ELECTION 2020: OGLE COUNTY_One party, two candidates, and no pulling punches

OREGON – In one of the few contested primary races in the Sauk Valley, two Republicans are squaring off in a bid for Ogle County state’s attorney.

Incumbent Eric Morrow, 44, of Oregon is running against Mike Rock, 53, of Byron, who held the job as interim state’s attorney in 2013-14, and was defeated by Morrow in his bid to retain the job.

There is no Democratic challenger on the March 17 ballot.

In addition to 5 years as state’s attorney, Morrow was in private practice with Smith & Morrow from 2002 to 2014, and before that was an assistant Ogle County state’s attorney from 2000 to 2002.

Rock, now chief of staff of the Winnebago County state’s attorney office, was first assistant to the state’s attorney in Ogle County from 2010 to 2013 before being unanimously appointed interim state’s attorney by the county board when Ben Roe became a judge. Rock was in private practice from 2000 to 2010.

Rock said he entered the race after numerous law enforcement officers, county board members, crime victims and community members asked him to run because they didn’t think Morrow “is doing the job.”

“We need to bring back integrity and experience to the office,” Rock said. “Ogle County deserves better than what they’re receiving right now.’

Morrow said he originally ran in 2013 because Rock’s leadership was “severely lacking.”

“I want to be reelected to continue operating the office professionally and keep the county where my children live safe while holding true to our community’s values,” Morrow said.

Morrow’s endorsers include retired judges Michael Mallon, Kathleen Kauffmann and Charles Beckman, and former Ogle County State’s Attorney Doug Floski.

Rock is endorsed by former Oregon mayor and Ogle County Board Chairman Jim Barnes, retired Ogle County Sheriff Greg Beitel and, according to his website, 14 members of the 24-member Ogle County Board.

Rock said he is proud of the board endorsements, and no board member has publicly endorsed Morrow. The state’s attorney is the board’s counsel.

“When the county board wants to fire their own attorney, that’s telling you how they feel about the job,” Rock said.

Morrow has criticized Rock’s choice to run as a Republican in the primary after not always voting as one in the past.

“I’ve always voted as a Republican,” Morrow said. “I’ve never changed my values, views or political affiliation to run for office. If you look back, that’s the difference between my opponent and I. He was voting [as a Democrat] up in Boone County prior to 2013.”

Rock said “99.9 percent” of the time, he’s pulled a Republican ballot and he identifies as a Republican.

Rock also has noted that Morrow never has prosecuted a jury trial, while he has more than 50 under his belt, including murder and high-quantity drug cases.

Morrow touts his experience, and that of his staff.

“As far as trial experience, I’ve been a lawyer for almost 20 years,” Morrow said. “That’s a lot of experience I think. And I also have a very experienced staff, and a lot of this job is administrative and policy-making, too.”

Rock also criticizes Morrow’s use of plea agreements that result in reduced sentences for certain criminal offenses, and said that, if elected, he won’t “be beholden to a few connected defense attorneys.”

“Although negotiated plea agreements are a necessary method of resolving some criminal cases, there shouldn’t be routine reductions of felony offenses, domestic violence, and driving under the influence, as is the practice with the current office-holder,” Rock said.

“This is a small legal community,” Morrow said. “We all know each other. I’m not beholden to anyone. I’m independent, I give independent advice to the county officials and I make independent decisions. We all have a job to do. Mine is to represent the people of the state of Illinois and do what’s right and just. That’s what we do every day.”

One topic that has come up is Morrow’s handling of the case of Megan Wells, 31, killed June 24, 2016, when a johnboat operated by Marc Mongan, 49, an Oregon businessman, struck her as it went over the back of the pontoon boat in which she was riding.

Mongan was sentenced to 2-and-a-half years’ probation plus restitution and other conditions.

A special prosecutor was assigned in August 2017 after concerns were raised by the Wells family that Morrow and Mongan had social ties. Both were members of the Oregon Masons and Tebala Shriners. Morrow denied a conflict, but asked a special prosecutor be appointed.

“He kept that case for a significant period of time and was on the verge of dismissing it until the victim’s family came forward,” Rock said. “A prosecutor has no business handling a case where there’s the appearance of impropriety. The lack of judgment he demonstrated there, anybody with experience knows that’s not right.”

“I have nothing but sympathy for the parents of the victim, but there’s no issue as far as any kind of conflict of interest,” Morrow said. “The family’s attorney said it showed a lot of integrity in this office to [defer to a special prosecutor]. They’re a grieving family and my heart goes out to them, but there’s no issue there.”

If reelected, Morrow intends to expand the county’s specialty courts. He was a founding member of Ogle’s drug court team in 2009, and the county since has added a DUI court. His first choice to expand further would be to add a mental health court.

“We see more and more mental health issues driving criminal offenses,” Morrow said. “Incarceration is not the answer for that. We want to make our communities safer and help the people committing the crimes.”

He’d also like to continue to work on automation and efficiency in his office, which he said has helped with accuracy and creating a database of information on offenders, victims and witnesses.

Upon gaining office, Rock said he’d first set up meetings with law enforcement to review major cases.

“I know there’s a huge backlog of cases in the current state’s attorney’s office of police reports that aren’t being acted on,” Rock said. “We’d set up a day and see what we need to get cleared up and work on and how we can best go about having a successful prosecution if appropriate.”

Rock also added that he’d revamp programs dealing with victims and witnesses, who he says “are not being kept abreast of what’s happening on the cases” by Morrow’s office.

ONLINE

Find Eric Morrow for Ogle County State's Attorney on Facebook or go to morrowforstatesattorney.com for more information.

Find Mike Rock for Ogle County State's Attorney on Facebook or go to votemikerock.com for more information