So I come from this hearing on whether or not Kristin LeBlanc should be allowed to run against Patsy Smith as the new president of Campton Hills.  The hearing, which had a board or panel made up of three village people was kinda fun to watch.  I showed up late because of events with my kids and school, but I still caught the better part of the 3 hour dog and pony show. 

In fairness to a Mr. Millette (spelling, I'm not sure) he seemed to try to be fair to both sides, but after each attorney proposed an objection he'd relent.  The other attorney would object to his decision and he'd re-relent and then the original attorney would argue again, and Millette would re-re-relent, and so on and so on and so on!  Millette seemed to try to be fair, but didn't really exercise great judicial competence as the officer of this hearing.  Irrespectively, he seemed to have tried.

There are a few issues here...and a greater one that I'll hit later, but the issues are as follows:

1. Did LeBlanc file a proper petition in order to get on the ballot for April's election?  From the testimony it appears that she probably didn't.  She should have done other things in a proper manner it seems. 
2. Did Patsy Smith object in a proper fashion to LeBlanc's petition?  The evidence seems overwhelming that she failed to object properly in a legal manner!  The second issue with her was did she use her power to influence an election during her role as an elected official.  It appeared that she did abuse that power, but alas, I digress.
3. THE BIGGEST ISSUE FOR ME, PERSONALLY IS THIS....Is Patsy competent, mentally, as well as ethically to lead Campton Hills?  First, let me say that I don't know her at all.  Not one bit!  But just hearing her speak makes me want to say WOW because of the way she carries herself as a so called representative of Campton Hills.  She sat up there and must of said "I don't remember more times than I thought was possible.  What amazes me most was when she was asked where she filled out her objection.  She said she did it on her laptop, but didn't remember where.  I'm sorry, but she does remember.  Something this monumental in her political career was very recent.  She should remember.  I remember where I was when I wrote most of these posts on Active Rain.  For something this big and huge for her career, believe me....she remembers.  I'm not sure why it was such a secret.  LeBlanc's attorney brought up all of the cases that she was involved with where the judge as well as the appellate judge questioned her credibilty in the writing of their decisions.  All she had to say in her defence was "yeah, that made me mad."  Huh?????  You're trying to lead a new municipality that you created and that's it???  Wow?  The judges have no interest in Campton personally, but they clearly felt that Patsy "acted in the best interests for whatever her need was at the moment." 

I kept thinking of the quote about putting lipstick on a pig.  I'm not slamming Patty saying that she is one, but as I stood there listening to her B.S., I kept thinking what's she wearing that no one sees behind her lipstick?  It just made me wonder what is she wearing that no one seems to see beyond?  The judges obviously saw enough of it to memorialize it til eternity in their legal opinion.  Her presentation today was awful, if not repulsive.

I saw some of Patsy's folks there.  I'm amazed that Barb Wojnicki is with them.  She seems so kind, courteous, gracious, sincere and professional.  I don't get it.  On the surface, she doesn't fit the Patsy mold.  As a person, she has always been kind and professional and respectful to me.  She seems to be able to separate emotion from her personal feelings on the issues at hand.

Dick Johansen (spelling?) was there acting like a DICK, er actingas Dick.  I remember him personally running and screaming through Fox Mill when I was running for supervisor.  He just got out of the car and started running across lawns screaming about me like I was chasing him with an axe or something (I usually don't bring an axe when doing door to door politicking) and all of the homeowners who were around started looking at him then back at me.  I just shrugged and they started laughing.  DICK seems about 5 and three quarters beers short of a six pack.  He was looking at me, making the goofiest faces at me and then started bobbing his head and making faces with me while I was trying to pay attention to Patsy's testimony.   So wierd!  All I could think of was..."So that's why his parent named him Dick."  I stay away from him.  After his other incident with me, I'd feel safer if he was incarcerated or deported.....I digress again.

The long story short is that there seem to be a few decent folks that "seem" to have tried to be fair here at this hearing.  Really!  Even from most of the folks I'm against politically. 

For me the really question comes down to

what's right for the residents in Campton?

It really only took me one night of seeing Patsy smirk and "not being able to remember anything in her life" as recent as a few weeks ago.  The Illinois Judiciary universally questioned her credibility enough for me to know that she shouldn't lead...or at least not lead Campton.

I don't know Kristen at all.  I never heard of her until two weeks ago.  I've only been aware of her through this issue, so I'm not going to say that she's all that.  Maybe she is, maybe not.  I'm not at liberty to make the call right now.  Time will tell, but hey, even if she's only on the ballot through write in, Patsy's gotta go (Take DICK with you). 

What amazed me most is that I was thinking we spent how much on this objection?  Once again the residents get hosed flipping the bill for this nonsense.  Patsy, why don't you just let her run.  You both duke it out and let the winner be president.  Maybe it's not that simple, but for me wasn't there a time when life was that simple?  Believe me...there was.  It was just Pre-Patsy!