Posted by Barton Lorimor

The Sun-Times credited the State Journal-Register, but it was the Alton Telegraph that got it first…

The chairman of the Macoupin County Democratic Party resigned his post — as well as his seat on the local school board — just two days after an undisclosed St. Patrick’s Day incident that’s being investigated by city police.

How much the resignations and incident are connected, though, is a matter of speculation, because most people familiar with the investigation are mum on the details.

Carlinville Police Chief Dave Haley confirmed Monday that he turned over an incident report to the Illinois State Police involving Ken Snider, who also is a State Police officer. […]

“We are cooperating with the Illinois State Police in this investigation and do not want to jeopardize their investigation,” Haley said Tuesday.

Haley said he referred the report to Illinois State Police Zone 6 in Collinsville. Zone 6 interim commander Lt. James Morrisey said Monday that he was not aware of such an investigation, noting that it most likely was turned over to Internal Affairs.

State Police media spokesman Scott Compton confirmed the probe on Tuesday.

Now what the Telegraph didn’t have was this little tid-bit…

Snider had been employed by the state since 1984 and was elevated last December as supervisor of Quinn’s south security detail, a job that put him in charge of overseeing executive protection officers, scheduling, routes and movements, Vega said in a prepared statement late Friday.

That assignment lasted until Jan. 19, when he began to use benefit time until his resignation on March 18, he said.

Yikes.

More background information…

Carlinville police were called to the Anchor Inn at 1 a.m. March 18. Snider was the person who called police, said Chief David Haley of the Carlinville Police Department, who later turned the investigation over to state police.

The incident apparently involved students at Blackburn College, where state police have interviewed students, according to Jeff Aper, college provost.

No one was arrested, and neither Haley nor state police would provide details, although Haley said he has been getting calls from reporters throughout the state.

In the Springfield incident, Snider was allowed to go free after allegedly breaking the windshield of a woman’s car on Jan. 27, 2010.

Springfield police would not immediately release a report, but Deputy Police Chief Cliff Buscher provided details of the incident, which he said began when Snider appeared to be frolicking near the Hilton Hotel.

“He was running and sliding on his belly on the snow in the sidewalk,” Buscher said.

I’ll bet Rich might have more on this one.

(On a similar ISPD investigation note, the department will review the CPD’s handling of its 2004 David Koschman homicide investigation. Koschman reportedly died after he was struck by Richard Vanecko, one of Mayor Daley’s and W.H. Chief of Staff William Daley’s nephews.)

Similarly…

The president of the 47th Ward Democratic Organization was arrested and charged Saturday with misdemeanor battery for allegedly striking a man in a bar on election night in February.

William Helm, 47, of the 4700 block of North Lincoln, was arrested after a meeting at the ward’s Democratic headquarters Saturday morning.

The victim told police that Helm allegedly struck him on the left side of the face with a closed fist about midnight after the Feb. 22 election at the Celtic Crown Public House, 4301 N. Western. Two others also allegedly punched and kicked the victim, police said.

Reached late Saturday, Helm said he was “amazed and shocked’’ by his arrest more than a month after the alleged incident.

* Bill Cellini’s name has been absent from a lot of the Blagojevich trial coverage until now. Once a player always a players, as Bernie points out this week…

BILL CELLINI has not been convicted of anything and strenuously proclaims his innocence, but the fact that he remains indicted and is scheduled to go to trial this summer on federal corruption charges still might indicate — at least from a public perception standpoint — that he shouldn’t be seen as a force in the Sangamon County Republican world.

But there is a direct link between Cellini and money that’s been paid and offered as part of Springfield’s mayoral campaign.

That’s because when Sangamon County GOP Chairman TONY LIBRI helped engineer payments totaling more than $9,900 for campaign expenses of Sangamon County Auditor PAUL PALAZZOLO — who kept his word and dropped out of the mayor’s race when he didn’t get the party’s backing — the money came from the Sangamon County Republican Foundation.

That foundation, according to state records, is chaired by Sangamon County Board Chairman ANDY VAN METER. The treasurer is Cellini. The only other officer listed with the State Board of Elections is ROBIN ELLISON, administrative assistant, who works for the Illinois Asphalt Pavement Association, where Cellini is still executive director.

JANIS CELLINI, sister of Bill, is executive director of the foundation.

* Meanwhile, the Daily Herald today says Congressman Peter Roskam is experiencing a growth in popularity…

Roskam, who grew up in Glen Ellyn, is poised to go places, perhaps even to one day become the U.S. House Speaker, following in Yorkville Republican Dennis Hastert’s footsteps. […]

“Roskam’s savvy. Right away, you knew he was on the fast track,” said Drew Cannon, a soft-spoken Oregon native who, for the past eight years, has watched Roskam and the other congressmen from his perch manning the third floor press gallery, which provides a bird’s-eye view of the lower chamber.

* Senate Democrats today will host their first public input hearings on this year’s redistricting - an issue Kurt Erickson devoted his weekly column to…

GOP leaders last week sent letters to Gov. Pat Quinn and Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon calling on them to urge state Sen. Kwame Raoul, D-Chicago, to hold more meetings in order to allow citizens to have input into the map-making process.
In particular, Simon was singled out because she was a member of the governor’s Reform Commission, which recommended at least five hearings around the state on the proposed new map, rather than hearings before the new map is completed. Those recommendations weren’t adopted into law. […]

Forby’s district in southern Illinois, for example, needs to pick up 8,000 additional residents. That means the boundaries of the 59th Senate District would have to expand north or west into territory currently represented by Republicans.

“It’s going to be a lot different,” Forby said.

State Sen. John Sullivan, D-Rushville, is in a district that could grow by as many as 14,000 residents, meaning he, too, will have to squeeze territory now held by Republicans.

* And in other political news…

* Alderman Ed Bus responds to Emanuel’s idea to cut City Council in half

* 16th Ward incumbent runs on record, which foe attacks

* 2 wards can vote down party lines

* Cost of tax increases listed on ballots is misleading, says assessor

* Wauconda Village Administrator Quick to step down

* Five vying for 3 seats on Hampshire Village Board

* Council candidates respond to Herald-News challenge

* Forum for Galesburg City Council candidates set for Thursday

* Rural elections largely uncontested

* Journal-Star: Morton District 709 referendum: Vote ‘Yes’

* Word on the Street: Surprise! Election probably won’t be

* News-Gazette: Jerry Schweighart for Champaign mayor

* Ballots, information for area counties

* Houston’s mayoral stint included budget cuts, other battles

* City clerk candidate denies 2001 domestic violence allegation

* Swansea trustee candidates will take your questions

* Choices abound in Belleville elections

* Elmore: Please be informed and cast your vote

* Three vying to be West Frankfort mayor

* Marion mayoral candidate talk school, city stress

* Police, fire pensions trouble Marion mayoral candidates

* Sun-Times: Kirk should back greenhouse gas regulation

* Kadner: Two insurance companies ‘have no duty’ to Crestwood

* Sun: School board members need to honor confidential matters

* Roskam says family first