I've uploaded and attached the petition objections that have been filed against five Champaign Unit 4 School Board candidates.
I do this so that you can see the abject pettiness of the objections. The five objections are virtually identical, clearly prepared by the same attorney. Each essentially boils down to technical complaints against the phrasing of names and such, but each also accuses the candidate of using forged signatures, without providing any evidence to back up such a claim.
I've been unable to confirm the identity of the preparing attorney, but I think it's pretty clear who's behind this push to end the School Board elections before they've started, in favor of an idividual with a clear agenda.
Also, to be clear, the candidates subjected to these objections aren't "my" candidates for School Board. They're not all Republican or Democrat, and share no common characteristics of which I'm aware. I just think these objections are just more of the same silliness we saw during the Champaign City elections, and I think it's illustrative of a group of people who would prefer to have a Federal Judge and a Chicago law firm run the school district rather than an elected Board.
We'll know more on Friday, when the preliminary hearing is scheduled and, I suspect, an attorney for the objector will be present.
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| ObjectionUnit4Bambenek.pdf | 504.67 KB |
| ObjectionUnit4Banks.pdf | 634.69 KB |
| ObjectionUnit4Grey.pdf | 436.77 KB |
| ObjectionUnit4MacAdam.pdf | 524.17 KB |
| ObjectionUnit4Novak.pdf | 542.41 KB |
Without knowing, I can only speculate, but if I had to guess, my guess would be that either Bob Kirchner or Ruth Wyman or both prepared these objections. Has anyone compared the petitions objected to to Melodye Rosales' petition? If so, does it suffer from any of the same things? Mr. Kirchner and Ms. Wyman, if you're reading this, will you step up to the plate and tell us if you prepared the objections, and if so, why? If not, then I'd be curious to know what the purpose of all of this is. We clearly have a school district in crisis, and rather than trying to solve the problem, we are faced with this constant bickering and pettiness. Why not let the voters decide, and accept that decision? Or are we in the land of the Township argument--let the voters decide, and when they decide wrong, let's go around them to produce the result we want.
Does anyone else enjoy the irony in the final page of Bambenek's objection? Brayfield's whining about signature technicalities, but IMO, the Notary Public's signature resembles "Leslie Montgomery," although the stamp says "Debbie." The signatures on the other four objections are clearly "Debbie." Should this invalidate his objection to Bambenek? By his own arguments, yes!
ThoughtPolice--if you watched the arguments before the City of Champaign on those objections, the same weird arguments were made. If the people circulating petitions made errors, they were serious and they had to be thrown off the ballot. If Ruth Wyman had mistakes in her documents, those were just typos and we should ignore them.
From the word go, I have about 3 motions to throw the objections out in their entirety before even touching the merits.
He objects only to 29 sigs, I have more than enough even if those were thrown out. He makes up for that suggesting that there was a vast conspiracy of me, circulators, and a notary to engaged in about 80 counts of forgery, 8 counts of perjury, fraud, and conspiracy... I should total up how much jail time that would be for me.
There is something about politics that makes people turn into felons.
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j
Part-Time Pundit
I should total up how much jail time that would be for me.
There is something about politics that makes people turn into felons.
And you could get some great tats while you did hard time. Maybe even one that said "Vagina Monologues."
I suppose getting tats would be better than what others get in prison.
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j
Part-Time Pundit
Unlike champaign dweller, i´ll actually identify who i am. and no, i didn´t draft the challenges. i am not familiar with school board election law. i haven´t read the statutes nor any case law interpreting them. and i haven´t even looked at the objections or petitions yet,
(i can´t even take a long weekend vacation without an anonymous person accusing me of doing this or that.)
the newspaper yesterday listed who signed the challenges. why not call or email that guy and ask him. get it straight from the source instead of anonymously posting accusations.
and while we´re at it, champaign dweller, how about you identifying yourself, since you´re asking the challengers or the attorney(s) you suggest prepared them to identify themselves.
and while i´m rambling, how about next time you wonder if i´m doing something or working on an issue, you call me first. my number should be in the phone book. you obviously know where i work. or email me. and if i´m not out of the country at the time, i´ll respond promptly. the simplist of common courtesies would be appreciated.
Ruth Wyman
These objections were filed February 16, 2007. Wasn't the deadline for objecting February 13, 2007, 5 business days after the last date for filing petitions?
Good question.
I'm checking.
and while i´m rambling, how about next time you wonder if i´m doing something or working on an issue, you call me first. my number should be in the phone book. you obviously know where i work. or email me. and if i´m not out of the country at the time, i´ll respond promptly. the simplist of common courtesies would be appreciated.
Ruth! What's happening with the shadowy cabal that's supposed to be helping you take over Champaign? Or was it Urbana? I said I'd join if you provided good pizza (none of that Papa John's or Domino's stuff, please). Maybe Bambi can get a big "Ruth" tattoo also while he's in the pen.
I'm going to raise that objection during the hearing about the filing date, but here's the logic. The law specifies 5 business days from the last day of filing. Because of the snow, the schools were closed Tue-Thurs, so Friday was the next business day. Also keep in mind he filed at 4:52pm on Friday... talk about last minute.
For the record, I didn't think it was Ruth Wyman either... the objections are too sloppy.
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j
Part-Time Pundit
But I'd still consider a "Ruth" tat when I'm sent up for a vast conspiracy to forge my petitions. :)
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j
Part-Time Pundit
The purpose of this reply is twofold. First I ask that "champaign dweller" identify himself/herself. It is irresponsible to post a "guess" that that I was involved in any way in the preparation of these objections. Your cowardness in concealing your identity only deepens that irresponsible act. I had no involvement in these objections. You owe us an apology and a disclosure of who you are. By the way - why didn't you just call and ask me? Couldn't find my number? just to lazy? or is accuracy that unimportant to you?
Bob Kirchner
The purpose of this reply is twofold. First I ask that "champaign dweller" identify himself/herself. It is irresponsible to post a "guess" that that I was involved in any way in the preparation of these objections. Your cowardness in concealing your identity only deepens that irresponsible act. I had no involvement in these objections. You owe us an apology and a disclosure of who you are. By the way - why didn't you just call and ask me? Couldn't find my number? just to lazy? or is accuracy that unimportant to you?
As a quick reality check, it was pretty clear that "champaign dweller" was speculating, rather than presenting something as fact. Here's what s/he said: "Without knowing, I can only speculate, but if I had to guess, my guess would be that either Bob Kirchner or Ruth Wyman or both prepared these objections. ..... Mr. Kirchner and Ms. Wyman, if you're reading this, will you step up to the plate and tell us if you prepared the objections, and if so, why?" As far as I know, you can guess anything you want - I could guess that 1 + 1 = 5, though it would make me look like an idiot. As far as the anonymity, I think that's a policy issue and IlliniPundit does allow anonymous posts.
Please excuse my interruption on this topic,,,,,,,,but, who are Bob Kirchner, and Ruth Wyman. I have never heard of either on of them. Thankyou
For the record, Brayfield has some Chicago attorney working with him on this...
Why we need a Chicago lawyer to come down and represent a client in his claims the candidates for the school board engaged in a vast criminal enterprise of fraud, forgery, perjury, and conspiracy while there are plenty of lawyers in Champaign who can do the same? :)
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j
Part-Time Pundit
If you want to guess who is "behind" these objections, look first to the remaining candidate's camps. Are any of the objectors also signers of the non-objected-to candidate's petitions?
Bob Kirchner notarized the City nominating petitions of Giraldo Rosales on a Sunday. There's probably a close relationship there, because Bob's law office doesn't normally hold business hours on a Sunday.
Melody Rosales is a school board candidate and her petitions did not get challenged.
I have no idea i she encouraged or asked someone to challenge the opposing petitions, but someone who did challenge the petitions may in fact also want to improve the chances for Melody.
Look to see if the challenger happened to sign Melody's petition.
The purpose of this snark is twofold. First I ask that "Champaign dweller" not identify himself (note the complete lack of the awkward "/herself", because this snark is intended to flow smoothly like the biting political satire that it is, and not get bogged down in distracting mechanics like that). It is quite consistent with the practice and mission of blogs to pointedly and publicly accuse Bob Kirchner of preparing of these objections while retaining pseudonymity. Bob Kirchner's hyperbolic ad hominem notwithstanding, Bob Kirchner has denied the pointed and public charge that Bob Kirchner was involved in the preparation of these objections. Bob Kirchner's petulant demand to know Champaign dweller's ultrasecret identity only darkens the cloud around Bob Kirchner, further associating Bob Kirchner's name forever with these objections, even though his denial of involvement would have been enough to raise questions. Champaign dweller owes us no apology and no disclosure of who he is. By the way - why didn't Bob Kirchner just get a court order to have IlliniPundit identify Champaign dweller? Couldn't find the courthouse? Just too lazy? Or is further associating the name Bob Kirchner with barratry and using petition challenges as a club really not his intent, as one would have otherwise guessed?
Snarcrates
The drafting of these objections is horrible. I hope that Brayfield is not a product of Unit 4 schools. The sentence structure looks like no one proof-read the objections.
Look at paragraph 3a. Its not a complete. Sentence. :)
Not only are they not well-taken, they are not well-written. Or should I say "good-written"?
He used a template of some sort (I think). I guess the adding in of the accusations of a massive criminal enterprise is his work though.
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j
Part-Time Pundit
I've talked to Brayfield about this, and we should all stop worrying about who's really "behind" his challenges. He challenged both Ds and Rs and he says he did it on his own initiative. One thing I'll say about the guy is that he absolutely believes he's doing the right thing. He sees "politicians" as people we should hold to a very, very high standard, and he sees this as simply upholding that standard.
Still, his challenges look like Amateur Hour, and they'll be dismissed quickly.
There is a difference between holding people to a high standard and accusing them of running vast criminal enterprises...
Because you are dissatisfied is not just cause to run to a court and the media and accusing people of dozens of felonies willy-nilly. The only thing he has accomplished is turn the Unit 4 race into gutter politics, has wasted time and money on even more legal fees that more rightly belong to our kids, and has disparaged respected members of the community not only the 4 other candidates, but the other circulators and some notaries. It can be debated whether I'm a respectabnle member of the community but that is besides the point. :)
The community is watching and it will be remembered when other people in the future think about running. They'll have to decide if they want to deal with someone accusing them of enough felonies to land them in prison for over 400 years, and likely, it will turn off good people from bothering to race. He has chipped away one more piece of democracy today, and robbed the children in Unit 4 in the process.
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j
Part-Time Pundit
Well, FWIW, I don't think I want you on the school board, but I 100% hope that you are allowed your rightful chance to run for office.