OCTOBER 7, 2010
In the race for DeKalb County State’s Attorney, Clay Campbell is running as a Republican. His opponent, although a Republican, is running as a Democrat. Her experience is limited, to say the least and nonexistent in fact. She claims she has tried many cases. I wish she would publish a cite or case number for five cases she has tried, at least one jury trial and two felony criminal cases. The largest and most important part of the job she is seeking is prosecuting criminal cases. If she is merely going to hire experienced people for the criminal case trials, why pay her in excess of $150,000.00 per year to act as a hiring agent.
Clay Campbell has an enormous amount of criminal trial experience, including jury trials. We will be better off electing Mr. Campbell for his criminal trial experience and let him hire an office manager rather than elect an office manager who will hire the skilled employees to do her real job.
I will have more to say as we get closer to this important election. All politics is local. You can’t just worry about the National or Statewide elections. The State’s Attorney of DeKalb County will have more day to day impact on county resident’s lives than one of 535 Congressman will ever have.
Well, Well, Well, the State’s Attorney and the Library Board entered into a settlement agreed upon before the lawsuit was filed. Kind of like a pre-packaged Bankruptcy case. This is a fraud upon the Court. The case was filed and the parties went before Judge Klein who ratified this sham proceeding.
The Board was told they could not break the law again. I thought that was a given in life. The settlement also includes language the Board has to undergo Open Meetings Law classes. Who pays for that? What does that entail, watch a video? What happens if they do not complete the training? Is there a fine? Are the noncompliant fired? When you violate a law, you are a lawbreaker. How can you excuse yourself from your illegal activity by later ratifying your earlier illegal activity? If your earlier activity was in violation of the law, you should not get a do over by saying ‘my fault’ or ‘never mind’.
The bottom line is the Board was not punished for its activity. Judge Klein expressed concern this publicity might discourage citizens from volunteering their time. If it discourages people who do not know how to do the job, that is good. In reality, I asked five people to name of the Library Board members and none of them could do so. This activity is not going to discourage anyone. It appears to be a Board people volunteer for to go into the witness protection program.
The local schools have a bit of work to do. I am sure the response is going to be asking for more money. Money does not fix everything.
The President awarded the Medal of Honor to a Green Beret from Wheaton, IL, Staff Sgt. Robert Miller who died two years ago in Afghanistan. He was the third person to receive the award for service in Afghanistan. He earned the Medal of Honor by holding off over 100 insurgents giving his comrades time to get out of harm’s way. He intentionally moved toward the attackers to draw their fire onto him while the others left. He remained in radio contact giving the enemies position even after he was wounded. His fellow soldiers listened until the radio went dead along with Sgt. Miller.
The award was accepted by his proud but grieving parents in the East Room of the White House. His seven brothers and sisters were also in attendance. A younger brother is currently in the Green Beret program. We need more families like the Millers in this country.
He makes me proud to be an American.
The church of morons from Topeka that protests at funerals of killed soldiers does not but I think the U. S. Supreme Court is about to put them out of business.
I think the Court will put an end to this church of nuts in Topeka that protests at serviceman’s funerals. The questions by the Judges on Wednesday did not appear to be sympathetic to their position or legal argument. Hopefully common sense and decency wins out but then, I went to Law School not Fair School.
BRUCE A. BRENNAN
