At the March League of Women Voters’ McHenry County Board Candidates’ Forum, Zane Seipler held up a loose leaf notebook the contents of which he said county officials don’t want public.
At the League of Women Voters’ Candidates’ Forum, County Board candidate Zane Seipler held up loose leaf notebooks the contents of which apparently will not be shared with the public.
If you have been wondering, as I have, what’s up with the wrongful termination suit that former Deputy Sheriff Zane Seipler filed against McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren and others in the Department, it has been dismissed at Seipler’s request.
The dismissal occurred on May 13, 2014.
Weighing heavily in the decision was undoubtedly the hundreds of thousands of legal fees resulting from a side argument concerning the publication of disciplinary documents on a blog that Zane Seipler’s wife Rose said she posted without her husband’s knowledge.
Ironically, those same records were entered into the court record and can be seen here.
[I sat through all the hearings and Rose’s testimony sounded factual to me. Obviously, Judge Frederick Kapala disagreed.]
You can read the final judgment below:
Also figuring in the decision was wiping off the record the judge’s ruling that Seipler did not tell the truth and the requirement to pay for the legal fees in the cul-de-sac hearing about blog postings.
The agreement with McHenry County also changed the reason for Seipler’s leaving the Sheriff’s Department from termination to having resigned. The status with the Illinois Training and Standards Board is now resigned not terminated. A letter of recommendation was included.
The release and settlement agreement may be read here. Seipler signed on May 28th, attorney Horwitz on June 2nd, Sheriff Keith Nygren on June 9th, Tina Hill on June 12th and county attorney James Sotos on June 16th.
With the dismissal of the suit, the depositions about alleged illegal activity now have no chance of being made public except through a law enforcement agency.
The county’s legal fees were $919,773.33. All but $100,000 was paid by the county’s risk management agency. The deductible, however, has been raised to $250,000, undoubtedly as a result of this suit.
Seipler’s attorney, Black Horwitz, was working on a contingency agreement. He stated once in court that he had over a million dollars in billable hours.
The rumor mill has it that Sheriff’s Deputies who told the truth at Seipler’s depositions got demoted.
One Deputy told me he/she had his/her unit abolished and was put in one of the oldest squad cars. Only a lot of seniority and the union contract kept this Deputy from patrolling the roads during the middle of the nigh.
There is another wrongful termination suit, however.
Scott Millliman
Former Deputy Scott Milliman is also suing Nygren.
Recent activity is reflected in the following court docket notation:
ORDER This matter coming on to be heard on the Agreed Motion filed by the Defendants; the Federal Bureau of Investigation (the FBI), in consideration of the privacy interest of those persons who may be reflected in the FBI documents and other materials requested by subpoena, having sought that the release of any such documents and materials be conditioned on the issuance of an order by the Court authorizing such disclosure pursuant to 5 U.S.C. § 552a(b)(11), and it is further ordered that the parties may use the disclosed documents and materials only for the purpose of this litigation. Signed by the Honorable Iain D. Johnston on 6/5/2014.
A previous entry contains the following language:
Parties agree on the record that documents produced are for attorney eyes only.
Corruption has been rampant in McHenry County for decades….
There are so many victims.
So many lives have been changed forever.
Guaranteed, that just because someone wears a badge, does not mean that they are immune from the inner workings of the corruption game.
Many officers lost their jobs, their families and more.
Some officers were even set up by their own colleagues, to be prosecuted for criminal charges and crimes for which they did not commit, as a way of retaliating against them for not playing or watching those famous TV shows “Let’s Make a Deal” because “The Price is Right”
The Rockford FBI office is so dirty, because it has been overflowing with that famous over buttered popcorn for years.
It’s time that they sweep up their acts.
Where on earth is the Justice Department?
In 2007, the Chicago Crime Commission’s investigators arrived in McHenry County to investigate corruption.
I personally was asked to meet with their investigators, who were also retired FBI agents.
One particular agent explained, that he had been of the people responsible for running the largest wire tap investigation in United States history, against the Mafia.
He assured everyone that he knew what he was doing, and I believe he did.
Before they were done, they interviewed over 350 people with reports of corruption.
He had no doubt that corruption exists in our county government.
He and his colleagues summarized their typed report that was then submitted to the FBI.
When we later asked what had become of the report, he said that even though he whole-heartedly believed that corruption runs deep and wide in McHenry County, the FBI used the report as a doormat.
The FBI was provided the following information:
-There were reports, that people had received offers to fix their case, whether criminal or civil.
There were reports that some were asked to pay a bribe in exchange for keeping custody of their children.
There were some that actually lost their children, and they believed their case had been fixed.
There were reports, that many people were prosecuted and convicted for crimes for which they did not commit.
It was reported that individuals committed crimes and even though there was substantial evidence to prosecute, they were not.
There were reports that business owners had been held by gunpoint as a way of pressuring them to pay to do business in McHenry County.
They were told to pay or die. It’s true.
The people of McHenry County must realize that if we are to end corruption, we must change the people that lead our local government.
Change begins with Bill Prim….
Now it is time for our community to support Scott Milliman as he and his attorney work tirelessly to expose the truth…
To be seen soon at a McHenry County theatre near you.
The people of McHenry County are the only ones that can end the corruption by voting out the old regime and voting for Bill Prim as the next Sheriff.
Prim has no ties to Pack/Nygren/Zinke/Harrison.
A vote for Harrison is only going backwards to the old days.
Believe it or not, what Zane and his attorney did in fighting their case means that information on corruption and the Regime has now been exposed.
In many ways, McHenry County will be a better place to live.
Even if it is not for public viewing the Feds have the information and there is no excuse if they choose to do nothing with it….
It’s time for the United States Justice Department to step up to the plate and start doing their jobs.
Say no more corruption in McHenry County and those that choose to partake will be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Lastly, we have to remember Zane should have never been fired from his job and therefore he would have never been in a situation whereby he was required to defend himself in regards to the issues concerning the blog.
It all started when Nygren let hi go as an employee..
Who is “hi?”
Cal – I think Duncan meant to type “him”.
PS – I think Duncan “hit the nail on the ” head with this. Remember Serpico???
Yes sorry I meant to type ‘him”
looks like the diaper man keeps on soiling his diapers.
looks like Zane has to come and change it for him!
AAAWWW!
…And I hope you got a lot of sleep last night because you have a long day at the Rockford FBI office today!
I hope you enjoy your buttered popcorn on lunch hour!
And say hello to “Hi” for me!
That’s so funny…
It is absurd to re-write history.
Seipler was fired. How can records be rewritten to make that “resigned”?
I am so glad to be gone from McHenry County and Illinois!!!
Nail on the head…………you are right and Duncan is trying to educate you stupid people,yes,I did say stupid people, and quack quack you are on top of the list.
Gus,where ever you are, I have a suggestion.
if you are glad you are not in McHenry County and happy to be out of Illinois, why don’t you write on a blog where you are and make stupid comments there.
Anything can be changed.
Who do you think Nygren is ?
“ducky” the Regime is finished and you are just bitter.
Hey Ducky, the FBI’s hunting season will arrive early in McHenry County.
Get ready to take cover, because the Regime can run but they can’t hide.
For over a year we have been hearing how Zane Seipler will expose McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren and others in the Department of corruption in this famous wrongful termination suit.
Zane Seipler, a member of the Prim Team, along with other supporters placed the speculation in our minds that there was undisputable evidence of corruption in the Sheriff’s Department, and kept so many of us glued to our seats waiting for that big day to expose that evidence.
Well here we are and this wrongful termination suit has been dismissed at Seipler’s request, and the promised exposure of corruption remains what it is, unproven.
It’s obvious now that this was a deception to put the ambiguity in our minds with untruths to disguise their real intentions.
Do you want these kinds of thugs running our government with deception of untruths, especially our Sheriff’s Department?
I say NO!
The only assurance we have now for genuine honesty and integrity in our Sheriff’s Department is to elect Jim Harrison as our next Sheriff.
The time has come for all good Republicans to end this NOW, and unite with the Independents for our common goal for clean government in McHenry County.
Remember the allegations against Nygren, stated in one of depositions in Seipler’s case?
Now read The House’s Money, by Owen Sullivan.
Although fiction, the story is about mortgage fraud, fraudulent house sales, over-appraising, dummy buyers, houses purchased on “stated-income” claims when the buyer had no chance of ever making the payments, inflated prices, mortgage-based securities, high rollers, murder.
Zane Seipler was NOT a diversion to get Prim elected……there IS corruption in the Regime…. Harrison worked for Gary Pack, and Nygren…..the truth will come out…and if you lived here long enough, you would not have any doubts. .
Jim Harrison is no better than Nygren…. the only hope we have is Bill Prim.
I really don’t understand how you Harrison guys think he would make a good Sheriff ! Have you read the articles in the Tribune from 1998-2000 ?
THE BIG DAY WILL COME !
Independent ?
Less than 8 yrs. experience ?
Clean government ?
PLEASE…….
So Paul Revere before you get on your high horse and ride through the towns trying to connect Prim with the Seipler case know your facts.
It is clear that you know nothing about the case from the get go.
Since Harrison & his supporters can not find anything to discredit Prim you are trying to make up lies about Prim.
You also make it clear that you know nothing about the background of the person you are even supporting.
You Harrison supporters obviously want to run a dirty campaign with lies and dirty tactics but what else can we expect from the HArrison people who want to win being dishonest.
Bill Prim is the only hope to end the corruption which the citizens of McHenry County have endured for so long. Team Prims campaign is run on truth and justice that is so much deserved by the people of McHenry County.Team Prim supporters will not resort to spreading lies and will not resort to dirty tactics.
So,Paul Revere I suggest you get back on your horse and tell the people to vote for Bill Prim, the best is yet to come and a vote for Harrison is a vote that will bring back the Nygren/Gary Pack days.
Right Voter.
And, Harrision has yet to produce the land records..
WHERE ARE THE LAND RECORDS JIM HARRISON?
So,
Paul Revere did you fall off your horse with the truth?
Harrison is showing people that he wants to avoid the land deal topic by not answering.
I only can presume he doesn’t want to touch that subject.
People like this will soon learn you can not hide from the truth and the past just doesn’t disappear like many would like.
No answer to t he land deal and no answer about the money he over charged the citizens of Mc Henry.
Oh maybe a computer problem?
How lame is that.
All I know is that if I saw my bank statement showing an extra $16,000
I would know immediately know there was a mistake and call the bank.
No, Harrison waited until he got caught and then had no choice but to return the money.
How is he going to handle the citizens money?
So Paul Revere can’t say much now.
$16,000 overcharge……..how much are legal pads these days?
Vote Prim and stop this nonsense.
Here we go again America
The same Old same Old allegations are the same, but the name has changed from Zinke to Harrison.
The Propagandist Team (Prim) uses key words to implant ambiguity in our minds, just stroll up to the last few comments and take a look at their subliminal messages, such as:
there IS “corruption” in the Regime
the truth will come out
THE BIG DAY WILL COME !
Jim Harrison (before it was Zinke) is no better than Nygren
Bill Prim is the only hope to end the “corruption”
spreading lies
lies and dirty tactics
being dishonest
Where Have We Heard This From Before?
Paul you are the one deceiving the citizens.
Team Prim only post comments which can be backed up by facts and we tell the truth.
You don’t like it so you retaliate by spreading untruths. We are not trying to plant anything in anyone’s mind.
We say what we know and we know that the citizens can make up their own minds.
Team Prim brings awareness to the public on issues they may not be aware of. We post articles they can read themselves.
Subliminal messages? No, the messages are clearly stated.
There is no hidden messages in what we say.
If people have questions in whats posted,just ask us and we will direct you to where we got the information. Nothing to hide when you are telling the truth.
“Paul Revere” you are from the regime and frankly you are doing a really bad job trying to discredit the Prim team.
After all, you have no credibility!
EVERYONE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE LAND RECORDS FROM JIM HARRISON ON THE FAMOUS DEAL THAT NYGREN AND PACK WERE A PART OF. HEY JIM MAN UP AND PROVIDE THE RECORDS TO THE PEOPLE OF McHENRY COUNYY!
Revere, The big day will come, was a response to your own statement……please reread your comments.
Harrison is no better than Nygren because he worked for him for years……in this case, guilt by association rings true……..
Subliminal messages ?
Subliminal messages are any sensory stimuli below an individual’s absolute threshold for conscious perception ( HIDDEN )…..
There was nothing hidden about what we said…..
I thought it was pretty clear and straightforward…..
Since you are a Harrison supporter, ask him why he never sent his Memorial Day response to Donna, to the NW Herald, where she wrote the letter ?
Why did he hide it on his own website and on Cal’s blog ?
If anyone NOT connected to Nygren, Zinke, or Gary Pack was running for Sheriff, we would have nothing to say.
Any other person would have been respected…….nothing subliminal here