Thread: CONVICTED FELON: MEDRANO CAN RUN AGAIN

Convicted felon can run again
Former alderman spent nearly 2 years in prison

January 27, 2007
BY ABDON M. PALLASCH Legal Affairs Reporter
So what if the law says he can't run -- the law doesn't make any sense, a Cook County judge said Friday in ruling that convicted former Ald. Ambrosio Medrano (25th) can stay on the ballot.
Conflicting provisions in Illinois law say felons cannot run for local office but they can run for state offices such as governor.

The law says a felon "can run for governor, can be governor, can unlock the doors to all the prisoners . . . wield a phenomenal amount of power [but cannot] run for alderman," Judge Nathaniel Roosevelt Howse said.


'Unlikely to be hidden'
"More people are aware of candidate Medrano than of their state representative," Howse said. "This has been widely publicized. It is unlikely to be hidden."
S

So voters in the 25th Ward on the Southwest Side will be able to make an informed choice about whether to vote for the former alderman, who spent nearly two years in federal prison for taking $31,000 in bribes, Howse ruled.

Medrano smiled and put his arm around his son as Howse spoke.

Despite the conviction, Medrano said he is still more fit for office than incumbent Ald. Danny Solis. Solis' lawyers are the ones fighting to bounce Medrano from the ballot, though technically Solis is not the named objector in the case.

Those lawyers, led by Jack Hagerty of Shefsky and Froelich, plan to seek an expedited appeal of Howse's ruling in a continued attempt to get Medrano off the ballot.

Early voting begins Feb. 5 and the election is Feb. 27, so little time remains to knock Medrano off the ballot.


Medrano files challenges
Medrano filed a suit Friday seeking to have Solis thrown off the ballot because he says Solis had someone else sign his statement of ccy -- a charge Solis denies.
Medrano also filed a challenge against another candidate in the race, former Ald. Juan Soliz, who Medrano says lives in Orland Park.

Soliz says he spends only two nights a week in that house with his wife and family but stays five nights a week in a house he owns in the 25th Ward.

There are seven candidates in the race.

apallasch@suntimes.com

So what if the law says he can't run -- the law doesn't make any sense, a Cook County judge said Friday in ruling that convicted former Ald. Ambrosio Medrano (25th) can stay on the ballot.

You know our judicial system is in a sad state of affairs when a county judge, in addition to upholding the law, is able to make it too. Some laws don't make a lot of sense to me either, but that doesn't mean I have the authority to disregard them. I would suggest this so-called judge leave the law making to the legislative branch of government and do his job of upholding the laws as written!

This is crazy, especially when these kook judges suffer no consequences for their actions.

America is no longer a country that believes in laws. We have given our country to the lawless due to the ACLU, etc. Judges making laws instead of enforcing them, politicans supporting criminals, and police officers refusing to enforce the laws.

Soliz says he spends only two nights a week in that house with his wife and family but stays five nights a week in a house he owns in the 25th Ward.

Interesting...

I am wondering if people are really paying attention to what is going on.

Originally Posted by Neese

Soliz says he spends only two nights a week in that house with his wife and family but stays five nights a week in a house he owns in the 25th Ward.

Interesting...

I am wondering if people are really paying attention to what is going on.

No they aren't and therein lies the problem. Cook County has become a lawless sanctuary. We are heavily in debt, they are cutting services in hospitals, and get ready . . . . . firing states attorneys (probably so they can hire more interpreters). I have noticed Latin King signs spray painted on formerly beautiful office buildings in downtown Chicago. Every state building I pass there are illegals with 5 and 6 kids in tow loitering or getting documents. If that isn't the case then they are protesting something. Citizens here seem to be comatose and oblivious or maybe they simply don't care anymore.

I am a grown man and I have felt tears well up in my eyes on more than one occasion when I walk for blocks at a time and all I see are illegals (men and women) pushing a stroller full of dirty kids and holding the hands of 4 or 5 more toddlers, chattering in Spanish and having the time of their lives. Seemingly oblivious to the fact that they have no right to be here and are reaping havoc on America and Americans.

The mafia lives on.......

Hard to believe that felons can't get many jobs but they can run for public office. On second thought, it makes perfect sense.

Citizens here seem to be comatose and oblivious or maybe they simply don't care anymore.

Anyone who has grown up in the Chicagoland area knows that Chicago = corruption. It is just a given. I think that people do care but they feel powerless to do anything about it. Rich is normally a pretty likeable guy, just based on the fact that he is so matter of fact. This whole immigration thing, though, has me upset beyond words. It will be interesting to see how it goes at the next election. Many Chicagoans are Democrats to the bone, so it will be hard to make any changes. I think our city is doomed.

Originally Posted by Neese

Citizens here seem to be comatose and oblivious or maybe they simply don't care anymore.

Anyone who has grown up in the Chicagoland area knows that Chicago = corruption. It is just a given. I think that people do care but they feel powerless to do anything about it. Rich is normally a pretty likeable guy, just based on the fact that he is so matter of fact. This whole immigration thing, though, has me upset beyond words. It will be interesting to see how it goes at the next election. Many Chicagoans are Democrats to the bone, so it will be hard to make any changes. I think our city is doomed.

Not only is Chicago doomed. so are many of the surrounding suburbs. I grew up in Chicago and have a very different opinion of the decades of the Daley's generational curses. Chicago politicians have tried and failed on 3 attempts to pass their sancutary proposal so that's the good news. The bad news is that Daley, Obama and Durbin's blessings with regard to amnesty has apparently made illegals fearlessly branch their criminal elements out into the suburbs.