In my mail today was an envelope from Citizens for Nygren. Immediately, I thought, “Is there an election for McHenry County Sheriff coming up?” I didn’t think there was, and I hadn’t seen the sheriff’s name on the primary ballot. Hmmm, what’s up?
The envelope was addressed to me and to Current Resident. Guess it wasn’t a subpoena or an award for being a safe driver, so I opened it and found an endorsement for Dan Regna. No surprise there, since I’d already heard that news.
Over the past few days I’ve been thinking about the ethics of support of a State’s Attorney incumbent or candidate by the sheriff and by the police chiefs in McHenry County. They are going to have to work with whoever wins, either Mr. Bianchi or Mr. Regna. When they come out strongly in favor of one and if he turns out not to be the winner, how many bridges will they have burned unnecessarily?
Certainly, they as individuals have the right to support anyone they wish, and there is nothing illegal about their personally supporting a candidate. But should they use their official office for doing so? Or the symbol of their office?
In the past I have questioned the sheriff’s mailers, and this one is a slight improvement because the envelope bears the return address of Citizens for Nygren and not of “Sheriff Keith Nygren.” Did I have some small impact on that change?
However, the letter bears in large font the name “Sheriff Keith Nygren.” This results in the Office of the Sheriff being used in a political fashion to promote a candidate, and this is WRONG! The Office itself must not take sides. The Office of Sheriff serves all, regardless of political affiliation or presence in a political race. If Keith wants to take sides, fine; but he should do this as an individual, not as Sheriff!
I also believe it is patently improper to use the symbol of office [meaning here a 7-pointed star (badge) with the words “Sheriff McHenry County Sheriff’s Police” and “Seal of Illinois”] in a political manner. I recall the letter I received prior to the last election for sheriff, and I took the same exception to the use of the badge in this fashion. The badge is the symbol of the office and belongs to the agency, not to the individual who was elected to the office.
Since the letter (and the postage?) was paid for by Citizens for Dan Regna, just who or what is Citizens for Nygren and why is it involved in the Regna-Bianchi race? Normally, that style of name identifies a group formed to support the candidate whose name it bears; however, in this case the political group Citizens for Nygren is supporting a different candidate. Is it appropriate? Is it legal?
You never know who is interested…
3 months ago
1 comment:
I received the same letter in the mail ... and so did my wife. I thiught it was a summons or notice of a delinquent traffic ticket or some similar matter. After reading it I thought of simnilar letters and advertisements, like the one by Morticia Lantz, the County Coroner. She also uses officialo County letter head in the ad and creates the impression that the "ofice" is enforsing Regna ... I'm not sure which is worse, sending a copy of a newspaparer column out to 900 residents without letting them know who's sending it (Laphhew) or sending out a letter with the imnlication that its an endrosement from a County department and not a single individual. I don't really care what Nygren or Lantz think ... they're both the offspring of good old boy Al "Lets Make a Deal"
Jordan. And what about Bianchi spending money that was in the States Attorney's budget (which was approved byb the County Board) for food items? Why don't we check out every County department budget and see whats being spent? How about those Hygren pencils that get tossed out at the Milk Days parade, or the pizza that the County planning department has at all of ots evening meetings, or the Kung Pao chicken from Chop Sewage Hut that gets picked up and taken to the County Clerk during election time? Sure, Bianchi is doing anything that everyone else isn't doing .... but he is running a hell of an office and actually getting convictions and not spending his time on personal vendettas (can you say "Gary Packer" and "Gary Guager" in the same breath).
Nuff said. Regna should get together with his pal Glenn Gable and join the Biggest Loser's Club. I recall Regana endorsed Gable when he ran for State's Attorney and lost. Snoozer sez: "He not da' man!"
Post a Comment