From the way things are going in Crawford County, the Mike Madigan machine seems to have infected Southern Illinois.

My source down in Crawford County tells me there is some ballot shenanigans going on surrounding the Sheriff's race.  It seems that the GOP failed to field a candidate, but there is an Independent candidate,David Devlin, who is a Tea Party supporter.  It also seems the Democrats are not happy about this Independent candidate so they have decided tochallenge Devlin's petitions.  Here's where it gets dirty...

The Democrats hold one countywide office in Crawford - the Sheriff's Office.  The current Sheriff of Crawford County, who is seeking re-election, is Todd Liston.  Complicating matters is that Liston is also the Chairman of the Crawford County Democrats.  It seems the Democrats and Liston want to hold on to that office, no matter what.

David Devlin, the Independent, turned in 656 signatures which is above the 462 required.  The Democrats/Liston challenged 270 signatures.  My source, who was there when they started comparing petition signatures to voter registration cards, said that the County Clerk and Election Board could not find anything wrong with the signatures.  Some signatures were a little different, but as my source told  me on the phone:

"The question was asked whether any one of the names the Democrats had picked (with the "irregularities") would the County Clerk or Election Judges turn them away those same "irregularities" when trying to vote .  The answer given was NO."

Who paid for this ballot challenge?  Not Todd Liston himself or the Liston campaign, but according to my source who physically saw the check, the Crawford County Democrats - the same Crawford County Democrats who is chaired by Todd Liston.  Having failed to knock off enough names on Devlin's ballot, Liston probably started getting ready for the rest of the campaign, right?  Not so much.

My guy in Crawford told me that either the Crawford County Democrats or people close to the Liston campaign (at this point aren't they really the same?) are going around finding those that signed Devlin's petitions and asking them to sign an affidavit attesting that they don't recall signing said petitions.  Truly, Mike Madigan machine politics has invaded Crawford County.  They tried these tactics with Cedra Crenshaw in Will County and didn't get away with it, why should they get away with it in Southern Illinois?!

It sounds like David Devlin could use some support in Crawford County so let's get a letter writing campaign together and bombard the Robinson Daily News regarding this embarrassing display of machine politics in Southern Illinois!  Let's see if we can't help get Devlin elected and show Liston that dirty politics doesn't play south of Interstate 80!  Please write letters to the editor at the Robinson Daily News at: 

Daily News, P.O. Box 639, Robinson, IL 62454. Letters may also be e-mailed to letters@robdailynews.com with "letter to the editor" in the subject line, or faxed to (618) 544-9533.  You must put your name, address and phone number and you must sign your letter for them to publish your letter.  Your address and phone number will not be published with your letter.

Let Liston and the Crawford County Democrats know we won't tolerate Mike Madigan Chicago style politics in Southern Illinois!!!!