PrintJanuary 27, 2011
Rahm Emmanuel And The Rule Of Law (and its inapplicability to him)
Today the Illinois Supreme court dealt a blow to Chicagoans, and allowed Rahm Emmanuel to stay on the Mayoral ballot. In reading the Illinois Supreme Court's ruling, I am struck by the fact that they keep talking about his "intent." He left a bunch of personal belongings in the house he was renting out, as they state, because he intended to move back. Let's start there.
Having lived in Chicago for a long time, and knowing what property taxes are, I know he was paying a mint to keep his home. I also know that in his neighborhood, he could hedge the property tax payment and mortgage payment with an enormous monthly rent payment from his tenant. Furthermore, he had a place to store all of his stuff (in the attic), so he could avoid the giant storage facility rental fees. So, of course, he would keep his stuff there, thus eradicating the need for a large, very expensive place over in Georgetown for his family. Two birds with one stone there.
Additionally a bunch of his "friends" were quoted by the Chicago Sun Times as saying he told them he planned to move back to Chicago after eighteen months in DC....Did you get that, he planned to move back to Chicago. Does that not specifically imply that he moved away?
They also spoke about him leaving his car(s) registered with Illinois. Interestingly enough, it is about $60 dollars a year cheaper to register a car in Illinois than in Washington DC. Further to that, http://www.carinsurancequote.net/ says that the average cost to insure a car in Illinois is $1286/year, while the average cost in Washington, DC is $2592/year. So, by keeping his Chicago property and renting it out, he negated the property tax and mortgage payment. Considering the average price of a moderate home in the Ravenswood Manor neighborhood is about $700K, that is a big nut to crack. The average rental in that neighborhood goes for about $3K/month. Now, if you look for a moderately sized storage space to rent in Chicago, you are looking at $2500/month (within 10 blocks of his rental property). The way I see it, he has been minimizing motor vehicle taxes and insurance costs, and "kept" his "residence" in Illinois as a means to save money -- and not for the sake of seriously maintaining a residency status in the state.
Lastly, I looked at residency laws in Illinois. For voting, you must be a resident for thirty days. In other words, you move here, and get an Illinois Drivers' License, and you can vote. However, you must be here for nine (9) months in order to gain "in-state residency" to receive discounted tuition to our state colleges/universities. Further to that, the District of Columbia requires you to get a driver's license and transfer the title of your car to DC immediately, if you are going to live there for more than six(6) months out of the year. The reciprocity laws that applied to him when he was a member of Congress don't apply to him now, as he is not a member of Congress, an employee of a member of Congress, nor is he a diplomat. Mr. Emmanuel clearly stated he would be in DC for the duration of his kids' school year -- and that exceeds six (6) months. Thus, he is in violation of DC law. Furthermore, his residency status in DC being in question, he has also continually and wantonly violated Federal Election Laws.
It is plain to me, as it probably is to most non-progressives that this is another case of a Democrat avoiding taxes, fees, and scoffing at myriad laws, as he is not required to follow the law.
The State of Illinois has scoffed at its own laws. The Federal Election Commission is ignoring the admission in open court that Mr. Emmanuel made, pertinent to his voter fraud. The District of Columbia is ignoring their own laws where residency rules apply to those who move or reside there for more than six months in a year.
The Laws above broken, and the punishments added up, would land you or me in a county or state penal facility for roughly 10 years (1 year for voter fraud, 18 months for residency laws in Illinois, 18 months for DC, up to 5 years for Tax evasion in DC, , 5 years for defrauding his insurance company of the higher premium, and more). But, when Rahm Emmanuel did it, he had all of the previously printed ballots in Chicago destroyed, and a new one printed, with his name in the first position, so that he is the first name all voters see!
When do the Democrats have to follow the same laws I do?
