Two Sheriff's Deputies perform maneuvers on motocycles at McHenry's Fiesta Days Parade. Click to enlarge any image.
Yesterday, Part 1 of this story ran on McHenry County Blog.
McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren and his wife Marge wave at folks lining McHenry's Fiesta Days Parade.
Put in its narrowest context, the question asked by Zane Seipler, the Republican whom incumbent Sheriff Keith Nygren beat in the GOP primary, is
“Should a driver of a privately-owned, apparently unlicensed convertible from which the Sheriff and his wife are waving to the crowd be (have been) paid out of taxpayer dollar?”
In the case of the McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi candy uproar, Nygren said he would welcome an independent investigation.
Seipler makes the following observations about Nygren in a parade different from the entry seen above in McHenry (you can see the photo he uses here):
- The vehicle he is riding in is has a Gary Lang placard for a license plate. Any official county vehicle would have a valid registration. (Gary Lang must let Nygren use the car for political events.)
- The vehicle is covered in removable decals of a seven point star known to be the campaign logo of Keith Nygren. Once again showing that this vehicle is a campaign vehicle.
- The Sheriff is not in uniform, he is dressed in civilian clothes, as a politician would dress in a parade.
- It appears that Nygren has something in his hand. Reports suggest he was throwing candy.
- His wife is in the car, she has no official ties to the Sheriff’s Department.
- The driver of the vehicle is a County employee but he is not wearing a uniform.
And he adds, speaking directly to personnel at the Northwest and Daily Heralds:
“We have a total of 72, APPROVED OVERTIME SLIPS, related to the last five parade seasons. (2006-2010)…
“Hey Jillian Duchowski, Kevin Lyons and Chuck Keeshan, (Daily Herald and Northwest Herald) we know you are reading this.
“You guys even a little bit interested?”
McHenry County Auditor Pam Palmer was in the 2008 4th of July Parade in Crystal Lake.
Seipler quotes County Auditor Palmer as saying,
“No other county officers submit parade expenses for reimbursement,
“No other county officers submit parade expenses for reimbursement.”
Then says,
“Wait a second, WHAT DID SHE SAY?????”
In his blog, Dave Bachmann takes after the three Democratic County Board members.
He thinks they should be leading the charge against the Sheriff’s parade expenditures. After all, their party has an active candidate for sheriff.
He also wonders,
“”WHY she (County Auditor Pam Palmer) approved seven, (7) ‘OVERTIME HOURS’ for a Deputy Sheriff who as proved by submitting the attached Sheriff’s Department document, participated in a Parade?”
The parade was in Hebron, which is, as former resident Bachmann says, one of the county’s smallest villages.
He asks,
“Are you Serious Auditor Pam Palmer???? Seven HOURS of ‘OVERTIME PAY’ for a parade in the tiny one street village of Hebron, Illinois?”
Seipler makes a comment that reminds me of what my wife said after I lost the Republican primary election for state representative ten years ago:
“Of course we will be talking with others about this because we have nothing else to do.
“Being wrongfully terminated frees up a lot of time!”
My wife observed that those who worked so hard to get me out of office probably didn’t realize how much time it would free up for inquiry into local political and governmental matters.
Actually, I think her words were a bit more pithy than that.
Why hasn’t all of this “evidence” be taken to the State’s Attorney, who, as we all know, hasn’t the best of relationships with the Sheriff’s Department? If there was anything of substance there, don’t you think he’d jump on it? Or the State’s Attorney General’s Office?
AZ, this is the reason that a lot of counties, even Cook, has an Inspector General, they investigate the sheriffs. We, of course, do not have one. Sometimes a question of conflict. The SA is also the sheriffs attorney in many cases.
I can only do so many things at once, AZ. I am only one man. Don’t worry I’m working on it. If you want to help, contact me.
I don’t know anything about an Inspector General, but the state Attorney General’s office is pleased to take a case against any elected official if there is proof of wrong doing.
Sorry Zane, but I do not back ANYONE who “mud slings” what I consider “opinion proof”. Good luck with whatever you think you have.
AZ – read Zane’s comment and get a clue.
I have a question. Why does the sheriff have 2 motorcycles and the cost of $120,000.00 of tax payers money that are only used to drive around parades? They are useless on the road and are decorated with the 7 point star and Nygrens other crap. Cannot be used year round and where do you put the people you are picking up. No sidecar!!!
Only seen in parades.
earth mother doesn’t get out much-the motorcycles are used on the road as well-when they are used, the deputies aren’t putting more miles on their squad cars, thus saving the tax payers money. The bikes get much better mileage, and can last three times as long as a squad car. Granted they are not used as much as a squad car, but they do serve a purpose. If they didn’t, why would so many other police departments use them as well. And, I do believe that Harley-Davidson sells the motorcycles for MUCH less than any car maker sell Chevys or Fords. The local Harley Dealership sure seems to have a bunch of used former police department motorcycles for sale every year-bikes can’t be that much of a dumb idea for police work. You can’t use a snowmobile year round either, but you also can’t drive a squad on the river or on snowmobile trails to keep them safe from drunk or reckless drivers-everything has a function and purpose. You may not like the purpose, but it is there.
AZ you comment is garbage. They are not used on the road ONLY IN PARADES.
You are unbelievable. They were $60,000.00 each!!!
Unless those bikes were made by West Coast Custom Choppers, there is no way in H__l they cost anywhere near $60,000 each! Talk about garbage!! An Ultra Classic is only $22,000, unless it’s a Screamin’Eagle Package, and there’s no way the Sheriff has one of those, let alone an Ultra Classic. At best they are basic Electra Glides; please, $60,000@!!
Neither you nor I work for MCSO; my kid has a Harley so I know a little about bikes, so lets not go overboard in a vain attempt to make a point about something which you know nothing about. Stick to your “evidence” in support of Zane against Nygren-somebody will feed you your opinion.
AZ – spin and deflect all you want. Enough smart people are figuring it out.
Did I really read as supposed fact here that motorcycles are useless to law enforcement other than in parades and also that these bikes cost $60,000 each? Then the person speaking these “facts” accused another of spin and deflection? Really?
After these comments you might see them on street NOW. Before today, not so.
Motorcycles really are a very common law enforcement tool, to state they are “useless on the road” was just plain silly
Hey AZ supporter connect the dots. Nygren owns Franks, Franks is a yes man for Madigan in springfield, Madigan is the Attorney Generals father what good girl dosn’t listen to what her father tellers her.
And AZ, just so you know, once you start putting law enforcement packages on any vehicle you can easily get to $60,000.00. What do you think they wait for clearence days to buy thier vehicles with 0 down & 2.9% financing? No they know it’s taxpayer money so there’s no special discounting.
Thanks Patrick. Family member sells those bikes and was tired of going around the bush with AZ.
I hate to keep inserting facts into political attack dog pack mentality, but attached is a nice article from this very week pointing out that these bikes fully outfitted for police use are not even close in cost to what those attacking claim. Will also point out some benefits for those of you that believe they have no law enforcement use.
Sorry again for the whole silly “fact” thing, interrupting a good old fashioned gutter personal based political attack.
http://www.indystar.com/article/20100729/LOCAL0402/7290386/1023/LOCAL04/Greenwood-Police-on-motorcycles-have-few-cons
Very curious you are not inserting facts or at least all the facts. I read your artical and the artical discusses base models. It dosen’t discuss the cost involved from companies who put all the equipment on them. The motorcycle or automobile goes to a company after it is purchased to have all the additional equipment installed, at a tremendous cost, but a neccessary cost. And as computers, additional safty features and other electronics are installed they must also upgrade the basic equipment like battery power and balance. Once this is all added the MPG does go down, however no anywhere the automobile MPG. So if your going to give information how about giving out all the information.
Well if you read the article you would notice the very first sentence states that the Greenwood Indiana Police department bikes being discussed in the article included the “full police package”. Sure there may be some other costs the local Sheriffs department adds on top of the “full police package”, but enough to go from $19 K a piece to $60 K a piece? That’s just silly talk. Face it the attack grossly over reached in both the claimed fact of cost as well as the whole motorcycles “useless” for law enforcement spin.