* Awake Illinois…

Candidate for IL Attorney General Thomas DeVore has filed a defamation suit against David Shestokas (also running for Attorney General), Bobby Pitton (running for US Senate), and 2 other parties. It alleges that the mother of DeVore’s girlfriend (Craig) colluded with Shestokas, Shestokas’ sister, and Pitton in the defamation effort.

In the civil lawsuit filed May 16th, they are alleged to be behind a circulated substack post that accused DeVore of domestic battery among other activities, all of which DeVore says are false and caused harm to his reputation.

The petition was posted to Bobby Pitton’s campaign site and may be downloaded below. The civil lawsuit requests that all parties preserve electronic records for discovery.

DeVore, an Awake IL Warrior, is seeking damages in excess of $50k. We support him getting every dime in damages along with a Republican primary victory for Attorney General.

* He’s also suing Julie Craig, the mother of his girlfriend…

NOW COMES the Plaintiff, THOMAS DEVORE, by and through his attorneys, Polinske & Associates, P.C., and Brian L. Polinske, and in support of his Complaint for Defamation Per Se against Defendant, Julie Craig, and against the Respondents in Discovery, David Shestokas, Jill Shestokas, and Bobby Piton […]

Defendant Craig created a defamatory article alleging the Plaintiff had committed criminal offense(s) such as (Domestic Battery, Obstruction of Justice, Sexual Predator). At no time has the Plaintiff committed a Domestic Battery or any other offense alleged by Craig.

There has never been any investigation against Plaintiff for Domestic Battery, or any other criminal offense proclaimed by Craig. There has never been any complaint made against Plaintiff for Domestic Battery, or any other criminal offense proclaimed by Craig.

Defendant Craig’s post also proclaims the Plaintiff is under investigation by the Attorney Regulation and Disciplinary Commission for, inter alia, complaints against him by current or former clients. There are no complaints pending against Plaintiff with the Attorney Regulation and Disciplinacy Commission made against him by any current or fonner clients. Her claims therefore alleged that the Plaintiff is unfit to practice as an attorney.

Defendant Craig’s post also proclaims that the Plaintiff was intoxicated in public (above the legal limit) on or about April 20, 2020. At no relevant time was the Plaintiff intoxicated.

The publication is attached hereto and labelled Plaintiffs Exhibit 1. Defendant Craig has continually expressed public animus towards the Plaintiff on multiple occasions due to her disagreement with the fact that her daughter is dating the Plaintiff. Plaintiff’s Exhibit 1 was sent by Defendant Craig to Respondent Shestokas.

Upon information and belief, Respondent Shestokas and Defendant Craig acted in concert in the production and dissemination of Exhibit 1 in an effort to harm Plaintiff to the personal satisfaction of Craig and to the political benefit of Shestokas. Respondent Shestokas then circulated a copy of the defamatory publication to other members of the general public.

Further Respondent Shestokas caused his staff, Respondent Jill Shestokas, to circulate the defamatory publication to the general public. Respondent Shestokas then, in concert with Respondent Piton caused the defamatory publication to be published to the general public via a fictitiously named Substack account under the name “Roger Casteel, Writer.”

Upon information and belief, Respondent Shestokas, who is also is a candidate running for the elected public office of Illinois Attorney General, has with actual malice caused to be disseminated false information to cause hann to the reputation of Plaintiff in order to further his own political ambitions.

And, yes, the exhibit is at the link.

I saw that story back in April and reached out to DeVore’s girlfriend on Facebook. Here’s her response…

None of it’s true. Thank you.

Tom wasn’t drunk and he never touched me. It’s completely false. Have a nice day.

Inaccurate *

The allegation she made at the time was that DeVore smashed her phone. Video is here and here.

* While we’re on the topic of attorney general candidate DeVore…

I’m your huckleberry!!

Posted by Thomas DeVore on Tuesday, May 31, 2022

* From the linked story, this is what DeVore appears to be advocating…

The PREP [federal Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness] Act doesn’t insulate actors from criminal liability if the people giving the vaccine “know” or “should have known” that the vaccines are killing/harming people.

The key is this. The PREP Act basically provides liability protection up to the point that it becomes obvious to the person or organization giving the shot that they are killing or harming people. Once you cross that line, you become criminally liable.

So if the CDC says the vaccines are safe, and everyone you give it to dies, and you keep giving it anyway, you are criminally liable. Then your fate is up to the jury.

The PREP Act was never intended as a license to kill.

In addition, there is something known as “jury nullification” where a jury can invalidate an unjust law. This is typically used to exonerate someone, but it can also be used in the reverse direction to convict someone as noted in the Wikipedia article: “It may also happen that a jury convicts a defendant even if no law was broken.”

So once a pharmacy chain in their area/state is put on notice by a district attorney or attorney general or their local Sheriff that the vaccines are killing people and that if they persist in giving the shots and someone is seriously injured or dies, they could be criminally prosecuted, what do you think most pharmacy chains will do?

* Remember that Daily Herald editorial board endorsement of Steve Kim?…

His opponents — David Shestokas of Orland Park and Thomas DeVore of downstate Greenville — are talented attorneys and skilled critics of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s authority to mandate COVID-19 restrictions