Here is what is wife, Dainne Miller wrote:
Hey everyone!
Robert has decided to appeal the Election Board hearing decision in McHenry County.
It hasn’t been an easy decision.
He wants to be your voice on the Crystal Lake City Council but the cost of appealing the decision is HUGE. We aren’t rich people.
We live in a small home in Crystal Vista and drive vehicles that are over 10 years old.
Cathy Ferguson
The real reason Hopkins, Brady and Ferguson challenged Robert was to eliminate the competition and automatically be re-elected to another 4 years on the City Council.No need for them to run a campaign or debate the issues.
No costs of a campaign either (other than paying their attorney for the hearing).
The cost of Robert appealing the decision will be between $5,000 and $7,000.
Ellen Brady
ROBERT NEEDS YOUR HELP TO GET BACK ON THE BALLOT!
We have started a Go Fund Me Campaign.
The blatant abuse of the electoral process in Crystal Lake MUST STOP!
If you want a choice on the ballot this spring, please consider making a contribution.
Click on the link:
https://www.gofundme.com/keep-robert-miller-on-the-ballot
Brett Hopkins
THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
People file election petition challenges for the obvious reason of getting opponents off the ballot.
Another reason, however, is to drain them of resources that otherwise might be spent campaigning for office.
Do you have an attorney to handle the appeal and your legal issues?
If so, who?
I don’t know if there are any cases on what to do if the clerk’s office is closed for weather on the last day of filing.
Could be an interesting case.
A good question would be if the McHenry County Government Center gave grace periods for Court dates , back property taxes, fee’s and Court fines due on the day after the closure due to inclement weather.
Also, it’s the County that’s responsible for filing for political office not the City of Crystal Lake and I would say that would be the deciding factor in this issue.
Lastly, if these challenging Council members were given pro bono representation at this hearing by the law firm which employ’s the Mayor’s wife while Mr. Miller was left scrambling due to notification over a weekend and unable to secure one in such short time or one who didn’t have a “conflict of interest” I think voters would be highly suspicious that based off of this and previous rulings against potential candidates in past elections that they ( City of Crystal Lake) are deeply in collusion and hiding something that will unravel if a “insider” were to lose and a spotlight shown on the activities going on out of the voters view !
Just my opinion but based on the above actions is leading me, in my opinion, to the conclusion that something unethical at the least is going on at City Hall and likely more to involve Illinois and Federal Criminal code violations.
We’ll have to wait and see as I’ll be writing Mr. Miller’s name in if necessary on the ballot but this should be a easy appeal in a non conflict of interest setting.
Erik M – Hopefully some of the questions you raised will get answered. I did a FOIA request with the city yesterday. I requested copies of ALL the costs associated with the Election Board Hearing. Pre-hearing, during the hearing and after the hearing. I also requested the cost of the attorney for Hopkins, Brady and Ferguson.
Here is the request:
I am requesting copies of ALL of the costs associated with the December 10, 2018 ELECTION BOARD HEARING that was held at City Hall in Crystal Lake, IL at 7:30pm. Including but not limited to costs for the following:
1. Costs for use of all rooms pre-hearing, during the hearing and post-hearing
2. Pay for Police Officer that was in attendance
3. Pay for City employees pre-hearing, during the hearing and post-hearing
4. Court Reporter Costs, time and travel
5. Cost of transcripts
6. Cost of Election Board Attorney – pre-hearing, during the hearing and post-hearing
7. Cost of all mailings and copies made
8. Cost of official public notices ie: newspapers, city website
9. Cost of attorney for Hopkins, Ferguson and Brady
10. and any other costs relating to the Electoral Board Hearing on December 10, 2018 not noted above
The costs of this frivolous, self serving challenge were paid for by ALL OF US and the total amount needs to be known!! Maybe WE should be reimbursed by Hopkins, Brady and Ferguson if Robert wins his appeal?
During the hearing Robert’s statement included the fact that Mayor Shepley’s wife works for the same law firm that represented Hopkins, Brady and Ferguson and he said that Mayor Shepley should recuse himself, but didn’t request that he do so.
The look on Mayor Shepley’s face was like a deer in the headlights.
The official minutes from the hearing aren’t available yet.
We are investigating the timeliness of this – it’s been four days since the hearing – it shouldn’t take this long for minutes to be prepared!
Robert is seriously considering a write in campaign should his appeal to McHenry County fail.
This funny enough for a show on Comedy Central.
Is it too late to file as a Write-in candidate?
If not, go for that.
You cannot wait til the last minute to file because things go wrong.
I don’t think it’s legal for a County Clerk to change dates on official legal documents. And she’s a lawyer?
I’ve begged the White House and the CDC, to build a wall around Illinois, to keep you goobers from infecting the rest of the country.
**I also requested the cost of the attorney for Hopkins, Brady and Ferguson.**
Huh? That’s not FOIAable, unless they used public funds, which I am sure they did not.
**Maybe WE should be reimbursed by Hopkins, Brady and Ferguson if Robert wins his appeal?**
EYEROLL – that’s not how the system works. People win, and lose, petition challenges all the time. Unless, of course, you believe if you lose you should also reimburse the City for the costs?
**Robert is seriously considering a write in campaign should his appeal to McHenry County fail.**
Good luck with that. And if you don’t have the money to pay for the legal costs to get on the ballot, you definitely don’t have the money to run an effective write-in campaign.
Look – I get that you’re mad.
But going after the cost of the hearing – which is a standard part of the process – seems pretty silly.
Fight your appeal in court, and maybe you’ll win. The courts tend to land on the side of ballot access, so you have a decent chance.
But you won’t win any fight by claiming that the hearing costs too much money.
**if these challenging Council members were given pro bono representation **
If they received pro bono representation, that would be an in-kind contribution and must be reported to the election board.
**likely more to involve Illinois and Federal Criminal code violations.**
Specifics, please. If you’re going to make such accusations, you should probably back them up.
What specific state and federal criminal code violations have occurred?
In-kind contributions do not have to be reported unless mover than $5,000 is spent on a campaign.
Unlikely in this instance.
Is he related to Bobby ‘The Disneyland Ripp-Off Artist” Miller?
He says not.
That’s the reason for the middle initial and using the first name of Robert, rather than Bob.
The rejection of Mr. Miller’s petition by these sitting council members and Mayor bolsters my decision to shop ANYWHERE but in Crustal Lake where the city sales tax is collected.
too many Bob Millers, maybe they confused the two of them
Happy to be the 1st to donate to Mr. Robert Miller for City Council.
From the 2019 Candidate Guide published by the State Board of Elections, page 20:
“Candidates are advised to file their receipt at the same time they file their nominating petitions. While the receipt need not accompany the nominating petitions at the time of filing, it must be filed no later than 5:00 p.m. on the last day on which nomination papers may be filed for the office for which the candidate is seeking. e Election Code is mandatory as to the requirement to file the Statement of Economic Interests.”
KnownExtremist:
Do you know what else is mandatory?
Keeping the Clerk’s office open so people can comply with the election code.
‘Erik M’ post hits the nail on the head! Read it as its well written and spot on.
‘Alabama Shakes’ = Aaron Shepley
‘Erik M’ brings up some great points. ‘Alabama Shakes’ = Aaron Shepley