McHenry County Blog

Just for fun I looked at the headlines of publications that wrote stories on Judge Thomas Meyer’s denial of Deputy Sheriff Zane Seipler’s request for a Special Prosecutor to investigation criminal allegations against McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren.

On the day of the decision this was the Northwest Herald‘s:

Request to appoint prosecutor against Nygren denied.

In another story, the online headline on the NWH was

Magistrate says prosecuting sheriff is Bianchi's call

The NWH’s Kevin Lyons wrote a column entitled,

Lyons -Production halted on special prosecutor factory

The Daily Herald‘s:

Judge kicks McHenry County Sheriff Nygren probe to Bianchi.

A revision of the DH story resulted in the following headline:

Judge kicks Nygren probe to Bianchi, who cites conflict. Judge refuses ot apponit special prosecutor to investigate charges

From the Chicago Tribune:

Judge will not appoint special prosecutor to investigate McHenry sheriff.

And, McHenry County Blog‘s:

Sheriff Keith Nygren Off Special Prosecutor Hook, State's Attorney Lou Bianchi Given Permission to Fish.

Woodstock Advocate wrote:

Judge rules, cannot appoint Sp. Prosecutor

The First Electric Newspaper had this headline:

Judge Denies Sheriff's Special Prosecutor

Thd mailing state law forced Secretary of State Jesse White to send to every registered household.

Jack Franks sponsored the teeny-tiny recall amendment to the Illinois State Constitution that is on the ballot this fall.

Jack Franks on TV.

It is a fraud.

The label would make one think it does something.

It doesn’t.

Without doing a comparative analysis I can assert with no fear of contradiction that, if passed, it will be the most limited recall language in any state’s constitution.

I shall vote “No.”

It is a vote against a proposal whose main purpose was to get the headline living Franks, well, a headline and face time on TV.

Page 2

Page 3.

It does nothing to advance the public good in Illinois, let alone his constituents in McHenry County.

Absolutely nothing.

This is what legislators call a “headline bill.”

It gets a headline, but does N-O-T-H-I-N-G!!

It doesn’t allow recall of local officials.

It doesn’t permit recall of legislators.

It doesn’t put judges on the hot seat.

Jack Franks either didn’t put such a provision in his original proposal or took it out in order to get something, anything passed that had his name on it.

Page 4.

It is worse than useless, because it gives the appearance of reform.

It is not.

Any governor in as much trouble as this amendment requires one to be in would be impeached, just as Rod Blagojevich–the governor Jack Franks asked for jobs for his friends and family–was impeached.

Those supporting this amendment do nothing but give cover to our Springfield legislators who absolutely refuse to pass any meaningful reform of the political process.

If Franks really wants to support reform in Springfield, he would announce he would not vote for Mike Madigan for Speaker.

The Daily Herald asked that question on its legislative questionnaire, but, so far, has not published the results.

If you really want to read the details in this sham amendment, you can click on the pages and they will enlarge enough for you to do so.

Reading my Chicago Sun-Times at breakfast I noticed two stories about Springfield.

One was of about State Rep. Jack Franks’ committee hearing about the $1 million promised to Pilgrim Baptist Church after the landmark building burned down.

The million went to the unrelated private Loop Lab School run by convicted felon Chandra Gill, it turns out, which Governor Rod Blagojevich had to pardon for the school to get the money.

Franks got his name in the paper on page 4, but appears in the headline only as “Rep.”

A second article on the same page tells of Franks’ amending his recall constitutional amendment to exclude judges.

But no headline credit for Franks again.

He deserves one and there it is right on top.

Franks and his father Herb go fishing with judges and retired judges.

Reading my Chicago Sun-Times at breakfast I noticed two stories about Springfield.

One was of about State Rep. Jack Franks’ committee hearing about the $1 million promised to Pilgrim Baptist Church after the landmark building burned down.

The million went to the unrelated private Loop Lab School run by convicted felon Chandra Gill, it turns out, which Governor Rod Blagojevich had to pardon for the school to get the money.

Franks got his name in the paper on page 4, but appears in the headline only as “Rep.”

A second article on the same page tells of Franks’ amending his recall constitutional amendment to exclude judges.

But no headline credit for Franks again.

He deserves one and there it is right on top.

Franks and his father Herb go fishing with judges and retired judges.