Harold goes on the attack
Thursday, Aug 16, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
The Work Of His Life: Kwame Raoul Argued In Court That Two Neglected Children Should Return To Their Mother’s “Injurious Environment”
Debilitating gunshot injury, shaken baby syndrome, and other terrible tragedies plagued household
“Kwame Raoul says a safe home for children is the ‘work of his life,’ but his own legal record proves otherwise. Raoul argued in court that two children should be returned to a household where their two-and-a-half-month-old sibling was shaken to death, one child accidentally shot themself with an unsecured firearm, leaving them with a debilitating injury, and their mother oversaw an environment that gravely endangered their lives. Kwame Raoul’s views and record are dangerous, and that’s why he’s attempting to cover it up with false ads.” - Erika Harold campaign spokesman Aaron DeGroot
Yesterday, Kwame Raoul’s campaign released a new television ad titled “Safe Home,” where he makes claims about prosecuting child abuse and neglect, but the ad failed to mention the other disturbing side of Raoul’s legal career.
Nearly two decades ago, Raoul argued in court on behalf of a mother whose two children were removed from her custody after harrowing tragedies struck their home. A third child died of shaken baby syndrome, while one of the children accidentally shot himself with an unsecured firearm, leaving him blind in one eye, brain damaged, and paralyzed. Those were just two of the terrible tragedies that led DCFS to remove the two children from their mother’s care.
Kwame Raoul argued in court that the mother had not done anything that warranted losing the custody of her children. Raoul says a safe home for children is the ‘work of his life,’ but his own legal record proves otherwise.
Harold campaign background is here.
- Jibba - Thursday, Aug 16, 18 @ 9:10 am:
A million bucks buys a lot of ugly.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 16, 18 @ 9:11 am:
Hey, at least it wasn’t a loving gay couple, right Harold?
- Dee Lay - Thursday, Aug 16, 18 @ 9:12 am:
When you have nothing to run on, attack attack attack.
It’s a reoccurring theme for the ILGOP.
- WhoKnew - Thursday, Aug 16, 18 @ 9:17 am:
This will get some attention!
Gotta say it got mine!!
- wordslinger - Thursday, Aug 16, 18 @ 9:18 am:
Strong accusations.
–Erika Harold campaign spokesman Aaron DeGroot–
Why doesn’t she say it herself?
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Aug 16, 18 @ 9:25 am:
===…views and record are dangerous…===
Welp, after cashing a million dollar check that signified Rauner wanting her to win to prosecute Rauner enemies, everybody’s views and records would be up to scrutiny to not Erika Harold or the rule of law, but what Bruce Rauner deems acceptable?
- Cubs in '16 - Thursday, Aug 16, 18 @ 9:37 am:
If Raoul was a public defender at the time, it was his job to argue for the mother. I’d like to know some details before rushing to judgment here. I imagine most defense attorneys have had to defend people they would’ve preferred not to. It goes with the gig.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 16, 18 @ 9:40 am:
So Kwame is attacked for being an advocate for a client….and apparently asserting a point of law that the was adopted by the supreme court in 2016. Wonder what Harold’s attack ad would have been on John Adams for defending those murderous occupiers from England. Political hacks know you can attack your opponent for any reason, a lawyer ought to do better.
- don the legend - Thursday, Aug 16, 18 @ 9:43 am:
A campaign about which candidate puts children in the most dangerous situations.
Wow.
- DarkHorse - Thursday, Aug 16, 18 @ 9:45 am:
Raoul, who has never run in a competitive election, is in for the fight of his life. Harold is running like it’s her last campaign, bringing everything she has to the field. So unlike her ‘14 campaign.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 16, 18 @ 9:51 am:
@darkhorse, if she loses, it likely IS her last campaign. And based on HER known legal career to date, I’d run a desperate campaign as well.
- A Jack - Thursday, Aug 16, 18 @ 9:53 am:
What I found interesting was that they dug up a twenty year old DCFS case. I am interested in the source of their records. They wouldn’t be using DCFS employees for this, would they be? That would clearly be unethical to use state employees for such political research.
Well now, this makes for fair game any case that Harold has argued.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Aug 16, 18 @ 10:06 am:
===they dug up a twenty year old DCFS case===
The Miss America question wasn’t exactly last week.
- d.p.gumby - Thursday, Aug 16, 18 @ 10:14 am:
Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct Rule 1.2(b) “A lawyer’s representation of a client, including representation by appointment, does not constitute an endorsement of the client’s political, economic, social or moral views or activities.” Harold should know better than to allow such a cheap shot. Sad.
- chuddery - Thursday, Aug 16, 18 @ 10:34 am:
==Well now, this makes for fair game any case that Harold has argued.==
That’s going to be a much shorter list
- People Over Parties - Thursday, Aug 16, 18 @ 10:34 am:
===such a cheap shot===
It could just as easily be argued that Kawme’s attack was cheap as well. It can be reasonably inferred that Harold doesn’t hold that view anymore, as people do evolve on such things, but the ad implies that she still feels the same way.
- A Jack - Thursday, Aug 16, 18 @ 10:54 am:
Yes, Rich and in the context of what Harold supposedly said 15 years ago Harold’s remarks are fair.
I think both candidates should stick with more recent history. Since this is a state-wide office, which one has shown a greater willingness to reach across party lines?
- JS Mill - Thursday, Aug 16, 18 @ 11:24 am:
If you are going to dig up old, old stuff theyoi open that door to attacks of the same fashion by your opponent. Fair is fair.
IF Kwame Was acting as a public defender then this b comes a very weak attack.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 16, 18 @ 11:56 am:
=It can be reasonably inferred that Harold doesn’t hold that view anymore=
How can it be “reasonably inferred”?
- Cheryl44 - Thursday, Aug 16, 18 @ 12:16 pm:
It can be reasonably inferred that Harold doesn’t hold that view anymore,
Then she should say so.
- Precinct Captain - Thursday, Aug 16, 18 @ 1:17 pm:
Contrast, a wannabe career politician who has moved all over desperately trying to win office versus someone whose political career has been dedicated to serving the public, working hard on tough problems. No wonder Erika is so desperate she’d attack the very bedrock of our legal system.
- People Over Parties - Thursday, Aug 16, 18 @ 2:06 pm:
And it can certainly be inferred because she did say so.
http://www.wlsam.com/2018/03/16/erika-harold-says-if-she-made-anti-gay-comments-it-was-absolutely-wrong/
- 17% Solution - Thursday, Aug 16, 18 @ 3:44 pm:
Illinois DCFS website says that parents who might lose or lost their children have the right to defend theirselves in court and they can be represented by a lawyer. So a lawyer would be part of the process.
About the case in question: who harmed the baby, causing his death, mother, father, relative, friend, babysitter? Who left the gun laying around, mother, father, relative, friend, babysitter? Was this temporary removal or permanent removal? Was the mother in a better situation, maybe living away from crazy relatives, husband, trying to get her children back? We aren’t given the details.It’s possible that the mother in question had no control over these tragedies.
- Phenomynous - Thursday, Aug 16, 18 @ 4:13 pm:
Maybe Kwame can clear some of the confusion up? Kind of waiting for a response.
- NorthsideNoMore - Thursday, Aug 16, 18 @ 9:18 pm:
Kwame may not benot real good at responding on the fly ( note that he skipped out on some of the debates in the primary)