Mike Mahon Yard Signs Appear in Crystal Lake

I was headed toward Colonial Cafe on Route 14 in Crystal Lake, picking up a friend on the way.

Drive north or south on McHenry Avenue or come out from Lake Avenue in Crystal Lake and you can't miss the newly sited Mike Mahon for Sheriff yard signs.

Above is what I saw at the busy intersection of McHenry Avenue and Lake Avenue.

Three signs at the intersection.

No way people driving past could miss seeing at least one. (Closer view can be found here.)

This is a street where I saw Keith Nygren volunteers going door-to-door asking to put up yard signs the weekend before the primary election when he ran against Tom Sanders in the late 1990’s.

Crystal Lake used to be home territory for Nygren. He rose from juvenile officer to police chief. His wife Marge was a District 47 official. They lived in Turnberry before moving to the Hebron area.


Comments

Mike Mahon Yard Signs Appear in Crystal Lake — 28 Comments

  1. Cal, correct me if I am wrong, but doesn’t Crystal Lake have the most restrictive political sign ordinance in McHenry County….no signs until 30 days (or less) before election?

  2. Just move here from the city hearing about this Keith nygren any relation to Merl “The Pearl Nygren” who was a policeman from Chicago. If I remember my dads stories correctly Merl was a Democrat. If anyone knows please let me know. My father worked with Merl, and Id like to help his son.

  3. I guess not earth father, if they were illegal I’m the Crystal Lake Police would have torn them down by now.

  4. Wow VC this is terrible, what was the final adjudication how many appeals affirmed the original determination, oh and how much disciplinary time did Mike receive. Don’t sell yourself VC I’m sure you have read more disgusting things in your life.

  5. As the father of a fifteen year old girl I am torn between disgusted and outright angry after reading that link. To read the quote from the appelate quote:

    “Although we disagree with the district court’s assessment of the severity of the alleged conduct, we affirm its decision as to Rizzo’s claim of sexual harassment because we find that Mahon’s deplorable behavior did not occur because of Rizzo’s sex but instead was the product of Mahon’s animosity toward Rizzo’s husband.”

    Telling a mother that about her daughter because you don’t like husband/father? I don’t care what legal loop hole was crawled through…that describes cowardly and deplorable lack of basic humanity.

  6. Okay, so it has been established that there are no “angels” amongst” us. Lets all agree that by age 50, we all have ‘something’ we may have said or done that only ‘time’ takes care of.

    And no, I’m not down playing anything…………..let’s move on to issues that affect us all “Today.”

    1) Could the Sheriffs candidates please provide us with an ‘assessment’ of where our community stands with regard to ‘Gangs.’ What should parents be looking out for. Are there any particular geographical areas within McHenry County that need to be ‘watched out’ for.

    2) Illicit Narcotic and or Prescription Drug issues within McHenry County.

    A) Who can an ordinary citizen contact to ‘safely’ report said activity when seen within a neighborhood.

    B) What behavior patterns should Moms and Dads be looking out for within their own homes as ‘warning signs’ that perhaps their child is involved with drugs? How can a child, meaning under age 18, ‘get away from’ old friends who have turned to drugs without feeling threatened.

    Simply stated, what can a good ‘kid’ do?

    C) Can the citizens of McHenry County count on the Sheriff who will be elected this November, to be ‘open’ with the ‘Folks’ and more proactive in placing forth information about the “Drug Vectors” or ‘Hot Spots’ parents should know about? What types of drugs are moving into our area and so forth.

    This would be a great starting point for our Sheriff Candidates. Sheriff Keith Nygren, Deputy Mike Mahon and Woodstock Advocate for Citizens, Gus Philpott.

    Thank you kindly for any ‘Press Releases’ you might find time to issue regarding “Issues” that will have a direct causal relationship upon our community.

  7. Cal. save the phone call to city hall. Apparently, City of Crystal Lake repealed 14 day requirement since 2008 election. There are no longer time limits for political signs on residential property (limit of 2 though). Always thought that a bogus restriction in violation of 1st amendment. Nygren sign going up this afternoon!

  8. I can not believe that after actually reading the brief you still hold Mike responsible for that statement. It was up held by two higher courts that there was not any sexual misconduct at all. Mike wasn’t give any disciplinary or any other type of time off.
    This charge was brought by a woman who lost her job because she lied about having a high school diploma or equivalence. This person didn’t even have a GED.

    I guess this means that Zane was fired improperly, those two elderly people were beaten by those police officers an every other charges against nygren were or are true.

    If you actually believe that Mike said those horrible things then there is no changing your mind, however if your not sure please read the entire brief and see how there wasn’t any credibility given to that statement, or the entire charge for that matter.

    This is the hypocrisy of the nygren minions everything said about nygren are lies but if its said about his challenger it must be true. Remember by what measure you use you will be measured by the same.

  9. The Cook County Sheriff investigator wrote:
    “Assistant Chief Michael Mahon has a strong dislike and animosity against Investigator Harriet Rizzo’s Husband, Joe Rizzo, and has succeeded in directing his hostility against Joe Rizzo through his Wife, Harriet Rizzo, which by his conduct has the purpose and the effect of unreasonably interfering with Harriet Rizzo’s work performance and creating an intimidating, hostile and offensive working environment.
    8

    Although it is clear that this Investigator is unable to sustain the Charges of sexual harassment against Assistant Chief Michael Mahon as it is written under the General Order 3.7A, it is clear that Assistant Chief Mahon is unable to perform effectively, fairly and with reason as Assistant Chief of the E.M.U., therefore his appointment to that position should be seriously reconsidered.”

  10. The appellate court wrote specifically that Mahon’s behavior was “deplorable”. In my opinion to say that you want to have sex with with a 15 year old girl in an apparent attempt to bully her mother because of a grudge against her father is a despicable act that speaks to a major character flaw. It may have been ruled not sexual harassment because he claimed his reason was due to hatred of the husband/fathers and not based on the womans sex but it is deplorable all the same.

    It probably is a very good thing for him this guy gave thousands of dollars to sheriff sheahans campaign…

    What this report said he said about this young girl to bully her mother is simply not acceptable human behavior at any level.

  11. Patrick…where on earth are you coming from? How in can you not find this as deplorable of an action as the appellate court found it? Anyone with basic human decency should be disgusted by this report. His attorney may have found a way to say these actions were based on his hatred for the little girls father and thus not sexual harassment against the little girls mother, but on a human decency level who cares how these deplorable actions are legally defined.

    Anyone excusing these actions as described in the Sheriff investigators findings and the appellate court statement really should be deeply ashamed of themselves.

  12. Interesting story about Mahon yard signs. His people approached my neighbor and told him that Sheriff Nygren was retiring and Mahon was his hand picked successor. Lying to people to get them to put up his signs. I guess thats the way a Cook County Democrat would do it. As far as the sexual harassment complaint, he did it and should explain to the voters how he could make such outrageous and derogatory comments about a 15 year old girl. Same guy that got a DUI but explains it away. This is not the guy needed for Sheriff of this County

  13. Stick to the issues, Barnfire. Cook County Democrat or Dyed in the Wool McHenry County Republican. Doesn’t make any difference what or who they are. Scum is scum, lies are lies.

    Mahon’s resident apologist can spin that appellate case any way he wants to. Anyone who forms an opinion without looking at the case, choosing instead to listen to Patrick’s BS is a fool and doesn’t count for squat. It’s unlikely that they would be able to find their ways to the polls anyway. On the other hand, anyone who reads the case and replaces the name Mahon with, say, John Smith, will want to tear “John Smith” a new one. What kind of depraved coward would seek to settle a score with a man by harassing his wife and making lewd and obscene comments about the man’s daughter. That was clearly the case here. That the incidents occurred is clear from the case presented.

    The only thing they argued (and lost) was that it was pure, unadulterated sexual harassment. Close call, I guess, but it was “merely” a plot by a sick individual “John Smith” to take revenge on a man he was afraid to face head on. I have a fifteen year old daughter.

    If that happened to me and mine, there would not be a court hearing. At least not for “John Smith” unless you want to consider a coroner’s inquest a court hearing. What worries me more is that this may only be the tip of the iceberg. I urge the voters to ignore the lawyers (Bloggers) as they all have their slants. Listen (or read) the evidence instead. Then make up your own mind.

  14. Folks, don’t jump to conclusions.

    I read the court documents – all the way to their conclusion and summary, which I suspect others in this string have definitely not. Thank you Frank and Very Curious for the repeated links.

    I note that Mrs. Rizzo had no witnesses to support her allegations; that no charges were sustained by the internal affairs investigation, despite the investigator’s interjection of personal opinion.

    Not sustained or inconclusive simply means there is not enough evidence to prove or disprove the allegation.

    If, in fact, Mrs. Rizzo had two officers as witnesses to Mahon’s alleged comments, that should have cost him his job.

    But, as the court wisely points out, the move to terminate Mrs. Rizzo commenced a half a year before she began to make noise about Mahon’s alleged behavior.

    That move to terminate Mrs. Rizzo was based upon not one, but two charges of lying, of falsifying official documents.

    Well, a liar is a liar.

    Patrick makes a valid point: are we to believe that every allegation thrown at Keith Nygren is true simply because his detractors allege he did or didn’t do something. No. What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

    The difference I see in these two is that Mrs. Rizzo’s allegations were heard at three different levels, internal, Circuit Court, and U.S. District Court.

    Mrs. Rizzo lost on every count, in each venue.

    There was a summary judgement against Mrs. Rizzo – not Mahon.

    Rizzo appealed.

    And lost.

    And let’s not forget the Merit Board, where Mrs. Rizzo was terminated for multiple counts of lying, which she appealed and lost and lost again.

    Mahon received no punishment whatever – not even a written reprimand.

    No discipline.

    No damages.

    No sanctions by any responsible authority.

    And I don’t think the U.S. District Court is in the pocket of Mike Mahon.

    Mrs. Rizzo had to eat the court costs.

    Anyone can be sued in this litigious society, allegations can be made (including groundless ones), especially in law enforcement, where pockets are perceived as ‘deep’.

    Ask Keith at his next fund-raiser: are all the allegations made by Zane Seipler or any of those who dog your trail based on fact and truth?

    Keith will tell you that they are not.

    So Mrs. Rizzo lied.

    She produced no witnesses or material evidence to support her allegations.

    She had her day in court after court after court.

    Mrs. Rizzo lost each time.

    Based on the findings Frank and Very Curious directed us to, I can find no fault with Mike Mahon.

    Bringing this subject up simply shows the political nature of Mahon’s opposition as the election nears.

    Whether this was a clumsly and shameful attempt by Keith’s supporters, like Frank and JC, or Philpot supporters to try to inflict some political damage on Mahon, makes no difference to me.

    I am solidly for Mike Mahon – now more than ever.

  15. Good advice Charles. We should all read the court decision and make up our own minds and not be guided by what one person or several proclaim it to be. It is what it is. Make that determination for yourself.

  16. Charles. Where did you get your law degree? I’d ask for a refund. The US Court rips Mahon for his horrible behavior. Rizzo’s claim was dismissed for technical legal reasons, not becaue Mahon was innocent. The court beleived that Mahon harassed Rizzo. But, the court did not feel Rizzo proved that the harassment was due to her gender as required for SEXUAL harassment. The judges repeatedly stated that Mahon’s conduct was offensive. THis decision was a victory for Sheriff Meahan and Crook County, but not Mike Mahon. No wonder Mahon donated $5000 to Meahan after that episode…the Chicago Way to get promoted.

    VC, thanks for reading material. Makes one wonder what else is in this guy’s past?

  17. ef you must get tire spouting the same rhetoric over and over and over again and again. The best part about your bs is you don’t even know the characters in in your own stories.

    You do realize that when you miss quote or use the wrong name time and time again you lose your credibility.

    You best start writing what Mr. nygren says verbatim ( word for word) or else they will pull the heater out of your squad this winter.

  18. Both the investigator and the the court spoke to Mahon’s behavior as fact and as deplorable. I truly pity those who can defend the behavior towards this young girl. I truly, truly pity you that you can work so hard to find a loophole to defend this type of evil behavior just to push a local petty political race. Simply disgusting…

  19. Readmylips if some said that to your daughter you would kill them. That’s what you are saying, however this mother choose not to do bodily harm as you would nor did she tell Mahon’s supervisor. Instead she call her husband and her husband said he was going to call Mahon’s supervisor. Give me a break readmylips there’s a lot of people on this world your gonna BS I’m not one of them.

    When will you nygren wanna be’s get off this one statement. If you haven’t figured it out yet Mahon never said it. As law enforcement people I know none of you would have found her statement credible. Yet you only have this one non credible statement to hang your hats on.

    Believe me if there was any truth or if it was substantiated or even if she went directly to Mahon’s supervisor I would walk away from voting for Mahon. But there isn’t any thing to substantiate her claim of what he said. Come on guys it time you try and find something new. keep digging minions who knows maybe Mahon pushed down a little girl when he was in the first grade.

  20. I am glad this came out as I believe all “skeletons” should be out no matter how old or new. This is a serious charge against Mahon and everyone should read the link that “very curious” has posted above.

    There is no doubt that in law enforcement you will be accused of something in your career as is also common in the medical field.

    As we move forward and make an informed decision, we probably should look closely at all three candidates for Sheriff, any charges leveled against them now and in the past and ask if they deserve our vote.

  21. Earth Father, and Vc. …..Hurry up to Nygrens office, and ask him one simple question.
    Just one question, with only one answer.

    The answer can only be the truth,

    You want me to ask the question ?

  22. Pat. The 7th Circuit United States Court of Appeals (one step below the US Supreme Court) found that Mahon harassed Harriet Rizzo by repeated sexual slurs against her minor daughter. The federal trial court and appellate court dismissed the case on a legal technacility that Rizzo could not prove that Mahon harassed solely her due to her gender as required by the federal sexual harassment law. These are not merely allegations by Harriet Rizzo, but facts substantiated by a Cook County internal investigator and a federal appellate court. I cannot believe Mahon even contemplated running for office with this nuclear bomb in his closet. WOW!

  23. As the father of a 15 year old girl this one admittedly hits close to home. I am flabbergasted that some local political hacks would even attempt to spin this one and even go to the point of trying to deceive people about what facts the Sheriff’s investigator and Court did agree on. I don’t care what loophole the guy find to wiggle out of this one or if the mother also did not have a high school degree. The investigator who talked to the witness’s wrote it up as fact that it happened, the court accepted that deplorable conduct happened, they only said that the Rizzo’s could not prove it was based on Mrs. Rizzo’s sex at seemed to believe the deplorable actions were based on Mr. Mahon’s animosity towards the little girls father.

    I understand that Mr. Mahon obviously had significant connections with in the Sheriff’s department and was a major donor to the Sheriff in Cook county, but I would hope most employers would take significant more action to this type of disgusting behavior. Come on…telling a mother you want to “f***” her minor daughter? She’s a minor…many parents would consider that a comment about raping a minor due to the age difference and the fact the minor could not legally consent…to say it in an attempt to show anger towards the childs parents is unspeakably disgusting.

  24. Pat,

    Typical……. Only comment and respond when its on the front page

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