Gross To Stay in Senate -- For Now

Made official today, one of the worst-kept secrets in St. Charles County political history, state Senator Chuck Gross was introduced by newly sworn-in County Executive Steve Ehlmann as the county's new Director of Administration -- effective AFTER the upcoming legislative session adjourns.

Gross, senate appropriations chairman, can no doubt to more for St. Charles County from that position in the upcoming months, and I would hate to lose him in the senate for that reason. But I also hate to end up in a situation where we have a special election for a senator after session is over (presumably August or November), and then that senator has to run for re-election in 2008. Ask Senator Scott Rupp how difficult that is.

Meanwhile, Joann Leykam, County Counselor, will be appointed on an interim basis as county administrator until the end of the legislative session in May, 2007.

Matt Thornhill Should Step Down

Before he is even sworn into office as an Associate Circuit Judge, judge-elect Matt Thornhill has stirred quite a bit of controversy.

There are old republicans in the county that didn't quite care for Thornhill from the beginning -- partially because his comments at a Pachyderm Club meeting went way beyond where they should have gone -- and then because he tried to backpedal on them at his next visit.

Now comes his resignation as a prosecutor, because he allegedly solicited and accepted what can only be described as bribes of sports memorabilia in exchange for lessening charges against a defendant in a drug case in which he was prosecuting.

Even Prosecuting Attorney Jack Banas seems ready to condemn his former employee, by requesting that while on the bench, Thornhill be excused from hearing any and all criminal cases.

Given the sordid past of some high-profile members of the Republican Party lately, Randy "Duke" Cunningham and Mark Foley come to mind, and locally, former St. Peters Mayor Shawn Brown, it is time for the Republican Party to demand, if it is found that he did what is alleged, that Thornhill resign from the bench.

The Republican Party has always been a rather unforgiving party when it comes to misdeeds from within. The party has not stood steadfastly by the Cunninghams and Foleys of the world, and nobody came to the aid of Brown. All resigned in disgrace, as they should have.

Now it is time for the party to take a hard line stance on Thornhill. This serious lack of ethics has no place on the bench, and he should not be rewarded for his involvment.