City Council President Rory Riddler confirmed that he had turned over a list of concerns regarding the collection of petitions for the recall of Councilwoman Dottie Greer to law enforcement this week. The First Capital News reported last week on some of the similar handwriting, possible falsified signatures and serious questions regarding the sworn affidavits which accompanied the petition packets turned in to City Clerk Marilyn McCoy.
Councilman Riddler declined to discuss details of his complaint simply saying that he had placed the concerns in the hands of the proper authorities and felt they would be handled in a professional manner.
If evidence supports the concerns raised last week, there are State Statutes that may have been violated by persons associated with the recall committee. Each petition must be accompanied by a sworn notarized affidavit that the person attests they personally circulated the petition and that the persons whose signatures appear on the petitions, signed in their presence.
A review of the petitions by the First Capitol News shows that most of the petitions were circulated by persons from outside the City of St. Charles. Two of the people who took petitions around for the recall of Councilwoman Greer lived in Illinois, one from as far away as Rolla, two in the City of St. Louis, one each from St. Peters, Wright City, Berkely, Ferguson, Florissant and Kirkwood.
Council President Riddler says it was not against the Charter for the person circulating the petitions to not live in the City, but that it is shocking that a Councilperson is being recalled by paid workers who don’t even live in St. Charles. Spending reports show that the recall committee has raised and spent approximately $36,000 trying to recall just two Councilmembers. The largest donations have come from developers or those working for large developers.
