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December 23, 2024

Has Society Lost Its Way?

By Kirk Allen & John Kraft

On March 17, 2024

Illinois (ECWd) –

After years of witnessing a laundry list of malfeasance by public officials and hearing their justifications as to why what they did was no big deal, I wonder if we have lost our way.

We are supposed to be a nation of laws, but what good is that when people don’t know what the laws are, and even when they do they want to find excuses why they should be ignored or don’t apply to them.  Such a breakdown in our society can be a dangerous path.

After watching several public employees speak at a recent county board meeting, along with several citizens, it became evident the only thing that mattered to many of them were their feelings or emotional attachments to those alleged of wrongdoing. So much so that we listened to out-right lies and fabrication of information to attack certain board members.

We listened to an employee who quit her job complain about being called before a Grand Jury two months in a row for unknown reasons.  Maybe the employee, who received immunity, needs to understand Grand Juries are supposed to be secret and those called before them are not supposed to know in advance as to what they are being asked to honestly testify about. Having prior knowledge could jeopardize what investigation is taking place, but rather than understand those basic concepts, this person chose to claim her work environment is toxic due to the county board and the State’s Attorney who convened a Grand Jury to ensure our laws are followed and when not those responsible are held accountable.  When the pursuit of honest testimony is spun to attack those doing the job they were appointed to do, we have lost our way in my opinion.

When people get paid a monthly paycheck to work in the public sector, they should not publicly complain when warned that live-streaming entertainment while on the clock could result in criminal charges, unless of course, their job is to sit and watch movies on the taxpayer dime.

When your paycheck has more hours paid in it than you worked, the right thing to do is to correct it, not stay quiet and reap the extra income for years on end.  Such behavior led to over $700,000.00 of payroll malfeasance in the Shelby County Sheriff’s office.  Rather than hold those responsible for the malfeasance many insist no one did anything wrong since they were not convicted of anything.

Most people can understand it is not legal for a sheriff or other law enforcement to sell seized guns, but every month we hear people claim no one did anything wrong because they were not convicted.

Deputies who participated in Sheriff’s sales were violating the law, yet again, we hear people claim no one did anything wrong because they were not convicted.

A public employee who operated his private business out of the government’s facility violated our State Constitution. While there is no disputing such actions took place, claiming that no one did anything wrong because they were not convicted is the new normal, which ignores the most basic understanding as to how our laws are to be applied.

Follow the law.  When you don’t, an appropriate investigation should take place and then be passed on to those who can make a charging decision.  If charges are the result, then the matter goes before the court for final resolution.

However, in Illinois, the culture of corruption has taken hold in just about every public sector as well as our society.  A culture that finds excuses and justifications as to why it was OK for the person to violate the law rather than face the fact their friend or co-worker violated the law.

As we have said for years, in Illinois the standard is if caught breaking the law, change the law to make that illegal act legal and then claim no one broke the law.

The fact a person was not convicted for driving their truck into a moving train does not mean they didn’t hit the train or violate the vehicle code.

While we understand not every violation of the law will lead to a criminal charge, nor should it, it does not mean laws were not broken as some would have you believe.

 

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17 Comments
  • Former Government Employee
    Posted at 10:22h, 19 March

    A Glimmer of Hope: I can’t speak for all of society. But I know that the Watchdogs, and Kirk and John have impacted areas for good in Illinois. One area is the Ethics requirements within the Assessment Industry in the last ten years. The Illinois Property Assessment Institute adopted a professional ethics panel which has the authority to withdraw the certification of an Assessment Official when warranted. It has been used and is effective. An ethic class is now required to obtain the designation of a Certified Illinois Assessment Official. The Department of Revenue has pulled some of that training content to be a part of IDOR’s Introductory Class for Township Assessors. You won’t find a footnote about the Watchdogs in these classes. But rest assured, your public service in bringing accountability had a strong influence in some of the improvements of the last decade. Thank you.

  • Scott L
    Posted at 22:08h, 18 March

    Where is the article about Dolton Trustee Andrew Holmes being arrested? I was just looking to send it to someone and can’t find it. Was it taken down or could you help me and send the link through?

  • S Curry
    Posted at 01:52h, 18 March

    In cases presented to the grand jury, the grand jury has a dual function. It determines that a person should be charged or prosecuted for a criminal act when it finds there is probable cause to believe the person has committed an offense. At the same time, it protects the innocent from unfounded accusation of crime and from the trouble, expense and anxiety of a trial when there is, in fact, insufficient evidence to believe the accused is guilty of any criminal offense. The grand jury thus stands between the citizen and the State, pledged to bring before the Court, to answer to a charge of having committed a crime, persons against whom there is evidence of guilt and to prevent the unjust indictment of those who are accused of a crime without sufficient evidence or because of private motives or popular feelings.

    https://www.illinoiscourts.gov/self-help/how-do-i-juror-conduct/grand-juror-handbook/

    Those indictments came from 16 members of the local community that were NOT chosen by the County Board. How the County Board feels about it is irrelevant.

  • Nick Lee Cohan
    Posted at 22:47h, 17 March

    Our country is out of control heading towards lawlessness and a break down of society. Illinois police dept. are now hiring “non citizens” as police officers AKA Illegals this cannot be good,I was told by LE that the “non citizen” police officer must carry a copy of the US Consititution in their pocket. My question is will they follow it and be loyal to America?
    I really dont feel safe having illegals carrying guns and being police officers. Our country is being over run with illegals at our southern border who knows who is good or bad, my understanding is over 10 million and counting have come in the USA
    Pray for America we need a Divine Intervention quickly IN JESUS NAME AMEN!!

  • Dave
    Posted at 17:59h, 17 March

    When you live in a world of emotionally weak people. The truth will always be perceived as an attack because their identity is wrapped up in lies

    A lie doesn’t become truth, wrong doesn’t become right and evil doesn’t become good just because it may be accepted by a majority, it’s the law that counts! Inside some politicians is a totalitarian, screaming to get out

  • John K
    Posted at 17:37h, 17 March

    As an immigrant to Illinois, the problem is too many units of government – they can break the law, intentionally or not, in public meetings & no dis-interested members of the public are there to observe / protest. And there aren’t enough prosecutors.

    When was the last time someone from WAND / WCIA / WICS was at a meeting of the Long Creek Fire Protection District / St. Joseph Sanitary District / Illiopolis & Niantic Library District? Nevada has some geographically large / population small counties where the only government is the county & the school district, and the county uses advisory boards to replace the functions filled by units of governments. Their property taxpayers have a simple tax bill. Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?

  • Sue Smith
    Posted at 17:29h, 17 March

    Could it be, because those who are suppose to uphold the law aren’t held accountable for breaking the same law they are suppose to be upholding.
    Double standards for many. Which leaves one to wonder if we even have a rule of law anymore. Many have lost faith and don’t trust the Justice System anymore. Something has to change or I fear for our future as a nation.

  • Brian K Anderson
    Posted at 17:14h, 17 March

    I will never understand the justification the Mahomet Road Commissioner gave for allowing a rd district employee to work on his personal farm and culvert business while being paid as a rd district employee in a statement made to ISP. Yet it appears to be an acceptable practice to the IL Atty General. Pathetic!

  • Daniel Sleezer
    Posted at 16:58h, 17 March

    Unfortunate but accurate.

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