Lou Bianchi was in the 2015 Crystal Lake Independence Day Parade, as usual.
Sitting in front of my computer is the front page Northwest Herald article from December 9, 2015.
It’s the article about Patrick Kenneally’s announcement of his candidacy for McHenry County State’s Attorney, complete with photo of and extensive quotes from the man he is opposing, Dan Regna.
Dan Kenneally
Dan Regna
The sub-headline says, “Hand-picked GOP candidate announces run, to face former assistant state’s attorney Regna.”
There are three parts of the article that caught my attention:
- that Kenneally was “handpicked to succeed his boss, State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi” [emphasis added]
- Regna’s description that “he is an outsider who will bring true reform”
- the article’s emphasizing Regna’s assertion that power and patronage has been concentrated in Bianchi’s State’s Attorney’s Office, comparing it to the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation
So, who is the Establishment?
The faction that was in control since before I started watching local politics in 1964 or the folks who wrested control from them last year.
Who are the reformers?
1 – the non-Establishment people who won control of the GOP last year for the first time in over 50 years, the ones who
- won the State’s Attorney’s Office with Lou Bianchi after Gary Pack left office in 2004
- won the Coroner’s Office unopposed with Dr. Anne Majewski in 2012 after the Establishment office holder retired
- won the Sheriff’s Office last year over former long-time Sheriff Keith Nygren’s chosen candidate Andy Zinke
or
2 – those supported by the political faction that
- lost control of the GOP last year after ruling for more than 50 years
- lost control of the Coroner’s Office four years ago
- lost control of the Sheriff’s Office last year
- lost control of the State’s Attorney’s Office in 2004
- seeks to re-take the State’s Attorney’s Office this year
And, is there anything remotely resembling the “Hired Truck Scandal” that sprang out of Mayor Richard M. Daley’s Chicago’s Streets and San Department in our County’s State’s Attorney’s Office?
If so, neither the Northwest Herald nor any Chicago paper nor the U.S. Attorney’s Office has not even hinted at such wrong doing.
What I see is the Herald’s aiding Regna is framing the spring campaign to be one against “Boss Lou.”
Maybe I am wrong.
Only time will tell.
Can’t wait for the ‘official’ NWH endorsements!
Cautious: Why?
So, you know who NOT to vote for?
Cal, you just ROASTED the NWH.
Maybe the NWH has it in for Lou over his involvement over the CLS bleacher deally?
NWH always has supported Jack also.
This county is so severely underserved as far as news media.
Thank God for Cal’s blog and the First Electric Newspaper.
Regna, people need to remember, is the person that started that whole mess with trying to get Lou convicted of false charges.
Spent time in the the courtroom watching this witch hunt and saw the prosecution witnesses actually fortifying the defense.
All a pack of bs.
Regna is the reason the county got stuck with paying a lot of money for a bs case.
Not to mention he worked well with the former States Attorney, Gary Pack who got run out on a rail.
Getting Regna in would just destroy a good department.
Would not surprise me if Regna hired Gary Pack to the office again.
Has anyone else noticed how many Regna signs are on property that is “For Sale”?
How poignant.
Regna, played a huge role in the witch hunt against Lou Bianchi.
Regna will not bring true reform.
He will only bring back a broken government that has no chance to heal under a Regna/Regime establishment.
Regna, must have gotten a list of the County foreclosures and placed his signs there.
Further, the Northwest Herald has supported the Regimers for decades.
Everyone, should boycott the paper.
Check this out. Read the ENTIRE and note that the attorney for the defendant passes away before she could file the necessary complaints.
Regna dodged a bullet by her passing.
http://www.pressregister.com/article_5ef059a1-aa41-57e6-834e-38b2b8332233.html
The Newspaper article makes me sick.
I am of the opinion, that Regna is a Regimer and from the old establishment.
And, I have been in his law office and observed pictures of exotic hunting trips that must cost 10’s of thousands of dollars on the walls.
Fighting Corruption – How could you possibly have been in his office?
Did you both climb into his PO Box?
CharlesNelsonCPA – Have you also noticed the signs are written in marker on the inside of a pizza box lid?
The fact that Regna is part of the old-guard establishment doesn’t mean that Kenneally isn’t part of a different, new-guard establishment.
Kenneally in fact was hand picked.
Neither is a true reformer.
Kenneally wants to keep the Bianchi status quo that initiated reforms when Bianchi took office a decade ago.
Regna presumably wants a return to the Gary Pack office.
The only sin that the NW Herald made in omission was not pointing out Regna’s connection to the old guard.
And, I don’t blame them.
Just about everyone who pays attention to anything knows that’s where Regna has his support and knows that’s who put him up to running.
But is there enough evidence to affirmatively state that fact?
I haven’t seen anything in writing.
Bloggers can be looser with facts like that than newspaper reporters.
Boethius- His old establishment supporters are well known.
They have been calling people asking for support.
Regna has serious baggage.
The old guard wants to regain and go back to business as usual which is NOT to the benefit of the citizens.
Bringing in Regna would be brining back the “REGIME”.
All of our news is biased because it is owned by corporations. https://www.rt.com/usa/329996-march-bernie-sanders-media/
“SuperBowlKerfuffle” News flash, Dan Regna is an Attorney and he does give legal advice.
Scratch your head and try to come up with a better question…lol…
“old timer” is right
“The old guard wants to regain and go back to business as usual which is NOT to the benefit of the citizens”
Look where the commercial property signs are placed.
Look on Fat Jack’s cheap billboards around the gravel pits that are giving free space to Regna.
The Goode Olde Boyz are getting old, but they are not gone yet.
And with no crumbs from George Ryan’s table, they are getting hungry again.
you are funny SuperBowlKerfuffle
Did you both climb into his PO Box????????
Apparently, “SuperBowlKerfuffle” and “Eric” are scratching their heads or they’re confused and scratching something else.
Regna, please spare the people of McHenry County and find something else to do.
‘PINOCHIO REGIMER ERIC” as usual has nothing to say!