As Lake County citizens join the rest of the world to watch exceptional athletes compete in London at the 2012 Olympics, it serves as a reminder of the importance of family, fairness and the reward of hard work--all ideals of great importance to me.
There are several local athletes representing the United States at the games, and my family and I are cheering them on from right here in Lake County, including:
- Tamika Catchings, former Stevenson High School student (Basketball)
- Conor Dwyer, Wilmette (Swimming)
- Matt Grevers, Lake Forest (Swimming)
- Christina Loukas, Riverwoods (Diving)
- Jillian Schwartz, former Lake Forest High School student competed for U.S. in 2004 and now on Israeli team (Pole Vault)
See photos: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/24/illinois-olympic-athletes_n_1699222.html#slide=1273355
These Olympic athletes have trained for years. They have committed themselves to their sports, their individual goals and to represent their country on the world stage. The athletes remind us that we all can succeed and even exceed our own expectations. We can always do better, be faster, stronger, more prepared, more helpful, more caring.
In my career as both a prosecutor and a defense attorney, I have seen and experienced first hand the challenges people can overcome simply by being inspired by positive role models. This is especially true for troubled teens, where a strong family and community support system can make so much difference for our kids, our families and our community.
As we continue to watch the Olympic athletes over the next few weeks, we should all be inspired and motivated to do better at whatever it is we are committed to as athletes, as individuals, and as citizens. I know that as I watch and cheer on our Lake County and Team USA athletes, I will be further inspired to run a positive campaign and restore pride to the Lake County State's Attorney's Office.
Please join me in cheering on our athletes. And join me in the effort to bring positive change to the office of Lake County State's Attorney. Join our team, and help us ensure a win in November.
Have you seen our Olympic themed spot on TV during the games?
Watch it here on YouTube: http://youtu.be/AwNyHZ2ek-U
We need someone who is not entrenched in party politics. We need new and fresh ideas and a person that will stand up for cleaning up and creating justice in Lake County. We cannot afford morally or financially any more wrongful convictions. So, I will be voting and supporting Chris Kennedy for Lake County State's Attorney.
You talk a big game about "partisan politics," then have the nerve to link him to something directly that wasn't his fault? Talk about the true definition of being hypocritical. Mike is the only person who has offered a legitimite solution to rid the area of gang activity, which has become one of the top priorities in Lake/Quickly Becoming Cook County. Then you also have the nerve to demean his education by putting the word "training" in quotes. How could you possibly know where all of his knowledge came from? What a vast assumption. Not to mention, I'm sure that none of the police who gathered evidence or processed it improperly to begin with could have POSSIBLY been liberals, because we all know thay every policeman in the whole county, according to you, is Republican. Your countless assumptions of someone who has actual documnted ideas are insulting. So, I will not be listening to any more of the angry, hateful posts of Kathy Oetker. Because her hypocritical and downright insulting views are clearly independent and couldn't possibly be associated with a specific party herself now, could they?
I absolutely am NOT saying they are Mike's fault. I am saying that due to his political connections, including an entrenched Republican party which has had no accountability to this, he is no the person to be able to clean up the State's attorney's office. The issues of the Sheriff's office and their many grievous practices are not the issue in the State's Attorneys race. Both Waller and Curran should have been removed from office long ago. Between wrongful convictions, beatings and deaths, Lake County is the laughing stock of the country. (See the New York Times article on Lake counties wrongful convictions.) Mike does have a plan for gang activities. having worked with gangs in Chicago, I understand the importance. I appreciate his bringing this to the for front. I do not speak for a specific party, I speak for myself. Clearly, I do not support the Lake County Republican Party. A thriving two party system is the best for county and country, The entrenched party is finally being held accountable for the abuse and neglect in the State's Attorney's Office and other offices. Mike will simply not be able to make the changes needed to restore justice to Lake County. So, what was your name again???
And yes, you were blaming Mike, even if indirectly in your initial post, to the point where you should apologize to him, for crying out loud. You incinuated he was in some way involved with cases where people were wrongly convicted of murder, so not only was your comment way off-base, it was downright insulting and rude, at the least. You say that you do not support the Lake County Republican Party, yet in the VERY SAME PARAGRAPH claim a thriving two party system is best. Do you even read what you write, or notice how you contradict yourself? You need to be attacking Waller and Curran, not this guy. Your comments would be like if I blamed you for a crime your neighbor committed. It's ridiculous and very offensive. And I can tell by your anger that I have, as my screen name says, A Valid Point...Again. Guess the truth hurts.
Not to mention, it took a jury to wrongfully convict those people too, which doesn't excuse the mistakes made by the clowns that brought the charges to begin with, or the sloppy police work, but perhaps those on these juries should have taken a closer look and demanded there be more real evidence before they convicted anyone. It makes them just as guilty. But for you to somehow connect Mike to the horrible wrongs of others isn't just political mudslinging, it's sickening and false.
Wouldn't it automatically become a conflict of interests since you've chosen to represent this commission? How would that be handled? Would you completely excuse yourself from any involvement or knowledge about it? I know this is a hypothetical question, but it is the kind of situation that pops up in the real world a lot, not just in the state's attorney's office, but throughout villages all over the county. While I realize police and certain villages need attorneys too, it just concerns me a little, because if someone committed a serious crime in Lakemoor, a defense attorney could then accuse you of having ties to the officers who investigated that crime based on this knowledge alone....which would put us back to square one as far as the existing bad press from prior wrongful convictions locally. All I am saying is perhaps it wasn't the wisest move to represent anything police-related in Lake County if you want to espouse the notion that you are working independently. It's only human nature to want to believe those who you've worked with and represented, but it could create a big problem down the line. I hope you see my point.
I'm not saying I like the other candidates ideas better, Mike, but it really concerns me.
As the attorney for the police commission, I do not make any hiring or disciplinary decisions. My job is to provide legal advice to the police commissioners and to make sure they are in compliance with the law. If elected State's Attorney, I will no longer serve in this capacity. Any potential future lawsuits against the Village of Lakemoor or its police commission would not automatically involve a conflict of interest. Keep in mind, I do not represent the Village of Lakemoor, only its police commission. If there are any future cases that have even the appearance of a conflict, I would not be involved in those cases.
Mr Nerheim has never used negative campaigning and does not FIT into the preceived PARTY mold. I feel some have commented before seeking to know BOTH sides of the aisle. Please seek information and facts before you cast your vote. Wouldn't you want to be an informed voter?
He has nothing to do with the past problems in the State’s Attorney’s office! In fact, he has a detailed plan to address these problems. He has become an expert in DNA evidence, and will use this expertise to prevent future DNA problems. His work with gang prevention and sponsorship of teen-age court demonstrates his community commitment. I wish I had this man’s energy!
Lots of Attorneys have left the States Attorney Office and taught DNA evidence usage. Again, the problem was not and is not being an expert in DNA evidence. It is being willing and able to take this and any evidence where it leads, not leading it as Waller has done. What exactly is the criteria for an "expert in DNA evidence" in the legal field? I do believe it relates to the scientist who has studied and presents the actual evidence in court - not the lawyers who hire them to testify as EXPERTS. Chris Kennedy, the other Candidate for States Attorney, has taught the same class on DNA evidence that Mike teaches.
Mr. Petraeus to command the war in Afghanistan, http://www.guccibeltsoutletstores.net /Gucci Beltsand later picking him to lead the C.I.A., effectively ended lingering concerns among Obama political advisers that the http://www.coachoutletonlinewo.com /Coach Outlet Storepopular general might challenge his commander in chief during the election.Mr. Petraeus and his wife met http://www.coachfactorystoredo.com /Coach Factory Onlinewhen he was a cadet at West Point; she was the daughter of the academy’s superintendent and a student at Dickinson http://www.coachfactoryoutletpo.com /Coach Factory Outlet OnlineCollegeinPennsylvania.condemnation on Wednesday.“ The Egyptian people, the Egyptian leadership, http://www.coachoutletonlinefc.org /Coach Outlet Onlinethe Egyptian government and all of Egypt is standing with all its
http://www.guccibeltstb.com/ Gucci Belts http://www.coachoutletonlineyds.net/ Coach Factory Online http://www.cocoachoutletonline.org/ Coach Outlet Online