Error of Commissions

Bird watchers up and down Lake County are asking if the bloggers at the McHenryCountyBlog will do hard time for filing a frivolous complaint before the McHenry County Ethics Commission. Haha, as readers of this blog are ornithologically aware ...

A Bird in the Hand is Worth Two in the Bush

The alleged frivolous complaint was filed against a McHenry County Undersheriff, Andrew Zinke.  The bloggers at the McHenryCountyBlog say Zinke -- a candidate for McHenry County Sheriff -- used his official email account to send an email to County Board members -- one that promoted his candidacy. In the email, Zinke attempted to explain a photo of his middle finger -- one that appeared on the McHenryCountyBlog:

McHenry County Undersheriff Andy Zinke's Giving the Finger in Crystal Lake Parade Brings Comments

How will the McHenry County Ethics Commission pass judgment on these serious charges? The more pressing question is: Just what the heck is a McHenry County Ethics Commission, anyways? No one is quite sure, including members of the McHenry County Ethics Commission. The Northwest Herald reports, at one hearing ...

the commission often appeared to be struggling with how to proceed
Filings draw lines in Ethics Commission complaint

The Commission's lack of discernment did not go unnoticed. According to the Northwest Herald ...

The fact that commission members appeared to struggle with how to proceed, along with the closed-session deliberations, raised concerns with several County Board members.
Ethics Commission reviews rules in wake of criticism

So, was the Zinke email an instance of campaigning while on the taxpayer's time? Or were the charges filed against him a frivolous complaint? Haha, tough questions for the McHenry County Ethics Commission.

The answer to one, apparently, depends on what your definition of frivolous is.  According to the Northwest Herald, the Commission needs ...

to see whether language could be added to the ethics ordinance to define a frivolous complaint.
Ethics Commission reviews rules in wake of criticism

The Commission did rule the complaint against Zinke was insufficient to warrant prosecution. Understandably, the bloggers at the McHenryCountyBlog were none too pleased: they told the Northwest Herald ...

"If this email is not prohibited political activity, using his county email address and referencing his campaign seven, eight times, what on earth would be a violation of the ethics ordinance?"
Ethics Commission reviews rules in wake of criticism

Now, your LakeCountyEye may be just a simple country blogger, but isn't the point of these unelected government panels, boards & commissions just to help elected government officials get, well, elected? Suppose the public perceives some problem and they point their finger at you, the elected official. What to do? Promise to appoint an independent commission after you're elected. Then either pack that rubberstamp commission with your cronies -- or recruit a bunch of lightweights to run it who have no idea what they are doing. And good luck to anyone who puts faith in that commission to redress a grievance.

Problem solved!