March 18, 2023

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT LEANING SOURCES

ABC7
— International Criminal Court issues arrest warrant for Putin over Ukraine war crimes – AP
https://abc7chicago.com/putin-arrest-warrant-russia-ukraine/12968196/
— Democrats ever-increasingly push pot.
https://abc7chicago.com/is-marijuana-legal-in-wisconsin-recreational-illinois-department-of-financial-and-professional-regulation-cannabis/12969320/

WGN9
— Democrats ever-increasingly push pot.
https://wgntv.com/news/illinois/wisconsin-residents-bought-121m-worth-of-illinois-weed-in-2022/

FOX32
— Democrats ever-increasingly hint/imply/argue/shout at minorities and at females that were it not for Affirmative Action, Republicans would have long since gotten rid of them.
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1194822

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Democrats say “Sued by white business owner, Cook County halts grant program that aimed to ‘close racial wealth’ gap.” To get their votes, Democrat elected officials ever-increasingly give more and more and more preference a) to those who are minority, female, younger, LGBTQ, non-Christian, non-Protestant, non-Italian American, and/or non-German American; b) to those who are not in traditional marriages; c) to those whose ancestors have not been in America for a long time; d) to those who have less education, less work experience, and/or fewer job skills; e) to those who have financial, health, and/or other problems; and/or f) to those who are criminals, boozers, gamblers, and/or stoners.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/politics/ct-cook-county-small-business-grant-race-lawsuit-20230317-q47yx26oiffq3bgddlbutsojoa-story.html
— My critics/opponents want everyone a) to look at their Facebook posts, b) to read their Twits, and c) to not read GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/politics/ct-digital-hate-wiesenthal-center-20230317-ttwjymfgjbhatoyjz44zg37idm-story.html
— Democrats say “Will County increases pay for election judges to $200.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/ct-sta-will-county-election-judge-pay-st-0319-20230317-ylfvmm335zhqpeivyl4vqsdhe4-story.html

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Democrats ever-increasingly push pot.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/cannabis/2023/3/17/23638166/weed-thc-kuei-tseng-marijuana-medical-research-uic-university-illinois-chicago-teenagers-cannabis

DAILY HERALD
— JANUARY 18, 2022 FLASHBACK: DuPage County misses deadline to approve new precinct maps – Katlyn Smith (COMMENT: Why isn’t the Daily Herald reporting on what is happening now on this? For example, the Daily Herald could report a) which new proposed redrawn precincts contain two or more current precinct committeemen, b) their names and party affiliations, c) if they are currently serving as a township and/or county party organization officer, and d) what they are going to do if the new proposed precinct lines are not changed. For example, the Daily Herald could ask them a) will they run in 2024 or not run in 2024 no matter what and why and b) will they run only if they can run unopposed and why? I was appointed as a live-in-precinct (LIP) committeeman in 1999, elected in 2000, and then reelected every 2 years since. I have been drawn into the same new proposed precinct with Ives. If the Daily Herald asked me what I am going to do if the new proposed lines are not changed, I would say that if Ives runs, I will not. Ives represents the 3rd Congressional District on the Illinois Republican Party State Central Committee. Her home is in the middle of the new proposed precinct while my home is on the far western edge. Further, since the 2015 gerrymandering, Ives has represented far more of the Republican voters in the new proposed precinct than I have. She currently represents all those east and south of her home, and before the 2015 gerrymandering, she represented those east of Warrenville Road. Further the Daily Herald could ask about the impact of this precinct redrawing on leadership of the a) the 9 Republican township organizations, b) the 9 Democrat township organizations, c) the Republican county party organization, and the d) Democrat county party organization. To be eligible serve as an officer of the Milton Township Republican Organization, you have to be an elected Republican Precinct Committeeman in Milton Township. With fewer precincts, there will be fewer eligible to serve. A revised map is scheduled to be presented to the finance committee on April 11, 2023 with a public hearing. That revised map is to be posted on the County Board website for public review and comment. A new map is scheduled to be presented to the finance committee on May 9, 2023. That map is scheduled to be voted on by the County Board on June 13 or 27, 2023.)
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20220118/dupage-county-misses-deadline-to-approve-new-precinct-maps
(FROM THE ARTICLE: DuPage County Board members have missed a state-imposed deadline for redrawing election precinct maps. Election officials and county board members are now pointing fingers at each other, with the blown deadline also exposing a rift among Democrats. An elections omnibus bill signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker in November gave county boards a 60-day deadline to set new boundaries so that each precinct would contain as close to 1,200 registered voters “as may be practicable.” The legislation also required precincts to sit within a single congressional and state legislative district whenever possible. Precinct boundaries determine polling places where voters cast in-person ballots. Democratic and Republican committeemen, the foot soldiers of local political parties, also are elected from precincts every two years. The DuPage County clerk’s office proposed a reconfiguration that would have expanded the size of precincts while reducing their overall number — from 930 to 607 — to comply with the law. But in a 10-6 vote last week the day before the Jan. 15 deadline, Republicans and some Democrats on the county board rejected the precinct maps drawn by the clerk’s office. Opponents in both parties objected to what they said was a lack of input in the precinct redistricting process. County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek and supporters say the decision could leave the county vulnerable to a lawsuit that would attempt to force the board to meet the requirements of state law. “The decision of some DuPage County Board members of both parties to openly defy state law and prioritize politics over voting rights is deeply disappointing. Precincts exist as an organizational unit for the benefit of the voters, not for politicians,” Kaczmarek, a Glen Ellyn Democrat, said in a statement. Election division employees in her office drafted new precinct boundaries “without political favoritism,” the statement read. The maps were released to county board members just days before they were supposed to vote. The proposed maps also were posted on the county’s website and “provided directly to the chairs of the DuPage County Democratic and Republican parties.” “The county board’s failure to align DuPage County’s election precincts with the boundaries of its representative districts will cause inconvenience and confusion for voters and increase the cost of elections for our taxpayers,” Kaczmarek said in the statement. Jim Zay, the board’s longest-serving member and chairman of the county Republican Party, said he had been asking the election division “from the end of November on” when officials would be able to see the maps. “And then finally, I was told you have to send an email to request to see them,” Zay said. GOP precinct committeemen weren’t happy with the proposal, Zay said. “You had a lot of long-term committeemen that have been there where two or three of them were now drawn into the same precinct,” he said. Lynn LaPlante, a Glen Ellyn Democrat, also expressed frustration with the “lack of communication.” Board member Grant Eckhoff issued his own statement voicing displeasure with both state lawmakers and Kaczmarek, saying officials refused “to be bullied into a bad vote by the garbage legislation coming out of Springfield.” “Due to the state legislature passing legislation to require an amended map in November instead of the spring, the clerk only had 60 days to prepare the map,” said Eckhoff, a Wheaton Republican. “The map was released to the DuPage County Board and the public just five days before a vote was to be taken on the map. “Unfortunately, prior to the release, the clerk did not meet with board members or make a presentation to discuss the map. This is not the manner in which legislation should be presented to the board or the public for review and comment.” But board member Liz Chaplin disputed the notion that some board members were blindsided by the legislation. In an October meeting attended by Republicans and Democrats, the county’s lobbyists told the board’s legislative committee about an effort in Springfield to increase the precinct size from 600 to at least 1,200 residents. “The county board in my opinion dropped the ball, and for the members to say that they didn’t know this was coming, I’m astounded,” Chaplin said. Chaplin voted in support of the maps along with fellow Democrats Dawn DeSart, Paula Deacon Garcia, Julie Renehan, Greg Schwarze and Mary Ozog. As part of the county’s legislative agenda, board members made a priority of “giving local election jurisdictions the flexibility to increase the size of election precincts,” Chaplin said. “In our last two years, in 2020 and 2021, that language was in our legislative agenda,” Chaplin said. “Now, I don’t know if my fellow colleagues don’t read their packets or understand what they’re voting on, but we absolutely did do that.” Having fewer precincts and fewer Election Day polling places would have resulted in a costs savings, said Chaplin, chair of the finance committee. The existing boundaries will now remain in place as other counties move forward with precinct redistricting. Primary elections will be held June 28.)

DUPAGE COUNTY
— Precinct Committeeperson (COMMENT: I should write a book about the 23+ years that I have served as the DuPage County Milton Township Precinct 9 Republican Precinct Committeeman. I served as the Assistant Precinct Committeeman in 1998 and 1999. I was appointed as the Live-In-Precinct (LIP) Committeeman in 1999. I was elected Precinct Committeeman in 2000 and every 2 years since. I served as the Milton Township Republican Organization (MTRO) webmaster 2000-2004 and 2008-2010. I served on annual Oktobefest fundraiser committees during the 2000s and ran straw polls during those events. I unsuccessfully ran for the open MTRO Treasurer office in 2004. I have aways hand-delivered campaign literature and sample ballots to all the Republican homes in my precinct. Up until recently, I always gathered 30 signatures from the Republican voters in my precinct for all the Republican primary candidates. Since 1999, I have had by far the best MTRO meeting attendance record. I would focus on how the MTRO officers have treated me and how they have treated my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters. I would focus on how they treated my service as the Republican fundraiser for Wheaton Independence Day parades and fireworks 2005-2019.)
https://www.dupagecounty.gov/elections/party_organizations.php
(FROM THE POSTING: The grass roots and foundation of the political parties are its precinct committeepersons. They serve as the foot soldiers to the most fundamental political unit of government, the precinct. The precinct committeeperson helps shape party policy and participates in the selection process of candidates. A precinct committeeperson is elected to a two-year term in the even-year primary elections. Expectations of a precinct committeeperson: Represent the party’s voters at the county central committee convention to elect the county central chairman and its officers. The precinct committeeperson casts a total number of party votes, (weighted vote), as cast in the precinct at the recent primary election. Attend and become involved in the party’s Township meetings. Become a voter registrar and register all qualified constituents. Appoint and fill vacancies of election judges for the precinct polling place. Provide candidate and election information to the voters. Circulate petitions for candidates prior to the primary election. Become familiar with the elected officials and legislatures so the concerns of the voters can be passed on to them. If you are interested in becoming a precinct committeeperson you may contact your party’s township chair listed above.)

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Democrats ever-increasingly push pot.
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/cannabis/cresco-labs-ceo-bullish-columbia-care-merger

SUBURBAN LIFE
— Democrats ever-increasingly use Emmett Till to promote hatred against Republicans.
https://www.shawlocal.com/my-suburban-life/2023/03/17/elmhurst-university-to-present-historians-talk-about-his-emmett-till-book/

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Democrats ever-increasingly promote illegal immigration.
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/washington/washington-dc/democrats-outline-immigration-plan-amid-workforce-shortage/
— Some Democrats promote Christie. Which candidate do most Democrats want to win the 2024 Republican presidential primary? Democrats want the candidate to win that primary who they believe will be the easiest to defeat in the general election. Of course, Pritzker will determine which candidate will win the 2024 Republican presidential primary in Illinois.
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/hill-politics/christie-says-hell-decide-on-white-house-bid-in-45-to-60-days/
https://www.mystateline.com/hill-politics/christie-says-hell-decide-on-white-house-bid-in-45-to-60-days/
— Hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters say “Republicans worry pro-Trump candidates will haunt them in 2024.”
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/hill-politics/republicans-worry-pro-trump-candidates-will-haunt-them-in-2024/

NPR ILLINOIS
— Democrats ever-increasingly use those who use firearms illegally to promote hatred against Republicans.
https://www.nprillinois.org/2023-03-17/with-gun-control-far-from-sight-schools-redesign-for-student-safety

CITIES 92.9
— Legislation before Illinois lawmakers aims to protect against ‘doxxing’ – Kevin Bessler (COMMENT: Have you ben doxed? I have. I should write a book about what Money Magazine hinted, implied, argued, if not stated in its 4-page February 1978 article about me to harm me, including a) that I was an IRS employee who had deducted his education expenses; b) that I was conservative, Republican, draft-avoider, gun-owner, Corvette owner, Lutheran, and German American; and c) that my ancestors had been in America since 1844 and that I had lived in Crete 1948-1972. Money Magazine a) painted my education deductions as being improper; b) foisted all the negative government employee stereotypes on me and on my future wife, a former FBI employee, that it could; and c) hinted/implied/argued that I had been promoted too fast, and that therefore, I was extremely overpaid.)
https://www.cities929.com/2023/03/17/legislation-before-illinois-lawmakers-aims-to-protect-against-doxxing/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: House Bill 2954 defines doxxing as when an individual intentionally publishes another person’s private information, such as a home address, without their consent to purposely harm that individual.)

CAPITOL FAX
— Democrats say “Afternoon roundup.”
https://capitolfax.com/2023/03/17/afternoon-roundup-52/
— Democrats say Chicago roundup.
https://capitolfax.com/2023/03/17/that-toddlin-town-roundup-14/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT LEANING SOURCES

WIREPOINTS
— There’s no place for race-baiting when looking at Chicago’s mayoral election results – Matt Rosenberg and John Klingner
https://wirepoints.org/theres-no-place-for-race-baiting-when-looking-at-chicagos-mayoral-election-results-wirepoints/

ILLINOIS REVIEW
— IL GOP Leaders Rally Behind DeSantis as Trump Surges and Maintains an Impressive Double-Digit Lead Over FL Governor in Latest Polls (COMMENT: Leaders of the Illinois Republican Party (IRP), DuPage County Republican Central Committee (DCRCC), and Milton Township Republican Organization (MTRO)are supposed to stay out of Republican primaries, but of course, they have not. I should write a book about that. I would focus on how they have favored/disfavored, helped/harmed, and/or promoted/destroyed Republican primary candidates. I would focus on how they have blamed conservative Republican Precinct Committeemen like me the most when their candidates lose elections. I would focus on those past and present IRP, DCRCC, and MTRO leaders who have blamed their candidates’ losses the most a) on me since 2000; b) on my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters since 2000; and c) on what I did as the Republican fundraiser for Wheaton Independence Day parades and fireworks 2005-2019, the TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairman 2005-2012, a Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee member 2003-2011, the MTRO webmaster 2008-2010 and 2000-2004, and an Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee member 2003-2007.)
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2023/03/il-gop-leaders-rally-behind-desantis-as-trump-surges-and-maintains-an-impressive-double-digit-lead-over-fl-governor-in-latest-polls.html
— Background Checks and Changing the Subject – John F. Di Leo
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2023/03/opinion-background-checks-and-changing-the-subject.html
— FEBRUARY 13, 2023 FLASHBACK: March Illinois Republican Party (IRP) State Central Committee (SCC) Meeting Now Virtual: Is Don Tracy Afraid of the Grassroots or the Spread of COVID-19? (COMMENT: In his March 17, 2023 chairman’s memo, Tracy stated “The IRP is governed by the SCC which is in effect the Board of Directors for the IRP. Our 17 SCC Members (each individual representing a congressional district) were elected in the 2022 election primary and are all volunteers. This past week, we held our first SCC meeting in 2023.” In my March 6, 2023 GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletter, I asked “What is the date of the March 2023 IRP SCC meeting? If it will be in person, where and at what time will it be? If it will be by Zoom, will Illinois Republican Precinct Committeemen/Captains like me and others be allowed to watch/listen and/or to speak during the public comment period?” Even though I have been an elected Republican Precinct Committeeman since 2000 and the GOPUSA Illinois Editor since 2000, I never received answers to the aforesaid questions from anyone. Ever-increasingly, the IRP SCC dumps transparency, that is, dumps accountability.)
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2023/02/march-gop-state-central-committee-meeting-now-virtual-is-don-tracy-afraid-of-the-grassroots-or-the-spread-of-covid-19.html

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT LEANING SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Authorities flag surge in ‘sovereign citizen’ government defiance. FBI cites anti-government movement as one of its ‘top threats.’ – Sean Salai
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/mar/16/authorities-flag-surge-sovereign-citizen-governmen/

WASHINGTON FREE BEACON
— Joe Biden’s Senior Moment of the Week
https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/watch-joe-bidens-senior-moment-of-the-week-vol-34/

NEW YORK POST
— Why woke ‘Frisco Fed chief missed Silicon Valley Bank’s warning signs – Paul Sperry (COMMENT: Those who are woke promote those who are woke.)
https://nypost.com/2023/03/17/why-woke-frisco-fed-chief-missed-silicon-valley-banks-warning-signs/

DAILY SIGNAL
— Latest Border Encounter Numbers Expose Biden’s Ports of Entry Bait-and-Switch – Erin Dwinell
https://www.dailysignal.com/2023/03/17/latest-border-encounter-numbers-expose-bidens-ports-of-entry-bait-and-switch/

EPOCH TIMES
— FBI Is Now a ‘Weaponized Apparatchik’ of the Presidential Administration – Samantha Flom and Steve Lance
https://www.theepochtimes.com/fbi-is-now-a-weaponized-apparatchik-of-the-presidential-administration-whistleblower_5129425.html

FEDERALIST
— ‘Woke’ Effectively Describes The Left’s Insanity, And That’s Why They Hate When You Say It – SAMUEL MANGOLD-LENETT
https://thefederalist.com/2023/03/17/woke-effectively-describes-the-lefts-insanity-and-thats-why-they-hate-when-you-say-it/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT LEANING SOURCES

THE HILL
— Democrats ever-increasingly promote illegal immigration.
https://thehill.com/opinion/congress-blog/3905710-why-cruelty-towards-asylum-seekers-is-contagious/

NBC NEWS
— Democrats say “Once a darling of defense hawks, Ron DeSantis retreats.”
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/ron-desantis-foreign-policy-hawk-john-bolton-president-rcna75097

NEW YORK TIMES
— Democrats say “Wyoming Becomes First State to Outlaw Abortion Pills.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/17/us/wyoming-abortion-pills-ban.html
— Democrats say “DeSantis, on Defense, Shows Signs of Slipping in Polls. For now, the Florida governor isn’t firing back at Trump.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/17/upshot/desantis-trump-polls.html

WASHINGTON POST
— Democrats say “Wyoming’s GOP governor signs law banning abortion pills.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/03/17/wyoming-abortion-laws-pill-mifepristone/
— Democrats say “Nearly 80,000 federal employees joined unions in a year. A task force led by Kamala Harris seeks to make the government a model employer for rest of the country.” I was a union member while I worked for the Post Office for almost 3 years and for IRS for almost 9 years. I should write a book about those who have used that against me the most. During that time, in today’s dollars, my salary increased from $18.05/hour to $104,583/year. In my defense, during that time, I earned a bachelor’s degree in management from NIU, I earned an MBA from Loyola, and I passed the CPA examination on my first attempt.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/03/17/unions-federal-workers-harris-biden-white-house-task-force/
— Democrats say “Trump escalates his white-nationalist doomerism.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/03/17/trump-white-nationalism-russia-2024-election/

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— The Tyranny of the DEI Bureaucracy. Diversity, equity and inclusion offices become weapons to intimidate and limit speech. – Editorial

https://www.wsj.com/articles/judge-kyle-duncan-stanford-law-school-tirien-steinbach-dei-students-babc2d49

FORBES
— Democrats say “Trump Beats DeSantis Among Florida Voters In Poll While Ramping Up Attacks.”
https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2023/03/17/trump-beats-desantis-among-florida-voters-in-poll-while-ramping-up-attacks/

POLITICO
— Democrats say “You think I’m crazy?’ Florida GOP sweats Trump vs. DeSantis. POLITICO surveyed all 22 members of Congress’ Florida Republican delegation on who they’d support for president. Most of them are wary of answering.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/03/17/florida-gop-trump-desantis-00087527

NEW YORKER
— Democrats say “DeSantis Installs Higher Heels on White Boots in Preparation for 2024 Race.”
https://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/desantis-installs-higher-heels-on-white-boots-in-preparation-for-2024-race
— Democrats ever-increasingly hint/imply/argue/shout at minorities and at females that were it not for Affirmative Action, Republicans would have long since gotten rid of them.
https://www.newyorker.com/podcast/the-new-yorker-radio-hour/what-if-the-supreme-court-ends-affirmative-action

NEW YORK MAGAZINE
— Democrats say “Polls: DeSantis Showing Weakness Against Trump.”
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/03/polls-ron-desantis-shows-weakness-against-donald-trump.html

HUFFINGTON POST
— JUNE 1, 2013 FLASHBACK: Who Will Lead the Illinois Republican Party (IRP)? (COMMENT: BACK IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS OF TRANSPARENCY: Dorgan won. I attended the June 1, 2013 IRP State Central Committee (SCC) meeting in Springfield at which each of the eight candidates had five minutes to sell themselves to members of the IRP SCC before it conducted closed door interviews. SEE: https://gopillinois.com/uncategorized/may-5-morning-edition-2/ and https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/chi-illinois-republican-gop-chairman-jack-dorgan-story.html and https://capitolfax.com/2013/05/ )
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/who-will-lead-the-illinoi_b_3536708
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Among the eight prospective candidates are three of the central committee’s own: Jack Dorgan of Rosemont, Chicago native Angel Garcia and Lake Forest attorney Mark Shaw. Other suitors include Cook County Commissioner Tim Schneider, Tea Party darling Joe Walsh, suburban conservative Jim Nalepa, former Illinois Lieutenant Governor hopeful Don Tracy and Chicago-based attorney Lori Yokoyama.)

WIKIPEDIA
— 2016 United States presidential election in Illinois (COMMENT: Trump got 562,464 votes or 38.80%, Cruz got 438,235 votes or 30.23%, Kasich got 286,118 votes 19.74%, and Rubio got 126,681 votes or 8.74%. What if it comes to look like Illinois will play a big role in determining the Republican presidential nominee in 2024? How hard will the candidates campaign in Illinois?)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_United_States_presidential_election_in_Illinois

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— Political parties exist to help elect candidates who can and will defend and advance their platform. The Democrat Party platform is liberal. The Republican Party platform is conservative. What if Democrat leaders in Illinois were like Republican leaders in Illinois? What if Democrat leaders in Illinois demonized, denigrated, and condemned liberal Democrats like Republican leaders in Illinois demonize, denigrate, and condemn conservative Republicans? What if Democrat leaders in Illinois demonized, denigrated, and condemned their liberal Democrat activists, precinct committeemen/captains, candidates, elected officials, and party leaders like Republican leaders in Illinois demonize, denigrate, and condemn their conservative Republican activists, precinct committeemen/captains, candidates, elected officials, and party leaders? I should write a book about that. I would focus on those Republican leaders in Illinois since 2000 who have taken the most/biggest adverse actions against conservative Republican activists, precinct committeemen/captains, candidates, elected officials, and party leaders. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com

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.