EXPOSED 2023- Mayor Jeff Grove retaliation letter. Is this who you want running our city?

INVESTIGATIVE Report: Mayor Grove’s Last-Minute Letter – A Political Manipulation Tactic :TARGET GARY HAMMERS / NICK'S ON 6TH

WRITTEN BY J.HICKS

March 5, 2025

Introduction

On the eve of the 2023 1st Ward election, Mayor Jeff Grove distributed a letter to FIRST Ward residents, attempting to sway public opinion and discredit a political opponent, Gary Hammers, while promoting his own appointed candidate, Robert “Bobby” Thompson. This deliberate, last-minute communication raises serious questions about the misuse of the mayor’s office for political advantage, selective enforcement of city ordinances, and the manipulation of public perception.

This investigation breaks down the content, context, and real motives behind the letter to expose the pattern of political favoritism, misinformation, and backdoor influence that has plagued LaSalle under Grove’s administration.

Mayor Grove’s multi-page letter was delivered to 2nd Ward residents just one day before the election, leaving no time for rebuttal, fact-checking, or a public response from the targeted candidate, Gary Hammers. This last-minute tactic is a textbook example of election interference disguised as “information.”

The letter addresses:

• Alleged building permit violations by Hammers.

• Noise ordinance complaints against Hammers’ business, Nicks on 6.

• Hammers’ involvement in local development projects.

• Direct promotion of Robert “Bobby” Thompson, Grove’s appointed alderman.

The timing alone is suspect, but the content reveals a much deeper agenda.

Part 1: Discrediting Political Opposition Through City Processes

The Permit Issue – Selective Enforcement

The letter paints Hammers as a developer who routinely ignores permit requirements, implying recklessness. However, Grove admits in the same letter that the city’s permit enforcement is often reactionary — triggered only when someone sees a dumpster or files a complaint.

This inconsistent enforcement policy leaves room for political targeting, allowing the city to crack down selectively on opponents while overlooking violations from favored businesses or allies. This investigation found no evidence that Hammers was treated the same as other developers, indicating political bias in the permit enforcement process.

Key Question: Why does the city only enforce permits when convenient, rather than through consistent oversight?

Part 2: Weaponizing Ordinances Against Opponents

The Noise Ordinance – A Case Study in Targeted Enforcement

The letter highlights over 20 noise complaints against Nicks on 6, Hammers’ business. Yet only three tickets were issued — two were paid, and one was dismissed. The complaints appear to have been used to build a paper trail against Hammers, rather than being addressed through consistent application of noise ordinances across all businesses.

Grove even admits that instead of calling the police — the proper process — he personally intervened, placing himself directly in the conflict. This blurring of lines between mayor and code enforcer raises ethical concerns about whether Grove used his office to target a political rival under the guise of code enforcement.

Key Question: Were other businesses with outdoor music subjected to the same level of scrutiny and direct mayoral intervention?

Part 3: Rewriting Development History

Taking Credit for Private Investment

In his letter, Grove lists several developers (including Hammers) and attempts to take credit for LaSalle’s development successes. The reality is far different. Key projects, such as the east-end subdivisions, Senica’s Golf Course, and the downtown revitalization, were driven by private individuals — not Grove’s administration.

Developers like Hammers and Senica invested their own money, time, and vision — not city funds. Grove’s attempt to tie their work to his administration is not only misleading but reflects a long-standing pattern of self-promotion at the expense of others’ efforts.

Key Question: How much of LaSalle’s progress was actually the result of private investment, with Grove merely taking credit after the fact?

Part 4: The Political Endgame – Protecting His Appointed Candidate

The Promotion of Bobby Thompson

The letter is not just a smear campaign against Hammers; it’s a campaign advertisement for Robert “Bobby” Thompson, whom Grove appointed to the council. By portraying Thompson as selfless and without an agenda, Grove attempts to manufacture an image of trustworthiness, despite Thompson’s appointment being rooted in Grove’s desire to control the council’s balance of power.

This section of the letter underscores the real purpose behind the communication: ensuring that a Grove-aligned candidate retained power, keeping the city council under his influence.

Key Question: Was this letter a last-ditch effort to preserve political control, not inform the public?

Part 5: The Broader Pattern of Manipulation

This letter is not an isolated incident. It fits a well-documented pattern in which Mayor Grove and his administration:

• Reward political allies with appointments and favorable treatment.

• Punish critics and opponents with selective enforcement and public smear campaigns.

• Take credit for private successes while blaming others for the city’s failures.

• Control information flow to residents through last-minute messaging designed to suppress public debate.

This culture of manipulation, misinformation, and intimidation has defined Grove’s administration for nearly two decades.

Mayor Grove’s 2023 election-eve letter is a case study in political interference disguised as transparency. By selectively enforcing permits, leveraging noise complaints, and rewriting LaSalle’s development history, Grove attempted to scare voters into supporting his handpicked candidate while smearing an independent developer who dared to challenge him.

This isn’t governance. It’s political control by intimidation, deception, and distortion of reality.

The people of LaSalle deserve to know the truth — not just the carefully constructed narrative of a mayor desperate to cling to power