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Subscribe to RSSChicago NBC affiliate WMAQ's Mary Ann Ahern reports that a Cook County circuit court judge ruled Rahm Emanuel can run for Chicago mayor.
His residency eligibility was challenged by several Chicagoans.
Judge Mark Ballard said Emanuel's job "as service in the Executive Office of the President satisifies the statutory requirement," and "there was sufficient evidence to support ... Candidate's residency."
There is expected to be an appeal.
More from AP:
In court Tuesday, attorney Burt Odelson argued again that
Emanuel did not meet the city's one-year residency requirement because he didn't have a physical presence in the city when he rented out his house."No matter how hard he or his blue-ribbon team try they cannot rewrite the law," said Odelson, who represents two Chicago voters who have challenged Emanuel's residency.
They are the remaining challengers after more than two dozen people challenged Emanuel's residency before the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners. That board has already voted to allow Emanuel on the ballot, saying he meets residency requirements.
The board held a 3-day hearing before Christmas that included having Emanuel on the witness stand for hours answering questions from lawyers and objectors who represented themselves.
Emanuel's attorney argued in court, like his team did earlier before an election board hearing officer, that Emanuel only went to Washington temporarily and did not abandon his residency in Chicago when he rented out his house.
"It isn't an intent to rewrite history, it is just history as it is," attorney Mike Kasper said.
*** UPDATE *** STATEMENT FROM RAHM EMANUEL ON THE RULING BY THE CIRCUIT COURT:
The Board of Elections and the court have both now concluded what I have said all along - that the only reason I left town was to serve President Obama and that I always intended to return. Now that these decisions have been reached, Chicago voters should have the right to decide the election and to vote for me or against me. And they deserve to have the campaign focus on the challenges facing the city and the need for safe streets, strong schools, and stable city finances.
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Wait for it....hold on I know its coming....some form of "Chicago dirty politics". In 3....2....1...
Speaking of 'Chicago dirty politics... I wonder where our resident know-it-all/conspiracy theorist is hiding.
If anyone see's NJNB - will you tell her I have a nice tall glass of Metimucal to help out her 'plumbing problems' and a tissue so she can wipe the egg off her face! ;0)
It won't take long for the Chicago is corrupt and that makes all Illinois politicians or relatives of IL politicians corrupt.
Feisty, haven't seen NJNB or JS1 for awhile, not since they were exposed for fraud this morning. I'm guessing they're paid by conservative groups to post "misinformation" and they're in a staff meeting.
newday, you know it's inevitable because Chicago is the last major city in the U.S. that's still run by a totally corrupt political machine.
It's the Chicago way.
LMAO@U!!!!!!
And there it is! So glad to not be disappointed!
I take it Albany is a suburb of Chicago?
Too funny, NDD and Frank. Predicatable as hell, but funnier than hell, too.
Ever been to NO LA?
Joe in Albany-1902257
newday, you know it's inevitable because Chicago is the last major city in the U.S. that's still run by a totally corrupt political machine.
It's the Chicago way.
LMAO@U!!!!!!
Joe i really appreciate your concern for the people of the Chicago metro area, with the exception of Balgo and ryan, please give me this list of corrupt politicians you keep talking about. truth is, NY has just as many, your former governer who had to resign because he loved prostitutes, back in the day according to history documentaries, New York was worse than chicago when it came to politicians turning there heads to the illegal activities, less not forget the mafia was New York, just like al capone was chicago, how about lucky luniano who ran the garment district, the movie Godfather was based upon the new york mafia, but you rail on chicago.
I'm trying to think what currupt politricans have been put in jail in the last 20 years that are from chicago.
former governer Ryan and about 12 aldermen, the former head of the streets and san was jailed, but after that who, mayor daley has been in office 22 years, if he was as currupt as you say, why has he not been caught, please if ryan can be caught then I'm sure of daley had his fingers in any thing we would have found out, lets face it, the feds are always looking at ways to bring down the biggest fish and other than Ryan and Blago who.
Joe i would rather my governer be sent to jail for curruption than paying 5k for prostitutes, I'm sure his wife was happy to find out she needed to go to the clinic.
Heard any reports lately coming out of Illinois about corruption in Chicago? Nope, none, nada, zip, zero. But there was a city in New Jersey where they arrested a good-sized number of elected officials in 2008 or 09. And what about, was it Bell? CA where all the elected officials paid themselves huge salaries and forgot to spend any money on the city.
Jeff, you would be funny if your post wasn't so ridiculous.
Yes, NY Democrats are right up there with the crooks and criminals running Chicago and Springfield. As for the Godfather reference, I'll call your bet and raise you the Chicago St. Valentines Day massacre. And if you think political corruption is a "better crime" than the world's oldest profession, I know you can be counted on to vote for Rahm.
I'll leave you with this 2008 MSNBC article:
OUCH!!!!
Illinois’ official slogan is the “Land of Lincoln,” but an equally apt descriptor would be the “Land of Greased Palms.”
The state, Cook County and its governmental seat, Chicago, have a long history of corruption by elected and appointed officials.
The culture of corruption dates back to the late 19th century, when a gambling-house owner named Michael Cassius McDonald created the city's first political machine, establishing a model in which officials would distribute contracts, jobs and social services in exchange for political support, according to a scholarly history of organized crime in Chicago by Robert Lombardo, a sociology professor and former Chicago and Cook County police officer.
Its persistence was documented in Sept. 7, 2006 by the Chicago Sun-Times, which reported that at least 79 current or former Illinois, Chicago or Cook County elected officials had been found guilty of a crime by judges, juries or their own pleas since 1972. The paper provided this tally of the tarnished: three governors, two other state officials, 15 state legislators, two congressmen, one mayor, three other city officials, 27 aldermen, 19 Cook County judges and seven other Cook County officials.
The article noted that so many aldermen had been jailed that the newspaper ran a front-page-story in 1991 when the year passed with none being indicted or convicted.
Serving time
The ranks of imprisoned pols include three former Illinois governors — George Ryan, Dan Walker and Otto Kerner Jr.
Ryan, a rare Republican in the heavily Democratic state and Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s predecessor, is serving a six-year prison sentence after being convicted in April 2006 on racketeering and fraud charges. A decade-long investigation began with the sale of driver's licenses for bribes and led to the conviction of dozens of people who worked for Ryan when he was secretary of state and governor.
The probe began when federal investigators looking into a deadly crash in Wisconsin that killed six children uncovered a scheme in Ryan's secretary of state's office in which unqualified truck drivers obtained licenses through bribes. As the Associated Press reported upon his conviction: "The probe expanded over the next eight years into a wide-ranging corruption investigation that eventually reached Ryan in the governor's office."
Walker’s crimes were committed after he served as governor from 1973 to 1977. The Democrat and World War II and Korean War veteran was convicted of fraud related to his stewardship of the First American Savings & Loan Association of Oak Brook. News reports at the time indicated that he received more than $1 million in fraudulent loans for his business and repairs on his yacht, the "Governor's Lady."
The federal government later bailed out the bankrupt S&L and Walker served 18 months of a seven-year sentence in federal prison.
Kerner, a Democrat who was governor from 1961 to 1968 and later served as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals, was found guilty in 1973 of bribery, conspiracy, perjury and related charges for taking payoffs from a racetrack operator in exchange for choice racing dates and two expressway exits to funnel fans to the horse races.
The scandal erupted because Marge Lindheimer Everett, manager of Arlington Park and Washington Park racetracks, deducted the value of the stock she gave on her federal income tax returns under her own theory that bribery was an ordinary and necessary business expense in Illinois.
After resigning his judgeship, Kerner was sentenced to three years in federal prison and fined $50,000.
A history of graft
Chicago, with its long history as a center of vice and organized crime, has had its share of official graft.
One of the most notorious alleged recipients was never convicted of any crime.
William “Big Bill” Thompson, who served as mayor from 1915 to 1923 and again from 1927 to 1931, was the last Republican to serve as mayor of the “City of Broad Shoulders.” He returned to office the second time with the support of gangster Al Capone, pledging to clean up organized crime in the city but instead targeting reformers.
Upon his defeat in 1931 the Chicago Tribune leveled the harshest accusations against Thompson in an editorial:
“For Chicago Thompson has meant filth, corruption, obscenity, idiocy and bankruptcy,” the newspaper said. “.... He has given the city an international reputation for moronic buffoonery, barbaric crime, triumphant hoodlumism, unchecked graft, and a dejected citizenship. … He made Chicago a byword for the collapse of American civilization."
Upon his death, two safe-deposit boxes in his name containing nearly $1.5 million in cash reportedly were discovered.
The Daley legacy
Investigations of possible mayoral misbehavior have been
commonplace in recent years.
Current Mayor Richard Daley's administration has been investigated for corruption. In a federal probe that is ongoing, Robert Sorich, Daley's patronage chief, was convicted in 2006 for rewarding the mayor's political allies with city jobs and promotions. Daley has not been accused of wrongdoing.
His father, the late Mayor Richard J. Daley, built the once-mighty machine that doled out jobs and favors in exchange for support for Democrats on Election Day. He was never charged with criminal wrongdoing, but several of his high-ranking aides were sent to prison for political patronage.
Other state officials have apparently prospered from their positions of public trust without ever facing trial.
A large cache of cash surfaced in 1971, shortly after the death of Illinois Secretary of State Paul Powell, who served 30 years as a state legislator before assuming his final post.
Time magazine reported afterward that the executor of Powell’s estate, John S. Rendleman, found that the 68-year-old Powell, who never earned more than $30,000 a year during his career in public service, left behind an estate worth more than $2 million, including $800,000 crammed into shoe boxes, briefcases and strongboxes in the closet of his hotel suite in Springfield, Ill.
Criminal charges also have followed Illinois politicians to Washington.
Congressional scandal
Former Illinois Rep. Daniel Rostenkowski, who long served as the Democratic chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, pleaded guilty in 1996 to mail fraud in connection with a scheme in which he traded postal stamps for cash, padded his payroll with nonexistent workers and used his account at the House stationery shop to buy gifts. He served 15 months in prison and paid a $100,000 fine.
Rostenkowski was pardoned in 2000 by former President Bill Clinton.
I'll give you credit for posting some facts. From California, there was republican "Duke" Cunningham now serving a lengthy prison sentence. Alaska's Ted Stevens got caught. And GOPer Tom DeLay of Texas was found guilty of a whole lot of corruption. You can always find the corrupt few in the many but that does not mean that every politician is corrupt just by association of city, or state.
Jody, I believe your Dems were in charge in NJ when that bust went down. It even reached into Dem Governor Jon Corzine's office.
From the 07/24/09 NY Times:
44 Charged by U.S. in New Jersey Corruption Sweep
By DAVID M. HALBFINGER
A two-year corruption and international money-laundering investigation stretching from the Jersey Shore to Brooklyn to Israel and Switzerland culminated in charges against 44 people on Thursday, including three New Jersey mayors, two state assemblymen and five rabbis, the authorities said.
The case began with bank fraud charges against a member of an insular Syrian Jewish enclave centered in a seaside town. But when that man became a federal informant and posed as a crooked real estate developer offering cash bribes to obtain government approvals, it mushroomed into a political scandal that could rival any of the most explosive and sleazy episodes in New Jersey’s recent past.
It was replete with tales of the illegal sales of body parts; of furtive negotiations in diners, parking lots and boiler rooms; of nervous jokes about “patting down” a man who turned out to indeed be an informant; and, again and again, of the passing of cash — once in a box of Apple Jacks cereal stuffed with $97,000.
“For these defendants, corruption was a way of life,” Ralph J. Marra Jr., the acting United States attorney in New Jersey, said at a news conference. “They existed in an ethics-free zone.”
Mr. Marra said that average citizens “don’t have a chance” against the culture of influence peddling the investigation had unearthed.
Even veteran political observers were taken aback by the scope of the investigation. The mayors of Hoboken, Secaucus and Ridgefield were among those arrested.
“This is so massive,” said Joseph Marbach, a political scientist at Seton Hall University. “It’s going to just reinforce the stereotype of New Jersey politics and corruption.”
The arrests had immediate reverberations in the governor’s race, and a member of Gov. Jon S. Corzine’s administration was forced to resign after federal agents raided his home.
Jody, you need to get your facts straight BEFORE you post.
Alaska Senator Ted Steven's conviction was thrown out on appeal due to the Appeals Courts conclusion that he was convicted due to the U.S. Justice Dept's prosecutorial misconduct. Barry's Justice dept declined to refile charges against him.
Call me Joe Friday from that tacky 60's show Dragnet, "Just the facts, ma'am, just the facts"
Joe your post is alot like Joannas post,
i aknoledged the past currupte illinois politicians but i asked about the last 20 years, man you are going back to the 30s. just to let you know, every major city back then had currupt politicans,
so what your post tells me that is in the last 20 years, i missed Dan Rostenkowski , Robert Sorich, Daley's patronage chief.
i was on the net checking on albany and man, you have no room to talk,
The rapid accumulation of scandals or potential scandals in Albany is becoming incredible.
Every day, it seems, new revelations are added to the list. The average citizen has to be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of charges and potential charges.
Thus, there's the selection of the Aqueduct Entertainment Group to run the track's video slots. The U.S. Attorney in Manhattan and the State Inspector general are looking into allegations of what Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver calls "serious questions" about the selection system. Was there competitive bidding or was this group chosen because of political cronyism? Was there a better bid that was rejected?
Also, the Daily News raises the question of whether part of $750,000 contributed by our multi-billionaire mayor to the Independence Party to pay for Election Day poll workers was used to buy a house for a major Bloomberg campaign operative.
And then there are the questions revolving around the Rev. Floyd Flake, a Queens clergyman and Democratic leader, and his proteges, Malcolm Smith, President of the State Senate and Congressman Gregory Meeks. Federal prosecutors, the News found, are interested in what part this trio played in the racetrack deal and whether Smith has steered appropriations to non-profit groups tied to Flake.
Governor David Paterson meanwhile has been seeking an endorsement for re-election from Flake.
In compiling this list of scandals and near-scandals, we shouldn't neglect the case of Hiram Monserrate, just kicked out of the state senate for having roughed up his girlfriend. He's appealing his ouster but he is far from an appealing character. He has become a living argument for legislation against domestic violence.
Susan Lerner of Common Cause, a nonprofit group that lobbies for more accountable government, told me: "This seems like an all-time low in state government. The frequency of these investigations is extraordinary. It's like we're living in a swamp."
Lerner thinks it's time for an impartial, thorough investigation of our state and city institutions but "the trouble is I don't think there's anyone in government who can be trusted to conduct it. It's beyond imagination. We're living in a culture of corruption at all levels."
In the coming election, she fears people may be dispirited, not trusting either major party to make the changes necessary.
"The people have to be led," said Lerner, but "where is the leadership?"
AND PLEASE DON'T GIVE ME THAT HE'S A DEMOCRAT, CRAP, POLITICIANS FROM ALBANY REPUBLICANS OR DEMOCRAT ARE CORRUPT
"i was on the net checking on albany and man, you have no room to talk,"
_____________________
What makes you think I have any interest in defending the DemoCrooks in Albany??
Is it because YOU feel the need to defend your DemoCrooks in Chicago and Springfield??
Who is paying you to post this crappola??
And, does the FACT that other states also have political crooks somehow make Chicago's political crooks OK??
Yeah, I think it does.
It's the "Chicago way".
Joe in Albany-1902257
I hope you don't thing i am defending the political crooks in illinois, our latest any biggest crook Former Ryan was trying to get our of jail early because his wife is dying of cancer, a judge here said No, Former president Bush refused to pardon him, so sorry to say this but Mrs Ryan will have to deal with her husband being in jail like every other wife of a prisoner. Blago is a stupid joke, No Joe I'm am not.
I smell something rotten and its not in Denmark.
You might want to check your panties... ;o)
Zing! LOL Nice one Feisty!
"You might want to check your panties... ;o)"
Do you have ANY idea of how hard I'm trying to be good right now?? ANY IDEA AT ALL???
I KNEW it... I just knew it was only a matter of time... lmao!
This residency challenge is ridiculous. Are we going to penalize people for serving our country? Love or hate Rahm, there is no question that White House Chief of Staff is one of the most demanding jobs on earth. You don't take that position for fun, you take it because you love your country. The sacrifice Rahm made to run the White House was enormous. He probably can hardly recognize his children because of the hours he worked.
I hate it when people criticise Chicago for dirty politics because I love Chicago and I don't think it deserves the criticism anymore more than any other major city; however, if he had been found ineligible to run, or if this decision is reversed in appeal, I will join the Chicago haters in declaring Chicago politics corrupt.
This reminds my of the plight of Burmese opposition politician Aung San Suu Kyi. Burmese officials won't put her on the ballot.
I think they'll have a hard time getting this decision over turned. It is my understanding that the residency requirement has a clause which allows those taking jobs in service of their country to continue their status as residents.
@Charels
I agree with your first two paragraphs but
is as ridiculous as President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize.
I realize it is a ridiculous comparison but we have to be careful because it is a slippery slope.
I don't get why someone doesn't want Rahm to run. Anybody know?
Because he's not a rightie, 'd be my guess. God fofrbid these paid posters on here would cut a little slack for someone 'not of their own'.
Come on Drive By, we cut you slack. And we loves us some rightous Fiesty and Bev. Nothing but speculation and conclusions, all day, everyday.
But I get it - you are "studying" for that future doctorate degree, right?
And really, this is MSNBC land. Who in their right mind would pay someone to post around here? It might reach some of the 50-200 posters? Now that would be a poor business investment. I'm guessing the paid posters are over on a BIG board, where the traffic a touch higher.
Anything goes in Chicago politics including throwing in the kitchen sink !! Which Daley will place a tax on doing....Chicago motto...Vote early...Vote often....Rahm a shoe in or machine away from assuming the duties of Mayor of thw Windy city and that hot air coming from politicians...Thats why they call it the Windy city!!!!
Since this only affects the people in Chicago, why do all the rest of you people care who the mayor is?
I live in the Chicago suburbs. This impacts my life.
You live in the suburbs, not the city of Chicago. How does this affect your life?
Chris, Cranbury, NJ.
Chicago is the engine that runs the state. 3/4 of the population is in the chicago metro area. so what happens in chicago does affect charles in Arlington Hts
Jeff, I heard the same things said about New York City affecting what happens in New Jersey when I lived in north Jersey and it's not true. Charles should be more worried about the mayor of Arlington Heights than the mayor of Chicago.
Chris, Cranbury, NJ.
Alrington Hts is depended on chicago not as much as in the past, namely the O'hare AirPort. places like arlington Hts are there because of the AirPort, what happens in chicago does affect the metro area. as far south as chicago hts 30 miles from downtown, and all the way north to lake county 30 miles away and west to dupage county 25 miles away. so chicago does affect a 50 mile radious, including northwest Indiana.
According the the Arlington Heights website (www.vah.com), the village was incorporated in 1887. I kind of doubt it is there because of the airport.
What I'm saying is that we should be more concerned about what goes on in our own towns and cities. Let the poeple of Chicago vote for who they want to for mayor. The rest of the state of Illinois and the rest of the country should not have anything to do with their decision. Ultimately, Jeff, you, me, Charles and the rest of the world outside of Chicago have nothing to do with this election.
Chris, Cranbury, NJ.
In the resent Governers race, the democrate won the state wide election by 5 thousand votes, he only won 4 counties, st, louis area, cook county(metro chicago & arlington Hts) and peoria county down state.
see that I'm saying.
Arlington hts was a sleepy Burb untill after the war, when the air port was made in to a international air port. Many people settled in Atlington Hts, Schaumburg, naperville, Elk Grove Village, Bensonville from the city and worked at the air port and the businesses that grew because of the air port. all these burbs i mentioned are with in 10 miles of O"hare at times the worlds Busiest air ports.
see what i mean.
chicago controlls the airport and yes, its very important right now who the mayor is, Right now O'hare is going through a major expansion that has been in the works for 10 years. mayor Daley and the subruban mayors in the towns i mentioned were able to get this done, excetp bensonville, they took the city to court, but has been worked out. they all know who important O'hare is to everybody.
see what i mean.
northern Illnoins is not a populas as Jersey and we don't have NY next door.
It is ture that O'hare is a big driver of development in Arlington Heights. I would add that Arlington Heights has been a commuter town since its inception. Before the train station, there was no Arlington Heights.
Also, just because I go to sleep in Arlington Heights every night doesn't mean I spend my entire life there. I am in Chicago several times a week and things like parking regulations, transit policy, etc have a clear an direct impact on my life. There are also many more indirect ways that the Chicago Mayor impacts my life. Anything that impacts the economy of Chicago is going to impact the entire region. For example, if the Mayor is able to draw more Corporate headquarters to Chicago, housing demand in Arlington Heights will increase which will increase property values.
One more point. My wife and I use to live in Chicago and would love to move back there but we live in the suburbs for one simple reason: Arlington Heights public schools are way better than Chicago Public Schools. If Chicago could assure me that my kids could get into a good school, we would move back there as soon as possible. Also, we will move back there as soon as our children are out of the public school system.
So yes, I will leave the voting to Chicago residents, but I will have something to do with the election by being part of the conversation because in the long term the Mayor of Chicago does impact me more than the Mayor of Arlington Heights so I am very concerned about not only my Mayor, but the Mayor of Chicago as well.
I find it interesting that the bally-hoo over this story is that he was being challenged at all due to his residency issue. It makes perfect sense that the Elections Commission voted in this manner. He did leave his residency in order to serve at the President's pleasure, but that time in DC has come and gone. If all he did was 'rent' his house out so he could go to DC to serve the President, then he still 'owns' his place of residence in Chicago, IL., regardless of whether or not he lived their. I am not a fan of Rahm Emmanuel but he does have rights that are subject to the Elections Commission, and they did their jobs sufficiently and for the purpose that they sit on this particular commission. Nothing 'hinkey' went on here in this vote to allow Emmanuel to seek the mayor seat.
Agreed. Still to me, I don't understand why owning a house in Chicago has anything to do with this. Do we still have to own land to have a say in our government? What if Rahm was a renter himself before he went to serve the POTUS? Then he wouldn't have had a home to rent out while he was gone.
Should we only let land owning soilders vote when they are on active duty?