Sunday, March 11, 2012

Northwest Herald gets it - wrong (again)

Today's editorial in the Northwest Herald (Page 11A) announces "Throw out petty attempt at revenge". It bashes Zane Seipler for continuing his petition to get a Special Prosecutor appointed to investigate Sheriff Keith Nygren.

If Seipler's petition didn't have merit, McHenry County Circuit Associate Judge Thomas Meyer would have tossed it a long time before now.

The Northwest Herald, both in this editorial and in articles written by its reporters, fails to inform readers what the basis of the petition really is. It keeps bringing up the seven-point badge, as if that's the issue. No, the issue is mis-use of taxpayer money by Sheriff Nygren to paste his own design of a badge all over County vehicles, property, stationery, etc. and at the same time to use the same badge in his political campaign.

It's the money - not whether the badge has seven points on it or five. The Northwest Herald would have you think, since it tends to side with the sheriff on many issues, that Nygren has done little wrong in his years in office. The editorial staff carelessly slings around words like "flimsy", "petty" and "disgruntled". 

Seipler, a political unknown in the 2010 Primary, pulled 35% of the Republican vote. That was an outstanding achievement and should have sent a strong message throughout the County. 

The paper tried to redeem itself at the end of the editorial by claiming, "We support rooting out government corruption. Not using the taxpayers to further personal vendetta." 

No doubt that Judge Meyer should decide soon in this case. But not dismiss. The next court date won't be about granting Seipler's petition. The next court date, on March 26, 9:30AM, will be about the request to dismiss Case No. 10MR000011. 

Why doesn't Sheriff Nygren take the microphone and simply say, "I'm clean. Investigate me"? 

2 comments:

ABZ for Sheriff (Anyone But Zinke) said...

Once again the NWH has shown its colors. I don't think that Seipler ever thought he could win the primary. He showed the county that Nygren is no one to be feared. Sometimes its not the victory that's important, taking a stance against tyranny is the statement. Ask Kevin L. how he got out of his DUI while Nygren and Pack were in office. Maybe one of the editors is scared of a Nygren investigation that may hit close to home. If this paper is anti-corruption, why did it endorse Tina Hill? She was caught up in the musical chairs, open meetings violation.

Perhaps the NWH should trying doing a little investigating before reporting and see if allegations of corruption made by deputies is true before the egg hits their face.

I for one hope that Seipler pushes this issue as far as Nygren pushed Zane's termination....To the Illinois Supreme Court. At the very least it will teach Nygren who he can and can't screw with.

ABZ for Sheriff (Anyone But Zinke) said...

Instead, Nygren fights tooth and nail not to be investigated. And Milliman, who said the Sheriff was a crook, was terminated but never charged with perjury. He made the statements under oath. Why didn't Nygren find someone to charge Milliman with perjury? Because that would lead to an INVESTIGATION and Nygren don't want no investigations. Open your eyes people, its so obvious.