The “lies” the first poster put up are factually flawed. It is really a shame when people are so partisan that they can’t look at issues from any other lens.

October 22, 2008

http://chicagoist.com/2008/10/22/state_politician_apologizes_for_lyi.php

State Politician Apologizes For Lying, Breaks Blogging Rules
Looks like Round Lake Mayor Bill Gentes told a little fib on his resume. Gentes, a Democrat who is campaigning for the state senate seat in 26th district, said he took a leave of absence as operations director at the Realtor Association of NorthWest Chicagoland. As it turns out, he was actually fired from the position early this year. Oops! Gentes told the Chicago Tribune that he didn’t come clean about his employment history because he was “embarrassed.” Still, it’s probably not as embarrassing as being caught in a lie because you were too embarrassed to tell the truth in the first place.

Dan Duffy, the Republican nominee in the 26th district race, said Gentes’s little white lie raises serious ethical questions but refused to stoop so lows as to call Gentes a “liar, liar with pants on fire.” The Republican contender also points to a lucrative village contract made to a real estate company that employs Gentes’s wife. Gentes defended the decision by saying the village had a long history with the company (where he was also a licensed real-estate agent) even before he became mayor.

Gentes may also be in violation of the village’s ethics act by including a link to his campaign blog on his “Mayor’s Blog,” which can be found on the Village of Round Lake website. According to the ethics code, “no officer or employee shall intentionally use any property or resources of the village of Round Lake in connection with any prohibited political activity.” Prohibited political activity can mean “distributing, preparing for distribution, or mailing campaign literature, campaign signs, or other campaign material on behalf of any candidate for elective office or for or against any referendum question.”

While it doesn’t exclusively say “website” or “blog” in the act, the mayor’s campaign blog could be considered campaign literature. Lets see if he’s too embarrassed to admit it.

1. Economic development has never occurred as he promised

2. We never got the hospital that he promised

3. We never got the grocery store that he promised

4. We never got the transportation bypass for 120 that he promised

5. We never got the policy reform that he promised

6. He closed us off to public comment and stopped recording public meetings

7. He tried to put a power plant in the heart of our community

8. He has raised our taxes every year

9. He spends more time focused on his blog promoting “Bill” than he does promoting his constituents

10. He has always been focused on the next public office and not cared about the current one

Beware 26th District: don’t allow Gentes’ ineffectiveness in Round Lake spread to the rest of the District. Carefully study his claims vs. action; his talk vs. his walk; his promises vs. his results. Consider the impact of a guy who would aggressivel promote the location of a power plant in the heart of his community vs. listening to his constituent’s concerns.