The ongoing saga surrounding the actions of Chris Patrick and the meaning of Conflict of Interest
My sources at the state level have confirmed that numerous issues are being addressed and as soon as our FOIA request is fulfilled we will provide those documents and share them.
It’s my understanding that the Illinois Department of Transportation is handing down yet another hammer that may well effect the very employment of upwards of 20 people at the County Highway Department because of Chris Patrick and his apparent Conflict of Interest, which has been covered at great length, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE.
As I understand it, ALL FUNDING is in jeopardy, to include Federal, State, County and even Township. This means every project the County is working on because of the claimed Conflict of Interest as it relates to Chris Patrick may well be de-funded.
The freeze of those funds would clearly lead to a shut down of all operations on those projects. No funding means a vast number of people that are employed because of the availability of those funds will have to come to a screeching halt, all because Chris Patrick’s insistence of putting his own personal financial interests ahead of his official obligations as an elected official.
In an effort to get more details I contacted the County Highway Engineer but was unable to get any details other than confirmation of an upcoming Highway meeting at their office on Monday morning at 9:00 am. That is a public meeting and I will attend to gather more information.
In addition to this Chris Patrick created drama, lets look at the other major conflicts with not only Mr. Patrick’s actions but his conflicted logic.
- He wants a vote taken on RSB Aviation to terminate the lease at the next county board meeting.
I asked county officials why vote on that when Jimmy Wells already terminated it?
The Answer: Jimmy Wells doesn’t have the authority to terminate a lease, only the county board.
So with that position, wouldn’t by default, that also mean Jimmy Wells had no authority to issue the lease in the first place? Which is exactly what I have said at several meetings!
- Chris Patrick is a duly elected official who took an oath of office and is required by law to put the interest of the people ahead of his own.
Chris Patrick thinks as long as he voids himself from a discussion he can reap profits from sales of his cement to county projects.
- He claimed RSB Aviation was terminated over a registration of an airplane being outdated.
His own words disproves this claim. When challenged on how long he has known the plane registration was outdated he told everyone a month and a half.
How is it that RSB gets a termination letter in November and Chris Patrick claimed it was because of an outdated registration, when his own words, would put his knowledge of any outdated registration in December at best, well AFTER the illegal termination letter that was sent?
Better yet, how is it that the registration issue is now what led to the termination when in fact Patrick has acknowledged he isn’t terminated, because Jimmy Wells has no authority to do that and he know’s it’s the board that has to do it?
- He was SILENT on the registration for a month and a half!
As a county officer that claims to be so concerned about liability to the county and attacks RSB Aviation at each and every front he can, I find it appalling that he knew of this outdated registration for that long and said NOTHING to anyone. When you know something is wrong, take action to fix it, not try to use it as a hammer to gain support for your own interests.
His positions defy all logic!
Here is a dose of logic for you Mr. Patrick.
Writ of Mandamus
An order from a superior court to any government subordinate court, corporation or public authority (Chris Patrick) to do or forbear from doing some specific act which that body is obliged under law to do or refrain from doing, as the case may be, and which is in the nature of public duty and in certain cases of a statutory duty.
It must be a duty of public nature and the duty must be imperative and should not be discretionary.
Do we need to file a Writ of Mandamus to FORCE YOU to comply with the law?
Mr. Patrick you have statutory duty to do your job as outlined in the county code and it is not discretionary. You only have the powers granted and no power is granted permitting you to shrug your obligations to those that put you in office so you can profit financially on our backs. In fact, the statutes forbid your actions pertaining to Conflicts of Interest and from what I have heard from the State, that Hammer is going to be delivered soon as they know their job and take action when they know something is wrong!
There are cases where a Conflicts of Interest arise in government and the laws deal with how they are to be handled.
State’s Attorney’s can recuse themselves and ask for a special prosecutor. Or a judge can recuse himself and another will be appointed.
The county code makes NO provisions for you to not do your job because of a conflict of interest. In fact, the law clearly spells out the type of conflict you have is forbidden! Your putting YOUR PERSONAL interests ahead of the peoples’.
That’s why they call it a Conflict of Interest!
When elected to office your first and foremost obligations are to represent the people. That representation DOES NOT mean you can pick and choose which duties you are going to comply with. Nor does it mean you can place your personal financial interests ahead of your required duties.
I believe it’s high time someone in our County Government grow a set and take this to the State’s Attorney for appropriate action. I don’t know what more it’s going to take, but I am confident we are getting the first glimpse of a collapse of our County Government and it all points right to Chris Patrick and his insistence that his personal financial interests come before that of the people.
Chris Patrick is the Poster Child of why We The People need to vet each and every candidate to ensure people of honor and integrity are representing us, not people with clear self interests! I guess he has learned from Bob Colvin how to work the system.
Chris Patrick felt it appropriate to imply Rusty Bogue has a character issue over a registration date however he fails to apply even a tenth of the same logic to himself and his self serving attitude.
Is it going to take people getting laid off from work because of his involvement? Is it going to take Federal Grant money getting yanked back because of his involvement? How about county and township projects all coming to a halt because of his arrogant stance that he can do what he wants the law be damned?
I am confident in the next week I will have in my hands the documents from the state that spell out his conflict yet again. When I receive them I will post them for all to see.
Mr. Patrick, RESIGN and make the County Proud!
