A week ago I wrote an article asking whether the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department had a Federal Hatch Act problem.
If you need to get up to speed, you can find it here.
The Hatch Act says a person under its jurisdiction “may not become a candidate in a partisan election.”
How does one get under the jurisdiction of this Federal statute?
Here’s the answer:
“The Hatch Act restricts the political activity of individuals principally employed by state or local executive agencies and who work in connection with programs financed in whole or in part by federal loans or grants.”
So, with the McHenry County Jail having one floor rented out to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement folks, anyone in charge of it would seem to fit that prohibition.
Take a look at last year’s organization chart for the Sheriff’s Department:
Note how the McHenry County Jail reports to the Undersheriff in this 2011-12 organization chart of the Sheriff’s Department.
The organization chart for the Sheriff’s Office is different in the 2012-13 budget submission.
The Undersheriff no longer supervises the Jail.
The McHenry County Jail reports directly to the Sheriff in the organization chart supplied with the Sheriff’s 2012-13 budgeter submission.
One can only wonder why the change was made.
What about the federal grant money that comes into the operations side of the department? Doesn’t Homeland Security grant huge sums of money to the department for training, equipment, etc?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeland_Security_Grant_Program
Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) is a program in the United States established in 2003 and was designated to incorporate all projects that provide funding to local, state, and Federal government agencies by the Department of Homeland Security.[1] The purpose of the grants is to purchase surveillance equipment, weapons, and advanced training for law enforcement personnel in order to heighten security.[1][2] The HSGP helps fulfill one of the core missions of the Department of Homeland Security by enhancing the country’s ability to prepare for, prevent, respond to and recover from potential attacks and other hazards. The HSGP is one of the main mechanisms in funding the creation and maintenance of national preparedness, which refers to the establishment of plans, procedures, policies, training, and equipment at the Federal, State, and local level that is needed to maximize the ability to prevent, respond to, and recover from major events such as terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies.[3][4] The HSGP’s creation stemmed from the consolidation of six original projects that were previously funded by the Office of State and Local Government Coordination and Preparedness.[5] The HSGP now encompasses five projects in the program: State Homeland Security Program, Urban Areas Security Initiative, Operation Stonegarden, Metropolitan Medical Response System Program, and Citizen Corps Program.[3] During the 2010 fiscal year, the Department of Homeland Security will spend $1,786,359,956 on the Homeland Security Grant Program.[3]
Changing the chart doesn’t solve the problem, Keith. Andy.
Couple of half wits.
By removing from the Undersheriff from the reporting structure of the jail, Sheriff Nygren is attempting to avoid Hatch Act restrictions imposed by the Federal funds paid to the jail.
What happens during the Sheriff’s frequent absences?
Who doe the jail report to then?
Why did he change it, is Zinke too busy campaigning? So if the Sheriff changed the organization to avoid a Hatch Act problem is that obstructing a Federal Investigation?
What other federal funds does the Undersheriff handle, S.T.E.P., seat-belt enforcement, the child passenger safety grant?
Let’s have a contest to see who can find the most Hatch Act violations. The winner gets a new sheriff.
Good job, Joe. Any way you cut it, Zinke will have to resign to run.
Good article, Cal.