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* Background is here if you need it (and judging by some of the comments, you may very well need to click that link). Beth Hunsdorfer…
Jerame Simmons spent nearly 24 years as a convicted felon after pleading guilty to arson in 1999 until a 2021 pardon cleared that record and allowed him to head the department that put out the fire he started.
Now, he’s not only a fire chief, but also a part-time police officer [in East Carondelet], allowed to make arrests, carry a gun and use lethal force if warranted.
A plea deal allowed him to avoid prison time 24 years ago, but the prohibitions that come with a felony conviction would stand in the way of a public safety career and gun ownership.
That all changed with a May pardon from Gov. JB Pritzker, which followed a string of other favorable decisions from police, prosecutors and judges that allowed Simmons to avoid prosecution or conviction in other cases. […]
The timing of Simmons’ employment is fortuitous for him. Starting July 1, officers must have completed nine months of training before starting work. Because he was hired before the July 1 deadline, he has full police powers and can begin work immediately. He must complete nine months of training within his first 18 months of employment.
* Richard Irvin campaign…
After J.B. Pritzker’s outrageous pardon of a convicted arsonist who went on to become a fire chief resulting in mass resignations at his local fire station, Jerame Simmons is now serving as a part-time police officer who is allowed to carry a weapon, make arrests and use lethal force in the town where his politically-connected Democrat father is mayor. His previous criminal record even includes false use of police lights and he has been charged with impersonation of a police officer. […]
Pritzker’s Prisoner Review Board has been under fire recently, as a bipartisan committee of lawmakers voted to reject Pritzker’s controversial appointees who have released cop killers.
“Pritzker has not pointed to a single, legitimate reason to explain why someone who was convicted of starting a fire and charged with impersonating a police officer would be a good candidate for a pardon,” said Irvin for Illinois spokesperson Eleni Demertzis. “This pardon is a clear favor for a political ally that puts politics over the people of Illinois.”
* A bit of context…
Simmons’s father, Herb Simmons, was mayor of East Carondelet in St. Clair County at the time of his son’s sentencing, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported in 1999. Herb Simmons is now the director of the county’s emergency management agency.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 9:04 am
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It seems there is a lot going on in this town, you may only be scratching the surface, from the Belleville News Dem:
“ The new acting fire chief is Jerame Simmons, 42, of Dupo, who has served as a firefighter with several metro-east departments over the years. The Prairie Du Pont board promoted him to assistant chief last summer, demoting John Rosenkranz’s wife, Laura Rosenkranz.”
So, we had one politically popular fire chief who had his wife as assistant fire chief (nothing to see here, folks) and when the politically popular chief was axed for all kinds of stuff the trustees didn’t like, he organized a mass exodus of the firefighting volunteers in protest to try to get his job back.
I am sorry, but no one that actually cares about fire safety convinces 60 percent of the department to quit. Sounds to me like the trustees made the difficult but necessary call.
I’d like to know more about Jerame’s case I guess, but on its surface I don’t have a problem with probation for a guy who burned down an abandoned building 24 years ago if it was his first offense, nor do I have a problem with a pardon for something someone did 24 years ago if they served their sentence unless there is a reason not to pardon them.
Has he been suspected of arson since then?
Comment by Wild Kratz Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 9:20 am
So not only is the former arsonist a fire chief, the also former police impersonator is now a police officer? Embarrassing for Pritzker.
Comment by Chicagonk Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 9:23 am
“Herb Simmons is now the director of the county’s emergency management agency.”
That’s not all…
https://www.bistatedev.org/?team=herbert-simmons
“was mayor of East Carondelet”
And he still is today.
East Carondelet has a population of 390 people.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 9:25 am
I guess I must have missed the part where Pritzker hired or appointed the guy into all those positions.
Or, perhaps, this was the result of all that local control in rural Illinois that the Rs supposedly champion? Are all the local authorities wrong? Why haven’t their constituents been the ones to vote out the leaders hiring and appointing the guy, if he’s so terrible?
Comment by Chambananon Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 9:32 am
So does the Irvin campaign want to take away Simmons’ gun?
Comment by Henry Francis Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 9:33 am
And the story keeps getting more infuriating. I wonder what’s going to happen next.
Comment by Ducky LaMoore Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 9:34 am
Maybe Irvin can defend him, if ever charged in the future.
Comment by PublicServant Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 9:40 am
A governor can pardon anyone, it’s the locals choosing to act upon a pardoned person.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 9:43 am
I like to give people the benefit of the doubt. A lot of us have made mistakes when we were 18 but have since matured and became better people. What makes me wonder in this case is the list of crimes Simmons was charged with between 2006 and 2016. And if he truly turned his life around and became worthy to be a fire chief, why did so many firefighters from his department resign when he was selected for that role? If they all would have banded together to support him, then it would be a completely different story. Firefighters have to be able to trust each other to be successful, but more importantly, to survive. I trust their judgement over that of the governor.
Comment by Occasional Quipper Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 9:43 am
Police, prosecutors, and judges had no issue with this dude on the streets.
What Henry Francis asked.
Comment by Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 9:46 am
Irvin taking it back about I got your back
Comment by Rabid Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 9:50 am
Pretty sure that’s going to be featured in a Ken Griffen tv ad.
Comment by Frumpy White Guy Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 9:51 am
“A governor can pardon anyone, it’s the locals choosing to act upon a pardoned person.”
I completely agree. Maybe the governor should say that….
Comment by Ducky LaMoore Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 9:57 am
== Maybe Irvin can defend him ==
I still don’t understand the concept of trying to discredit Irvin because he was a defense attorney. The 6th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution provides that everyone has a right to legal representation in court. Attorneys who fill that role are integral to due process. How is that ever a bad thing?
Comment by Occasional Quipper Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 10:02 am
== I still don’t understand the concept ==
Yes you do, and you clearly are trying to obfuscate the issue in the very next sentence.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 10:06 am
===I like to give people the benefit of the doubt. A lot of us have made mistakes when we were 18 but have since matured and became better people. ===
True, but there is usually a psychology behind arsonists and police impersonators that is not likely to ‘go away.’ Very different than most other crimes. I usually defend the governor, but I can find no legitimate explanation for this pardon.
Comment by Leslie K Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 10:08 am
===Embarrassing for Pritzker.===
The locals hired this guy, twice, to own the governor?
Is that how this is going?
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 10:09 am
== A governor can pardon anyone, it’s the locals choosing to act upon a pardoned person.==
That’s true when it comes to jobs, but his ability to purchase and own firearms would be a direct result of a Governor’s pardon. Even within that pardon a Governor can state that any restriction on owning firearms should remain in place. Pritzker obviously didn’t make such a qualification in this pardon, since he’s now allowed to carry a firearm. Restoring firearms rights to someone who was convicted of crimes such as arson and impersonating a police officer deserves to be questioned, at the very least. As they say, “Governors own”.
Comment by fs Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 10:10 am
===The locals hired this guy, twice, to own the governor?===
No. A politically connected, trouble-making daddy’s boy who has been rescued from one scrape after another got rescued again, this time by the governor, with highly predictable results. Wanna guess what happens next?
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 10:11 am
=== Wanna guess what happens next?===
Odds are we are gonna hear about misconduct of some sort, likely in a way that is “in the capacity of” or using his new found status to play the “do you know who I am”
Better hope it’s after November for the state politics, pardons are a tough thing unless full exoneration can been easily seen.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 10:14 am
=== Wanna guess what happens next?===
We all get to do Elliot’s “I told you so” dance from Scrubs?
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 10:22 am
=== Simmons is now serving as a part-time police officer who is allowed to carry a weapon, make arrests and use lethal force in the town where his politically-connected Democrat father is mayor. ===
Wow, Irvin threw a police officer and the English language under the bus all in one sentence. Looking forward to police unions all over the state defended their brother in blue here.
Comment by vern Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 10:23 am
Wouldn’t be a bit surprised if a big TIF development pops up in East Carondelet soon.
Comment by Blue Dog Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 10:29 am
Give this guy another 10 years and he’ll have more titles than Roland Burris.
Comment by Sayitaintso Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 10:29 am
Wow,great flip after the schooling from Rich
Comment by Fed Up Taxpayer Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 10:34 am
Saint Clair County is living up to its reputation. At first glance you could create a fictionalized version of this story for a Hallmark movie, but somehow the good ol’ boys just aren’t able to make any of this seem genuine.
The Baronet East Carondelet has shown his treating public funds as a family trust is a priority. I hope his son eventually accepts that his record is never going away and if he is good at this job, he should try working in local governments that aren’t controlled or influenced by his wrestling promoting father.
Comment by Candy Dogood Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 10:39 am
==A politically connected, trouble-making daddy’s boy who has been rescued from one scrape after another got rescued again, this time by the governor, with highly predictable results.==
Ouch, that’s gonna leave a mark.
Comment by Bruce( no not him) Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 10:40 am
===great flip===
Nah. Not really.
It’s baked in from the first gig this guy got, and as long as governors give pardons, governors own. How has that changed?
It’s unfortunate for the governor he chose to pardon this person and now the governor finds himself at the mercy of locals making bad choices because this guy’s connected, but the governor isn’t any sort of victim of his choice, but the governor is at the mercy of these locals.
All the governor has is what I stated earlier;
A governor can pardon anyone, it’s the locals choosing to act upon a pardoned person.
That’s the only retort they have.
I’m also keeping in mind the honesty (and boy, since Rod was governor and then Rod’s own mercy shown to him… ) the choice of any governor to exercise this power, it comes with a great cost, “maybe”, by doing what only a governor *can* do.
In context, let’s look at…
===The locals hired this guy, twice, to own the governor?===
I was mocking any idea that the “favor” is now “no good goes unpunished”?
It’s locals and a connected person not grasping the “gift” given, and taking it the next level, not a conspiracy to get this guy out to purposely embarrass the governor.
Hope that helps.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 10:44 am
One of those “locals” likely dealing with at least some of the charging decisions in this saga might very well have been the Governor’s current State Police director, who was the St Clair County State’s Attorney for a long time, as well as a former congressional candidate. Not exactly an apolitical person. I think it’s a bit of a stretch to pretend that politics played no role in the decision making at all levels in this story.
Comment by fs Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 10:51 am
At least he knows the basics of fires.
Comment by Sir Reel Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 10:52 am
== The Baronet East Carondelet has shown his treating public funds as a family trust is a priority. ==
Sounds like a small Cook County suburb near O’Hare.
A positive way to look at the pardon is giving someone who is rehabilitated a second chance. Most Americans believe in second chances, at least for themselves and their families.
Comment by anon2 Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 10:59 am
=== True, but there is usually a psychology behind arsonists and police impersonators that is not likely to ‘go away.’…I can find no legitimate explanation for this pardon. ===
And yet, there is probation.
No one got hurt. It was 24 years ago. Something he did 20 years ago was barring him from employment, a job the employers wanted to give him.
This is basically the reason pardons exist.
And yeah, I get that his dad is politically connected, but I am honest enough to recognize that everyone who makes it through the pardon process has someone advocating for them.
If the guy does screw up again, JB is gonna wear the jacket that is for sure.
Comment by Wild Kratz Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 11:20 am
Ma n it sure is nice to be politically connected. Wow. Sweetheart deal to avoid jail, political freebees no other felon would get, and you get a pardon and boom like it never happened.
Comment by Mason born Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 11:36 am
=Wanna guess what happens next?=
He gets fired, breaks the law, does something dumb, works there for years. Who knows? But local control. Amirite?
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 11:53 am
== He gets fired, breaks the law, does something dumb, works there for years. Who knows? But local control. Amirite?==
Maybe next time he’ll pull the trigger on the gun he can now legally possess, thanks to the pardon, instead of just pulling it and pointing it at a strip club bouncer (“allegedly”, per the previous story)
Comment by fs Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 11:57 am
=Maybe next time he’ll pull the trigger on the gun he can now legally possess, thanks to the pardon, instead of just pulling it and pointing it at a strip club bouncer (“allegedly”, per the previous story)=
It is his god given right, so why not?/s
Of course, nobody had to hire him, but they did.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 1:24 pm
== Of course, nobody had to hire him, but they did.==
Of course, nobody had to restore his right to possess a firearm, either. But they did.
If you think anyone with the same record, up to and including the strip club incident in 2018, would’ve been granted not just a pardon, but a pardon with firearms rights restoration, if they didn’t have the same father, then I have a nice bridge to sell you. And if you think the Governor, who has a cabinet member that happened to be the St Clair State’s Attorney when that last incident occurred, didn’t have knowledge of all of this and take those connections into account when granting the pardon, then I’ll just hand you over the deed to that bridge that’s written on this napkin.
It’s just a confounding and stupid decision by Governor Pritzker.
Comment by fs Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 1:36 pm
Would be curious how many other arsonists got pardons from the governor
Comment by OneMan Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 1:42 pm
=== True, but there is usually a psychology behind arsonists and police impersonators that is not likely to ‘go away.’…I can find no legitimate explanation for this pardon. ===
==And yet, there is probation.==
We aren’t talking about probation. He served his sentence, its over, he’s out. No issue with that. The issue is a pardon which removed the barrier preventing an arsonist police impersonator from becoming a fire chief and police officer.
Comment by Leslie K Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 1:43 pm
=== the barrier preventing an arsonist police impersonator from becoming a fire chief and police officer. ===
You act as if his employer was unaware, and he somehow sneaked into the job.
Comment by Wild Kratz Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 3:16 pm
===You act as if his employer was unaware, and he somehow sneaked into the job.===
Nothing I have said even suggests that. I am questioning the governor’s decision to pardon him. The corrupt little town undoubtedly knew what they were doing.
Reading comprehension. Give it a try sometime.
Comment by Leslie K Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 3:35 pm
= wanna guess=
He gets appointed to the PRB or some other sweet state gig.
Comment by B. Hicks Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 4:39 pm
waiting for Jay Hoffman to chime in three. two. one
Comment by Blue Dog Thursday, Apr 14, 22 @ 7:03 pm