News Star: Stone political workers to appear in court

Stone political workers to appear in court
Complaint alleges vote fraud against 50th Ward

At a recent CAPS meeting in the 50th Ward when the subject of court advocacy came up, Naisy Dolar, who lost last year's aldermanic runoff to Ald. Berny Stone, encouraged residents to attend another upcoming court hearing different from the usual tagger, drug-related and housing court cases.

Although it wasn't a violent crime, Dolar said, it was important for ward residents to have an interest in the case and follow it closely.

"The victims in this case are the people of the 50th Ward," Dolar said in a phone interview.

On Monday, two members of Stone's political organization will appear in a preliminary hearing in Cook County's criminal court division set for 11 a.m. in Room 101 at 26th and California. The indictments come on the heels of a joint investigation into alleged vote fraud in last year's heated aldermanic election by the offices of the Chicago Inspector General and Cook County State's Attorney.

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Did Berny Stone Steal the election in April?

These can't bode well for Berny Stone:

Were voters steered to absentee ballots?
NORTH SIDE | Ald. Stone's organization reportedly probed

September 6, 2007
BY ERIC HERMAN AND FRAN SPIELMAN Staff Reporters

The Cook County state's attorney's office is investigating whether Ald. Bernie Stone's (50th) political organization improperly steered Indian and Pakistani voters toward absentee ballots, according to sources.

Those under investigation include city employees. For now, the probe is limited to Stone's North Side ward, the sources said. Subpoenas have been issued for witnesses and documents.

Stone lashed out Wednesday at a probe he said is being conducted by the city's inspector general, David Hoffman. The investigation is said to involve charges that 50th Ward voters were promised city services in exchange for voting by absentee ballot -- a charge Stone called "absolute crap."

"I can't figure out what the hell the inspector general is doing in on this. Nobody involved is a city employee," Stone said. "He's not Inspector Clouseau."
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City's absentee ballots probed
Constituents being questioned about election, Stone says

By Gary Washburn and Mickey Ciokajlo | Tribune staff reporters
September 5, 2007
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Stone said that a man and a woman who live in his ward contacted him separately to report they had been subpoenaed to appear at the Cook County Court complex at 26th Street and California Avenue. The man said his wife and two daughters also were ordered to appear. The subpoenas were served by an IG staff member who left his card, Stone said, but when his constituents arrived at the court complex, he said they were interviewed by two assistant state's attorneys.

The questions centered on absentee ballots and whether their votes had been solicited by anyone and whether anybody else cast their votes, the alderman said.

Stone said he offered legal help to his male constituent, whom he did not identify except to say that he is not a member of the 50th Ward Democratic political organization.

"I said, 'Don't let anybody bully you. I'll help you,'" he recounted. "I will get you an attorney."

"I said I will pay the cost of the attorney because I don't want my constituents bullied by people -- because they were bullied."
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