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ATTORNEY GENERAL MADIGAN & U.S. ATTORNEY JAMES LEWIS MEET WITH KANKAKEE COUNTY STATE’S ATTORNEY’S OFFICE TO ENSURE FAIR, OPEN & LEGAL ELECTION IN KANKAKEE COUNTY
Chicago – Attorney General Lisa Madigan, U.S. Attorney James A. Lewis for the Central District of Illinois and officials with the Illinois State Board of Elections today met with Kankakee County State’s Attorney Jamie Boyd and an official from the Kankakee County Clerk’s office to ensure a fair, open and legal election this fall that allows all residents to vote equally without obstacles or intimidation by law enforcement officials or offers in exchange for votes, all of which are prohibited by law.
“We are committed to ensuring that we hold a fair, open and legal election and that all voters’ rights are protected,” Madigan said.
“The voting process is central to our democratic system,” Lewis said. “We came to Kankakee County today and had a good discussion with the State’s Attorney and other officials intended to ensure that each and every person can vote fairly and properly.”
They discussed complaints, including allegations of some minority voters being subject to unnecessary requirements and misinformation about their ability to cast their vote, law enforcement officials intimidating voters and questioning people who drove them to vote, and offers in exchange for casting ballots.
Voters and county election officials are reminded that current law allows for voters to register to vote and cast their ballot at the same time during both the early voting process and on General Election Day following a Tuesday ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit.
I’ll let you know if the local state’s attorney sends anything out.
* Meanwhile, the Illinois Republican Party blasted this out today…
Media Advisory: ILGOP Chairman Tim Schneider Holds Press Conference to Discuss Vote Fraud Investigation in Kankakee County
Schneider To Announce Launch of Voter Fraud HotlineWhen: 2:45 p.m.
Where: 55 W. Monroe, Suite 940
Yesterday, the Kankakee County State’s attorney announced an unprecedented investigation into voter fraud following reports of individuals from Chicago offering gifts in exchange for votes for Rep. Kate Cloonen and Hillary Clinton.
Here’s what we know so far:
The State’s Attorney’s office began the investigation after the clerk’s office “reported three complaints from people who said they were offered bribes for votes.”
Several applications filed with the election authority appear to be fraudulently executed.
Kate Cloonen and Mike Madigan’s political team have lashed out at the Republican Party and personally attacked the State’s Attorney himself in order to distract from the allegations that Democratic candidates are benefiting from election fraud.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Oct 5, 16 @ 1:57 pm
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Doesn’t think kind of vindicate the Cloonen camp? The AG and US Attorney didn’t go to Kankakee to discuss the State’s Attorney’s press release.
Comment by Interesting Wednesday, Oct 5, 16 @ 2:03 pm
“We came to Kankakee County today and had a good discussion with the State’s Attorney and other officials intended to ensure that each and every person can vote fairly and properly.”
A ‘good discussion’ with the Feds usually ends with somebody going home to change his shorts.
– MrJM
Comment by @MisterJayEm Wednesday, Oct 5, 16 @ 2:04 pm
===The AG and US Attorney didn’t go to Kankakee to discuss the State’s Attorney’s press release. ===
Yes they did. Re-read it.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Oct 5, 16 @ 2:05 pm
Attention Jamie Boyd, the Shark you have jumped sends along best wishes for the rest of your day.
Comment by Give Me A Break Wednesday, Oct 5, 16 @ 2:06 pm
Did the ILGOP and the Kankakee Co. State’s Attorney somehow trick the IL AG and US Attorney to further publicize this farce?
Yesterday’s story likely just reached the fringe, those who think Democratic voter fraud is a given, but the IL AG and US Attorney jumping into this now is just going to make this a bigger story and push it into a new or bigger newscycle. I suspect Fox News, Breitbart, and Drudge will be picking up this story.
I have to say, the ILGOP and “unnamed conspirators” have played this perfectly.
Comment by Jon Wednesday, Oct 5, 16 @ 2:11 pm
I’m sure this will prove to be taxpayer money effectively spent. /s
To be clear, I don’t blame the AG or the US Attorney for looking into it. I still fear the allegations are dubious, which would not be an issue if both state and federal government employees had to spend their time investigating it (of course assuming that the investigation proves fruitless).
Comment by AlfondoGonz Wednesday, Oct 5, 16 @ 2:12 pm
The meeting tells me that both AG Madigan and Mr. Lewis take this seriously. There is no “after the election” timeline.
Comment by Team Sleep Wednesday, Oct 5, 16 @ 2:15 pm
Agree to disagree, Rich. There four words in that entire press release related to the Boyd statement. Everything else is slanted toward officials running a clean election.
Plus, the timing. The Cloonen camp said they turned information over when they started seeing things on Thursday. Boyd issue his statement yesterday around 3 o’clock. I doubt a US attorney and the attorney general decide to go to a county with less than 24 hour notice.
Comment by Interesting Wednesday, Oct 5, 16 @ 2:16 pm
Glad to see the heavyweights involved. Both sides should act carefully and correctly now.
Comment by Last Bull Moose Wednesday, Oct 5, 16 @ 2:17 pm
What if Jamie Boyd argues any “obstacles” are only a “minimal inconvenience” and then without a hint of irony cites a court ruling supporting voter ID requirements to support her reasoning?
Comment by JB13 Wednesday, Oct 5, 16 @ 2:17 pm
===I doubt a US attorney and the attorney general decide to go to a county with less than 24 hour notice. ===
Think again.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Oct 5, 16 @ 2:20 pm
So the IL GOP is launching a voter fraud hotline? Just what is that going to accomplish besides feed conspiracy theories and lead to voter intimidation encouraged by the national ticket in Trump’s statements and now possibly also the state GOP.
Looking like Illinois is joining the national strategy of Republicans. Just curious whether Rauner will be joining his model state of Indiana in using the state police to intimidate voter registrars.
http://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2016/10/04/state-police-raid-indy-office-growing-voter-fraud-case/91540816/
Comment by hisgirlfriday Wednesday, Oct 5, 16 @ 2:26 pm
Everyone in Kankakee County better be very careful what they say to federal law enforcement.
This ain’t local political shenanigans anymore, it’s the big leagues. The federales play for keeps, they rarely lose — and lying to them is a felony.
When the federales ask you a question — assume that they already know the truthful answer, and that your political spin might be construed as a lie.
There’s a former governor doing a long stretch in Colorado who didn’t understand that simple truth.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Oct 5, 16 @ 2:35 pm
Interesting - this is a timely issue. Early and absentee voting have begun. Are they supposed to wait until after Thanksgiving to review allegations of voter fraud?!
Comment by Team Sleep Wednesday, Oct 5, 16 @ 2:35 pm
===ILGOP Chairman Tim Schneider Holds Press Conference to Discuss Vote Fraud Investigation in Kankakee County
Schneider To Announce Launch of Voter Fraud Hotline====
And this red meat hits the national right wing media freak circuit in 3, 2, 1…
Comment by Boone's is Back Wednesday, Oct 5, 16 @ 2:39 pm
I would suggest the first caller to the hotline inquire why the former Kankakee Co Republican Chairman was editing the state’s attorney’s press release. Instead of a voter fraud hotline, what about a corruption hotline?
Comment by Tom Wednesday, Oct 5, 16 @ 2:51 pm
Has James O’Keefe been sighted in Kankakee County?
Comment by JackD Wednesday, Oct 5, 16 @ 3:16 pm
If these ‘bribes’ are true I hope they are not buried which is what too often happens.
If these charges are made up they will rue the day they were born. This is serious and it has to be something more than their word of honor.
Comment by Federalist Wednesday, Oct 5, 16 @ 3:17 pm
Eligible voters being able to vote without obstruction is in everyone’s interest and should be every citizen’s concern.
Voter fraud or corruption of the voter rolls should also be of concern to every citizen.
Probably shenanigans happen less than some people think but also happen more than some other people think. Let’s get to the bottom of the cases where it is alleged. Sounds like the Feds and Lisa are doing the right thing to find out what’s happening (or not) in KKK county.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/he-fought-in-world-war-ii-he-died-in-2014-and-he-just-registered-to-vote-in-va/2016/09/29/5e0bffee-8670-11e6-ac72-a29979381495_story.html
Comment by Responsa Wednesday, Oct 5, 16 @ 3:30 pm
>Just curious whether Rauner will be joining his model state of Indiana in using the state police to intimidate voter registrars.
Maybe. I too was worried when I read that.
But you might check the Northwest Indiana Times and the Trib’s local outlet in NW IN before assuming it’s just partisan. Lake County Dems seem to share concern about the registrations this group was returning.
Comment by marlin Wednesday, Oct 5, 16 @ 3:36 pm
Is there any investigation into those $50 gift cards for Votin’ Dunkin in the Primary?
Comment by yeah Wednesday, Oct 5, 16 @ 3:44 pm
===$50 gift cards for Votin’ Dunkin===
That was cash money. State’s attorney was supposedly investigating.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Oct 5, 16 @ 3:46 pm
===$50 gift cards for Votin’ Dunkin===
That was cash money. State’s attorney was supposedly investigating. –
She was supposedly doing a lot of things around that time.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Oct 5, 16 @ 3:52 pm
“law enforcement officials intimidating voters and questioning people who drove them to vote, and offers in exchange for casting ballots”
I would bet Jamie tries to argue that giving a ride to a voter is an illegal ‘offer’. It’s not.
Intimidating voters and their drivers under color of state (or county) authority is and abuse, and not legal.
Comment by northsider (the original) Wednesday, Oct 5, 16 @ 3:58 pm
Section 1983 lawsuits are expensive.
Comment by ryan Wednesday, Oct 5, 16 @ 4:05 pm
“If these ‘bribes’ are true I hope they are not buried which is what too often happens.”
Citation needed.
– MrJM
Comment by @MisterJayEm Wednesday, Oct 5, 16 @ 4:20 pm
Great big “if”
But “if”there’s any there, there, the game just got interesting. If there isn’t, it’s still interesting.
This has seriously ratcheted up to serious. It’s now must-see no matter how it comes out.
Comment by A guy Wednesday, Oct 5, 16 @ 4:31 pm
First, they aren’t “bribes”, it is called vote buying.
Atleast we know from the release now that we are not talking about cash. Schneider says “gifts”.
The fact that no one has mentioned yet what the supposed gifts were is pretty telling.
The statute for vote buying requires the gift be a “valuable consideration.”
I will be surprised if they offered anyone a free case of steaks.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Oct 5, 16 @ 5:59 pm