A few hours before President Obama landed at O'Hare Airport for a rare visit to his hometown, two Chicagoans were sentenced to nearly a year in Cook County jail for manipulation of absentee ballots in 2007. Both were members of the political organization headed by Ald. Bernard Stone (50th), who was the Democratic committeeman of the ward until 2008. Chicago elections are non-partisan, but neither the Sun-Times nor the Tribune mentions Stone is a Democrat. I guess they ran out ink on their typewriter ribbons. Darn recession.
Stone is a longtime City Council drama queen. He referred to the vote thieves, Anish Eapen and Armando Ramos as "political prisoners," and the trial as a "witch hunt."
A longtime lawmaker--Stone has been an alderman since 1973--he has a unique view of the law: "They were convicted of misdemeanors — misdemeanors that are no longer crimes," said Stone when asked to comment on the jail sentences. "Not felonies, misdemeanors, like spitting on the sidewalk."
Pakistani and Indians have a large presence in the 50th Ward, which is just a few miles from my home. The guilty duo targeted the Asians and asked them to fill out absentee ballots--and watched as they exercised their franchise. One woman, who was not registered to vote, said Eapen filled out her ballot.
Judge Marcus Salone, who presided over the bench trial, said the two men "attempted to steal democracy." Actually, they may have succeeded--Stone won the 2007 race. But he was defeated the following year in the ward committeman's race.
In related news, a St. Louis man voted twice in the 2008 general election. He first voted absentee in the Metro East part of Illinois, then on election day in Missouri.
Hat tip to Cal Skinner for the tip on that last one.
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1 comment:
Fraud is a serious offense. The penalties are harsh.
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