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Lake County coroner drops out of race after challenge

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Illinois

From the start, Lake County Coroner Thomas Rudd says, there were red flags in the death investigation of Fox Lake Police Lt. Charles Gliniewicz.

“What I noticed was two striking things,” Rudd tells CBS 2’s Brad Edwards in his first interview since last week’s bombshell about a bad cop who staged his own suicide to look like murder.

“There was absolutely no defensive wound whatsoever,” Rudd says of the officer’s body.

The other suspicious factor: “His uniform was in roll-call order, which is rare in a struggle. There was only a little mud on his knees.”

* From today…

Lake County Coroner Tom Rudd is dropping his re-election bid after FOX 32 raised questions about the validity of his nominating petitions. […]

“If I made a mistake, I will state that,” Rudd said. “I’m a physician, a scientist. I don’t know the vagaries of election law. It was an honest mistake.”

Rudd was facing an election board hearing on Tuesday after two citizens challenged the validity of his petitions. Rudd tells FOX 32 he paid individuals from North Chicago to gather signatures on his petitions, then signed a sworn affidavit at the bottom of the sheets saying that he had gathered the signatures himself. Rudd said he did not know that is a violation of election law.

FOX 32 also learned that one of the signatures on Rudd’s petitions is from a man who died in 2005.

Sounds like he was a pretty decent coroner, but shoulda hired some electoral help.

Oops.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Dec 14, 15 @ 3:10 pm

Comments

One thing you never ever skimp on, or take lightly,… the first, and most important part of beginning a campaign is; getting on the ballot.

Can’t win if people can’t vote for you…

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Dec 14, 15 @ 3:18 pm
This is unfortunate. One of the only checks in Lake County will now most likely be gone.

Comment by Precinct Captain Monday, Dec 14, 15 @ 3:25 pm
Well, those who know whom to hire tend to be career politicians.

Comment by Wumpus Monday, Dec 14, 15 @ 3:40 pm
He needed 781 signatures…a lot, but not that bad. The candidates I know all get the base number themselves and get friends, family, pct committeepersons (trusted allies) to collect the rest. I never understood hiring someone to do it. The incentives are not good.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Monday, Dec 14, 15 @ 4:11 pm
There is a lot more about this “mistake” that this news story doesn’t cover. Also, it wouldn’t be as surprising if the media looked deeper into Rudd’s record as Coroner and the things going on in that office.

Comment by LC Anonymous Monday, Dec 14, 15 @ 5:16 pm
The ballot access procedure and expense in Illinois is a poll tax. If it were understood better by more than 5% of our electorate we would streamline the process.

I was at a party Sunday and when the dismal state of Illinois politics came up I offered ballot access as a primary reason honest people with limited initial means cant get on the ballot. Everyone looked at me blankly. When I pointed out that our local tax attorney had removed herself from the ballot when Berrios filed a challenge, they kind of got it. She had valid sigs but no money for a lawyer to withstand a challenge.

We are stuck with the people the party approves. Madigan Berrios and Cullerton head that list

Comment by jeffinginChicago Tuesday, Dec 15, 15 @ 7:12 am