When a newspaper employee writes political columns and plays a role in candidate endorsement interview sessions, should that be made public?

That’s a pertinent question, it seems to me.

McHenry County residents have seen how Daily Herald columnist Amy Mack’s column about McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi’s office expenditures became the centerpiece of challenger Dan Regna’s campaign.

But, not appearing on the reprint sent out anonymously by McHenry County Republican Central Committee Chairman Bill LeFew was the fact that columnist Mack not only wrote it, but also took part in the State’s Attorney’s candidate interview session leading to Regna’s endorsement by the paper.

Since the election, Mack has mentioned McHenry County Democratic Central Committee Chairman Thomas Cynor in two consecutive columns.

First, on February 8th, three days after the election, she spotlighted the birth of a Cynor baby girl in the early morning hours the day after election. There is even a picture of the baby on the top of the web site edition of her column.

And, Cyrnor’s comments on naming the child under her February 8th column are referred to on February 10th.

Maybe Thursday’s column was just a cute connection between the birth of a child of the party chairman and the first time McHenry County Democrats achieved a majority of the primary votes.

But, in view of Democrat honcho Cynor’s conversations with McHenry County Republican Party Chairman Bill LeFew about being the Democratic Party candidate against primary victor Bianchi, could this be part of a candidate name identification build up?

Included is the Thursday column is this paragraph:

”At the same time, I wouldn’t be gloating over the numbers if I didn’t have a challenger on this ballot. It’ll be a very different contest in November. In fact, those voters who stayed home this time just might want to consider joining the fun.”

It just so happens that Bianchi does not have a Democratic Party candidate on the ballot.

Yet.

No connection, right?