The Latest on Robert Miller’s Quest to Gain Crystal Lake City Council Ballot Access

From Crystal Lake City Council candidate Robert Miller’s wife Dianne: Here is the latest on Robert’s court case…. Robert had a status hearing yesterday in McHenry County. The attorney for the hearing board and a new attorney for Hopkins, Brady … Continue reading

McHenry County Clerk Tirio Sues Noonan, Tenner, Illinois Integrity Fund; Jack Franks, Breaker Press Cited as “Respondents in Discovery”

Joe Tirio is continuing his quest to discover who is behind the three hit pieces defaming his name during the Republican nomination contest for McHenry County Clerk. His legal action explains that he is man of “good repute and credit” … Continue reading

CL Council Candidate Robert Miller’s Court Appeal of Petition Rejection Set for January 22nd

Robert Miller, after having been kicked off the ballot by Crystal Lake City officials acting in their capacity as the Crystal Lake Electoral Board, went to court. Wednesday, in Judge Thomas Meyer’s courtroom, all that happened was the setting of … Continue reading

Algonquin Township Road District Ordered to Pay Edgar County Watchdogs $45,000 for Clerk’s Non-Responses to Freedom of Information Requests

Last Thursday, County Clerk-elect Joe Tirio was not the only one to have a victory in McHenry County Court. Tirio won the right to find out what Jack Franks’ ally smeared him with hit pieces during the Republican Primary Election. … Continue reading

Republishing the LITH Sanitary District’s Case – Part 1

Originally published on July 12th, the following is the first part of the Lake in the Hills Sanitary District’s reply to McHenry County Board chairman Jack Franks’ suit to allow his picks to take over the LITH Sanitary District. Parts … Continue reading

The LITH Sanitary District’s Case – Part 1

No consideration was given by Judge Thomas Meyer to the brief filed the day he entered an injunction preventing the Lake in the Hills Sanitary District from purchasing Kane County land. No harm, no foul, I guess, because the District … Continue reading

Bianchi Asks Judge Whether Special Prosecutor Needed for Franks’ County Board IMRF Pension Elilgibility Allegations

When I heard that the McHenry County State’s Attorney had filed a motion concerning the County Board pension issue with Judge Thomas Meyer, I sent Lou Bianchi the following email: I have told that the office filed a motion with … Continue reading

Courts Get More Efficient

A press release from the McHenry County Circuit Court:: CourtCall® to be Utilized by all Civil Division Courtrooms in the 22nd Judicial Circuit On September 1, 2015, the Circuit Court Of the 22nd Judicial Circuit will expand the use of … Continue reading

$5,000 Fine for Nygren’s “Willful” Refusal to Comply with FOIA Request

According to Pete Gonigam’s article on Thursday’s Freedom of Information Act hearing on attorney’s fees, there was an additional $5,000 fine ordered by Judge Thomas Meyer. It was levied “against the Sheriff’s Office last month for ‘willfully’ withholding the report,” Gonigam … Continue reading

Sheriff Nygren’s Campaign Protection of Zinke Costs Taxpayers $78,000

$78,299.96 to be exact. That’s what it will cost taxpayers because former McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren refused to provide information that a decision of the Illinois Attorney General’s Public Access Division said he should make available under the Freedom … Continue reading

First Electric Newspaper Awarded $5,000 for Sheriff Keith Nygren’s FOIA Violation

As I pointed out earlier, First Electric Newspaper’s Pete Gonigam’s article of Judge Thomas Meyer’s ruling in his Freedom of Information Suit against Keith Nygren’s Sheriff’s Office is a must read. Gonigam is in line for a $5,000 check from … Continue reading

Must Read: FEN’s “Judge Fines Sheriff’s Office For Withholding Zinke Report”

The Republican primary election for McHenry County Sheriff took place over a year ago, but a blatantly political act by former Sheriff Keith Nygren to protect his chosen successor, Undersheriff Andy Zinke, has resulted in Judge Thomas Meyer’s handing out … Continue reading

Zinke Exoneration Summary Reported by First Electric Newspaper

The First Electric Newspaper’s Editor, Pete Gonigam, got half a loaf in response to this Freedom of Information request and suit yesterday. Gonigam sought a report prepared by Donald Leist about an “investigation clearing former Undersheriff Andy Zinke of violating … Continue reading

Pete Gonigam’s Article on Zinke Report Decision

The reporting on Thursday’s court hearing before Judge Thomas Meyer by The First Electric Newspaper Editor and Publisher Pete Gonigam is worth reading. You can find his comments on the Freedom of Information Act case about the former Sheriff Keith … Continue reading

Gonigam Gets Permission to See Summary of Zinke Exoneration Report

Because the sound system is so bad, I can’t be sure what was said in the courtroom of Thomas Meyer Thursday morning. But I think he ruled that the Sheriff’s Office had waived its right to use an excuse in … Continue reading

First Electric Newspaper Trying to Prove NWH Got Copy of Nygren’s Zinke DEA Tip-off Exoneration Report

The First Electric Newspaper was in Judge Thomas Meyer’s courtroom again Friday trying to pry the Andy Zinke exoneration report out of McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren’s hands. Quoting himself, Publisher Pet Gonigan says, “In November the paper editorialized that … Continue reading

Bianchi to Represent Nygren in Zinke Exoneration Freedom of Information Case

That was my takeaway from the hearing in Judge Thomas Meyer’s courtroom today. To put it in terms contained in the law book and an Illinois Supreme Court ruling, the lawyer for the Sheriff’s Department is the State’s Attorney. The … Continue reading

Judge Meyer Rules Nygren & Leist Get Attorney for Zinke DEA Investigation Report Case

Judge Thomas Meyer ruled Friday morning that McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren and his legal affairs officer Don Leist will have an appointed attorney to represent them in The First Electric Newspaper‘s suit to make public an over 100-page investigatory … Continue reading

Judge Seems to Threaten Keith Nygren (Defending Andy Zinke) and Don Leist with Decision in Freedom of Information Suit

According to Pete Gonigam in a First Electric Newspaper story, Judge Thomas Meyer seems to be getting perturbed by his inability to find an attorney on a public payroll to take Keith Nygren’s side in refusing to release an over … Continue reading