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* Glad to see this…
In a case that touched on free speech limits, gun control, same-sex marriage and Sarah Palin, a Chicago man was found guilty Thursday of threatening a west suburban state representative.
Stephen Bona, 52, was convicted on two felony counts of threatening a public official by DuPage County jurors, who listened to a day of testimony Wednesday and then deliberated about 90 minutes after listening to closing arguments. Jurors acquitted him on one count related to threatening property damage.
Bona, who is gay, left a voice message for Republican state Rep. Jeanne Ives in March 2013 that was prompted by statements Ives made in a radio interview in opposition to same-sex marriage.
Ugh…
Bona left his messages, with statements such as “we know where you live,” “there’s no longer a ban on assault weapons” and “think about that before you speak next time” after the legislator made statements on a radio program about same-sex marriage and concealed carry gun laws.
“Your Tea Party brethren, Sarah Palin, put up a map that included the names, locations, faces of Democratic candidates and put them in the cross hairs of a gun. Perhaps we should do the same for you,” Bona said, according to DuPage County court documents provided by his defense in early 2014.
The man was completely unrepentant…
Bona testified Tuesday that he never intended to threaten Ives but merely wanted to make her think seriously about and change her stance on the issues of gay marriage and gun control.
After Thursday’s verdict, DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin disagreed with Richards’ assessment.
“The First Amendment to the Constitution guarantees everyone the right to free speech. What the First Amendment does not do, however, is to allow free speech to digress into threats against public employees or elected officials,” Berlin said. “These men and women who have chosen public service must be allowed to do their jobs without having to worry about their personal safety or the safety of their families.”
* Uh-oh…
Two people are accused of attacking local politician, Robert Zwolinski, with a staple gun. Both volunteered for the campaign of Illinois Rep. Cynthia Soto, who he ran against this week.
Jessica Soto and Bradley Fichter, both 26, each face multiple charges in connection with the beating. Police said Zwolinski was attacked outside his campaign office in the 800-block of North Ashland Avenue around 9:15 p.m. on March 6.
Zwolinski said he saw Jessica Soto and Fichter were putting up signs near his office. When he approached them, both allegedly started hitting him and struck him in the head with a bottle and staple gun before running away. […]
An attorney representing Soto and Fichter said the two are volunteers for Soto. He said his clients are innocent and Zwolinski started the fight.
Fichter filed his own police report, but he was charged with false report of offense.
That false report charge is gonna blow out his self defense case.
* Ugh…
“Hey, Danny Solis. This is Eddie Jr. Let me tell you something, m————,” begins the phone message that Solis found sufficiently threatening to file a police report Wednesday.
Solis identified the voice of the caller as Eddie Acevedo Jr., son of state Rep. Eddie Acevedo (D-Chicago), who is retiring after 20 years in the Legislature. […]
Just hours before the call to Solis came in at 12:40 a.m., awakening the alderman and his wife, unofficial election returns had given the Acevedos some bad news.
They had failed in their effort to install Alex Acevedo, Eddie Sr.’s son and Eddie Jr.’s brother, as the father’s replacement.
Instead, the winner by 500 votes was Theresa Mah, who rode a wave of ethnic pride in Chinatown and the endorsements of key Latino leaders including U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez to win the Democratic nomination.
Alex Acevedo called Solis to apologize. Alex is a good guy. His brother, however, ought to man up.
* Related…
* Bernie Sanders’ supporter leaves feces in front of East Moline pizza shop owned by former congressman [NSFW]
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:20 am
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I’m sure the Illinois Review investigative squad will get that right over to the Illinois Review crime lab for analysis.
Eddie Jr., B**** 2018! THAT’S a slogan!
Comment by LizPhairTax Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:33 am
One report says Jessica Soto is Rep. Soto’s daughter. The linked report is silent on that. Not that it really matters,but is she?
Comment by Lil Squeezy Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:36 am
The Zwolinski assailants just happened to be charged on Wednesday, the day after the election, even though the assault happened March 6? Lovely.
Comment by hisgirlfriday Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:39 am
Politix - unless there is a significant punishment this kind of garbage continues and pollutes public discourse. I’m no fan of Ives but that does not justify threatening violence.
Of course AlabamaShake cut to the point much more succinctly! LOL
Comment by Hoping for Rational Thought Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:41 am
@ 8:31
Jeanne Ives may well be the worst, but it doesn’t matter, threats of violence against lawmakers should be taken very seriously.
Comment by DuPage Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:41 am
Prison time for Bona does not bother me. Read his comments, he is trying to make a person who happens to be a politician fear for her life bc a polictical stance. The difference between Ives and Bona, is when Ives uses fear to advance her views no one thinks she may bust down their dooor with an assualt rifle.
Comment by Lil Squeezy Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:42 am
I don’t know much about criminal sentencing. But I do know I’m furious at Mr. Bona for this. The gay community has endured threats, eliminationist rhetoric, and actual violence for centuries. He even directly gives examples of that in his message; it’s part of his grievance with Ives. He’s become what he hates. Worse, he’s now feeding the bizarre persecution complex people like Ives have been cultivating.
So I don’t know if he deserves prison or not, but he deserves some sort of correction, and is getting it.
Comment by Threepwood Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:47 am
–Bona testified Tuesday that he never intended to threaten Ives but merely wanted to make her think seriously about and change her stance on the issues of gay marriage and gun control.–
Riiiggghhhht, it’s hard to imagine how anyone could think the guy was trying to threaten Ives.
His only chance was to cop and show remorse. A b-s story like that only honks the judge off.
Some prison time for Bona would be a wonderful opportunity for him to reflect on possible new approaches he could use in the future for getting people to “think seriously.”
Comment by wordslinger Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:50 am
The Zwolinski thing suprised me, they must have found a witness or video or something b/c to include the false police report tells you something. Not a fan of Ives but clearly this guy has some screws loose.
Comment by burbanite Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:50 am
Was the “m—–” in the Solis message some sort of racial/ethnic slur.
I was raised by Marines and thought I had a fairly comprehensive vocabulary of profanity and slurs, but I am not clicking on that one in context.
Comment by titan Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:51 am
===Was the “m—–” in the Solis message some sort of racial/ethnic slur.===
It has to do with his mother. You figure it out.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 8:54 am
The First Amendment is precious, but you can’t yell ‘Fire!’ in a crowded theater. That said, the principle is similar in its application to Trump and Palin. What’s good for Bona…
Comment by Independent retired journalist lawyer Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 9:05 am
Politics be drivin’ people crazy.
These are more examples of the continued dropping of basic civility. It does not help matters to have a Presedential candidate such as Trump espouse violence, prejudice, misogyny, racism, and generally antagonistic behavior.
Comment by RIJ Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 9:07 am
It was Soto’s daughter.
https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20160318/west-town/state-reps-daughter-charged-staple-gun-attack-on-moms-opponent
Comment by Terry Salad Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 9:08 am
Horrible behavior. No matter how much we dislike certain politicians, we should try to stay civil and channel our anger into legal and constructive means. Sorry for those who had to suffer through violence and threats.
Comment by Grandson of Man Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 9:15 am
Soto daughter’s attorney better get his story straight; it seems he is trying to staple together two separate excuses. He claims Zwolinski started the altercation but then also questions how Zwolinski knew that it was Soto’s daughter on his back.
Comment by Robert the Bruce Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 9:25 am
For what it’s worth, I never said she deserved it, only that I’m not surprised.
Comment by Politix Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 9:26 am
“Stephen Bona, 52, was convicted on two felony counts of threatening a public official by DuPage County jurors”
Threatening a public official or human service provider is a Class 3 felony for a first offense and a Class 2 felony for a second or subsequent offense. 720 ILCS 5/12-9. In Illinois, conviction for a class 2 felony can result in a prison term of three to seven years, and a class 3 felony is punishable by two to five years’ imprisonment. 730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-35; 730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-40.
As a point of comparison, aggravated assault involving the discharge of a firearm can be a Class 3 or Class 4 felony. 720 ILCS 5/12-2(d).
The public defender part of me thinks Bona is getting hammered way too hard, but the part of me that bemoans the chronic lack of non-crazy, non-narcissistic political candidates ain’t so sure.
Nevertheless, both agree that one should never threaten others with violence.
– MrJM
Comment by @MisterJayEm Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 9:33 am
==Soto daughter’s attorney better get his story straight; it seems he is trying to staple together two separate excuses==
Oh, he went there!!
Comment by Snucka Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 9:34 am
==Was the m—–” in the Solis message some sort of racial/ethnic slur.==
No. He was suggesting that, in addition to various crimes against the Acevedo Family, Ald. Solis is also guilty of incest.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 9:36 am
That Anon was me… and I missed the fact that Rich already replied.
Comment by Snucka Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 9:37 am
===Bernie Sanders’ supporter leaves feces in front of East Moline pizza shop owned by former congressman===
The article fails to identify how they know that it’s a Bernie Sander’s supporter that did it and in general a lot of this seems pretty circumstantial. Do they have anything to base this off of?
It also seems sort of silly to expect a national campaign to address this with an apology. Clearly the campaign had nothing to do with the action.
I also don’t understand why a former congress person would go out of their way to make this a press hit.
Comment by Anon Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 9:39 am
If anything, there can longer be any doubt who is the ‘Sonny’ and who is the ‘Michael’ in the Acevedo family.
Comment by Shark Sandwich Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 10:19 am
==The Zwolinski assailants just happened to be charged on Wednesday, the day after the election, even though the assault happened March 6? Lovely.==
This. I’m sure it’s just a coincidence…
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 10:59 am
Seen, heard, and/or experienced worse. Physical attacks are clearly out of bounds, as are threats to family members; verbal and symbolic ones come with the job, and are to be laughed at, IMO.
Comment by walker Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 11:01 am
Yet another Illinois Review story in which someone’s political enemies do a very bad thing under the cover of darkness but leave a profane note to be certain that the proper parties get the blame? And where the outrage at the crime is vented on Facebook (with pictures!) but there’s no talk of a police report or law enforcement investigation? cf. http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2016/02/illinois-pro-life-activists-home-vandalized-.html
What a very, very strange coincidence!
– MrJM
Comment by @MisterJayEm Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 11:02 am
New Craig’s List ad- $12/hr work until November, field team for political campaign.
Conceal Carry License recommended
Comment by DuPage Bard Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 11:05 am
I’m telling you Tuesday night the “liberal ugly” came out amongst my trade brethren. One posted something patently racist about Dunkin. When I squeaked about it I got flamed. There are no boundaries when it comes to poor behavior. It can be found everywhere.
Comment by Honeybear Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 11:07 am
As I have repeatedly pointed out neither side has a monopoly on this type of behavior. When it is part of an organization it really makes things nasty. Individual nutters will always be around.
It needs to be called out honestly and openly whenever it occurs. No Left or Right groups or MSM only targeting the side they like or don’t. Only then will there be a better perspective and hopefully some chance on reducing this type of behavior. Not holding my breath.
Meanwhile organized protesters should have a designated area, somewhat near the scene of the action but not to be disruptive, to exercise their right of free speech. And ideally opponents of the protesters would also have an area and opposing sides would be separated. Again, not holding my breath for this to happen.
Comment by Federalist Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 1:24 pm
Federalist-
My, my. Alot of pearl clutching in this thread.
“Meanwhile organized protesters should have a designated area, somewhat near the scene of the action but not to be disruptive”
What do you think this would alleviate? People that go into an event are subject to Trespass charges if they don’t comply with security to leave.
And what penalty would you propose if someone protested outside your “designated zone?” What authority is going to decide where the zone will be, and then segregate people based on which side they’re on? Do you expect the courts to try someone for engaging in political speech in a public forum?
Forcing civility doesn’t work- it just incites further. Politics is passionate, as it should be- unless of course you’re the type that thinks political engagement is merely voting and commenting on blogs.
Comment by Anti-federalist Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 2:35 pm
Interestingly enuff Danny solis carried alex acevedo. John Daley’s 11th ward endorsed him but carried Mah. Not sure that happens too often unless precinct caps were told to lay down. So why arent the Acevedos threatening Daley??
Comment by too da loo mutha f Friday, Mar 18, 16 @ 3:38 pm