It's A Sign, Already!

Mercedes Jamka wrote a nice Letter to the Editor in this week's The Woodstock Independent about Jack Franks' law office's sign in Marengo. Inaccurate, but nice.

She wrote that the County's sign ordinances are unconstitutional, because Jack Franks says so. Nice try.

The County is not prosecuting the law firm of Franks, Gerkin & McKenna because of a "religious statement" on the front of its building on Route 20 east of Marengo. It's prosecuting them because they have an illegal sign on the front of the building! It's a sign. Sign. SIGN. And what does the sign say? "Justice, justice, shalt thou pursue"

This wording, on the front of a law office, is clearly a sign. Does anyone, other than a Bible scholar or a lawyer wanting to put the words on an advertising sign, even know where that passage is in the Bible? I doubt it.

Just because Jack jumps up and waves the Constitutional flag in front of the County does not make any change in direction by them a victory for Jack and a win for constitutional rights. A court decides whether a law is constitutional or not.

Should the County spend tens of thousands of dollars fighting Jack and his dad's law firm? Probably not. Should the law firm just pay the $75 for the sign? Probably.

Remember when Jack was touting the Governor's import-prescription-drugs-from-Canada deal? No matter that it was unlawful - it was in violation of Federal law. What did Jack have to say about that? According to his legislative office, it was a State's Rights issue. Well, okay, in his "opinion" it was. It was still illegal, according to the law!

A lowly citizen barking at Jack to obey Federal law had no influence whatsoever. It was not until a complaint was filed with the Legislative Inspector General that Jack removed the imported-prescription-drug deal from his website. And then it took only a day. The LIG was the guy with the sharper teeth.

If Jack really wanted to do something for the County, pay the lousy $75. But lawyers don't do that.

All right, why is this a big deal for me? Because we are coming right up to an important election, and I called Jack last week for a statement about his position on concealed carry in Illinois. I didn't even ask his legislative office. I called his campaign office. And did he call back? Not at all.

But why should he call back? He is running unopposed. NO candidate for an elected office in a county should run unopposed. What's wrong with the Republicans? Can't they find someone who would run against Jack?