Why is the Herald not outraged?
This is in response to your editorial of May 4. First of all, we need to correct some of the accusations that were made. The spending of public money to the tune of $20,000 that your paper claimed was spent by me to find legal support is false. Worst, your newspaper knew it was false when they made that claim. You knew it was false because your newspaper had asked for and received from me that "bills list." I had discussed those charges at an open village board meeting and your staff reporter, Larissa Chinwah, was there during that discussion.
Those legal fees date back to 2006. The overwhelming reason for those expenditures were due to things initiated by Trustees Paul Humpfer and Judith Sigwalt. In large part, that money was due to the illegal immigration issue that had been raised by Humpfer and Sigwalt in Carpentersville in the fall of 2006. There were even some charges on that list initiated by a supporter of Humpfer and Sigwalt. The supporter lives in Harvard. Why the taxpayers of Carpentersville were charged for that information is a real problem.
It has been nearly a year since Humpfer was charged with four counts of domestic battery. The fact he was convicted of these charges two months ago is reason enough for outrage to be expressed that this person has shown no sign of remorse for what he has done and continues to take his seat on the village board. This is unacceptable and should be an outrage to every decent person living in Carpentersville. Humpfer was found guilty of hitting his wife with a baseball bat.
The real question is why hasn't the media applied more pressure for Humpfer to resign? Where is the outrage from the media? It's been two months and finally, not on the editorial page but instead in Amy Mack's column, the Daily Herald has gone on record to ask Humpfer to resign. If he doesn't, then what will your newspaper do, go back to sleep for another two months? It's incredible that this has dragged out for this long and there is still no sign this will be resolved anytime soon.
Isn't it interesting how the media works? Presidential candidate Barack Obama has been widely criticized by the media for not acting immediately to denounce what his pastor had said during sermons over a span of 30 years and I'm criticized for acting too quickly to denounce the crimes of one of our trustees. The editorial board is putting me in the political crosshairs of the Daily Herald for acting too quickly and too forcefully in my denunciation of serious domestic abuse. The media can't have it both ways. Once again I ask where is the media's outrage against serious domestic violence?
Bill Sarto
Village President
Carpentersville