McHenry County Blog

A press release from Congressman Joe Walsh:

Duckworth still believes we’re better off than we were four year ago

Friday night, Fox Chicago hosted the second televised joint appearance between Congressman Joe Walsh and his opponent, Tammy Duckworth.

Tammy Duckworth and Joe Walsh faced off on Fox News on Friday night.

During the joint appearance each candidate asked their opponent a question. Walsh asked Duckworth if she still believed her statement that people in the 8th district are better off than they were four years ago. Duckworth replied “absolutely!”

Congressman Walsh later responded, “Maybe she believes people are better off, because as a bureaucrat in the Obama Administration she hasn’t experienced the setbacks big government policies have implemented on the private sector, but the fact is average people are hurting.

“While median income is down by $4,000 a year, gas prices, foreclosures, unemployment and food prices are up.”

“If Duckworth spent more time in the district and less time raising money for her campaign in California and New York, she might understand how dire this economy remains for small businesses and workers.

“While she remains outside of the district gaining political and financial support, I make myself accessible to the people of the 8th district.

“I hope Ms. Duckworth will join me to tour the 8th district one afternoon so she will finally understand that folks are not better off than they were four years ago.”

Sue Serdar and John O'Neill at Barb Wheeler's fund raiser.

GOP candidate for State Representative against 12-year incumbent Jack Franks has released the questionnaire he filled out for WLS-Radio and Fox-TV.  It follows:

Contact Details
Contact’s Email: mchenry20@gmail.com
Contact’s Name: John O’Neill

Biographical Info
Occupation: Sales Training Consultant
Age: 43
Marital Status: Married to Barbara
Family: Six wonderful children
Education/Degrees:
Experience:

• McHenry School District #15 Board of Education 2007 – present and
• McHenry Library District Board of Trustees 2009 – present

Religion: Roman Catholic
website: http://www.ElectJohnONeill.com
Email: ElectJohnONeill@gmail.com

Campaign Questions

Q:  Do you support Obama’s health care reform?
A:  Oppose

Q:  Do you support the war in Afghanistan?

A:  Support

Q:  Do you support marriage rights for same-sex couples?

A:  Oppose

Q:  Do you support Arizona’s immigration law?

A:  Support

Q:  Do you support offshore drilling?

A:  Support

Q:  Do you believe the wealthy are paying their fair share of taxes?

A:  Support

Q:  How would you change Springfield?

A:  Get rid of the Chicago Political Machine which has been running Springfield for most of my lifetime and elect candidates which reflect the True Conservative Values shared by the good people of Illinois.

Q:  How do we balance the state’s budget?

A:  By performing a line-by-line audit of the entire state budget, we should find enough money which is otherwise subject to waste, fraud, and abuse to balance the budget and pay the past-due bills to education and Medicare..

Q: Where do you stand on increasing taxes vs. cutting spending?

A:  Cut wasteful government spending then there will be no need to for a tax hike.

Q:  In light of the Supreme Court’s ruling on Chicago’s gun ban, what is your position on gun ownership?

A:  Forty-eight states allow concealed-carry and one (Wisconsin) permits open-carry. I will proudly sponsor a bill recognizing the right of the people of Illinois to carry a loaded weapon for self-defense. The criminals already carry loaded weapons for their own purposes; it is time to” level the playing field. “

Q:  Should we reduce reliance on property taxes as a form of school funding?

A:  We should reduce reliance of property taxes to fund public education; however the state budget must take priority at this point.

Q:  What is your position on pension reform for public employees?

A:  Let’s face it, if we do nothing and the state goes broke, nobody will receive any benefits. Something has got to be done. I don’t begrudge the workers, teachers, firefighters and police officers their benefits, however the union bosses who have played the game of pitting one municipality or school district against another, threatening strikes if they don’t get their way has got to come to an end.

In an era where the taxpayers are seeing loss of jobs, pay-cuts, loss of benefits, and cuts or even loss of their retirement benefits, it is time for those who receive state pensions to face the reality the rest of us are already facing. I support a 401(k)-type retirement program for state pension recipients; credit them for their years worked and establish an account for them where they contribute to their retirement account and their employer, the state or municipal department, agency, or district will make a match, much the same way the taxpayers who fund state pensions contribute to their own retirement accounts.

Q:  What is your plan to improve education in Illinois?

A:  End the practice of tenure and establish performance based standards for all Illinois teachers, tying their continued employment to their productivity in effectively teaching our children. Base individual teacher pay-raises to their effectiveness.

Q:  What one thing should the state do to create jobs?

A:  Immediately cut taxes. President Reagan showed us in the 1980s that when taxes are lowered more people are employed and when more people are employed there are more available funds to the government in the form of payroll taxes.

Q:  What else should we be doing to protect Illinois from terror threats?

A:  Eliminate “Sanctuary Cities,” the practice by which cities will not arrest illegal immigrants and turn them over to federal authorities.

Q:  Do you favor any additional limits on abortion?

A:  I am fully Pro-Life and hope that abortion or the desire for abortion can be eliminated.

Q:  Which specific programs should be cut from the state budget?

A:  I will hold off on answering this question until we have completed a forensic audit of the state budget, however I understand that the Illinois Department of Human Services is subject to an incredible amount of waste, fraud, abuse, and duplication of services.

Q:  Do you support expansion of casino gambling in Illinois?

A:  I believe we have too many gambling casinos in our state.

Q:  Does video gambling help or hurt Illinois, and how?

A:  Have you ever seen a child playing their home videogame system? Many times they would play for hours on end without stop if left unattended. Video gambling is correctly nicknamed the “crack-cocaine of the gambling industry.” Video gambling brings a perfect storm of a highly addictive form of entertainment mixed with the excitement of a potential, although nearly non-existent, chance to win money.

Q:  Would you support lifting the moratorium on the death penalty?

A:  I will support carefully lifting the moratorium on the death penalty.

Q:  Who are your largest donors and how much did they contribute?

A:  Looking at our campaign’s most recent financial report, far-and-away most of our donors are families contributing $50 or less. We received two contributions from one Political Action Committee, the Pro-Life Victory PAC totaling $750.

That’s the headline on the BGA promo below.

It certainly did not apply to McHenry County Circuit Court Judge Michael T. Caldwell’s courtroom last Tuesday in the Grafton Township trial. Participants pretty well closed the courthouse. They left about 6 PM.

SOME JUDGES CAUGHT SKIPPING OUT EARLY: FULL-TIME PAY FOR PART-TIME WORK

EXCLUSIVE BGA / FOX CHICAGO NEWS INVESTIGATION AIRS TONIGHT

CHICAGO – The Better Government Association and Fox Chicago News expose a taxpayer ripoff—some Cook County judges routinely close their courtrooms to go home early.

Tune in tonight at 9 p.m. to Fox Chicago News for our joint investigation with Dane Placko and Larry Yellen.

We’ve documented how some judges work part-time but get full-time pay despite a court system clogged with a backlog of cases. And we’ve obtained a confidential government study that suggests at least one elected official harbors his own concerns about empty courtrooms and absent judges in an overburdened system.

This on-going investigation raises troubling questions about the possibilities that citizens are waiting longer than necessary for their cases to be heard and defendants may be sitting in jail longer than necessary because a judge is working half a day.

STARTING SALARY FOR COOK COUNTY JUDGES IS $160,000 PER YEAR.

Tonight you’ll see what happened when we caught one judge going home early to sit in her backyard and soak up some sun. Judge Gloria Chevere told us she leaves early because she’s so efficient she finishes her work and there isn’t anything else for her to do at the courthouse.

Judge Chevere is paid over $173,000 a year.

Guess I should have watched Fox News last night.

Conspiratorialists might conclude that Fox News Chicago is out to get Joe Walsh, the Republican candidate in the 8th congressional district.

First a story about Walsh’s not having filed papers with the Federal Election Commission about personal financial information.

Now a story about staffers and volunteers quitting and urging Walsh to get out of the race.

Staffers and volunteers called Grayslake Police when they could not retrieve their personal property from Joe Walsh's Grayslake office. The police said it was a civil matter.

The story starts with Grayslake Police coming to the office when the staffers and volunteers couldn’t retrieve what they said were personal effects and equipment.

Civil matter, the police said.

Lake County GOP Chairman Bob Cook told Fox the Republican Party was behind Walsh.

Fox News reports Lake County GOP officials met for two hours. Newly-elected Chairman Bob Cook is interviewed and asked whether Walsh’s staying in the race will hurt the party’s chances to beat Melissa Bean. Cook replies that is up to the voters to decide.

Lake County Republican leaders did not support Walsh in the primary election.

John Karas, a volunteer for Joe Walsh, said Walsh should stay in the race.

A campaign volunteers said Walsh should not step down.

“How concerned is the Republican Party…?” the news reader Nancy Pender asks the reporter at the end of the story?

“Publicly, they are still sticking behind Joe Walsh, but privately I’m told they are very concerned. They pretty much fear thatif Joe Walsh stays in the race, there throwing it away and Melissa Bean will get re-elected,” reporter Craig Wall replied..

Below is the email from former staffers:

To all the volunteers and supporters,

We would like to thank you for all of your hard work, but would also like to apologize to you at the same time.

At 10:30 AM this morning a letter was sent to Joe Walsh from us asking him to step down and drop out of the race.

Richard Cape. who resigned from the Joe Walsh campaign, spoke to Fox News. He co-signs this letter.

We had been lied to and deceived enough by Joe.

We had to go public and announce our resignation from the campaign shortly following his choice to stay in the race.

We came to this conclusion after doing some intense investigations into the lies that Joe had told us since October.

Again we would like to apologize for unintentionally misleading supporters and voters throughout the primary process. If we would have known who the true Joe Walsh was, we never would have supported him.

Don’t make the same mistake we made.

Make sure you always question your candidate thoroughly.

If you still feel the need to support Joe. Make sure you ask him some important questions:

• Ask about his drivers license and insurance (If it has ever been suspended)
• Ask him about his taxes (If he owes the IRS)
• Ask him about his questionable fundraising and accounting (If he ever bounced checks)
• Ask him if he ever inflated his donations in his FEC filings to make himself appear to have more money then he actually raised.
• Ask him if he ever handled a firearm in his life (Why he was anti-gun in his past races)
• Ask him what his opinion is of Obama and then why he would hire an ex Obama intern to be his Press Secretary.
• Ask him if he has ever been evicted from his residency.
• Ask him if he has ever had any court judgements or leans against him.
• Ask him where the $28,000 he loaned his campaign came from after only making $41,000 last year and $25,000 the year before. (And ask him about his taxes again)

These are just some of the questions that we asked him in October and his answer was “No, there is nothing like that in my background. It is all good.” So take our advice and ask him yourself personally.

Once again we apologize and don’t feel bad he fooled us too.

Sincerely,

Richard Cape – Former Campaign Manager and Field Director
Ted Livengood – Former Field Director

Meanwhile, Walsh’s campaign sent out the following press release:

Walsh Invites Bean to Open Forum on Health Care

(Grayslake, IL)–Yesterday, Joe Walsh sent the following letter to Rep. Melissa Bean inviting her to a public townhall health care forum Tuesday, May 4, at the Barrington Park District Community Center, 235 Lions Dr., Barrington.

Walsh previously invited Rep. Bean to the townhall forum he hosted on April 8 in Wauconda and Rep. Bean declined to participate.

I like to work on the computer without background noise.

My brother-in-law, on the other hand, listens to Fox News.

Friday, the story of the day was how two employees of the community organizing group ACORN counseled a young woman and a man to get financing for a home out of which they were going to pimp 13-year old Central American girls.

Among other things, they were advised to claim the girls as “dependents.”

It was so ridiculous, I was laughing out loud.

You couldn’t write a situation comedy that funny.

Today, the top of the front page of the New York Post looks like this:

The non-media investigative reporters have done it again.

You’ve heard about the New York Post, right?

It loves scantily clan women and this story clings to that reputation.

“(James) O’Keefe and (Hannah) Giles were garishly dressed as a stereotypical pimp and prostitute. O’Keefe was decked out in excessively snazzy flesh-peddler couture, and Giles, going by the name ‘Eden,’ wore almost nothing.”

But to see how little, you’ll have the go to the original and/or watch the video.  (The video of the interview plus some introductory shots are embedded on the web site.)

ACORN is the community organizing group that was accused of vote fraud in more than one location last fall.

Among the advice on the video linked to the article:

“Say you’re freelancing.

“Day one you make a sale.

“Day two you make another sale.

“You’re self-employed. You’re free lancing.

“Honest is not going to get you the house.”

And, the advice about where to hide the illegally gotten gains sounds like it came from someone intimately involved in the business of prostitution. The video reveals the correct answer from the list below.

No wonder there were anti-ACORN signs at the Randall Road Liberty Trail demonstration on Saturday.

I wonder how many other cities, if any, these two young people have drawn into their web.

And, to think, the Barack Obama administration wanted this group to play a major role in taking the U.S. Census, which, of course, is a big determinant in how many congressional seats each party will get in 2012.

O’Keefe has read Saul Alinsky’s “Rules for Radicals.”

“He has been targeting and exposing the ‘absurdities of the enemy by employing their own rules and language,’”he told the New York Post, adding,

“This kind of undercover, guerrilla tactic is the ‘future of investigative journalism and political activism.’”

In 2008, he made a series of videos of Planned Parenthood visits, which have been featured on Illinois Review.

ACORN responded by accusing Fox News of trying to make them the Willie Horton of 2009.

“This recent scam, which was attempted in San Diego, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia to name a few places, had failed for months before the results we’ve all recently seen,” a statement from Bertha Lewis, Chief ACORN Organizer, said.

A front page listing on Google’s search engine led to the the following blog comment from Dan Blevins of Houston, Texas, after he read my Sunday post entitled,

He writes The Flat World Times.

This is what I emailed my friends during this morning’s show… obviously, tongue in cheek, but I was doing double takes thinking maybe it was just because I’m in the middle of a Stephen King novel and maybe just imagining it all…

Please excuse my messy email because the blood is still dripping on the keyboard…

You see, I still haven’s staunched the blood flow from the cut caused from my jaw dropping on the floor as I was watching this morning Assistant Secretary of the Veterans Administration Tammy Duckworth vehemently deny that the VA publication “Your Life, Your Choices” that the previous administration (GW Bush) had banned was now on the Veterans Administration website.

The interviewer, Chris Wallace, kept saying it was there along with a link to the VA directive saying to use it.

So while the good Secretary Duckworth was angrily correcting the obviously misguided Mr. Wallace I WAS RAPIDLY DOWNLOADING BOTH THE PUBLICATION AND THE DIRECTIVE FROM THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION WEBSITE!

So what’s the deal about the publication, you ask?

It has a questionnaire checklist asking the veteran if life is worth living and does he or she really want life saving treatment or wouldn’t it just be better for all to terminate his or her life?

Furthermore, the official VA publication was authored by Dr. Robert Pearlman whose list of accomplishments include arguing before the US Supreme Court for physician assisted suicide (Vacco v. Quill) and has been appointed by the current administration to the VA Ethics Board as well as one of the authors of the directive to now start using the YLYC publication (below is also the link to the teleconference transcript of the meeting with Dr. Pearlman that wrote the directive).

As one person pointed out, according to the obviously misguided Mr. Wallace…

What’s the big controversy of the “end of life” counseling clause in the Health Care bill since it already exists for veterans?

Personal observations…

1) This denial of the VA publication by the VA Assistant Secretary brings into question either the competence (didn’t even know it was there) or the honesty (just flat out lying) of the current administration and the Federal Government in general…i.e. so what else are they either mistaken about or lying about? My confidence level is really boosted…or as a wise person once said, “Trust me, I only want to help you.”

2) Sounding like a broken record, I keep saying to just read page 428 of the HC bill, which clearly states everything the Far Right Looney Tunes say is in it. (if you would like for me to email it to you verbatim if you don’t have time to read it, please let me know).

3) Can’t you just picture some VA webmaster being wakened up after a long Saturday night of code writing or partying to remove the links that aren’t there in order to do damage control and embarrassment prevention?

4) Below are the links that don’t exist but if by the time you read this the VA webmaster has had enough caffeine and removed them, just let me know and I’ll send the files since as I said I was downloading the documents while the VA Assistant Secretary was angrily denying they existed.

5) Again my apologies for the messy email. Oops, the bleeding has started again…darn, I’m going to have a nasty scar on my chin! Take a look at the links…

www1.va.gov/pugetsound/docs/ylyc.pdf

http://www1.va.gov/VHAPUBLICATIONS/ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=2042

http://www.ethics.va.gov/ETHICS/docs/net/NET_Topic_20070328_Advance_Care_Planning_and_Management_of_Advance_Directives.doc

http://www.ethics.va.gov/ETHICS/docs/policy/VHA_Handbook_1004-02_Advance_Care_Planning_20090702.pdf

http://fns.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/08/20/this-week-on-fox-news-sunday-82309/

Blame the original article on Tammy Duckworth’s service as Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs.

I normally don’t dip very deeply into national politics unless there is an Illinois angle.

So, blame this on my seeing former Illinois Veterans Affairs Director Tammy Duckworth on Fox News. She serves as President Barack Obama’s Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

She was being questioned, almost interrogated by Chris Wallace.

Here’s the promo on the Fox News web site:

Amid charges of ‘Death Panels,’, Chris Wallace uncovers explosive new information about a ‘death book,’ already being used by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, that encourages the nations’ veterans to pull the plug.

“This Sunday we’ll take a look at how this controversial book steers users towards a predetermined outcome from the man who took down the program during the Bush Administration. Plus, we’ll bring you a reaction from the Obama White House.”

There is supposed to be a link to the Veterans Affairs’ document on the Fox News web site, but I couldn’t find it.

When Duckworth said it was being revised.

More specifically, Fox News reports,

“But Tammy Duckworth, an injured veteran who is the assistant secretary for the Department of Veterans Affairs, said the manual is still under revision — as stated in a disclaimer on the official Web site — and has not officially been ‘reinstated.’”

Here’s the document. Maybe someone can put a link in a comment.

Wallace asked if it would be taken down “today.”

I had to chuckle.

The Veterans Department do something like that on a Sunday.

Not likely, I figured.

One person who commented under the Fox News promo wrote:

“…[A]s a Navy Veteran, {I am] disgusted with how she handled her answers to questions Chris asked about this end of life business. She was clearly avoiding the truth as well as outright lying about this whole issue…”

Another wrote,

“I am a veteran of the Army. I am alarmed that they put that out there for Veterans to use. We give our life and limbs for this country and now the Obama administration wants us to die if we cost too much. We have a veteran Mrs Duckworth supporting it, that makes me sick…”

You probably won’t remember, but Wallace was working for Chicago’s Channel Two News during the 1974 Regional Transportation referendum debate. He actually did a story from the Crystal Lake train station that was fair…unlike most of the TV news stories in an era where every electronic outlet had editorials endorsing the RTA referendum.

Yesterday there were four Barack Obama supporters among the hundreds who showed up to the TEA Parties in Crystal Lake and Cary.

The two standing on the traffic island at the main corner in Cary were proud members of the IBEW. I observed,

“There were two misplaced Obama supporters standing on the traffic island next to the railroad crossing. They were electricians whom I suppose were not working on tax payment day.”

Regular reader and commenter Rusrus quoted that part of the article in his comment, the rest of which follows:

“As opposed to the hundreds of Obama non-supporters who were working on tax payment day? I’m sorry, I don’t really get your Obama/working reference. Are you inferring that Obama supporters out protesting on a weekday are NOT working, but others out protesting on a weekday ARE working?

“Or is this just another ham-handed attempt at your anti-Democratic humor?

“I’m sure the teabaggers have a better idea, right? Oh, no taxes? What a good idea – we can pay the bills of the country with racist epithets.”

As I mentioned in my reply to his comment, humor apparently doesn’t work in blogging anymore than it did when I was in elective office.

A second commenter, “Joe,” agreed with Rusrus:

“Yeah Cal I must concur- Not only is the ‘not working’ jab hypocritical it makes no sense- none of these people are working. And you catch yourself in a lie- didn’t an earlier ‘invitation’ say that everyone was welcome? So what made these two misplaced?”

There were two other Obama supporters (seen above) at the Crystal Lake rally, but they couldn’t stick around after putting up the two signs downstream (seen below) from the hundreds of demonstrators.

One says,

The other focuses on FOX News, surely the more effective critic of the Obama Administration:

I suspect that the Libertarians present would have insulted by being left out, if they had seen the sign.

The two said they had to get back to work. Perhaps that is what triggered my comment on the two Obama supporters in Cary. There was a stack of the signs in the back of their vehicle.

I asked if they minded my taking their picture for McHenry County Blog and they said I could, asking if they could provide a comment. You see it below:

Above you can see what they wrote. The commenter did say I might have to check out the spelling of “duoshe.” Spell check tells me he is correct.

Checking further, I find the question,

“Do you mean douche bag?”

Here is the message these Team Obama members wanted you to read:

“I came to see tea bags, but all I saw was duoshe bags!

“Team Obama”

I am perplexed at this end of Rusus’ comment:

“I’m sure the teabaggers have a better idea, right? Oh, no taxes? What a good idea – we can pay the bills of the country with racist epithets.”

The guy on Route 14 waving at the camera above certainly appears to be Latino. (Click to enlarge any photo.)

And I know the guy holding the little sign in Algonquin is Latino. He’s Pete Castillo and used to be my legislative assistant.

That is an official TEA Party sign he is holding

I suspect that the man of color holding this sign below might take offense.

The homemade stenciled, multi-colored sign says,

This color blind guy is not even going to try to reproduce the colors on his sign. Note the pistol next to the line “YEP SHOT IN THE HEAD.”

The first stories on McHenry County’s three TEA Parties can be found at the links below:

Noon TEA Party Biggest Demonstration in McHenry County History at Route 14 and Main Street

Algonquin Area Residents TEA Party on Route 62

TEA Party Moving Down to Cary

I haven’t seen the complaint against disabled Vietnam Veteran Greg Kachka made to the Island Lake Police Department, but reportedly it was stimulated by Village Trustee Debbie Herrmann and Clerk Christine Kaczmarek a month and a half ago.

Kachka had been critical of the village board.

Was the arrest for disorderly conduct retribution?

As my son says, “You’re not in my mind.”

But it certainly will have a chilling effect on free speech at village board meetings.

Wonder where the ACLU is when they could be useful.

Kachka called me this afternoon to tell me a Fox News crew would be coming out to do a story.

I decided to drive over.

But, before I went this is part of what Kachka told me.

“This Debbie Herrmann is really famous for making faces at people.”

Although he is Polish, Kachka said, “I talk with my hands. They’re saying I made my hand into a gun and I was shooting at (them).”

He explained that nothing was said at the meeting.

“It wasn’t until Monday, (March) 17th that he (a policeman) started an investigation.”

He came over and “I showed him my guns (and my) FOID card.

“I FOIed (filed a Freedom of Information request) for a copy of the report to Christie Kaczmarek. She denied it due to the privacy of the people accusing me. (So much) for my rights.”

He appealed to Village President Tom Hyde. No luck there either.

Kachka talked to a policeman the day before he was arrested and this is what he heard:

“The state’s attorney (Lake County’s) said we could arrest you on disorderly conduct. We could do it the easy way. You could come I with $75.”

Kachka said he wanted to talk to his lawyer first. The prepaid legal services folks told him had to be arrested before they could help him.

He finally called the Island Lake Police and said, “I didn’t do anything wrong. I’m not turning myself in.”

At this point in our conversation, his cell phone rang. It played the Marine hymn. You know, “From the halls of Montezuma…”

By then I was trying to produce a map to find his home.

When I arrived in Island Lake, there was a crowd in front and the Fox News crew was inside while Kachka was trying to find the part of the village meeting which had been called into question. The story I got was that the village officials thought he was pointing his had like kids do when they don’t have a gun. (Kids probably get sent home from school for that in some school districts, zero tolerance and such.)

They had probably picked up the story from the Daily Herald, which had a picture of Kachka wearing the offending tee shirt—the same one he wore when taken to jail to post $500 bond. So far, nothing in the Northwest Herald.

Fox reporter Darian Trotter and his crew had made the 2-hour trip out. I told him the second time it wouldn’t seem so long.

He interviewed police sergeant Anthony Sciarrone, who said the complaint was more about Kachka’s hand gesture than his tee shirt.

I wonder why it took so long for the powers that be in Island Lake to act on whatever fear that the complaining village officials supposedly perceived.

But remember, Island Lake has “friendly people.”

In the group shot on Greg Kachka’s flag bedecked front lawn are Laurie Rabattini, who has the “What’s happening in Island Lake?” blog, her finance, who was filming also, Rob Rekosiewicz, Tom Martin, a former trustee, Bob Wargaski pointing with his unloaded hand, Dave Labuz, and Teresa and Village Trustee John Ponio the current trustee, plus homeowner Kachka.

All photos can be enlarged by clicking on them.

I haven’t seen the complaint against disabled Vietnam Veteran Greg Kachka made to the Island Lake Police Department, but reportedly it was stimulated by Village Trustee Debbie Herrmann and Clerk Christine Kaczmarek a month and a half ago.

Kachka had been critical of the village board.

Was the arrest for disorderly conduct retribution?

As my son says, “You’re not in my mind.”

But it certainly will have a chilling effect on free speech at village board meetings.

Wonder where the ACLU is when they could be useful.

Kachka called me this afternoon to tell me a Fox News crew would be coming out to do a story.

I decided to drive over.

But, before I went this is part of what Kachka told me.

“This Debbie Herrmann is really famous for making faces at people.”

Although he is Polish, Kachka said, “I talk with my hands. They’re saying I made my hand into a gun and I was shooting at (them).”

He explained that nothing was said at the meeting.

“It wasn’t until Monday, (March) 17th that he (a policeman) started an investigation.”

He came over and “I showed him my guns (and my) FOID card.

“I FOIed (filed a Freedom of Information request) for a copy of the report to Christie Kaczmarek. She denied it due to the privacy of the people accusing me. (So much) for my rights.”

He appealed to Village President Tom Hyde. No luck there either.

Kachka talked to a policeman the day before he was arrested and this is what he heard:

“The state’s attorney (Lake County’s) said we could arrest you on disorderly conduct. We could do it the easy way. You could come I with $75.”

Kachka said he wanted to talk to his lawyer first. The prepaid legal services folks told him had to be arrested before they could help him.

He finally called the Island Lake Police and said, “I didn’t do anything wrong. I’m not turning myself in.”

At this point in our conversation, his cell phone rang. It played the Marine hymn. You know, “From the halls of Montezuma…”

By then I was trying to produce a map to find his home.

When I arrived in Island Lake, there was a crowd in front and the Fox News crew was inside while Kachka was trying to find the part of the village meeting which had been called into question. The story I got was that the village officials thought he was pointing his had like kids do when they don’t have a gun. (Kids probably get sent home from school for that in some school districts, zero tolerance and such.)

They had probably picked up the story from the Daily Herald, which had a picture of Kachka wearing the offending tee shirt—the same one he wore when taken to jail to post $500 bond. So far, nothing in the Northwest Herald.

Fox reporter Darian Trotter and his crew had made the 2-hour trip out. I told him the second time it wouldn’t seem so long.

He interviewed police sergeant Anthony Sciarrone, who said the complaint was more about Kachka’s hand gesture than his tee shirt.

I wonder why it took so long for the powers that be in Island Lake to act on whatever fear that the complaining village officials supposedly perceived.

But remember, Island Lake has “friendly people.”

In the group shot on Greg Kachka’s flag bedecked front lawn are Laurie Rabattini, who has the “What’s happening in Island Lake?” blog, her finance, who was filming also, Rob Rekosiewicz, Tom Martin, a former trustee, Bob Wargaski pointing with his unloaded hand, Dave Labuz, and Teresa and Village Trustee John Ponio the current trustee, plus homeowner Kachka.

All photos can be enlarged by clicking on them.