Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Will the Election Interference Act Ever Kick In for Blagojevich?
Read the following state law:
So, does Governor Rod Blagojevich’s promise to accelerate lottery revenues in order to induce the Rev. and State Senator James Meeks to withdraw his threat to lead minorities off the Democratic Party plantation break the Election Interference law?
The Governor does seem to be doing it for a “political or campaign purpose,” but it certainly hasn’t been “appropriated” yet.
Even if he is, he’d still keep his pension. It’s only a misdemeanor.
(10 ILCS 5/9-25.1) Sec. 9-25.1. Election interference. (a) As used in this Section, "public funds" means any funds appropriated by the Illinois General Assembly or by any political subdivision of the State of Illinois. (b) No public funds shall be used to urge any elector to vote for or against any candidate or proposition, or be appropriated for political or campaign purposes to any candidate or political organization. This Section shall not prohibit the use of public funds for dissemination of factual information relative to any proposition appearing on an election ballot, or for dissemination of information and arguments published and distributed under law in connection with a proposition to amend the Constitution of the State of Illinois. (c) The first time any person violates any provision of this Section, that person shall be guilty of a Class B misdemeanor. Upon the second or any subsequent violation of any provision of this Section, the person violating any provision of this Section shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.The use of pork to help elect incumbents must not be covered by this law. Even the use of “member initiatives” to help elect non-incumbents seems not to have raised an eyebrow among law enforcement officials…with the exception of the Michael Tristano case.
So, does Governor Rod Blagojevich’s promise to accelerate lottery revenues in order to induce the Rev. and State Senator James Meeks to withdraw his threat to lead minorities off the Democratic Party plantation break the Election Interference law?
The Governor does seem to be doing it for a “political or campaign purpose,” but it certainly hasn’t been “appropriated” yet.
Even if he is, he’d still keep his pension. It’s only a misdemeanor.
Comments:
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Re: Election Interference Act
Excerpt - specifically
"This Section shall not prohibit the use of public funds for dissemination of FACTUAL information relative to any proposition appearing on an election ballot,..."
If the above excerpt is accepted as written, then, my assumption is that the opposite of the excerpt would be true - as in - an entity WOULD be prohibted from using public funds to distribute information that was NOT factual or which was manipulated or a lie.
So simple. Uh huh.
In the case of school districts and some of the "games" that have been uncovered involving tax increase referendum campaigns - my experience is that NO ONE WILL ENFORCE THIS . Period. It is there to pacify the public and except in the most blatant (caught on tape with a herd of judges as live witnesses) case - nothing will happen. Zip. Zero. Nada.
So, while it will not stop me from pursuing such an issue (and shouldn't stop citizens or groups in any school district where the information that was "sold" by a district turns out to be bogus), it is likely that anyone being charged would be allowed to "skate" lest the WHOLE state face a huge, open can of "worms"....
Scary and official but almost toothless, ignored laws are another example of "See no evil. Hear no evil. Speak no evil."
Illinois and Integrity both begin with the letter "I". hOWEVER -
Integrity IN Illinois begins when elected, appointed and paid officials look at their OWN faces in their "fairest of them all mirrors" and say "I" will do WHAT'S RIGHT.........
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Excerpt - specifically
"This Section shall not prohibit the use of public funds for dissemination of FACTUAL information relative to any proposition appearing on an election ballot,..."
If the above excerpt is accepted as written, then, my assumption is that the opposite of the excerpt would be true - as in - an entity WOULD be prohibted from using public funds to distribute information that was NOT factual or which was manipulated or a lie.
So simple. Uh huh.
In the case of school districts and some of the "games" that have been uncovered involving tax increase referendum campaigns - my experience is that NO ONE WILL ENFORCE THIS . Period. It is there to pacify the public and except in the most blatant (caught on tape with a herd of judges as live witnesses) case - nothing will happen. Zip. Zero. Nada.
So, while it will not stop me from pursuing such an issue (and shouldn't stop citizens or groups in any school district where the information that was "sold" by a district turns out to be bogus), it is likely that anyone being charged would be allowed to "skate" lest the WHOLE state face a huge, open can of "worms"....
Scary and official but almost toothless, ignored laws are another example of "See no evil. Hear no evil. Speak no evil."
Illinois and Integrity both begin with the letter "I". hOWEVER -
Integrity IN Illinois begins when elected, appointed and paid officials look at their OWN faces in their "fairest of them all mirrors" and say "I" will do WHAT'S RIGHT.........
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