Jon Zahm, Kane County Conservative Coalition chairman and political consultant for state Sen. Chris Lauzen, called a press conference for 4 p.m. today (Feb. 22) to reveal information on e-mails sent by Lauzen's GOP primary opponent, Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns.
Burns and Lauzen are candidates for the Kane County Board chairman position. The primary election is March 20.
Zahm filed a Freedom of Information Act Request with the city of Geneva on Feb. 10 requesting specific records in several areas of the mayor's office.
On Feb. 17 the City turned over 116 pages of e-mail records between Kevin Burns and the following Republican Party insiders:
- Ken Shepro—St. Charles Township chairman and attorney for the Kane County Board
- Karen McConnaughay—Kane County Board chairman and Senate candidate, 33rd District
- Mike Kenyon—Kane County Republican chairman and Kane County Board member, 16th District
- Pat Brady—Illinois Republican Party chairman
- Ellen Nottke—Batavia Township Republican Party chairman
"What we have here is an inside look at how this group plays politics. The mask is off and the taxpayers of Kane County can read for themselves the vulgarities, the hatred, the manipulation, the depravity that some Republican party insiders practice," Zahm said.
Zahm has created numbered packets, 1-116, and will present an index at the press conference and highlight some of the most shocking dialogues. "I am not editing anything. I want the press and public to see these records in their entirety as I will make electronic copies available after the conference as well," Zahm said
"At a minimum," Zahm said, "after the public digests all of this vile content, there will be calls for Burns to resign from this race and from his Mayor's seat and Batavia Township Chairman Ellen Nottke to do likewise from her party boss and precinct committeeman positions."
"In 1996 I filed a FOIA in the Village of South Elgin. Upon return of the records I requested the Village Manager resigned in disgrace and the Village Finance Director followed suit a short time later. I have been a watchdog in Kane County fighting for open and honest government against those who reward their friends and punish their enemies. This is a continuation of that work," Zahm concluded.
SOURCE: Jon Zahm press release.
The big issue is the need to FOIA when it should all be out in the open and easy to get at, it is 2012 isn't it and not 1960!
“Sean did mention that he and Jerry Clarke asked Randy to call me…to date not a god damn word. “Apparently Randy’s busy @ a Prayer Dinner in D.C. Won’t he be surprised when he learns there is no god.” This just a part of one of the emails that Mr. Burns and Ms. Nottke had. And the Randy is Congressman Hultgren. I only wonder how that endorsement of KM is looking now?
I have removed those parts about you being Sen. Lauzen's campaign manager and chairman. —Charles Menchaca, Editor, Batavia Patch
So if he isn't the campaign manager or the chairman what is he? I listened to his speel in Geneva tonight and he sounded like a gossip from Peyton Place!
What's more troubling to me are comments made by Mr. Burns in these documents that he's "working from his Blackberry." This begs the question, "Who owns the Blackberry?" Is this also a City owned Blackberry that he's using to coordinate his campaign activities, and if so, is he also using his taxpayer funded cellphone to make & receive campaign related phone calls? If I've learned nothing else watching political scandals unfold in this great state, I've learned that where there's smoke there's usually fire....