Michael Cabonargi

Michael M. Cabonargi (born January 29, 1971) is an American politician and lawyer who formerly served as a commissioner of the Cook County Board of Review from the 2nd district from 2011 until 2022.

Cabonargi was born January 29, 1971.

Cabonargi graduated from Loyola Academy high school in 1989.

In 1993, Cabonargi graduated from Miami University with Bachelor of Arts in both political science and foreign affairs.

From 1993 to 1997, Cabonargi worked as a staff assistant and economic development advisor in the Chicago office of U.S. senator Paul Simon.

In 1997, Cabonargi worked as a staff assistant in the Chicago office of U.S. senator Dick Durbin.

In 2000, Cabonorgi received his Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois College of Law with honors.

Cabonorgi worked as a lawyer.

In 2000, Cabonargi received his Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois College of Law with honors.

From 2000 to 2002, Cabonargi worked as a law clerk to U.S. District Court judge William J. Hibbler.

During his time in this position, he initiated and helped to establish the courts first help desk for pro se litigants.

For this, he was given the Award for Excellence in Public Interest Service from the Federal Bar Association and the U.S. District Court.

From 2002 to 2004, he worked at the law firm of Gardner Carton and Douglas LLP, where he concentrated on complex commercial litigation.

During his time at this firm, he defended the City of Chicago in both federal and state litigation deriving from the closure of Meigs Field.

From 2003 to 2005, he served on the Illinois Comptroller's Ethics Commission.

From 2004 to 2005, he worked at the law firm of Bell, Boyd, and Lloyd, LLC, where he concentrated on complex commercial and regulatory litigation.

While working here, he was also appointed Special Assistant Cook County State's Attorney, defending the Cook County Sheriff's Department against claims of police misconduct.

From 2005, until being appointed to serve on the Cook County Board of Review in 2011, Cabonargi worked as senior attorney and prosecutor at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

From 2005 until 2011, Cabonargi worked as a senior attorney and prosecutor in the Division of Enforcement at the Chicago Regional Office of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

He brought a $2.8 billion private offering fraud case, at the time the largest private offering fraud case filed by the Commission.

For this he was bestowed the Chairman's Award.

In 2008, for his work against financial fraud targeting seniors, he was bestowed the SEC Director's Award for Excellence.

Cabonargi was appointed by Chief Justice of the Circuit Court of Cook County Timothy C. Evans to serve as commissioner of Cook County Board of Review from the 2nd district, after the position was vacated by Joseph Berrios, who had been elected Cook County Assessor.

Cabonargi had been selected over several other people who had also expressed interest in the position, including Joseph Mario Moreno and Eugene Schulter.

Evans had picked Cabornargi from among 11 candidates.

Cabonargi was sworn in on February 10, 2011.

Cabonargi was reelected, unopposed, in 2012, 2016, and 2018.

In March 2018, Cabonargi's campaign was asked by the Board of Ethics to return $68,950 in funds received from 97 contributions that were in excess of limits.

Cabonargi complied with the Board of Ethics ruling and returned the $68,950 in donations and cited the multiple changes in county reporting measures.

Since 2019, he has also served as a vice-chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois.

Since 2023, he has served as a regional director of the Department of Health and Human Services.

In his early career, Cabonargi worked on the staffs of Illinois U.S. senators Paul Simon and Dick Durbin.

He then worked as a law clerk to U.S. District Court judge William J. Hibbler.

Thereafter, he entered the private sector, working as a lawyer concentrating in complex commercial and regulatory litigation.

Cabonargi also held leadership roles within the Democratic Party of Illinois, and served as a 2020 presidential elector.

In 2020, Cabonargi voiced disagreement with a notion expressed by former Cook County clerk David Orr that the Cook County Board of Review has a "longtime pay-to-play culture" and needed reform.

Cabonargi said "the Board of Review has ethics protocols in place to ensure transparency and professionalism..."

In 2022, Cabonargi lost his bid for reelection to the Cook County Board of Review.

His loss to political newcomer Samantha Steele was considered an upset to the incumbent Cabonargi.

In 2020, Cabonargi ran to replace outgoing Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County Dorothy A. Brown.