Topic: 2 IL Veterans Force 102 Corrupt Officials to Resign, Place Entire Local Board Un

[AlanS]

http://benswann.com/2-il-veterans-force-102-corrupt-officials-to-resign-place-entire-local-board-under-citizens-arrest/

llinois residents John Kraft and Kirk Allen, who run an anti-corruption non-profit called the Edgar County Watchdogs, have waged a campaign against crooked public officials over the past two years, forcing resignations from 102 bureaucrats and politicians and at one point placing an entire park district board under citizen's arrest.

With four former governors having served time behind bars, Illinois’ government is widely-viewed as being riddled with corruption. However, according to a recent expose by Forbes, two military veterans in Edgar County have begun to fight back and, in just under two years, have drastically cleaned up corruption in their community.

In an effort to take back their government from self-serving politicians and bureaucrats, John Kraft and Kirk Allen established a group called the Edgar County Watchdogs. Through a combination of public pressure, Freedom of Information filings, lawsuits, and media exposure, they have created a system that deeply threatens Illinois’ corrupt, entrenched political establishment. They operate a blog called Illinois Leaks that exposes corruption at the state and local levels. Considering the fact that, according to Forbes, their home county’s government has racked up over $79 million in debt all on its own while serving only 18,000 residents, Kraft and Allen have their work cut out for them.

Despite an uphill battle, the anti-corruption twosome have been surprisingly successful. By doggedly pursuing justice for even the smallest infractions by bureaucrats and politicians, the Edgar County Watchdogs have driven 102 public officials to resign from their posts, including 33 officials in Edgar County alone. The pair busted the mayor of Redmond for attempting to hold office while living out of town. They represented themselves in court and beat Illinois Assistant Attorney General Emma Steimel in a lawsuit seeking access to state emails. Officials who have resigned due to the Watchdogs’ efforts include a property tax assessor, the Edgar County board chairman, an entire airport board and its manager, the attorney for Kansas Township’s fire department, Shiloh’s superintendent of schools, and Effingham’s health department administrator, among others. After they exposed corrupt, illegal, and self-serving spending habits by the Ford-Iroquois County health department, the entire bureaucracy was dissolved. In some cases, federal agents have even stepped in to investigate and issue subpoenas to local officials after receiving tips from Kraft and Allen.

In what was one of their most epic displays of political crime-fighting, seen in the above-embedded video, Allen and Kraft held the entire Clark County Park District Board under citizen’s arrest on May 13, 2014 for violating the Illinois Open Meetings Act, a Class C misdemeanor. According to NBC-5 Chicago, when Clark County Sheriff Jerry Parsley responded to the scene of the heated dispute in which local residents were not allowed to make public comments at a park district board public meeting, he chose to enforce Kraft and Allen’s citizen’s arrest. Sheriff Parsley explained his rationale behind enforcing the arrest to NBC Chicago, “The people need to have their voice. It’s not a dictatorship. It’s a democracy.”

Inspired by Dillon’s Rule, a 19th-century principle that municipal governments can only act on the basis of powers that have been lawfully granted to them, the duo force public officials to prove that they are spending public funds and using public resources in a lawful manner. Activities like these helped Kraft and Allen catch a school superintendent who spent $5,000 worth of school funds dining out at restaurants.

What began as an effort to clean up Edgar County has become a state-wide initiative to hold public officials accountable. In a short time, two concerned citizens who happen to be military veterans have dramatically shaken up Illinois’ infamously-corrupt political landscape.

THIS, ladies and gentlemen, is what we need to happen in locations around America, starting in D.C.

[Dan]

Fan-friggin-tastic!!!

[trapeze]

Great story. Thanks for posting it.

[AmericanPatriot]

THIS IS WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE!

[Libertas]

Wow, and Minnie is a target rich environment....

 

[warpmine]

http://benswann.com/2-il-veterans-force-102-corrupt-officials-to-resign-place-entire-local-board-under-citizens-arrest/

llinois residents John Kraft and Kirk Allen, who run an anti-corruption non-profit called the Edgar County Watchdogs, have waged a campaign against crooked public officials over the past two years, forcing resignations from 102 bureaucrats and politicians and at one point placing an entire park district board under citizen's arrest.

With four former governors having served time behind bars, Illinois’ government is widely-viewed as being riddled with corruption. However, according to a recent expose by Forbes, two military veterans in Edgar County have begun to fight back and, in just under two years, have drastically cleaned up corruption in their community.

In an effort to take back their government from self-serving politicians and bureaucrats, John Kraft and Kirk Allen established a group called the Edgar County Watchdogs. Through a combination of public pressure, Freedom of Information filings, lawsuits, and media exposure, they have created a system that deeply threatens Illinois’ corrupt, entrenched political establishment. They operate a blog called Illinois Leaks that exposes corruption at the state and local levels. Considering the fact that, according to Forbes, their home county’s government has racked up over $79 million in debt all on its own while serving only 18,000 residents, Kraft and Allen have their work cut out for them.

Despite an uphill battle, the anti-corruption twosome have been surprisingly successful. By doggedly pursuing justice for even the smallest infractions by bureaucrats and politicians, the Edgar County Watchdogs have driven 102 public officials to resign from their posts, including 33 officials in Edgar County alone. The pair busted the mayor of Redmond for attempting to hold office while living out of town. They represented themselves in court and beat Illinois Assistant Attorney General Emma Steimel in a lawsuit seeking access to state emails. Officials who have resigned due to the Watchdogs’ efforts include a property tax assessor, the Edgar County board chairman, an entire airport board and its manager, the attorney for Kansas Township’s fire department, Shiloh’s superintendent of schools, and Effingham’s health department administrator, among others. After they exposed corrupt, illegal, and self-serving spending habits by the Ford-Iroquois County health department, the entire bureaucracy was dissolved. In some cases, federal agents have even stepped in to investigate and issue subpoenas to local officials after receiving tips from Kraft and Allen.

In what was one of their most epic displays of political crime-fighting, seen in the above-embedded video, Allen and Kraft held the entire Clark County Park District Board under citizen’s arrest on May 13, 2014 for violating the Illinois Open Meetings Act, a Class C misdemeanor. According to NBC-5 Chicago, when Clark County Sheriff Jerry Parsley responded to the scene of the heated dispute in which local residents were not allowed to make public comments at a park district board public meeting, he chose to enforce Kraft and Allen’s citizen’s arrest. Sheriff Parsley explained his rationale behind enforcing the arrest to NBC Chicago, “The people need to have their voice. It’s not a dictatorship. It’s a democracy.”

Inspired by Dillon’s Rule, a 19th-century principle that municipal governments can only act on the basis of powers that have been lawfully granted to them, the duo force public officials to prove that they are spending public funds and using public resources in a lawful manner. Activities like these helped Kraft and Allen catch a school superintendent who spent $5,000 worth of school funds dining out at restaurants.

What began as an effort to clean up Edgar County has become a state-wide initiative to hold public officials accountable. In a short time, two concerned citizens who happen to be military veterans have dramatically shaken up Illinois’ infamously-corrupt political landscape.

THIS, ladies and gentlemen, is what we need to happen in locations around America, starting in D.C.

True it needs to happen in DC but it all starts at the local level where the scumbags learn to be deceitful, spiteful and generally wholly dishonest. When the crooks are forced out they can't move upward so stopping the screw up move up mentality begins at the local level.

[richb]

Its tough work and takes a lot of time.    My brother has spent years trying to force a corrupt town manager out.    He finally had some success,  as the town council finally decided to not renew his contract.   Though they kept him on until a replacement was found.   Thankfully they didn't hire his crony. 

And that is likely all he will get.   The guy should be indicted for corruption.   Law enforcement has been cool to that idea so far,  since there is so much corruption among elected and unelected government types here.     But I won't be surprised if he does get arrested someday.    However it seems very unlikely.

Even though the manager was a Republican (a RINO of the worst kind) the local media wasn't much interested in helping take him down.    We found out the big local newspaper were in on the corruption..............

I think the final straw for the town council was his mismanagement of the construction of a new community center.   It will likely cost as much to fix,  then it did to build it to begin with.

[IronDioPriest]

Its tough work and takes a lot of time.    My brother has spent years trying to force a corrupt town manager out.    He finally had some success,  as the town council finally decided to not renew his contract.   Though they kept him on until a replacement was found.   Thankfully they didn't hire his crony. 

And that is likely all he will get.   The guy should be indicted for corruption.   Law enforcement has been cool to that idea so far,  since there is so much corruption among elected and unelected government types here.     But I won't be surprised if he does get arrested someday.    However it seems very unlikely.

Even though the manager was a Republican (a RINO of the worst kind) the local media wasn't much interested in helping take him down.    We found out the big local newspaper were in on the corruption..............

I think the final straw for the town council was his mismanagement of the construction of a new community center.   It will likely cost as much to fix,  then it did to build it to begin with.

Is this guy criminally corrupt, or just a douchebag? Sounds like you're suggesting he's criminal. If so, what are his crimes?

[richb]

Major, major  douchebag.   However was fairly well liked as the town is well to do, he was in place nearly 30 years  and its easy to hide things when things look like they are fine.   Now that he is out,  taxpayers are going to be in for a shock as things have to become public (like the screwed up community center building became).

Had he not been a douchebag when my brother met him originally,  he would have never suspected all the stuff that is going on.   His douchebagger behavior made him suspicious.   That's what you get when you blow off someone that looks younger then he is.   (brother 30 something looks like he is 19).   

Unfortunately the dots couldn't be connected,  but we are pretty sure he has stolen about 2 million over 10 years with a "ghost" employee getting paid to do nothing.   There seems to be a pay to play scheme going too,  but when we suspected that there was no way we were going to find out about it.   People clammed up and clammed up good.

My brother was also excluded from bidding on a project when the manager tried to bid out the work that ghost employee was supposed to be doing.   Nobody ended up getting a contract,  and the work is in limbo.   If my brother business partners were the suing type (they aren't),  he could sue the town and probably get a good sized settlement.   Some of the council members seem to know that manager has opened the town up to a suit and are being a bit more open. 

Not much interest from either the state attorney general office or the FBI.  Maybe they are looking into it,  but it doesn't sound like it. 

Thankfully the crony was past over for someone from outside the area.   He will have one h*ll of mess to clean up if he is an honest guy.   That community center will cost millions to repair. 

The biggest irony.   "Professional" town managers were created to counteract corrupt elected crooks.    This guy seemed to have control of the (elected) town council for a number of years.   He also had a very nice golden parachute even if they did fire him before the end of contract (had they fired him before the end of the contract,  he would have walked away with another million!)

[warpmine]

Major, major  douchebag.   However was fairly well liked as the town is well to do, he was in place nearly 30 years  and its easy to hide things when things look like they are fine.   Now that he is out,  taxpayers are going to be in for a shock as things have to become public (like the screwed up community center building became).

Had he not been a douchebag when my brother met him originally,  he would have never suspected all the stuff that is going on.   His douchebagger behavior made him suspicious.   That's what you get when you blow off someone that looks younger then he is.   (brother 30 something looks like he is 19).   

Unfortunately the dots couldn't be connected,  but we are pretty sure he has stolen about 2 million over 10 years with a "ghost" employee getting paid to do nothing.   There seems to be a pay to play scheme going too,  but when we suspected that there was no way we were going to find out about it.   People clammed up and clammed up good.

My brother was also excluded from bidding on a project when the manager tried to bid out the work that ghost employee was supposed to be doing.   Nobody ended up getting a contract,  and the work is in limbo.   If my brother business partners were the suing type (they aren't),  he could sue the town and probably get a good sized settlement.   Some of the council members seem to know that manager has opened the town up to a suit and are being a bit more open. 

Not much interest from either the state attorney general office or the FBI.  Maybe they are looking into it,  but it doesn't sound like it. 

Thankfully the crony was past over for someone from outside the area.   He will have one h*ll of mess to clean up if he is an honest guy.   That community center will cost millions to repair. 

The biggest irony.   "Professional" town managers were created to counteract corrupt elected crooks.    This guy seemed to have control of the (elected) town council for a number of years.   He also had a very nice golden parachute even if they did fire him before the end of contract (had they fired him before the end of the contract,  he would have walked away with another million!)

A godly person aye?

[Libertas]

Contracted bureaucracy is not any better than appointed, they do it to appear arms-length and bipartisan to constituents, when in fact it is just naked cowardice and an obvious avoidance of being held accountable.  Even at local levels there needs to be much purging...

Our tasks are many!

[richb]

Contracted bureaucracy is not any better than appointed, they do it to appear arms-length and bipartisan to constituents, when in fact it is just naked cowardice and an obvious avoidance of being held accountable.  Even at local levels there needs to be much purging...

Our tasks are many!

Well,  that's how its "sold" to folks when towns want to bring in these guys.   "Professionalism"  that cannot be had from elected pols,  whatever that is. 

Thankfully in my own town (the corrupt guy was one town over),  we only had a town manager for two years.   There was a far amount of opposition to it to begin with.    Largely over the salary,  (about $150k a year).   They said,  he will bring in far more "grants" (tax dollars from taxpayers from elsewhere) and other public and private funding then his salary.   So he gets a two year contract.

Doesn't come close to raising anywhere near his salary.   Thankfully election came around and most of the town board was replaced.   Town manager got the message and lined up a new job starting at the end of his contract.   New board chopped the job the day he left.    Amazingly no one has tried  to recreate it again yet.   

[Libertas]

Contracted bureaucracy is not any better than appointed, they do it to appear arms-length and bipartisan to constituents, when in fact it is just naked cowardice and an obvious avoidance of being held accountable.  Even at local levels there needs to be much purging...

Our tasks are many!

Well,  that's how its "sold" to folks when towns want to bring in these guys.   "Professionalism"  that cannot be had from elected pols,  whatever that is. 

Thankfully in my own town (the corrupt guy was one town over),  we only had a town manager for two years.   There was a far amount of opposition to it to begin with.    Largely over the salary,  (about $150k a year).   They said,  he will bring in far more "grants" (tax dollars from taxpayers from elsewhere) and other public and private funding then his salary.   So he gets a two year contract.

Doesn't come close to raising anywhere near his salary.   Thankfully election came around and most of the town board was replaced.   Town manager got the message and lined up a new job starting at the end of his contract.   New board chopped the job the day he left.    Amazingly no one has tried  to recreate it again yet.

We had a big stunk in my town that was largely over corruption, incompetence and unaccountability...needless to say the mayor and council were sacked.  It is troubling when people are not bright enough to see this coming, but at least in more conservative subrubia/near-rural areas like this people are wise enough to throw the bums out and keep a closer eye on the new ones....libiot environs are completely incapable of learning and evolving, they just keep sending in one proglodyte jackass after another and expect happy happy for everyone...and eventually they all turn into DC, Chicago...and Detroit.