FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
ABC7
— Mike Madigan found guilty on 10 counts in partial verdict, not guilty on 7 counts. Republicans, Democrats denounce corruption that brought Madigan down.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/mike-madigan-news-jury-illinois-house-speaker-corruption-trial-reaches-consensus-17-charges-deadlocked-6-others/15897869/
— Senate confirms Gabbard as Trump’s director of national intelligence after Republicans fall in line
https://abc7chicago.com/post/tulsi-gabbard-senate-votes-nomination-trumps-director-national-intelligence/15897871/
FOX32
— Pat Brady reacts to Madigan’s guilty verdict
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1592230
WTTW
— Judge Clears Way for Donald Trump’s Plan to Downsize Federal Workforce With Deferred Resignation Program
https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/12/judge-clears-way-donald-trump-s-plan-downsize-federal-workforce-deferred-resignation
WBEZ
— PBS shutters DEI office. The public broadcaster says it is closing its Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) office to comply with a recent executive order from President Donald Trump.
https://www.wbez.org/media/2025/02/12/pbs-shutters-dei-office
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Reader: Removing late Rep. Henry Hyde’s name from DuPage courthouse is ‘terrible and petty’
https://chicago.suntimes.com/letters-to-the-editor/2025/02/12/removing-henry-hyde-name-dupage-courthouse-wrong-blagojevich-donald-trump-suenos-ymca
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Michael Madigan guilty of bribery conspiracy, wire fraud
https://chicago.suntimes.com/madigan-trial-news/2025/02/12/mike-madigan-trial-jury-deliberation-write-through
CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Madigan jury sends a message — to all of America
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/michael-madigan-jury-sends-message-ethics-greg-hinz
KWQC
— Illinois GOP leader McCombie said Madigan’s guilty verdict ‘sober day’ for state
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bx98bYXzi4A
NPR ILLINOIS
— Pritzker emerging as one of Trump’s most vocal Democratic critics
https://www.nprillinois.org/illinois/2025-02-12/pritzker-emerging-as-one-of-trumps-most-vocal-democratic-critics
FOX ILLINOIS
— White House ‘not satisfied’ with number of ICE arrests
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/white-house-not-satisfied-with-number-of-ice-arrests-illegal-immigration-customs-enforcement-migrants-president-donald-trump-sanctuary-cities-white-house-border-czar-tom-homan-sex-trafficking-ring-gang-tren-de-aragua-gangs
CAPITOL FAX
— Roundup: Madigan, McClain trial verdict
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/12/roundup-madigan-mcclain-trial-verdict/
— Madigan/McClain verdict react (Updated)
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/12/madigan-verdict-react/
— Madigan/McClain trial verdict cheat sheet
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/12/madiganmcclain-trial-verdict-cheat-sheet/
— Madigan jury has come to a unanimous decision on 17 counts, deadlocked on 12 counts
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/12/madigan-jury-has-come-to-a-unanimous-decision-on-17-counts-impasse-on-12-counts/
FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WHEATON RECORD
— Alumni Sign Letter of Complaint After Vought Controversy. Social media posts congratulating Russell Vought on his new position with the Trump administration sparked controversy.
https://thewheatonrecord.com/2025/02/12/alumni-vought-controversy/
CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— Illinois House GOP demands ethics reforms after Madigan guilty verdicts
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_201ead3e-e97d-11ef-a7f8-3b73f27018ea.html
MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— My Wife Bought Champagne When Investigation of Madigan Began Pledging Not to Open It Until He Was Convicted, Now’s the Time
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/12/my-wife-bought-champagne-when-investigation-of-madigan-began-pledging-not-to-open-it-until-he-was-convicted/
— Press Release from U.S. Attorney on Mike Madigan Conviction
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/12/press-release-from-u-s-attorney-on-mike-madigan-conviction/
— House Republicans Point to Suzanne Ness’ Huge Contributions from Mike Madigan
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/12/house-republicans-point-to-suzanne-ness-huge-contributions-from-mike-madigan/
— Schakowsky Outlines District Impact of Social Security Expansion Law Giving Higher Retirement Benefits to Government Employees
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/12/schakowsky-outlines-impact-of-social-security-expansion-law-giving-higher-retirement-benefits-to-government-employees/
— Election Cartoon
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/12/election-cartoon/
— February 21st Is Day Lara Trump Speaking at McHenry County GOPAC Event
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/12/february-21st-is-day-lara-trump-speaking-at-mchenry-county-gopac-event/
— About the Proposed Commuter Service to Rockford through Huntley
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/12/about-the-proposed-commuter-service-to-rockford-through-huntley/
— LaHood Criticizes Blagojevich Pardon
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/11/lahood-criticizes-blagojevich-pardon/
— Wilcox Files Domestic Abuse Bill
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/11/wilcox-files-domestic-abuse-bill/
— Trump Pardon of Blagojevich Minimizes Problem with Illinois Corruption
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/11/trump-pardon-of-blagojevich-minimizes-problem-with-illinois-corruption/
— Challenges to FOID Card Requirement’s Constitutionality Continue
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/11/challenges-to-foid-card-requirements-constitutionality-continue/
— Schakowsky Demonstrates at Treasury Department
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/11/schakowsky-demonstrates-at-treasury-department/
— Former State Rep. DeLoris Doederlein Honored by Kane County Republicans
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/10/former-state-rep-deloris-doederlein-honored-by-kane-county-republicans/
— DeWitte Outlines Latest on Illegal Aliens
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/10/dewitte-outlines-latest-on-illegal-aliens/
— Schakowsky Defends Federal Employees
www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/10/schakowsky-defends-federal-employees/
— Illinois Compared to Indiana
https://https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/09/illinois-compared-to-indiana/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES
WASHINGTON TIMES
— The Associated Press exposes its hate for Trump … again
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/12/associated-press-exposes-hate-trump/
— U.S. government employees overwhelmingly back Democrats. In politics, nothing indicates loyalty more than where people put their money. (COMMENT: While I was a federal employee for almost 30 years, virtually all my superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates were Democrats.)
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/11/u-government-employees-overwhelmingly-back-democra/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The federal workforce has become an integral part of the Democratic Party power structure, rivaling the liberal mainstream media, billionaire donors and the activist nonprofits they fund as its most important political ally. This is why Democrats are proclaiming a guerrilla street revolution. They want to stop President Trump and point man Elon Musk from downsizing their army and from surgically removing liberal agenda offices, agencies and leaders — a force it took Democrats years to put into place. Mr. Musk immediately targeted the U.S. Agency for International Development and its exporting of woke ideologies. Federal election records show that USAID personnel contributed $240,000 to the Kamala Harris campaign in the 2024 election cycle and just $999 to Mr. Trump. Of USAID’s top 20 funded candidates, just one was a Republican. President Biden used executive orders to open the southern border to drug cartel-smuggled migrants, to rewrite Title IX for men in women’s sports and to repay students’ delinquent loans without congressional approval. Democrats cheered. They warn Mr. Trump not to downsize the U.S. government, as our national debt reaches $36 trillion, or we’ll impeach him again. OpenSecrets.org, which tracks campaign donations, shows that government workers bankroll Democrats in large ratios. In politics, nothing indicates loyalty more than where people put their money. Employees in the government’s 15 Cabinet-level departments, such as Defense, State and Justice, contributed over $9 million to candidate Harris compared with $1.6 million to Mr. Trump. Looking at federal employees collectively would put them in the top 12 of Harris donors. “One of the reasons the left gravitates to the bureaucracies is because they know it allows them to exercise unaccountable power,” Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, told me. His group has uncovered government misconduct by aggressively pursuing Freedom of Information Act lawsuits. Mr. Fitton added, “History shows effective conservative government reformers will be targeted, isolated, harassed, smeared and destroyed. And public employee unions necessarily have an interest in bigger government, which means they are allied with and support leftist and Democratic Party politicians.” For example, when IRS whistleblowers came forward to testify about Mr. Biden’s family corruption, agency higher-ups smashed them. Special Agents Joe Ziegler and Gary Shapley testified to the House Ways and Means Committee in 2023 that the Justice Department blocked their probe of Hunter Biden into income tax fraud. In December, the Office of Special Counsel, an independent agency that protects against whistleblower reprisals, concluded that the two were the victims of illegal gag orders and workplace retaliations by top IRS officials. IRS employees donated $644,000 to Democrats and $135,000 to Republicans in the 2024 election cycle.)
— ‘Reverse flow’: Illegal immigrants streaming back home after being blocked by Trump’s border
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/12/reverse-flow-illegal-immigrants-streaming-back-hom/
NEW YORK POST
— Trump says he wants ‘con job’ Education Department closed ‘immediately’
https://nypost.com/2025/02/12/us-news/trump-says-he-would-like-education-department-closed-immediately-but-needs-buy-in-from-congress-unions/
— DOJ announces lawsuit against New York, Hochul and state AG James over ‘sanctuary’ status
https://nypost.com/2025/02/12/us-news/attorney-general-pam-bondi-announces-doj-lawsuit-against-new-york-hochul-and-state-ag-james-over-sanctuary-status/
— Federal judge allows Trump to push forward with buyouts for government workers after 65K accept offers
https://nypost.com/2025/02/12/us-news/federal-judge-allows-trump-to-push-forward-with-buyouts-for-government-workers/
FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES
CBS NEWS
— Attorney General Pam Bondi announces lawsuit against New York over immigration enforcement
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/attorney-general-pam-bondi-immigration-enforcement/
— Judge allows Trump’s deferred resignations plan for federal workers to proceed
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/judge-allows-trumps-deferred-resignations-plan-federal-workers-to-proceed/
CNN
— Government watchdogs fired by Trump sue to get their jobs back
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/12/politics/inspector-general-lawsuit-fired-trump
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Eight inspectors general whom Donald Trump fired from their federal agency watchdog posts are suing for their jobs back, adding to the legal scrutiny over Trump’s first weeks of decisions in the White House and raising questions about his political intentions. They say that Trump shouldn’t have been able to fire them in late January without first notifying Congress and that the White House ignored regulations around their removal that existed to protect them from political interference and retribution. The administration’s “actions have inflicted substantial damage on the critical oversight ethos of transparency, truth-telling without fear or favor, and respect for the rule of law,” the lawsuit, filed in Washington, DC’s federal court on Wednesday, states. The lawsuit is the latest among more than four dozen filed in federal courts to challenge swift, early executive actions by the Trump administration. Many of the lawsuits, like Wednesday’s, allege that Trump’s White House is depriving Congress of some of its power. The IG’s case adds to a pile of challenges from government workers the Trump administration has removed from various posts — especially those in independent or non-political roles. The dismissals also raise questions over Trump and temporary government adviser Elon Musk’s adversarial approach to existing, long-established federal corruption watchdogs, at a time Trump and Musk are dismantling parts of the government, citing in part a desire to root out corruption. Trump’s dismissal of 18 IGs happened in the first week of his second term, when the watchdogs each received two-sentence emails titled “White House Notification” from the Office of Presidential Personnel. The reason they were given was “changing priorities,” which is not a sufficient reason under the law, their lawsuit claims. Soon after, the IG’s government email access was shut off, and they couldn’t return to their office buildings. “Their purported removals were legal nullities, and so they remain the duly appointed IGs of their respective agencies, unless and until the President lawfully removes them in compliance,” attorneys for the eight IGs wrote. “Plaintiffs’ integrity has been baselessly maligned publicly, with the abrupt and unlawful nature of their purported removals incorrectly implying that plaintiffs have done something wrong when in fact they have each done nothing but uphold the values of their positions and the IG community,” the suit adds. The IGs allege Trump has told Congress – as is required by law – nothing. The lawsuit instead points out the president commented to the press some IGs “were not doing their job.” Trump fired a 19th inspector general, the USAID’s watchdog, this week. The inspectors general, in positions across many government agencies, work to find and prevent waste, fraud and abuse within federal departments. The IGs say their work is non-partisan and ultimately saves taxpayers billions of dollars, protects vulnerable Americans’ rights and safeguards national security, according to the complaint. Those whom Trump fired include IGs at crucial departments including Defense, Health and Human Services, State and Veterans Affairs who say their work has saved the agencies millions of dollars. One of the IGs who is suing, Phyllis Fong, had been in her position at the Department of Agriculture for more than 20 years. After Fong was told she was fired, she continued to go to work, “recognizing that her termination was not effective because it failed to comply with the IG Act’s requirements,” her attorneys wrote, until her federal badge was deactivated and her computer and phone were taken back by the Department of Agriculture. Several of those who are suing had worked under Trump during his first term in the presidency, and one, Hannibal “Mike” Ware of the Small Business Administration, had been Trump’s nominee for the post in 2018. The other IGs who are suing are: Robert Storch of the Defense Department; Michael Missal of Veterans Affairs; Christi Grimm of Health and Human Services; Cardell Richardson of the State Department; Sandra Bruce of the Education Department; and Larry Turner of the Department of Labor.)
WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Are Trump’s Attempts to Overhaul the Federal Workforce Legal? Personnel moves will face a range of tests in court.
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/are-trumps-attempts-to-overhaul-the-federal-workforce-legal-f36cb5c0
RASMUSSEN REPORTS
— Birthright Citizenship: Majority Want Limits
https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/trump_administration_second_term/birthright_citizenship_majority_want_limits
