Outlawyered

Note to Ops: When submitting your petitions to the controlling authority for approval, make sure you followed the law down to the last letter when you present the paperwork. If not, your solicitation will likely be challenged and rejected.

Is your LakeCountyEye referring to election ballot nominating petitions? Haha, of course not. Your LakeCountyEye is referring to search warrants for wiretap evidence:

An Illinois appellate court has upheld a Lake County Circuit Court ruling that evidence from telephone wiretaps used in a large-scale street gang racketeering operation in Lake County cannot be used against the defendants.
'This destroys their case': Wiretap evidence banned in 2014 racketeering court proceedings, appeals panel rules

It goes without saying that every monumental screw up is just a fancy name for a learning experience. Even one produced by the Lake County State's Attorney office.

In response, one fake spokesman for lameduck State Rep David McSweeney said he is working on legislation that would: "add five years to the sentence of any case that was thrown out because Lake County State's Attorney Michael Nerheim did not obtain a proper search warrant."

Your LakeCountyEye will keep you apprised when further developments warrant.

Meeting to Help Candidates Get on the Ballot

On Monday, November 18, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM, area Democrats are invited to attend a meeting -- Notary Night, Legal Look-over, and Petition Collection -- for Democratic activists, candidates, and precinct committeepeople to bring in petitions to be notarized, checked and/or turned in. At the Lake County Federation of Teachers Hall, 248 Ambrogio Drive, Gurnee, Illinois, notaries public will be on hand, as well as lawyers who can check petitions. People can also turn in their notarized petitions that are ready for Democratic candidates.

Even if they don't have petitions, Democrats interested in taking a more active role in the 2020 elections are invited. It will be grassroots politics in action. They can chat with like-minded Democrats and hear a little bit about what it takes to be a precinct committeeperson or grassroots activist. Getting candidates on the ballot is crucial for electing more Democrats; having valid petitions is an important early step.

The Notary Night, Legal Look-over, and Petition Collection meeting is sponsored by Tenth Dems, Sixth Dems, Fourteenth Dems, and Lake County Democrats.

Why They Call It Practicing Law

It has come to your LakeCountyEye's attention that you cannot eavesdrop on someone's phone call without first obtaining a proper search warrant. Who knew?

Not the Lake County State's Attorney, apparently.

A 2014 Lake County RICO case that resulted in 27 gang arrests was effectively thrown out by an Illinois court. The Court ruled that State's Attorney Michael Nerheim improperly secured search warrants for wiretap evidence:

"We affirm the trial court's suppression of the evidence derived from the wiretaps on the ground that the (state's attorney's) office simply failed to comply with Article 108B of the Code of Criminal Procedure," the appellate court's written ruling states.
'This destroys their case': Wiretap evidence banned in 2014 racketeering court proceedings, appeals panel rules

One reasonable facsimile of a spokesman said:  "When Michael Nerheim ran in 2016 he said he would put end to all of the wrongful convictions coming out of the Lake County State's Attorney office.  Well Michael Nerheim is making good on that promise. By hook or by crook."

Your LakeCountyEye will keep you apprised when further developments warrant.

Domestic Violence in Our Back Yard

Adlai Stevenson Center on Democracy

Pat Davenport, CEO and Executive Director of A Safe Place will discuss issues related to domestic violence and how her organization is working to address and end the problem.

• Sunday
  November 17 2019
  2:00 pm
• The Stevenson Center on Democracy
  25200 N St Mary's Rd
  Mettawa (Libertyville), IL 60048
  773-281-0378
• $15
  (Students Free)

Run On Sentences

It's a good thing that ducks have no teeth because for lameduck State Rep David McSweeney the toothpaste is out of the tube.

Everybody knows that battery charges were filed this week against Lake County Ex-Sheriff Mark Curran:

Radio host William Kelly claims battery in confrontation with former Lake County sheriff Mark Curran at GOP U.S. Senate endorsement event

And David McSweeney -- who is expected to run for US Senate in 2022 -- no doubt is working on legislation that would bring back the death penalty for former elected officials who are convicted of battery.

One non-spokesman said: "And anyone acquitted of battery gets an automatic five years added to his sentence."

Your LakeCountyEye will keep you apprised when further developments warrant.

The Fightin' Irish

You don't need to be from Lake County to know that politics is a contact sport. But it doesn't hurt:

A criminal complaint for battery has been filed against former Lake County Sheriff and current Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mark Curran following an incident caught on video Saturday at the Lake County Republican office in Grayslake, involving Curran's U.S. Senate opponent, William Kelly.
William Kelly Files Battery Complaint Against Mark Curran: Video

Likely, the complaint will go to the Lake County State's Attorney Office for review. Where the State's Attorney Office is expected to file murder charges against William Kelly.

One ersatz spokesman said, "Illinois law allows the State's Attorney to file these charges. Anyone can be charged and convicted of first-degree murder even if he never pulled a trigger."

Your LakeCountyEye will keep you apprised when further developments warrant.

Push Pol

Now that Daylight Savings Time is a thing of the past, this would be a good time to charge your batteries.

2020 Primary Checklist Does Your Battery Generate ...

Alternating Current?

Direct Current?

Mark Curran?

Haha, former Lake County Sheriff and current candidate for US Senate, Mark Curran, has been accused of battery. A fellow US Senate candidate, William Kelly, has filed criminal battery charges against Curran:

A criminal complaint for battery has been filed against former Lake County Sheriff and current Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mark Curran following an incident caught on video Saturday at the Lake County Republican office in Grayslake, involving Curran's U.S. Senate opponent, William Kelly.
William Kelly Files Battery Complaint Against Mark Curran: Video


The news release adds that an "unhinged Curran then grabs Kelly roughly by both shoulders and shoves him across the room to the door."
William Kelly Files Battery Complaint Against Mark Curran: Video

Note to Ops: Politics ain't beanbag.

Capitol Punishment

If David "Red Meat" McSweeney had a middle name that would be Red Meat. The Lameduck Lake County State Rep cooked up some more red meat for his supporters.  McSweeney says his colleagues in the Statehouse should be sent to the Bighouse:

Suburban Republican proposes penalty enhancements for elected officials convicted of crimes

This comes on the heels of a copycat law floated by McSweeney to reinstate the death penalty:

McSweeney wants to bring back the death penalty

One erstwhile political expert said:  "If there is any surefire way to keep your enemies off the ballot, that would be capital punishment."

Your LakeCountyEye will keep you apprised when further developments warrant.

Beantown

The village of Round Lake Park (pop 7,505) has a new cannon in their arsenal. By the time you read this, officers of the Round Lake Park police ...

will have been trained and certified on the use of shotguns that fire bean bags to be used in certain situations to stop rather than kill a person.
Bean bag shotguns provide alternative to lethal force for Round Lake Park police

One law enforcement spokesman impersonator said: "Absolutely, you could call these firearms para-military crowd-control weapons. But, no, I wouldn't call them beaners."

That's all your LakeCountyEye has. Don't hit your bean on the way out.

Message of the Day – A Tee Shirt

Today's inspirational chest-message comes courtesy of the McHenryCountyBlog:

[H/T] McHenryCountyBlog

Up next:

McHenry County Götterdämmerung ...

Join us at the Shores of Turtle Creek for a night of food, 25 + gun giveaways and camaraderie with like-minded people. Look forward to bonus door prizes, a designated cigar section, and a venue that is surrounded by the gorgeous nature of Spring Grove, IL.

Death and Tackiness

Note to Ops: Short your Instagram stock. The Illinois Supreme Court says revenge porn is not protected by the First Amendment:

Revenge porn isn't protected free speech, Illinois Supreme Court rules

Not soon after the ruling, Lameduck State Rep David McSweeney said the Illinois death penalty should be reinstated:

Lawmaker files legislation to reinstate death penalty in Illinois

Law Enforcement Officials warn that McSweeney's proposal is an overreaction: "Sure, who hasn't taken a nude selfie?  But we don't need a capital punishment law to keep these off the Internet."

Your LakeCountyEye will keep you apprised when further developments warrant.

Busy Brains is Popping Up

Busy Brains Children's Museum

Death and Traffics

Your LakeCountyEye encourages Operatives to pass along this simple travel tip:

The safest way to livestream while driving is with red-light-cameras.

But if Lame Duck State Rep David McSweeney gets his way, all Lake County roads will be less safe.  McSweeney wants to eliminate red light cameras:

Leading in the push for a statewide ban on the devices is state Rep. David McSweeney, R-Barrington Hills, who said the cameras do little more than generate money for local governments.
More call for statewide elimination of photo-enforced traffic lights

A deer-in-the-headlight would be no match for McSweeney, he also wants to reinstate the death penalty in Illinois:

McSweeney pitches plan to restore death penalty

When it was pointed out that death penalty incarcerations cost three times as much, one party spokesman denied that McSweeney's proposal will do little more than generate money for local governments: "Campaigning on the death penalty will generate for us three times the donation money from our MAGA voters."

Your LakeCountyEye will keep you apprised when further developments warrant.

What's the Damage?

Now that cold weather has rolled in, Lake County will no longer be bugged by those opportunistic little bloodsuckers that buzz around under the cover of darkness. Your LakeCountyEye of course refers to the Clarke mosquito spray trucks.

Chlorpyrifos, an aerosol insecticide used by Clarke, has been banned in California:

State regulators have said chlorpyrifos has been linked to health defects in children, including brain impairment, and to illnesses in others with compromised immune systems.
Calif. bans pesticide linked to brain damage in children

The insecticide is still legal here, despite high-profile efforts to to get other airborne chemical toxins banned in Lake County.

One industry spokesman said: "We will continue to spray chlorpyrifos. As long as everyone has sustained brain damage, we don't think anyone will object."

Mosquitomist Two U.L.V.

Your LakeCountyEye will keep you apprised when further developments warrant.

Pot Head Tax

Good news for those who can't remember whether they voted for the Illinois Marijuana Referendum. Cannabis will be legal in Lake County as of the new year.

From a policy perspective, it's OK to love the sinner as long as you tax the sin:

How Lake County could end up voting on marijuana sales tax

Legal scholars agree that this type of legislative measure would have to be introduced as a joint resolution.

The Illinois Marijuana Rollers Association issued a statement: "We can support any revenue legislation provided the deal is hashed out in a smoke-filled room."

That's all your LakeCountyEye has.  Smoke'em if you got'em.