Usually, the wheels of justice grind but slowly; however, every once in a while, the court system proves that lawyers, judges and litigants can indeed get something done when the pressure's on.
Only a few weeks after filing his appeal petition against State Senator Terry Link (D-Waukegan), democratic challenger Jerry Johnson will have his appeal heard on Wednesday afternoon, at 2:30 p.m., in courtroom 1707 of the Circuit Court of Cook County, before Judge Paul A. Karkula. As regular Team America readers know well, Jerry Johnson's campaign challenged the petitions of Senator Link, on the basis that many signatures appeared to be out of the district, illegible, former political opponents or... FROM DEAD PEOPLE. In addition, we later learned that many signatures appeared to be in alphabetical order, and because of this and other incriminating errors on signatures and addresses, it seems apparent that many signatures were simply copied out of the phone book.
In any event, the State Board of Elections hearing officer removed many signatures from Link's petitions, but he still retained enough to remain on the ballot. The State Board essentially affirmed the hearing officer's decision, and the Johnson campaign appealed.
I hope to have the briefs filed by the parties up a little later.
I don't know Judge Karkula personally, but he appears to have a good reputation as a jurist. According to the Cook County Bar Association, "Judge Karkula is well regarded by all who appear before him for his outstanding temperament, integrity, and fairness." He has been on the bench since 1999, and before that he was a law partner of Ed Vrdolyak, who reportedly helped Karkula get appointed and win re-election. Attorney Michael Lavelle, an extremely well-known and respected Chicago election law attorney (and former chairman of the State Board of Elections) who represents Johnson, has appeared before Judge Karkula before.
UPDATED x1 01.08.08 12:30 p.m.: For all you armchair election lawyers out there, as I promised, I have obtained copies of the original petition (we posted this before and it says very little of substance), Johnson's brief in support of his appeal, and Link's response. Feel free to analyze and post your decision as the court of public opinion. We'll see how the responses compare to Judge Karkula's decision tomorrow.
UPDATED x2 01.08.08 3:20 p.m.: The Daily Herald has a story up.
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32 comments:
Interesting that the forums at waukegan.org went down shortly after this announcement.
Guess the powers that be don't want the common folk to talk trash about Sneaky Pete, Smokey Link and the "Knight" of roundtabling...
Man, our Congressman has got to be really worried if Obama and Huckabee get the nominations. Not very great coattails there, unfortunately.
Anon 7:15- you're way off topic, but I will indulge... A few factoids on the Oh-oh-Obama issue, courtesy of the Kirk Campaign:
In 2006, Kirk won by 12,000 votes. Ironically, Dan Seals got 5,000 fewer votes than Kirk's 2004 opponent, Lee Goodman who shared the ballot with Barack Obama. In Cook County, that includes two-thirds of the 10th District, Kirk won by a 10 point margin. While the district tilts Democrat on presidential ballots, Republican Cook County Board President candidate Tony Peraica, won 70 percent of the vote in the 10th District. In Lake County (one-third of the district), Kirk carried the county for the third time (he did not prevail in Lake County in 2000).
So, at the end of the day, Kirk won by 7-points in a district John Kerry won by 6 points. Forty-nine congressional elections were decided by narrower margins than IL-10. While Democrats around the country were able to squeak out narrow wins in safe Republican districts, Seals ranked only 50th in competitiveness, despite running in a Kerry district. Kirk's previous opponent hoped that sharing the ballot with Barack Obama would help. Ticket splitting is very common here -- while Sen. Obama captured 75% of the 2004 vote in IL-10, Kirk won with 65%.
I'm not overly worried about Obama, and Kirk has never counted on the GOP presidential candidate to boost him into office. And, as I've said before, Dan Seals is no Barack Obama, no matter how many times he gets his picture taken with the Barack-star.
Now, back to our topic of the day.
TA, I too will indulge for a brief moment.
Let me remind everone, including Anon 7:15, of The Pup's campaign so far:
We need change
The Iraq war
We need change
We need change
The Iraq war
Bush/Cheney baaaaad
(subliminal message insert: I am Barack, so vote for me)
We need change
We need change
Bush/Cheney baaaaad
The Iraq war
We need change
(subliminal message insert: I say exactly what Barack says 2-3 days after he says it, so vote for me)
Just in case anyone forgot...now we can get back to the topic.
You are right about the waukegan.org forum. Several of us that were posting and keeping up to date on what was happening with Link petition challenge from Johnson had our computers infected and could not go onto the forum without corrupting them further.
I went back on today to take a quick look and I see that no one is talking about it at all and once again, my computer was attacked.
So, please keep up the good work of posting Team America! We are counting on you to keep us informed.
I wish Jerry Johnson was out there getting the word out of a write-in campaign despite what happens with Link. If ever there were a time to take him out, this is it!
If Johnson can't or doesn't, then I hope a good honest Republican is found to take him out in November.
I think many of us would support a good Rebpublican over a bad Democrat any day.
Thanks Anon and ICBP for clearing the air on the moronic post from Anon 7:15. Remember this, our Congressman has already been on a ballot that had Obama running for office and our guy did just fine. Mr. Kirk doesn't need to rely on coattails for a victory. Let's see who wins the Primary out here. The guy who can't get a job and/or hold a job, who takes a load of liberties with his CV and has one old, tired message or the guy with the trite and almost infantile media pieces are hardly threats to a man of accomplishments on every level. So Anon, 7:15, go back to your buddies at the other blog where you're surely more comfortable and in sync with their carping and criticisms.
Please remember that to file an appeal and challenge Link's petitions is not free. I am sure
Jerry Johnson would welcome any
financial contributions, large or small.
Anon 8:47- looks like you correctly outed Anon 7:15 as an Ellen Troll. He/She left almost exactly the same comment on her post from the other day about Dan Seals' Open House. Check it out for laughs here.
Also, while you're there, you might want to check out today's post about John McCain. Based on the level of vitriol, she is quite concerned about a McCain/Obama match-up.
Thanks to TA. With Wauk.org down, you are all we have!
Just to let you all know, Jerry Johnson has been invited (I believe he has accepted) to speak on WKRS 1220am this Saturday night at 7:00.
TONY ELAM, candidate to replace Eddie Washington as State Representative, 60th Dist. will also be in studio at that time.
Elam is a political newcomer, but has many great ideas and seems to be putting a scare in fast Eddie and the GOB's down at the Link/Couvall plantation.
Take a look at his website: TonyElam2008.com
Also, go to YouTube.com and type in Tony Elam and check out his video.
Then, type in Eddie Washington and Angelo Kyle ... two very informative videos!
Well, despite my own attempts to keep this post on-topic, current events get the better of me sometimes. To prove ICPB's point, see here a letter to the editor in today's Daily Herald, in which some guy from Chicago who knew Seals in school invokes Barack Obama at the very beginning of his letter.
The writer goes on to admit that he lives in Chicago and can't vote for Seals, but implores those people who actually live in the 10th District to vote for Danno because he's a really nice guy and has unspecified "real world" experience. Oh, and even better, the writer likes Seals's mom!
What the heck is it, anyway, that voters FROM OUTSIDE the 10th District continue to insist that we vote for a congressional candidate that people from Chicago THINK we should have, rather than the representative who has served us faithfully and well, and who we really want- Mark Kirk.
Concerned4Waukegan: happy to have y'all, and please feel free to camp out here for as long as you'd like!
Not sure that I believe that Link's minions are responsible for hacking down waukegan.org, but they would have a tougher time attacking blogger.com, I'd bet.
Welcome and glad to have you!
Very happy to be here. May I congratulate all of you on this great website for your honesty and willingness to show Sneaky Pete and Link for who they are.
I proudly supported and marched during the picket of Link and I admire the wonderful woman who took the initiative to stand up for the common citizens rights!
Jerry Johnson, we were there for you; don't give it up now. It's time to bring the crooked politicians down and get the just, honest representation every citizen needs! Thanks to Team America! You guys/gals are GREAT!!
Team America--in your best guestimate do you think wkng.org went down due to the pressure being put on them from the roundtabling, dead person signing on my petition Link and cohort Sneaky Pete?
strong rumor has it that they have been getting the pressure on them to do just this.
is this not the citizens 1st Amendment right or is that right being taken away from the American citizens?
We echo the thoughts, Team America, you do a great job at getting the truth out to everyone. Keep up the great work.
Kirk is one of the only congressmen to have shared the ballot with Obama.
In 2004, 56% of the district voted Kerry, 72% voted Obama and 65% voted Kirk.
No coatails for Obama, even during presidential...
TA:
Best look into Link's corruption at the Genesee Theater -- word to the wise, files are going to Waller on this too...
Thank you TeamAmerica for continuing to let the sun shine on the seedy underbelly of Waukegan politics. Too bad Waukegan.org can't do the same. Looks like they sold out.
Someone mentioned Waller, has anyone heard anything more about the investigation the SA is doing regarding Links petition forgeries and such??
Anon 12:07- we are keeping on top of the State's Attorney's investigation, but nothing significant to report right now. I expect to do an update in the next few days.
"Team America" - thanks for the continued updates! Much appreciated!
TA, Sorry to change topics again, but I came across a great link. It's a video of the Footlik/Seals debate in front on the Tribune editorial board. I definitely think Footlik won this one. It was nice to hear some intellectual responses for a change. All I heard from Seals mouth was the same old BS. Here is the link:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/video/?clipId=2065530&topVideoCatNo=undefined&c=&autoStart=true&activePane=info&LaunchLaunchPageAdTag=homepage&clipFormat=flv
Sorry, link wont post. TA, go to http://www.chicagotribune.com/video
mid page, there is a search box. Do a search for "tribune editorial board democratic 10th congressional debate". maybe you will have luck posting it.
Sorry but this is awesome that Clinton won tonight, and that Hickabee got buried.
Mark and McCain 08, versus Also-Ran Dan and Hillary.
See you at 5th term Congressman Kirk's inauguration in 09.
Amen, brother. Or sister. ;-)
Anon 8:38- GREAT tip on the video. Try this link.
I didn't even think this video existed. Thanks again.
Boy, you can just feel the annoyance seething from Seals that he is up against someone whom he cannot rebut simply by saying "I'm not Mark Kirk"...because Footlik is not Mark Kirk either!!!
Everyone- if the link above doesn't work, try this one".
Having listened to some of this, Footlik blows Seals away.
If Hillary wins the nomination, someone should send her campaign all those pics of Seals with Obama. That will really make her want to help The Pup as the Dem nominee...not. For some strange reason, I'm actually glad The Ice Princess won tonight.
Peabody- strangely, I actually cheered out loud myself listening to the 10:00 news announcing Hillary's win.
I asked myself why... a couple reasons:
I think McCain may well be our nominee. While he has some good points against Hillary, the juxtaposition of McCain v. Obama worries me, given Obama's ability to turn out the youth vote (I wish to God McCain was 10 years younger) and McCain's ties to Bush, as much as he works to distance himself.
Hillary has so much baggage you can pick and choose what to work with. Obama is much more limited. Rezko is one potential source of cannon fodder, but a bit hard to explain and not too sexy. The better tact with Obama is to ask why we have one of the most corrupt states in the Union and why he hasn't done a damn thing to clean it up. So much for ethics reform.
Plus, Obama seems so smug, I want to wipe the smile off his face. Or, was that Hillary? Oh, who cares, both are going down, eventually!
Don't be so sure that they (Dems) are both 'going down'...look at the excitement in the Democratic party in Iowa and New Hampshire...seems like they are cetainly overshadowing the boring Republican candidates. Wait and see, I think the Dems could very well take back the white house. I too was very excited watching Hillary stay ahead of Barack all night after the median predicted otherwise...I think they pissed off the women and independent voters by telling them ahead of time who they were 'going' to vote for. I say hurray for New Hampshire voters..they spoke their own minds and showed the country what can be done.
Anon 6:51,
Do you have eggs or cereal with your morning Kool Aid?
TA- Just a few points today. I think Dan Seals has some serious issues (i know where do i start). Dan Seals and his team should be questioning the results of the poll he paid big money to show him leading Jay Footlik. The poll done for Dan Seals that showed Dan leading Jay Footlik had many false positives and was misleading. The Dan Seals team probably did not learn anything from Iowa or NH results. Strike that Dan Seals learned something and that is that he has to use the word change. Dan Seals is now holding coffee's for change. I guess Dan Seals saw that his hero Obama used the term change so he adopted the term. Or is Dan Seals holding coffee's for change to try and boost his ANEMIC fundraising and collecting change.
Perhaps his wife asked him to figure out a way to generate some income for their household. She did send out a letter and email asking for money for Dan. I mean being un-employed for the last 18 months, is Dan even able to put any of "his own" money into his campaign?
Has Jay Footlik asked for Dan Seals to release his tax returns for 2007? He should.
Does Dan Seals really think he doesn't have to work for votes in this primary? Does Dan Seals really think he starts this race with the same % of vote he won in 2006? That is so awesome if he does.
Dan Seals and his team have tried to discredit Jay Footlik and the mailings Jay Footlik has mailed out and his tv ads. However, the mailings and ads had another impact Dan Seals and his team failed to consider, those mailings and ads did generate conversation and more and more people now know who Jay Footlik is and what he is running for. Dan Seals being unemployed for 18 months has had plenty of time to connect with voters but has failed to so.
Meanwhile
Jay Footlik has continued working hard while Dan Seals is trying to coast to Feb.5.
Stayed up last night and viewed the Footlik/Seals debate at Tribune Tower. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Seals still hasn't learned to stop putting his foot in his mouth. He did it last campaign and was doing it again. Footlik however as a candidate came across as glib but of little substance again.
The two of them combined finally put me to zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!
Louis G. Atsaves
The morning after the night before is finding all the "pollsters" scrambling to explain what happened. Hillary won last night but she's a long way from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. So is Barack Obama.
Closer to home, let's bring the focus back to the 10th District. I just watched the Seals/Footlik Tribune Editorial Board interview.Thanks TA. I need to give my Excedrin a chance to work, but good grief, we have in those dudes the lesser of two lessers. Dan Seals looks and sounds like some robot caught in a time warp. And the other kid is smarter and more glib, but definitely not ready for the US Congress, not now, not ever with his answers to basic issues.
Tonight at Stevenson High School they spar in public for the first time. I hope that TA and others who can attend will give us a first hand review tomorrow....or soon.
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