Devine's Office Investigating Stone

As I alluded to in comments, I don't think we have gotten the full story here, but the Sun-Times reports:

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.

In tactics taken straight out of the ugly old days of corruption and machine politics:

Sources familiar with the matter say the state's attorney's office -- which is not barred from investigating aldermen -- is equally involved in the probe. The sources disputed Stone's claim the investigation involves other wards.

Members of Stone's organization allegedly persuaded some Indian and Pakistani voters to sign up for absentee ballots and then helped them vote, the sources said.

Political workers -- some of whom are city employees -- would visit apartment buildings to enlist absentee voters, sources said. In at least one instance, a Stone worker allegedly wore a jacket showing he was a city employee.

Stone said four people from his ward told him they were questioned about a political worker who asked them to apply for absentee ballots.

The timing for this investigation can't be helpful for Stone. Ira Silverstein is challenging him for Democratic Committeeman, and while no one knows whether this will be an issue in that campaign, the fact that Stone and the Democratic Club of the 50th Ward is under investigation for Voter Fraud is bound to prevent Stone's thugs from repeating illegal activity.

But Stone's daugher, not Federal or State investigations, is bound to be the biggest issue of this campaign. If Ira wins the committeeman position, it will be he who basically picks the replacement if Stone dies in office or retires before his term expires (after Stone has served two years and one day in this term). As long as Stone is committeeman, Ilana is virtually assured of being Stone's replacement under those circumstances. But with Ira, the 50th Ward will turn a new page and the neighborhood will finally get a voice in politics in the ward.