DeWitt Co., IL. (ECWd) –
In a letter, the attorney defending a lawsuit against DeWitt County and some of its officers and employees, complained of “disparaging remarks” made by County Board Member Hoffman in a newspaper article (here). I read the article, and the only response I think they might be referring to would be this one from “DeWitt Daily News” in the comments section of the article referencing the suit:
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Richard L Steagall
I am Terry Hoffman’s lawyer who is in his 37th year of the practice of law. Before this case I would never have believed a Sheriff in an Illinois County would arrest a County Board member for his policy views and speech.
A republic can not function if it’s representatives are arrested to affect their policy positions. If that is not worthy of a lawsuit, then we have no need for courts.
America’s greatest Judge, Learned Hand said, “The spirit of Liberty is not too sure it is right… …. The spirit of Liberty lies in the hearts and minds of men and women. If it is not present there, written laws or constitution can[not] save it.”
If the Comments are reflective of the views of the citizens of Dewitt County, then the spirit of Liberty has somehow been extinguished there.
I truly hope that has not happened.
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“The Threat”
“…but if you continue to make remarks in the media of this nature, then we will have no choice but to notify the public of the incredible waste of taxpayer money that Mr. Hoffman has caused by filing this lawsuit. We will highlight Mr. Hoffman’s seeming dereliction of duty to the taxpayers who elected him by filing such a wasteful lawsuit, and the enormous conflict of interest that this lawsuit raises between Mr. Hoffman and his role as a County Board Member.”
I guess what Mr. Benjamin M. Jacobi is doing is threatening to trash the Board member through local media if he doesn’t cower down to his demands. Filing a lawsuit is a right, and the only people responsible for this enormous waste of taxpayer money are those named defendants. Jacobi completely ignores the fact that Hoffman was arrested and detained overnight, and subjected to unrelenting intimidation by the board attorney for the past two years.
Dereliction of duty by filing the lawsuit? I say defending his rights as a citizen to be secure in his home and person, and by filing this suit, may just deter further violations of right by the defendants.
The letter is below:
[gview file=”https://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/CORR_LT-to-Steagall-3.2.15.pdf”]
