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News :: Elections & Legislation |
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Republican Scofflaws Illegally Exploit Public Property |
Current rating: 0 |
by ML
(No verified email address) |
05 Nov 2002
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Overnight, before today's election, Republican candidates Tim Johnson, Tom Berns, and Rick Winkel executed a carefully planned operation to invade the public right of way and park district property for partisan political purposes by erecting hundreds of their political signs in Urbana. |
While it is unclear to this correspondent whether this operation extends beyond Urbana (please post other sightings below as comments) it is clear that these Republican candidates, Tim Johnson, Tom Berns, and Rick Winkel, conspired to violate the laws against political or other signage on public right of ways, park district property and other public and private property.
Hundreds of newly minted signs by these candidates, urging voters to vote today, appeared at four-way stops, outside of factories, and at T-intersections all over Urbana. Since this group of candidates includes two lawyers and an engineer who has had extensive experience (via sweetheart contracts) with public property, there is no way that these bums can claim ignorance of the law. Given the tight, almost cult-like local Republican organization, there is also no way that this was an innocent mistake by a few over-eager volunteers. Such illicit activites call into question the qualifications of these people to stand for office and govern.
I saw not one sign for Democratic or Green candidates in violation.
Complaints may be called into the City of Urbana legal division at 384-2464, which reports that they are already in discussion about what to do about this unethical violation of the law.
Complaints about such signage on Urbana Park District property may be called into the admin offices at 367-1536.
You are encopuraged to document these illegal practices by commenting here. |
Comments
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Professor Emeritus |
by Morton K. Brussel
brussel (nospam) uiuc.edu (verified) |
Current rating: 0
05 Nov 2002
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I was aghast and irritated to see signs for Berns and Johnson all up and down Vine Street in Urbana. It is an outrageous action on the part of their supporters on election day.. |
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Triffids |
by Jim B
jbuell (nospam) prairienet.org (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
05 Nov 2002
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They're like triffids - all over the damn place. I saw about a quarter mile's worth of them this morning on Windsor, across from Meadowbrook, as I was putting up Estabrook signs at polling places. Tons on Florida as well. I'm thinking our campaign may just have been materially harmed by this blatantly illegal stunt ... unless maybe folks are smart enough to see through it, and vote for Carl as a form of revenge :)?)
I did call the city legal department just now to register a complaint. They asked where I'd seen the signs. "Right outside your building, among other places," I had to answer.
BTW, records on the Federal Elections Commission website indicate that Johnson's campaign purchased a couple thousand dollars' worth of campaign signs from a Peoria firm earlier this fall. Not sure if these are the same ones, but we had been wondering why we hadn't seen any 'til now ... |
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In Champaign? |
by mediageek
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
05 Nov 2002
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At my polling place in Champaign it seemed like there were a ton more Republicant signs than any others, though I didn't pay too much attention. The property is mostly private around there (400 block of W. Clark), and the Republicant signs were overwhelming.
I thought the City of Champaign was cracking down on illegal posting. How many fines will go to Timmy J, Dick Wrinkle and company?
I'll see if I can't snap some pics on my way home tonight. |
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Grumpy |
by jay
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
05 Nov 2002
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Yuck! I just got home to find a johnson/berns sign in front of my house! Thanks for posting the phone numbers. |
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Call And Register Your Complaint |
by Meridith
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
05 Nov 2002
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Yes- these signs were everywhere- Champaign and Urbana-
I just called the City of Urbana Legal Division - the
woman who answered took my name and phone and said an
attorney would be calling me back - I encourage others
to hold Berns, Winkel, and Johnson accountable through
this means - and whatever other ways we can... their
signs were a disgusting invasion of public space. |
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Grumpy |
by jay
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
05 Nov 2002
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Yuck! I just got home to find a johnson/berns sign in front of my house! Thanks for posting the phone numbers. |
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The Arrogance Of Privilege And Incumbency |
by ML
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
05 Nov 2002
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When I traveled to the U of I campus this afternoon, I saw evidence that Johnson/Berns signs had been posted on state property there. Enraged citizens had already trashed the tawdry evidence of Republican disregard for law, as they lay about akimbo on state property on the south side of Green St. between the Student Union and Natural History buildings.
This troubling pattern of disregard for the law should make citizens wonder. If these men, who claim obedience to law and order as one of their claimed highest priorities, have such blatant, brazen disregard for the law in public, what malfeasance do they tolerate in the privacy of their smoky back rooms? Surely, someone who would pick your pocket in public is capable of almost any crime when they think they won't be observed. This kind of unethical behavior should warrant a trip to the jail, instead of to DC or Springfield. |
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The Republicans Admit It |
by mediageek
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
05 Nov 2002
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Just a moment ago on AM 580 the Chair of the Champaign Co. Republicans admitted to putting out hundreds of signs last night, after being asked about it. No mention of _where_ the signs were put. |
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Champaign Laws |
by Brian Mertz
mertz (nospam) wiseoldman.org (unverified) |
Current rating: 3
05 Nov 2002
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i know many here are in Urbana, but for anyone living in Champaign, or observing the three "wise" men's posters, this is useful
section 3-17 of the Champaign City Municipal Code reads as follows:
Sec. 3-17. Signs, etc., prohibited except where expressly authorized by law.
(a) No placard, poster, circular, showbill, handbill, card, leaflet, sign, or other advertising matter whatsoever shall be placed, posted, nailed, painted, printed, stamped, or in any way be attached, on any street or sidewalk, or upon any fence, wall, post, tree, platform tower, telegraph pole, telephone pole, electric light pole, or other utility pole or tower or in or upon any easement, right-of-way, or on property owned, managed or controlled by the City except where permitted by law.
(b) No person shall post any bill or advertisement on any private property without the written consent of the owner thereof.
in addition, if any of the good ol' boys try to claim that it was just their campaign supporters putting it up, section 3-16 provides:
The name or part of the name of any person appearing on any bill, billboard, placard or other advertisement, or the fact that the goods, wares, merchandise or business of any person are advertised by such bill, billboard, placard or advertisement, shall be prima facie evidence of its presence there by authority or with the knowledge of such person.
anyhow... press your claims with the city of champaign. i'm sure they wouldn't hesitate to heave the $400 per flyer fine on a band playing at the IMC. lets see if they'll do it here. there were at least 10 berns posters on the right side of prospect avenue as you headed north over the expressway if anyone needs an explict example.
brian mertz
university of illinois college of law
class of 2004 |
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Considering |
by ML
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
06 Nov 2002
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Considering how Champaign City officials have threatened many organizations and businesses with $400 fines per posting for even innocently or mistaken illegal posting, I expect Champaign to rake in a rather large sum from these Republican scofflaws for the obviously premeditated and massive law-breaking they engaged in today.
Or maybe that's far too much to expect of Champaign.
We'll see. |
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Cry, Cry, Cry |
by Harold Green
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 1
06 Nov 2002
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Children,
Get over the signs. You provide no threat to our lovely GOP candidates. Besides, your candidate, Estabrook, got hammered yesterday. I thought he would do better than, what, 2 percent? It's a shame. Meanwhile, let's send the Republicans off to Congress with smiles on our faces.
Welcome to the NEW United States. Trifecta!
Cheers |
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. |
by .
. (unverified) |
Current rating: 6
06 Nov 2002
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Final election results
117 Precincts reporting out of 117 Precincts - 1:36 A.M.
Illinois Governor
Winner Democrat: Rod Blagojevich
Republican: Jim Ryan
Libertarian: Cal Skinner
U.S. Senate
Winner Democrat: Dick Durbin
Republican: Jim Durkin
U.S. House of Representatives
Democrat: Josh Hartke
Winner Republican: Tim Johnson
Green Party: Carl Estabrook
State Senate
18,010 Democrat: Dan McCollum
17,963 Republican: Rick Winkel
State Representative
13,562
Winner Democrat: Naomi Jakobsson
12,073 Republican: Tom Berns
County Clerk
Democrat: Paul Faraci
Winner Republican: Mark Shelden
Attorney General
Winner Democrat: Lisa Madigan
Republican: Joe Birkett
Secretary of State
Winner Democrat: Jesse White
Republican: Kristine O'Rourke Cohn
Libertarian: Matt Beauchamp
Comptroller
Winner Democrat: Daniel W. Hynes
Republican: Thomas Jefferson Ramsdell
Libertarian: Julie Fox
State Treasurer
Democrat: Thomas J. Dart
Winner Republican: Judy Baar Topinka
Libertarian: Rhys Read
Referendum for $20 million general obligation bond issuance for construction of new 243-bed nursing home
32,749 Yes
18,298 No
Referendum for .03 percent maintenance tax for nursing home
29,377 Yes
21,694 No |
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News-Gazette Covers Illegal Republicant Signage |
by mediageek
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
06 Nov 2002
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There's an article in today's News-Gazette: "Roadsides rife with illegal signs" ( http://www.newsgazette.com/story.cfm?Number=12653 ).
In the article, the City of Champaign's Zoning Administrator says that the $400 fine applies only if the City's staff has to take down the signs.
How many are left today? |
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N-g Scooped... |
by sascha
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
06 Nov 2002
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i guess that means the News-Gazette got scooped by Indymedia... |
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N-g Scooped... |
by sascha
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
06 Nov 2002
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i guess that means the News-Gazette got scooped by Indymedia... |
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Still Plenty Of Signs Up -- Lawbreaking Politicans On Notice |
by ML
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
07 Nov 2002
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There are still plenty of those damn Johnson/Berns signs up today in Urbana. I still counted 7 or 8 at the corner of Lierman and Washington in Urbana. Since these candidates likely went right by these illegeally posted signs to observe ballot counting at the Brookens Admin Building on election night, they must have seen them then, even if they have pretended that "overeager volunteers" put them up without their knowledge. There were still two or three signs for these ne'er-do-wells posted at University and Broadway at 12:15pm today, also.
This evening I noted another one of the Johnson/Berns signs on the southwest corner of Vine and Illinois, catty-cornered across from the Urbana city building complex. Yet Urbana's legal division has taken a hands off approach to powerful politicans breaking the law on election day.
I guess that means that the law is suspended on election day, so go ahead and rob a bank or whatever -- it's OK with the city. After all, it's election day.
Next election, given the city's "take care of it yourself" attitude to law enforcement, citizens will simply have to take the law into their own hands. Thus, citizens should gather up the systematically illegally-posted signs. We should form teams to follow the lawbreakers around, picking up the signs as fast as they are illegally posted. Maybe they will even be able to get the license numbers of the offenders and report these litterbugs to the police, so they can be caught in the act. After the illegally posted signs are gathered as evidence, since the city thinks the law is too expensive to enforce on election day, surely they won't mind disposing of hundreds of these signs that citizens will dump in front of city hall.
You've been warned, scofflaws. |
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