Inquiry was inappropriate

In his Tuesday column, Jim Dey states “Democrat Emily Rodriguez charged (Champaign County Auditor George) Danos with being a ‘White supremacist’ and engaging in ‘dogwhistle xenophobia’ because he made inquiries about whether she lives in District 8, which she represents.”

The issue with Danos’ request, which Dey omits to make this sound like an innocent query, is that the auditor used his county title to email Rodriguez’s landlord and claim to be “auditing her residential qualifications to represent county board District 8” and asking whether she is a “paid-up tenant in good standing,” something he has absolutely no authority over.

He used his personal email address because he knows he lacks this authority, but still used his official-looking county auditor signature on the message, giving his office phone and website to make this look like something Champaign County condones.

Danos also flat-out lied to county Democratic party leadership, claiming “I never said I was ‘auditing’ [Emily’s] address.”

Rodriguez has been a resident of county board District 8 for the entirety of her term on the board, which is verified by the county clerk and recorder when anyone files to run for office. This was a move by Danos to intimidate and bully a county board member, not the simple request Dey makes it out to be.

JENNY LOKSHIN

Champaign