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Ald. Holmes Asks Barrett to Back Off After Armed Investigator Visits Voters

By Sam Cholke | January 19, 2015 7:56pm
 Natashia Holmes (l.) has asked challenger Keiana Barrett to back down in her attempts to get Holmes off the ballot.
Natashia Holmes (l.) has asked challenger Keiana Barrett to back down in her attempts to get Holmes off the ballot.
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DNAinfo/Ted Cox

HYDE PARK — Ald. Natashia Holmes is telling political opponent Keiana Barrett to back off after an armed private investigator showed up at several voters’ houses asking them to recant their support for the sitting 7th Ward alderman.

Holmes is alleging Barrett’s attorney, Brendan Shiller, hired an armed private investigator to go door-to-door to ask voters to sign an affidavit stating their signature was forged on petitions Holmes circulated to get on the ballot.

“No one should have to endure visits from armed investigators at their doorstep as a consequence for participating in the political process,” Holmes said in a statement after the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners threw out the challenge to her candidacy Monday.

Barrett denied that she was involved in any voter intimidation and said she did not hire anyone to collect affidavits.

According to reports from hearing in front of the Board of Elections earlier this month, private investigator Kimberly Garrett testified that she was hired by Shiller to go to 16 homes in the 7th Ward and ask residents to sign an affidavit if their signature was forged on petition sheets Holmes personally circulated.

Garrett testified that she would show her badge and often carried her weapon with her. She said that of the four people who signed affidavits, two claimed their signature was forged.

Shiller, who also led the challenge to Holmes’ position on the ballot, was not immediately available for comment.

Holmes’ campaign called on Barrett to drop any further challenges to Holmes’ spot on the ballot.

“I’m not interested in entertaining the requests coming out of her office because she is not interested in entertaining the requests coming from her constituents,” Barrett said.

She said she had not yet decided whether she would appeal the Board of Election’s decision to the Circuit Court of Cook County.

Holmes is facing seven challengers to retain the seat she was appointed to fill by Rahm Emanuel in February 2013 after Sandi Jackson resigned.

Also on the ballot in the 7th Ward are Barrett, Gregory Mitchell, LaShonda “Shonnie” Curry, Flora “Flo” Digby, Bernie Riley, Margie Reid, Joseph Moseley III.

Eight candidates have been removed from the ballot in the 7th Ward or have withdrawn.

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