February 4, 2026 Evening Edition

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

DAILY HERALD
— Elgin High School students protest immigration enforcement with walkout, march. DD: What policy does your school district have on student walkouts? Democrats run education in America. Obviously, students in high schools in America who support enforcement of America’s immigration laws are ever-increasingly unwelcome.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260204/news/elgin-high-school-students-protest-immigration-enforcement-with-walkout-march/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Carrying signs with messages like “my parents aren’t criminals” and “kids shouldn’t live in fear,” more than a thousand Elgin High School students walked out of the school just after noon on Wednesday to march in protest of federal immigration enforcement. Multiple students estimated that about three-quarters of their roughly 2,500 classmates participated. “We want people to see that we can make a difference and that what we’re doing is important,” senior Silvia Scimonelli said. The roughly 2-mile march along frequently snow-covered sidewalks took the students from the school to Chicago Street, where they headed west to Willard Avenue, then south to Villa Street and back to the school. The protest follows a similar event at Elgin Area School District U-46’s Streamwood High School. Walkouts are also planned in the coming days at Larkin and South Elgin high schools. Freshman Jamison Vaskin said he took part because “what is happening in America is 100% not OK.” “I’m out here because of the dehumanization that’s happening in our country,” he said. “The attack on our Constitution and our rights, the constant abuse that ICE is inflicting on our citizens, the murder of American citizens. It is heinous.” Matthew Napoles donned a sombrero and carried a portable speaker while leading his classmates in songs and chants. He said he was there to “show ICE that we obviously don’t like them.” “They always try to take away the people that we love, and I’m just trying to keep them safe,” he said. A statement from the school district said the walkout was “initiated by a group of students who wished to express their views about an issue that is important to them.” The district sent a communication to parents on Tuesday to make them aware of the walkout and encouraged families to have conversations about “respectful expression, civic engagement, and making responsible choices while at school.” A spokesperson for the district said students who participated in the walkout were marked absent for missed instructional time, in accordance with district policy. Students were allowed back in after the protest.)
— Democrats demand ‘dramatic changes’ for ICE, including masks, cameras and judicial warrants. DD: Democrats want to stop deportation of their illegals. But failing that, they want to cripple, disable, hinder, impede, hamstring, and undermine ICE.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260204/nation-and-world-politics/democrats-demand-dramatic-changes-for-ice-including-masks-cameras-and-judicial-warrants/

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Cook County clerk urges early mail-in voting amid USPS postmark change before March 17 primary
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/04/cook-county-clerk-urges-early-mail-in-voting-amid-usps-postmark-change-before-march-17-primary/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— USPS postmark change could ‘threaten’ mail-in voters, Cook County officials warn. The Illinois primary election will be held March 17. All mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received within 14 days to be counted.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2026/02/04/usps-postmark-change-could-threaten-mail-in-voters-cook-county-officials-warn
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2026/02/04/federal-judge-orders-trump-administration-not-to-deport-chicago-man-cleared-of-bovino-murder-plot
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2026/02/04/trans-students-felt-threatened-by-this-symbol-of-the-far-right-why-didnt-northwestern-intervene
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more and more and more dependency on government, that is, Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote socialism.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/2026/02/04/nih-funding-cuts-science-life-saving-medications-research-northwestern-flies-genevieve-nemeth

ABC7
— US Postal Service changes could delay mail-in ballots for upcoming Illinois primary election
https://abc7chicago.com/post/us-postal-service-changes-could-delay-mail-ballots-upcoming-illinois-primary-elections-2026-march/18541796/
— A federal judge in Indiana ordered the Trump administration not to deport a Chicago carpenter cleared of accusations that he put a $10,000 bounty on the life of Border Patrol Cmdr. Greg Bovino. DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/indiana-federal-judge-orders-trump-administration-not-deport-juan-espinoza-martinez-acquitted-bovino-murder-hire-trial/18542149/
— Trump says his admin could use a ‘softer touch’ on immigration. DD: Democrat leaders and their illegals are overjoyed.
https://abc7chicago.com/live-updates/minneapolis-ice-shooting-live-updates-county-medical-examiner-lists-alex-prettis-death-homicide/18528885/

FOX32
— Trump’s call to nationalize elections ‘not possible,’ expert says. DD: All elections should have both Republican and Democrat oversight.
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/fmc-2ap9oe0guenrydon
— New bill would ban ICE agents from becoming law enforcement officers in Illinois. DD: Have you been banned? My their wasting my career, by their taking many big adverse actions against me, and by their forcing me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997, my Democrat superiors in the federal government banned me from getting any kind of employment appropriate for someone with my work experience, education, professional certifications, and professional license.
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/fmc-4nnbispqzmtkxe1v

WBEZ
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ.
https://www.wbez.org/education/2026/02/04/trans-students-felt-threatened-by-this-symbol-of-the-far-right-why-didnt-northwestern-intervene

WILL
— GOP U.S. Senate candidate Casey Chlebek, Polish immigrant, talks immigration reform, taxes, ‘cultural Marxism’
https://will.illinois.edu/21stshow/story/republican-u.s-senate-candidate-casey-chlebek

NPR ILLINOIS
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use Good and Pretti to fight deportation of their illegals.
https://www.nprillinois.org/2026-02-04/brothers-of-renee-good-call-for-action-in-congress

KFVS
— DD: Democrats and RINOs use Affirmative Action and DEI to get rid of Republicans.
https://www.kfvs12.com/2026/02/04/siu-celebrate-diversity-with-2026-international-festival/

PATCH ILLINOIS
— Peoria County Delays Early Voting Due To Court Case Involving Republican Gubernatorial Candidate
https://patch.com/illinois/across-il/il-county-delays-early-voting-due-court-case-involving-republican-gubernatorial

PROPUBLICA
— The Real Story Behind the Midnight Immigration Raid on a Chicago Apartment Building. DD: The owner of the low-income apartments that surround the Milton Township government building in Wheaton prohibited me from distributing flyers there that promote Republican participation in and Republican support of Wheaton Independence Day Parades. The parades stage there and start there. In 2007, many of the residents of those apartments came out to see the elephant that I had arranged to walk in the parade.
https://www.propublica.org/article/chicago-venezuela-immigration-ice-raid-landlord-tren-de-aragua

CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2026/02/04/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-462/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— What do you get blamed for? According to my critics/opponents, I bring all my problems on myself. The following are things that I have done, that my critics/opponents have used to justify their taking adverse actions against me. I did not become a Democrat. I avoided the Vietnam War draft. I complained about political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, and age discrimination. I filed arbitration demands and lawsuits. My wife and I gave up trying to have children, we did not adopt, and we did not become foster parents. I became an active member in a class action lawsuit that charged my superiors with reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation. I have served as the GOPUSA Illinois Editor since 2000 and I have always fought for direct election of Illinois Republican Party State Central Committee members. I served as the Milton Township coordinator for Pat O’Malley’s gubernatorial primary campaign in 2001 and 2002. I served as an Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee member 2003-2007. I served as the TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairman 2005-2012. I served as the Republican fundraiser for Wheaton Independence Day parades and fireworks 2005-2019. I led groups that stopped video gambling in Wheaton in 2009 and the sale of pot in Wheaton in 2019. I have always promoted conservative principles. My critics/opponents have lots of religious, government, political, and/or financial power and clout. They use their operatives and their dupes to destroy people like me who they cannot manipulate or dominate, who refuse to glorify and praise them, who refuse to pander to them, who refuse to serve as one of their operatives or dupes, who refuse to cover up their wrong doing, and/or who refuse to give them money. I should write about my critics/opponents. I take the many big adverse actions that they have taken against me as badges of honor. But of course, my critics/opponents deny that they took their adverse actions against me for the aforesaid reasons. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— The blue-state model is failing
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/editorials/4444096/blue-state-model-failing/

NEW YORK POST
— White House to scrap race, sex requirements for mortgage applications. DD: University Park was created by HUD. Ever since I bought a new townhome in University Park ( https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/774-Sunset-Ct-5-University-Park-IL-60484/5451474_zpid/ ) when I was 24 years old in 1972, my critics/opponents have hinted/implied/argued/shouted that my buying that townhome improperly/unethically stopped a Black and/or a female from buying that townhome.
https://nypost.com/2026/02/04/us-news/white-house-pushed-to-scrap-race-sex-requirement-for-mortgage-applications/

AMERICAN THINKER
— Europe Chooses Abortion and Suicide. If America can’t learn from Europe’s death, America will soon die, too.
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2026/02/europe_chooses_abortion_and_suicide.html

FOX BUSINESS
— Ex-RNC chair Reince Priebus outlines the keys to victory for GOP in midterms
https://www.foxbusiness.com/video/6388777445112

FOX NEWS
— Trump doubles down on calls for GOP to ‘nationalize’ voting as congressional leaders balk. GOP leaders in the House and Senate say they don’t want to federalize elections. DD: All elections should have both Republican and Democrat oversight.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-doubles-down-calls-gop-nationalize-voting-congressional-leaders-balk

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ABC NEWS
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use Good and Pretti to promote more hatred against Republicans.
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/ice-gets-worse-ratings-polling-after-prettis-fatal/story?id=129859236
— What Democrats are demanding in the fight over Immigration and Customs Enforcement funding. DD: To vote for Democrats is to promote illegal immigration.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/democrats-demanding-fight-immigration-customs-enforcement-funding-129842937

ABC NEW YORK
— Black History Month. DD: My Black Democrat GAO subordinate who my Democrat GAO superiors replaced me with led the office’s Black History Month events.
https://abc7ny.com/post/what-is-black-history-month-important-heres-know-2026/18542088/

NEW YORK TIMES
— DD: Democrat leaders and their illegals crow that Homan is pulling 700 immigration agents out of Minnesota
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/02/04/us/trump-news
— 10 Movies to Stream for Black History Month. DD: My Black Democrat GAO subordinate who my Democrat GAO superiors replaced me with led the office’s Black History Month events.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/03/movies/black-history-month-movies-streaming.html

WASHINGTON POST
— 12 ways to celebrate Black History Month. DD: My Black Democrat GAO subordinate who my Democrat GAO superiors replaced me with led the office’s Black History Month events.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2026/02/04/black-history-month-events-concerts-dc/

WFAA
— Texas students could face discipline after immigration enforcement walkouts. DD: What policy does your school district have on student walkouts?
https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/politics/immigration-news/texas-students-could-face-discipline-immigration-enforcement-walkouts/287-8bbe3097-38de-4940-95e5-06c32c9f2de6

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Nike Is Investigated for Alleged Discrimination Against White Workers. The EEOC is investigating allegations that Nike’s DEI objectives resulted in ‘a pattern or practice of disparate treatment against white employees.’ DD: While I worked for the Democrats who ran the federal government for almost 30 years, they gave tremendous preference to their Democrat employees who were minority and/or female, that is, they discriminated tremendously against their Republican employees who were White and/or male.
https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/workplace/nike-subpoenaed-over-alleged-discrimination-against-white-workers-e8f1bb0e
— Top Senate negotiators said that an effort to renew expired healthcare subsidies had effectively collapsed, likely ending the hopes of 20 million Americans that the tax-credit expansion could be revived and lower their monthly insurance premiums.  DD: Because I am a retired federal employee, the federal government pays 72% of my and my wife’s healthcare insurance premiums. The 28% that we pay just increased from $600/month to $700/month.
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/negotiators-say-talks-to-restore-aca-subsidies-likely-dead-a9c710b4

POLITICO
— Supreme Court won’t disturb new California congressional map. It seemed unlikely the justices would block Democrats’ gerrymandering effort after they kept Texas’ Republican map in place.
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/04/supreme-court-california-prop-50-map-00764862

ONLINE NEWS ASSOCIATION
— ONA Condemns Arrests of Journalists Covering Anti-ICE Demonstration in Minnesota. DD: I should write about those who have had their operatives and their dupes take the most/biggest adverse actions against me since 2000 because of my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters.
https://www.journalists.org/news/ona-condemns-arrests-of-journalists-covering-anti-ice-demonstration-in-minnesota
(FROM THE POSTING: The Online News Association stands with journalists who have been threatened, physically assaulted, detained and arrested while doing their jobs covering immigration raids and protests in Minnesota, Portland, Chicago and elsewhere. We condemn the arrests of journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort on Jan. 30, who have since been released. They were lawfully covering a Jan. 18 demonstration at a church in St. Paul, Minn., actions that are protected newsgathering activities and should have never resulted in arrest. To be clear, journalism is not a crime. These journalists were not committing unlawful acts; they were committing acts of journalism. ONA, alongside NABJ, NAHJ and other journalism support organizations, urges law enforcement and courts to uphold the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Press freedom is a cornerstone of that amendment and is essential for healthy, informed communities and a functioning democracy. When journalists are detained or arrested for doing their work, it sets a very dangerous precedent that undermines public trust and weakens the democratic bedrock we all rely on.  The same constitutional protections apply to independent journalists as to those working within newsrooms. Independent journalists like Lemon and Fort play a vital role in documenting our communities and bearing witness during moments of profound public consequence, and they need our collective support now more than ever.)

Author: David Diersen

The opinions that I express in GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails are based on experience that I have gained doing many things since 1948. I base my opinions on what I learned a) working for the federal government for almost 30 years -- Post Office 1966-1969, IRS 1971-1980, and GAO 1980-1997, serving on the Executive Committee of the Association of Government Accountants Chicago Chapter 1983-1996, and being a union member while I worked for the Post Office and IRS; b) earning an MBA from Loyola in 1976, a masters degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980, and a masters degree in financial markets and trading from IIT in 1997; c) passing the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979 and passing the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt in 1981; c) serving as a Republican Precinct Committeeman since 1999, the GOPUSA Illinois Editor since 2000, the TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois Chairman 2005-2012, a member of the 2008 Illinois Republican Party (IRP) Platform and Resolutions Committee, a Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee member 2003-2011, the Milton Township Republican Central Committee webmaster 2008-2010 and 2000-2004, an Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee member 2003-2007, and an American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board member 2001-2004; d) attending the 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016 IRP State Conventions as a delegate; e) being the subject of a nasty 4-page article in the February 1978 issue of Money Magazine; f) pursing litigation including Diersen v. GAO and Diersen v. Chicago Car Exchange; g) being married since 1978; h) living in Crete 1948-1972, in University Park 1972-1976, in Chicago 1976-1978, and in DuPage County, Milton Township, and Wheaton since 1978; and i) being baptized, raised, and confirmed as a Missouri Synod Lutheran.