Discretion; better than valor?

Someone once said that "discretion is the better part of valor". Who was that "someone"? Falstaff, in Shakespeare's Henry IV (1596).

Sometimes you go around the fray, if you don't have to jump right into it. "Look before you leap" is, more often than not, a really, really good idea.

An email that I received prompted me to take a look at a website already set up by Andy Zinke, who would like to be the next sheriff of McHenry County. But not until December 1, 2014 (unless Keith bails early, which some think he might).

On that site (www.zinkeforsheriff.org) is a picture of Zinke, a McHenry County Sheriff's Department squad car and a dog. Not just any dog. A dog named Jake. A dog identified as "K-9 Jake".

The legend under the picture reads, This is a picture of Andrew Zinke and Jake - Andrew Zinke for Sheriff". 

There is a important notice on the McHenry County website (co.mchenry.il.us) under the Ethics Commission tab about use of County property in political activities. Does Zinke's use of this photograph constitute a violation of the County's Ethics Ordinance? Certainly the squad car and dog were County, taxpayer-supported property.