Just how big is Sheriff Nygren's ego?

How about $600,000 big? And now he's going to head to the Illinois Supreme Court over his losing battle with Deputy Zane Seipler.

In this morning's Northwest Herald, Nygren is quoted. "We're right. When you're right, you don't give up."

Especially when the taxpayers are footing the bill!!!

"Fees reach $600K in lawsuits against sheriff." So says the sub-headline on Page 1.

Actually $615,722.69. Don't forget the ".69". That's about four years pay for our county sheriff. Down the drain.

Too bad that the Northwest Herald tells less than half the story.

The James G. Sotos law firm has sucked up $586,213 in the fight. Not bad for a three-year battle - so far. The Northwest Herald says that Seipler "says he was fired for blowing the whistle on racial profiling."

Funny thing, that claim. Because that's exactly what the SHERIFF'S OWN ATTORNEY told Federal Judge Mahoney on April 6. She didn't say "allegedly fired" or "might have been fired" for complaining about racial profiling. She said Seipler was fired for complaining about racial profiling. Why wasn't the lawsuit over the next day?

So the sheriff says he's right. You know? He will never admit he was wrong. Not even when the Illinois Supreme Court refuses to take the case or laughs Nygren and his lawyers, whoever they may be, right out of court. Even if you waterboarded Nygren, he would never say that he was wrong. That word doesn't exist in his vocabulary.

But an arbitrator said Nygren was wrong.
And McHenry County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Meyer said the arbitrator was right (and, hence, the Sheriff was wrong).
And the three-judge Appellate Court - 2nd District said the arbitrator was right (and, hence, the Sheriff was wrong).

But Keith says he's right. What's that phrase? "A legend in his own mind."

Why doesn't the McHenry County Board slap the brakes on Nygren's wasteful spending? They can't control him, since he is an elected official. But they do control the purse-strings. Except they haven't!

The wording in today's article would have you think that Seipler has caused the Sheriff to blow $615,000. No, editors, it's Nygren who is totally responsible for the waste. He tried to get rid of Seipler, and he has tried to bankrupt him with three years of legal fighting. He tried that with Deputy Schlenkert, and it didn't work. Nygren lost. And Nygren (well, you the taxpayers) paid for his mistake.

Maybe the Northwest Herald got the quotes under the photos wrong today. Maybe they should have printed under Seipler's picture: "I'm right. When you're right, you don't give up."

The question is becoming, "Will McHenry County survive this sheriff's term of office?"