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Oak Park Nerd

@oakparknerd.bsky.social
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I hope something good happens to you today.

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Michael Rabbitt @michaelrabbitt.bsky.social · 10h
Judge April Perry in Chicago should appoint Jack Smith as special counsel in the Broadview Six case.
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Reposted by Oak Park Nerd
Jon Seidel @jonseidel.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
The "Broadview Six" are in with an "ICYMI" for Judge April Perry, making sure she's aware of ex-AUSA Sheri Mecklenburg's "widely published" retirement letter:
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS EASTERN DIVISION
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ) Plaintiff, )
v. ) ) MICHAEL RABBITT, ) KATHERINEMARIEABUGHAZALEH, ) ANDRE MARTIN, BRIAN STRAW, ) and CATHERINE SHARP )
Defendants. )
No. 25 CR 693
Judge April M. Perry
DEFENDANTS’ NOTICE OF SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Defendants, by and through their respective counsel, respectfully seek to supplement the record with the attached resignation letter from the proposed intervenor, Sheri Mecklenburg, which has been widely published in the local and national news media (attached as Exhibit A).
Included in Ms. Mecklenburg’s resignation letter are additional facts that directly and materially implicate issues in the pending motions before the Court (Dkt. 225, 226, and 227). Specifically, the following factual disclosures made by Ms. Mecklenburg in her letter are of particular note:
• The Front Office threatened to discipline and/or terminate Ms. Mecklenburg, thereby resulting in a loss of healthcare benefits, if she attempted to file anything with the Court to provide her recollection of events. (Ex. A, AUSA Mecklenburg’s ForcedResignation Letter, at 1; id. at 2 (“you [U.S. Attorney Boutros] have threatened to terminate me if I attempt to rebut the false allegations and bring additional matters to the Court’s attention.”).
• Ms. Mecklenburg “repeatedly sought guidance from, kept informed, and followed the directions of the Front Office — including [U.S. Attorney Boutros] — at every consequential stage” of this failed prosecution. Id. at 2.
• U.S. Attorney Boutros “personally directed” a felony prosecution of the Defendants be pursued over Ms. Mecklenburg’s objection. Id.
• In May 2026, U.S. Attorney Boutros “placed [Ms. Mecklenburg] on leave and cut off [her] devices and credentials without any notice.” Id.
• Ms. Mecklenburg expresses her severe disappointment in the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s handling of the post-dismissal briefing to the Court because she expected that “the leaders who directed or approved the prosecution would accept responsibility for their own roles and decisions rather than assigning the consequences to me alone.” Id. at 3.
In response to Ms. Mecklenburg’s resignation letter which was published in the media, the Department of Justice in Washington D.C. (not the local U.S.Attorney’s Office) disputed one of Ms. Mecklenburg’s factual assertions about the involvement of U.S. Attorney Boutros (and perhaps other higher-ups in the DOJ) in the prosecutorial decisions and conduct here as flat-out “false,” based on what it claims is contained in Ms. Mecklenburg’s written recommendation on this case:
The claim that AUSA Mecklenburg proposed a misdemeanor and was told instead to file a felony charge is false. Mecklenburg’s recommendation in writing to the supervisory chain of the U.S. Attorney’s Office included the section 372 felony as the strongest charge.
Jason Meisner, ‘Broadview Six’ prosecutor pens fiery resignation letter saying US attorney pushed for felony charges, CHI. TRIBUNE, Sept. 25, 2026, available at: https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/09/25/broadview-six-prosecutor-resignation- letter-us-attorney/ (last visited Sept. 29, 2026).
The Defendants will be prepared to further discuss the materiality of the information contained in Ms. Mecklenburg’s “Forced Resignation letter,” which reinforces Defendants’ position that there are ripe factual disputes concerning positions taken by the U.S. Attorney’s Office before the Court at Thursday’s hearing or as directed by the Court in writing.
Respectfully submitted,
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Oak Park Nerd @oakparknerd.bsky.social · 7h
This item was moved from the consent to the regular Agenda at the Oak Park Village Board meeting last night. Slight change to the hours originally proposed due to Halloween falling on a Saturday this year.
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15 West @15west.org · 23h
Pothole? School budget? Property taxes? Who’s on the ballot? 🤔 In partnership with Oak Park Public Library this October we’ll be leading Civics 101: Who Does What in Oak Park?, a free two-part workshop. oakpark.librarycalendar.com/event/who-does-what-village-oak-park-135838
Illustrated flyer in blue, orange, and cream. A girl with long flowing dark hair floats upward, reaching toward a glowing envelope icon with a cursor, while a boy above her shouts into a megaphone. Below, a magnifying glass sparkles over an open book, with swirling ribbons connecting the scene. Text reads: "Civics 101: Who Does What in Oak Park? Pothole? School budget? Property taxes? Who's on the ballot? Find out who's actually in charge. 10/6 + 10/13, 5:30–7:00 p.m., 834 Lake St., Oak Park, IL, Veterans Room. Free, all welcome, no civics degree required.
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Oak Park Nerd @oakparknerd.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
From the Forest Park library: “Tag along for a special conversation with Geoffrey Baer, beloved Chicago historian, storyteller, and host of numerous PBS programs exploring the architecture, history, and hidden stories of the city and surrounding region.” Registration: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
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Oak Park Nerd @oakparknerd.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Halloween! On the 9/29 Oak Park Village Board Consent Agenda— trick-or-treating will be from 4pm-8:00pm on Halloween. (Don’t forget to stop by this house which is in the middle of our zoning debate. Plenty of room for your mother to have her own private suite.)
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Oak Park Nerd @oakparknerd.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
On 9/29, the Oak Park Village Board will approve offering $120K to buy the property at 7100 Roosevelt Road (the Old Ino’s Tacos). The Village would also pay for any environmental remediation, demolitions, security, landscaping, and maintenance and an architect. oak-park.legistar.com/LegislationD...
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Oak Park Nerd @oakparknerd.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
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Oak Park Nerd @oakparknerd.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
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Oak Park Nerd @oakparknerd.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Beautiful day for Oak Park’s Oaktoberfest! oaktoberfest.net?fbclid=IwdGR...
oaktoberfest.net
Home - Oaktoberfest
Downtown Oak Park's Oaktoberfest. Enjoy a premier live music lineup, delicious foods from local restaurants, kids' activities, specialty craft beers, wines, and more!
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Sarah's Inn @sarahsinn.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Sarah's Inn will be at the Oak Park Farmers Market this Saturday! 💜 Stop by to say hi, pick up Domestic Violence Action Month materials, and grab a baked good (or two!) while you’re there. Come see us and support Sarah’s Inn this Saturday! #sarahs_inn #togetherstrong
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B.J. L-R @westtowns-urbanist.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
And for the second time this week, I get to notice a digital signage update at my home station: this time, a new real time display showing all 3 service boards 😍
Metra display in Harlem/Lake-Oak Park lobby showing Metra UP-W, CTA 90, and Pace 318 departures
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Ken Lowe 🐦‍⬛🐴 @illusiveken.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
So let's review what 2 options Mecklenburg had here: 1. Resign rather than be a tool of the regime. 2. Be a tool of the regime, fail, burn her whole reputation in the process, get betrayed by the regime, resign anyway. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/09/25/b...
chicagotribune.com
‘Broadview Six’ prosecutor pens fiery resignation letter saying US attorney pushed for felony charges
The now-retired prosecutor at the center of the “Broadview Six” scandal penned a fiery resignation letter to U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros this week.
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Gary Wright II @gary-wright.com · 25/09/2026
The Broadview Six are amazingly brave and resilient people, and I'm so grateful for everyone who is fighting for justice. We still have a long road ahead of us, so we have to support each other and remember to practice self-care. This is what true dedication and determination looks like: ✊
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Brian Straw @brianstraw.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
It seems like discovery is necessary to determine the truth of this disputed factual issue. 🤷‍♂️ There can be no justice without both transparency and accountability.
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Oak Park Nerd @oakparknerd.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
The article contains the full resignation letter. This is shaping-up to be litigation every which way around the Broadview 6 debacle. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/09/25/b...
chicagotribune.com
‘Broadview Six’ prosecutor pens fiery resignation letter saying US attorney pushed for felony charges
The now-retired prosecutor at the center of the “Broadview Six” scandal penned a fiery resignation letter to U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros this week.
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Jason Meisner @jmetr22b.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
JUST IN: Attorneys for the “Broadview Six” say they fully support Sheri Mecklenburg’s motion to intervene because she has “substantial” information that relates directly to the issues at hand.. including the transcript requested by USA Boutros:
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Sadie G @dsadieg.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Prosecutor's perspective on the Broadview Six scandal appears to contradict US Attorney's. She retired so she can provide new evidence. The scandal gets even more interesting. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/09/24/p...
chicagotribune.com
Prosecutor at center of ‘Broadview Six’ scandal retires, says Boutros ordered grand jury transcript
Attorneys for the prosecutor at the center of the “Broadview Six” scandal said Thursday that U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros personally instructed her to get an expedited transcript of grand jury proceed...
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emptywheel @emptywheel.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
This post explains why the intervention of Sheri Mecklenburg--the prosecutor Chicago US Attorney Andrew Boutros is trying to scapegoat for the Broadview 6 case--in the exonerees bid for sanctions is a mic drop. It puts Boutros in the center of the abuse. emptywheel.net/2026/09/24/s...
emptywheel.net
Sheri Mecklenburg's Mic Drop - emptywheel
When Sheri Mecklenburg told Andrew Boutros she wanted to intervene in the Broadview 6 proceedings, which will make it far harder for him to scapegoat her, he threatened to fire her. So she quit. And ...
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Kat Abughazaleh @katmabu.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
It’s been a year since ICE drove a car through a crowd at Broadview, leading to the federal indictment of myself and five others. Today, those of us who could returned. The state can try all it wants, but it can’t silence us or our community’s fight for justice.
From left to right

Brian Straw, a white suburban dad with a dark brown beard, glasses, orange hat, and teal quarter zip

Me, a short blonde woman in a black sweatshirt reading, “IT’S MY BODY, IT’S MY CHOICE” in two curves on my chest

Michael Rabbit, a white older man with rosy cheeks in a black hoodie

Andre Martin, a tall curly-haired man with glasses, a grey hoodie, and blue fanny pack

Yes, we feel weird taking a picture at the concentration camp.
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unraveled @unraveledpress.com · 25/09/2026
Tomorrow, Sept. 26, is the 1-year anniversary of a protest that led to the "Broadview Six" prosecution which eventually blew up in the face of U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros' office. Members of the titular six, incl. Kat Abughazaleh, Michael Rabbitt and Brian Straw, are on-scene this morning.
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Oak Park Nerd @oakparknerd.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Injustice Watch’s guide to the Cook County judicial retention election. 2026retention.injusticewatch.org?utm_source=I...
2026retention.injusticewatch.org
Cook County November 2026 Judicial Election Guide
Injustice Watch's guide to the November 2026 Cook County judicial elections.
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Oak Park Nerd @oakparknerd.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Only in Trump’s America: memo in the White House “seeks to paint effective altruism as a fringe, cultish collective out of touch with mainstream America.” www.axios.com/2026/09/24/t...
axios.com
Scoop: Trump allies open new front on Anthropic CEO as face of AI "doomerism"
Inside the MAGA effort to target Anthropic's Dario Amodei.
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Oak Park Nerd @oakparknerd.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
“Justice Jackson told the audience that there was ‘a serious concern’ that the Supreme Court’s handling of its emergency docket was ‘having an enormously disruptive and potentially corrosive effect’ on the federal court system.” www.nytimes.com/2026/09/24/u...
nytimes.com
Justice Jackson Calls Emergency Docket ‘Potentially Corrosive’ (Gift Article)
Hours after fielding the Trump administration’s latest emergency application, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson gave a speech urging the Supreme Court to rethink such requests.
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Oak Park Nerd @oakparknerd.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
“The bid to eliminate those consent decrees is just one front in the Trump administration’s broader push to reorient enforcement of civil rights law… Trump has signed a spate of executive orders aimed at purging consideration of diversity, equity and inclusion…” www.nytimes.com/2026/09/24/u...
nytimes.com
Justice Department Scraps Dozens of School Desegregation Cases (Gift Article)
Critics said the changes, mostly in the South, moved the nation “back toward the Jim Crow era.” Justice Department officials said the decrees were outdated.
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Oak Park Nerd @oakparknerd.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Mecklenburg wants in on the Broadview 6 litigation. She was wronged! Don’t treat her unfairly! 🤦‍♀️
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Oak Park Nerd @oakparknerd.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Oak Park “Financial Feasibility Study” on eliminating single family home zoning was just released. Summary— missing middle housing is not financially feasible and will not be affordable to many without subsidies or other incentives. www.oak-park.us/files/assets...
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Oak Park Nerd @oakparknerd.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Hearing on 10/1. The judge previously said she had never seen the “types of prosecutorial behavior before a grand jury that I saw in those transcripts… trust has been broken.” news.wttw.com/2026/09/23/j...
news.wttw.com
Judge Sets Hearing Date as ‘Broadview Six’ Want Further Investigation Into Prosecutors’ Misconduct Allegations
A federal judge will hear oral arguments and could rule as early as next week on a request from the former “Broadview Six” defendants as they seek a special prosecutor to investigate potential wrongdo...
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Oak Park Nerd @oakparknerd.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
www.oakpark.com/2026/09/22/e...
oakpark.com
Circuit Court upholds Oak Park's vote on Israel boycott referendum
A Circuit Court judge upheld an Oak Park electoral board decision to overrule an appeal to the objection of an Israel referendum question.
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Oak Park Nerd @oakparknerd.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
“…Scaman and Straw said they are open to considering trying out some of the zoning changes on a trial basis as a pilot project. Straw mentioned putting a limit on the number of new building permits that could be issued over a specific time period...” www.oakpark.com/2026/09/22/z...
oakpark.com
Zoning debate roils on as Scaman, Straw may be open to pilot  - Wednesday Journal
The public engagement portion of the proposed changes to the Oak Park zoning code moved into high gear last week with six separate events intended to inform and seek input from Oak Parkers.
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Kevin J. Maroney, he/him @womzilla.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
I don't often say this, but: Good for Fox News (and all the others, but it's particularly important for Fox to actually act like a real news network here). Major networks suspended their pool coverage of Trump after the White House barred CNN. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/21/b...
nytimes.com
Networks Suspend Pool Coverage of Trump After White House Bans CNN
The move was an escalation of President Trump’s showdown with the White House press corps after he moved to bar journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico.
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Brian Straw @brianstraw.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
This weekend I had conversations with folks at the Farmers' Market and at the zoning listening sessions. Something wonderful happens when we are able to get past those loudest voices and actually listen and be in conversation with each other: we can find common ground.
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Abundant Housing Illinois @abundanthousingil.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Two more Oak Park opportunities on Sunday!
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Oak Park Nerd @oakparknerd.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
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Shana @shanamd.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
I am SORRY for sharing something that was posted on the other place, but this is too good.
The future pope at a party with a caption “they don’t know I’m the future pope”
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M̳̳̼̟̮ͨ́ͫ͜͠͠͞͞a̳̳̼̟̮ͨ́ͫ͜͠͠͞͞r̳̳̼̟̮ͨ́ͫ͜͠͠͞͞k̳̳̼̟̮ͨ́ͫ͜͠͠͞͞ M̳̳̼̟̮ͨ́ͫ͜͠͠͞͞i̳̳̼̟̮ͨ́ͫ͜͠͠͞͞t̳̳̼̟̮ͨ́ͫ͜͠͠͞͞c̳̳̼̟̮ͨ́ͫ͜͠͠͞͞h̳̳̼̟̮ͨ́ͫ͜͠͠͞͞e̳̳̼̟̮ͨ́ͫ͜͠͠͞͞l̳̳̼̟̮ͨ́ͫ͜͠͠͞͞l̳̳̼̟̮ͨ́ͫ͜͠͠͞͞ @emrendering.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
CNN, MSNOW and Politico have been banned from covering Trump’s daily naps.
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Brian Straw @brianstraw.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Let’s talk about one of the least exciting topics of municipal governance: water rates.
oakpark.com
Oak Park creates pricing tiers to reduce water use  - Wednesday Journal
Village of Oak Park water and sewer rates are increasing to help raise revenues that are falling behind expenditures.
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Oak Park Nerd @oakparknerd.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Location change for this weekend’s Oak Park zoning information sessions.
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Chicago Tribune @chicagotribune.com · 18/09/2026
Oak Park OKs tiered water rate hike to dismay of Park District
chicagotribune.com
Oak Park OKs tiered water rate hike to dismay of Park District
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Oak Park Nerd @oakparknerd.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Interesting interactive map of migration patterns. Just plug in a zip code. apnews.com/projects/bor...
apnews.com
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Bill Bot @bill-bot.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
HR10429 To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 901 Lake Street in Oak Park, Illinois, as the "Detective Allan Reddins Pos... 📢 Introduced in House congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/ho… #HR10429 #congress119 #house #democrat #congress #newbill
Description of HR10429, and a depiction of its sponsor, Danny K. Davis.
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Bill Bot @bill-bot.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
S5416 A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 901 Lake Street in Oak Park, Illinois, as the "Detective Allan Reddin... 📢 Introduced in Senate congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/se… #S5416 #congress119 #senate #democrat #congress #newbill
Description of S5416, and a depiction of its sponsor, Tammy Duckworth.
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Oak Park Nerd @oakparknerd.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
“UN fact-finding mission on Iran said on Thursday it had reasonable grounds to believe the United States was behind ‌two military strikes on a school and sports facility in Iran in February, and that these constituted war crimes.” www.reuters.com/world/middle...
reuters.com
UN mission finds grounds to believe US committed war crimes in Iran, and Tehran crimes against humanity
A UN fact-finding mission also found that Iranian authorities committed crimes against humanity during their deadly crackdown on anti-government protests.
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Oak Park Nerd @oakparknerd.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
“Autonomous AI agents are rapidly creating novel dialects allowing them to converse in an often barely comprehensible language, which risks making it harder for humans to monitor their behaviour.” www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
theguardian.com
AI models chatting in ‘surreal’ dialect mixing poetic language and tech bro jargon
Experts air concern over AI lingo redolent of James Joyce’s prose that is creating barriers to monitoring and oversight
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Oak Park Nerd @oakparknerd.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
www.nytimes.com/2026/09/15/u...
nytimes.com
Federal Employees Were Paid $9.5 Billion Not to Work in 2025 Under DOGE Effort (Gift Article)
As part of the Department of Government Efficiency’s program to shrink the federal work force, paid administrative leave costs rose by 435 percent.
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Oak Park Nerd @oakparknerd.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
The objection is to the proposed Oak Park advisory referendum question, “Should the state of Illinois repeal laws that ban state investment in businesses that boycott the state of Israel?” www.oakpark.com/2026/09/15/c...
oakpark.com
Circuit court judge delays decision on Oak Park referendum question - Wednesday Journal
A Cook County Circuit Court judge is currently considering arguments regarding an appeal to the objection of an advisory referendum question for the Nov. 3 village of Oak Park voting ballot.
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emptywheel @emptywheel.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Footnote 15 and the Incredible Disappearing AUSA Diane MacArthur emptywheel.net/2026/09/16/f...
emptywheel.net
Footnote 15 and the Incredible Disappearing AUSA Diane MacArthur - emptywheel
In the Broadview 6 Reply brief arguing that prosecutors should be sanctioned, the exonerees note that even Diane MacArthur -- someone who everyone in Chicago trusts -- refuses to give them a straight ...
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Jon Seidel @jonseidel.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
JUST IN: The former "Broadview Six" defendants have filed their latest brief seeking special counsel to investigate Chicago U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros, others. Read it here: cst.brightspotcdn.com/52/c7/09aa53...
cst.brightspotcdn.com
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Brian Straw @brianstraw.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
"[T]he new defense filing invites the judge to demand documents from prosecutors. Specifically, they suggest the feds turn over 'any communications' between Boutros’ office and Justice Department officials in Washington. The records could be given only to Perry for her review, they wrote."
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Brian Straw @brianstraw.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Just a quick guide: Section 1 - The Gov't misled the Court Section 2 - The Court has the authority to do something about it and should exercise that authority Section 3 - The idea that the Gov't can self-police with an OPR referral has no basis in reality Section 4 - Defense should get discovery
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