“As much as I love politics,…”

Too much like watching sausage being made.

An election to fill a vacancy is entirely statutory. I highly doubt the courts would look too favorably on providing a list of those legally eligible to vote to one candidate but not to the others.

File a lawsuit, go to the legislature and change the law or pull a Brian Williams.

Abdul, I think if you took a long hard look at those people Mr. Williams filed for PCs, you will find many of them had been hoodwinked into the filing. I have talked to several of them personally, and they had NO idea what they were getting themselves into. One went so far as to tell me he thought he was simply signing a petition to get Mr. Williams on the ballot. Upon close examination you will find 2 types of ink and 2 handwriting styles on most of the filings, that should tell you enough right there. Mr. Williams played hard and fast and will ultimately be tossed in the poltical boneyard.

Your motivation of somehow dividing the Democrat Party on this issue is thinly veiled here. We stand united, and we will take back the 25th floor.

So you are advocateing closed door meetings and lesser candidates filling positions to satisify the egos of your friends?

You believe that it is OK for some to have information and not others as long as they are your friends giving out the information?

I thought that you were all about transparency and equil rights.

For a while there you really did have us convinced that you had no dog in this fight. When in reality you have been playing us all.

Interesting. So much for your objectivity.

Too bad Brian Williams failed to take your advice and get organized. You continue to use his inflated number of PC candidate filings. Despite which number you wish to use, Williams filed 2, 3. 4 or 5 in the same precinct. Even if he were to have a winner in those precincts, he can only have one…The rest of his filings in those precincts will lose. Many are filed against veteran PCs who know their precincts and voters and an interloper has no chance of winning. All Williams has won is an enormous about of ill will. However, now that he has chosen to participte in the process, he will appear a real hypocrite if he chooses not to go to slating.

McCheese and Hector sure have those talking points down. There's a year before this thing is going to be determined and political memories are short. Those who are angry now will not be in 9 months, those who are happy now very well could be upset in 9 months. Instead of flinging repetitive, anonymous slurs on the internet, go walk a precinct.

Nice try. You go ask those Ward Chairs and PCs if they will forget this “insurrection”. I know the answer.

Nope, it is not mandatory that the Marion County GOP run by Tom John and Hamilton County resident David Brooks keep their process open.

It's plain to see to anyone but an absolute idiot or sychophant that Tom John and David Brooks are not advocates for transparent government.

I am all for open government, but I also understand the rules you have are the ones you have to play by, especially if the rules don't violate the law.

I always tell people if you don't like the rules, get together with enough like-minded people and make real change.

It's not easy, but it can be done.

I still have no dog in the fight. That's why I haven't written about the McAtee challenge. I plan to speak to his attorney and get his side of the story as opposed to the challenger. If I wanted to be a jerk, I could do it quite easily.

I am a PC and I always walk my precinct. I will do the same this time. I dont need or want your silly advice.

The two challenges to Williams' sloppy filings in Decatur Township were upheld. Thus, those two PCs that were incorrectly filed on behalf of Williams will not appear on the ballot come May. One was filed correctly and will appear on the ballot in DE-8.

Paul the list were made available to all of the candidates.

Decent post, Abdul. And decent responses, albeit predictable.

Paul: while the PC process is statutory, as is the vacancy-in-office situation discussed here, the access to party records is not necessarily gauranteed. It should be open, and if it's not, it invites ugly charges-countercharges. But let's be clear: there is no statute that requires the County Chair to turn over a list of PCs to anyone ever. If you can find one, please cite it here. I couldn't find one.

The CC vacancy is your party's fight, Paul, not mine…but I cannot help but compare it to the postings on this blog about our Williams fight.

Remember the earlier Smith vacancy predictions? Wild-ass speculation about young Mr. Williams winning and being the best candidate. Which, from the other side, I found hilarious. Many of us know young Mr. Williams…absent a recent conversion, he's barely a Republican. Where exactly did Mumbler Jr. finish in the balloting? Let's just say he won't have to worry about giving up his cushy created IMPD job. Our tax dollars at work.

Our Williams fight has its own drama. I had no preference prior to the postings here, but this Democrat will keep a keen eye on our Mr. Williams. Honestly, the slating process means zip to me on this office. We will reclaim the 25th floor, for a couple of pretty realistic reasons:

1. Mayor Ballard is ineffectual. At best
2. Both are currently-proclaimed candidates are strong. Either is better.

And again, Easter and Hector, as much as I admire your PC street-level work: if you favor Ms. Kennedy, here's some advice (call it silly if you want, Hector, but I've been around awhile, and this advice holds true over multiple primary campaigns): keep your eye on 2010, and 2011 will take care of itself. The battles being fought over the PCs are miniscule compared to the fight we have this fall to elect a decent prosecutor and other county offices.

Taking our eyes off the prize can be deadly. There is ample evidence of that over the last few elections. The 2011 issues are so very much in our favor, the municipal campaigns out to be on auto-pilot. And the PCs who were tossed, for whatever reason: why not invite them to work with you, insetad of heaping scorn upon them? Some may have been newbies to the process, unaware of the high stakes placed on such a supposedly low-level office. The firestorm they have seen in the past two weeks could turn them off forever, and that is certainly not the goal here. Anyone who wants to help should be welcome in some capacity. Are any of the rejected PCs good Dems, who might be a qualified VPC in that precinct (if it's vacant)? Or next-door precinct?

This scorched-earth diatribe is not helpful. The case has been made to the Election Board, and decisions have been made. Build a bridge and get over it. Heal where possible.

So you are advocateing political corruption where two people make the decision for us all. Seems that you are mosre suited for Lake county and Chicago than Marion county.

You are advocating that we let go of our morals and become as evil as possible. What you are saying is that we can cheat as long as it's not called cheating.

I really thought that your morals were higher than this.Your true colors have shown brightly and your crediability is slowely seeping into the gutter.

Abdul, I get it trust me, it;s all about self promotion. Your station has no money so you have to promote yourself in any manner possible. I have seen it all over my career in Insurance. But for you to advocate for pure evil is just incredible. I understand the personal relatiionship and how they influance you. What I dont understand is your total disregard for our system of government.

But Thats OK, should you decide to be a lawyer full time Im sure that there is a place for you at Ice Miller. Was that the promise that was made for the set up?

I have never once brought up the McAtee name and I have no reason to.

My concern is that you think that it is OK that my vote does mean anything.

Lots of rainbows and unicorns in that post.

TA- Good post. Agree with most of it. Two interesting things about PC fight.
1) I was at challenge hearing Tuesday. I couldn't believe it when Brian's dad (weird in and of itself that his dad was defending challenges) was caught lying. He was reprimanded by the panel.
2) Kennedy has stayed out of the PC fight. She is quietly and strongly going about her business. She will win slating going away.

Yikes. Brian's DAD was “caught lying” ? Please explain. I know him better than I know his son (which is hardly at all). Much integrity there. Much.

No unicorns, Mayor. Rainbows–maybe. That's for you to judge. I've seen a lot of slatings/primaries come and go. We Dems have a way of becoming a Circular Firing Squad. I thought we'd lost that trait, but evidently not.

My main point was, and is–whatever these challenges are, it's done. Finished. 2010 should be our only focus now. I've seen the Republican structure, and it's clear they are divided. They have mediocre 2010 candidates, and they've got a weak 25th floor to defend 24/7. Been there. Done that. Not productive. Being out of (mayoral) office has its advantages–being Mayor is difficult, and defending your mayoral decisions is tough sledding in good times.

Williams misspoke and then later corrected himself. No reprimand, or anything similar, occurred. He did apologize to the board for the confusion. These things happen. Not all mistakes are part of evil scheme.

Abdul and Paul? If a lawsuit were to be filed, wouldn't it have to be filed by one of the candidate who were unfairly treated by Tom John?

Well, I wasn't there. But for those who were, your recollectons are helpful.

I know Mr. Williams Sr. and he is a man of very high integrity. I believe he's retired. That would explain why he's helping with any campaign efforts. (Q: Why would anyone of good will, question a father's helping out a son's campaign, esp. if Dad is retired and has time? Strange)

I just do not understand the obsession some folks have with taking on these battles, making them personal, and villifying anyone with whom you disagree. It's insane. We've lost elections over stuff like this. If anyone thinks BW actually woke up one morning with the intent to screw over the party…you really need to get a life. I think he saw an opening, tried to run through it, and perhaps stumbled. No big deal. The effort is admirable, the motive not necessarily mean.

It's a minor skirmish Fifteen months away from the affected primary.
I really don't know enough about the actual circumstances, but an entity I now trust, the Election Board, as reviewed it and decided. Time to move on.

Yes, 2010 must be our first priority. That is why Melina Kennedy has been working with the candidates, the PCs, the ward chairs and Dem clubs to help our 2010 ticket be successful in November. In the meantime, Brian Williams continues his scorch and burn tactis for his own selfish interests.

It seems obvious to me, if you abuse your power and do something underhanded (but legal) to give your guy an advantage, you have every legal right to do so. However, don't be suprised when you make a lot of enemies and lose favor with the majority of people who gave you the power you abused.