Tamara Holder on TV

There’s never a dull moment in Chicago politics and the cardsharps will be back to their standard hustle on Monday morning at Chicago’s Board of Elections. The Board will hear over 30 objections to Rahm Emanuel’s candidacy for Mayor of Chicago based on a single reason: whether he is a resident of the City.

The Board will rule that Rahm is a Chicago resident.

Granted, he left the City for a temporary job as Chief of Staff to the President of the United States. The maximum amount of time he could have held the position would have been 8 years. (If you ask my conservative friends, they’ll tell you it only would have been a 4-year term!) The average term of a Chief of Staff isn’t even an entire Presidential term; instead it’s just 2.5 years. Rahm’s Washington DC job was even shorter — he lasted just 1 year, 10 months with Obama.

Rahm was born in Chicago’s Albany Park. Rahm owns a home in Chicago. His car is registered in Chicago. He’s registered to vote in Chicago. Granted, he rented-out his house to a man, Rob Halpin, who got so excited about the media attention, he has decided to run for Mayor himself!

Wait it gets better! Halpin will be in a hearing of his own today — his objectors say he submitted Nomination Papers with forged petition sheets. Apparently he found some homeless registered sex offender to shlep around town and get thousands of signatures! If Halpin really wants to be a Chicago politician, he better come up with better gamesmanship. You are playing with the big boys, buddy.

I’m not saying the political poker isn’t a real game. A lot is at stake here. Rahm has already dumped a lot of dough onto the table despite a decision on his eligibility. Illinois law states the candidate must be a resident for 1-year prior to running for Mayor. So, did Rahm’s temporary Washington job made him ineligible to run for Mayor this term? As a lawyer, I can see the argument from both sides. The Board will have to look at his intent – did he intend to remain a Chicago resident, despite his Washington job?

The trickery, the smoke-and-mirrors, and the games never end in Chicago. Clearly, the fight over Rahm’s eligibility is a political ploy by his opponents who don’t stand a chance at winning if he remains on the ballot.

And so begins the political circus tomorrow…30 people with the same damn objection…what a joke.

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