Attorney voices frustrations with objectors who want Emanuel off ballot

Attorney voices frustrations with objectors who want Emanuel off ballot
Burt Odelson listens to testimony during the hearing over Rahm Emanuel's residency requirements WBEZ/Tony Arnold
Attorney voices frustrations with objectors who want Emanuel off ballot
Burt Odelson listens to testimony during the hearing over Rahm Emanuel's residency requirements WBEZ/Tony Arnold

Attorney voices frustrations with objectors who want Emanuel off ballot

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Updated at: 6:55 a.m. on 12/17/2010

Testimony has wrapped up in the hearings over Rahm Emanuel’s eligibility to run for Chicago mayor.

The lead attorney trying to kick former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel off the ballot doesn’t think it’s a slam dunk case. Burt Odelson is an elections attorney representing a few objectors. He’s trying to kick Emanuel off the February ballot for not meeting the city’s residency requirements for holding public office.

But during Thursday’s hearing, about ten other objectors, with seemingly no legal experience, also questioned witnesses who were called. But their questions and concerns drew sighs and even objections from Odelson and Emanuel’s attorneys.

At one point, Odelson told an objector she should strike all of her questions from the record because she was unintentionally helping the other side and he sarcastically said, “Good question” to her. After talking with Odelson during a break - that objector dropped all her outstanding motions and requests for subpoenas.

The matter will likely be decided next week. A hearing officer is expected to make a recommendation on whether Emanuel’s name should be on the ballot before Thursday’s Chicago Board of Election Commissioners meeting. The board will decide on the case.