How I would have a request for political favor

Gus Philpott
Woodstock Advocate
March 7, 2014

Yesterday I wrote about a political favor. Suppose a substantial contributor to my political campaign for sheriff in 2010 had later asked for a special favor.

First of all, just about everyone who knows me already knows he is not going to get a favor. But let's say he tried.

When he called for a favor, I would have thanked him for calling (courteously, of course) and then I would explained that (if I had been a deputy at MCSD) we could not have any conversation about my political activities while I was at work.

Then I would have told him that I was sure that the deputy at the crash site was professionally trained and could be counted on to follow General Orders and the law. I would have told him that, if his employee had any complaint about his treatment, he would be welcome to contact the Sheriff's Department and speak with that deputy's supervisor.

There is NO way in the world that I would have called the deputy on the road and instructed him how to handle the call, about which I had no direct knowledge.

I was reminded of a friend of my stepson who told me in 2010 that he hoped I would get elected sheriff because, if he got stopped, then he would just tell the deputy that he was a friend of mine and would get out of any ticket.

I explained just how big a mistake that would be. First of all, all the deputies know I don't have any friends.

Secondly, one of the first things I would have done after December 1, 2010, would have been to tell deputies that, if anyone ever said he was a friend and wanted to get out of a ticket, then that deputy had my permission to write him two tickets!

On March 18 voters must elect the right candidate in the Republican Primary. And then McHenry County voters must elect a sheriff in November 2014 who has high integrity.