Chicago, IL – The Illinois Appellate Court has tossed mayoral frontrunner Rahm Emanuel off the ballot, reversing the decision of a lower court.
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The Appellate Court reached a 2-1 decision to remove Emanuel.
Appellate judges Thomas Hoffman and Shelvin Louise Marie Hall ruled against Emanuel. Justice Bertina Lampkin voted in favor of keeping President Obama’s former chief of staff on the Feb. 22 ballot.
“It’s a surprise,” said Kevin Forde, the attorney who argued on Emanuel’s behalf.
In today’s ruling, Hoffman wrote: “We … order that the candidate’s name be excluded (or if, necessary, be removed) from the ballot from Chicago’s Feb. 22, 2011.”
Opponents have been trying to get Emanuel removed on the grounds that he did not reside in Chicago for a year before the upcoming February election. He moved to Washington, D.C., two years ago to work for President Barack Obama.
A hearing officer, the full Chicago Board of Elections, and a Cook County Circuit Court judge ruled earlier that Emanuel is eligible to run for mayor.
Illinois state law says a candidate for mayor is required to have lived in the municipality where he is running for at least one year prior to the election. But exceptions are made for national service. Attorney Burton Odelson, who led the charge to get Emanuel removed, argued that “national service” would only apply to military service, not serving in the White House as Emanuel did.
But Emanuel’s legal team has argued that he always intended to return to Chicago, noting that he maintained ownership of his Ravenswood home.
In ruling in favor of Emanuel earlier this month, Cook County Circuit Court Associate Judge Mark Ballard agreed that Emanuel kept his residency in Chicago, ruling that “it didn’t matter” that he went to D.C. to work for Obama.
A recent poll showed Emanuel leading the pack of mayoral candidates with 44 percent support, compared with 21 percent for Carol Moseley Braun, 16 percent for Gery Chico, 7 percent for Miguel del Valle, and 9 percent are undecided.
Emanuel has also received the support of heavy-hitters such as former President Bill Clinton.
A lawyer for Rahm Emanuel says the former White House chief of staff will appeal a ruling that says his name can’t appear on the ballot for Chicago mayor.
Mike Kasper said on Monday that they will take the case to the Illinois Supreme Court.
Hip.. Hip.. Hooray!
While I’m no support of Emanuel, this is a disgrace. Serving as the President’s Chief of Staff is not “National Service”? This sounds like some sour judges looking for a reason to keep him off the ballot. It is an absolute disgrace…. but that’s Chicago politics for you… one big disgrace.
Good, so the bully wont get his way
lol, but jimmy mcmillan can run for pres.
I would laugh about this, but Chicagoans would elect Carol Mosley Braun instead of Rahm Emanuel?!?!?!?!? She’s in second place in polling, how messed up is Chicago?!?!?!?!?
They will have to find some other job for him.
As Rahm said, “never let a crises go to waste…”
This MUST be Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck, and Shaun Hannitiy’s fault!!
Definitly!!
NO?? LOL
I’m not upset that this happened; Rahm Emanuel would intimidate, browbeat, and harass opponents. Also, he used profane language repeatedly, which usually is reserved for truck drivers. Even at a journalists annual “roast”, Obama took note of Emanual’s colorful language.
Where did he file tax returns?? Did he file in Illinois and claim a credit for DC taxes? If so, his tax residency was Ill. If not, thats a strike against him.
I just read the decision incuding the lone dissentors opionin. The dissentor has it right. THere must have been a political reason for the two judges to knock him out. He should quickly appeal and I believe strongly he will win.
Gee Chicago without someone named Daley running the show, how can that be?
Rahm has just as much a right to run for Mayor as any other citizen of that city. Period. If the voters don’t like him, they won’t vote him in. What’s wrong with following the will of the people for a change? Why does a judge need to impose his political views on everyone else?
He could always run for mayor of gaza city ,gazastan. I am sure he will do quite well there especially with leftist isreali financial support.And there is no residency requirement -since most of the terrorists there are always on the run never sleeping 2 nites in a row anywhere !
i suppose he fiquerd if obama who seems to be inelligable to become pres. has gotten over that barrior then laws are just there to be avoided.i do hope he finds some positive occupation although the word positive seems a remote concept to this dude.i’d hate to see him back in israel.