Rep. Will Davis on Education Funding

Chicago Heights getting nervous...

The Integrity Party has brought a lot of new people into the political scene in Chicago Heights. I usually call these people (political) virgins because it's not like what they teach you in school.

One of my candidates was horrified after Dave Gonzalez instructed a city worker to throw her out of city hall. "He was rude," she explained.

I've had to explain to these candidates, often more than once, that you don't take power out of the hands of those who have it graciously. You take power away by force. Especially when there is so much money at stake. Chicago Heights spends millions more than cities of a similar size. It employs more people than cities of a similar size. So it should be no surprise that it taxes its residents more than other cities of a similar size.

Not that it provides good (public) service for their dollar. I've been told by friends and supporters that I should be calling the police when we are threatened or we see things that shouldn't be. So this week I did.

But not a single police officer came to deal with the matter. No one.

This isn't unusual. And not just because Dave Gonzalez is forcing city workers to campaign on his behalf, apparently during working hours.

Yep, corruption costs someone money. And Dave Gonzalez sure has the house to show for it.

Tomorrow, 300 Hispanics from Cicero are supposed to arrive to help out Gonzalez. I assume he'll need the help. I think I was supposed to be surprised that 300 people were supposed to come down, but I already expected this. I've already duked it out with Gonzalez in a race in that area. And it will be an impressive show of force.

Of outsiders. But they have already had a slew of outsiders come in and knock on doors for them. Gonzalez has to have outsiders come in because he doesn't seem to be generating the kind of support in Chicago Heights that he expected.

Supposedly, last weekend, Gonzalez put up 1000 signs. But I don't know a single one that was placed in a yard of one of his supporters. Maybe he doesn't have any. Even some of the people who *they* mobilized to early vote claim they voted for Joe (one was a city worker!).

Like all politicians, Dave Gonzalez has an inflated view of himself. It's kind of pathetic, especially in this case. He has to hide from what is real, and project what is not. For example, Gonzalez has been telling other politicians that he has this race wrapped up and that he can mobilize this huge work force (presumably all the city workers that he's impressed into service illegally) but he's got to ship in hundreds of Hispanics to help him make "Latino Day" look good.

What a character.

Well, Gonzalez has already started to figure out that he doesn't have a strong grasp of politics. And he has an even weaker grasp of politics that is played at this level. A teenager could figure out what we are going to do. It's not rocket science, and it isn't a secret. So this upcoming week ought to be very, very interesting. But I'm having a *very* good time. Dave Gonzalez is an extremely rich oppo target and the only difficulty is in trying to decide which parts of his past and his hypocrisy I want to go after.

He's made it easy for me. For example, the city of Chicago Heights (ok, really Dave Gonzalez but they pretend that it is the city, so I will, too) has halted the provision of basic services to the 4th Ward (which is Joe Faso's ward), in the belief that they can blame Joe for their failure.

Which shows a basic disconnect from the residents in the 4th Ward (or just an assumption that voters are stupid). They know what is going on. This makes them more determined to get out and vote for Joe, not less likely. The only stupid person here is Gonzalez.

But we can pretend that he isn't an idiot. After all, he's bringing in 300 Hispanics from Cicero tomorrow. That ought to impress someone. Really. I mean, I assume...

Would you elect the brother of a Domestic Terrorist to be your mayor?

That's the question in Chicago Heights this week.

Dave Gonzalez sent out a mailer claiming drug dealers are Domestic Terrorists. Which is a odd thing to say about your brother, someone you let into your home, someone who acts in the community as a representative for you.

Perhaps Dave didn't see the irony. But others did.

So would you?

Would you elect the brother of a Domestic Terrorist to be your mayor?

I know I wouldn't. I can't imagine too many people who would.

I'm really starting to wonder if Dave Gonzalez understands politics. I mean, I'd expect him to throw his brother under the bus. Dave Gonzalez isn't exactly known for his loyalty to people. In fact, quite the opposite.

But emphasizing your relationship to Domestic Terrorism?

That's not smart. Not smart at all. Not if you want to be mayor.

Gregg Lunceford, candidate for 161 School Board

Sam Brown, running for Re-election in Matteson

Dave Gonzalez "unleashes" the dogs (is that code for something?)

It was an exciting day in Chicago today. Down here in Chicago Heights, the excitement is only starting to build. I just got a call telling me that a local gang leader walked into a Chicago Heights business today and told him that they were taking over this town. Dave Gonzalez has "unleashed the dogs." Not exactly sure what that means, other than it's a warning. I'm supposed to tell those opposed to corruption, drugs and gangs in Chicago Heights to back off. Or something.

It's almost like living inside a movie. I know that Gonzalez and his gang think that we should be afraid. Maybe they are, and they are projecting their fear on others. I can't really say. But what I do know is that Gonzalez clearly didn't grow up in the South, didn't experience race riots or drug wars. I had friends who had crosses burned on their lawns when I was a kid. We had a race riot (with the cowboys bringing their shotguns to school) when I was first in high school. I worked a special Congressional election in Miami in the middle of the 80s. Columbian drug lords thought nothing of shooting up the place.

So I'm having a hard time taking all the threats from the Heights seriously. Seriously.

Sure, Chicago Heights is the murder capitol of Chicagoland. And more than a few people have suggested that I should be afraid, very afraid going up against someone who is so connected. But, again, I grew up in the midst of the Civil Rights movement. So I understand perfectly that people with power (like Dave Gonzalez) don't give it up easily.

What I find so fascinating, though, is why anyone would think that an increase in gang tags or public bravado would help Dave Gonzalez. Sure, we have lots of Hispanic support for the Integrity platform, but I find it hard to believe that Dave Gonzalez believes it. And trying to intimidate Integrity volunteers? If they are anything like me, they will only get madder -- and more determined.

At the very time that people in Egypt and Tunisia have overturned tyrants (and one party rule) in their countries, it's really difficult to understand why Dave Gonzalez would think that he could succeed with these tired old tactics right here in the South Suburbs. He's got power (now), and he's determined to keep it. I understand that. But getting the gangs to do your dirty work? And that's supposed to help?

I dunno, but I think some politicians haven't entered the 21st century. Dave Gonzalez is at the top of that list. The real question is whether Chicago Heights is stuck in the past, as well...

Details of Saturday's Chicago Heights Meeting leak out

While I tried to attend Saturday's meeting at the Chicago Heights Country Club (I was told I could not enter, and then told that I'd have to leave the parking ), called by mayoral candidate Dave Gonzalez who mandated that all city employees attend or "face the consequences," I have gotten word back on some details.

City employees have been instructed to turn in contact sheets of 40 names by Friday. A vague threat was made about not turning them in, but Gonzalez is clearly trying to stay under the radar of the U.S. Attorney General's Public Integrity Section of its Criminal Division.

City Employees were told that they would be responsible for getting the names of their contact lists to the polls for Gonzalez, with a goal of perhaps half those names voting either by absentee or early vote.

Several Chicago Heights employees have complained to me about the stressful conditions they now work under. Gonzalez has placed apologists throughout the departments, and workers thought to be independent or non-partisan have received extra attention.

Again, it is illegal to condition employment at Chicago Heights' city hall upon political work for any candidate or party. It is interesting to me that while the County is moving away from openly violating Shakman, and I'd expect the city of Chicago to be less resistant to Shakman under a new mayor and city council, the South Suburbs is belatedly falling into a gray area -- openly violating Shakman and Rutan, but trying to obfuscate those violations. I'm not sure how the city -- well, the taxpayers -- of Chicago Heights can afford these corrupt practices, but until people stand up against the corruption, their tax bills will only get higher and higher.

If you are a Chicago Heights employee (or the employee of any city) who felt intimidated or forced to participate against your will, please call the Public Integrity Section at (202) 514-1412. You won't have to give your full name to express your concerns. They are eager to hear from you. I will follow up on this on Saturday, and afterwards...

Chicago Heights' mayoral candidate Dave Gonzalez crossing the Shakman line

I got word yesterday that Dave Gonzalez, a current vendor (he has some kind of contract with the city) and candidate for mayor in Chicago Heights, has called a meeting for this Saturday of *all* department heads and employees who work for the city. Department heads made phone calls -- on city time, using city resources -- demanding that employees attend this "mandatory meeting." According to one source, they were told that there would be "consequences" for those who didn't show up.

This is, of course, illegal. Municipal employees are protected by both Shakman and Rutan, according to election law expert Richard Means. Means was the lawyer who had an election overturned in Gary, IN and literally wrote the book on election law in Illinois.

According to Means:

Of course it is illegal to condition future public employment on political work for a mayoral candidate regardless of whether he is an incumbent or aspirant. Depending on the precise facts and how the threat was communicated and by whom, it is likely both a federal and state crime and a civil violation of numerous federal and state civil rights laws.

Many people associate Shakman with the City of Chicago and Cook County. But it also applies to Chicago Heights. Shakman strictly prohibits politically-based hiring, firing, promotions and/or other job actions for municipal positions where political considerations are not expressly exempt. Virtually every Chicago Heights employee contacted on Wednesday or Thursday at the bequest of Dave Gonzalez falls under the protection of Shakman (and Rutan).

Department heads, because they used city resources and workday to demand employee's participation, are particularly at risk. One explanation of Shakman [PDF] says that it:

prohibits the conditioning, basing, or knowingly prejudicing or affecting any aspect of employment of any person as a Governmental Employee (other than Exempt Positions), upon or because of any political reason or factor including, without limitation, any Employee’s political affiliation, political support or activity, political financial contributions, promises of such political support, activity or financial contributions or such Employee’s political sponsorship or recommendation is prohibited.

Further, it prohibits any employee (exempt or not exempt):

from knowingly inducing, aiding, abetting, participating in, cooperating with the commission of, or threatening to condition, base or knowingly prejudice or affect the employment of any County employee or applicant based upon political factors.

It is not Gonzalez, of course, who is likely to bear the brunt of additional Shakman litigation. The city of Chicago Heights would do so -- both financially and, additionally, to it's reputation -- of the possible Shakman violations.

In Rutan v. Republican Party of Illinois, "The [U.S. Supreme] Court found for the petitioner, expanding the First Amendment protection against dismissal from low-level government positions based on party affiliation, which had been established in two earlier cases." In other words, municipal employees cannot be forced to participate in party activity.

I talked yesterday with people I know in the U.S. Attorney General's office about Saturday's meeting in Chicago Heights. Because of my involvement in the Obama campaign and the transition, I was aware that public corruption -- as seems to be manifesting itself with this week's incident in Chicago Heights -- is a key concern of the Obama Administration. I was referred to the Public Integrity Section of the Criminal Division within the department:

The Public Integrity Section (PIN) oversees the federal effort to combat corruption through the prosecution of elected and appointed public officials at all levels of government. The Section has exclusive jurisdiction over allegations of criminal misconduct on the part of federal judges and also supervises the nationwide investigation and prosecution of election crimes. Section attorneys prosecute selected cases against federal, state, and local officials, and are available as a source of advice and expertise to other prosecutors and investigators.

I was specifically asked to relay their phone number to anyone who felt they had been forced to participate in political activity (such as the meeting called for Saturday by Dave Gonzalez). If you are a Chicago Heights employee (or the employee of any city) who felt intimidated or forced to participate against your will, please call the Public Integrity Section at (202) 514-1412. You won't have to give your full name to express your concerns. They are eager to hear from you. I will follow up on this on Saturday, and afterwards.

We need to stem the corruption here in the South Suburbs. We can no longer simply overlook corruption just because that's the way it's always been. We're better than that. We *deserve* better than that...

Republican Thugs Try to Intimidate Olympia Fields state Senator

If you drove by 222 Vollmer in Chicago Heights, you'd have noticed that there were no political signs up -- despite the fact that it is the headquarters (and district office, on separate floors) of state Senator Toi Hutchinson. The office complex doesn't allow yard signs on its property and that's a condition that the campaign of Toi Hutchinson accepted throughout the campaign.

But Adam Baumgartner -- who's support is so thin that I've never actually met anyone who'd admit they are voting for him -- didn't care. He thought he had a right to do whatever he wanted, just as all kids do. I doubt his blind disregard for the law was intentional, he's simply too immature to realize otherwise.

Having said that, the lack of support for Baumgartner in Cook County might be frustrating him. Until this week, I had never seen a sign for him INSIDE his district. Every single one of them had been placed inside Rich and Thornton Townships, not the 40th district. Understand, the "volunteer" who Baumgartner was paying to put up signs didn't live near the 40th, so it's probably not that much of a surprise that they were placed in the "volunteer's" neighborhood.

But the fact that a Republican campaign wouldn't respect private property is a little dismaying. Even after being told that signs were inappropriate on commercial property and the public right of way, Baumgartner's "volunteers" persisted.

If you've reached the conclusion that they were trying to provoke a confrontation, that was an easy place to go. Facing a formidable opponent who a lot of people thought couldn't win in an election, Baumgartner's staff has to try for a hail mary. Plus, Republicans are embarrassed by the stunt of Tony Peraica and his campaign, so why not try to trap a Democrat into the same thing?

Except for that pesky violation of private property. Most Republicans claim to have high regard for private property, and especially that used by small businesses. But Baumgartner's staff has repeatedly violated that high regard. Again, it's very easy to conclude that he's just a kid, trying to put on his big boy pants, or recognize that his campaign staff has never been involved in a campaign before. So can we really hold them to the same standard we hold others?

I buried the lede. It happens. The first I heard of this incident, which Senator Hutchinson took to the Chicago Heights police, was from a staffer who was concerned about Toi's personal safety. In front of witnesses, Toi was threatened. Now Toi, being Toi, shamed the young men who were there, noting that it isn't that easy for African-Americans to advance and why would they want to be a party to preventing that? When I was told this over the phone, I could hear her mommy voice kicking in. Toi, being Toi, was trying to help these young men understand the law, understand respect for private property and learn something from the incident.

In the end, this is really about political intimidation. I worked for Ronald Reagan (in two presidential runs) and we didn't pull this kind of crap. In fact, I was in the (staff) trailer at the Detroit convention when Reagan told his people that he was going to ask George Bush to be his vice president, and talked about the difficulty of 1976 and how he had held his head up high, nowing that he'd done the right thing.

Screwing around with yard signs, trying to intimidate opponents (or voters) isn't a Republican thing, it's a thuggish thing. Toi was right, Adam Baumgartner should be ashamed. Maybe, someday, he'll grow up. Maybe not. But he's chosen to be a thug, to associate with thugs and exploit thuggish behavior. That's not why he's going to lose today, but it is why he should lose...