PARIS, IL (ECWd) –
In another display of complete failure of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office with timely responses to alleged violations of both the Open Meetings Act and the Freeedom Of Information Act, they have taken almost 11 months to render an opinion on something that both the complaintant and the public body agree on the facts as it related to the posting of the meeting. This is not a statement directed at the attorney who reviewed this, but a statement of the failure of Attorney General Madigan and her inability to manage the office she was elected to manage.
The other issue is the fact that the airport board and Chris Patrick lied to the Attorney General’s office about whether or not breastfeeding was even discussed at this meeting. WCIA has video (and it is online) of Jimmy Wells verifying that breastfeeding was discussed, and Ben Jenness even called an individual immediately after the meeting and told that person it was discussed.
“…the Public Access Bureau concludes that the Edgar County Airport Advisory Board violated section 2.02(a) of the Open Meetings Act by failing to provide sufficient advance notice for its November 13, 2012, regular meeting…”
Had this opinion been provided in a timely fashion, the results of the meeting where they held the secret ballot to nominate Adonna Bennett may have played out differently…
Finally, to Ben Jenness and the rest of the airport board at the time – I find it hard to believe you allowed Jimmy and Chris to lie to the AG and are willing to continue that lie by letting this stand as the official statement of the board you were on – KNOWING that breastfeeding was a topic of discussion during that meeting. Please hang your heads in shame!
[gview file=”https://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Airport-foia-11-13-2012-a-g-response.pdf”]
14 Comments
Kelly Johnson
Posted at 01:32h, 14 OctoberKelly Johnson liked this on Facebook.
Angela Mason
Posted at 01:32h, 14 OctoberAngela Mason liked this on Facebook.
JudyP
Posted at 14:54h, 13 OctoberBravo to ECWD. For not giving in and not giving up. What a filthy stinking mess. I agree with Michael Mastin. Time to get rid of the trash – clean house. We want nothing less than ethics honesty and accountability. To certain members of the County Board and their entourage, that means not to lie, cheat or steal.
Sandy Richey Wells
Posted at 13:32h, 13 OctoberSandy Richey Wells liked this on Facebook.
Gregory Rose
Posted at 11:17h, 13 OctoberGregory Rose liked this on Facebook.
Michael Mastin
Posted at 10:48h, 13 OctoberCome on people speak out. Raise hell about this injustice in your county! These people are not Lords and Ladies ruling over their peasants! I am sure there are some that are doing the right thing, but I have to wonder if they would last around this den of thieves. How can anyone in Edgar County sleep at night and know what is going on here? You have a voice and it needs to heard and LOUDLY TOO!!! Don’t let these people get away with crimes that would have ordinary citizens in prison! These SOB’s need to be there right along with every other criminal! Remember “United We Stand Divided We Fall!” Don’t allow this corruption to go on any longer. Stand up and make it known that this will stop and stop NOW! These people are getting away with this stuff because they have friends farther up the food chain in political office. Start in your county and then everyone should focus on the state level and its corruption, but you have to start in your own counties first. Don’t allow them free reign any longer. This has to stop! Wale up and look at what they are doing to America!
Michael Mastin
Posted at 09:17h, 13 OctoberMichael Mastin liked this on Facebook.
Michael Mastin
Posted at 09:16h, 13 OctoberBy God prosecute these bastards! If you, I or any citizen were given a speeding ticket, we would be prosecuted, but these SOB’s are allowed to run amok, do what ever they chose to do and are not subject to the same laws as the rest of America? What in the hell is wrong with these people? I guess the laws of this country have been deemed null and void. Maybe everyone should start smoking pot around the courthouse, race their cars around the square, speed and disobey law enforcement at every turn now. I mean the law does not matter anymore in that county! Good grief what in the world do these people that are in the judicial system of Edgar County do for a living if they do not prosecute the crimes of the worst offenders!
jmkraft
Posted at 09:36h, 13 OctoberHey, I can answer that one – they chose to spend over $20,000 and more than a year to drag an 18 year old thru court to find him guilty of driving without a license – because that is infinitely more important than petty public corruption…
I’m sure it had nothing to do with the fact his family member testified against a sheriff deputy in federal court during a civil rights violation proceeding…one in which the deputy was found guilty…
jmkraft
Posted at 09:37h, 13 OctoberIf your name is Congressman Tim Johnson, and you get a speeding ticket from the state police, they will just dismiss the ticket…yes, it’s true, look it up on judici…
Judy Pufahl
Posted at 08:47h, 13 OctoberJudy Pufahl liked this on Facebook.
Edgar County Watchdogs
Posted at 08:47h, 13 OctoberEdgar County Watchdogs liked this on Facebook.
Kirk Allen
Posted at 07:49h, 13 OctoberAt what point do the people stop filing complaints with the AG and start prosecuting these people? It’s not like this is the first violation they have committed, and Mark Isaf specifically stated it would constitute a crime if they continued to do it after being informed it was wrong. Oh wait, I digress, it is a crime once it’s established they violated the OMA! (5 ILCS 120/4) (from Ch. 102, par. 44)
Sec. 4. Any person violating any of the provisions of this Act, except subsection (b), (c), (d), or (e) of Section 1.05, shall be guilty of a Class C misdemeanor.
Blake Stiff
Posted at 07:47h, 13 OctoberBlake Stiff liked this on Facebook.