2 Veterans Force 102 Corrupt Officials to Resign, Place Entire Local Board Under Citizen’s Arrest

[jerry]

X-auGSmiVJ4

Illinois residents John Kraft and Kirk Allen, who run an anti-corruption non-profit called the Edgar County Watchdogs, have waged a campaign against crooked public officials over the past two years, forcing resignations from 102 bureaucrats and politicians and at one point placing an entire park district board under citizen’s arrest.

With four former governors having served time behind bars, Illinois’ government is widely-viewed as being riddled with corruption. However, according to a recent expose by Forbes, two military veterans in Edgar County have begun to fight back and, in just under two years, have drastically cleaned up corruption in their community.

[A Voice from the Mountains]

This is great. This video made my day.

Thanks for posting. :yo:

I just wish that it showed them all being put into handcuffs and hauled off for booking, especially the "lawyer."

[jerry]

If we could just get someone to enact this on congress we could have the change Obama promised

[A Voice from the Mountains]

I found an article on a website with more information:


Board attorney Kate Yargus could be heard on You Tube video saying there would be no public comment that night, and told the board members they were "free to go," even after Kraft's citizen's arrest announcement.

Yargus declined formal comment on the matter, citing a pending lawsuit filed by Kraft's partner at Illinois Leaks, Kirk Allen. But in an emailed statement to NBC 5, she said, "There is clear precedent in Illinois for resolving these matters, and the board has followed it. Aside from that, the issue is moot."

Clark County Sheriff Jerry Parsley personally responded to the scene that night, because he knew it was a heated situation. He told the BGA that Kraft handled the citizen's arrest responsibly, and the board was definitely in violation of the Open Meetings Act by not allowing the public to speak.

"It's not that they should have. They're mandated to," Parsley said. "The people need to have their voice. It's not a dictatorship. It's a democracy."

Allen's lawsuit calls for the board to create an Open Meetings Act policy, and pay Illinois Leaks' court costs -- a little more than $400.

That lawsuit could be settled soon. Last week, the board adopted an Open Meetings Act policy, allowing up to 30 minutes of public comment at future meetings, and a vote on court costs could come Thursday night.

Allen said the lawsuit was necessary, and both he and Kraft say since an Open Meetings Act violation is technically a misdemeanor, they'd welcome criminal charges against the board as well, although he admits it's unlikely.

"Sooner or later, we've got to start enforcing our laws," Allen said.

Wallace said he knew the board should have allowed public comment at the time, but didn't speak up, because he knew he didn't the votes to support it.

"You have 30 people, they just sat outside executive session for more than two hours, and you're not gonna allow them to talk? What a slap in the face," Wallace said.

Wallace said taxpayers don't deserve to pay for the board's mistakes.

"There's no way in hell I'm gonna take taxpayer money and pay for this," Wallace said. "Personally, I think our attorney should pay for this. She is legal counsel, and she should know you have to allow public comment."


http://www.nbcchicago.com/investigations/Entire-Park-District-Board-Placed-Under-Citizens-Arrest-264660331.html

[ghostrider]

We need to remove ALL corruption from our government , kudos to them for starting it at the local level , maybe it will catch fire and spread to every state , then to D.C. maybe then we could have a true golden age ...