Posted on 12/23/2010 5:09:53 PM PST by SeekAndFind
What a relief! The city where the dead vote now says a man who lived in Washington was actually living in Chicago, at least in his heart. The city’s Board of Election Commissioners ruled that Rahm Emanuel never intended to give up his residency status, even though he moved to DC for almost two years:
Former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel can run for Chicago mayor although he spent much of the last two years living in Washington while working for President Barack Obama, the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners ruled Thursday.
With the board’s decision, Emanuel clears a major hurdle in his bid to replace retiring Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. Officials have tried to expedite mayoral ballot challenges before the Feb. 22 vote, and the board’s decision is almost sure to be challenged in the courts.
An election board hearing officer, who had presided over days of testimony in residency challenges to Emanuel’s candidacy, recommended early Thursday that Emanuel’s name be allowed on the ballot, saying evidence suggests that he had no intention of terminating his residency in Chicago, left the city only to work for Obama and often told friends he intended to live in Washington for no more than two years.
“Illinois law expressly protects the residential status and electoral rights of Illinois residents who are called to serve the national government,” hearing officer Joseph Morris , a Republican attorney in private practice in Chicago, wrote in his 35-page ruling.
That’s stretching the concept of national service a little far. The likely intent of the Illinois law was to protect the residency status of people in the military, in elected office, or in the diplomatic corps whose jobs required them to travel. Rahm took a dream job running the White House staff in Washington; he wasn’t representing the nation or his state, but himself.
CBS is correct that this will get challenged in the courts, but in the meantime, Rahm can set up shop and campaign in earnest. He’s already running TV ads in the market and has more than 30% support in the polls. Thanks to his national name recognition plus his own time in Congress, Rahm’s easily the front runner to replace Richard Daley and run the Chicago Machine.
As far as a court challenge goes, don’t expect much. The state courts will probably show a great deal of deference to the board’s decision as a matter of course. If they reverse it, it might be the biggest surprise in a Chicago court since the Black Sox confessions mysteriously disappeared in the middle of the trial in 1920.
The Chicago Way. The city where laws don’t apply to everyone.
Who cares? I mean really......
BWAHAHAHHA!!!
Anyone surprised here?
No doubt the Board of Election Commissioners has been guided by the voice of reason, the nobility of truth, and the fact that a 9 mm hollow-point in the kneecap tends to sting pretty bad.
Of course, now that they have made the “right” decision, Santa is likely to be delivering them some nice stuffed envelopes.
Don't limit this to just Chicago. The whole nation is totally infested.
Well the cities are. They are ruled by RATs (union/mafia thugs, college communists, ACORN types and welfare scum.)
It would be so much fun to see Chicago get the mayor it deserves.
In the words of that great 20th century social commentator, Gomer Pyle, “Sur-prize, sur-prize, sur-prize.”
Come on!.... Just save everybody the time and expense and just make him mayor. You know the fix is in anyway. Why even play the game?
ROFL
What a joke Elections and Law has become (it was evident when the Usurper took office without proving eligibility, too)
Well, the main challenge to Rahm is coming from Alderman Eddie Burke and his allies. They want a weak mayor (Chico)so the city council can run the city and profit from corruption. Odelson is their guy. The alternatives to Rahm and Chico are incompetents and will make Barry the Incompetent look like a mastermind.
The citizens of Chicago get screwed no matter who runs and who wins.
In the words of that great 20th century social commentator, Gomer Pyle, “Sur-prize, sur-prize, sur-prize.”
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