What’s that saying about poking the bear?

Nothing seems to tempt fate more than mentioning the possibility of something bad happening. ― Donald G. Firesmith

Aside from being too stubborn – or stupid – to give it up, the proximate cause of my journalistic longevity is to avoid getting overly attached to a single possibility. If, on rare occasion, a column has the desired effect, it’s a nice bonus and nothing more. Overestimating your capacity to change the world can only lead to heartbreak.

By the same token, after taking to the keyboard for nearly two decades, it’s somewhat gratifying that public officials prefer not to get on my bad side. And if the fear of my printed presence prevents them from tempting the I-don’t-think-anyone’s-watching fates, that makes the general effort worthwhile.

In that vein, prior to last week, I can’t remember the last time a potential column subject flipped me the double bird. But before we get to the actual flipping event, please let me remind you what The First Ward posted back on September 5:

The candidates who should NEVER offer or accept endorsements are sheriffs, state’s attorneys, and judges, because those critical elements of our criminal justice system must remain above the fray to be effective.

And:

If the usual suspects persist in this endorsement pointlessness, The First Ward will be particularly brutal in its coverage of that development, including, but not limited to, filing the appropriate ARDC and JIB complaints, and perhaps initiating some court proceedings of our own. In the words of the great Austin Powers, “Oh, behave.”

Again, being careful not to overestimate my influence, I knew it wouldn’t work, but I didn’t know it wouldn’t work in quite this dramatic a fashion.

Because there I was, barbecuing chicken on my back yard grill early last week only to spot Kane County state’s attorney Jamie Mosser and 16th Circuit associate judge Sandra Parga walking right past my backyard in an attempt to secure more nominating sheet signatures. And they were having a grand ole time, too.

The conflict of interest when justice system principals endorse each other is bad enough, but to knock on doors together is much worse because it’s much more than an endorsement. Talk about no fear of the appearance of impropriety. Ms. Mosser’s ASA minions regularly appear in Ms. Parga’s juvenile courtroom and that kind of overtly cozy relationship will affect the best judge’s decision-making process.

But here’s what really frosts my flakes. Had our dynamic duo canvassed any other neighborhood, I wouldn’t have known about it. Sure, there’s the off chance a reader would’ve recognized them and reported back, but not having witnessed it firsthand, it would’ve merited just a sideways First Ward mention.

What truly flabbergasts me, however, is Ms. Mosser had been to my house two or three times when I managed her original campaign, so she knew she was walking right past me with a sitting judge in tow. And she did this despite my explicit written warning, too. Further evidence of her absurd audaciousness is, despite the four potential signatures residing within, the duo avoided ringing my Ring Doorbell which would’ve recorded the act.

Since I promised to be “particularly brutal” if I caught a state’s attorney, judge, or sheriff behaving with a blatant disregard for any reasonable ethical standard, that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

This is just another indication that Mosser doesn’t begin to understand the gravity of her position, which renders her incapable of taking the job seriously. She clearly considers that building at Route 38 and Peck Road as a giant frat house created for her personal entertainment. A sitting state’s attorney canvassing with a sitting judge is so far beyond any jurisprudence pale that I’m almost rendered speechless.

So, now our state’s attorney has earned the ARDC complaint she so richly deserves.

But as bad as her blatant disregard for the office is, it’s far worse for a sitting judge who MUST maintain some semblance of impartiality to be regarded as fair and effective. And laughing and giggling as you walk down Adamson Drive with the state’s attorney not only calls your moral center into question, but your IQ as well.

Ms. Parga already has enough ethical issues as it is, not the least of which is how she put herself in a position to become a judge. I’m sure she’ll be happy to tell you that story if you ask nicely.

I’ve personally seen Ms. Parga lie, in and out of court, with the ease that most of us take our next breath. On the issue of competence, I watched a judge tear up one of her motions and throw it back at her, crumpled page by crumpled page. That’s something I’ve never seen before or since.

We’ve previously discussed how those judicial center attorneys make a real effort to be polite to each other while plying their trade. But not Ms. Parga! I saw her go after a junior associate attorney in the back of a courtroom just because that attorney had the temerity to challenge her motion.

The are two reasons Ms. Parga made judge. The first is her relationships, and the second is she was the only Hispanic woman in the mix when the 16th circuit desperately needed an Hispanic woman on the bench. Her appointment certainly wasn’t based on merit.

The best proof of my unfit-for-the-job postulate is she doesn’t understand that putting a political relationship with the state’s attorney on public display for everyone – and particularly this journalist – to see, belies the kind of callous disregard for the job that means she shouldn’t be judging a sixth-grade science fair, much less affecting the lives of children on a daily basis.

So, she’s earned that Judicial Inquiry Board complaint.

Sadly, unless some last-minute Republican enters the race, Ms. Mosser has no opponent in the upcoming election cycle, but Ms. Parga does. Associate Judge David Kliment is running against her and I’ve already reached out to his team to provide my unique brand of statistical campaign advice should they need it.

But in the end, it all boils down to you, the voter. Only you can send the kind of message that clearly demonstrates your disapproval for questionable judges like Ms. Parga, and that’s to vote for her opponent in November 2024.

They walked right by my house and posted their “collaboration” on Facebook, too! Isn’t it truly terrifying when Jeff Ward is the only adult in the jurisprudence room?