Seemingly every Naperville City Council meeting is now bogged down by a litany of liberal political activists who clog up virtually every meeting with their complaints and accusations and personal attacks on their disfavored council members.
On numerous occasions they have called for code of conduct violations to be levied against Josh McBroom and Jennifer Taylor for different reasons. They are mad at Nag Jaiswal. They still bring up the long gone Kevin Coyne. They pick on others from time to time too. It’s beyond old at this point.
Interestingly, they take no issue with Benny White. He who directed the F word in anger toward his female colleague during a live meeting and while seated on the dais. Where is the League of Women Voters on this one?
Similarly, Councilman Holzhauer has clearly run afoul of the spirit of the code of conduct with highly questionable social media activity that ranges from his juvenile comparison of Mayor Wehrli’s handling of the Bears controversy to the infamous “double doink” kick to Ian getting busted using social media during a live meeting, posting on an agenda item nonetheless.
We ask these liberal speakers to curtail their time wasting and childish fits and instead model their next appearance after the very dignified and respectful approach taken by the vets who appeared before the Naperville Park District this week.
The vets came to call for support for a plaque that honored those lost in the American Revolution. While they were passionate, the vets did not jeer. They did not personally attack anyone. They did not boo and hiss. Best of all, they were effective. The plaque was approved unanimously after initial push back to it from the Board.
As usual, our vets prove to be folks to respect. Also – as usual – progressive activists prove to be ineffectual and examples of how people should not conduct themselves.
Let’s hope these party loyalists soon learn that you can get more flies with honey then you can with vinegar. Activists, please stop embarrassing our City and yourselves with these repeated circuses. It is not working and only serve to remind voters why they did not support activist-tied council candidates last April.
Ironically Benny and Ian are vets that naperville conservative activists always go after.
Naperville is the only town that I’ve ever seen a government watchdog try to be a watchdog of tax payers too. SMH.
Stick to Florida, man.
Nancy, way to stick to the topic you lightweight. It was sad to see several speakers that didn’t support the vote against calling for a ceasefire in gaza had to be escorted to their cars by the police. Thompson and McGuirre hate free speech, especially from their elected officials. That is what is scary.
Spot on Nancy. Sad to see pro Palestinians being doxxed and harassed by Naperville conservatives. Naperville conservatives did the same against school board members.
Okay. I did not see anyone one being cheered, jeered, doxxed or otherwise targeted with two exceptions. Both of these were people that spoke out against the ceasefire resolution. So this was not a rampant problem as this article implies. Yes, some people started snapping their fingers when they were told to not clap, but this did not appear to have any disruptive impact (I don’t think many people even noticed). No, that doesn’t mean it was okay, it still violates the principles of the council decorum rules and is should not be allowed to happen again.
I have been to council meetings were people had to be escorted out of the building by police. Were outburst from the attendees were frequent and loud. But that was not the case this last meeting. None of this happened at this meeting. I did not see anyone make any threats of violence either verbal or physical toward anyone. Just because someone has convinced themselves they are threatened and need police protection does not mean anyone was actually in any danger.
McBroom – The documents from the freedom of information request by the Chicago Tribune clearly indicates that this council member lied to the Tribune and other media outlets about the events surrounding the volunteer list that this member requested city staff investigate. These lies were so egregious that the Chicago Tribune published an article calling out McBroom for his lies to the Tribune, other media outlet and Naperville city residents. Further these documents show he used official city resources in a manner that violates city regulations. He should at the very least be censured by city council for his conduct, if not criminally investigate for misappropriation and misuse of city resources. No member of city council has ever so egregiously abused their official capacities in the past as this council member has. Letting it go without consequences is to set precedence that makes city council rules and city regulations pointless. And without these rules and regulations city council and city management would collapse into chaos.
Taylor – this council member has on more then one occasion specifically target either Benny or Ian during council meetings in a way that violates city council rules of decorum. In her defense she is not the first to do this. Some that have done this in the past have been censured by city council and some have not. So the calls for her censure for her violation of the decorum rules, while persistent, are not out of line.
City council decorum rules only apply to council members during city council meetings, not before or after. These rules do not apply to social media post, especially when done using only personal resources and no city resources, unless, possibly, they are posting during a city council meeting. If they did former council member Coyne would have had to be censured at almost every council meeting.
This is the second time that the Watch Dog has mentioned White using the f-word in relation to Taylor. The first time it was mentioned, it was stated as a claim, now it is stated as a fact. The Watch Dog, however, did not this time, or the last time provide any evidence to support this accusation. This is unusual since in the past the Watch Dog has been careful to avoid promulgating claims and accusation without supporting them. I am not sure what has changed but it is a dubious change in behavior.
Finally, as a vet, I am offended by the Watch Dog using situations involving veterans to promote the Watch Dog’s own opinions & view. This kind of conduct has become common by people from all across the political spectrum (to “wrap themselves in the flag” by exploring veterans). We are not a group to be exploited by anyone to promote their views, agendas, self interest, etc. We served our country because we wanted to protect the ideas that are the foundation of the country that has given us so much. Ideologies that are documented in the Declaration of Independence, our Constitution, the Federalist Papers, etc. To exploit this service it to dishonor this service.
In my view, open forum should be moved to the end of the council meetings. It is completely unfair to make all of the people and businesses who are on the agenda to conduct business with the city, to have to wait for activists from all positions take up the the petitioner’s time, for items that usually have nothing to do with city governance.
Good idea.
It would seem that putting it just before the new business agenda item would be appropriate. By being before the new business it gives city council, should they choose, a chance to address any requests for action by council at this council meeting rather then the next.
I’ve been saying this for a long time. Should do this for the activists that come to school board to speak too.
3 people apparently contacted McBroom, THREE!!! Yeah huge groundswell of folks wanting to get on a list, big gotcha Jim. Again, you CANNOT stop anyone, from the public, or on the dais from exercising their right of free speech, I don’t care what the “Rules” are. Especially in a public setting paid for by taxpayers. They would never stand a court challenge. Why can’t you lefties get that through your big, fat, dumb heads?
If someone threatened someone or said something illegal, different story, but that is NOT the case here.
Jim, you need to go back to school. You aren’t as smart as you think you are.
As a member of city council McBroom sworn and oath that places the best interests of the city and our community before his own (including any constitutional rights). He also sworn to comply with the rules and regulations of city council and city government.
McBroom broke that oaths, as these emails clearly show, multiply times. That is the reason he should be censured by council if not criminally investigate by the city attorney.
I now all of you “righties” have a problem with conforming to the rules of law, but they do apply to you even when holding elected office.
Finally, even the constitution does not say a person exercising any of these rights is protected from the consequences of their action. You know, that court of public opinion that you “righties” are always attempting to try “lefties” in for exercising their constitutional rights can also be used to try you.
Criminally investigated? Now you are stepping into nutjob territory. Nice try Jim, but McBroom’s right of free speech supersedes all else. Good luck with your lame argument. You aren’t as smart as you think you are, as evidenced by your dumb financial statements argument recently in front of city council. Your attempt at scoring political points backfired big time. Give it up, you will never be elected to city council.
Mr. Haselhorst, should Benny White be criminally charged for intimidation or assault when he angrily used the F word at his female colleague during a meeting? How about a conduct violation. It was heard by several board members who verified it. Just because you didn’t hear it doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. Ask Benny if he said it. He will probably lie about but ask him.
I have received several comments from people who agree with me on the financial statement not being transparent. Even members of city council can not figure this report out. And they agree the staff member’s response was evasive. I have not seen anyone that supports your opinion on this issue, so it appears it is your position that is “dumb”.
As to McBroom. No one is above the law!!! City regulations prohibit using city resources for any thing other then city business. And the emails obtained by the Tribune through FOIA request indicate McBroom violated these regulations, which is criminal misappropriation of city resources. Not saying he committed a felony, but it was criminal and should be investigated. Again it is your opinion which is ill informed on the facts.
As to your assertion that a person’s freedom of speech rights supersedes all else. The Supreme Court of the United States has rule no constitutional right, including free speech, is absolute. The SCOTUS has made several rulings over the last hundred years restricting constitutional rights.
One such case is were a government employee has signed or given an oath which places compliance with government regulations above these rights. All government elected official swear such and oath as do all members of the military. The oath McBroom swore when he took office does place the best interests of the city and community above his own best interests (i.e. rights). No one is forced to become a government official so any claim of coercion does not apply.
First off using the F-word toward any person, whether done in anger or any other mental/emotional state is not a crime. But if this council member wants to file charges with NPD she is certainly allowed to do so, but not anyone else. There is nothing saying that using this work is criminal, not in city ordinance, state statue or federal law!!! If it were our jails would be filled with people everyday who direct this word toward other drivers during their daily commute.
Second, if White did this during a city council meeting it would definitely be a decorum violation subject to censure. But if this happened then it would be recorded on the video made of all city council meeting which are posted online. So it would not be a matter of anyone’s word, it would be a recorded truth.
Again anyone that wants to go before city council and petition the city council to censure White for a decorum violation is certainly welcome to do so, just make sure you have more then he said, she said “proof” it happened.
They do have proof, multiple city council members heard it. Good luck censuring McBroom. If the city has such an iron clad case, as you imply, then why did the Park District’s attorney state that board had NO LEGAL AUTHORITY to censure him? Get your facts straight. You like to pick and choose to fit your narrative.
Again, if it is not on the meeting video then it did not happen during the council meeting. And council decorum rules only apply to council members during council meetings. So there is no grounds to censure White for violating council decorum rules.
The Park District attorney is not a member of the city staff let along a member of the city’s legal department.
The city council does have the authority to censure members of the city council and has done so in the past. Not just for their conduct during council meetings but for illegal conduct outside of meeting (which is what one past member of the council was censured for). In the past the city council has censured several members with city attorney seated right next to the mayor every-time it has been done. And it is the city attorney’s job to make sure all council meetings are conducting in accordance with all legal requirements (that is why he is there!!!)
I agree that anyone that uses bullying tactics (disrespecting, marginalizing, intimidating, taunting, personal attacks, etc) and disrespects the legislative process (which is what all council meetings are) should not be given what they want. It does not matter if this person is simply a citizen or a presidential candidate, such behavior should never be rewarded or in anyway encouraged.
I agree Hamas is a terrorist organization and 98% of the problems that exist in Gaza are directly related to Hamas exploiting Palestinians (using aid organization to support their terrorist attacks, using relief shipment to smuggle weapons, using schools & hospitals to shelter Hamas weapons & soldiers, basically using Palestinians as human shields in every way possible).
I agreed that the Palestinian people should not be targeted for Hamas’s action. But they are not completely blameless, since it was the Palestinians in Gaza that voted in Hamas to take over its government (against the protest of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank) over 20 years ago.
Hamas was only able to do all of this because the Palestinian people allowed them too, helped them build a network of tunnels. So while the Palestinians are victims in this situation they are not blameless victim. They did have the means to stop Hamas many time in the last 20 years but choice not to.
As to Dianne McGuire, Nancy Turner, and Tim Thompson. If they believed this was something that the city should become involved in they would have spoken publicly about it by now. So exploiting this situation to take a cheap shot at these people is just as bad of behavior as the people you are complaining about. Making you look like a person “living in a glass house throwing rocks”. Or putting it more directly it makes you look like a hypocrite.