self-advocacy and educational activities with the Condominium Association, and then permanently banned both Mr. Sullivan and Mr. Acesor from condominium grounds on threat of arrest for trespass.

Mr. Acesor was a long-term tenant of 3600 N. Lake Shore Drive who was, according to an allegation of housing discrimination filed this week with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, unlawfully evicted from his unit for discriminatory reasons.

Mr. Sullivan, as Mr. Acesor's partner and fair housing advocate, had been attempting to educate the Condominium Association about its fair housing obligations and to secure an appropriate remedy.

According to the ARDC complaint filed, Mr. Savitt's cease and desist letter, along with its stated policy of permanent banishment, amounts to unlawful threat, intimidation, and harassment under the Fair Housing Act and Illinois Human Rights Act. The banishment is also a retaliatory refusal to rent or sell a unit at 3600 N. Lake Shore Drive to both parties, as the refusal to rent or sell is implicit in a policy of permanent banishment.

Mr. Sullivan's ARDC complaint alleges that Mr. Savitt himself has in his letter violated the spirit and letter of the civil rights laws designed to protect us from unlawful housing discrimination. You may review the ARDC Request for an Investigation and supporting documentation at the link below.

ARDC Request for an Investigation

Today, Dan Sullivan and Mark Paul Acesor filed a housing discrimination complaint with the Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity against various Respondents, including the 3600 Lake shore Drive Condominium Association.

The complaint alleges that the Respondents collaboratively and without legal process wrested control of an apartment leased by Mark Paul Acesor because of national origin, color, and disability, then after banishing him from his leased apartment by official decree proceeded to destroy or dispose of his personal belongings, including designer clothing and family photographs.

Mr. Acesor is dark skinned and of Filipino national origin. He also has disability. The complaint alleges that the Respondents, after unlawfully taking control of Mr. Acesor's leased unit, replaced him with a White, non-disabled occupant.

Mr. Sullivan investigated this matter, diverting substantial personal resources. He also advocated for Mr. Acesor and sought to educate the Respondents about fair housing practices.

As a result of these advocacy efforts on behalf of fair housing principles, the 3600 Condominium Association through an attorney permanently banished both Mr. Acesor and Mr. Sullivan from the condominium property, thus retaliating by ensuring that the Complainants could never rent a unit or purchase a unit at 3600 N. Lake Shore Drive.

​The preliminary complaint documents are available at the links below. Please contact Daniel Sullivan for any additional information at 202-340-6724 or dan@dansullivanprojects.com. 

Housing Discrimination Complaint Form
Narrative Attachments