Illinois Gubernatorial candidate not releasing income tax returns…

Illinois Green Party Gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney is not releasing his income tax returns. A posting on NBCChicago.com, is critical of a number of candidates for Illinois Governor are not releasing their tax statements. Whitney did not want to release the documents because of his wife's privacy.

Two Republicans also have refused to release their information and another Republican will only release the income tax information if “everybody else does”.

Two Democrats mentioned in the piece said they would release their information, but have not done it yet.

SOURCE:

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/politics/Guv-Candidates-Withhold-Tax-Returns-78126587.html

http://www.southtownstar.com/news/1910864,113009transparency.article

Green Party Congressional candidate accused of faking own mother's signature…

Green Party Congressional candidate faces ballot challenge in Illinois. James Fuller writes on DailyHerald.com, “If the challenges to Dan Kairis' nominating petitions prove true, then… [he] doesn't know his family and friends very well.”

The Green Party candidate running for Illinois’ 14th Congressional District is accused of forging signatures to get onto the ballot. Fuller writes, “rules require Kairis to have only 38 signatures from registered voters in the district to appear on the ballot. Kairis, of South Elgin, filed 62 signatures. [The] challenge is based on the validity of the bulk of those signatures.”

Candidate Kairis says every signature on his petitions is either a friend, neighbor or direct relative, but the challenger even questions if the signatures of Kairis’s son and his mother are the real deal.

The state is now comparing the signatures on the petition to signatures on voter registration cards. Even if every signature is tossed, the Illinois Green Party could still officially make Kairis their candidate and he could still run.

SOURCE:

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=338675

Third Party candidate waiting….

The Green Party candidate for Illinois Governor is waiting. Steve Rhodes writes on NBCChicago.com, “While the Democratic and Republican candidates for governor duke it out… Green Party candidate Rich Whitney lies in wait.”

The article says a win for Whitney would be unlikely, but in 2006 he did receive 10.4% of the vote. Even with that showing, Rhodes writes, “it will likely just be the Democratic nominee standing in the way (of Whitney debating).”

Whitney makes for an even more interesting candidate because his has traditionally “conservative” positions on gun control, differing from the Illinois Green Party platform.

SOURCE:

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/politics/Green-Candidate-Lies-In-Wait-69962897.html

Independent & Third Party candidates for Governor share forum…

Independent & Third Party candidates for Governor will share a forum in Illinois. An article on THOnline.com says independent candidate Michael White and Constitution Party candidate Randall Stufflebeam will take part in a forum hosted by the Galena Youth Political Organization in Galena, Illinois. The forum will be Sunday, November 15th.

The forum will also feature candidates for Lieutenant Governor and U.S. Senate.

SOURCE:

http://www.runrandyrun.com/

http://www.illinois2010.com/

http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=263037

Green Party to have candidates across Illinois…

Green Party to have candidates across Illinois in the 2010 election. Kurt Erickson writes on PantaGraph.com Illinois Green Party filed nominating petitions for statewide offices.

The people Erickson lists off include:

Rich Whitney for Governor

LeAlan Jones for U.S. Senate

Don Crawford for Lieutenant Governor

Adrian Frost for Secretary of State

Scott Summers for Treasurer

David Black for Attorney General

The Green Party is hoping to get a number of votes in the statewide elections and double their number of candidates in legislative and local races that they had 2008, that number was 56 candidates.

SOURCE:

http://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/article_487876e4-c5c0-11de-8943-001cc4c03286.html

America's Independent Party makes an early backing for Illinois Governor…

America's Independent Party Chairman Tom Hoefling announced on his party’s website that they “enthusiastically endorse” Randy Stufflebeam of the Constitution Party for Governor of Illinois.

Hoefling compared Stufflebam to President Regan and ended by saying, “we urge all Illinoisans to lend their prayers, time, energy, financial resources, and VOTES to Randy and his campaign. Do your state, and our nation, a huge favor by doing what it takes to elect Randy Stufflebeam as your Governor.”

SOURCE:

http://aipnews.com/talk/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=9262&posts=1

Possible opening for third party candidate in Illinois Senate race…

A new Rasmussen Reports polls shows a possible opening for a third party candidate in the 2010 Illinois Senate race.

The opening is small, and we are not sure for whom. But there could be an opening. The Rasmussen Reports polls asked voters how they would cast their vote in three sample elections.

Mark Kirk was the Republican in all of the races. When Kirk was put head-to-head with Democratic State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias or Cheryle Jackson, a former top aide to Governor Blagojevich, 4% of voters said they would vote for somebody else. When Kirk was put up against former Chicago Inspector General David Hoffman, 8% said they would cast their vote for another candidate.

This early in the election cycle, when four to eight percent, of the 500 people polled said they would vote for “other” it’s not good for the major parties. But, who is this “other” candidate? The poll did not ask. Is there one third party candidate that got a solid 2 to 3 percent of the vote, or is there eight to ten people getting below one percent of the vote?

SOURCE:

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/illinois/election_2010_illinois_senate_election

Roundup: Early debate for Illinois Governor…

The election for Illinois next governor is not until 2010, but a group of six candidates gathered Friday to talk about their proposed policies. The debate was organized by the Free & Equal Elections Foundation. Codell Rodriguez of the TheSouthern.com wrote about the debate. Rodrigues wrote that, “All of the candidates agreed that Springfield isn't working right.” Here are highlights from the independent and third party candidates.

Green Party candidate Rich Whitney of Carbondale was quoted saying, “We've had year after year of smoke and mirrors." The article said Whitney focused on “overhauling the tax system to be more progressive” and education issues.

Independent Michael White of Lindenhurstand, said it is important to keep jobs and businesses in Illinois. He was quoted saying, "We have to get spending under control, no doubt about it."

Constitution Party candidate Randall Stufflebeam of Belleville, said accountability is the key thing missing in government. He said the government needs to be not be afraid of being accountable and pointed to a merit-based pay structure for teachers instead of tenure as once place that accountability could happen.

We do congratulate Republicans Adam Andrzejewski of Hinsdale and Dan Proft of Wheaton, and Democrat Bill "Dock" Walls of Chicago to be willing to sit next to these independent and third party candidates.

SOURCE:

http://thesouthern.com/news/article_9bb08140-b557-11de-a160-001cc4c03286.html

Green Party candidate is ready to run in Illinois again…

Green Party candidate is ready to run in Illinois again, Sheldon Schafer is going for Congress again.

John Sharp and Karen McDonald write on PJStar.com Sheldon Schafer, “completed petitions this weekend to run for the 20-county seat he lost last year.”

Shafer was hammered in the 2010 election for Illinois' 18th Congressional District getting just 3% of the vote. Falling to the Republican (59%) and Democrat (38%).

But the article says Shafer is not disappointed by the results he is quoted saying, “"It's a long-term goal to try and create a third-party presence in the state. I certainly believe in the Green Party. You don't just walk away when you have a long-term goal… We went to all of this effort to create a campaign organization and planned to use it a second time for sure."

SOURCE:

http://www.pjstar.com/news/x1396928191/Word-on-the-Street-Green-Party-not-quitting

http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.php?id=IL18&cycle=2008

A lot of terror related news today. Elections are important. Parties are important. What is the right party for you?

A lot of terror related news today. Elections are important. Parties are important. What is the right party for you?

Here is the terror related stories from Thursday, September 24, 2009.

*Men taking photos in the Philadelphia Subway system, they leave prior to Police arriving.

SOURCE: http://cbs3.com/local/SEPTA.Broad.Street.2.1206878.html

*Feds: Afghan immigrant who received explosives training from al-Qaida purchased quantities of hydrogen peroxide and nail-polish remover in a plot to build bombs for attacks. The man was also a shuttle driver at the Denver airport,

SOURCE: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gT-Kwm3eHQPp5qw5B5yzpuy07XuwD9ATV5B00

SOURCE: http://www.fbi.gov/page2/sept09/zazi_092409.html

SOURCE: http://newyork.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel09/nyfo092409a.htm

SOURCE: http://newyork.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel09/nyfo092409.htm

*Man arrested trying to bomb Dallas building. Alleged bomber wanted to be a “soldier” for Islam.

SOURCE: http://cbs11tv.com/local/fbi.attempted.bombing.2.1206859.html

SOURCE: http://dallas.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel09/dl092409.htm

*Illinois man arrest, accused of trying to bomb Federal building. He allegedly wanted to fight Israelis.

SOURCE: http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSN2447383520090924

SOURCE: http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/ilc/press/2009/09September/24Finton.html

*Prosecutors: Terror suspects wanted to attack a Marine base in Virginia. Seven men are awaiting trial, an eighth suspect is believed to be in Pakistan.

SOURCE: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33010307/ns/us_news-security

SOURCE: http://charlotte.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/2009/ce092409.htm

Former Reform Party House candidate is found shot dead…

Former Reform Party House candidate is found shot dead in his home. WREX.com is reporting Lance Goebel was found shot to death in his home. According to the report, the Will County, Illinois Sheriff’s Office believes Goebel’s nephew shot Goebel in a domestic dispute.

In 1996 Goebel ran for the U.S. House of Representatives on the Reform Party ticket in Illinois.

SOURCE:

http://www.wrex.com/Global/story.asp?S=11159540

Go Green for office...

Go Green for office... the call is out in Illinois for people to run for office in 2010. The Illinois Greens want to double their number of candidates from 2008. The Greens had 56 candidates in Illinois for the 2008 election.

The Illinois Green Party is asking for people around the state to consider a run for office in 2010.

A posting on their website says they want to find candidates for, "every partisan race in the state, including U.S. Senator, Governor and Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, and State Comptroller; all 19 U.S. House seats; 20 Illinois Senate seats; all 118 Illinois House seats; and hundreds of county-level office, including County Clerk, County Treasurer, and County Sheriff in most counties, and about half of all County Board seats across the state."

The Party's goal is to have a candidate in every statewide race, nearly every congressional race plus, "at least 20% of all state legislative races, and dozens of candidates for county office."

SOURCE:

http://ilgp.org/2010-call-for-candidates