Anti-Corruption Lawsuits filed by Grace Akinlemibola

The Anti-Corruption Lawsuits filed by Grace Akinlemibola refers to the package of lawsuits filed by civil rights and political activist, Grace Akinlemibola against various public officials, public entities, and private institutions. The Lawsuits contain legal arguments surrounding constitutional violations of the First Amendment, Fourth Amendment, Thirteenth Amendment, and Fourteenth Amendment. Akinlemibola is a prior employee of Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Public Schools. Akinlemibola filed these lawsuits in the Northern District of Illinois. Akinlemibola has actively organized anti-corruption marches and protests to vocalize opposition to fraudulent acts and protest retaliation faced for filing the lawsuits.
Facts
On January 13, 2017, civil rights and political activist, Grace Akinlemibola, filed five lawsuits against various public officials, public entities, and private institutions. An additional lawsuit was filed previously that takes up the same cause, but is not included in the package of lawsuits. After filing the initial lawsuits, one of Akinlemibola's employees was harassed by four white male Chicago police officers. The actions from the harassments launched the sixth lawsuit, Grace Akinlemibola, Hilton Wright v. Chicago Police Department, City of Chicago, filed on January 20, 2017. After attempting to receive emails from Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, Akinlemibola was denied the receipt of emails with fraudulent claims by employees in the Rahm Emanuel's office. Akinlemibola immediately filed an additional lawsuit against Rahm Emanuel, Chicago Public Schools, City of Chicago, and the FOIA Officers of both Rahm Emanuel's office and Chicago Public Schools. On March 16, 2017, Akinlemibola released a "first round" of emails that pertain to her assertions of fraud in Rahm Emanuel's office.
Akinlemibola filed the Anti-Corruption Lawsuits with a total of seven lawsuits, potentially eight lawsuits if including a previously-filed lawsuit in 2016. The lawsuits are as filed:
::Grace Akinlemibola v. Rahm Emanuel, Michael Rendina, City of Chicago, Ginger Ostro, and Chicago Public Schools - filed January 13, 2017
::Grace Akinlemibola v. Michael Rendina, Anna Valencia, Sean Rapelyea, and City of Chicago - filed January 13, 2017
::Grace Akinlemibola v. Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission, State of Illinois, Illinois Supreme Court, Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar, Illinois Board of Examiners, Rod Blagojevich, Bruce Rauner - filed January 13, 2017
::Grace Akinlemibola v. Chicago-Kent College of Law, Carolyn Shapiro - filed January 13, 2017
::Grace Akinlemibola v. Orange Lake Holdings LLP - filed January 13, 2017
::Grace Akinlemibola, Hilton Wright v. Chicago Police Department, City of Chicago - filed January 20, 2017
::Grace Akinlemibola v. Rahm Emanuel, Michael Rendina, Chloe Rasmas, City of Chicago, Andrew Mason, and Chicago Public Schools - filed March 7, 2017
Grace Akinlemibola v. Rahm Emanuel, Michael Rendina, City of Chicago, Ginger Ostro, and Chicago Public Schools
On January 13, 2017, Grace Akinlemibola filed a lawsuit against Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Rahm Emanuel's Senior Advisor Michael Rendina, the City of Chicago, former Chief Financial Officer of Chicago Public Schools, and Chicago Public Schools.
Grace Akinlemibola v. Rahm Emanuel, Michael Rendina, Chloe Rasmas, City of Chicago, Andrew Mason, and Chicago Public Schools
On March 7, 2017, Grace Akinlemibola filed a lawsuit related to the originally filed lawsuits on January 13, 2017. After filing the original lawsuits on January 13, 2017, Akinlemibola filed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to publicly solicit emails from the original lawsuits.
Grace Akinlemibola v. Michael Rendina, Anna Valencia, Sean Rapelyea, and City of Chicago
On January 13, 2017, Grace Akinlemibola filed a lawsuit against the City of Chicago and Rahm Emanuel aides Michael Rendina, Anna Valencia, and Sean Rapelyea.
Grace Akinlemibola v. Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission, State of Illinois, Illinois Supreme Court, Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar, Illinois Board of Examiners, Rod Blagojevich, Bruce Rauner
On January 13, 2017, Grace Akinlemibola filed a lawsuit against Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner, the State of Illinois, the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission, Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar, Illinois Board of Examiners, and former Governor Rod Blagojevich. Akinlemibola asserts the State of Illinois practices a fraudulent custom that adversely impacts certain immigrants and children of immigrants. Akinlemibola, a child of Nigerian immigrants, asserts this fraudulent practice hindered her and her family's access to prosperity and professional licenses in the State of Illinois.
Grace Akinlemibola v. Chicago-Kent College of Law, Carolyn Shapiro
On January 13, 2017, Grace Akinlemibola filed a lawsuit against Chicago-Kent College of Law and former Illinois Solicitor General, Carolyn Shapiro.
Grace Akinlemibola v. Orange Lake Holdings LLP
On January 13, 2017, Grace Akinlemibola filed a lawsuit against timeshare company, Orange Lake Holdings LLP. Orange Lake Holdings LLP was asserted to have fraudulently reduced the value of Akinlemibola's timeshare and attempted to coerce her into forfeiting her timeshare. The issue then largely impacted Akinlemibola's ability to obtain credit for her business.
Grace Akinlemibola, Hilton Wright v. Chicago Police Department, City of Chicago
On January 20, 2017, Grace Akinlemibola and an employee of Akinlemibola's company, Hilton Wright, filed a lawsuit against the Chicago Police Department and the City of Chicago. Immediately after Akinlemibola filed the five initial lawsuits, one of her employees was harassed by four white male police officers. He was called a "nigger" and detained in a jail cell without being able to use the bathroom and ultimately urinating in the cell.
Reception in the Courts
Akinlemibola has continued to file additional lawsuits as additional acts accrue and prior to the hearing of the cases on their merits. After filing the complaints in the Northern District of Illinois with a corresponding Motion for In Forma Pauperis, federal judges immediately threw her cases out of court. Akinlemibola is currently filing appeals, where she directly addresses these disputes. Her jurisdictional memorandum appealing the Motion for In Forma Pauperis directly addresses the fact that Akinlemibola's suppression by the federal court in hearing these cases constitutes a burden to her free speech, where "the refusal...can easily be a form of retaliation based on the grievances and speech outlined within the lawsuit." In the Chicago-Kent College of Law opinion, the judge immediately refused to consider a Thirteenth Amendment argument prior to Akinlemibola providing the legal argument that would be reserved for legal briefs after the case has been underway, claiming the complaint to be stretched "beyond legitimate bounds." While citing precedent cases, Akinlemibola has appealed to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals specifically articulating the Thirteenth Amendment argument in all of the applicable cases, including the State of Illinois and Chicago-Kent College of Law cases, as follows:

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