Um, Oops? Rahm Emanuel May Not Be Eligible To Be Next Thugocrat Of Chicago

04 Oct, 2010 by William Teach

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Sucks to leave a job then find out you may not be eligible for the one you want. The always reliable Lynn Sweet dishes the dirt

The first question isn’t: Can Rahm win? It’s: Can Rahm run?

Sunday, Rahm Emanuel announced in a video posted on a website that he is preparing to run for mayor of Chicago. But two of Chicago’s top election lawyers say the state’s municipal code is crystal clear that a candidate for mayor must reside in the town for a year before the election.

That doesn’t mean they must simply own a home in the city that they rent out to someone else. They must have a place they can walk into, keep a toothbrush, hang up their jacket and occasionally sleep, the lawyers say.

Another three election lawyers say Emanuel could be thrown off the ballot on a residency challenge. None says Emanuel will have it easy.

But Emanuel’s problem as he prepares to run for mayor is that he rented out his house, and the tenant refuses to back out of the lease.

“The guy does not meet the statutory requirements to run for mayor,” said attorney Burt Odelson. “He hasn’t been back there in 18 months. Residency cases are usually very hard to prove because the candidate gets an apartment or says he’s living in his mother’s basement. Here the facts are easy to prove. He doesn’t dispute he’s been in Washington for the past 18 months. This is not a hard case.”