Republicans on the McLean County Board outvoted Democrats on the board eight to seven denying the appointment of Krystle Able to the board at their meeting on Thursday evening. The Republicans called for a roll call vote after Board Chairman John McIntyre accepted a motion and a second to appoint Able to the board.
“The problem with this appointment is that Krystle Able has publicly said that she supports defunding the police,” said Chuck Erickson, McLean County Board member. “Krystle Able is not a good human being. The Democrats like to play definition games. She said she wanted to defund the police. She is one of the most partisan individuals in the world and they send her up. This is what Patrick Cortesi, the chair of the Democrat Party, they send to us one of the most partisan person in their caucus.”
Chuck Erickson said Able tried to change the definition of “defund” and she said she was for “training.”
“We’re not going to play your definition games,” said Erickson.
On social media, Able post “Roses are red, no lives are Blue, defund the police and abolish ICE too.”
The appointment was to be for a fourth district seat that was vacated after board member Matt Coates resigned in June. Coates resigned because he accepted an appointment to the Illinois Prisoner Review Board.
Republicans objected to the appointment because of a Facebook post made by Able that called for defunding the police.
Cities 92.9 asked Able for her thoughts after the meeting and she said, “I am disappointed that they didn’t take into account that as a slated Democrat candidate for the November ballot as decided by our precinct committee people within the party that I am the Democrat that they wanted, that the party wanted, that the party trusts, that the party stands behind.”
“We took a fair vote. I was the person that was elected to fill that position. The fact that the Republican’s don’t respect that decision when they are required to appoint somebody from the party, and this is who they wanted, is quite disappointing,” Able continued.
Cities 92.9 also asked board member and Republican County Chair Emeritus Chuck Erickson for his thoughts after the meeting and he said, “The Republicans realized that we had a candidate for the fourth district that was for defunding the police and we all decided that we couldn’t vote for such an extremist to be placed on the McLean County Board.”
We asked Able if she knew this was coming and she replied, “I did expect it. We live in a time where, you know, for the past several years now, where politics is extremely partisan. There seems to be a line in the sand that’s been drawn between anybody with a D behind their name and anybody with an R behind their name.”
“I am committed to working with anybody in this community no matter what their political affiliation is. And it’s disappointing to know that the Republicans in the community are not committed to that,” she continued.
Erickson told us that discussion on this, “started probably Wednesday of this week, I mean Jon Sandage did contact me and asked me about it because he knew where I would fall.”
“And the reason I fall that way is pretty simple. I am not going out and telling my constituents that I am pro law enforcement and vote to put someone on that board who openly advocates for the defunding the police,” Erickson continued.
Cities 92.9’s Kevin Woodard asked Able what she thought about the fact that what essentially happened here was Republicans with a cancel culture? She responded, “You know I do, I would think that, I would agree with that. It’s a shame that they are only taking their own perspective into account. You would think that we would all be willing to work together for the good of the county.”
We also asked Erickson if this was a form of Republicans practicing cancel culture and he replied, “No. It’s a form of Republicans protecting the public safety of its citizens.”
Before this item appeared on the agenda Corey Wells, a McLean County Sheriff’s Deputy, addressed the board during Appearance by Members of the Public and County Employees in reference to an agenda item, representing a local Fraternal Order of Police (FOP).
Wells referenced a social media post Able made saying Defund the Police and Abolish (Immigrations and Customs Enforcement) ICE too. He argued this should disqualify Able from the appointment. Wells expressed his opinion that Able does not believe in supporting the police and that she is well known throughout the community as being anti police and anti law enforcement.
McIntyre opened up the application process again to give applicants interested in applying for the fourth district seat an opportunity to do so. He set a new deadline for filing of noon on Monday Aug. the 22. A special board meeting was also scheduled for 5:30 pm on Friday Aug. 26 to further address the issue.
Abel told us she will reapply.
