Rahm Emmanuel Disqualified In Chicago's Mayoral Election!

Just days ago, Rahm Emanuel seemed to be steamrolling the entire field of candidates for Chicago mayor. He had millions in the bank, a huge lead in the polls and abundant opportunities to show off his influence, including meeting with the visiting Chinese president.

But on Monday, the former White House chief of staff was waging a desperate bid to keep his campaign alive after an Illinois appeals court kicked him off the ballot for not meeting a residency requirement. The surprise decision threw the race into disarray with less than a month to go.

Emanuel's lawyers quickly sought help from the Illinois Supreme Court, asking the justices to stay the appellate ruling and to hear an appeal as soon as possible. But time was running short, since the Chicago Board of Elections planned to begin printing ballots without Emanuel's name within days.

"I have no doubt that we will in the end prevail at this effort. This is just one turn in the road," Emanuel said, adding that the "people of the city of Chicago deserve the right to make the decision on who they want to be their next mayor."

Emanuel's rivals, who have been overshadowed by his name recognition and deep pockets, immediately sought to take advantage of the threat to his candidacy, asking voters to take another look at their campaigns.

The three members of the appeals court panel, all fellow Democrats, ruled 2-1 to overturn a lower-court ruling that would have kept his name on the Feb. 22 ballot. Early voting was set to begin in just a week, on Jan. 31. And absentee ballots were scheduled to be sent out in days.

The election board chairman, Langdon Neal, said there wasn't much time left to print ballots. Early voting was set to begin in just a week, on Jan. 31.

The residency questions have dogged Emanuel ever since he announced his candidacy last fall. Those challenging Emanuel have argued that he does not meet the one-year residency requirement because he rented out his Chicago home and moved his family to Washington to work for President Barack Obama for nearly two years.

Emanuel has said he always intended to return to Chicago and was only living in Washington at the request of the president. He moved back to Chicago in October after he quit working for Obama to campaign full-time for mayor.

Emanuel is one of several candidates vying to replace Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, who did not seek a seventh term.

The Chicago Board of Elections and a Cook County judge have both ruled in favor of Emanuel, a former congressman, saying he did not abandon his Chicago residency when he went to work at the White House.

Before Monday's ruling, the attorney who represents two voters objecting to Emanuel's candidacy had little luck trying to keep him off the ballot.

"Have I stood down at all? No, I've been confident all along because that's the law," Attorney Burt Odelson said Monday. He said he welcomed a hearing by the state Supreme Court.

Emanuel's three main rivals — former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun, former schools President Gery Chico and City Clerk Miguel del Valle — have been critical of him during the race, calling him an outsider who doesn't know Chicago.

Monday's decision had the potential to reset the race, and the candidates seized the moment to ask for votes.

"I'm extending a hand of friendship to all the Chicagoans who have been supporting Mr. Emanuel and all those who haven't made their minds up yet," Braun said.

Del Valle said Monday's court decision bodes well for the other candidates and voters who may have thought the race was a foregone conclusion because Emanuel had raised so much money.

"Now voters see there's an opportunity to look at the field and give candidates either a second look or in some cases a first look. People are going to pay more attention to the other candidates," del Valle said.

Emanuel appeared to get a big boost last week when his campaign announced he raised more than $10 million and was endorsed by former President Bill Clinton during an event in Chicago.

A Chicago Tribune/WGN poll also released last week showed Emanuel with the support of 44 percent of those surveyed. The same poll found 21 percent of registered voters questioned preferred Braun. Sixteen percent favored Chico and 7 percent supported del Valle.

Sara Grosby, 58, said she was shocked by the court ruling. She was leaning toward voting for Emanuel, but now must reconsider the other candidates.

"In my opinion, he already was a civil servant, working for Obama. I would think the court could cut him some slack," said Grosby, an aviation security worker at O'Hare Airport.
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Associated Press writers Don Babwin, Karen Hawkins, Tammy Webber, Sophia Tareen and Michael Tarm contributed to this report.

© 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


Comment:

If any Chicagoans are breathing a sigh of relief, I wouldn't. Just look who we're talking about. Former Chief-Of-Staff and good buddy of King Kongo Obongo. If there is any way to get around this, he'll find it. And if he can't find a way, he'll make a way somehow. After all, he's wealthy, influential, Jewish, and a personal friend of many Israeli government officials. If there's any way in hell to do it, he'll get on that ballot.

Even if he doesn't, he can still run as a write-in. You think write-ins never win major elections? Tell that to Alaska!

Besides, as one of "The Chosen", he probably feels that the law doesn't apply to him, just us inferior Gentiles. Putting Emmanuel in the mayor's office will be just one more nail in America's coffin. However, Chicago's White Working Class will naturally suffer the most, as usual.

Comrades, I'll bet cash money on this. Emmanuel isn't through. He's got the influence and the money to win this election, ballot or no ballot. Decent White Chicagoans have a Goliath to slay. Disclaimer: I meant politically, not literally!

I realise most of us have no faith left in our political system - especially voting. But if there is anything we can legally do to keep this enemy of the Aryan Folk out of office, then we should do it. Register as a National Socialist and vote against Emmanuel. We must show ZOG that we mean business now. We're no longer just going to sit about and bitch and complain, and do little else. We're going to start voting against these traitors, and more importantly, start running our own candidates in 2012. BTW, don't forget, if there is a National Socialist candidate running in your area, you can't vote for him or her if you aren't registered.

FYI, not registering will NOT keep you off the jury duty selection list. Also, at least in California, jury duty lists are no longer drawn from voter registration. This was done so that people will not fear being called for jury duty if they do register. Check your county's registrar of voters to find out if jury duty lists are drawn from voter registration in your state.