2 IL Veterans Force 102 Corrupt Officials to Resign, Place Entire Local Board Under Citizen’s Arrest

[Sunlei]

Illinois residents John Kraft and Kirk Allen, who run an anti-corruption non-profit called the Edgar County Watchdogs, have waged a campaign against crooked public officials over the past two years, forcing resignations from 102 bureaucrats and politicians and at one point placing an entire park district board under citizen's arrest.

With four former governors having served time behind bars, Illinois’ government is widely-viewed as being riddled with corruption. However, according to a recent expose by Forbes, two military veterans in Edgar County have begun to fight back and, in just under two years, have drastically cleaned up corruption in their community.

In an effort to take back their government from self-serving politicians and bureaucrats, John Kraft and Kirk Allen established a group called the Edgar County Watchdogs. Through a combination of public pressure, Freedom of Information filings, lawsuits, and media exposure, they have created a system that deeply threatens Illinois’ corrupt, entrenched political establishment. They operate a blog called Illinois Leaks that exposes corruption at the state and local levels. Considering the fact that, according to Forbes, their home county’s government has racked up over $79 million in debt all on its own while serving only 18,000 residents, Kraft and Allen have their work cut out for them.

Inspired by Dillon’s Rule, a 19th-century principle that municipal governments can only act on the basis of powers that have been lawfully granted to them, the duo force public officials to prove that they are spending public funds and using public resources in a lawful manner."" link to Dillons Rule- http://definitions.uslegal.com/d/dillons-rule/

article- http://benswann.com/2-il-veterans-force-102-corrupt-officials-to-resign-place-entire-local-board-under-citizens-arrest/

video of them using citizens arrest (successfully) (video is boring)

ClarkCountyParkDistrict1 Citizen arrests Park Board for Open Meetings Violations -
***One important thing to keep in mind is that in the video, it appears the board members are ignoring the arrest and leaving. The fact is they only left that room and went into the adjacent room to wait on the Clark County Sheriff's Department.

[djean111]

1. Needed nation wide. At all levels.

Of course, Dillon's Rule would just be ruled unconstitutional by SCOTUS.

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. 5 cheers for them! Where else can that be done? and by DUers?

rec'd--kicked---bookmarked

[Sunlei]

3. Can be done in every community, your local gov books (spending) are supposed to be pubic.

This small community went 79 million in debt, $4388.00 in debt for every resident.

Problem is most local communities can cause a world of hurt for any local citizens questioning local neighborhood associations/ Mayors/ and small town Govs.

Every Americans should have the same right to "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" without being blocked by thousands of local 'for profit' govs.

Small local Govs over-regulation is intended to create revenue streams. Money they rip out of local citizens to support the 'small local gov.'

[BlancheSplanchnik]

4. kick. this should get lots of exposure.

god, I'd like to see it start a movement, inspire a LOT of like-minded progressives.

[ColesCountyDem]

5. These people (ECWD) are right-wing asshats.

I lived with and among them, and know precisely who they are. Sheriff Parsley is a 'constitutional sheriff' who has publicly stated that he will not enforce ANY further gun-control laws originating in Washington DC.

[Jackpine Radical]

6. Has any of what they've done been good or useful? What actions have been bad or destructive?

Sometimes, in certain limited circumstances, I'm beginning to think that we could and should form ad hoc alliances with RWAH's when our interests happen to coincide.

[ColesCountyDem]

9. Their actions have been destructive.

Our AG considers them to be a bunch of 'kooks'. The vast majority of the people they've targeted have done nothing whatsoever wrong, or committed some minor, technical violation of the Open Meetings Act, e.g. . These folks are McCarthy-ites of the worst sort, and the people they claim to have 'gotten rid of' have, in fact, simply resigned because they are sick and tired of dealing with their bullsh*t.

[Atticus]

11. Yes, this title is actually slandering the majority of those who have resigned.

Most simply reached the point of total exasperation with a handful of obsessed anti-tax wingnuts who disrupted meeting after meeting with their bagger BS.

[Jackpine Radical]

12. Thanks so much for the background.

Maybe you ought to write this up in greater detail, first for an OP and then refine it a little & post it on places like Daily Kos and Reader Supported News.

[Atticus]

7. Absolutely correct. I'm 2 counties away and have heard Kirk speak at a Tea Party rally where we

were picketing. "Asshat" is charitable.
Edgar County may have many problems, but this crew is not the answer.

[ColesCountyDem]

8. Exactly!

At best, these folks are Teabagging, quasi-Libertarian CT-ists. The ECWD 'cure' is worse than any 'disease' they're allegedly treating.

[busterbrown]

13. Want to know why original Poster..

Has not responded to those here who have helped to define these idiots as nothing but right wing extremists..?

[ColesCountyDem]

14. I'm not sure.

I suspect it is likely simple embarrassment. The poster needn't be embarrassed, however, because he/she wouldn't be the first person duped by the ECWD.

[busterbrown]

15. My first instinct is to disagree..

People who are duped in my opinion are people who are lazy and want to believe the lies fed to them..

One big reason I like DU is because of people like you who quickly point out bullshit right wing crap which appeals to the uninformed. Libertarians are good at this.. My first gut reaction to the post was “Bullshit”!!!

Thanks Again...

[ncjustice80]

10. Im curious how they planned on stopping the board if they did decide to leave?

Did they have guns and handcuffs?

[mikekohr]

16. I am A County Board Member In Bureau County, in North Central Illinois

While I am not familiar with these two characters I do sit on a state-wide association and fellow board members from Southern, Illinois, both Republican and Democrat, have complained bitterly about "know nothing" Tea Partiers that are making their jobs miserable.

One comment was, "....we are having to deal with these loud mouth Tea Party idiots that could not run a church raffle without a screaming match."

[mikekohr]

17. copy and paste from one site tagged Edgar County Corruption links. Batshit Crazy Lunatics.

American Revolution
Arrest Obama
Audacity
Catholic Church vs NWO
ChemTrails.
Community Organizer
Constitution
Denmark
Evolutionism
FactCheck (sic)
False Flags
Fema History
Federal Reserve 1
Federal Reserve 2
Federal Reserve 3
Glass-Steagall Act
Gun Facts
Guy Fawkes
Independence From British Puritans
Islam
Kennedy Murdered
Magna Carta
Muslim Brotherhood
NWO Chronology
Nullification By 10th. Amendment
Obama’s SS Czars
Remember
Rothschild’s Media
Republic-vs-Democracy
Roman Catholic
Rothschild
Secret Societies
Sheriffs
Silver
Soros
Sovereignty
Treason
Universal Truth
U.S. Republic Militias
Volubrjotr
Whistleblower
-and of course-
*Ron Paul

[bvar22]

18. Let me know when they dig the septic tank out down to the lowest layer of scum where Rahm lives.

I'd fly to Chicago to watch Rahm take a Perp Walk.