2 IL Veterans Force 102 Corrupt Officials to Resign, Place Entire Local Board Under Citizen’s Arrest

By: Barry Donegan
181

Illinois residents John Kraft and Kirk Allen, who run an anti-corruption non-profit called the Edgar County Watchdogs, have waged a campaign against crooked public officials over the past two years, forcing resignations from 102 bureaucrats and politicians and at one point placing an entire park district board under citizen's arrest.

With four former governors having served time behind bars, Illinois’ government is widely-viewed as being riddled with corruption. However, according to a recent expose by Forbes, two military veterans in Edgar County have begun to fight back and, in just under two years, have drastically cleaned up corruption in their community.

In an effort to take back their government from self-serving politicians and bureaucrats, John Kraft and Kirk Allen established a group called the Edgar County Watchdogs. Through a combination of public pressure, Freedom of Information filings, lawsuits, and media exposure, they have created a system that deeply threatens Illinois’ corrupt, entrenched political establishment. They operate a blog called Illinois Leaks that exposes corruption at the state and local levels. Considering the fact that, according to Forbes, their home county’s government has racked up over $79 million in debt all on its own while serving only 18,000 residents, Kraft and Allen have their work cut out for them.


Despite an uphill battle, the anti-corruption twosome have been surprisingly successful. By doggedly pursuing justice for even the smallest infractions by bureaucrats and politicians, the Edgar County Watchdogs have driven 102 public officials to resign from their posts, including 33 officials in Edgar County alone. The pair busted the mayor of Redmond for attempting to hold office while living out of town. They represented themselves in court and beat Illinois Assistant Attorney General Emma Steimel in a lawsuit seeking access to state emails. Officials who have resigned due to the Watchdogs’ efforts include a property tax assessor, the Edgar County board chairman, an entire airport board and its manager, the attorney for Kansas Township’s fire department, Shiloh’s superintendent of schools, and Effingham’s health department administrator, among others. After they exposed corrupt, illegal, and self-serving spending habits by the Ford-Iroquois County health department, the entire bureaucracy was dissolved. In some cases, federal agents have even stepped in to investigate and issue subpoenas to local officials after receiving tips from Kraft and Allen.

In what was one of their most epic displays of political crime-fighting, seen in the above-embedded video, Allen and Kraft held the entire Clark County Park District Board under citizen’s arrest on May 13, 2014 for violating the Illinois Open Meetings Act, a Class C misdemeanor. According to NBC-5 Chicago, when Clark County Sheriff Jerry Parsley responded to the scene of the heated dispute in which local residents were not allowed to make public comments at a park district board public meeting, he chose to enforce Kraft and Allen’s citizen’s arrest. Sheriff Parsley explained his rationale behind enforcing the arrest to NBC Chicago, “The people need to have their voice. It’s not a dictatorship. It’s a democracy.”

Inspired by Dillon’s Rule, a 19th-century principle that municipal governments can only act on the basis of powers that have been lawfully granted to them, the duo force public officials to prove that they are spending public funds and using public resources in a lawful manner. Activities like these helped Kraft and Allen catch a school superintendent who spent $5,000 worth of school funds dining out at restaurants.

What began as an effort to clean up Edgar County has become a state-wide initiative to hold public officials accountable. In a short time, two concerned citizens who happen to be military veterans have dramatically shaken up Illinois’ infamously-corrupt political landscape.

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Barry Donegan

Barry Donegan is a writer, musician, and pro-liberty political activist living in Nashville, TN. Donegan served as Director-at-Large of the Davidson County Republican Party from 2009-2011 and was the Middle Tennessee Regional Coordinator over 30 counties for Ron Paul's 2012 Presidential Campaign. Follow him at facebook.com/barry.donegan and twitter.com/barrydonegan
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  • Reality Check

    This is why veterans are seen by Washington as “public enemy #1″, next to Libertarians, gun owners, Christians, Constitutionalists and other sane and patriotic Americans.

    Time is up for these feminist, socialist, communist freaks, hell bent on destroying America.

    It’s time to put these treasonous rats behind bars where they belong.

    • Cadlax

      How are Christians a threat?

      • disqus_k6jwy6ujzf

        Cadlax you need to re-read the above statement by Reality Check it DOES NOT say Christians are a threat, he says they are sane and patriotic Americans

        • True

          Cadlax is a product of the ‘common core’ system, fluoridated water, GMO and all the rest.

  • Bob_Robert

    A modern Athens, Georgia.

  • Oldswitcheroo

    The same needs to happen in every city I know of. They all become corrupt at the tiniest taste of power, and most believe they are untouchable.

    • nbt

      taste of power and MONEY. the LUV of it is the ROOT of ALL evil. they do this to line their pockets. everything they do from the time they wake up to the time the lay their corrupt heads down to “sleep” (no rest for the wicked) thats all they conspire to do is GET MORE MONEY.
      i agree with you Realitycheck, the biggest criminal of them all is the mouthy white female. this isnt about race but you can surely see forest thru the trees.

  • WOrkingTaxpayer

    EXCELLLENT>>>>>>>>that is real change…

  • http://walshie4staterep.blogspot.com/ Daniel F. Walsh

    Super job! Time to empower the people throughout the country… http://issuu.com/walshie50/docs/paulls_lawsuit_and_dhs_filed__1_

  • http://www.TopSpotsMarketing.com/ Louis Foussard

    This is the sort of initiative that needs to happen in every county across the US. You guys need to publish a training manual for the rest of us to follow!

  • gary

    This is beautiful. We need a group like this in Rockford ,Il are city is so corrupt and are county is also. From the mayor to the alderman and the county board. Nothing but a bunch of bribe taking self-serving liars, crooks and more.

  • Jerryb53

    Sorry to burst everyone’s bubble but this is meaningless. You have to route out corruption from the Federal Government. We don’t have enough time to do this town by town. It will take generations we don’t have the luxury to wait. if this type of movement would have been started 20 years ago maybe it would make a difference. You kill a snake by cutting off it’s head. The Federal Government is the head. Remember what Jefferson said in the Declaration of Independence. He was not talking about local government he was referring to the Federal Government.

    • dontreadonme

      All change starts at the local level . If you’re gonna be a naysayer get the hell outta the way !

      • Bruce

        It’s the definition of a “grassroots” movement.

    • Cyndi Williams

      You got to start somewhere, and that somewhere is at the bottom and work your way up. If two individuals in every single town in America did what these 2 men did, change would be rapid. So get off your ass, stop complaining and get another person together and start in YOUR town.

      • Jerryb53

        Really Cyndi…if 2 people in every single town in America did what these 2 men did change would be rapid…ROTFL! I’ve been trying since 2009 to get a March on DC organized. Wrote letters to Beck, Hannity, Chuck Norris, Ted Nugent and even tried to get Oathkeepers involved. As I was a member in Oathkeepers I got a response from them and I agreed with their reason as they are working on the Military to not obey orders to take the Citizens guns or fire on the citizens. The other people I got no response. I realize now that most Americans don’t have what it takes to do what needs to be done. The Revolution was fought by only 3% of the Country. The rest were either sympathetic to the British or were apathetic and didn’t care. What have any of you done? Cyndi, tpc, and dontreadonme care to share with the rest of us?

        • Reality Check

          “been trying since 2009 to get a March on DC organized”

          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

          That’s putting the cart ahead of the horse and is why you have not been successful.

          If you had been trying to clean up your town since 2009, you would be living in the best city in America.

          Get on board or get out of the way.

          It’s your choice.

          • Jerryb53

            why don’t you show your face.

        • teller123

          That is why you are failing and why others have failed trying to do the same thing. People can’t afford to go to DC to protest. Who has the money for that let alone the time? We have to work for a living, we have pets and homes and families to take care of. I would go in a second but where am I going to stay when I get there and who’s going to pay for it? I don’t have the money to do something like that.
          Why not instead organize marches at your local city hall or state capitol that people can afford to attend? Also in case you don’t this people like Hannity and Beck are nothing more than talking heads working for corporate owned, censored media. They are not on our side. Good Heaven’s I can’t believe you honestly think those guys could help you. How much news coverage did we see on MSM when the bikers or the truckers marched on DC? Crickets. D.C shut down the City Cams so no one could see what was going on up there. They aren’t going to say ANYTHING because they can’t and I doubt they give a damn. I liken them more to actors and wonder if either of them are really conservative at all.

          • Jerryb53

            In 2009 I thought Beck and Hannity were? I know now that they are enablers as is 90% of the media. Getting to DC is problematic if you live on the Coasts or even in the Midwest. But taking back The Republic 2 guys at a time in a Town Government won’t accomplish anything. The NWO is knocking at the door.

          • Bruce

            Did you notice in the article that their movement is catching fire statewide?

          • Jerryb53

            Keep me up to date on the progress Bruce. Maybe in 20 years Clark County will be free of Corruption. Hey Bruce what are they going to do about the CFR, or the FED, or the IRS or the other hundreds of corrupt government Agencies? The Global Agenda will be implemented in a matter of years. America doesn’t have time to start at the bottom. You think because the Republicans took the Senate that it will change anything? No, we will have different people in office and they will go about the Corporate Agenda more under the radar than Obama and the Democrats but it will be the same Agenda fooling the people into thinking that they actually changed the course of America. Different Cop same results.

        • Cyndi Williams

          You wrote letters… you wrote letters???? And that is your idea of fighting back? That is your idea of making a difference? You are the typical American that does the same thing over and over and then complains that it isn’t working… but you’ll keep doing the same thing over and over again. Time to change your game plan. Stop writing letters and get OUT there. Seriously…

          • Jerryb53

            Cyndi what have you done?

      • Reality Check

        You are absolutely right Cyndi, so get off your azz and get this done in your town.

        The “protected class” of white females (Who make up less than .25 % of the prison population in America) will be the most effective means in bringing these criminals to justice. They don’t have to fear a physical confrontation, and the use of deadly force, which men have to contend with on a daily basis. Mind you, not all sheriffs are going to arrest the criminals, many will arrest the law abiding citizens, making the lawful arrest.

        When white females in America decide to stand for something more than murdering 50% of all black children in the womb, maybe we will begin to recover as a nation, you’d want to raise your children in.

        The feminist movement in America (comprised of practically 100% white females) are the people most responsible for this corruption. It’s no coincidence that the most outspoken criminal in this video is a white female.

        Get off your azz Cyndi, your country needs you.

        • Jerryb53

          I agree check about the abortion issue. Those same women will breakdown in tears when they see an animal abused and they will fund P.E.T.A. I’m against cruelty to animals but when a woman murders her own child she has no right to complain about animal cruelty.This isn,t a black white issue. I don’t get your statement that white females are murdering 50% of all black children in the womb. The feminist movement is not comprised of only white women. There are Black, Asian, all races.

          • Reality Check

            “There are Black, Asian, all races”

            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Very few … the vast majority are “white females”.

            White females are responsible for the murder of all children in the womb, and it is no coincidence that over 50% of black children are their victims.

            Without the support of “white females” none of this murder would be possible.

            So you tell me who’s to blame if they make it possible?

        • Cyndi Williams

          I find it interesting that you assume that I am sitting on my ‘azz’ and doing nothing. But, I’m certainly not even remotely amused that you assume I am a feminist or that I agree with abortion or that I’m the one killing black babies. And just where the hell do you get your numbers of “practically 100% white females”? It boils down to an ignorant comment, and it is that ignorance that gets the people nowhere. Just a bunch of name calling, finger pointing ignorance. Congrats on your contribution to the world.

    • tpc4545

      With people like you it will take longer then 20 yrs go hide under a rock and let real patriot clean up the scum!

      • Jerryb53

        Your the one hiding under the Rock. You don’t even have the balls to put your photo on here.

    • Reality Check

      You are part of the problem.
      Get busy doing what these guys did, or shut your mouth and get out of the way.

      • akar4715

        What are you doing about any of this, besides just “yelling” at people?

        • regressive teaparty trash

          N..O..T..H..I..N..G..

    • Ruth Gauthier

      If people started to do this, it could easily snowball up to the fed level quickly.

    • nbt

      its better than doing NOTHING at all!! would you rather sit on ur ass and wait for more of the same til its gets so bad that the people revolt? i think not!! it may be too little too late but at least they are standing. what are YOU doing? my hat is off to these guys man. Semper Fi!!!!!!!

      • Jerryb53

        Who says I’m sitting on my butt. I’m prepared for the Revolution. That’s what it’s going to take. Not citizens arresting other citizens bullshit. What you saw in the video what did that accomplish? You know that the people can indict someone before a people’s Grand Jury and it is legal. That includes Government workers. Why don’t these 2 go make a citizens arrest on Obama or Harry Reid. That would be something. But a 8 member Town Board…PFFFT!

      • Jerryb53

        Yes that’s what I want a Revolution! This government needs to fear the people. They don’t fear us. Look at the IRS scandal. If the Citizens had any balls they would be calling for a Tax protest and be at the doors of the IRS building in every state.

    • teller123

      I totally disagree with you. If we want to fix this we need to start the fight at the local level and I have heard many people that are doing just that say that. Rosa Koire is fighting NDAA, Debra Tavares is fighting NDAA and a hundred other things all at the local level. That is how they are attacking us although most don’t know it. That is exactly how they are moving Agenda 21 so fast. They have ICLEI working with city planners and city councils. We should be at our school board meetings protesting common core and some of the other sick garbage they want to teach our kids. Nope we can’t go to the top-those people are too well insulated from the likes of us. Local is where you work your way up to your Senators and Congressmen.

      • Jerryb53

        You deal with common core by abolishing the Board of Education. This also reduces Federal spending. The budget for the BOE for 2015 is 67.3 billion. That’s money that can be used for our economy. The Individual States can handle the education department. http://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/index.html
        This is only one needless government agency that can be eliminated to reduce the Federal Budget. Reducing the Federal Budget reduces the amount of money they need to run the government and that reduces the amount of taxes they need to collect.

  • camatic

    the guys a coward because he didnt post his photo? well, you know what youre dealing with here. And ‘widely held’ is not hyphenated

    • Kim

      My red pen is all over this comment.

  • Bill Bradsky

    If these guys were to be 100% successful, the government would collapse altogether.

    • Tonya-Clay Davis

      That is a worthy goal.

    • Jerryb53

      You don’t want a Government collapse. What we want is a restructuring of the government. Major changes.

      • Bill Bradsky

        Well, I guess it depends on how you define collapse. Ideally I would like to see the systematic dismantling of no less than 90% of what we now call our government, and the reassignment of those duties into the hands of private individuals. Anyone that steps us closer to that like the above gentlemen are doing is heroic in my estimation, because government epitomizes the very definition of corruption.

        • Jerryb53

          Be more specific please. What your wishing for sounds like Anarchy. 90% dismantling of the government and what would you replace it with?

          • Bill Bradsky

            Well, it pretty much is the end goal, anarchism that is. The ultimate free market system. I just don’t think our population is ready for such a system yet, and I believe it would be beneficial to maintain a minarchistic setup in the transition towards anarchism. It would also be beneficial for the security of the people that live here to maintain the government until such a time as the national debt could be paid in full, which would take at least a decade.
            The real reason that I said only 90% reduction in governmental size though is because we need to maintain police and military as we transition to a truly peaceful society. As the older generations of violent persuasion clear out as they get old and die, the younger generations, who would be raised peacefully, would be able to self-organize without fear of events like we’re seeing in Ferguson right now.
            Edit: I would also like to add that even reduced to 10% of its current size, the U.S. government would still be quite large.

  • stinkinpunks

    and it took 20 mins for the sheriff to show up? or did i miss something…

    • Jerryb53

      ROTFL! Thank You Stink.

  • https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYFiw602gzRecgOJvAsVeVQ CaptainUSA

    I hope this turns into a Trend.

  • nbt

    this is the BEST most EXCITING thing to watch. Public CRIMINAL servants breaking the law like its just another day at the office. i wish we could have this happen on a weekly basis and make it available on HBO. public SERVANTS vs JUSTICE.

    • KORGG

      It would make a good reality show.

      • Ziva David

        GREAT idea! Let the networks fund the pursuit of corrupt politicians and then televise it!

  • Steve Svensson

    Awesome!!!!!

  • LIBERALSnotWORTHYofLIFE

    America really is a banana republic under obama and democrats.

    • Reality Check

      It was no different under Bush and the Republicans.
      We will not move forward quickly until people like you get that through your heads.

    • John Ridley

      Yeah, because Illinois politics was squeaky clean before 2008.

      • Bruce

        Illinois has been run by democrats for decades. Once in awhile, we elect a republican governor, but the state assemblies and local government have always been democratic.

    • regressive teaparty trash

      lets see EXACTLY what your regressive white trash republicans do FOR ALL AMERICA in the next 2 yrs

  • LIBERALSnotWORTHYofLIFE

    Whats the bet these are democrats, the most vile, corrupt, filthy, subhuman, treasonous and evil party in the country.

    • Jerryb53

      Democrats and Republicans are the same.

  • Reality Check

    Most everything they do to strip us of our freedom, property and children, is initiated at the federal level, but it is enforced at the local level, by criminals who take money from the feds to violate our rights.

    Take away the “federal dollars’ and you restore liberty to the people.

    Ron Paul understood this perfectly.

    The only people who don’t understand this are willfully ignorant criminals like the ones on display in this video.

    You either put them in jail or they will eventually jail you.

    • Jerryb53

      YUP!

    • regressive teaparty trash

      ron paul???? U use him as your deity?
      ——————————————————————-
      true brilliance for us all to admire

  • teller123

    God Bless these men for what they are doing. This is a model of what should be taking place all across the country. Our privately owned jails, which these crooked elected officials have kept full so their cronies make tons of money, would be full but this time they would house the real problem in this nation. It would be true justice. If I could I do anything? I would round up this and the past 3 administrations along with the bankers, the corrupt media, the heads of all these corrupt government agencies most of the congress and senate and ship them all off to gitmo using the NDAA law. It would be true justice. Those people would never walk free again and it’s exactly what they deserve. That being said it ain’t never going to happen unless we start exactly where these men have started.

    Others like Rosa Koire (Democrats against Agenda 21, she is a smart, rational woman that realizes her party is no longer working for her) is working at the local level to fight against smart meters and all that other crap they are shoving down our throats. Visit her website because she does offer the materials for us to do it too. Debra Tavares (Stop the Crime.net) is another that has so much information on her site it’s a way to gather information you need. Pick something and run with it. We are being attacked from so many sides, at the local level, it should not be too hard to find a way to jump in feet first.

  • Stibbs11

    GIVE CLASSES ON HOW TO DO THIS ! ! !

    I believe many would pay knowing after the classes they stand a good chance of lower taxes.

    • fredderf

      Probably a good chance of getting arrested by the oft times corrupt police. These guys have balls.

    • armedandsafe

      Here’s a class. All it takes is some work and cooperation among patriots.
      http://committee.org/

  • DragonTattooz

    I have a serious man-crush right now.

  • fklftman

    Many many years ago I joined the Republican Party in a small town in N.J. I lived on a dead-end street, the last house. The garage was under the house with a driveway with high walls on both sides. The mayor, a Republican lived at the foot of the street, The Republican Club President lived a few houses down on the same street. It was during the Johnson/Goldwater election, that tells you how long ago it was. Well the first snowfall came and when I got up to go to work the street had been plowed. You know how they come down the street and leave a berm in everyone’s driveway so you have to shovel your way out? Well they did that, except in my driveway, the last one on the dead-end, the plow came into my driveway with the blade up and put it down and backed out, clearing my driveway and the head of the Rep club and the Mayors too. This taught me that corruption starts at the lowest levels of politics. Now it would seem I owed them something. The town only had 11,000 people in it, but I bet only 10 or 15 driveways got plowed out. THERE ARE NO HONEST POLITICIANS, it starts at the school board or homeowners assoc. level and just gets worse as you move up. Both parties are the same, its all a game and we lose. These guys think they are doing something good. OK who is going to replace them? Just more crooks getting paid off by someone else. We are screwed, think about it. Where do you think all the campaign money comes from? Why would anyone spend thousands at the lower levels, to millions at the higher levels for a job that most of the time pays nothing or very little? No politician gets out poor, you can bet on it.

    • Reality Check

      You weren’t complaining were you? You got your driveway plowed out and you didn’t say a word.

      Who was it that said something to the effect that we all suffer when good people are silent?

      You’re the “bad guy” in this scenario. Maybe you need to learn from these two gentlemen.

      The system has gone bad because of people like you, that doesn’t mean it’s a bad system.

      This Republic was intended for good people, not folks like you. The founders knew it’d be people like you who’d destroy it.

      • Ziva David

        What crap! You don’t know what he did with the information but are quick to jump in and criticize. At least he’s adding knowledge to the conversation. You’re just whining. And at least part of the solution? TERM LIMITS AND ACCOUNTABILITY! Start making these corrupt politicians pay back the people. Hit them in the wallet and everything else they have.

        • fklftman

          Thanks Ziva, he doesnt know what he is blabbing about. Judgemental Dick-head.

          • Reality Check

            Crawl back in your hole crybaby, according to you we are “screwed” anyway.

            You are a mentally ill dickhead who has no idea how crazy you really are.

          • dgagin

            Right. And who cares if you know how crazy you are, we all see it. You post useless comments that alienate people, as if you’re the hall monitor or something. Get off this blog and stay off.

          • Reality Check

            “You post useless comments that alienate people, as if you’re the hall monitor”
            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Hall monitor? LOL!

            I suppose, to a mindless twit like you, the truth is a worthless comment that alienates people. Most people don’t want to hear the truth. People like you avoid the truth like it’s the plague.

            The “dickhead” in question wants us all to think that we are “screwed” that there is nothing we can do about this tyranny. The truth is that we are not helpless, that we can make a difference.

            Run along you worthless zombie. No one wants to read your mindless scribbling.

          • Jerryb53

            I do. What I don’t want to hear is someone else or a group of people trying to silence or degrade other people’s points of view. It’s called free speech.

          • regressive teaparty trash

            did U get the snickers I sent U?

          • Jerryb53

            Amen!

          • regressive teaparty trash

            brilliance be thy name!

        • Reality Check

          Shut up punk.
          You are a sick freak if you think that idiot had anything important to say.
          Get off your azz and do something besides whine like spoiled little brat about “term limits”.

          • Jerryb53

            You must be 16 years old. Your ranting and calling people names is a sign of immaturity. Anyone you don’t agree with you start with the 5 year old name calling. You haven’t put forth any ideas of your own. Come up with some solutions. Please stop calling people cowards, scumbags, lazy, mentally ill. It’s getting old. I find that people who berate and attack other people are acting out their own insecurity issues. Maybe a visit to a mental health professional might do you some good, seriously because you have some anger issues. You are crying out for some help on this thread we all see it.

          • regressive teaparty trash

            your brilliance is still showing

      • fklftman

        Judge not. I quit soon after that. I will never be beholden to anyone. I have worked all my life, never took unemployment or welfare and stayed out of politics. I was 23 at the time. Your comment comes from being an asshole. Its people like you that rush to judgement before thinking. Why would I post something like that, to make myself look bad? Wake up. I am a dyed-in-the-wool Conservative who take nothing from no one, including bullshit from a dick like you Reality Check. Look in the mirror and see what you have contributed to society.

        • Reality Check

          Anyone who reads your comment knows you are a piece of crap who blames the world’s problems on others while taking no personal responsibility whatsoever.

          Before you condemn everyone in society to live under tyranny because you claim there’s no hope, that “we are screwed”, you should look at ways you can help bring about change.

          The truth is that scumbags like you are the reason we are “screwed”, not because of anyone else.

          Take responsibility, coward, and stop whining about being screwed. Get off your lazy, mentally ill backside, and make a difference for once.

          • Rich Z

            So what have YOU done in that department, “Reality Check”?

          • Gaius

            Well, there are a few posts on the Internet here…

          • regressive teaparty trash

            your brilliance is showing

    • Reality Check

      Here you go, you mindless “dickhead”, visit this website and try to learn something from people who are part of the solution, not the problem, like you, “dickhead”.

      We are not “screwed” … we are not helpless, we can make a difference, no matter what a mindless “dickhead” like you has to say about it.

      Scumbags like you got us into this mess, “dickhead” now stop whining and take some action.

      http://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/

      • Jerryb53

        A lot of what the post that you are blasting makes sense. All the Campaign donations come from Special Interests. Those interests are the Big Corporations. The Corporations run the government and therefor put in the Presidency the person that they can Control the best. Congress is run by the Corporations. If the government is not restructured so that Corporations are no longer in the picture then it doesn’t matter what happens in the Towns, and Counties. I applaud these guys for trying to do something that they think will matter but Civil Disobedience on a major scale is what’s needed now. The People must force change. Get the 16th Amendment repealed. How did fkl get us into this mess, that statement makes no sense. He wasn’t whining just being realistic. We are screwed if massive change doesn’t happen in a few years. Obama now will go so far left he will finally put the nail in the coffin. He knows the Republicans won’t impeach him so as not to risk the 2016 elections. Wait and see how many executive orders he makes. Actually he has more power now that before the elections.

      • trr

        Name calling, always the trademark of the right wing.
        You have nothing to say, just links to scabrous right wing organizations whose true motives and gold lira far beyond your ken.

      • Oyasin

        You don’t represent me.

      • regressive teaparty trash

        sounds like your crybaby ass needs a snickers

  • Sagebrush

    Maybe we can get these men to help set up a roto-rooter for the Federal sewer AKA the Federal Government?

    • Cathy McMahan

      need to deal with local first

      • Nathanael Ginn

        Exactly why we need our government to be completely localized….

  • Reality Check

    http://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/
    This is how you can get involved. If you wait for someone else to organize the effort it’s not going to happen. Go to the website, read and learn, contact the people who run the website and start making a difference.

  • Pat Enery

    Bring these guys to Cook County & Chicago. Make sure they have bulletproof vests & automatic weapons. The pols around here will put a hit on them.

  • Snufy

    This is a case of men putting their money where their mouth is. I applaud them. Illinois has a long history of corruption, and it’s very refreshing to see their feet held to the fire. God bless America

  • armedandsafe

    Committee of Safety actions exemplified.

  • doncalls

    This has to happen country wide.

  • usmcmailman

    Veterans ! Now THAT figures !

  • http://Dimseatshyte.com/perverts Unc Remus

    Well Done, Well Done!!!

  • wilsonsandy2

    GOOD JOB! WE NEED THE MOMENTUM TO GROW IN EVERY STATE AND GET THIS PRESIDENT OUT OF OFFICE AND HIS MAFIA WHITE HOUSE. THIS CORRUPTION HAS BEEN AN EPIDEMIC IN AMERICA. OBAMA IS THE LEADER OF CORRUPTION IN AMERICA. WE NEED TO TAKE OUT THE CRIMINALS STARTING WITH OBAMA

    • regressive teaparty trash

      I would rather start with congress,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, especially Darrell issa

    • Sotmone

      Do you have any evidence for this corruption or just irrational racist hate?

      • Dr. Common Sense

        Race was never mentioned in the comment. Maybe they don’t like his policies.

        • Sotmone

          His policies are centrist. They call him ‘socialist’ because they can’t call him the n word, in public anyway. In private they call him that all the time. I’m a middle-aged White guy and people talk nonsense in front of me all the time, don’t tell me that oppostion to the President is expalined by policy differences, many never even get to check the policy, they just beleive Rush and Billo and Krauthammer and Bachmann.

          • Gaius

            Your term “centrist” is nonsense. The race card and branding 50% of the nation as racist doesn’t work anymore, by the way.

          • Sotmone

            Have you been around the county. I’ve been in 42 States. The USA is a racist country. You don’t have to hate to be racist, just to see people of a different race to your own as all the same. If you talk about “the Blacks” or “the Asians”, you are racist. Obama is a centrist.

          • Sotmone

            Probably higher than 50%.

      • Dude

        The man makes deals with terrorists. What more do you need to show that he doesn’t give a damn about anything in America.

        • Sotmone

          Bull.

  • trr

    Good people, doing the People’s work,
    Hurray!

  • Bonione

    Well, the video stunk, thought the lingering around was for waiting til sheriff arrived and cuffed them. geesh, we can see politics any time, just like to see flagrant violators cuffed and taken away. Town judge probably let them all go with a slap on the hands.

    • fedup

      The problem with corruption in government is people like this ^^^^…it’s too boring for you to sit through…too long, didn’t read…too boring, don’t pay attention. This attitude is what allows them to get away with it. Keep needing instant gratification and you’ll get what you deserve.

      • Bonione

        I watched the whole thing, that is why I said it stunk because it pretty much just showed people waiting to be arrested. Thank you for caring about my interests and you are so right, I have attitude that loves to see justice for American citizens

    • Reality Check

      102 forced resignations.

      What have you ever done except flap your jaws?

      • Bonione

        Thank you for caring about my interests and you are so right, I have attitude that loves to see justice for American citizens

  • BeeKaaay

    Sink the politicians and their cronies. Good show!

  • regressive teaparty trash

    have these guys investigate our CONGRESS,,,,,,,,dems and repubs– and start with Darrell issa.

    • Oscarspicks

      AND Harry Reid for bottling up over 100 bills passed by the House, not even allowing a committee hearing for them. And how about changing the rules in the Senate to allow passage of certain bills with only a 51% vote when the norm has been 60% in order to avoid compromising with Republican amendments? Corruption cuts BOTH ways!

      • Sotmone

        Those bills were cynical giveaways to the corporate lobbyists who own the GOP. Reid was right.

        • Mike TheVet

          Reid is never right. Nor is Issa. They are both criminals. Period.

          • Sotmone

            I agree that Reid and Issa are both odious. Issa lies more.

          • Mike TheVet

            Who cares who lies more? They are both criminal. When you say one side lies more, it means you’re choosing to side with the lesser of two evils.

            No thanks.

        • PawneeBill47

          I have heard the liberal brain and Conservative brain are wired differently, physically. You are the same ones who do not know right from wrong. I wish Reid were dead, he’s the mouthy little squirt with the big friends and HE is a millionaire many times over thanks to idiots like you.

          • Sotmone

            They are all exempt from insider trading laws. We need campaign finance reform, but the GOP won’t support it because they’d never witn another election if they couldn’t buy them.

      • A P Montague

        How about Republicans completely refusing to compromise and shutting down the government…and grinning about it like a bunch of schoolboys over a prank? (BILLIONS lost to our economy over that one btw) Or..50+ nothing votes to overturn Obamacare wasting taxpayer money on something that they KNEW would never go anywhere? How many different congressional panels on Benghazi with nothing new to show (all costing more and more taxpayer money)? Darrel Issa cutting off the mic rather than allow questions or statements that might go against his carefully choreographed witch hunt? Yes indeed, power corrupts.

        • Dana King

          Shutting down the govt? 85% of the govt was still functioning you useful idiot. If you can manage to think for yourself for one second you might have an epiphany that the talking heads are simply telling you what you should believe and that they might be lying to you. Moron.

          • A P Montague

            And still cost the economy over 500 BILLION dollars in lost revenue. Do a bit of your OWN research rather than swallow what the talking heads are telling you yourself. And yes, they DID shut the government down whether you choose to call it that or not and all because they were trying to blackmail the US over something that was already LAW, but they didn’t want it to BE law, yet knew they didn’t have the votes in Congress to pass legislation to change it so they resorted to extortion plain and simple. They STILL haven’t accepted that the ACA is law even though SCOTUS has ruled that it is.

          • Gaius

            So the Fedgov is right because the Fedgov said so. I wonder where exactly the coercive nutjobs think the authority of the Federal government actually ends. (After all they always find a reason to “justify” it growing, endlessly.) Many seem to believe that no matter what the law is, if it passes through the corrupted process all the way to the SCOTUS, it must be moral and justified. That’s not how it works… not even close.

          • A P Montague

            So by that reasoning ANY bill that passes all the way through “the corrupt process” to SCOTUS doesn’t matter so long as one party or the other doesn’t like it? That’s ridiculous on it’s face. Maybe you should go back and actually READ that Constitution that you so fondly claim to support (I have read it many times, starting during my years at Annapolis since I had sworn to protect and defend it) and you’ll find that essentially yes, The FedGov IS right because it says it is right once it has passed SCOTUS and has been deemed to be Constitutional. There’s been many,many laws that, prior to this, one side or the other did not like but you didn’t see EITHER of them cause a shutdown over them in a fit of pique. It’s childish temper tantrums at it’s worst. If you don’t like the law, there ARE Constitutional means set forth to change it and doing what they did was far from it. If they want to change it, then they need to “”pass through the corrupted process” and get it passed by BOTH houses (not just the House), send it to The President for him to either sign or veto (as set forth in The Constitution) and if it is vetoed, then it comes back to Congress where they must have a 2/3 majority in BOTH houses in order to be able to override. Should they override, then IT becomes the law. That’s how it works. It’s not pretty and it’s not perfect, but it IS the means set down in The Constitution. Don’t like it? You’re free to go try and find something better somewhere else, but after having travelled the world over for 20 years in military service… good luck.

          • Glenn Festog

            I firmly believe that ANY LAW that was passed through FRAUD should be challenged continually, especially laws that mandate handing money to PRIVATE CORPORATIONS for their gain. Evidence of FRAUD was clear in Pelosi’s statement that “You have to pass the law (Obamacare) to find out what’s in it.” Hemp (marijuana) was made illegal through fraud and hasn’t THAT been wonderful for the whole country.

            “America right or wrong” is no different than “my father drunk or sober”, and people like that get blindsided because they can’t see what’s coming with their heads in the sand.

          • A P Montague

            I firmly agree with you that commercial hemp production would go a great way toward helping our economy. There are a LOT of ways to help our economy and our people IF they were to be done right. We have gotten off the main point here which was that Republicans took it upon themselves hijack the US government and blackmail the entire US over a law that had already been passed into law. I’m registered Independent for a lot of these same reasons. I don’t like the in-fighting and political one-upmanship that BOTH sides engage in all while it’s the American people that are made to suffer, not they themselves.If I had it MY way, we would ban political parties completely, ban corporate poilitical spending, place strict term limits on all political offices nationwide and make lobbying illegal. Shut down all but essential services on election day to allow as large a voter turnout as possible and even use those freed up school buses to go around to the poorer neighborhoods and pick up voters who want to vote. Let’s let the voices of THE PEOPLE be heard, not the corporations.

        • PawneeBill47

          They “shut down the government” as you put it because your liberal POS wanted to force them to sign bills WE out here do not like. It would be like accusing people like you of being obstructionist for sutting down our bid to eliminate welfare, stop free phones, stop food stamps and put these baby machines to work to support their bastard children. We TOLD them not to accpet your crap at town hall meetings all over America. Moron.

          • A P Montague

            First, he’s not MY liberal anything. Not only am I a registered Independent, but I have never voted for him so quit trying to pawn off an agenda on me. I happen to have a brain between my ears, do my own research and take things issue by issue rather than allow some party leader to dictate what I should/should not think. Next, maybe you should go back and take a civics class on how our government works or at least sit down ad READ The Constitution. Congress doesn’t SIGN bills, The President does and he can only do that AFTER they pass the bills. He either signs them, vetoes them or lets them sit until they pass the signing date (commonly called a “pocket veto”) in either of the last two cases, the bill goes BACK to Congress where they are allowed to attempt to override the veto by a roll-call vote where they have to have a 2/3 majority in BOTH houses to pass it into law. The President can’t FORCE Congress to do ANYTHING! He can’t even have them arrested while they are in office. He can attempt to persuade them to his point of view, but he has no actual power to force them in any way. As to what their demands were to avoid a shutdown, it had nothing to do with what you are claiming. They wanted Obamacare repealed or at least “defunded”… THAT was their whole big hoopla that they stopped the entire country for and ended up costing us so much all while THEY continued to draw their pay, get THEIR healthcare, get all of THEIR perks and chuckle like a bunch of idiots as they came out of closed session about what they were about to do to the economy (again). Eliminate welfare? Okay…let’s start with the biggest chunk of welfare first CORPORATE welfare since it is far more of the budget than social welfare, shall we? http://thinkbynumbers.org/government-spending/corporate-welfare/corporate-welfare-statistics-vs-social-welfare-statistics/ That free phone program was a Bush/Cheney deal despite how suddenly the right began calling them “Obamaphones”. I fully agree that people should be held responsible for supporting their own children and if they are unable to due to a TEMPORARY situation while they try to get back on their feet due to a layoff, catastrophic injury/illness, etc then yeah, as a civilized society I can see helping them out temporarily (which is what it is SUPPOSED to be there for in the first place) but on a few conditions. Mandatory random drug testing, mandatory birth control of whatever type is most medically suitable for that particular individual (some women can’t take the pill, while others can’t do the depo shot, etc and males would have to agree to a temporary chemical castration thing so as to be unable to have children while on it) and no…the pill would NOT be a viable option unless they agree to come to a specified location and take it EVERY DAY WITHOUT FAIL in front of witnesses (travel at their own expense) and understand that their case will be up for mandatory IN PERSON review (full process, not just turn in some papers saying “nothing has changed”) to see how they are progressing medically and once deemed medically able, they MUST go back to the same employer (if the employer is willing to take them) and if not, then they MUST do an ACTIVE job search with VERIFIABLE job search contacts.

        • Soon To Be YOUR Gaza cage

          The two parties are two sides of the same coin. It’s all a dog and pony show to distract us. Quit blaming each other and start looking at the wizard behind the curtain.

      • debycox

        The law has always been MAJORITY WINS (51 votes); however, 60 votes are needed to allow the Senate to vote on a bill, to break the ever-present threat of a filibuster. Confusing.

  • markdouglas

    Power corrupts, and it would be odd if it does not corrupt these guys. Im thrilled, however, that they did some good on open meetings. For some reason, some public officials think the public has no right to speak at public meetings, unless they jump through hoops like apply before hand. That Sheriff who upheld the citizens arrest — wow, that took balls. Was that arranged ahead of time, or did he have to decide on the spot?

    • Reality Check

      “Was that arranged ahead of time, or did he have to decide on the spot?”

      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

      That’s a good question and one I’m pretty sure they would be happy to answer for you. The website is posted on a comment below.

      My guess is that they knew they were going to be illegally denied their right to speak and had already discussed it with the sheriff or at least had a good idea how he would handle the situation based on his record.

      “Power corrupts” isn’t always the case. It’s just that in our society, the corrupt are now placed on a pedestal and the good people are demonized. George Washington is a good example of that. He walked away from power and is now a “terrorist” according to the United States government. (The criminals who’ve hijacked it)

      These two guys don’t want power, they want justice … big difference.

  • Charles90210

    Edgar-County-Watchdogs

    Franchise that!

  • http://SDsustainableFuture.com Philosopher3000

    Seem like a bunch of small town hicks who don’t know the law that they are working under. None seem to be lawyers. They just need a refresher, not this drama, but they were within the rights of citizens of IL.

    • PawneeBill47

      Define “hick”. Obviously you’re a city boy, possibly graduate school. Tell me how important you are. These are grass roots Americans and we “hicks” out here in Oklahoma grow your meat, crops and drill your oil. We defend our country and fight off communists like 0bama who choose to destroy us. Your arrogance is insane.

      • Celtacia

        My daddy was born in Pawnee. I got educated, and schooled, and have a healthy respect for hicks. They ain’t dumb, just cutting through the BS to get to the point. God bless every one!!!

        • PawneeBill47

          My grandparents were taken from their parents at Pawnee in 1884 and put in Chilocco Indian School north of Ponca City. Your dad and my grandpa probably kicked some of the same rocks.

      • Gaius

        I’m surrounded by arrogant, ignorant scum like that and it’s infuriating. More of the “stupidity of the American voter” sentiment I suppose. Ignorant fools who think they know better than everyone are the source of the real problems.

  • Joe

    There has been issues with the Wildwood Park District over a swimmers itch issue which was reported on WGN at http://wgntv.com/2014/08/13/residents-park-district-at-odds-over-treating-lake-causing-swimmers-itch/ which shows a board member blowing up . The have also been found in violation of the Illinois Open Meetings Act.

  • Don’tYouGetItYet?

    9/11 was an inside job, Building 7 is the proof, this crime needs to be dealt with- thousands of US were killed that day to bring us into these corrupt politicians wars, killing millions of people. When is this going to be dealt with? WTF happened to the 28 pages? Bunch of sh#t, we need a new 9/11 watchdog group of veterans to do the same thing in D.C.. We need answers. This is where the country changed for the worse, in SO MANY ways……..and I will KEEP bringing it up.

    • Jaymyn

      So when fiery debris falls from a great height and items within the building are on fire, wouldn’t it make sense that a building would eventually fail? With the mountains of debris within ground zero how was the NYPD supposed to fight the fire at building 7? Our government isn’t sophisticated enough to pull off a 9-11 and get away with it. You need to have a much better argument than building 7.

      • Don’tYouGetItYet?

        No, you are delusional if you believe “fiery debris falling from a great height” and “items within the building on fire” caused Building 7 to fall. It was a controlled demolition. Even the “official” NIST report said the collapse was caused by “scattered office fires”. Watch it fall, listen to the eyewitnesses, and get real. Building 7 is the lie they can’t cover up. I guess you missed the interview with NYFD Rudy Dent…..check it out.

        Building 7 should be enough of an argument for open minded people who can think rationally…….it was a 47 story building that was not hit by a plane! Hello?

        And what do you say about the “28 pages”? Government sophistication has kept those a secret. Government sophistication has kept the JFK murder a secret. You go ahead and keep your head in the sand, if that works for you.

      • Jerryb53

        What better argument than building 7 because if they brought it down by demolition then they brought the towers down the same way. Besides that use common sense. One of the towers had heavy damage and a huge hole in it on the right side. The portion of the building above the damage would have tilted to the right and fell to the ground . it would have been intact as it fell. When the charges were set off you could see the puffs of smoke ahead of the collapse. There are so many other things that point to a controlled demolition. Everything was pulverized. If the collapse was caused by the steel melting there would be chunks of the building on the ground. Stop believing the BS this government throws out there. Do some critical thinking please. Wake up!.

    • Jerryb53

      Your 100% correct.

  • Sheree

    God Bless America!

  • Watchful Eyes

    Three cheers and Kudos to these guys.

  • Laura Weaver

    I better get on the ball here in Oregon! I can’t let them have all the fun without me!

  • TheQiwiMan

    Nothing more than catching the petty shoplifters while the store owners are openly embezzling and defrauding with impunity. Good for them for doing something though.

  • Jeff

    Arrest that blond bitch.

  • Jeff

    This is great, I am just waiting to see what the Sheriff does. This is AMERICA and it’s about time these bumbling idiots have to stand accountable for their TREASON of the Constitution and the American people. AMEN! There is a GOD!

  • ghendric

    re: “The people need to have their voice. It’s not a dictatorship. It’s a democracy.”

    No, it’s not a Democracy, its supposed to be a Constitutional Republic although we use a form democracy for voting etc… though similar, in a Democracy, the majority always has control while in a Constitutional Republic, the majority doesn’t always have control and equal justice prevails…

    • BUB

      ACTUALLY Local government is almost always REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY not a republic…

  • patriot mjm

    damn that blonde is stupid and needs to be fired from being a lawyer.

  • ComeN’Take

    It’s not a dictatorship, it’s a REPUBLIC. We DO NOT live in a democracy!!

    • Jesse Welsh

      Wow!! Smartest comment on here!!

  • Gaius

    hahahahaha
    These guys are awesome!

  • Rw Dyer Liberty III

    Totally awesome!

  • johngy

    We forget that “We the people” are the government. It doesn’t say, “We the government.” We are the keepers of the government. I wish more people knew that.

    • Glenn Festog

      When you’re up to your ass in alligators its hard to remember you’re there to drain the swamp.

  • hngkngphoey

    I think I have 2 new heroes. And good for the sheriff to enforce the citizens arrest. The government is not above the law at any level. Public trust in the government must be maintained.

  • Giney Newport

    I am a big believer in the power of a ‘citizen’s arrest’ and cannot wait to try this at home.

  • weebit

    MY heroes!

  • David Rice

    The last remaining heroes in the USA.

  • Impeach Obama Now!

    Well that’s refreshing!

  • jrd

    It is very hard to get a law passed by politicians that effects their conduct that is not self serving to politicians.

    The law that should be in acted, as a qualification for being on any ballot, the candidate should pass a test on the basics of government and the do and do nots of politicians. And be able to pass a test!
    Then if they violate them, go straight to jail.

    • Screaming Eagle

      “effects” should be “affects”, “in acted” should be “enacted” and “do and do nots” should be “do’s and do-not’s”

  • http://thewatershedmoment.com Anthony Carson

    These are two great men! I wish we had more of them to watch all the crooked politicians..

  • Soon To Be YOUR Gaza cage

    What it seems to be boiling down to is that we just need to quit watching football and American Idol and start getting involved. They rule by our consent only. When we quit consenting, their rule ends.

  • Mainer4

    Good for them! Real Americans fighting for justice and fairplay. Now let’s get the rest of the country involved – how about Massachusetts and California, to name a couple of big targets.