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Trustee Paul Humpfer was convicted on March 5, 2008 — nearly 5 months ago! — of striking his wife with a baseball bat. But he has yet to be sentenced because his attorneys are being allowed to keep the case from being finalized.
Humpfer’s attorney, Patrick Crimmins, retreated to a tactic already tried by Humpfer’s former attorney Van Richards: Accuse the judge of being in on the take.
Crimmins wants a new trial based on the fact that Judge James Hallock is the brother-in-law of former Carpentersville trustee, Bob Whitehouse.
In a move that drew outrage in 2005, Whitehouse resigned his seat and recommended Humpfer to fill the vacated position. This came after Humpfer lost a bid for Village President. Humpfer would have no longer been a member of the Board, had Judy Sigwalt and outgoing President Mark Boettger done what appeared to be a backroom deal to put Humpfer back on the Board.
Humpfer then resigned his seat that was expiring, and was appointed to Whitehouse’s seat.
Humpfer received seemingly favorable treatment back then, and if the Judge grants the new trial, will again seem to be the recipient of favorable treatment.
Actually, Humpfer’s sentence itself showed favorable treatment, as any other person who strikes another with a baseball bat as Humpfer was found guilty of, would have been charged with a felony.
But, not Paul Humpfer.
Apparently, Crimmins is using the “six degrees of separation” defense by saying that Village President Bill Sarto also has ties to Judge Hallock because they happened to attend the same high school — more than 40 years ago. Records show that the two were not even in the same class.
Maybe Crimmins should seek a change of venue too. The fact that any judge might have grown up in the same state, or lived in the same area as anyone on the Village Board — past or present — would likely make them whine about anyone who finds Paul Humpfer guilty.
And through all this, Paul Humpfer maintains his seat on the Village Board … in charge of our tax dollars … making decisions about the future of our community.
Perhaps its time for the federal authorities to investigate exactly what is going on.
Related:
- June 19, Humpfer sentencing delayed again
- May 15, No new trial for Humpfer
(Note: I’ve been sitting back for a few weeks, letting some of the things that were set in motion move along. I’ll continue to do so, posting thing — such as this — when necessary.)
The following letter was submitted to the Courier-News. Nick Petersen of the Courier-News declined its publication.
This is the second time that Audit & Finance Commissioner Nate Spain has been squelched when attempting to defend himself against statements that appeared in the press — specifically the Courier-News:
Dear Editor-
Citizens of Carpentersville, where is your outrage? Religious leaders of Carpentersvlle, where is your outrage? Leaders of our educational institutions in Carpentersville, where is your outrage? Business leaders of Carpentersville, where is your outrage? I am referring to the fact that Trustee Humpfer, convicted in March of four counts of domestic battery, continues to serve as a Villlage Trustee and Chairman of the Audit & Finance Commission!!
According to today’s Courier News, Trustee Humpfer characterized my refusal to attend meetings of the Commission as “a game I am playing.” Since when is following the dictates of one’s conscience a game? Is it not Trustee Humpfer who is “toying” with the citizens of Carpentersville? Perhaps he is hoping that the collective apathy of the citizens of Carpentersville will enable him to continue to hold office. I have a feeling he is right!
Nate Spain
Carpentersville
Nate, I’m sad to say that the huge majority of people who live in Carpentersville simply don’t care … they don’t care about government, they don’t care about the politics, they don’t care about the crimes by the those in the town’s government, and they seemingly don’t care about the town.
Thank you for you commitment. Without people like you, this town would be much worse off.
It is also sad that the Courier-News’ editorial department appears to be playing these politics. If anyone is “playing games”, it is Mr. Humpfer, who — though convicted on March 5th — has managed to skirt sentencing for nearly 5 months; and didn’t even live in Carpentersville for a year (despite the legal requirement to do so, and nothing keeping him out of the town).
I guess it helps to have friends in the media. And the courts….?
Just thought I would throw this out here …
Now, there have been those who are in the Sigwalt and Humpfer camp who have called me out for siding with Bill Sarto, and only attacking Sigwalt, Humpfer and Co. They say that Mr. Sarto is not a perfect man, and I basically shouldn’t be so blind to the things that he’s done.
However, if one looks at the discussions … are they doing any different? Not at all. In fact, they began things this way … ALWAYS attacking Sarto (and Linda Ramirez-Sliwinski), as though the others had no faults — when, in fact, the wrongs of Humpfer, Sigwalt and Co, were/are much more serious than anything that any others on the Board have done.
So, when people say that I’m one-sided in my criticism, perhaps they should look around and see that folks like “Aunt Brenda”, Richard Grass, Dennis “Peter Piper” Carr, and a few others posting under various aliases on the Daily Herald site, are even more blatantly attacking — with even more venom; posting mocked up photos and other images to make their attacks.
Their singular goal is/was to get Bill Sarto out of office, so that their friends’ positions in office may be safeguarded … and their failures in office will go back into their shadows.
It seems to me that they knew they were in trouble when Sarto got elected … which is why they acted as they did to get the loser in the election (Humpfer) back on the Board … and why they even excused his criminal conviction so that he could stay on the Board. (I have to admit wondering how serious are the things they are trying to cover up, if it would go to the extent of basically exhonerating serious crimes.)
Maybe things would begin to change if others stepped up and said … yeah, we don’t like the Village President, but we also can’t let those who commit and/or are convicted of serious crimes remain members of our government.
“Give to the [few] a distinct and permanent share in the government…”
It seems that earlier reports and efforts to remove a member of the Audit & Finance Commission might have been a bit premature.
Audit & Finance Commission member, Nate Spain disapproved of the decision to allow Trustee Humpfer to stay in office after Humpfer was convicted in early March of four counts of domestic battery. Citing moral objections, Spain stated his intention not to attend any further Audit & Finance Commission meetings, so long as Humpfer remained Chairman.
In response, Humpfer’s allies on the Board proposed and approved new rules that would allow removal of committee members who miss 3 consecutive meetings without a legitimate excuse.
Last weekend it was reported that Trustee Paul Humpfer would propose an item be placed on the agenda for the July 15 regular meeting of the Village Board seeking the replacement of Nate Spain for missing 3 consecutive meetings without reasonable cause.
However, emails from Spain to Village officials show that the reason for two previous absences were due to his being out of town on business, which would be legitimate reasons for the absences.
On May 21, Spain sent an email to Village Manager Craig Anderson explaining that he had to go out of town on business, and would not be at the May 22 meeting of the A&F Commission.
Spain sent another email on June 11 stating that he would also be out of town on business for the next A&F Commission meeting.
The prior emails provide the Village Manager more details related to the business trips.
In an email earlier this week, Spain explains that he was in town for the meeting on June 26, but “declined to attend the A & F meeting on the basis of my previously stated act of conscience.”
So, in my opinion, I have to miss two more consecutive meetings in order for the ordinance to apply to me.
Spain concludes his letter with notification that he will be out of town on vacation “from the 5th until 12th of July in the [event] another A & F meeting is scheduled during that period”.
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