If you don't buy a Sunday paper just to keep the Our View editorial on Page 11A, you may wish you had..It would be good to know who is on the editorial board at the paper. My understanding is that the Our View editorial is the position of the editorial board and not the opinion of one person at the paper.
What's wrong with the editorial? Everything. But you have to know, first, that there is an on-going love affair between Sheriff Keith Nygren and some of the key players at the Northwest Herald. I'm not sure why, but there is. Apparently, Keith can do no wrong. Not a good position for the County's major newspaper.
The editorial leads off with "Zane Seipler has no business working for the McHenry County Sheriff's Department."
And then more than half a page, two columns wide, is pitched at readers. Readers either got out of the way or had to run for the showers. None of the reasons holds water.
1. The ticket issue. That's over. The arbitrator, the McHenry County Circuit Court judge and the Appellate Court have decided in Zane's favor. The newspaper failed to mention another deputy who acted improperly and got a three-day suspension, even though she wasn't truthful about what had happened.
2. The article infers that Zane just "claimed" that "he actually was fired for blowing the whistle on racial profiling." The reporter and an editor should have been in Federal District Court in Rockford on the day when one of Nygren's attorneys told Judge Mahoney that that's exactly why Seipler was fired. I was standing right next to her, right in front of Judge Mahoney, when she said that.
Now, if Nygren's lawyer tells a judge that (and Seipler says that), who's telling the truth? And who is lying?
3. Regarding the basis for the request for special prosecutor, the case is about the mis-use by Sheriff Nygren of thousands of dollars of County money to plaster that wrong emblem of office all over County property. THAT is the issue.
4. And the confidential documents? The Northwest Herald failed to mention who released the Scott Milliman November deposition, which made its way into Northwest Herald hands and resulted in Nygren's starting the process to fire Milliman. Nygren's attorney gave it to Nygren. And right there is where it stopped.
But Nygren stated in an affidavit that he told Undersheriff Zinke to give it to Jose Rivera. That's the same Undersheriff Zinke who just announced his candidacy for Sheriff in the 2014 election. Zinke should have known that the document was confidential and that Nygren's instruction, direction or order to give it to Rivera was wrong. Why didn't he stand up to Nygren and say "No"? You'll have to ask him that one. Zinke said earlier this week that he has “... served the people of McHenry County for 22 years – happily, compassionately, and with honor.” Where was the honor part when he gave Milliman's deposition to Rivera?
I'm glad that the Northwest Herald isn't trying to solve a murder case. I could set up a website right now, in about five minutes, using the email address of the Publisher or the Managing Editor (or the courthouse reporter) of the Northwest Herald. Or even the email address of the sheriff or of the undersheriff? Should I do that as proof of the speed and ease with which it could be done?
For the Northwest Herald to even print the words that Nygren should run to the Illinois Supreme Court is irresponsible and against the County's interest and that of the taxpayers.
But when you are in love with someone, you'll say almost anything. Especially if it's not going to cost you anything.
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5 comments:
Gus, I think the one thing that bothers me is you and the other Zane apologist's seem to like to dishonestly infer that the courts rulings have supported how he wrote those citations. It is not even in question by the courts that the tickets were given improperly. The only debate in the courts is the punishment that should be meted out for the false citations. Let's at least get real about that.
Curious1, thanks for your comment.
You are right that the dishonestly is not the question. Zane has acknowledged that.
The question in the courts is not even about punishment. The question was whether the arbitrator made the right decision and whether his decision was against public policy. The courta' decisions are that the arbitrator's ruling was correctly made.
The effect is that Zane should have gotten a three-day suspension.
Of course, Keith doesn't like that and will fight it until 1) the Sheriff's Dept. runs out of money or 2) he leaves office.
Cool! You speak both for and against the Sheriff.
I did? Must have been in error....
OMFG, Gus! And please, pardon my “salty” language! LOL!
You said:
>>>> “What's wrong with the editorial? Everything. But you have to know, first, that there is an on-going love affair between Sheriff Keith Nygren and some of the key players at the Northwest Herald.
So far, so good. Gus!
But yet, you demure – such a delicate flower!:
>>>> “ I'm not sure why, but there (it) is. Apparently, Keith can do no wrong. Not a good position for the County's major newspaper.”
Really you don’t know why? Really? Oh, please! You just can’t bring yourself to say so:
“mchenrycountyblog.com/category/cal-skinner” – search the archives!!!!!
Cal pointed out the problem years ago, now. Granted, he was UNSUCCESFULLY sued by the NW Herald for “connecting the dots” – and was UN-successfully sued for those connections made, yet he WAS sued for those “connections” he made note of, and of which still remain “unanswered” to this day:
1) Nygren was first appointed by the McHenry County Board for the then-existing vacancy for the Office of Sheriff. Before being re-elected again and again.
2) Long after that reality, the McHenry County Board approved favorable loan guarantees for the NW Herald who wanted to relocate, modernize and expand. Kinda like “Solyndra”, only still current on their debt payments. At least as far as we know!
Uh-Duh! 1 + 1 = “I am Legion”.
The very fact that the NW Herald accepted favorable loan terms for themselves, predicated upon a financially favorable bond issue granted by a government entity, we expect them to dispassionately report upon the County? Upon ANY County issue? REALLY? In light of that FACT, could anyone reasonably consider that whatever the NW Herald’s opinion” to be as regards ANY County issue, it must be reasonably considered that such opinion to generally be b*llshit? That which could arguably be considered to have been bought and paid for? And again, just my opinion – but geez! – where do YOU reasonably think these dots lead?
REALLY? A newspaper accepting governmental financial help? Really? VOLUNTARILY accepted? Can you say VOLUNTARY reportage and integrity suicide as regards County issues? Really – I would not have voluntarily accepted this turn of events in support of a newspaper’s previously OBVIOUS editorial independence, but now as regards editorial independence regarding County issues, what independence can you now claim? Very little to none – as far as I can tell.
Predictably, the NW Herald had “a cow”. The McHenry County Board had “a cow”. Yet facts are facts, and neither you nor I know what REALLY may prove “true” as regards “County” issues vis a vis the NW Herald any longer. Yet we see the facts before us and can certainly guess, can’t we? And as free, sovereign individuals – certainly, can we not dredge up factual information, and reach our own conclusions? Again, as free and sovereign souls?
Unless of course, we might be guilty of “Thought Crimes” ala “1984”. Should we be guilty of that, please then, let’s all expose our throats to the final slash of the litigate knife………
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