Marion County Board Chair Steve Whritenour has serious concerns about the way Sheriff Kevin Cripps has withdrawn from the race and the appointment of new Republican Precinct Committeemen who will help determine who replaces him on the ballot.
As a result, Whritenour will be seeking a state investigation.
“Apparently, there are still some people in this county that believe in the old school way of doing things and the good old boys system, and I’m vehemently against this,” Whritenour said. “I think this process of what has transpired over the last five days is wrong, and I think it’s time to reach outside of Marion County. I’m going to reach out to the Illinois State Police public integrity unit, and also reaching out to the Attorney General’s office. I think this is a little bit bigger and deeper than what is being perceived to everybody. Something is just not adding up here to me, and I think the voters of Marion County deserve better.”
Whritenour is questioning the timing of Cripps announcement and Marion County Republican Party Chair Ben Stratemeyer recent appointment to fill vacant precinct committeemen positions. Whritenour believes the appointments are to give more caucus votes to Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Anthony Decker who is seeking to replace Cripps on the ballot over Cody Rose who works for a state police agency and is on the Marion County Board.
Whritenour calls both Decker and Rose excellent police officers who would make a good sheriff, but he is supporting Rose.
“Seeing how hastily this was thrown together, Cody represents change in our county, and it’s change that our county desperately needs. I think what’s happened in the last five days is a great representation of why we need this change to happen.”
If selected, Whritenour says Rose would be a great loss to the county board noting his work overseeing the emergency management agency and always completing other tasks he’s been given.
Stratemeyer was not immediately available for comment.
Marion County Clerk Steve Fox says party chairman are allowed under election law to appoint persons to serve as precinct committeemen at any time. He notes a caucus would have to be called to replace any candidate once they are elected in the primary. While Wednesday is the official deadline to caucus in a candidate for the November election, Fox says if the withdrawal occurs up to October 19th a caucus would still be held but there would be costs to the county in having to re-do election materials.
