McHenry County Blog

An email from the McHenry County Right to Carry Association follows, but first take a look at how an armed security guard stopped a crime in Chicago this weekend.

Happy New Year to all members of the McHenry County Right to Carry Association

This McHenry County Right to Carry Association tee shirt was found at the organization's McHenry County Fair booth.

The new year has begun and the holidays are behind us. It is our hope that 2012 will be a great year for our organization in terms growth and achieving our goal of bringing the right to carry to the state of Illinois.

We have a lot of work to do this year and we will be gearing up quickly so here are some quick updates.

Our Organization:

Our next meeting is January 12 at the Woodstock VFW 240 North Throop Street in Woodstock, Illinois and it is an important meeting and I encourage as many members to attend as possible.We will begin the meeting at 7:00pm and end promptly at 8:30pm.

The first most important item will be the election of new officers. It is important to keep the organization fresh and vital and with that is the belief that the leadership should stand for election every two years. This gives everyone in the group an opportunity to provide energy and leadership to our cause. So on January 12, 2012 we will seek nominations and cast ballots for the roles of President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary. Any member in good standing may seek nomination and address the group regarding their plans and aspirations should they be elected.

The group will need to decide if we are once again going to sponsor a bus to the Illinois Gun Owner Lobby Day in Springfield (IGOLD). We have gone for two straight years and this year will likely be very important to the outcome in Springfield and our right to carry. We will be choosing an IGOLD chairperson to head up the event. This has been a fun event and we have shared the bus with our good friends in the McHenry County Sportsman’s Association.

IGOLD will take place on Wednesday March 7, 2012. Mark that day on your calendar. If we are taking a bus we need to begin the process asap!

It is time to refresh and rebuild our webpage and we need to find a motivated individual that can place some dedicated effort into creating content and working with our webmaster to get our page into a current state. If you like to write and have an interest in this important job please come to the meeting or get in touch with me by email at mcr2ca@gmail.com. The organization has grown too large (a good thing!) for any one individual to keep all of the pieces moving so finding the right person for this role will be key.

Be sure to visit our Facebook page.  You can find us by entering MCR2CA in the search box. This is a place to have real time conversation about County and State issues. So log on and join the fun. Of course be sure to remember that what is posted in cyberspace stays in cyberspace so lets be sure to keep our conversations respectful and positive. We have a great reputation in the County and State so lets keep it that way.

Our new project at gaining support of the women in McHenry county and beyond is off to a great start thanks to the core team headed by Sally Wiggins.

Those who attended the first meeting of woman wanting to be able to carry guns for self-protection.

The progress the team is making in a short time is nothing less than astounding so I encourage you to attend and find out what is going on. Women will be the key in our success.

In the last week alone the national press have reported two women who defended not just themselve but the lives of their children from attack. Illinois women deserve that same right. Now is the time for women to demand that right. Get involved with our new initiative. Gentleman the ladies in your life to get involved so they to can have the right to defend themselves.

Current Right to Carry Landscape For Illinois

Barbara Wheeler, the only Republican or Democrat running for the 64th State Representative District, talks with Anthony Lopez President of the McHenry County Sportsman's Association at the booth his group and the McHenry County Right to Carry Association sponsored at the County Fair.

As most of you know last year a Right to Carry bill was voted on in the Illinois House of Representatives and the vote fell 6 votes short of the super majority to over-ride a veto by Governor Quinn.

The vote itself was a victory as the bill got out of committee and our representatives had to take a stand. The Governor and the City of Chicago drove the effort to stop the bill.

We can be proud of our McHenry County Leaders for voting in favor of the right to carry. Clearly our efforts here in the county got results, but on a state wide scale the NRA, ISRA and IllinoisCarry took the lead in making this vote a reality.

In 2011 we also began to see changes in the attitudes of citizens of Chicago and Cook County toward the right to carry. Now that Illinois stands alone as a state in denying the right to carry to its citizens more people are asking “Why not here?”

Lou Rofrano was one manning the McHenry County Right to Carry booth at the 2010 County Fair.

Through the leadership and partnership of the Second Amendment Sisters and Cook County members of the NRA and IllinoisCarry in the African Community the momentum is changing. Just as local organization and mobilization of citizens in McHenry County changed minds on the issue, residents in Chicago and Cook County must be the ones to change the leaderrship’s attitude by demanding their right to carry.

Our good friend and partner Valinda Rowe was awarded the prestigious Grass Roots Activist of the Year by the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. We congratulate her and can think of no better individual deserving of this honor.

The path to right to carry may find its way to Illinois through the courts. I encourage all members to visit the Illinois State Rifle Association home page or the IllinoisCarry Forum for complete coverage of the cases now before the courts in Illinois that will impact our right to carry.Shepard vs Madigan and Moore versus Madigan:

A hearing was held on a preliminary injunction in Moore versus Madigan on August 4, 2011. We are still waiting on a ruling from the judge.

In Shepard versus Madigan a motion was filed for a preliminary injunction but no date for a hearing has been set. The presiding judge may set a date or issue a ruling directly without a hearing. We are waiting at this time for the judge to take action.

Gun Safety

A new Crystal Lake shooting range, OnTarget, is giving discounts for memberships purchased before it opens.

It is important to note that this holiday season firearm sales were at an all time high.

This means that we have many new gun owners or individuals that are returning to the shooting sport after a long time. Our number one concern is safety.

Recently there was a tragic firearms accident reported in the Northwest Herald. An accidental discharge took the life of a young resident. It is a good time to remind ourselves the basic rules of gun safety and to remember that safe gun handling is an essential skill.

If we are going to exercise our right to own a firearm than we must take responsibility for becoming a safe and knowledgeable gun owner.

If you have just acquired your first firearm or know someone who has, or if it has been a long time since you have participated in the shooting sports please be sure to take a gun safety and basic skills class. Too often we see people who get a FOID card, buy a gun and some ammunition and then put it in a drawer, “just in case”.

Please take the training you need so that you never hurt yourself or another person accidentally. Also, should that need arise to defend yourself the proper training will prepare you to do so.

Note that there are several NRA Certified and Concealed Carry Instructors in our organization and in the McHenry County Right to Carry Association that can work with you or help you find the right instructor to match your training needs whether or not your interests are personal protection, pistol, rifle, shotgun or concealed carry permit training. Please contact us for a list of those instructors or visit the NRA website for other certified instructors in the state.

Let’s review those safety rules one more time!

1. Treat all firearms as if they are loaded. (All of the time…especially when you “know” they are not loaded!)
2.  Always keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on target and you have made the decision to fire.
3.  Never point a firearm at anything you are not willing to destroy.
4.  Before you make a decision to fire, be sure of your target, your targets environment and other safety hazards.

*These rules are courtesy of the State of Utah Concealed Carry Training Program.

Let’s make 2012 a great year for 2nd Amendment Rights and most importantly a safe year for everyone in the shooting sports. Let me remind all of you to be sure to support the ISRA and IllinoisCarry in their efforts to bring the right to carry to Illinois.

All the best,

Lou Rofrano, President
McHenry County Right to Carry Association

Check out our web page at MCR2CA.com

Attorney Sally Wiggins, organizer of a group of woman in favor of changing the law in Illinois so people can possess handguns with which to protect themselves is holding its second meeting Monday, January 9th.

Those who attended the first meeting of woman wanting to be able to carry guns for self-protection.

Here’s Wiggins’ summary of the first meeting, held

Nice turnout on such short notice

Excited with the energy and diversity the women bring to making this group a success and guaranteeing us an important voice in obtaining right to carry in Illinois.

Initial Focus is in organizing quickly to have a proactive role in seeking candidate positions in the up coming elections

= = = = =
“Girls with Guns” is not the name of group. Chalk up my headline with my fascination with onomatopoeia. [Two people have pointed out, one below, that I meant alliteration. Guess that my lessons when I read "Julius Caesar" didn't take well enough.]

Sally Wiggins, former independent candidate who ran against Gordan Graham for Judge, seeks to erase party lines on the issue of women's personal protection. Here she poses with a woman at the Wonder Lake Parade.

An email from Sally Wiggins reveals a new group about to be formed in McHenry County:

“…as of last evening’s McHenry County Right to Carry meeting the Women of McHenry County Right to Carry seeing a void in the scope of the group decided to fill it by forming our own branch of Right to Carry (associated with the main group but Women driven).

“Our focus is about raising awareness among Woman on why Right to Carry is important to us and educating Women that supporting the right to carry does not equate to wearing Camo or hunting (though women can do such things) … it also means high heels, manicures, pedicures, dog walkers, runners, and soccer Moms who realize the importance of personal safety and the need for right to carry in Illinois.

“Because I only know one speed … We are already having our first meet and greet membership drive this Tuesday @7 @Panera Bread on Rt 14 in Crystal Lake.”

The last traction I saw for the birth certificate issue was when Chris Matthews asked why President Barack Obama didn’t just make his public.

It was raised locally by McHenry County resident Sharon Maroni when she challenged Sally Wiggins, Independent candidate for Judge, based on Wiggins’ not haven proven she was a citizen.

During a Woodstock hearing in which it appeared that Wiggins was fighting the request, Maroni dropped her election challenge after Wiggins showed her Harvard Hospital birth certificate.

But Maroni still has something going in Springfield.

Representing herself in the Circuit Court of Judge Peter Cavanagh, she sued the Illinois State Board of Elections for dismissing her election challenge to 32 candidates “without presentation of evidence” because “she failed to adequately identify her grounds for objection.”

Now attorney Steve Boulton has signed onto the case. He is with McCarthy Duffy in Chicago.

In his appellate court brief he notes that this is a de novo issue, meaning that it has not been considered before in Illinois. He points out that this state assumes someone is a citizen and a resident if a candidate files petitions and a Statement of Candidacy, that no further proof is required.

After the petition filing, it is up to objectors to disprove the statements made by a candidate.

“The candidate’s petitions are insufficient because they fail to demonstrate and/or provide documentation that the candidate meets the constitutional requirements for office,”

is what Maroni submitted to the State Board of Elections.

Attorney Boulton points out that those unrelated to another cannot obtain their birth certificates.

Seventeen of the candidates to whose candidacy Maroni filed objections asked for dismissal by the Elections Board. Another twelve filed appearances or didn’t, but no filed no motions.

In her response, Maroni pointed out,

“The objection refers to qualifications specifically mandated in the U.S. And Illinois Constitution to be eligible for office or to register to vote. These include citizenship, age, residency requirements and Public Disclosure Act.

“The objector has a fundamental interest and right to a ballot that has constitutionally qualified candidates.

“The objector has a right to know by what definition Illinois uses to define legally qualified on the statement of Candidacy for all positions.

“Without proof of citizenship, during the 5-day objection period, the electorate lacks sufficient information to judge the veracity of a candidate.

“That During the 5-day period, the absence of any public documents establishing constitutional qualifications available to her, deprives the Objector the opportunity to challenge contestants on the ballot based on evidence.

“The Statement of Candidacy requires the signatory to affirm ‘legally qualified’ to hold such office without clear definitions or public records proving affirmations of legally qualified. These subjective statements deny the voter the opportunity to assess the veracity of that claim…

“While evidence of eligibility exists in the public record for other qualifications required for legally qualified, it does not for citizenship.”

Maroni points out that vote registration rolls “do not verify citizenship.”

Her original suit claimed,

“Without public record, there is no remedy at law when a candidate lies on their application, Illinois and federal law is vague and ambiguous as to the meaning of ‘legally qualified to hold office.’ Law enforcement generally does not get involved. There is not way for a citizen to find redress.”

Reasoning that Maroni’s complaints did not “state fully the nature of the objections” or “state what relief is requested of the Electoral Board,” the Board, composed of half Republicans and half Democrats, dismissed all of Maroni’s complaints.

After she lost, she filed a request for administrative review by the Sangamon County Court.

Part 2 tomorrow. Go to it here.

Chris Matthews joined those conservatives who would like to see President Barack Obama’s real birth certificate.

I wonder what that’s all about.

Here’s the link to the video of the show on December 27, 2010. Below is what the Wall Street Journal ran in a post by James Taranto.

Birther Turnabout?

Three partisan commentators are calling on the state of Hawaii to release President Obama’s archival birth certificate, Mediaite reports. What makes this worthy of note is that all three are liberal Democrats: MSNBC’s Chris Matthews, the Chicago Tribune’s Clarence Page and Mother Jones’s David Corn.

On “Hardball” yesterday, host Matthews noted the report that new governor Neil Abercrombie was looking to “end this nonsense” (we also noted it). Matthews asked his two guests:

“I don’t understand why the governor doesn’t just say, ‘Snap it up, who’s ever over there in the department of records, send me a copy right now’? And why doesn’t the president just say, ‘Send me a copy right now?’

Why doesn’t [press secretary Robert] Gibbs and [White Obama aide David] Axelrod say, ‘Let’s just get this crappy story dead’?”

They resisted at first, but eventually Matthews brought them around:

Matthews: I’m just asking the obvious question. Why not–will there be any harm done by releasing the original document?

Page: No.

Corn: I will take the brave position of saying that if they can find it, they should put it out there, and then we can make even more fun of the birthers.

Page: I’ll take the brave position of saying, yes, put it out there, and the birthers are still not going to believe it. They’re going to say, “Well, that governor is part of the conspiracy, too, because he’s a Democrat.”

So we now have three or four liberal Democrats–the “Hardball” trio and possibly the Aloha governor–taking what had been a birtherian position in favor of releasing the archival certificate.

When Sharon Meroni challenged Sally Wiggin’s candidacy for Circuit Court Judge, Wiggin’s produced her birth certificate and the issue went away.

Sally Wiggins took part in parades in her high heels. She passed out roses.

Here is the statement of Sally Wiggins:

SALLY OEFFLING WIGGINS CONGRATULATES JUDGE GRAHAM

CRYSTAL LAKE, IL. NOVEMBER 3, 2010: Sally Oeffling Wiggins Independent Judicial Candidate for McHenry County Circuit Court congratulates Judge Graham on winning the Circuit Court.

When I started this journey in March with the petition drive one goal was to raise public awareness about “independence in our judiciary” for this critical branch in government that provides a balance of power between the executive branch and the legislative branches of government, and the second goal was to give McHenry Co. voters a choice.

I know from meeting an estimated 10,000 of you the last 6 months that you understand the importance of judicial independence and with the 29,000 votes I also know that you indeed want a choice when voting.

In past elections, judicial elections have had a high under vote count nearing 25%. (That is the total number of people that vote, yet skip the judicial section on the ballot, choosing not to vote at all).

In yesterday’s contested Circuit Court Judge Election the under vote was a mere 11%.

By comparison, the other judicial races yesterday with only one candidate had over 20% in under votes.

Translation:

when voters are given a choice to vote they do so 15% more. Both goals were achieved only with the hard work and support of the small team of family and friends whom accompanied me in this rewarding journey. It was truly a gift.

I want to thank the over 29,000 people that had voted for me. It is encouraging to know that more people voted for me yesterday than the total vote cast for judge in the primary election of February 2010.

Thank You McHenry County,

Best Regards,

Sally Oeffling Wiggins,
Your Independent Candidate for McHenry County Judge

Sally Wiggins speaks to the Crystal Lake Tea Party Rally on April 15, 2010.

A press release from Independent candidate for Judge Sally Wiggins:

Sally Oeffling Wiggins endorsed by tea party

CRYSTAL LAKE, IL. NOVEMBER 1, 2010: Sally Oeffling Wiggins Independent Judicial Candidate for McHenry County Circuit Court Judge has received the coveted endorsement of the McHenry County Tea Party.

Sally Oeffling Wiggins, a staunch proponent of the Constitution strongly believes in the separation powers of the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches of government. Furthermore, her belief in the judicial branch being free of political influence has earned the desirable endorsement of the McHenry County Tea Party.

Sally Oeffling Wiggins stated,

“I am very pleased to have received their endorsement. I want to assure all voters that I will uphold the Constitution and will not legislate from the bench or allow political influence in my courtroom.

“I look forward to making the Pledge of Allegiance an active part of my courtroom.

“Thank you for your support”

Independent candidate for Judge Sally Wiggins campaigns in Marengo's Settlers Days Parade the Sunday before last.

Here is a photo of Sally Wiggins in her trademark heels and dress walking the Parade in Marengo.

She is wearing a pink scarf in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Wiggins was passing out roses again and her campaign reports that many people were yelling,

“Sally, we want a Rose,”

indicting that people know who Sally is, they say.

Independent Wiggins is running against Associate Judge Gordon Graham, who was nominated in an uncontested race in the Republican primary election.

The car carrying Sally Wiggins roses has the license plate "GAL X E 3."

Above Wiggins is Loading up with more roses to pass out to the ladies.

The campaign reports,

“Ladies from both sides of the street were yelling Sally’s clamoring for the coveted Sally Roses.

“She is walking in her New Young Gal shoes in the parade. Lets see the good ole boys try that!

:Sally’s team of supports passed out hundreds of flyers to the incredible crowds, while opponent Judge Gordon Graham road in his car.”

Besides handing out roses, Sally Wiggin's supporters handed out pamphlets. The woman behind Wiggins is reading one.

Wiggins greeted ladies along the parade route, passing out roses and flyers.

Reading the literature

“was something we noted at this parade was people were reading the flyer and not just stuffing it into a bag,”

a campaign spokesman said.

“This was a fantastic event.”

Gus Philpott

Kieth Nygren

A little while ago, Green Party Sheriff’s candidate Gus Philpott sent out the press release at the bottom of this article.

It questioned Sheriff Keith Nygren’s eligibility to be on the ballot.

I knew that such a challenge was too late, so I didn’t run his release.

The time to challenge is right after the filing of petitions, as was made evident in the challenge to Independent judicial candidate Sally Wiggins’ petitions this summer by Sharon Maroni.

But now advice as to how to challenge a candidate’s residency has come from an Illinois State Board of Elections attorney, Ken Menzel.

Addressed to Philpott and McHenry County Clerk Katherine Schultz, it appears below:

RE: Nygren ineligibility due to Florida residency
Ms. Schultz and Mr. Philipot

I would note a few comments about the avenues provided under Illinois law to deal with issues regarding allegations of disqualification on the part of office holders, and the diffusion of authority among the levels of government in Illinois.

The State Board of Elections does not have any authority over ballot access as to officers at the county or local level.  The SBE’s authority as to candidate ballot access is limited to federal, state, judicial and certain multicounty offices.

Ballot access as to county offices is dealt with at the county level (and review of county decisions goes to the court system).  The state has an interest in officers holding the requisite qualifications for their respective offices, but the SBE is not the agency through which such interests are enforced regarding county offices.

Further, ballot access matters involve a balance of several public interests.

The propriety of a candidate’s appearance on the ballot is balanced with the need for finality (so as to permit a ballot to be printed at all) and the rights of the voters to have their ballots available in a timely fashion.

At a certain point, the makeup of the ballot lineup is (and must be) fixed.  We have essentially past that point in the election process for the November 2010 election.

In the event that an allegedly unqualified candidate does win an election, the appropriate avenue to testing the candidate’s qualifications is through a “quo warranto” proceeding (see Article XVIII of the Illinois Code of Civil Procedure).

A person asserting that an officer is not qualified to hold office may inform the appropriate State’s Attorney and the Attorney General, which offices have the option to pursue the quo warranto action.

If those offices decline to do so, the person may seek leave of court to undertake such action on behalf of the public’s interest.

While I have some passing knowledge of the allegations in this instance, I don’t know enough to opine as to whether such an action offers a likelihood of success, nor would it be appropriate for me to so opine in any event.

If you have any further questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Ken Menzel
Legal Counsel
Illinois State Board of Elections
100 W. Randolph Street, Suite 14-100
Chicago, Illinois 60601

Here’s is Philpott’s press release from a couple of weeks ago:

Photo found on the Lee County assessor's web site.

Green Party candidate for Sheriff of McHenry County, Gus Philpott, has filed a complaint with McHenry County Clerk Katherine C. Schultz, asking her to remove Keith Nygren’s name from the November 2, 2010 General Election ballot in the race for Sheriff of McHenry County.

Nygren and his wife purchased a home in Cape Coral, Florida in September 2006. Although they declared it to be a “second home” in mortgage papers at Home State Bank (Crystal Lake, Ill.), Mrs. Nygren obtained a Florida driver’s license in 2006 and applied for the Florida Homestead Exemption on the Cape Coral home.

A requirement was that they give up the Illinois Homestead Exemption on their Hebron property. They “forgot” to do this until it came to light earlier in 2010 that they were claiming homestead exemptions in two states. The McHenry County Assessor quickly sent a letter to Florida officials that the homestead exemption was being removed from the Hebron property.

Nygren has claimed that only his wife is a Florida resident, but that he is not. How creative! The dollar amount of the Florida homestead exemption is substantially larger than the Illinois exemption, but the few dollars saved in real estate taxes should cost Nygren his eligibility to run for re-election.

Because the facts are already well-established and documented in McHenry County government records, he could be ruled ineligible in a matter of hours.

In times past the Chicago Tribune endorsed down to the County Board level.

No more.

This year, just those running for countywide office and judicial posts (some of which are now smaller than countywide) are endorsed in the collar counties).

Kathie Schultz

Mark Freund

In McHenry County, “consummate professional” Katherine Schultz is endorse over Democrat Mark Freund for County Clerk.

Schultz “has a thorough knowledge of the ins and outs of how the clerk’s office functions and where to look for savings,” the editorial reads.

But for Sheriff, Democrat Mike Mahon got the nod.

Mike Mahon

Keith Nygren

“Sheriff Keith Nygren fended off a primary challenge form a former assistant who said he was fired for blowing the whistle on racial profiling in the office. Critics argue that Nygren has become too cozy with the Republican establishment.

“Democrat Mike Mahon, a 23-year veteran of the Cook County Sheriff’s office, would bring a new perspective. Mahon is endorsed.”

Gordon Graham

Sally Wiggins

The Tribune endorsed Nygren in the primary election over Zane Seipler.

For Judge, the Tribune endorsed Associate Judge Gordon Graham over Independent Sally Wiggins.

No explanation was offered.  Just the name of the circuit and Graham’s name.