Bad Girls

While your LakeCountyEye was out of town for a few weeks, fulfilling an obligation to perform mandatory community service study abroad, all hell seems to have broken loose back in Lake County.

More specifically, one high-profile Republican elected official is grabbing all the headlines for herself after a run-in with authorities. This raven-haired public servant, best known as a powerful force in Lake County Government over the past 20 years, is being accused of intimidation, harassment and intrusion; recipients of her undesired attention are asking why this well-known office holder had not been subject to prior restraint.

Of course your LakeCountyEye is referring to Lake County Clerk, Willard Helander.

Haha, as reported in the Root River Siren blog ...

A complaint has been filed with the Government Accountability Board by a Racine resident which stems from an alleged act of voter intimidation by a poll observer at Jefferson Lighthouse Elementary School polling place. The poll observer has been identified as Willard Helander who turns out to be the County Clerk of Lake County, Illinois. Helander reportedly harassed and intimidated voters and even tried to prevent one voter from putting her ballot in the voting machine by following close behind and shouting at the voter. Other voters in the area are organizing further complaints against Helander and questioning why the Jefferson Lighthouse Chief Inspector didn't remove her even though she was warned many times while she was present in the polling place on Tuesday.
Racine Voter Suppressor Turns Out To Be Illinois County Clerk

For operatives without a functioning GPS, Racine is a city in Wisconsin -- a state totally different than Illinois.

Why was the Lake County Clerk reportedly engaged in some full-contact poll-watching last week, up in Wisconsin during their special recall election? Your LakeCountyEye can only guess. Ten times:

Ten Reasons Why Lake County Clerk Willard Helander Would Be Poll Watching at the Wisconsin Recall Election

It would be unseemly to be seen suppressing the vote in Waukegan. Was in Wisconsin for annual fishing trip with Princess Nudelman. Got all the green lights going north, and just couldn't stop. Secret Identity: Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow Two Words: the Cheese & the Brats Took the opportunity to see how it's done by the pros. Made a wrong turn on the Route 53 Extension. Exercising constitutional right to intimidate registered voters. Carrying water for the Elephant. Does anyone named Willard really need a reason for anything?

A tip of the LakeCountyEye green eyeshade to Ellen of the Tenth, who broke the story south of the border:

Voter Power Just A Button