Edgar County’s Mike Heltsley envious of honorable service –

PARIS, IL. (ECWd) –

We left off with the “Proud to be a Good Ole Boy” and “Your County Board is not stealing from you” articles.

Now we will discuss Edgar County Board Member Mike Helsley’s recent self-projected envy of honorable service, through a so-called “newspaper”.

Here is the quote:

“We don’t need the so-called Edgar County Watchdogs of John Kraft and Kirk Allen . . . – all of whom enjoy generous government pensions – constantly looking for . . . “

It must get to him pretty hard to see people with honorable service receive what he has never been able, and never will achieve – honorable service. Honorable service does not come from “Good Ole Boys” and the “Good Ole Boy System” – as both are frowned upon by those serving honorably. There is no honor in being shackled by the good ole boy system. Honorable service is earned, not given.

Honorable means not placing racist political signs in your front yard like Helsey did last election. Honorable means service above self. Honorable means not pulling vehicles over solely “because they were from out of state” just to see who was in them – when you were a Deputy Sheriff. It’s no wonder he didn’t retire from the Sheriff Dept. It’s also no wonder he didn’t retire from the Department of Corrections, even though he had claimed he did.

They do need us constantly watching and looking. It’s the only way to shine the light on board members stealing health insurance from the public, or enabling conflicts of interest in contracts, or subverting the law and failing to place insurance out for bid, or 911 directors pumping more gas into a vehicle than will fit in the vehicle’s fuel tank – using a county credit card, or 911 money being used for gambling, or former Sheriffs Crippes and Farnham selling guns illegally. This list could go on for several pages, but you get the point.

Then he quibbles about not seeing any indictments or convictions through our work. Of all people, he should know we don’t have anything to do with the State’s Attorney’s office, who is the only person with the power to bring charges in Edgar County. Since he is obviously another one of “the Good Ole Boys” we don’t expect to ever see any charges brought on anything we dig up in Edgar County.

Even the Illinois State Police have stated they don’t invest much time or energy in Edgar County on investigations because when it is turned over the State’s Attorney, it most likely gets filed away and forgotten – which is a waste of their time and resources. Not because it’s not true and shouldn’t be charged, but because it would upset the local apple cart, the local “Good Ole Boys”. It is much easier to deal with shop lifters, traffic violations, and drug offenses, than prosecute public corruption…by the “Good Ole Boys”…

And let’s not bring any attention to the fact our work has in fact led to numerous Federal investigations state wide because there was sufficient probable cause to issue subpoenas and investigate the crimes exposed.  It is only a matter of time before more people will be held accountable in other parts of the state.  Although like I said, we don’t expect that to ever happen in Edgar County……..because of the “Good Ole Boys”.

The simple fact that the county board now posts their meetings like they are supposed to is more than enough confirmation our efforts are needed as in the past that never happen. And we must not forget how many times the Attorney General has in fact proven that what they did relating to Open Meetings was a violation of the law and were directed to comply with the law. How convenient to leave that little fact out of his childish rant.  A violation of the Open Meetings act is a Class C Misdemeanor, of which the State’s Attorney refuses to prosecute, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen!

“[The media role is in] fostering a climate of public opinion which regards the corrupt,
however rich and powerful they may be, with the contempt they deserve.” Dr. Livingston Smith.

More to follow…