Suzanimal
11-09-2014, 03:49 PM
Good for them.
Two regular guys from Southern Illinois, Kirk Allen and John Kraft, became folk heroes after lawfully “citizen arresting” their park district board. Now, their fight against corruption threatens to shake the political establishment.
Illinois’ number one manufactured product is corruption. More than 95 percent of the Illinois legislature is safe in gerrymandered districts. The incumbent governor has three current federal investigations of his administration, but the Attorney General/state’s attorney class can’t find public vice anywhere.
So what can the law abiding citizen do? The answer is coming from some regular guys in southern Illinois who decided to hold public officials accountable. They call themselves the “Watchdogs.”
Kirk Allen and John Kraft live in Edgar County which may be the most corrupt county in the country. For a couple of watchdogs, it’s a target rich environment.
In 1985, New York prosecutor Rudy Giuliani indicted the local pizza owner during the mob “Pizza Connection” prosecutions. For twenty years, State trooper Michale Callahan staked his career on reversing the false double-murder convictions of Randy Steidl and Herb Whitlock and became a local legend. In a county of only 18,000 residents, just four units of government have amassed $79 million of bonded debt.
During the summer, the Watchdogs used a little known provision of law to “citizen arrest” an entire unit of government. The story was featured on Chicago broadcast news and garnered the front page in most downstate daily newspapers.
Mr. Allen and Mr. Kraft are unlikely watchdogs. Neither are lawyers. Neither are wealthy individuals – their Edgar County Watchdog organization is a non-profit. And neither have a law enforcement background, although both served in the military.
Yet, in just 22 months their exposure has caused more than 100 public and elected officials to flee or resign their positions. They also beat IL Assistant Attorney General Emma Steimel pro se (they represented themselves) to open the books on state emails.
Despite the institutional forces arrayed against them, the Watchdogs have exposed 33 Edgar County based public officials who eventually resigned or no longer serve in their posts- including the county board chairman, multi-township property tax assessor, airport manager (and entire airport board), the Shiloh superintendent – revealing a conviction in Cook County for misdemeanor sexual battery, the Redmond mayor – who moved out of town and thought he could still serve as mayor, the Kansas fire department attorney, and many others.
...
http://www.forbes.com/sites/adamandrzejewski/2014/11/05/sick-of-politics-more-than-100-illinois-public-officials-fled-their-positions-rather-than-face-these-watchdogs/
Two regular guys from Southern Illinois, Kirk Allen and John Kraft, became folk heroes after lawfully “citizen arresting” their park district board. Now, their fight against corruption threatens to shake the political establishment.
Illinois’ number one manufactured product is corruption. More than 95 percent of the Illinois legislature is safe in gerrymandered districts. The incumbent governor has three current federal investigations of his administration, but the Attorney General/state’s attorney class can’t find public vice anywhere.
So what can the law abiding citizen do? The answer is coming from some regular guys in southern Illinois who decided to hold public officials accountable. They call themselves the “Watchdogs.”
Kirk Allen and John Kraft live in Edgar County which may be the most corrupt county in the country. For a couple of watchdogs, it’s a target rich environment.
In 1985, New York prosecutor Rudy Giuliani indicted the local pizza owner during the mob “Pizza Connection” prosecutions. For twenty years, State trooper Michale Callahan staked his career on reversing the false double-murder convictions of Randy Steidl and Herb Whitlock and became a local legend. In a county of only 18,000 residents, just four units of government have amassed $79 million of bonded debt.
During the summer, the Watchdogs used a little known provision of law to “citizen arrest” an entire unit of government. The story was featured on Chicago broadcast news and garnered the front page in most downstate daily newspapers.
Mr. Allen and Mr. Kraft are unlikely watchdogs. Neither are lawyers. Neither are wealthy individuals – their Edgar County Watchdog organization is a non-profit. And neither have a law enforcement background, although both served in the military.
Yet, in just 22 months their exposure has caused more than 100 public and elected officials to flee or resign their positions. They also beat IL Assistant Attorney General Emma Steimel pro se (they represented themselves) to open the books on state emails.
Despite the institutional forces arrayed against them, the Watchdogs have exposed 33 Edgar County based public officials who eventually resigned or no longer serve in their posts- including the county board chairman, multi-township property tax assessor, airport manager (and entire airport board), the Shiloh superintendent – revealing a conviction in Cook County for misdemeanor sexual battery, the Redmond mayor – who moved out of town and thought he could still serve as mayor, the Kansas fire department attorney, and many others.
...
http://www.forbes.com/sites/adamandrzejewski/2014/11/05/sick-of-politics-more-than-100-illinois-public-officials-fled-their-positions-rather-than-face-these-watchdogs/