Illinois Becomes Second State to Enact Immigrant Tenant Protection Act Following Gov. Pritzker Signature
Chicago — Governor JB Pritzker signed the Immigrant Tenant Protection Act into law today, making Illinois the second state in the nation to enact new protections for immigrants who rent property.
“Where you were born has nothing to do with the ability to pay rent on time – which is what the relationship between a landlord and a tenant should really be about,” said Governor JB Pritzker.“I’m proud that in signing this bill, we’re making Illinois the first state in the Midwest to protect our immigrant tenants and give them a little more relief in these tumultuous times. Here in Illinois, we are, and always will be, a welcoming state.”
Under the new law, landlords are prohibited from evicting or retaliating against a tenant based on their citizenship or immigration status. Landlords are also prohibited intimidating tenants by disclosing or threatening to disclose a tenant’s citizenship or immigration status to any person, entity or immigration or law enforcement agency.
If the landlord engages in any prohibited conduct, the tenant may bring a civil action to seek any of the following remedies: actual damages for injury or loss suffered, a civil penalty up to $2,000 for each violation payable to the tenant, reasonable attorney’s fees and other equitable relief as the court may deem appropriate and just.
Senate Bill 1290 takes effect immediately.
“Tenants should feel free to come forward and report these important habitability issues no matter their status,”said Sen. Cristina Castro (D-Elgin). “This was an important piece of legislation that I worked on tirelessly for over a year now. I am glad that it was signed into law today.”
“I am very grateful to Governor Pritzker for being such a steadfast supporter of the immigrant community and signing this bill into law,” said Rep. Theresa Mah (D-Chicago).
“Immigrant families in my district and all over Illinois deserve to live free of fear of mistreatment, threats, or eviction because of their immigration status. Immigrants are valuable, contributing members of our state and nation and I am proud to serve as a legislator in Illinois because of my colleagues and our governor we are able to pass immigrant-friendly legislation like the Immigrant Tenants Protection Act and make Illinois the most welcoming state in the nation.”
“This legislation protects tenants from unscrupulous landlords who unjustly threaten a renter based their immigration status,” said Sylvia Puente, Executive Director of the Latino Policy Forum. “While we are living in challenging times, Illinois remains a national leader in being a welcoming state. Thank you, Governor, for ensuring that Illinois remains a state where people can feel safe in their homes and a state where we create just laws.”
“This bill provides important protections for renters. One’s immigration status should not be used as a weapon by a landlord,”said Lawrence Benito, CEO and Executive Director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. “We commend the bill sponsors and the Governor for their efforts to protect immigrant communities.”
“Every person in Illinois who rents an apartment has the right to live free from harassment, and to expect that their landlord will provide a well-maintained home but often time for many immigrants that was not their reality,” said Griselda Vega Samuel, Midwest Regional Counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. “But after today, with Governor Pritzker signing the Immigrant Tenant Protection Act, that will be a reality for all Illinoisans, regardless of immigration status. MALDEF thanks the Governor for continuing to protect the most vulnerable communities and look forward to continuing to ensure all Latino and immigrant communities live free of fear and intimidation.”
From State Senator and 14th District congressional hopeful State Senator Sue Rezin:
TWO WEEKS: UNDERWOOD VS. UNDERWOOD ON IMPEACHMENT
August 5, 2019, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood on a Vox Podcast:
Regarding impeachment Underwood said: “It’s been like this endless bickering. They (people in her district) don’t really know who’s at fault (they don’t) care because it’s not addressing the core issues affecting their family, and it feels like more of the same, right?”
“We need to move forward in a way that brings the community with us, because if I act unilaterally, or what’s perceived as unilaterally and leave my community behind, then it looks like a power grab,” she added. “And then I’m no better than him, being the president. And that’s not what we’re here for.”
August 20, 2019, With no high crimes or misdemeanors by the President uncovered since Lauren Underwood’s statement two weeks ago, she has flip flopped completely and joined her progressive resistance colleagues in the House by calling for an impeachment inquiry against the President. Why?
1. Because she is capitulating to the national left-wing resistance organizations who selected her as one of a handful of candidates for massive campaign help in 2018.
2. Because she really is a member of the “progressive resistance” in Congress.
The Democrat House majority in Congress has had the opportunity to legislatively pass anything and everything benefiting the people they serve through the House. But they have passed virtually nothing.
“Lauren Underwood has put partisan political posturing ahead of getting results for the people she was elected to serve,” said Republican challenger State Senator Sue Rezin.
“These ‘progressive resistanc’” Democrats have squandered their House majority.
“Not passing reforms on vital concerns such as the high cost of prescription drugs, a needed national infrastructure program or securing our border is just lip service.
“Instead they have focused on an avalanche of subpoenas and endless investigations as a partisan obsession with overturning the 2016 election at the cost of millions to the taxpayers of this country.”
Rezin also notes there is a presidential election in 14 months—about the time it would take both the House and Senate to complete an impeachment process.
The country would be far better off if Democrats would take up their issues with President Trump in the election and put their House majority to good use doing the people’s business as opposed to hijacking the interests of those they were elected to serve for partisan advantage in the upcoming election.
On July 11, 2019, the Washington Post wrote:
Loren Underwood
“What’s remarkable on this chart are the scores for Tlaib, Pressley and Omar, all of whom have noticeably liberal voting records, even relative to the lean of their districts.
“They can’t compare, though, with Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.), who represents a Republican-leaning district (after defeating a Republican incumbent last year) and has one of the most liberal voting records. Underwood is an outlier in her caucus.”
What has happened today is that Lauren Underwood has fully revealed the degree to which she puts partisan advantage over the interests of those she was elected to serve. That is what this election is all about.
Ted Gradel, a candidate who has raised a significant amount of money in quest for the Republican nomination for Congress in the 14th Congressional District, was first out of the box to criticizen incumbent Democrat Loren Underwood’s change of mind on whether President Donald Trump should undergo impeachment hearings.
Gradel raised almost $309,000.
Among Republicans, only Oberweis raised more at $416.000.
There was a time way back in 2007 when McHenry County College’s Board was considering putting the taxpayer on the hook for about $26 million to build a minor league baseball stadium.
This was at the behest of then-President Walt Packard.
Besides the fact that college administrators figured out a way to keep virtually every detail of construction out of the reach of Freedom of Information requests, the lifespan of a minor league baseball team averages five years.
The bonds were to run twenty-five years, I believe.
Lauren Underwood Comes Out for Impeachment Inquiry
Congresswoman Lauren Underwood, in a tweet at 2:51PM Chicago time today (8/20), joined the other 127 Democrats who support an impeachment inquiry of President Trump.
Her full statement which was tweeted is below:
Here is her statement in larger type:
“No person in America is above the law, including the President of the United States. The Mueller Report lays out substantial evidence that the President’s campaign worked with a foreign adversary to influence an election. The President has stated he would welcome foreign help to win the 2020 election. I find this extremely concerning. The Mueller Report gave us a lot of information, but it left open a lot of key questions that House committees are investigating.
“I have long stated that I support the impeachment-related investigation by Chairman Nadler and the others being pursued by 5 other committee Chairs-the American people deserve all the facts and full transparency. And, Congress needs this information to inform a decision to move forward with the very sobering act of drafting articles of impeachment, and just as importantly, we need the information to better understand how our election was influenced by a foreign adversary to prevent it from ever happening again.
“The petition Chairman Nadler filed on July 26 clearly states that ‘the Judiciary Committee is investigating whether to recommend Articles of Impeachment, essentially an impeachment inquiry.’ I support this investigation. I find it sobering that a lot of the conversation is being framed in terms of winners and losers. Let me be clear: no one wins when Congress is compelled to investigate impeachment or bring about articles of impeachment. This is a tragedy for our country.”
As of 6:45PM on Tuesday evening, none of the 14th district Republican candidates for Congress have commented nor issued a statement on Underwood’s decision.
COMMENTARY: Congresswoman Lauren Underwood just made a huge mistake with her decision to back the formal impeachment inquiry of President Trump.
Not only is it a major reversal of what she said prevented her from supporting an impeachment inquiry a little over three weeks ago in San Francisco, her statement tells a huge lie about the Mueller report which brings Underwood’s judgement into serious question.
The Mueller report cleared the President of collusion with the Russians concerning the 2016 elections that Underwood claims in her statement.
The President’s welcome of foreign help were ill-chosen words on his part which he quickly corrected, and most reasonable people took that statement as a joke, in poor taste, but a joke.
While the professionals at the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) and the Congressional Leadership Fund SuperPAC remind voters what Underwood said in San Francisco, below is Underwood’s full statement why she said, on July 29, she was against an impeachment inquiry:
The community is NOT with Congresswoman Underwood on this and by Underwood’s own words from July 29 in San Francisco, her decision today is a power grab and Underwood is no better than what she is accusing President Trump.
So is Underwood going to impeach herself?
But more importantly, what changed in the past 3 weeks and 1 day when she said those words in San Francisco opposing an impeachment inquiry? Congress has been on its August recess, so to my knowledge, she has not been back to Washington since her trip to San Francisco.
She did travel to Central America with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who represents San Francisco and 10 other Democrats and 1 Republican, but she said nothing about impeachment there, just some Democratic talking point attack against the Trump Administration enforcing immigration laws by raiding businesses in Mississippi at a press conference in McAllen, TX.
Loren Underwood
And yes, an audience member did ask Speaker Pelosi at that press conference when the House was going to impeach President Trump, which Pelosi quickly said that is another press conference for another time, which is consistent with Pelosi’s opposition to an impeachment inquiry.
Maybe Governor’s Day last Wednesday and mingling with Illinois Democrats in Springfield was what changed Underwood’s mind, but House Speaker Pelosi was the keynote speaker there, too, and as stated above, she is opposed to impeachment.
One thing is certain, 14th district voters do not favor an impeachment inquiry and Underwood will learn sooner than later how huge of a mistake in judgement her flip-flop on supporting an impeachment inquiry truly is because her own words from July 29 condemn her. Link:
Former U.S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald top staffer, then, Assistant U.S. Attorney, then, Governor Bruce Rauner Executive Inspector General Maggie Hickey issued her report on sexual harrassment and other abuses under House Speaker Mike Madigan Tuesday.
Crain’s Chicago Busniness headline featured the fear Democratic Party House staffers felt under fired Chief of Staff Tim Mapes:
Madigan has to be scratching his head that the State paid almost $526,000 for this criticism of his and his top guy’s bullying from both employees and State Representatives.
Saturday Night Live’s Church Lady’s saying, “Isn’t that special?” seems to fit Tim Mapes comment.
Apparently Mapes’ management style include yelling at staffers.
Staff called it a “Tim moment.”
In a comment issue through his lwayer, Mapes said,
“If my demeanor or approach to my job did not instill trust and a healthy work environment, I apologize.”
Algonquin Garbage Collection Rates to Drop September 1
Lower rates for sticker and cart customers through new Groot contract
ALGONQUIN, IL – Starting September 1, 2019, Algonquin residents will see a price reduction in garbage collection services as a result of a new contract beginning with the current waste hauler, Groot.
With the new contract, sticker customers will see rates drop 14 percent from $3.50/sticker to $3/sticker, while garbage cart customers will have rates decrease 22 percent from $24/month to $18.80/month.
Curbside recycling service at no charge will continue for residents during the duration of the contract.
Other services that will not change in the new contract with Groot also include the document shredding event and spring cleanup; with minor changes taking place to the curbside electronics recycling program.
In fall of 2018, the Village issued a request for proposals for garbage, recycling, and yard waste collection services, in which Groot, submitted the lowest price acceptable bid.
John Schmitt
“We’re very pleased with the outcome of the process” said Village President John Schmitt.
“Residents will retain their choice for stickers or carts, realize meaningful cost savings, and have the same familiar service with Groot as the hauler.”
Additionally, the new contract with Groot will also provide an additional week of leaf and brush collection in the spring during the free leaf and brush collection periods.
Please visit www.algonquin.org/groot for more information on garbage, recycling, and yard waste collection service.
During her last session in the Illinois House of Representatives, State Rep. Jeanne Ives voted against what is called “Red Flag” gun control legislation.
The Sunday night that she and Republican primary opponent Evelyn Sanguinette spoke to Algonquin Township Republican Precinct Committeemen, I asked about her reported willingness to support such legislation now that she was running for Congress.
Here is her reply:
Jenne Ives
“If you want to really solve [the problem of gun violence], you have to look at what [Cook County State’s Attorney] Kim Fox is doing letting two-time defendents out and pleading out gun offenses.
With regard to gun dealer licensing bills, Ives explained that there are problems with five dealers in suburban Cook County.
“If you have a dealer with more than five [violations] in three years, then they should be subjected [to the stricted regulations in the new gun dealer licensing law],” Ives said.
“When I offered a commonsense amendment on the gun dealer licensing that would apply only to a Federal Firearms Licensee who has been found by the federal or State government to have three or more firearms used in the commission of criminal offenses sold or transferred by the licensee within the 5 years prior to his or her application for certification of his or her license, the Democrats rejected my bill.
“They are not interested in commonsense laws, only laws that hurt law abiding citizens.
She said she was “open” to a Red Flag law “if you can make it very narrow.”
She argued that there should be “due proces within three days” and police “can’t take guns before due process.
“If you narrowly trailored it” and require[d] that complaints be made by “someone very close to that person who knows he’s very dangerous” such legislation would be acceptable.
She added later, “The Illinois version of the ‘Red Flag law’ is overly broad and unconstitutional in my eyes, as it asks for due process weeks after confiscation.”
Ives opposed all gun legislation presented in Springfield except for a ban on bump stocks, which she voted for.
“All of the legislation would do nothing to take guns out of the hands of criminals,” she explained in an email.
Federal Charges Filed Against Chicago Man Who Allegedly Posted
Online Threats of Violence at Women’s Reproductive Clinic
CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been arrested on federal criminal charges for allegedly threatening to commit violence at a women’s reproductive health clinic.
FARHAN SHEIKH, 19, is charged with transmitting a threat in interstate commerce.
Sheikh was arrested Friday night and made an initial court appearance this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan E. Cox. Judge Cox ordered Sheikh to remain in custody pending a detention hearing set for Tuesday at 2:30 p.m.
The complaint and arrest were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Jeffrey S. Sallet, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the FBI. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan M. Matthews. The U.S. Marshals Service provided valuable assistance.
In addition to the assistance of the US Marshals, I would like it noted that the case was investigated by the FBI’s joint Terrorism Task Force and Chicago Police Department.
Sheikh posted the threating communications on or about Aug. 13, 2019, on the social media platform iFunny, according to a criminal complaint and affidavit filed Saturday in U.S. District Court in Chicago.
In one of the posts, Sheikh allegedly stated, “I am done with my state and thier (sic) [expletive] abortion laws and allowing innocrnt (sic) kids to be slaughtered for the so called ‘womans right’ [expletive].”
According to the complaint, Sheikh wrote later in the post that he would visit the clinic on Aug. 23, 2019, and “proceed to slaughter and murder any doctor, patient, or visitor I see in the area and I will not back down. consider this a warning for anyone visiting…”
Sheikh also wrote that his iFunny account is “NOT a satirical account.
“I post what I mean, and i WILL carry out what I post,” according to the complaint.
The charge in the complaint is punishable by a maximum sentence of five years in prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
From Republican congressional hopeful Jeanne Ives:
Ives Calls On Casten To Disavow Images of Trump Assassination
Acts of violence or threats of violence represent the antithesis of responsible discourse
August 19, 2019 – Over the weekend, shocking photos from a fundraiser for State Senator Martin Sandoval (D-Cicero) surfaced.
From a Democratic Party State Senator’s fundraiser.
The images show a mock assassination of President Trump with a semiautomatic rifle.
The display appeared to be planned entertainment for Sandoval’s guests, who paid a minimum of $250 to attend his golf outing in Winfield.
While the incident was widely condemned, there was a conspicuous silence from prominent Democrats, including Sixth District Congressman, Sean Casten.
Jeanne Ives, a Republican candidate for Congress (IL-6) released the following statement in response to the event and her opponent’s choice to look the other way:
“We have truly arrived at an ugly moment in American history when adults increasingly choose to use or mimic violence, rather than offering thoughtful policy arguments, to make political points.
Jeanne Ives
“Whether the bad actors are Antifa, Proud Boys, the white supremacist thugs arrested for making threats over the weekend, or a State Senator, physical threats, violence or mimicing violence is reprehensible, unhelpful, and totally ignorant.
Events like Sandoval’s should be universally condemned, as it was by Gov. Pritzker.
“Sean Casten has had days to disavow the disgusting images that arose from the Senator’s fundraiser.
Casten’s silence is nothing new.
He was similarly silent when his self-described ideological mentor Dan Savage said he wished all congressional Republicans ‘would f–king die.’
“Under pressure, Savage later apologized. Under pressure, Sandoval has now apologized. Casten withheld comment in both cases.
Their apologies notwithstanding, does Casten think their rhetorical choices and theatrical displays are appropriate?
“A songwriter and former Democrat, Ryan Moore, penned a piece for the Des Moines Register recently, saying, ‘What has happened to the Democratic Party? It seems everything it disagrees with, it claims is racist or a symbol of hate…Far too many Democrats believe the First Amendment only applies to the opinions they agree with.’
“Casten is the worst kind of hypocrite as he won’t hold himself and his fellow travelers to the same standard he correctly suggests his political opponents abide.”
JEREMIAH PEDERSEN PLEADS GUILTY TO POSSESSION WITH THE INTENT TO DELIVER A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE
Jeremiah Pedersen
Patrick D. Kenneally, McHenry County State’s Attorney, announces that Jeremiah B. Pedersen, 36, of Woodstock, Illinois, pled guilty to Possession With The Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance, a Class X felony, before the Honorable Robert Wilbrandt.
After being pulled over by members of the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department, Pedersen admitted to purchasing cocaine and selling it.
Deputies recovered 91.4 grams of cocaine as a result of the traffic stop, along with $4,500, scales, and multiple cell phones.
Pursuant to the investigation, a search warrant was executed on Pedersen’s residence on March 21, 2018.
Officers located 191.2 grams of cocaine and $1,675.
Pedersen was sentenced to nine years in the Illinois Department of Corrections pursuant to the plea.
Under truth in sentencing guidelines, Pedersen must serve 75 percent of his sentence
This case was investigated by members of the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Brette Dunbar of the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office.
A Friend of McHenry County Blog found this write-up on what U.S. Senate camdidate Peggy Hubbard told Republicans in Springfield. It was written by Dennis Wagner on “The Voice of One Voter.”
“Are we bitches or gladiators?”
Today [Aug. 15] in Springfield, Candidate for U.S. Senate Peggy Hubbard asked a group of Illinois GOP leaders that very question.
That headline and that they described the meeting as being “sparsely attended” hurt.
But then again, sometimes the truth hurts.
Peggy and I were sitting in the meeting when they made roll call.
As the counties were called, one after another there was no response. Peggy turned to me and said it was a shame.
Even my own Cook county was not represented by either our chairman or deputy.
This was my first time one of these meetings,
I wasn’t sure what to expect, but there were many empty seats.
It was supposed to be an opportunity for new candidates to come and present themselves to the party leadership, but there were only 5 candidates who spoke.
Four running for U.S. Senate and one running for a State Representative.
I don’t know if Peggy had planned this, or if it was off the cuff, but she finished her speech by telling everyone to look around the room at all the empty seats and asked
“Are we bitches or gladiators?”
I’m not sure if her question sank in, but overall, her speech earned a standing ovation.
Peggy Hubbard
Peggy is a fighter.
Even I was caught by surprise, I never watched the TV Series “Scandal”, so I was unaware of this phrase.
I’ve heard Peggy use the term bitch-baby before like I would use “whiner” or “crybaby”, but in the context of the TV Series “Scandal” and the IL GOP, it takes on more meaning.
I had a three hour-ride home and I gave it much thought.
In ancient Rome, a gladiator is a man trained to fight with weapons against other men or wild animals in an arena.
A gladiator is the “real deal”, not afraid to go up against anyone or any animal.
Screw the political correctness, but crying like a bitch, or fighting like a bitch in an Colosseum fight will get you killed.
GOP Chairman Tim Schneider, stated today that “we can sulk and complain and do nothing.
Or we can offer a vision of opportunity for the future”.
Well, we’ve been sulking and complaining since 2018, and based upon the turnout a this GOP leadership meeting, it looks like we still are sulking today.
Well, the time is now!
We must decide.
Are we bitches or gladiators?
= = = = =
Here’s a State Journal-Register column by Bernie Schoenberg that gives much more of her speech, including why she fought to keep a Confederate statute in a St. Louis park.
Casten mum on latest scandal involving Sen. Cullerton *
There are two things you can count on when it comes to Sean Casten:
Sean Casten
1.He will vote for Nancy Pelosi’s out-of-touch extreme agenda whenever she tells him.
2. He will never miss an opportunity to take a cheap shot at Republicans on Twitter.
But where is Casten when corruption occurs in his own party?
Nowhere to be found.
Casten has remained silent on the most recent embezzlement charges against State Senator Tom Cullerton.
A US Congressman like Casten should know that corruption should be called out wherever it occurs, even if it is politically inconvenient.
“Casten is no centrist and we have seen on more than one occasion that he will never stand up to wrongdoing within his own party,” said Clay Godfrey, Sanguinetti campaign spokesman.
“It is despicable that Sean Casten can’t even call out corruption when it occurs with a state senator who is supposed to represent some of the same constituents as Casten. Evelyn stood up to Mike Madigan in Springfield and will stand up to corruption of all forms as a US Congresswoman.”
Background:
Democrat Illinois State Senator Tom Cullerton Was Indicted On 41 Federal Counts On August 2, 2019. (“Read the 41-count federal indictment against Illinois state Sen. Tom Cullerton,” Chicago Tribune, 8/2/19)
From the Chicago Tribune comes this about how Chicago Teachers Union members found nothing wrong when visiting Venezuela.
Asked on WTTW’s “Chicago Tonight” last week about “some controversy” surrounding the excursion, union President Jesse Sharkey said: “Members go all kinds of places in the summer.
This was neither an official trip nor something that was funded by the union. This is a group of people who are members of the CTU who decided to go to Venezuela.
”Yet, the official CTU Twitter account retweeted some of the group’s updates, including a blog post titled “Introduction to CTU Delegation to Venezuela.”
CTU also retweeted another post by teacher Sarah Chambers, one of the travelers and a member of the CTU executive board, which read:
“While staying in #Venezuela, we didn’t see a single homeless person. USA is the richest country in the world; yet, there are homeless people everywhere. Over 17k CPS students are homeless… This is why @CTULocal1 is fighting for fair housing #CTUAgainstVezIntervention.”
I have talked to immigrants from Venezuela.
Four years ago I was told middle class families were scouring garbage dumps for food.
Hard to believe with all the stories that the Tribune has written on the situation in that country that these teachers found only things to praise.
And even pointed out that McHenry County Board Chairman Jack Franks was not following the law requiring a replacement for retiring Coroner Anne Majewski within sixty days.
Franks’ excuse is that he is waiting for a second study “from a third-party consultant in the medical field.”
Meanwhile petitions for the office can be passed starting next month.
The article does not mention Franks’ goal to abolish the Coroner’s Office.
Why school starts in the middle of August with the prospect of some of the hottest days of the year and schools needing air conditioning is beyond me.
Then, on Friday, at the First United Methodist Church’s food distribution at the Nunda Township Hall, I saw some leaves on the burning bush by the back door turning red.
It is more than a little irononic that the following article, from Illinois Leaks, republished with permission, reports on partial reporting by the Northwest Herald when Editor Jon Styf has a column (“10 reasons it’s great to be a Northwest Herald subscriber“) bragging about only his paper reporting on items, two of which first appeared here within the last week.
“Selective wording in reporting is often done for the purpose of supporting a narrative being pushed for all kinds of different reasons.”
The above quote is from our article published at this link where we exposed the misinformation that is so rampant with the Algonquin Township and local reporting.
NWH reports – “Richard Cenar, the chief of public integrity at the Office of the Illinois Attorney General, wrote that charges would not be filed against Gasser in a June 12 letter.”
That quote is a very selectively worded statement that is true but fails to tell the whole truth.
The way it was reported leaves readers with a perception that there was wrongdoing but they chose not to prosecute, thus casting a negative message on the person named.
The whole truth would not support the negative narrative which appears to be why they chose to keep key facts out of the reporting, an opinion of ours based on past reporting we witnessed.
Yes, charges will not be filed against gasser because in their opinion it appeared no criminal violations have occurred.
After reviewing the binder containing the McHenry County Sheriff reports and investigation which were forwarded with your letter, it is our opinion that it appears no criminal violations have occurred.
Consequently, we respectfully decline to file criminal charges against Mr. Gasser. (Actual Letter)
Why not report that there was no criminal violation and leave it at that?
NWH reported – “In her email, Lawrence wrote that because the act of purchasing the salt without following bidding laws was not found to be a prosecutable offense, she does not believe that the board’s approval of payment would be either.”
We can only wonder why they did not call out Lawrence for the false claim that salt was purcahsed without following bidding laws, which is the truth.
The first keyword to expose in that reporting is “offense”.
The reported statement directly implies there was an offense.
What was that offense?
The truth, there was no offense but once again the readers are left with a perception that there was an offense even though the truth of the matter is the authorities found no criminal violation, thus no offense.
The only salt that was purchased without following bidding laws was in 2017 (excluding multiple years of no salt bidding by the prior highway commissioner that no one wants to talk about), and the board approved of that action and paid those bills.
In that situation, the highway commissioner, as well as the Trustees and Supervisor, all violated the law but we find no reporting on that fact outside of what we have reported.
Why?
Is it because they didn’t want to cast negativity on the entire board and Supervisor who was a party to that whole failure?
As it relates to the 2018 salt supply, there was no purchase without bidding as implied numerous times.
In fact, there was only a delivery of salt followed with a notification to the company that they can’t pay the bill for something that was not put out for bid.
Algonquin Township salt dome.
After a proper bid was published, opened, and awarded, the bill is a legal bill that should have been paid.
Rachael Lawrence
Trustee Lawrence reports to the Board – “Ever since State’s Attorney Patrick Kenneally made his public decision that the Road District’s failure to abide by proper bidding laws, in this case, did not, in his opinion, rise to the level of criminal conduct or warrant any prosecution thereof, I have been taking another look at the feasibility of paying this bill.
“Mainly spurred by the fact that, if the act itself of purchasing no-bid salt was not a prosecutable offense, I do not believe that the Board’s approval of payment therefore also could be.
“Thus, my main concern of the Board of committing an unlawful act is eased.”
Once again we find false statements and inferences that appear designed to continue the narrative of wrongdoing on the 2018 salt purchase.
For starters, it was not the State’s Attorney who made a public decision not to prosecute.
It was the Attorney General’s chief of public integrity who said there would be no charges because there appears to be no criminal violation that occurred.
Why Lawrence credits Kenneally with this decision makes no sense to those who read the letter from the Attorney General’s office.
Especially considering he turned the matter over to the AG’s office claiming a conflict.
One who claims they have a conflict is not the one who gets to make any decision on the matter.
The initial failure of Gasser to bid the salt in 2018, was, in fact, corrected before any bill was submitted for payment.
He fixed his screw up, and properly bid the salt and awarded a contract to the responsive bidder.
So it is not true to say there was a failure to abide by proper bidding laws unless you properly clarify the entire chain of events, a convenient bit of information Lawrence leaves out of her communication.
Rise to the level of criminal conduct or warrant prosecution?
There appeared to be no criminal violation so there is no way the action could have risen to criminal conduct.
Lawrence is the one who insisted on the criminal investigation regarding the 2018 salt purchase.
Even after the authorities confirm there was no criminal violation, she continues with the false narrative that salt was purchased without bidding.
It was not, except in 2017 which she was a party to paying that bill.
Interesting her request for a criminal investigation failed to point to the actions of all in 2017.
For the record, the 2017 failure to follow the bidding we do not believe to be criminal, but rather a violation of the law that specifically outlines when it happens is a civil remedy matter.
Rachael Lawrence
Trustee Lawrence reports to the Board – “The cited cases from 1908, 1925, 1938, and 1982 in Attorney Kelley’s letter, as was pointed out to me and confirmed by my own research, do not directly align with this case in which the Highway commissioner did, in fact, fail to utilize competitive bidding, resulting in a much higher cost, but in this case, funds were appropriated to the purchase and the entity did have authority to make the purchase even if the proper procedure was not followed.”
Again, even after the authorities found no criminal violation, Lawrence continues with false statements.
Gasser did not fail to utilize competitive bidding for the salt bill that was before the board.
He failed to bid the salt initially, stopped any possible bill from being paid and then properly bid the salt and awarded the contract that resulted in a valid bill for payment that Lawrence and others refused to pay for months.
Rachael Lawrence
Trustee Lawrence reports to the Board- “Lastly, after concluding that the Board is likely no more culpable than the Road District itself in its failure to follow bidding laws, there is still more reason to now approve this bill. Commissioner Gasser has already publicly admitted his oversight as a mistake, and he seemed to take at least one action to attempt to correct it, months later when he put out another request for bids.
“As a direct result of his oversight/mistake, his request for bids only attracted one bidder: the same company which had already delivered the salt without a bid.
“Even that one bid was contingent upon the backpayment of over one hundred thousand dollars in material already delivered.
“Another natural consequence of Commissioner Gasser’s oversight/mistake is the new information that the necessary salt procurement for the ‘19/’20 Winter may be at risk due to vendors’ unwillingness to do business with the Road District without exorbitant prices per ton of material.”
The salt was bid, yet she continues with the false narrative that he failed to follow bidding laws, and then confirms he did, in fact, put it out for bid. So which is it Trustee Lawrence?
He bid it out or did not bid it out?
Her claim that there was only one bidder because of the initial failure to bid is nothing more than her opinion.
We challenge her to prove the reason there were no other bidders is because he failed to put it out for bids initially.
Finally, Lawrence casts the blame on Gasser for future salt procurement being at risk even though the fact is the refusal to do business with the Road District was not because of what Gasser did or did not do, but rather the very inaction by the board to pay the bill.
“Algonquin Township Rd Dist. – Attn: Andrew Gasser Your unit did not receive a Bid Offer in the Contract Solicitation for 2019-2020 . . CMS has consulted with a vendor, Compass Minerals, about acceptance of your requirements. ( Price $97.75 for 4500 tons ) Their acceptance is contingent upon “until customer brings their account current with Compass Minerals and payment of outstanding account balance is received in full”. CMS cannot proceed with assigning your unit to this vendor’s forthcoming contract until we receive notification that this matter is resolved. Therefore, if you want CMS to accomplish assignment of your requirements please promptly contact Compass Minerals to resolve this matter and notify CMS when resolution is completed.”
Anyone reading the above quote provided to Gasser by the State and forwarded to the trustees can clearly see, the account must be brought current and payment of outstanding account balance paid in full.
The fact it had not been paid is the reason the future purchases are at risk, not because of anything Gasser did as Lawrence implies.
The ONLY people who can address the risk referenced is the Board of Trustees.
The risk was because of their refusal to pay a legal bill, not because of Gasser’s corrected mistake.
Trustee Lawrence reports to the Board- “When all of these factors are considered as a whole: the State’s Attorney’s decision, Andrew Gasser’s admission of his errors and attempt to correct them, the lack of precedent in this exact situation, the existing and future consequence of Mr. Gasser’s mistakes, etc., I now believe that the consequences to our constituents of NOT paying this bill greatly outweigh any potential liability risk to the Board.
“While I am not happy to be paying the bill at a significantly higher rate than could have been acquired through competitive bidding, given new information, I believe it is the right thing to do in order to avoid any further negative consequences to our constituents and their tax dollars.
“For all these reasons, I will be voting to approve the Compass Minerals bill in its entirety, and I encourage you to do the same.”
There was no State’s Attorney decision on this matter
The error made was corrected so to state there was an ‘attempt” to correct it is a lie.
There is no need for precedent on the matter as there was no criminal violation as confirmed by the authorities
There is no existing or future consequence of Gasser’s mistake because the initial mistake was, in fact, corrected. The future consequence of this event lies solely on the board who refused to pay a bill for a properly awarded contract.
The bill was for salt that was properly bid so to imply the rate was not established through competitive bidding is simply false.
We believe Trustee Lawrence should resign as it clearly appears she has a problem with the truth.
. Our work is funded entirely thru donations and we ask that you consider donating at the below link.
