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* Press release…
U.S. Reps. Darin LaHood (R-Ill.), Rodney Davis (R-Ill.), John Shimkus (R-Ill.), Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), and Mike Bost (R-Ill.) today released this joint statement calling on the Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the alleged rape and cover up in Champaign.
“These revelations are extremely troubling and a thorough independent investigation needs to happen immediately. We are very concerned that the Champaign County State’s Attorney has determined she will not investigate this alleged crime. If these disturbing allegations, that were revealed this week, are true there’s a victim out there that deserves justice and a criminal that should be prosecuted. Given the unwillingness of the local state’s attorney to investigate this alleged crime and ties to the governor’s campaign, we believe a special prosecutor is warranted.”
* But the state’s attorney has changed her mind…
Champaign County State’s Attorney Julia Rietz said she had spoken to the attorney general’s office Thursday afternoon and would be assisting OEIG’s investigation to unravel the meaning of McClain’s reference to a “rape in Champaign.”
“Certainly, if there’s a victim in my county I want to do everything I can to bring the perpetrator to justice,” she said.
That’s quite a flip-flop from earlier this week.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jan 10, 20 @ 9:05 am
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Of course now she publicly says her office will investigate, wonder who got to her.
Comment by Alfred Friday, Jan 10, 20 @ 9:12 am
The AG’s office and ISP should investigate this not the OEIG. This is a criminal matter and criminal investigators should do the investigation. OEIG Investigators are not sworn law enforcement officer and lack arrest powers.
Comment by Pacman Friday, Jan 10, 20 @ 9:19 am
I don’t think Illinois has a special prosecutor statute on the books like the federal government does. But DC pols are going to DC.
Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Jan 10, 20 @ 9:22 am
The Republican Congressmen don’t make a strong case on why a special counsel needs to be appointed. Nothing is preventing those in charge of prosecuting cases from doing an investigation.
Comment by Steve Friday, Jan 10, 20 @ 9:22 am
== The AG’s office and ISP should investigate this not the OEIG. This is a criminal matter and criminal investigators should do the investigation. OEIG Investigators are not sworn law enforcement officer and lack arrest powers.==
100 percent yes. In the event the oeig finds potentially criminal matters, guess who they can turn it over to? The Governor could expedite things by having ISP investigate it, unless he has no clue what his agencies do.
Comment by fs Friday, Jan 10, 20 @ 9:23 am
Comment today from SA Julia Rietz: “I have always said that if there is a victim in my county I want to do everything I can to bring the perpetrator to justice…..now, I’ve said it out loud”.
Comment by Sayitaintso Friday, Jan 10, 20 @ 9:27 am
This is a bipartisan issue and any letter from the U.S. reps, if at all appropriate, should have come from the entire congressional delegation.
If the Democrats weren’t interested in joining in, that’s bad. But if the Republicans didn’t bother to ask the Dems if they wanted to be involved, that’s worse.
Comment by Nick Name Friday, Jan 10, 20 @ 9:27 am
The case for a special prosecutor was “she refused to investigate”… now that she flip-flopped its fair to ask, exactly how vigorous does she plan to investigate and does she fully repudiate her “token persons of color” smear from the video yeaterday?
Comment by Um... Friday, Jan 10, 20 @ 9:29 am
The GOP congressional delegation has no credibility to ask for a dog catcher to be appointed. They are not into truth or justice.
Comment by Norseman Friday, Jan 10, 20 @ 9:32 am
“The Republican Congressmen don’t make a strong case on why a special counsel needs to be appointed. ”
The most powerful statewide politician in the country who has influenced the selection of hundreds of candidates for public office over 40 plus years is potentially implicated in a alleged rape cover-up. Seems like a very good case for an independent set of eyes to investigate.
Comment by Donnie Elgin Friday, Jan 10, 20 @ 9:40 am
=== Given the unwillingness of the local state’s attorney to investigate this alleged crime and ties to the governor’s campaign===
Making it a political statement to seem concerned for justice is a phony way to go about this.
By miles and miles, Leader Brady has shown an honesty and simplicity to finding truth and directing his want towards a real solution.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 10, 20 @ 9:41 am
The dismissive tone of the States Attorney becomes very difficult when the bright lights are shining directly in your eyes.
Unfortunate that it took 48 hours of bad press to adjust her equilibrium.
Comment by Upon Further Review Friday, Jan 10, 20 @ 9:43 am
The Illinois GOP misreads everything, and acts in such a ridiculous manner. These various press releases make a serious matter look partisan. This was radioactive as it is.
If anything the House Republicans, Senate Republicans, and Illinois Congressional delegation should have issues a joint statement calling for an investigation by the Campaign States Attorney in coordination with the State Police, then said nothing more.
Comment by Unpopular Friday, Jan 10, 20 @ 9:43 am
===Making it a political statement to seem concerned for justice is a phony way to go about this.===
Exactly why I think they had no intention of including the Dem reps for a bipartisan statement.
Comment by Nick Name Friday, Jan 10, 20 @ 9:44 am
Glad they did this, only because it makes Brady’s call for ISP seem more reasonable rather than partisan.
Comment by Robert the Bruce Friday, Jan 10, 20 @ 9:48 am
=== Exactly why I think they had no intention of including the Dem reps for a bipartisan statement.===
I don’t think you’re wrong.
Further to that point, as a delegation, partisan as it is, to frame their own reasoning within a delegation thought totally undercuts any chance to seem like electeds wanting justice.
It’s truly a disappointing way to insert politics where the phony of it all is then trying to make a case they’re concerned about justice.
On the GOP side, the only person, it appears, to be thoughtful and honest to this ugly and seedy issue is Leader Brady.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 10, 20 @ 9:51 am
=== If anything the House Republicans, Senate Republicans, and Illinois Congressional delegation should have issues a joint statement calling for an investigation by the Campaign States Attorney in coordination with the State Police, then said nothing more.===
When you lose your party, and it implodes, and wings and branches work against each other, doing what’s right, honest, thoughtful, and to seem non-political in a terrible situation, all that makes being untied, thoughtful, and even compassionate so very difficult.
You only need to realize Mr. Wehrli’s and Mr. Skillicorn’s concern was resignation.
Not very thoughtful to all this, to say the least.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 10, 20 @ 9:55 am
IF dems were invited to a joint statement, it would be easy enough for any of the republicans to say so.
Comment by Sayitaintso Friday, Jan 10, 20 @ 9:55 am
That Republicans are being talked about at all here is Exhibit A that they have handled this poorly.
In light of the volume of emails confiscated by Federal sources, many other shoes are going to drop in this overall scenario (ComED, McClain, Hooker, others). The probability that this isn’t a one off incident in terms of startling revelations is pretty high.
Comment by Upon Further Review Friday, Jan 10, 20 @ 10:05 am
If you saw the original release, they also framed themselves as the “Downstate Congressional Delegation.” I guess Cheri Bustos’ district isn’t downstate anymore.
Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Friday, Jan 10, 20 @ 10:14 am
===On the GOP side, the only person, it appears, to be thoughtful and honest to this ugly and seedy issue is Leader Brady.===
Agreed.
I mean, holy cripes, there was a rape cover up, with a lobbyist is calling for circling the wagons around a misbehaving state worker because he kept his mouth shut about it, and all these guys care about is scoring cheap points against the Pritzker campaign.
Meanwhile, the head of their own party (to pick just a couple of items out of a big grab-bap of corruption) is being sued for rape and has been banned for life from running a charity in the state of New York.
Comment by Nick Name Friday, Jan 10, 20 @ 11:10 am
Makes it look partisan?
It is extremely partisan and asking the Democrats to investigate powerful Democrats knowledge of rape and ghost patrolling across multiple administrations will not be a credible investigation
Comment by Lucky Pierre Friday, Jan 10, 20 @ 11:16 am
Our response was delayed because we were searching the web to seen when the GOPie, empty suit clown car made a peep about probing the PAWS scandal or the epidemic of cyber attacks.
Comment by Annonin Friday, Jan 10, 20 @ 11:16 am
=== It is extremely partisan===
Tell that to the victim.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 10, 20 @ 11:28 am
I’m less concerned with how Republicans respond to this issue than I am about the fact that for the third time over a short period, a member of the inner circle of a boss politician who wields great power, has revealed themselves to be a person of highly questionable, if not criminal behavior. The ringleader created this culture. But focus on the partisan politics, because that’s the issue.
Comment by SSL Friday, Jan 10, 20 @ 11:43 am
Now it’s the GOPs turn.
Comment by Blue Dog Dem Friday, Jan 10, 20 @ 11:43 am
I for one agree with the Congressmen. And for once, it doesn’t pain me to agree with them. Now, here’s the flip side… they want a special prosecutor to investigate an email in which a reference is made to covering up a rape, but… would they endorse the use of a special prosecutor in the instance that someone high up in their party was accused of rape, sexual assault, unwanted kissing, grabbing of private body parts…? See where I am going with this…?
Comment by Ducky LaMoore Friday, Jan 10, 20 @ 12:52 pm
==It is extremely partisan and asking the Democrats to investigate powerful Democrats knowledge of rape and ghost patrolling across multiple administrations will not be a credible investigation==
Why? Because you say so? You can’t see anything except through your partisan blinders. So I think I’d be careful about throwing stones about partisanship. You’re living in a glass house. Careful throwing your stones.
Pathetic.
Comment by Demoralized Friday, Jan 10, 20 @ 1:40 pm
What is to investigate without a victim? No one steps forth no crime. In this state she may have a great job now or even a ghost job. That would involve her in a crime. Lots of luck.
Comment by DuPage Saint Friday, Jan 10, 20 @ 2:21 pm
Those five great public servants, so troubled by this event, but they lick the boots of their beloved president who curses his opponents, pays for sex while married, increases the national debt to levels we have never seen before and is totally incompetent as a human being let alone president. I think the world of Ray LaHood, but his son has only survived by his name and his willingness to be a right wing attach dog. Ray was a real representative of the people, a gentleman respected by all. The boy is a joke to most.
Comment by Farmer Joe Friday, Jan 10, 20 @ 3:42 pm