With well over 100 people in attendance, Bill Prim, one of three men seeking the 2014 nomination for McHenry County Sheriff to replace Keith Nygren, raised over $50,000 at the Bull Valley Country Club, according to preliminary estimates.
The $500 fund raiser was highlighted by a speech by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.
Newt Gingrich speaks at a fund raiser for McHenry County Sheriff’s candidate Bill Prim.
Ever the optimist, Gingrich predicted, “I believe we will outlast Obama.”
He gave three examples for predicting that American ingenuity will bring the economy roaring back:
- A project by Google in which computers drive cars. Developed by Sebastian Trund, Gingrich said this is allowed in California, Nevada and Florida. 300,000 miles have been clocked with one car having been rear-ended and a second accident caused by the driver overriding the computer.
- The same man believes the cost of higher education can be cut by 90% through online courses. (Gingrich said the GOP should set as a goal a minimum of a 50% cut in university costs.)
- Thirdly, Gingrich pointed to the man who developed fracking after twenty years of trying. His success, Gingrich predicted, will result in natural gas being one-fourth of the cost of natural gas in China. The result will be “the rise of American manufacturing on a global scale.”
Asked if he would run for President again, he said that he had a campaign debt from the last campaign and would consider running if it were paid off.
Prim was introduced by Brian Kelly, who observed,
“Bill owes no favors to the local McHenry county political Establishment for this job.”
He touted Prim’s
- Strong leadership
- Integrity
- Independence
Bill Prim
When he spoke, Prim thanked his Host Committee–Gary Rabine, Tom Merryman, Brian Kelly and Lou Bianchi.
He also thanked former Congressman Joe Walsh for his “endorsement for me last week.”
He said in his campaign for Sheriff he gets asked most often, “Can you please be an honest Sheriff?”
Another recurring question is whether he will “ensure” people’s “civil liberties.”
“Absolutely, positively ‘Yes,'” Prim emphasized
In an assurance to the rank and file Deputies in the Patrol Division, Prim pledged, “We won’t affect the Patrol Division.”
He did, however promise to “eliminate all the administrative extra employees that suck up all the money.” He pointed specifically to the Equal Opportunity Affairs Office and/or Legal Affairs Officer, saying that the State’s Attorney’s Office could represent the Sheriff’s Office.
Prim supported a concealed carry law for Illinois.
Algonquin Township Trustee candidate Larry Emery poses with Newt and Callista Gingrich and Bill Prim. Nunda Township Road Commissioner candidate Rob Parish was also in attendance.
“It’s not a gentler country, not a less violent country” than when he started as a police office, the retired Des Plaines Police Commander said.
“I believe it’s everybody’s right to own a firearm to protect their families.
“It is reprehensible that we’re the only state in the entire country that doesn’t have a concealed carry law.”
In a shot at Nygren’s penchant for putting his name on anything that moves, Prime said, “I will not emblazon my name over every vehicle the County owns while I’m sitting in my house in Wisconsin or Florida.
“We will restore dignity to the Sheriff’s Office.”
Gingrich has kind words for Joe Walsh.
“I believe {he has] a substantial future whether in Springfield or the U.S. Senate.
“You have probably as bad a state government as any state in the country. It would be really hard for Springfield to be more stupid or more corrupt than California [but it is].”
He noted that Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel is floating his name for U.S. President.
“President of Venezuela [maybe],” he cracked.
Gingrich told the audience that it was time to listen to voters.
- “Listen to Latin Americans.
- “Listen to Black Americans
- “Listen to professional women.”
“If you write off enough groups, you write off a majority.”
Andrew Gasser asks Newt Gingrich about how to improve the Republican Party. The answer will soon be found at Newt University.
“The level of avoidance or reality is breathtaking,” he said referring to Carl Rove, George W. Bush’s political guru and Stu Stevens, Mitt Romney’s campaign manager.
Other than a few petty personal shots at the retiring Sheriff and thanking some local power brokers that are financing him, did Prim say anything substantial about how he would approach law enforcement?
I’m not saying there is nothing that can improve, I just haven’t heard any actual law enforcement proposals yet.
All we know about his law enforcement experience so far is he recently retired from a cook county police department that is under heavy corruption investigation reportedly saying he wasn’t running from the investigations but just wanted to stay home and spend more time with his kids.
Here’s a plan, get rid of the corrupt scumbags.
Do I need to name names?
Getting rid of the current scumbags takes more than just wishing them out.
It takes walking in precincts to encourage voting them out to pasture.
Anyone alleging that the current administration is operated by political scumbags has no clue as to what has been going on in McHenry County for the past 40 years and should be run out of town.
I have no idea who Bill Prim might be.
I have personally observed Sheriff Keith Nygren as Chief of the Crystal Lake PD and now Sheriff.
He has achieved an incredible record of police administration over the past 20 years and anyone around for that time will strongly consider a candidate for Sheriff that has been a key element of the current Sheriff.
What is the relationship between Joe Walsh and Bill Prim?
How many folks out there know who Bill Prim is?
Joe Walsh has lived in McHenry County for barely 2 years, has never owned a home here and now is endorsing local candidates?
Has Joe ever met the other candidates?
He hires Newt Gingrich and he has kind words for Joe Walsh.
Nuff said!
This guy is unsuited for public office.
Jim, your quote, “key element of the current Sheriff”, are we talking about the fella that said Pyle had a domestic problem? I guess the problems are a symtom of the department at the top!
If this problems has been going on for 40 years, and you have “Personally Observed” Nygren’s habits . . . we need to question you on what you have seen!
Too funny — a 10 gallon hat on a 1 gallon head!
What’s funnier than ‘a 10 gallon hat on a 1 gallon head’?
State Farm, another Illinois Fortune 500, making a quiet exit out of Illinois, to Richardson Tx, a Dallas Burb. 2.5 M office space so far as they transact the move and exactly where we bailed to five years ago, when Blago bloviated about a GRT.
Pols in Illinois as exhibited here, fighting over scraps, while the folks that foot the bills, stampede out of the State. Now that’s funny.
Isn’t the answer here to want to help foster the environment where those big businesses that were born, and grew up, in Illinois stay here?
That environment means going after the tax and spenders, reducing state government, county government, township government, and municipality government budgets.
This is going to be a very difficult battle and I do not have all the answers; however, many people who frequent this blog have amazing ideas. We need to empower those people (ie get them elected) and allow them to implement those ideas.
And even while the local area is Republican, the measures, laws, and ordinances enacted sometimes make conservatives wonder.
The state has been controlled by Mike Madigan since 1970.
He has been in office longer than I have been alive.
We know his way, the Chicago way, the liberal democrat way, DOES NOT WORK.
We will see what happens here locally and in the next two years.
Respectfully,
Andrew Gasser
My reaction is to Gingrich’s 2nd point about reducing higher education costs. Cutting costs in this way will only encourage “group think” and slow the progress of thought & personal development in this country. College is more than just sitting through lectures.
“Going away” to college offers students, at least, four years to be what they want, think what they want, experience new ideas and experience new environments away from the “group think” of their family units and communities.
Online courses takes away from the development of children into adult that takes place when we are removed from our families and communities.
I’ve been through a four year university and am now in a associates program locally. The level of maturity, independent thought and developing intelligence is far and above when young people are allowed to step away from their home (for at least a few years).
Online educations should be available at discounted rates, but should never be viewed on the same level or as a substitute for the development and (dare I say) genius that campus universities encourage.
Ben, you are fortunate to be able to have the resources to attend a college campus.
However, many cannot.
There have been very positive results with online classes and these students often get higher scores than those with the campus experience.
Many with a 4 yr. degree with a campus experience might like to do the online for a masters.
Having been there and done that, anyone who can not afford and complete college is not trying.
Many, many have done it, worked hard, saved their money and gotten through.
Sometimes it just takes a little longer. Many paths to the same goal.
Just takes guts.
Jim,
I don’t know who you are, but you appear have no clue as to what has happened in McHenry County politics these past 15 years.
Nygren is a selfish, self-absorbed, thug who has harmed the local Republican Party as he has attempted to destroy the lives of many, many good people.
Jim, you either are clueless or you are a supporter of Nygren.
Those are the only two rational posibilities, giving you the benefit of the doubt.
Please, don’t pretend that Nygren is a good guy.
Spare us.
Event organizers inform me that Newt Gingrich was not paid an honorarium.
Ben Lesperance, you know not what you’re speaking (or writing).
You spent 4 years at college and are now working on an Associates?
A wee bit backward I think.
All that high priced education and you disparage online education?
As a +40 hr/week worker, I have enjoyed a great deal of benefit from completing my degrees, online, (Bachelors and Masters–in that order) while maintaining my home life, work life and friends–you can have your play, I’ll take hard work, dedication and commitment.
Perhaps I lived enough of my life so I had no need to go away and play at who I wanted to be.
All this and a 3.9 undergrad GPA.
Granted I’m no genius, but there’s no need to go and play when you can work and get it done.
Going away to a university to avoid “group think”… Now that is hilarious.
There are few places in life where there is less diversity of thought.
Now I am not saying going away to a university isn’t fun or a good learning experience, but lets not compare it to how quickly one matures in the real world.
Thanks for that follow up Cal- I can’t believe that the office of McHenry County Sheriff is so important to Newt that he’s working for free when he’s got $4.7 Million in unpaid campaign debt but, hey, I guess that in itself says something about Mr. Gingrich.
Ben calls 4 years of partying away from Mom and Dad in the ultra Liberal universities getting away from “Group Think” and a way to grow into mature, independent and genius level adults?
My 4 years at college was a bar tab with a $40k bill…Now, my kids are looking at the same thing with a $120k bill, just so they can grow into mature, independent psuedo adults?!?!?!
Ben, your boat has left…Undergrad degrees (and most grad) are no longer worth the investment.
Just as the housing market bust–college education will as well. Go to your brick and mortar university, at +$30k for a Public University–all I see are new, ego stroking legacy buildings going up (guess that’s the best way to justify these inflated tuitions….) while they graduate the likes of Ben…the over educated masses who graduate with no job (prospects) and a stack of bills that equate to the balance of my mortgage….