Petitions Filed Challenging Rahm Emanuel’s Chicago Residency
- Posted on November 25, 2010 at 1:51pm by
Meredith Jessup
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Though speculation has circulated for weeks that former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel may not meet residency requirements to run for Chicago mayor, no official challenge had been made. But Wednesday afternoon, the first petitions challenging Emanuel’s residency qualification were received by the Chicago Board of Elections.
Each of the five petitions collected Wednesday reportedly contend that Emanual, having only recently relocated from Washington, DC, hasn’t lived in the city of Chicago for the past year and is ineligible to run for mayor.
According to local news reports, the petition drive seems to stem from a “loose-knit coalition of street advocates and ex-felons calling themselves ‘Voices of the Ex-Offenders.’” Paul McKinley, one of the group’s chief organizers, was in Chicago’s Daley Plaza working to recruit more city residents to join his cause when the local NBC affiliate caught up with him.
“If we break the law, there are consequences, and Rahm Emanuel is breaking the law,” he said. “If he breaks the law, and he’s moving to the second-highest office in Illinois, well by God, who’s got to set the standard?”
McKinley‘s group isn’t the only one planning to challenge Emanuel’s bid for Mayor. Election law attorney Burt Odelson says he’s planning to file a petition of his own Friday afternoon. Odelson claims his petition represents three individuals with different backgrounds and worries that Emanuel’s bid “rises almost above the law.”
On Tuesday night, the Emanual campaign began its damage control, circulating an email to supporters dismissing concerns over his residency:
You’ve probably seen the reports this week that say that a lawyer is planning to file a challenge claiming that Rahm is not a Chicago resident in an attempt to knock him off the ballot. That’s after more than 90,000 of you signed petitions saying that he should be a candidate for Mayor. …
Make no mistake: political games are being played to limit your choices for Mayor. …
The editorial boards of the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune, as well as three former Presidents of the Chicago Bar Association, have weighed in to say that Rahm is a resident and should be allowed to run.
An astounding 20 candidates have filed to run for mayor, including Rob Halpin, the man who currently lives in Emanuel’s Chicago home — a home Emanuel owns but leased when he relocated his family to Washington, DC.
Despite these electoral challenges, Emanuel is undoubtedly giving thanks Thursday for an early lead in the polls. A poll released Wednesday from the Chicago Retail Merchants Association shows the former congressman leading the mayoral field with 39 percent of the vote — a significant lead over the runner-up candidate, former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun who commands only 12 percent.
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Comments (49)
Ed in Lebec
Posted on November 26, 2010 at 9:49amHilary lived in New York, loved the Yankees… It’s a Democrap thing.
Report Post »jose wasabi
Posted on November 26, 2010 at 8:35amThe editorial boards of the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune, have weighed in to say that Rahm is a resident and should be allowed to run.
Report Post »WOW that is a surprise! Liberal Lame Stream Media backs a liberal’s right to subvert the law?
dantom
Posted on November 26, 2010 at 7:38amChicago is lost rahm will be your .mayor no vote needed
Report Post »Independantthinker
Posted on November 26, 2010 at 1:40amRahm stated that it’s to block giving the people the a choice, well there are 20 people running for the office I think that is enough choices for the people. We don’t need another criminal in office in ILLINOIS.
Report Post »HOOT
Posted on November 25, 2010 at 11:39pmI bet the honorable mayor daily is rolling over in his grave . gotta love chitown
Report Post »New-American-Saviors
Posted on November 25, 2010 at 11:31pmI wouldn’t get too excited. DC is a District/ Not a state. and if he never officially changes his Address or gave up a Domain in Illinois-Chicago he’s still the “Mayor”
Report Post »tcaroway
Posted on November 25, 2010 at 11:28pmThe administration has no problems with violating the constitutional rights of the citizens of the country ( 4th amendment for starters TSA are you listening?) So why would they have a problem supporting their chosen boy to violate the laws against the people of Chicago. I mean after all if the American people wont stand up to the government for violating the constitution why would they believe the people of one city would stand up against this??
Report Post »Cincinnatus Dogood
Posted on November 25, 2010 at 10:03pmObama not an NBC, any questions. Judgement comes down on Monday from SCOTUS on Obama.
Report Post »Lets see is SCOTUS has any balls left.
TexOkie
Posted on November 25, 2010 at 8:32pmWe are in danger of becoming a nation ruled by men and not a nation of men ruled by law. If Emanuel is allowed on the ballot there will be no doubt who rules Chicago and how others will be ruled.
Report Post »mbean
Posted on November 25, 2010 at 7:02pmPoliticians are usually Pre-cons, not Ex-cons.
Report Post »dontbotherme
Posted on November 25, 2010 at 6:44pmAs a former Chicagoan, the laws, the rules don’t matter. He‘s Obama’s man. He’s the mayor. For a Daley to drop out the way he did it’s a done deal. Don’t ask questions.
Report Post »DeltaHawk
Posted on November 25, 2010 at 6:07pmScum floats to the top of a stagnant pond!
Report Post »ofnet776
Posted on November 25, 2010 at 5:36pmNot much point in having any rules if they are broken and nobody cares…
Report Post »justice
Posted on November 25, 2010 at 5:36pmDo they not have a Chicago Ballay company there? People you are nuts letting this thug as mayor. Do you not want honest politicans.Good Luck.
Report Post »TheDHndrsn
Posted on November 25, 2010 at 5:08pmThe people of Chicago need to stand together on this one. First is the notable concern for the law. If the law says Emanuel is not eligible to be Mayor of Chicago, his ineligibility must not be ignored. We stand together as a Nation, or City in this instance of laws or surely we cannot stand. Unfortunately, I see more and more of the latter each day. Especially as it concerns all things Obama.
Report Post »This man is a disciple of Thee One. He is a believer in big, nanny State, Marxist government and principles of Thee One’s anti-colonialist dogma. Emanuel stands with those who preside over the transformation of the US into a third world sewer, replete with coruption and the rule of man. When things go south in the near future, does Chicago want a power-hungry, anti-colonialist, nanny State Marxist at the helm?
Does not bode well for IL or the Nation.
beekeeper
Posted on November 25, 2010 at 4:51pmA few fun facts/observations:
1) Rahm hasn’t resided in Chicago for 12 months prior to filing his candidacy.
2) Rahm’s tenant in his property is alsorunning for Mayor, can two candidates claim the same personal residence?
3) While Rahm has secured support from numerous partners in the Chicago ‘machine’, there is an oddly missing endorsement of his legitimacy to run from POTUS. I guess even Obama won‘t stick his neck out for Rahm’s campaign.
4) The best defense Rahm’s team seems to have is that since Rahm owned a rental property in Chicago, despite moving his wife and kids to DC, he was a resident of Chicago because “he always intended to return to Chicago”.
5) Rahm will be disqualified, because ownership of a rental property does not define residency, even in Chicago.
6) Rahm’s enemies are well-funded, and will likely work to have his candidacy rejected if only for sport.
7) Imagine if Rahm were running against Obama for Mayor of Chicago – Obama would talk about the ‘carpet ******’ candidate who wants to fly in from DC, file an invalid affidavit for his campaign, and then assume the locals were too stupid to stand up against him and his influential friends!
Rahm’s vote in the past elections should also be questioned – his lack of residence in Chicago should have kept him out of the voting booth. I understand he has been removed from the list of voters at least twice since Obama took office, but twice has been re-instated without any supporting documentation…
Great NY Times piece: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/24/official-objections-to-emanuel-candidacy/?ref=politics
Rahm’s goose is cooked. Who got his job after he left?
Report Post »ilikai
Posted on November 25, 2010 at 3:13pmHe could be last in the polls and he will win, the position has been bought and guaranteed to him. Come on people, this is Chicago politics as usual. The state is run from Chicago, not Springfield and everyone knows it.
Report Post »Nigel2
Posted on November 25, 2010 at 3:11pmIs Emanuel sleazy enough to measure up to Chicago political standards? That is a pretty high bar of corruption.
Report Post »alcarfl
Posted on November 25, 2010 at 3:03pmRahm was born in Hawaii and has always lived in Chicago. What’s the problem?
Report Post »wash1776
Posted on November 25, 2010 at 3:14pmWhat’s the problem? How about the fact that we all know what a crook and uncaring jerk he was at the white house? Just because Chicago already has a lot of crooks doesn’t mean we have to elect more if we can avoid it.
Report Post »Rowgue
Posted on November 26, 2010 at 12:51amThe problem is election law in Illinois requires you to be actually living in the city continuously for the year preceding an election. He clearly HAS NOT been living in the city or even the state for two years prior to his move back specifically to run. Owning a house there is not sufficient, it must actually be your residence and you must be living there.
Report Post »NHABE64
Posted on November 25, 2010 at 2:53pmDoes this mean Emanuel might be begging for scraps at the back door of the White House again ? How about Czar of the garbage cans…
Report Post »mark
Posted on November 25, 2010 at 2:48pmGod – I hope this POS drops out of sight.
Report Post »Sledgehammer
Posted on November 25, 2010 at 2:31pmThis is what has become of the system people like him helped to put in place! A good dose of political medicine, let’s see how he stomachs it?
Report Post »NO_POTTERSVILLE
Posted on November 25, 2010 at 2:30pmWe all know how this story ends, he breaks the law and becomes the Mayor. Enough said…
Report Post »RobertCA
Posted on November 25, 2010 at 3:47pmExactly they will get away with anything from Timmy the tax cheat to Rangel & Conyers …etc ….etc
Report Post »CYCLONE
Posted on November 26, 2010 at 3:15pmObama will probably bail Rahm out and say… “Rahm has been renting my vacant Chicago home out all this time”….pppfffftttt….. what’s lie number # 38,279,084,736,525,780…. business as usual….
Report Post »FToth84
Posted on November 25, 2010 at 2:15pmThere integrity in Chicago politics? Could have fooled me!!!
Report Post »snowleopard3200 {mix art}
Posted on November 25, 2010 at 2:56pmApperantly a form of it, kind of like – Keep up an outward apperance while slaughtering the opposition behind the scenes. Emanuel’s arrival and backing of the Obama administration is going to tip over the apple cart big time.
http://www.artinphoenix.com/gallery/grimm
Report Post »TheGreyPiper
Posted on November 25, 2010 at 2:10pmWow. When a bunch of ex-cons are questioning the integrity of Chicago politics….
HKS
Posted on November 25, 2010 at 2:15pmThe rule in Chicago is, “there aint now stinkin rules”
Report Post »snowleopard3200 {mix art}
Posted on November 25, 2010 at 2:16pm“If we break the law, there are consequences, and Rahm Emanuel is breaking the law,” he said. “If he breaks the law, and he’s moving to the second-highest office in Illinois, well by God, who’s got to set the standard?”
The law has to stand for everyone across the board, if equality and justice are to be kept faithfully.
Yet indeed, when ex-cons running Chicago politics have to question the qualifications of an outsider, this indeed means trouble.
Report Post »Dale
Posted on November 25, 2010 at 2:26pmThey (ex-cons) have experience with the law, and therefore have some respect for it. Rahm, and his thugs….
Report Post »*************************
Posted on November 25, 2010 at 3:40pmLOL Chicago thugs. Next, look into Obama and his legitimacy.
“Wait a minute There might be legal precedent. Of course! Land-snatching! [thumbs through a law book] Land, land … [reads] ‘Land’: see ‘Snatch’.” -Hedley Lamarr, Blazing Saddles
Report Post »PeterThePainter
Posted on November 25, 2010 at 5:04pmSo Rahm leaves one of the most powerful positions in the White House to run for a city Mayor….HMMMM…have you looked at who is getting Billion dollar Government contracts for housing, power, banking and medical…many of these “companies” are straight out of Chicago…….follow the money and I’ll bet ya Rahm is going to have bus loads.
Report Post »LUDWIKA BRONISLAWA
Posted on November 25, 2010 at 10:04pmLOL Piper, I had the same thought. There’s STILL more honor among thieves than among poloticians!
Report Post »Marcobob69
Posted on November 26, 2010 at 8:22amThis will be fun to watch; a Chicago election done “Chicago Style”!!! Let the games begin!!!
Report Post »kreese
Posted on November 26, 2010 at 11:01amC’mon guys, why all the excitement—Robert Kennedy rented an apartment in New York–became a senator from the state.
In Chicago, this residency is just a minor inconvenience when compared to the real criminal activity. Al Capone, wherever he is, is smiling—he could send his goons in–crack a few heads–this small problem would disappear overnight. I’m sure Mayor Daly Sr. is disappointed that Mayor Daly Jr. hasn’t fixed this.
I mean, if Mayor Daly Sr. could fix a presidential election in 1960, this small potatoes, or is it potatos?
Report Post »