Is it OK to call a fellow trustee a Nazi? Island Lake blog wars heat up

Island Lake trustees are fighting again, this time over the publication of e-mails in one official's political blog.

Trustee Laura Rabattini's blog has been under attack before, but her decision this week to publish some of Trustee Don Verciglio's e-mails in her July 12 post titled "Blog Nazi: Full Disclosure" has set off a new wave of controversy.

In the post, Rabattini refers to Verciglio as the "village blog Nazi." In his published e-mails, Verciglio objects to the content in other posts on Rabattini's blog, called "What's Happening in Island Lake."

Verciglio said that as a proud veteran he is very upset at being called a Nazi. He said that Rabattini may not even know what a Nazi is and he e-mailed her demanding an apology.

Rabattini said she will not apologize because she has nothing to apologize for.

"He needs to grow a thicker skin if he's going to be in politics," Rabattini said.

Rabattini said she meant no insinuation of Nazism, but was using a humorous popular culture reference from the show "Seinfeld."

"It's not derogatory in the old-fashioned sense. It's just borrowing a humorous phrase that is frequently used in my generation," she said.

Rabattini said she published Verciglio's e-mails in an effort to "let the people know that there's certain trustees in this village that don't support what I'm doing (blogging), which is trying to make the village transparent."

Verciglio said that as a trustee, Rabattini should not continue her blog, and he accuses her of publishing incorrect village information.

"She can be a blogger or trustee, not both," Verciglio said.

Island Lake Mayor Debbie Herrmann had no comment on the matter.