Monday, February 16, 2015

Chicago aldermanic candidate accused of vote-buying

Chicago's skyline
John Garrido, a candidate for alderman on Chicago's Northwest Side, is being accused of vote buying.

From Fox 32 Chicago:
45th Ward candidate John Garrido said that he wasn't breaking any laws when he publicized a group of local businesses offering discounts to entice people to vote.

"I absolutely believe it's not illegal," said Garrido.

Garrido said he did nothing wrong when he put a flyer on his campaign's Facebook page last Friday, headlined "Garrido Means Business.” The flyer encourages voters to bring their voting receipt to any of a dozen local businesses, where they would receive a ten percent discount off their purchase.

Problem is, Illinois election law clearly states: "Any person who knowingly gives, lends or promises to give or lend any money or other valuable consideration to any other person to influence such other person to vote...shall be guilty of a class 4 felony."
Garrido says its legal because he's not making the offers--the businesses are. It seems pretty sleazy to me. And it's stories such as this one that are responsible for Chicago being a national laughing stock.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sleazy indeed because the SEIU and John Arena are grasping at straws trying to make a facebook post that was posted for and hour or so national news. Nobody received a discount and it did not say you had to vote for Garrido, you could vote for anyone. Seems team Arena is getting desperate and sleazy like they did in the last election. This is only driving more people to the poles and people are voting against Arena!

Visit www.johnarena.com to learn more!

Anonymous said...

Typo POLLS not POLES.

Anonymous said...

Vote Tea Party! Vote John Garrido!