Tribune Endorses Lou Bianchi for State’s Attorney, Pam Palmer for County Auditor


In an editorial entitled,

Choices in McHenry, Kane

the Chicago Tribune takes more than half the editorial to endorse McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi for re-election.

State’s Attorney: Incumbent Republican Louis Bianchi and challenger Daniel Regna have been trading barbs in a race that has split the county Republican establishment. Bianchi has taken some heat since the county auditor questioned several hundred dollars his office spent for candy to pass out to children, along with anti-drug literature, at a parade. That wasn’t a smart move by Bianchi; he should send the next candy bill to his campaign fund. But the Illinois attorney general’s office found no basis for a criminal investigation.

So let’s talk about qualifications: Bianchi of Crystal Lake has a solid record of achievement in the office. One highlight: He helped establish a mental health court that provides help for mentally ill defendants under strict court supervision. He has developed a reputation for being a tough prosecutor and for perturbing some local defense attorneys by insisting on taking cases to trial rather than accept a plea. He has done an effective job of managing the office and working with the County Board.

Regna of Woodstock is a capable challenger. He left the state’s attorney’s office in 2004 after nearly 10 years there and served in almost every position in the criminal division. He has the endorsement of several Republican Party leaders in the county, as well as Sheriff Keith Nygren and several of the larger police unions. He had a close working relationship with many of the rank-and-file police officers during his stint in the state’s attorney’s office. But this spat seems to be more about politics than law enforcement. Bianchi is endorsed.

The editorial also endorses Pam Palmer for re-election as County Auditor, asking,

“Why can’t
McHenry County Republicans
just get along?”

Here’s what was said:

Auditor: Why can’t McHenry County Republicans all just get along? Who knows, but because of the infighting you have a heated primary for, all of things, county auditor. The Republican incumbent, Pamela Palmer, took over in 2006 when auditor Ruth Rooney retired in midterm. Palmer has strengthened the internal auditing staff and pushed a fraud, waste and abuse hot line. She’s doing more departmental auditing than earlier administrations did. And she has a solid working relationship with the County Board. Palmer of Union also is working to develop more easily understood county financial information to be released to the public.

Her opponent, Richard Kelly of Crystal Lake, is an accomplished lawyer who has served on the McHenry County Zoning Board of Appeals since 1994 and as chairman since 1997. But he doesn’t make a case against Palmer. Her experience — serving in the auditor’s office since 1998 — gives her the edge. She is endorsed.


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