The more statements from candidates that McHenry County Blog receives and publishes, the more I realize that it is playing an important role documenting what candidate’s want people to hear without the perceptual screen of a newspaper editor.
I don’t know about you, but with newspapers devoting all of one article to each office’s race, there is no way to figure out what the campaign is all about.
As regular readers know, I have been willing to publish pretty much every press release that was sent this way during the fall election.
Sometimes I got overloaded and once, on Tom Cynor’s purchase of the defaced Obama yard sign for $2,000, I had already run another press release with the same information before I got the release.
After Election Gathering – November 4, 2008
Together we have labored —together we have done the hard work
We have been plucking the feathers and crushing the grapes—it is now time to eat the chicken and drink the wine!
Looking back over the last – almost 2 years of campaigning, I was reminded of:
a. The many monthly meetings
b. The warehouse with over 125 people stuffing bags and putting together 5,000 signs
c. Walking to 10,000 homes in winter
d. The post cards, nail files, pads, magnets and palm card
e. The mailers
f. The letters to the Editor
g. Newspaper ads
h. Radio and TV spots
i. And working the 6 train stations
j. The Tony Scimeca “Bianchi” mobile
k. The 50 Parades
All this work by so many people, for almost 2 years, leads to one very important question: What are you all going to do with your time this winter?
We have been watching, as all you probably were, all the polls during this last election cycle. And the thing that stands out most of all…and the one thing that all the polls have consistently shown which I believe in the end will be the most accurate prediction: That tonight more pizza will be delivered to homes than any other night in history.
I kept my promises and I will keep them in the future.
4 years ago you and the other voters elected me as your State’s Attorney because you wanted change…you wanted me to return the office to the People…AND WE DID. Tonight voters in McHenry County have spoken loud and clear affirming the accomplishments we have made these past 4 years and our commitment to represent the people without favoritism or cronyism.
We will continue to work that way….Improving on what we started 4 years ago:
a. And to continue to save taxpayers money. And going forward on this point, we will go after the 1.2 million dollars in outstanding judgments in unpaid fines and costs…to help with our County’s budget shortfall
b. Continue To put the bad guys away. Going forward on this point, we will grow our special prosecutions unit and establishing a special gang prosecution unit.
c. Continue To serve the county board, elected and appointed officials, ethically, efficiently and economically. Going forward on this point, we will hire a special prosecutor to work with the Highway department to get those needed roads through the legal work as fast and efficient as possible.
d. With the mental health court, we will Graduate those 26 and more who a participants. And going forward on this point, to do whatever we can to start that drug court.
e. We will do more for our eturning veterans. We read about the social, economic, and psychological adjustments that they will have to make. In the event that some of them experience problems with the law, we want to make sure there is room in our mental health court (and new drug court). Within the next few weeks we will be meeting with the Veterans administration and other veteran groups to begin a dialogue to learn more about their unique issues and better able to handle their cases.
And finally, we will look to bring other creative and necessary programs to the citizens who live and work here…always doing what is right, best and good for all of us here in the community.
My heart fell thanks to each and every one of you for all that you did to re-elect me.
I am right now, and have been, surrounded by great people who have done extraordinary work for me and our office.
There are really two groups.
One, that includes all those who work within the office who gave their time and energy after hours and on weekends and the second group that is very large that consists of family, friends (some even from high school, but most of whom I have met through my practice and as of late during the last six years of campaigning).
It was suggested that I acknowledge all of these people …by asking them to come on stage. There is not enough room to bring everyone up here.
It may sound trite…but I really cannot find the appropriate words to say thanks, thanks to so many…for the many ways that you have supported me and our office in this campaign that has lasted almost two years.
I cannot promise to solve all the problems that confront us, but I do pledge to devote 100 percent of my mind, heart and will to meeting all of the great challenges ahead…and I will continue to work to earn the trust that you have placed in me.
God bless you all for all that you have done for me…over the years and particularly this past year and ½.
= = = = =
Just before newly re-elected McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi gave the speech above, he waved for his wife Jean (introduced as St. Jean at his 2007 announcement party at the old courthouse.
Bianchi is not really pointing to his wife in the second picture. The camera angle just makes it look that way.
Bianchi works his way around the room thanking supporters.
The next two photos show Bianchi getting ready to give his talk after getting his wife on stage, then speaks to the audience in the Old Town Hall above Heisler’s Bootery.
A scene of the crowd and photos of former FBI Agent Bob Borchert, a Republican Precinct Committeeman from the Crystal Lake part of Nunda Township, plus McHenry County Board member Virginia Peschke and Bianchi campaign manager Ron Salgado.
Below is Chief Deputy State’s Attorney Tom Carroll and Jerome Majewski.
At the bottom is Nichole Owens, Criminal Division Chief, with her boss McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi.
McHenry Township Precinct Committeeman Joyce Story is the last photo. I do not know with whom she is standing.
McHenry County Recorder of Deeds Phyllis Walters, who actually lives in District 2 in the tiny bit of Algonquin in the district was also in attendance, as was Nunda Township Supervisor John Heisler.
