Peoria Pundit

General Parker is in the news. Peoria County Judge Joe Vespa ruled that the Peoria City Council violated the Open Meetings Act when they altered an agenda item prior to a vote (Parker, an activist on minority hiring issues, filed the lawsuit). And Gov. Pat Quinn told reporters in Peoria yesterday that he is not going to issue a pardon to Parker, whom because of a felony conviction, cannot legally serve as mayor of Peoria should he happen to win election on April 7

Parker sent me a an email questioning why I wasn’t writing about his legal victory. Rather than send him a reply explaining that I am not a daily newspaper, and that I have a full-time day job and sometimes like to sleep and sometimes like to order Chinese food and watch college basketball, rather than blog ever second of free time I have, I decided to do an email interview. I dashed off some questions, and these are his replies. The all caps is Parker’s doing.

Peoria Pundit: Judge Joe Vespa ruled in your favor in the Open Meetings act case. Were you surprised by the ruling?

General Parker: NO I AM NOT SURPRISED BY THE RULING. THE LAW WAS ON MY SIDE. I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT JUDGE VESPA TRIED TO MINIMIZE THE THE COUNCILS ACTIONS BY CALLING IT A TECHNICALITY. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE JUDGE WAS GOOD FRIENDS WITH SEVERAL OF THE DEFENDANTS THAT WERE NAMED SO ALL IN ALL, I DID PRETTY GOOD. I AM SURPRISED THAT YOU AND THE JOURNAL STAR, WHO MADE SUCH A BIG DEAL ABOUT ME FILING THE ACTION, WERE HUSH HUSH WHEN I PREVAILED.

Peoria Pundit: What do you expect to happen, and what do you hope will happen?

General Parker: THE ENTIRE POINT OF THE ACTION WAS THAT OUR GOVERNMENT, WHO IS HANDLING OUR BUSINESS, WAS DOING IT BEHIND OUR BACKS. WASN’T THIS THE SAME PERSON WHO CLAIMED RANSBURG WAS MAKING BACK DOOR DEALS AND HE WOULDN’T DO THAT IF HE WAS MAYOR. THEN OOPS, THEY WENT AND DID IT AGAIN WITH THIS NEW HOTEL MARRIOTT DEAL. AND TO KEEP THIS QUIET FOR OVER A WHOLE WEEK. DOESN’T SEEM TO ME THAT THEY ARE GETTING ANYMORE OPEN OR TRANSPARENT. THIS INFORMATION WOULD HAVE MADE FOR BETTER CONVERSATION AT A COUPLE OF FORUMS LAST WEEK. I KNOW IT DIDN’T BOTHER YOU BECAUSE INSTEAD OF LOOKING AT THE DEED, YU WERE LOOKING AT IT WAS ONLY MINORITY AND WOMEN CONTRACTORS BEING SCREWED AND THAT WAS NOT ON YOUR LIST OF PRIORITIES.

ALSO, WHAT YOU FAIL TO REALIZE IS THAT THE STATES ATTORNEY, KEVIN LYONS, WAS GIVEN THIS CASE BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO PROSECUTE. HE REFUSED. HE CHOOSES WHICH CASES AND PEOPLE HE WANTS TO PROSECUTE AND THAT IS DANGEROUS. NOW, NOT ONLY I AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAID THAT THE CITY BROKE THE LAW, BUT A SITTING JUDGE FROM HIS OWN COUNTY COURTHOUSE HAS ALSO. WHEN THE COUNCIL IN MONEE AND PEOTONE, VIOLATED THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT, THE STATES ATTORNEY THERE CHARGED THEM WITH A FELONY BACK IN THE EARLY NINETIES.

Peoria Pundit: Do you still think there is time for the city have this company hired to teach prospective subcontractors?

General Parker: NO BECAUSE HE WOULD NOT COME NOW ANYWAY.

Peoria Pundit: Overall, how would you rate the city government’s concern with increasing minority hiring?

General Parker: THIS ACTION REVOLVED AROUND AWARDING CONTRACTS TO WOMEN AND MINORITY OWNED FIRMS. WHICH IS DIFFERENT FROM HIRING WORKERS. TOO OFTEN ON PROJECTS LIKE THESE, PRIME CONTRACTORS TRY TO GET AWAY WITH NOT MEETING THERE SUB-CONTRACTING GOALS ESTABLISHED FOR PUBLIC CONTRACTS TO HIRE WOMEN AND MINORITY CONTRACTORS, BY USING THE EXCUSE THAT “WE WOULD HAVE USED SOME BUT WE COULDN’T FIND ANY THAT WERE QUALIFIED”. THIS COMPANY WAS TO TAKE WOMEN AND MINORITY OWNED FIRMS AND BUILD THEM TO CAPACITY IN THAT 18 MONTH+ PERIOD SO THAT THEY COULD PARTICIPATE ON THIS 100+MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT. BONDING, INSURANCE, EQUIPMENT, EMPLOYEES, CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENSING WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM, AS IT SO OFTEN IS, IF HE HAD BEEN ALLOWED TO DO THIS IN THAT TIME PERIOD. MIND YOU, ALL THIS FOR ONLY $20,000.

AS FOR MINORITY HIRING, THE CITY HALL IS BEING REVAMPED FROM TOP TO BOTTOM AND THERE ARE NO MINORITY CONTRACTORS AND ONLY ONE AFRICAN AMERICAN WORKER AND NO FEMALES.

Peoria Pundit: In other news, the Journal Star is reporting that Gov. Pat Quinn will not be issuing a pardon to you before the election. Are you upset or saddened by this news?

General Parker: WHEN HAVE YOU EVER BELIEVED WHAT THE JOURNAL STAR WAS REPORTING BILLY. I HEARD NOWHERE (OTHER THAN THE PJS) THAT QUINN SAID HE IS NOT ISSUING A PARDON. PLEASE READ AND I HOPE YOU POST MY LETTER I ATTACHED THAT I SENT TO THE JOURNAL STAR. IF PEORIA WANTS TO MOVE FORWARD AND REALLY WANTS IT TO BE “BETTER HERE”, THEN WE NEED TO CONCENTRATE ON THE ISSUES THAT AFFECT US. ALL OF US. NO MORE SMOKE AND SCREENS, NO MORE MISQUOTES, NO MORE GUERRILLA TACTICS IN MEDIA BUT TO ACTUALLY AND DILIGENTLY SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH AND REPORT IT THAT WAY.

I AM A NON-TRADITIONAL CANDIDATE RUNNING A NON-TRADITIONAL CAMPAIGN. NO MATTER WHAT THE JOURNAL STAR OMITS FROM MY INTERVIEWS WITH THEM OR HOW THEY TRY AND TWIST WHAT WAS SAID, THE PEOPLE CAN SEE THROUGH THAT. REST ASSURE, JUST AS THEY ARE TIRED OF POLITICS AS USUAL AND POLITICIANS OF OLD, THEY ARE TIRED OF THAT STYLE OF JOURNALISM AND THIS IS WHY PEOPLE ARE TURNING TO THE BLOGS NOW AND PAY MORE ATTENTION TO THEM AND TRUST THEM AS BEING MORE CREDIBLE.

WHAT I REALLY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IS, YOU GUYS KEEP SAYING I DON’T HAVE A SNOWBALLS CHANCE IN HELL OF WINNING. SO THEN IT WOULD BE A MOOT POINT RIGHT? MAYBE YOU DO BELIEVE I CAN WIN. THAT’S OKAY BECAUSE I DO ALSO. I SPOKE WITH CHICAGO ATTORNEY MIKE LAVELL, WHO WAS THE FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE STATE ELECTION BOARD,AFTER THE KEVIN LYONS FIASCO, HE SAID I CAN BE ON THE BALLOT. THEY CAN’T TAKE MY NAME OFF. I CAN RUN. I CAN WIN. I CAN BE SWORN IN. I CAN EVEN SERVE IF NOBODY OBJECTS AFTER I’M SWORN IN.

HE ALSO SAID, THE TIME FOR OBJECTING ABOUT ME BEING ON THE BALLOT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RAISED IN THE ONE WEEK PERIOD AFTER THE PETITION DEADLINE. IT WASN’T. I DIDN’T HIDE IT, HECK I BROUGHT IT OUT. KEVIN LYONS WAS MY ATTORNEY ON THE CASE AND PLEAD ME OUT, SO IT’S NOT AS IF HE DIDN’T KNOW. ALSO, WHY WASN’T ALL THIS FANFARE MADE ABOUT DAN FISCHEL, THE MAYOR OF BRIMFIELD WHO SERVED FOR NINE YEARS AND HAD A FELONY CONVICTION WHEN HE WAS YOUNGER? SO I GUESS A PERSON CONVICTED OF A FELONY CAN BE ELECTED AND CAN SERVE AS MAYOR AND DO A GOOD JOB, RIGHT.

ALSO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR BLOG A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. THE KIWANIS CLUB AS I DO, BELIEVE THAT YOU GET THE BEST OUT OF A CANDIDATE WHEN THEY ARE CONTESTED.

Peoria Pundit: State’s Attorney Kevin Lyons sent you a letter telling you that you cannot legally run. What do you think he will do if you do NOT quit the race?

General Parker: THIS IS OLD NEWS BILLY. HIS ONE WEEK THREAT HAS LONG PASSED. HE KNEW BEFORE HE MADE THAT STATEMENT THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO. HE MAY HAVE EXCITED SOME PEOPLE BUT HE DOESN’T PHASE ME. LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT A STATES ATTORNEY WHO DOESN’T PROSECUTE A CASE LIKE THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT VIOLATION WHEN ASKED TO DO SO BY THE ILLINOIS ATTORNEY GENERAL, WHICH WAS HIS JOB TO DO, BUT TAKES THE TAXPAYERS DOLLARS BY WATING TIME GOING ON TV AND THREATENING AN OFFICIAL MAYORAL CANDIDATE AND ATTEMPTING TO INTIMIDATE HIM AND HARRASS HIM INTO WITHDRAW FROM A POLITICAL RACE, WHICH IS NOT HIS JOB AND A CIVIL MATTER. THIS COULD ALSO BE AN ETHICS VIOLATION AND IS MOST ASSUREDLY A VIOLATION OF THE RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT PROVIDED BY THE ILLINOIS STATE BAR REGARDING SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF A PROSECUTOR. DID YOU ELECT HIM FOR SUCH MATTERS OR TO GO AFTER AND PROSECUTE CRIMINALS?

Let me make something very clear: I am probably going to vote for Jim Ardis.

I think the incumbent Ardis has done a better job that any of his recent predecessors. I’m a bit miffed at some of the votes he’s taken in favor extending TIF’s undeveloped green fields, and with his recent support for District 150 school closings. But he lived up to his promise to making resident’s safer.

So I’m probably going to vote for him.

But I want the option of NOT voting for him. Politicians do a better job when voters have the option of tossing them out on their ear.

And right now, challenger General Parker is the only alternative.

But because of convictions on his record, it’s doubtful he could serve. If he wins, Ardis could easily challenge the results and probably win. And Peoria County State’s Attorney Kevin Lyons is sending threatening letters to Parker telling him to drop out.

So, the best thing that could happen would be for Pat Quinn to issue Parker the pardon he has been seeking. Parker isn’t trying to hide anything, as far as I can tell, so it’s not like Peorians are being mislead about his past. And I rather doubt the guy is out stealing cars. He’s no threat to anybody.

Frankly, I find the idea of a council candidate selling $5,000 “platinum sponsorships” far more offensive and a much better threat to good government than having a former juvenile delinquent running for mayor.

And I have a libertarian disdain for the idea of kicking underdog candidates off the ballot. Early voting has started, and kicking Parker off the ballot would nullify votes already cast.

Gov. Quinn can be contacted here.

The Peoria Journal Star needs to do a better job of pacing itself. Without a primary, the election for mayor of Peoria won’t happen until April … three months away.

With today’s Word on the Street, I’m thinking the PJS may have blown it’s wad when it comes to attempts to toss dirt on General Parker. Granted, when one files lawsuits against the city, then tried to run for office, things in one’s background that are aren’t generally known do tend to become known. This includes a dispute over rent in today’s paper (been there). This includes the criminal record mentioned in earlier news articles (haven’t been there).

So, what’s the Journal Star going to write about as the election nears? The issues? Ha! What do issues have to do with elections? Campaigns are all about parsing the words and deeds of candidates to show that they aren’t perfect.

I know how the Journal Star operates, especially it’s editorial board. Sometime during the next three months, there WILL be an attempt to make Mayor Ardis out to be a heel and General Parker to be, well, less  objectionable than he has been presented to be so far.