The head of McLean County Democratic Party said he supports the party's candidate for county clerk accusing the incumbent of breaking the law.
Democrat Nikita Richards has said Republican County Clerk Kathy Michael violated state election laws when she delayed early voting earlier this year. The Bloomington Election Commission and several other election authorities also delayed early voting because of a pending court challenge in the attorney general's race.
Democratic Party chair Erik Rankin, who is also a McLean County Board member, rejected any call from Republicans that Richards should apologize.
“Could you say there are different ways of interpreting it? Sure,” Rankin told GLT on Thursday. “Others have looked at it and that’s something that Nikita feels.
“Does she need to issue an apology? I don’t think Nikita needs to issue an apology in any way, shape or form.”
McLean County Republican Party chair Connie Beard held a news conference on Wednesday in which she reiterated her call on Richards to apologize.
Rankin said he hasn’t consulted with Richards about the rhetoric and he doesn’t intend to.
“I adore (Richards) in every way, shape or form, but if I attempt to moderate any of my candidates it probably doesn’t end up well for me,” Rankin said. “I think Nikita is free to hold that position.”
Ethics complaints
Rankin said there are clear distinctions between the two unresolved ethics complaints that have been filed against Richards and Michael in the weeks before the Nov. 6 election.
He said he doesn't believe Democratic candidate Richards' online activity amounts to anything concerning. She is accused of doing political work and shopping on the job while working for the City of Bloomington human resources department. The city has referred the matter for an independent review.
Rankin takes a different view of the ethics allegations against Michael.
“The difference is is that Kathy’s is blatant and it’s simple and it’s easy to track,” Rankin said. “There’s nothing that you have to do to try to read into it.
“It is obvious that Kathy Michael utilized a county laptop to campaign.”
The McLean County Ethics Commission on Monday recommended the state’s attorney review the allegations, indicating “a limited number of instances” in which Michael may have violated ethics laws.
Rankin said he believes Michael is guilty of a misdemeanor. He added it will be tough to prove that Michael deliberately damaged the laptop to conceal evidence, which he said would amount to a felony.
It's possible neither complaint will be resolved by Election Day, but Rankin said those ethics issues should have an impact in how people vote.
“Honesty and integrity are absolutely essential,” Rankin said. “I think if you find that a county clerk, who has said that I didn’t do anything wrong and then we found out that, yes you did, that hits at an honesty issue. If you continually lie about it, that hits at an integrity issue.”
Richards and Michael are scheduled to appear at a GLT candidate forum at 6 p.m. Thursday.
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