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John Kraft on Muck Rack

John Kraft

Illinois
As seen in: RealClear Policy, Chicago City Wire, Edgar County Watchdogs, Prairie State Wire, Kankakee Times, South Cook News, Sangamon Sun, Will County Gazette, Metro East Sun, The Southland Journal and
Covers:  Local and State Government
Call or Text our Tip Line @ (312) 566-8078. the ECWd are a local government accountability and news organization.
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Kankakee County Board Member Resigns After Lawsuit Seeking His Removal -

Kankakee County Board Member Resigns After Lawsuit Seeking His Removal -

Edgar County Watchdogs — Kankakee, Ill. (ECWd) - Kankakee County Board Member Chris Tholen has apparently resigned from office after a lawsuit seeking his removal was filed. The lawsuit filed by the State's Att...
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Hinsdale Township High School Approved Student Residency Settlements -

Hinsdale Township High School Approved Student Residency Settlements -

Edgar County Watchdogs — Hinsdale, Ill. (ECWd) - During their May 2025, meeting, the Board of Trustees of Hinsdale Township High School District 86 voted to approve two Student Residency Settlements, which waived any...
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Three Elected Officials In Kankakee County Face Removal From Office -

Three Elected Officials In Kankakee County Face Removal From Office -

Edgar County Watchdogs — Kankakee Co., Ill. (ECWd) - Kankakee County State's Attorney James Rowe's office filed suit against three elected officials in Kankakee County seeking their removal from office fo...
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Kane County Admits To "Mistakes" In CDL Masking Likely Resulting In Death Of DeKalb Co. Deputy -

Kane County Admits To "Mistakes" In CDL Masking Likely Resulting In Death Of DeKalb Co. Deputy -

Edgar County Watchdogs — Kane Co., Ill. (ECWd) - This is an update on the Illinois Secretary of State's ("SOS") letter to Kane County and the United States Department of Transportation Federal Moto...
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Orland Fire Protection District Spent $432,000 On "Media Relations" -

Orland Fire Protection District Spent $432,000 On "Media Relations" -

Edgar County Watchdogs — Orland Park, Ill. (ECWd) - The Orland Fire Protection District has spent more than $432,000 over the past several years to Ray Hanania (Urban Strategies Group) and All-Circo, Inc. for "...
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IL. Sec. of State Alleges Kane County's Violation Of Federal CDL Masking Law Resulted In Death Of...

IL. Sec. of State Alleges Kane County's Violation Of Federal CDL Masking Law Resulted In Death Of...

Edgar County Watchdogs — Illinois (ECWd) - "His CDL would have been disqualified for life" On November 5, 2024, we published an article entitled "Three Accident(s), DUI, Drugs, Prosecution Failures,...
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Thornton Township Democrat Caucus Nominated Napoleon Harris' Slate For Township Offices - Tiffany...

Thornton Township Democrat Caucus Nominated Napoleon Harris' Slate For Township Offices - Tiffany...

Edgar County Watchdogs — Thornton Township (ECWd) - During tonight's Thornton Township Democrat Caucus, the township Democrats nominated the slate headed by Napoleon Harris (for Supervisor) to be on the ballot ...
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Orland Fire District Paid $18K To Diversity Consultant While She Was Incarcerated In Federal Peni...

Orland Fire District Paid $18K To Diversity Consultant While She Was Incarcerated In Federal Peni...

Edgar County Watchdogs — Orland Park, Ill. (ECWd) - The Orland Fire Protection District entered into a contract with a "consultant" to provide diversity consulting to the district at a rate of $3000 per m...
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Three Accident(s), DUI, Drugs, Prosecution Failures, Violation of Federal CDL Law, Death of Deput...

Three Accident(s), DUI, Drugs, Prosecution Failures, Violation of Federal CDL Law, Death of Deput...

Edgar County Watchdogs — Kane and DeKalb Counties, Ill. (ECWd) - Part 1 This is a story of state actors failing the public, with tragic results. One individual with a commercial driver's license ("CDLR...
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Edgar County Assistant State's Attorney Accused Of Theft From Bar Association -

Edgar County Assistant State's Attorney Accused Of Theft From Bar Association -

Edgar County Watchdogs — Monticello, Ill. (ECWd) - In a Complaint filed by the Administrator of the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission on October 30, 2024, attorney Lauren B. McQueen has been ...
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"You're going to get what's coming to you;" In court filing, ex-wife accused State Sen. Mike Hast...

"You're going to get what's coming to you;" In court filing, ex-wife accused State Sen. Mike Hast...

Edgar County Watchdogs — Frankfort, Ill. (ECWd) - State Senator Michael Hastings (D-Matteson) is alleged to have called his ex-wife Kathleen a "fat c**t" and a "stupid b**ch" while giving her ...
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Tinley Park: Senator Hastings Demanded Endorsement In Exchange For State Property -

Tinley Park: Senator Hastings Demanded Endorsement In Exchange For State Property -

Edgar County Watchdogs — Tinley Park, Ill. (ECWd) - The Village of Tinley Park, and Tinley Park Mayor, Michael Glotz, published a video on the village's official webpage a couple of months ago detailing the beh...
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Dolton Mayor Henyard's Failure: 13 City Vehicles Getting Repossessed; $76K In Delinquent Payments...

Dolton Mayor Henyard's Failure: 13 City Vehicles Getting Repossessed; $76K In Delinquent Payments...

illinois Leaks — Dolton, Ill. (ECWd) - Just like her previous failed businesses (bounced checks, failure to pay rent, unsanitary restaurant, state involuntarily dissolved her business, failed to pay contractu...
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Former Sen. Sam McCann Pleads GUILTY To All Counts In Federal Court -

Former Sen. Sam McCann Pleads GUILTY To All Counts In Federal Court -

illinois Leaks — Illinois (ECWd) - On the third day of trial, and after two Exhibits (1 and 2) were entered and displayed, Sam McCann informed the Court that he would like to change his plea to Guilty on all ...
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Keith Freeman Summoned To Court For Examination Of Income Inconsistencies -

Keith Freeman Summoned To Court For Examination Of Income Inconsistencies -

illinois Leaks — Chicago, Ill. (ECWd) - On February 12, 2024, the Bankruptcy Trustee for Keith Freeman's bankruptcy filed a Motion for Rule 2004 Examination of the Debtor. This comes on the heels of our...
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Henyard Holds Illegal Township Meeting; Most Trustees Assisted -

Henyard Holds Illegal Township Meeting; Most Trustees Assisted -

illinois Leaks — Thornton Township, Ill. (ECWd) - Thornton Township was scheduled to hold it public meeting last night, but things didn't turn out as they should have. Upon arriving for the meeting, res...
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Animal Control Investigation leads to the Arrest of all Three Warrick County Commissioners -

Animal Control Investigation leads to the Arrest of all Three Warrick County Commissioners -

illinois Leaks — Warrick County, Indiana - The Warrick County Animal Control investigation into misappropriated funds by Indiana State Police has resulted in the arrest of all three Warrick County Commissioners. Af...
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AG Issued Binding Opinion Against Dolton's FOIA Failures -

AG Issued Binding Opinion Against Dolton's FOIA Failures -

illinois Leaks — Dolton, Ill. (ECWd) - On February 9, 2024, the Illinois Attorney General's Public Access Counselor ("PAC") issued a rare Binding Opinion directing the Village of Dolton to r...
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Dolton / Mayor Tiffany Henyard Sued For Human Rights Violations -

Dolton / Mayor Tiffany Henyard Sued For Human Rights Violations -

illinois Leaks — DOLTON, IL., (ECWd) - Former Dolton Police Chief, Robert Collins, filed suit in Cook County Circuit Court alleging the following against the Village of Dolton: Violations of the Illinois Muni...
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Keith Freeman Forgets He's Dolton's Village Manager; At Least According To Bankruptcy Filings -

Keith Freeman Forgets He's Dolton's Village Manager; At Least According To Bankruptcy Filings -

illinois Leaks — Dolton, Ill. (ECWd) - According to recent bankruptcy filings of Keith Freeman, the Village Manager of Dolton, Illinois, and employee of Thornton Township, Freeman's only employment is T...
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Dolton Sued For Withholding Public Records, Again -

Dolton Sued For Withholding Public Records, Again -

illinois Leaks — Dolton, Ill. (ECWd) - Today we filed another lawsuit under the Freedom of Information Act ("FOIA") to force the village of Dolton, Illinois to produce the public records requested...
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Regional Superintendent Mehochko Gifted $21,750 In Christmas Bonuses Last Month, State Should Red...

Regional Superintendent Mehochko Gifted $21,750 In Christmas Bonuses Last Month, State Should Red...

illinois Leaks — Grundy/Kendall County Regional Office of Education - (ECWd) - On top of the $37,950 already given away by the GKROE in three previous years, in 2023, ROE Superintendent Chris Mehochko g...
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Madison County Treasurer Appears To Have Destroyed Public Record To Avoid Producing It -

Madison County Treasurer Appears To Have Destroyed Public Record To Avoid Producing It -

illinois Leaks — Madison Co., Ill. (ECWd) - The Madison County Treasurer's office was presented with a public records request asking for the name(s) of all people who were blocked from the Madison Count...
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New Lawsuit Filed Seeking Interpretation Of Illinois' "Assault" Weapons Ban -

New Lawsuit Filed Seeking Interpretation Of Illinois' "Assault" Weapons Ban -

illinois Leaks — Effingham, Ill. (ECWd) - A new lawsuit for Declaratory Judgment was filed last week attacking Illinois' "assault" weapons ban ("AWB"). This time, it is based on ...
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