As reported in an earlier item, it’s unusual enough to learn of  a police department visiting a newspaper to advise them to not pursue covering a story. New information obtained from reliable sources in Carlinville, Illinois makes it appear as though local authorities may have visited a local paper, the Macoupin County Enquirer-Democrat, advising them to stay away from Blackburn College in reporting on a racial incident involving Democrat Ken Snider due to allegations of student harrassment although no formal allegations appear to genuinely exist.

Information released from the Carlinville Police Department indicates a particular student called police to report the alleged harassment. However, the student is actually a member of security staff at the college. Blackburn employs students in as many areas as possible.

It’s claimed that the sudent simply went to her supervisor to inform them of her interaction with a reporter from the Enquirer-Democrat. The supervisor is said to have then stated that the reporter was on campus allegedly harrassing students, before directing the student security officer to call police and report it.

The Carlinville police report names the student security officer as the student claiming they were harassed. But based upon reliable sources at the Enquirer-Democrat, there was no indication that the student felt harassed in any way during their interactions with a reporter.

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Breitbart Media has worked for days to get to the bottom of a seemingly highly-charged story allegedly involving racism from a high profile Democrat and now former law enforcement official that may reach into the upper-level of Illinois state government, including the office of Governor Pat Quinn. Based upon sources in Carlinville, Illinois, at least on the surface, it appears as though powerful Democrats and perhaps even the State Police may be attempting to cover up a racial incident involving now resigned Democrat County Chair and former head of Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn’s southern security detail, Kenneth Snider.

The Sun-Times shed some light on the story on Saturday. Their story suggests they’ve been enountering the same resistance we’ve encountered. Snider abruptly resigned his various official positions without explanation the day after an alleged racial incident. At the time, Snider was already relying upon benefit time after a previous troubling incident in January. St. Louis Today touched on the latest story on March 23, as well. The Chicago Republican Party also reported the story, calling the investigation “secretive,” while pointing out Snider was paid $132,000 a year as head of Quinn’s State Police security detail.

Snider had been employed by the state since 1984 and was elevated last December as supervisor of Quinn’s south security detail, a job that put him in charge of overseeing executive protection officers, scheduling, routes and movements, Vega said in a prepared statement late Friday.

That assignment lasted until Jan. 19, when he began to use benefit time until his resignation on March 18, he said. Immediately after the March 18th incident, Snider resigned his chairmanship of the Carlinville school board and the MaCoupin County Democratic organization.

Multiple sources reluctant to come forward publically, or speak on the record, paint an extremely troubling picture that only raises even more serious questions, if true. Why did Snider abruptly resign? If there was an altercation, why was no one charged? Why did the local police turn the case over to the State Police? Are they really the best qualified to investigate one of their own given such a potentially significant story impacting race relations, especially for Democrats, in Illinois? Will justice be served, or only the interests of Democrats, who control all levers of government in Illinois?

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Our mantra, “We all go forward together, or it all ends right here!” For the past 18 months, I’ve been saying that Republicans in Illinois could start winning elections if the establishment/patronage wing married the reform wing of the party. Since the Illinois “gravy train” was being derailed by its functional bankruptcy, establishment Republicans finally got the message. And, today, we see the culmination of this unfolding at the ballot box and in the volunteer centers.

Government reform in Illinois has a fighting chance. Here’s the bell-weather state house races on reform…

In a central Illinois state senate district, 9-12 groups formed over the past year boast 3,000 members and have lifted Sam McCann to a slim pre-election lead vs. Sen. Deanna Demuzio. The Demuzio family held this state senate seat for over 35 years. In desperation, Sen. Demuzio spent over $2.4 million and set the record for the most money ever spent by a candidate in a statehouse race. McCann spent $1 million and has the energy of the movement plus the “wave”. Prediction: Sam McCann by 3 percentage points.

In a state representative district outside of St. Louis, businessman Dwight Kay is running with a fierce ground game of seasoned volunteers. The Kay volunteer armies go all the way back to 1998 when the last “reformer” was elected statewide, U.S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald. Kay’s opponent is Jay Hoffman, an 18 year incumbent and best known to be corrupt Governor Rod Blagojevich’s “floor leader”. Hoffman started the election season with $1 million in the bank and he has had to spend it all. Prediction: Dwight Kay wins by 2 percentage points.

In the 43rd state senate district, the now nationally recognized “One Mom” vs. the Machine, Cedra Crenshaw spent $200,000 vs. Sen. AJ Wilhelmi reportedly spending $1 million.

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From Illinois Review:

A Jersey County resident that went into vote early Friday afternoon October 15th told Illinois Review Tuesday she was uncomfortable the only two adults in the Jersey County Administrative Building polling place were Jersey County Clerk Steve Pohlmann and State Senator Deanna Demuzio, a Democrat incumbent from Carlinville.

“A woman came from behind the counter and introduced herself as Deanna Demuzio, and then left the building,” the voter said. “The only other person there at the time was a man with a child. I found out later it was Steve Pohlmann.” No other staffers or election judges were in the office facilitating early voting.

Pohlmann explained to Illinois Review that his staff had been released at noon that day, but that he had gone into the office for a brief meeting and Senator DeMuzio dropped in to pick up poll watching credentials for next Tuesday’s election. Shortly thereafter, the voter dropped in, and although the office was officially closed, Pohlmann allowed her to vote.

“Anyone of the candidates could have dropped in at any given time, and as county clerk, it’s my duty to serve the people of the county,” Pohlmann, a Democrat elected to the office four years ago, said.

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