February 12, 2025 Evening Edition

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

February 11, 1025 Evening Edition

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

NEWSWEEK
— Henry Hyde’s Name Stripped From Courthouse Over Anti-Abortion Law
https://www.newsweek.com/republicans-name-removed-courthouse-over-anti-abortion-law-2029685
— Trump Admin to ‘Double’ Manpower in Sanctuary Cities After Court Rulings
https://www.newsweek.com/border-czar-immigration-sanctuary-cities-legal-challenges-2029469

ABC7
— DuPage County lawmakers vote to remove Henry Hyde’s name from courthouse (COMMENT: Those who spoke eloquently in favor keeping the building named after Hyde include Hyde’s son Anthony Hyde, Chris Kachiroubas, Dennis Reboletti, and Gary Vician. Those who wanted to speak but were not allowed to because of Democrat time limits included Ron Almiron, Kevin Coyne, Jeanne Ives, and Randy Ramey. Of course, the five Republican County Board members who were present spoke eloquently in favor keeping the building named after Hyde: Cindy Cronin Cahill, Grant Eckhoff, Brian Krajewski, Sam Tornatore, and James Zay.)
https://abc7chicago.com/post/dupage-county-lawmakers-vote-remove-late-congressman-henry-hydes-name-courthouse/15892352/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: During public comment at Tuesday’s meeting, Congressman Hyde’s son Anthony spoke on his father’s legacy. “My father didn’t do anything to deserve being canceled and that’s what this resolution aims to do,” he said. “It’s an attempt to erase and rewrite history. As elected officials, you have to be better than that.” . . . The resolution to remove Hyde’s name passed by a 10-5 vote.)
— Democrats ever-increasingly push more pot
https://abc7chicago.com/post/cannabis-news-2024-marks-another-record-breaking-year-legal-marijuana-sales-illinois-industry-grows/15894693/

WGN9
— DuPage County Board votes to strip former congressman’s name from courthouse
https://wgntv.com/news/dupage-county/dupage-county-board-votes-to-strip-former-congressmans-name-from-courthouse/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElsnPTH5xAQ

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— DuPage County Board votes to strip US Rep. Henry Hyde’s name from courthouse
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/11/dupage-county-board-to-strip-u-s-rep-henry-hydes-name-from-courthouse/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: While Democrats and Republicans voted along party lines on the issue, Democrats Lynn LaPlante and Lucy Chang Evans abstained from the vote and expressed disappointment that the matter was raised. . .The board’s vote followed several personal pleas from friends, family and supporters of Hyde’s asking members to refrain from moving forward with the name change. Anthony Hyde, Hyde’s son who lives in North Aurora, said his father was his hero. “No matter how you vote today, nothing will ever change that,” he said. “The chair and others in this room have stated the reason you want to remove his name from the judicial center is because of his position on abortion and, in particular, the Hyde Amendment. … Believe me when I say I can empathize with your position. “But also understand that my father was more than just a one-note politician. My father was a statesman for this country. He advocated for those in need locally, nationally and globally.” Public comment totaled 30 minutes. The board voted 10-8 against extending the public comment period by another half hour.)
— Crete hardware store workers rescue man who drove onto iced-over pond
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/11/crete-hardware-store-workers-rescue-driver-frozen-pond/

DAILY HERALD
— Henry Hyde’s name will be removed from courthouse in DuPage County
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250211/news/henry-hydes-name-will-be-removed-from-courthouse-in-dupage-county/
— ‘Hell has open borders’: Palatine church causes stir with sign invoking illegal immigration
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250210/news/palatine-church-causes-stir-with-sign-invoking-illegal-immigration/

NAPERVILLE COMMUNITY TV
— DuPage County Board votes to remove Henry Hyde’s name from courthouse
https://www.nctv17.org/news/dupage-county-board-votes-to-remove-henry-hydes-name-from-courthouse/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— ‘Hell has open borders’: Palatine church causes stir with sign invoking illegal immigration
https://chicago.suntimes.com/suburban-chicago/2025/02/11/palatine-sign-illegal-immigration-new-hope-community-church
— Democrats ever-increasingly push more pot
https://chicago.suntimes.com/cannabis/2025/02/11/cannabis-sales-2024-marijuana

WBEZ
— Democrats ever-increasingly push more pot
https://www.wbez.org/business/2025/02/11/cannabis-sales-2024-marijuana

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Democrats ever-increasingly push more pot
https://www.wandtv.com/news/city-of-spirngfield-opens-another-round-of-cannabis-grant-applications/article_e5d7ee7a-e8c7-11ef-ac2d-6312328d5ca4.html

STATELINE
— Democrats protest outside LaHood’s Rockford office
https://www.mystateline.com/news/local-news/activists-protest-trump-actions-outside-office-of-rockford-congressman-darin-lahood/

ALTON TELEGRAPH
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly succeed in getting religious leaders to do their bidding.
https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/politics/article/alert-more-than-two-dozen-us-religious-groups-20160387.php

FOX ILLINOIS
— IRS enforcement funding on chopping block as GOP weighs spending priorities
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/irs-enforcement-funding-on-chopping-block-as-gop-weighs-spending-priorities-internal-revenue-service-trump-administration-politics

WCIA
— Republicans once railed against armed IRS agents. Now they want them for immigration enforcement
https://www.wcia.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-republicans-once-railed-against-armed-irs-agents-now-they-want-them-for-immigration-enforcement/

WGME
— Democrat leaders crow about their success in manipulating and dominating Wheaton College
https://wgme.com/news/nation-world/illinois-college-deletes-post-congratulating-trump-appointee-cites-significant-concern-wheaton-college-russell-vought-office-of-management-and-budget-white-house

CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
— Lawsuits with Trump administration stretching Illinois attorney general’s resources. Raoul involved in multiple suits with other states challenging Trump actions
https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/lawsuits-with-trump-administration-stretching-illinois-attorney-generals-resources/

CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/11/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-247/
— Magic phrase returns: ‘Forensic audit’ (COMMENT: I became a Forensic Accountant in 1997.)
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/11/magic-phrase-returns-forensic-audit/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

DUPAGE POLICY JOURNAL
— Safe Suburbs USA on DuPage County vote to strip courthouse of Henry Hyde’s name: ‘Stop trying to replace our history with woke crazy!’
https://dupagepolicyjournal.com/stories/669667623-safe-suburbs-usa-on-dupage-county-vote-to-strip-courthouse-of-henry-hyde-s-name-stop-trying-to-replace-our-history-with-woke-crazy

CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— University of Illinois Chicago sued after fired professor criticized hiring programs
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_1e6f41a8-e8b3-11ef-b51c-cb60d52aa87c.html

ILLINOIS POLICY INSTITUTE
— Vallas: Illinois’ woes say more about Pritzker, Johnson than Trump
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/vallas-illinois-woes-say-more-about-pritzker-johnson-than-trump/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Trump’s dream of making Canada a U.S. state would be a political nightmare for Republicans
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/11/donald-trump-dream-making-canada-u-state-would-pol/
— FEMA employees did avoid pro-Trump homes last year
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/11/fema-employees-avoid-pro-donald-trump-homes-last-y/
— Trump administration officials tell senators they need $175B for border, immigration enforcement
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/11/trump-administration-officials-tell-senators-need-/

NEW YORK POST
— Homan accuses FBI of leaking information about ICE raids: ‘Lives at risk’
https://nypost.com/2025/02/11/us-news/tom-homan-accuses-fbi-of-leaking-information-about-ice-raids/

CHRISTIAN POST
— Palatine church branded hateful for ‘Heaven has strict immigration laws’
https://www.christianpost.com/news/church-branded-hateful-for-heaven-has-strict-immigration-laws.html

DAILY SIGNAL
— Not Enough People Were ‘Marginalized,’ So Obama Created DEI (COMMENT: According to Democrat and RINO leaders, those who are the following are marginalized:
https://www.dailysignal.com/2025/02/11/enough-people-were-marginalized-obama-created-dei/

DAILY WIRE
— Government To Fund Study On ‘Fear Of Deportation’ Leading To ‘Systemic Inflammation.’  The study hypothesizes that engaging in political activism could reduce ‘systemic inflammation’ in illegal immigrants.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/government-to-fund-study-on-fear-of-deportation-leading-to-systemic-inflammation

LEGAL INSURRECTION
— Texas Tech Course Teaches Critical Race Theory Despite State Ban on DEI. “examine how privilege in the workplace impacts the socioeconomic and cultural status of individuals and groups.”
https://legalinsurrection.com/2025/02/texas-tech-course-teaches-critical-race-theory-despite-state-ban-on-dei/

LIFE NEWS
— Democrats Remove Henry Hyde’s Name From Courthouse Because He Was Pro-Life
https://www.lifenews.com/2025/02/11/democrats-remove-henry-hydes-name-from-courthouse-because-he-was-pro-life/

WESTERN JOURNAL
— ‘They Forced Us’: Tom Homan Warns Sanctuary Cities Are About to ‘Get Exactly What They Don’t Want’
https://www.westernjournal.com/forced-us-tom-homan-warns-sanctuary-cities-get-exactly-dont-want/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CNN
— Democrat leaders promote reverse discrimination in America as well as South Africa
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/11/africa/south-africa-land-aid-freeze-trump-intl/index.html

REUTERS
— Democrat leaders promote reverse discrimination in America as well as South Africa
https://www.reuters.com/world/trumps-accusations-against-south-africa-spark-white-privilege-self-mockery-2025-02-11/

NEW YORK TIMES
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more hatred against Trump
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/11/nyregion/trump-nyc.html

LOS ANGELES TIMES
— Democrat leaders crow about their success manipulating and dominating religious leaders
https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2025-02-11/trump-wont-block-immigration-arrests-in-houses-of-worship-now-these-27-religious-groups-are-suing

FORBES
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly succeed in getting religious leaders to do their bidding.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2025/02/11/everything-to-know-about-trumps-mass-deportation-plans-pope-francis-slams-trumps-treatment-of-migrants/

February 10, 2025 Evening Edition

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Why Henry Hyde’s name should stay on the DuPage County courthouse. The GOP powerhouse stood for far more than his famous eponymous abortion amendment.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/10/editorial-henry-hyde-dupage-county-courthouse/
(FROM THE EDITORIAL: History often is complex and resistant to simple narratives. So are people. So it is a needlessly divisive mistake for DuPage County Board Chair Deborah Conroy to push for her fellow board members to remove the name of the late Henry J. Hyde, longtime Republican congressman, from the county courthouse. The board is scheduled to vote Tuesday on the issue. Hyde represented DuPage, which until recent years was a Republican power center, in Washington for more than three decades, retiring in 2007. During that time, Hyde wasn’t some low-profile lifer in Congress. He was one of the House’s most prominent members, even when he was serving in the minority, which is to say most of his career there. Conroy’s rationale for removing Hyde’s name from the court building is that the staunchly anti-abortion politician was responsible for the Hyde Amendment, the provision in federal law that for decades barred spending federal taxpayer money on abortions with exceptions for rape, incest or endangerment to the life of the mother. “It’s strictly because of the Hyde Amendment, and it’s very difficult for so many women to walk into the courthouse and see (his name),” she told the Tribune. Abortion rights is an issue that only has grown more intense since Hyde died 10 months after his retirement. We understand the symbolic argument. But to strip his name from the building would be akin to removing Richard J. Daley’s name from the courthouse in the heart of the Loop over a single issue — say, the police beating of protesters at the 1968 Democratic convention on his orders, the culture of corruption that the Daley machine fostered or his brutal segregationist policies. Even many ardent Daley critics wouldn’t suggest doing so. Why is that? Because Daley is a singularly important figure in the history of Chicago and to rename the Daley Center or Daley Plaza would be to try to negate that history. Like Daley, Hyde was a complicated figure and far more than the name adorning a famous (or infamous, depending on your point of view) piece of legislation. Memories are short, of course, but for most of his career Hyde was an intellectual heavyweight on the Republican side of the aisle. Agree or disagree, but when Hyde took the floor to speak, people listened. And for good reason. He was a thoughtful conservative. Consider this: Hyde stepped down in 1981 from the advisory board of the National Pro-Life Political Action Committee after Executive Director Peter Gemma Jr. identified incumbent lawmakers the group planned to work to defeat. Hyde objected to targeting officeholders over a single issue. Much the way the DuPage board is considering doing Tuesday. Would the Democratic majority on the DuPage board consider themselves in favor of reasonable gun regulation? If so, against the consensus of his party, Hyde in 1994 voted for President Bill Clinton’s ban on assault weapons, demonstrating that he could be persuaded to change his mind on a monumental issue of the day. Just three years earlier, he had voted against the same ban. Hyde reversed himself after reading detailed accounts of gun victims in Chicago, provided by Democratic Sen. Paul Simon of Illinois. “At the end of reading this list of bloody crimes, I had to conclude these guns have no purpose but to kill a lot of people very rapidly,” Hyde said. “It wasn’t like falling off a horse on the road to Damascus. But like many things complicated and emotional, you don’t dwell on them unless forced to.” Hyde’s change of heart induced Illinois Rep. Bob Michel, then GOP minority leader, and dozens more Republicans to vote for the ban. Such political courage is almost impossible to imagine on today’s Capitol Hill. Of course, four years later Hyde led Clinton’s impeachment proceedings on behalf of the House before the Senate, leading critics to disclose Hyde’s yearslong extramarital affair decades earlier and accusing him of hypocrisy. Hyde admitted to cheating on his wife but claimed Clinton’s alleged wrongdoing was about Clinton’s cover-up attempts rather than his actual affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. The public didn’t buy it, and Hyde paid a reputational price in the process. All of this is to say that Henry Hyde was complicated. Just like most people. But what is indisputable is that he was one of the most important political figures to emerge from DuPage County. Ever. His name should stay on that courthouse.)

ABC7
— DuPage County Democrats push to rename courthouse over late Congressman’s abortion views
https://abc7chicago.com/post/local-democrats-push-rename-dupage-county-courthouse-late-congressman-henry-hydes-abortion-views/15890259/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: “He had a lot of support, a lot of friends on the other side of the aisle. He strikes me as a kind of official that we should be looking to model ourselves after, not disrespect,” said DuPage County GOP Chair Kevin Coyne. While he was bipartisan on certain issues such as gun control and the Family and Medical Leave Act, Hyde was one of Congress’ biggest opponents of abortion. He authored the Hyde Amendment, which denied abortion access to poor women on Medicaid. . .The board will vote on the resolution to remove Hyde’s name on Tuesday. With a Democratic majority, Conroy says, the proposal will pass. “To cherry-pick this one issue and hold it against a man that was such a big part of our history, to me, is just wrong. It’s short sighted,” Coyne said. Coyne says the decision to remove Hyde’s name may ruin the bipartisanship Conroy says she has proudly created while serving as chair.)
— President Trump pardons ex-Illinois Gov. Blagojevich 5 years after commuting his sentence
https://abc7chicago.com/post/president-donald-trump-expected-pardon-ex-illinois-gov-rod-blagojevich-5-years-commuting-sentence-reports/15889540/

FOX32
— ICE operations intensify across U.S. sanctuary cities
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1591008

DAILY HERALD
— Residents protest proposed cuts to Medicaid at DuPage County rally
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250210/news/residents-protest-proposed-cuts-to-medicaid-at-dupage-county-rally/

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Blagojevich pardoned on corruption conviction by Trump
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/trump-pardons-rod-blagojevich-corruption-conviction

CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— Del Mar teases run for ‘higher office,’ sparking 2026 Illinois governor speculation
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_69d594d6-e7c2-11ef-b535-b39343671dce.html

CITIES 92.9
— Illinois circuit judge finds FOID for firearms in home unconstitutional (COMMENT: I have had a FOID card since I was 20 years old in 1968.)
https://www.cities929.com/2025/02/10/illinois-circuit-judge-finds-foid-for-firearms-in-home-unconstitutional/

CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/10/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-246/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

ILLINOIS STATE RIFLE ASSOCIATION
— FOID Card Found to be Unconstitutional Yet Again
https://isra.org/foid-card-found-to-be-unconstitutional-yet-again/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

NEW YORK POST
— Migrants turning around and heading back home in ‘new trend’ under Trump border crackdown
https://nypost.com/2025/02/10/us-news/new-trend-of-migrants-turning-around-and-heading-back-toward-home-under-trump-border-crackdown/

DAILY SIGNAL
— ‘BETRAYAL’: Lawmaker Responds to FEMA Diverting $59M to House Illegal Aliens
https://www.dailysignal.com/2025/02/10/fema-using-59-million-house-illegal-aliens-is-betrayal-highest-order-congressman-says/

DAILY WIRE
— Musk Says FEMA Spent $60M Housing Illegal Immigrants In ‘Luxury Hotels’ Last Week. The payments were suspended by acting FEMA Director Cameron Hamilton after Musk’s announcement.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/musks-says-fema-spent-60m-housing-illegal-immigrants-in-luxury-hotels-last-week
— 27% Of National Science Foundation Grants Went To DEI Projects, Study Finds. ‘Congress must end the politicization of NSF funding and restore integrity to scientific research,’ Sen. Ted Cruz says.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/27-of-national-science-foundation-grants-went-to-dei-projects-study-finds

EPOCH TIMES
— Musk Says FEMA Spent $59 Million on Housing Illegal Immigrants in NYC Hotels. ‘This stops now,’ said acting FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton, announcing that all such payments from FEMA were suspended on Feb. 9.
https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/musk-says-fema-spent-59-million-on-housing-illegal-immigrants-in-nyc-hotels-5807322

FOX NEWS
— Trump expected to pardon former Illinois Gov Rod Blagojevich. Trump previously commuted Blagojevich’s sentence in 2020.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-expected-pardon-former-illinois-gov-rod-blagojevich

MRC TV
— Illegal Alien Crossings Have Plummeted 90% Under Trump
https://www.mrctv.org/blog/brittany-m-hughes/border-agent-illegal-alien-crossings-have-plummeted-90-under-trump

TOWNHALL
— Trump Ramps Up Purge of ‘Woke’ Ideology in the Military
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/jeff-charles/2025/02/10/trump-liquidates-woke-board-of-visitors-for-military-branches-n2651967

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

THE HILL
— Trump says ‘too early’ to name Vance as successor
https://www.aol.com/trump-says-too-early-name-215711428.html

CNN
— Trump imposes 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/10/politics/tariffs-steel-aluminum-trump/index.html

CBS NEWS
— Increasing numbers of Democrats want their party to oppose Trump
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/democrats-want-party-oppose-trump-poll-analysis/
— Trump ousts director of Office of Government Ethics
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-office-of-government-ethics-director/

WEEK
— DeSantis signs agreement with ICE to have Florida state troopers detain illegal immigrants
https://www.25newsnow.com/2025/02/10/desantis-signs-agreement-with-ice-have-florida-state-troopers-detain-illegal-immigrants/

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— DHS Seeks to Deputize IRS Officers to Help With Deportation Effort. Tax-collecting agency has thousands of special agents in its criminal-investigation division. (COMMENT: I worked for GAO on audits of IRS’s Criminal Investigation Division at the GS-13 Step 1-3 Levels, currently $117,807-$125,661/year, for 3 years.)
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trump-irs-officers-ice-deportations-ed87c4b5

AUTO GUIDE
— Why Is General Motors Getting Rid Of Key Corvette Personnel?
https://www.autoguide.com/auto/manufacturers/chevrolet/why-is-general-motors-getting-rid-of-key-corvette-personnel-44616109

February 9, 2025

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Enjoy Black History Month — while you still can  (COMMENT:  Democrat leaders promote Black History Month. My subordinate who my Democrat GAO superiors replaced me with was Black and had always led the office’s Black History Month events. He had less work experience than I had. He had less education than I had. He had one professional certification while I had six. He had no professional license like the one I had.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/09/column-black-history-month-dei-donald-trump-page/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly crow about their getting Democrats to protest Trump
https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2025/02/08/immigration-advocates-rally-in-little-village-in-response-to-trump-administration-sweeps

ABC7
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ
https://abc7chicago.com/post/equality-illinois-holds-annual-gala-hilton-chicago-lgbtq-group-honors-jim-obergefell-scotus-case-legalized-same-sex-marriage/15882412/

FOX32
— Democrat leaders crow about their success in getting Democrats to protest against Trump’s immigration policies
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1590368
— Chicago Auto Show begins amid Trump’s push to end federal support for EVs
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/chicago-auto-show-begins-amid-trumps-push-to-end-federal-support-for-evs
— Pritzker, Duckworth blast Trump administration over Head Start funding freeze (COMMENT: While I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997, Republicans deleted half of the agency’s positions. The agency was almost always under hiring and/or promotion freezes. Democrats did little to stop that. My Democrat GAO superiors used Affirmative Action, DEI, and up-or-out to punish me severely for that. They forced me to take a $23,472/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO. They delayed my promotions and never promoted me beyond GS-13. The kept me off audits of IRS for all but 3 years. They always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance purposes. They forced me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997.)
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/pritzker-duckworth-blast-trump-administration-over-head-start-funding-freeze

NPR ILLINOIS
— EEOC exists to fight discrimination. Fired official fears a hobbling under Trump  (COMMENT: How has EEOC impacted you? I became an IRS Revenue Officer when I was 22 years old in 1971 because my Firestone Store boss had rudely fired me. He did that because I had told him that I had accepted a job offer from Oldsmobile. But Oldsmobile withdrew that job offer saying it had just agreed to stop hiring Whites to settle an EEOC complaint.)
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-02-09/the-eeoc-exists-to-fight-discrimination-fired-official-fears-a-hobbling-under-trump

WCIA
— Trump says he won’t deport Prince Harry: ‘He’s got enough problems with his wife’
https://www.wcia.com/news/national/trump-says-he-wont-deport-prince-harry-hes-got-enough-problems-with-his-wife/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— GAO fights government waste. But the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997 used Affirmative Action, DEI, up-or-out, and Republican-led budget cuts to waste my career and to force me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997. They would not have done that if I had been a Democrat, minority, female, younger, or veteran. They wasted what I had learned a) working for GAO for almost 18 years, the last 11 years of which at the GS-13 Step 1-10 Levels, currently $117,807-$153,151/year, b) working for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5/12 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $99,069-$112,280/year, c) earning a job-relate professional license (CPA), d) earning six job-related professional certifications (accounting, internal auditing, fraud examination, government financial management, financial services auditing, and forensic accounting), and e) earning three job-related master’s degrees (business, accounting, and finance). – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

NEW YORK POST
— DOGE must keep moving fast — despite Democrats’ sound, fury and lawsuits
https://nypost.com/2025/02/08/opinion/democrats-fight-doge-with-lawsuits-since-losing-the-election/
— The Democrats abandoned the working class to create a ‘Grievance Olympics’ obsessed with identity politics
https://nypost.com/2025/02/08/opinion/the-democrats-abandoned-the-working-class-to-create-a-grievance-olympics-obsessed-with-identity-politics/

AMERICAN THINKER
— High time for the posse to round up the bad guys
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2025/02/high_time_for_the_posse_to_round_up_the_bad_guys.html

BREITBART
— L.A. Mayor Bass Hires Illinois Consulting Firm Hagerty Consulting Led by Far-Left Politician to Support Fire ‘Recovery Process’ (COMMENT: If I had ran for a government office, my critics/opponents would have stressed that during the 1850s, on my father’s side, my ancestors homesteaded a 240-acre farm in southeast Crete Township, and on my mother’s side, they sharecropped a 180-acre farm in Grant Park along the Indiana border.)
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/02/08/la-mayor-bass-hires-illinois-consulting-firm-led-by-far-left-politician-to-support-fire-recovery-process/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: He also signed legislation that recognizes that the city of Evanston sits on land that “originally belonged to the Potawatomi Tribes until their forceful and violent relocation at the hands of white colonizers.”)

DAILY SIGNAL
— When the FAA and DEI Don’t Mix
https://www.dailysignal.com/2025/02/04/when-faa-dei-dont-mix/
— The American People Are Shocked to See What USAID Was Funding
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTK82S–3Ww
(FROM THE ARTICLE: From transgender operas to DEI in workplaces in foreign countries, the U.S. Agency for International Development has funded the same woke priorities as George Soros’ Open Society Foundations. Tyler O’Neil joins John Solomon and Amanda Head to talk about the latest news and his new book “The Woketopus: The Dark Money Cabal Manipulating the Federal Government.”)

NATIONAL REVIEW
— If Wokeism Dies, What Cause Will the Left Embrace Next?
https://www.nationalreview.com/2025/02/if-wokeism-dies-what-cause-will-the-left-embrace-next/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

THE HILL
— Want to cut government waste? Pay congressional staffers more. (COMMENT: GAO fights government waste. But the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997 used Affirmative Action, DEI, up-or-out, and Republican-led budget cuts to waste my career and to force me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997. They would not have done that if I had been a Democrat, minority, female, younger, or veteran. They wasted what I had learned a) working for GAO for almost 18 years, the last 11 years of which at the GS-13 Step 1-10 Levels, currently $117,807-$153,151/year, b) working for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5/12 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $99,069-$112,280/year, c) earning a job-relate professional license (CPA), d) earning six job-related professional certifications (accounting, internal auditing, fraud examination, government financial management, financial services auditing, and forensic accounting), and e) earning three job-related master’s degrees (business, accounting, and finance).)
https://www.aol.com/opinion-want-cut-government-waste-190000965.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: There are analysts at the Government Accountability Office who audit said agencies in response to the directives of Congress. But insofar as Congress is limited in its possession of the necessary “intelligence,” it has a correspondingly inadequate ability to specify the investigations and evaluations that GAO should conduct. Congressional limitations are the central problem here. The ability of our elected representatives to make optimally informed decisions about programs and budgets is constrained by the limited capabilities and numbers of congressional staff.

MSN
— Trump Accuses South Africa of Discriminating Against Whites, Freezes Foreign Aid Until It Reforms Law
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/trump-accuses-south-africa-of-discriminating-against-whites-freezes-foreign-aid-until-it-reforms-law/ar-AA1yFvVW
— Trump admin freezes EV charging program that gave Tesla millions
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-admin-freezes-ev-charging-program-that-gave-tesla-millions/ar-AA1yCKcS
— Multiple Democrats Fired Under Trump’s Anti-DEI Agenda (COMMENT: Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly use DEI to get rid of Republicans.)
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/multiple-democrats-fired-under-trump-s-anti-dei-agenda/ss-AA1yyMwU
— Another IRS Program ‘Deleted’ by Musk (COMMENT: While I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997, Republicans deleted half of the agency’s positions. The agency was almost always under hiring and/or promotion freezes. My Democrat GAO superiors used Affirmative Action, DEI, and up-or-out to punish me severely for that. They forced me to take a $23,472/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO. They delayed my promotions and never promoted me beyond GS-13. The kept me off audits of IRS for all but 3 years. They always ranked me in the bottom half of my coworkers for pay-for-performance purposes. They forced me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997.)
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/another-irs-program-deleted-by-musk/ss-AA1yEJWx
(COMMENT: Elon Musk recently announced the elimination of the General Services Administration’s (GSA) tech arm, 18F, which helped develop the IRS Direct File program. The program, championed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), faced criticism from conservatives as a form of government overreach. Musk confirmed on X that 18F was disbanded, claiming the move was part of his efforts to eliminate inefficiencies and reduce government expenses. Musk said, “That group has been deleted.”

NEW YORK TIMES
— Democrat leaders side with South Africa against Afrikaners
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/08/world/africa/afrikaners-trump-south-africa.html
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more dependency on government and charity
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/08/health/trump-usaid-health-aid.html

USA TODAY
— Democrat leaders promote Black History Month. My subordinate who my Democrat GAO superiors replaced me with was Black and had always led the office’s Black History Month events. He had less work experience than I had. He had less education than I had. He had one professional certification while I had six. He had no professional license like the one I had.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/02/07/black-history-month-trump-dei-attacks/78183174007/

BOSTON GAZETTE
— Uncertain about future of same-sex marriage under Trump, couple decides to exchange vows
https://www.gastongazette.com/picture-gallery/news/2025/02/07/lgbtq-community-in-gastonia-nc-fears-future-as-trump-takes-office/78299539007/

FORBES
— How DOGE Is Reshaping Government (COMMENT: GAO audits the federal government. I worked for GAO as an Analyst for almost 18 years, the last 11 years of which at the GS-13 Step 1-10 Levels, currently $117,807-$153,151/year. I working for IRS as a Revenue Officer for almost 9 years, the last 5/12 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $99,069-$112,280/year. I earned a job-relate professional license (CPA). I earned six job-related professional certifications (accounting, internal auditing, fraud examination, government financial management, financial services auditing, and forensic accounting). I earning three job-related master’s degrees (business, accounting, and finance).)
https://www.forbes.com/sites/amysterling/2025/02/08/from-meme-to-machine-how-doge-is-reshaping-government/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Auditing a $3 trillion mega economy sounds like the embodiment of easier said than done. A government is wise to periodically audit itself. And there is an agency for that, the GAO, Government Accountability Office, which on Feb 5th released a government 2025 Fiscal Health Report. The report finds that “the federal government is on an unsustainable fiscal path that poses serious economic, security, and social challenges.” Recommending “Congress and the administration will need to make difficult budgetary and policy decisions to address the key drivers of federal debt and change the government’s fiscal trajectory.”)

BUSINESS INSIDER
— Elizabeth Warren tells Elon Musk she’s ‘happy’ to work with him on DOGE’s goals to slash government waste. She has 30 recommendations. (COMMENT: GAO fights government waste. But the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997 used Affirmative Action, DEI, up-or-out, and Republican-led budget cuts to waste my career and to force me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997. They would not have done that if I had been a Democrat, minority, female, younger, or veteran. They wasted what I had learned a) working for GAO for almost 18 years, the last 11 years of which at the GS-13 Step 1-10 Levels, currently $117,807-$153,151/year, b) working for IRS for almost 9 years, the last 5/12 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $99,069-$112,280/year, c) earning a job-relate professional license (CPA), d) earning six job-related professional certifications (accounting, internal auditing, fraud examination, government financial management, financial services auditing, and forensic accounting), and e) earning three job-related master’s degrees (business, accounting, and finance).)
https://www.aol.com/elizabeth-warren-tells-elon-musk-161736484.html
— Elon Musk is hiring for DOGE. Here’s what he’s looking for. (COMMENT: Should I apply?  GAO fights government waste. I worked for GAO as an Analyst for almost 18 years, the last 11 years of which at the GS-13 Step 1-10 Levels, currently $117,807-$153,151/year. I working for IRS as a Revenue Officer for almost 9 years, the last 5/12 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $99,069-$112,280/year. I earned a job-relate professional license (CPA). I earned six job-related professional certifications (accounting, internal auditing, fraud examination, government financial management, financial services auditing, and forensic accounting). I earning three job-related master’s degrees (business, accounting, and finance).)
https://www.aol.com/elon-musk-hiring-doge-heres-181742212.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency says it’s looking for the “top 1%” of people. DOGE says it’ll expect its staff to work 80-plus-hour weeks — a common request of Musk’s employees. Musk has had aggressive work expectations for staff at his companies like Tesla and X. Elon Musk wants you to help root out government waste — but only if you’re really smart and willing to work 80 hours a week. Musk, who’s standing up the Department of Government Efficiency — or DOGE, named after a cryptocurrency he’s linked to — is looking for the top 1% of people interested in joining.
A post on the department’s newly created X account on Thursday said: “We don’t need more part-time idea generators. We need super high-IQ small-government revolutionaries willing to work 80+ hours per week on unglamorous cost-cutting. “If that’s you, DM this account with your CV. Elon & Vivek will review the top 1% of applicants,” it continued, referring to the businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, who is set to lead the department alongside Musk.)

GAO
— America’s Fiscal Future.  GAO takes a big-picture look at the nation’s fiscal condition and offers resources to help policymakers get the nation on a more sustainable fiscal path.
https://www.gao.gov/americas-fiscal-future

INDEPENDENT
— Elizabeth Warren pens Fox News op-ed revealing she agrees with Trump and Musk on one thing
https://www.aol.com/news/elizabeth-warren-pens-fox-news-141529465.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren has written an op-ed for Fox News about one “important” thing she agrees with President Donald Trump and Elon Musk on. Warren shared that she agrees with the cost-cutting aims of the Department of Government Efficiency — but not the government programs Musk and Republicans are eyeing as potential targets. The Massachusetts senator said she is “ready to work with Musk” to make the government “more efficient” while saving the taxpayer money. “Here’s something President Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and I agree on: the federal government throws away trillions of dollars on wasteful spending,” she wrote in the op-ed. “I have spent years trying to squeeze government waste out of our budget.”)

February 6, 2025 Evening Edition

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ABC7
— DOJ sues Chicago, Illinois and Cook County over sanctuary city policies
https://abc7chicago.com/post/doj-sues-chicago-illinois-cook-county-sanctuary-city-immigration-policies/15872840/
— LGBTQ+ group rallies at UI Health after Trump administration sued over transgender care order. Lawsuit claims UI Health Chicago doctors canceled 17-year-old transgender boy’s surgery last week after Trump’s executive order.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/lgbtq-group-rallies-ui-health-chicago-pflag-sues-trump-administration-executive-order-transgender-care-minors/15873976/
— Service members sue Trump administration over transgender military service ban
https://abc7chicago.com/post/transgender-military-service-ban-members-sue-trump-administration/15873833/

NBC5
— Justice Department sues Chicago and Illinois over immigration policies. In their complaint, the department cites specifically Illinois’ Trust Act, The Way Forward Act and Chicago’s Welcoming City ordinance.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/politics/justice-department-sues-chicago-and-illinois-over-immigration-policies/3667316/

CBS2
— Thornton Township, Illinois fires Tiffany Henyard’s boyfriend, another employee
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/thornton-township-illinois-fires-tiffany-henyards-boyfriend/

WGN9
— Trump announces task force to ‘eradicate anti-Christian bias’
https://wgntv.com/news/trump-announces-task-force-to-eradicate-anti-christian-bias/
— 117th Chicago Auto Show begins 10-day run Saturday, kicks off with charity event Friday night, at McCormick Place
https://wgntv.com/news/chicago-news/117th-chicago-auto-show-show-begins-10-day-run-saturday-kicks-off-with-charity-event-friday-night-at-mccormick-place/

WTTW
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ
https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/06/supporters-gender-affirming-care-rally-university-illinois-hospital-following-trump-s

WGN RADIO
— Should Illinois counties that voted to secede join Indiana?
https://wgnradio.com/john-williams/should-illinois-counties-that-voted-to-secede-join-indiana/
— How much money are Americans spending on their vices?
https://wgnradio.com/lisa-dent/how-much-money-are-americans-spending-on-their-vices/

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Trump administration sues Illinois, Cook County and Chicago over sanctuary immigration laws
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/06/trump-immigration-sanctuary-lawsuit/
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/05/illinois-gender-affirming-care-trump-order/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Justice Department sues Illinois, Chicago and Cook County over sanctuary status. The federal lawsuit, filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Chicago, claims sanctuary policies in Illinois that keep local authorities from cooperating with the deportation effort are “exacerbating” a crisis at the U.S. Southern border.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/donald-trump/2025/02/06/donald-trump-justice-department-lawsuit-jb-pritzker-mayor-brandon-johnson-sanctuary-status
— Under Trump administration, some Chicago students think twice about applying for financial aid. If they submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, students risk outing their undocumented parents. But if they don’t, they could lose out on the chance at college.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/education/2025/02/06/under-trump-administration-some-chicago-students-think-twice-about-fafsa

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Trump DOJ accuses Pritzker, Johnson and other local Dems of defying immigration crackdown
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/trump-justice-department-sues-chicago-over-sanctuary-laws
— Illinois officials eye N.Y. law keeping doctors’ names off abortion pill prescriptions
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/health-care/illinois-considers-law-obscuring-abortion-pill-prescriptions

SOUTHERN
— House Republicans meet with Trump to ‘move the ball forward’ on his agenda
https://southernillinoisnow.com/2025/02/06/house-republicans-meet-with-trump-to-move-the-ball-forward-on-his-agenda/

MUDDY RIVER NEWS
— House GOP caucus walks out during Dems’ pushback of Trump agenda
https://muddyrivernews.com/top-stories/house-gop-caucus-walks-out-during-dems-pushback-of-trump-agenda/20250206074725/

SUBURBAN LIFE
— Democrat leaders promote anti-Trump rally in Wheaton
https://www.shawlocal.com/my-suburban-life/news/dupage-county/2025/02/06/dupage-county-rally-to-support-medicaid-in-the-face-of-proposed-cuts/

WIFR
— Illinois State Representative John Cabello, R-90th District, slams Illinois democrats, claiming they used a Feb. 5 legislative session to push back on President Donald Trump’s agenda instead of focusing on the state budget.
https://www.wifr.com/2025/02/07/absolutely-positively-stupid-stateline-lawmaker-shares-reasons-behind-republican-walkout-during-legislative-session/

WSIL TV
— Attention federal employees: It may be hard to get a private sector job right now (COMMENT: Private sector employers a) look down on, if not despise, if not hate federal employees and b) ascribe negative stereotypes to federal employees.)
https://www.wsiltv.com/news/consumer/attention-federal-employees-it-may-be-hard-to-get-a-private-sector-job-right-now/article_a5178a86-1fcc-54ff-86bd-261d286dda77.html

WAND TV
— Thousands of cars sold in Illinois have fake odometer readings
https://www.wandtv.com/news/thousands-of-cars-sold-in-illinois-have-fake-odometer-readings/article_05d9763e-e3dd-11ef-a40b-6b906b5beb3d.html

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Opposition lawmakers protest alleged mistreatment of Indian deportees by US
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/world/ap-opposition-lawmakers-protest-alleged-mistreatment-of-indian-deportees-by-us/

STATE OF ILLINOIS
— Democrats ever-increasingly push more pot. How successful have Democrats been pushing pot in your county, township, municipality, and school district?
https://www.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/illinois/iisnewsattachments/30910-020625-24.02.05-pritzker-administration-announces-cannabis-sales-exceed-2-billion-annually2.pdf.pdf

CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/06/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-244/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— Illinois near the bottom for social mobility (COMMENT: Sadly, my father, my grandfather, and my great grandfather are examples of downward mobility. In 1902, my great grandfather had 1285 Main Street built in Crete (4,030 sq. ft. https://www.redfin.com/IL/Crete/1285-Main-St-60417/home/23199035 ). In 1926, my grandfather had 1286 Wood Street built in Crete (1793 sq. ft. https://www.redfin.com/IL/Crete/1286-Wood-St-60417/home/23199039 ). My father never had a home built.)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_3c4d4faa-e4c9-11ef-8357-db47fe4d3cdf.html

ILLINOIS LEAKS
— State of Illinois Paid CAPFAX / POLITICO $102,673  (COMMENT: I advocate full disclosure. He who pays the piper calls the tunes. 100% of the money and time needed to put GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters together and to send them out comes from me.)
https://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2025/02/state-of-illinois-paid-capfax-politico-102673/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Once again, we do not fault any news agency or blogger, or anyone else for making a living, but we do fault state and local governments for spending tax money on these types of subscriptions as there does not appear to be any statute providing our state government to spend money in this fashion.)
— U.S. Justice Dept. Sues Illinois, JB Pritzker, Chicago PD, Cook County Over Sanctuary Policies
https://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2025/02/u-s-justice-dept-sues-illinois-jb-pritzker-chicago-pd-cook-county-over-sanctuary-policies/

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Laura Trump, Speaker at McHenry County GOPAC Event, Selected by FOX to Host Saturday Night Show
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/06/laura-trump-speaker-at-mchenry-county-gopac-event-selected-by-fox-to-host/
— Cary Grade School District Sends Immigrant Protection Letter in Searchable Format Showing It’s Never Too Late for A School Superintendent to Learn Something New
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/06/cary-grade-school-district-sends-immigrant-protection-letter-in-searchable-format-showing-its-never-too-late-for-a-school-superintendent-to-learn-something-new/
— Nunda Township GOP Candidate Forum Cancelled after Incumbent Declines to Attend
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/06/nunda-township-gop-candidate-forum-cancelled-after-incumbent-declines-to-attend/
— Huntley Amazon Warehouse Hires Employees Who Don’t Speak English
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/06/huntley-amazon-warehouse-hires-employees-who-dont-speak-english/
— Lakemoor, Former Mayor Ryan Todd Weihofen & State Police Sued for Over $40 Million for Botched Hemp Seizure
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/06/lakemoor-former-mayor-ryan-todd-weihofen-state-police-sued-for-over-40-million-for-botched-hemp-seizure/
— A Duty Most County Boards Probably Do Not Perform
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/06/a-duty-the-county-board-probably-does-not-perform/
— The Highest Compensated McHenry County Employees – $150,000 Up
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/06/the-highest-compensated-mchenry-county-employees/
— LaHood Comments on Trump’s Suing Chicago, Cook County and the State of Illinois over Illegal Alien Deportation Interference
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/06/lahood-comments-on-trumps-suing-chicago-cook-county-and-the-state-of-illinois-over-illegal-alien-deportation-interference/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Federal judge pauses Trump’s federal worker buyout plan
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/6/federal-judge-pauses-trump-federal-worker-buyout-p/
— Trump elevates birthright citizenship fight with appeal of judge’s block
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/6/trump-elevates-birthright-citizenship-fight-appeal/

WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Trump DOJ sues Chicago in first major sanctuary city case
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/justice/3312737/trump-doj-sues-chicago-first-major-sanctuary-city-case/

NEW YORK POST
— Trump administration sues Chicago, state of Illinois over sanctuary laws — and vows more lawsuits to come
https://nypost.com/2025/02/06/us-news/trump-administration-sues-chicago-state-of-illinois-over-sanctuary-laws-and-vows-more-lawsuits-to-come/

AMERICAN THINKER
— The Church, Illegals, and the Law
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2025/02/the_church_illegals_and_the_law.html

DAILY WIRE
— Trump Admin Sues Chicago, State Of Illinois Over Illegal Alien Sanctuary Laws. “The Department of Justice will no longer stand by as state and local leaders obstruct federal law enforcement efforts.”
https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-sues-chicago-state-of-illinois-over-illegal-alien-sanctuary-laws
— U.S. Military Drops Off First Flight Of ‘High Priority’ Illegal Immigrants At GITMO. Those dropped off for detention were members of Tren de Aragua.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-u-s-military-drops-off-first-flight-of-high-priority-illegal-immigrants-at-gitmo
— Why Guantanamo Bay Is ‘The Perfect Place’ For Violent Illegals. Eventually, 30,000 undesirables with no business moving within our borders will be off our streets and tossed into prison.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/why-guantanamo-bay-is-the-perfect-place-for-violent-illegals

EPOCH TIMES
— Judge Pushes Back Deadline for Trump Admin Buyout Offer to Federal Workers. More than 40,000 federal workers have already opted into the plan.
https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/judge-pushes-back-deadline-for-trump-buyout-offer-to-federal-workers-5805560

FEDERATION FOR IMMIGRATION REFORM
— Misnamed Open-Borders Protest is the Usual Bust
https://www.fairus.org/blog/2025/02/05/misnamed-open-borders-protest-usual-bust

FOX NEWS
— Trump DOJ slaps Illinois, Chicago with lawsuit over sanctuary laws
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-doj-files-lawsuit-against-illinois-chicago-lawsuit-sanctuary-laws
— ‘Tough decisions’ in store for ‘sanctuary’ cities after Bondi turns off federal funding spigot. ‘I would expect there to be consequences, and I support that,’ PA House GOP Leader Jesse Topper said.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/state-officials-react-bondis-order-withholding-sanctuary-city-funding-tough-decisions-make

LEGAL INSURRECTION
— Diversity Staffers at Eastern Illinois U. Raise Black Lives Matter Flag for Black History Month
https://legalinsurrection.com/2025/02/diversity-staffers-at-eastern-illinois-u-raise-black-lives-matter-flag-for-black-history-month/

NATIONAL REVIEW
— DOJ Sues Illinois, Chicago over Sanctuary Laws as Mass Deportations Continue
https://www.nationalreview.com/news/doj-sues-illinois-chicago-over-sanctuary-laws-as-mass-deportations-continue/

PJ MOBILITY
— Militant Group Teaching ‘Self Defense’ Against ICE Raids
https://pjmedia.com/lincolnbrown/2025/02/06/militant-group-teaching-self-defense-against-ice-raids-n4936751

WESTERN JOURNAL
— US Taxpayer Money Found Flowing to Drag Queen Shows in Ecuador
https://www.westernjournal.com/us-taxpayer-money-found-flowing-drag-queen-shows-ecuador/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ASSOCIATED PRESS
— A short honeymoon for Catholics in D.C. as Vice President Vance clashes with bishops on migration
https://www.yahoo.com/news/short-honeymoon-catholics-d-c-130201365.html

CNN
— Judge pauses ‘buyout’ offer for federal workers
https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-gaza-news-02-06-25

CBS NEWS
— Trump makes misleading claims about government payments to Politico.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-politico-payments-fact-check/

NEW YORK TIMES
— The Trump administration plans to retain only about 290 of the more than 10,000 employees worldwide at the U.S. Agency for International Development.
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/02/06/us/president-trump-news?campaign_id=60

MIAMI HERALD
— Democrats use DEI to promote more hatred against Republicans.
https://www.aol.com/florida-showed-trump-demonize-dei-225956004.html

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— White House Preparing Order to Cut Thousands of Federal Health Workers. The executive order could come as soon as next week, if the Trump administration goes ahead with plans
https://www.wsj.com/health/healthcare/white-house-preparing-order-to-cut-thousands-of-federal-health-workers-bd1e0b7f

RASMUSSEN REPORTS
— 54% Agree Media Are the ‘Enemy of the People’ (COMMENT: The mainstream news media exists a) to advance the Democrat Party platform and to elect and reelect Democrats and b) to demonize, denigrate, and condemn the Republican Party platform and to defeat Republican candidates.)
https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/trump_administration_second_term/54_still_agree_media_are_the_enemy_of_the_people

February 4, 2025

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ABC7
— Senate confirms Pam Bondi as US attorney general
https://abc7chicago.com/post/senate-confirms-pam-bondi-us-attorney-general-putting-trump-ally-justice-departments-helm/15866274/
— Musk is serving as a ‘special government employee,’ White House says. That designation means Musk is not a volunteer but also not a full-time federal employee.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/elon-musk-is-officially-serving-president-donald-trump-special-government-employee-white-house-says/15864075/
— Senate Republicans insist Elon Musk isn’t in charge after whirlwind actions
https://abc7chicago.com/post/senate-republicans-insist-elon-musk-isnt-charge-whirlwind-actions/15865279/
— Trump says US will take ‘take over’ Gaza: ‘We’ll own it’  He said the U.S. would “level the site” and create “an economic development.”
https://abc7chicago.com/post/donald-trump-benjamin-netanyahu-hold-talks-us-president-warns-no-guarantees-fragile-peace-gaza-will/15863738/
— Chicago US Attorneys Office at critical juncture with caseload pile-up, new Trump directives
https://abc7chicago.com/post/chicago-us-attorneys-office-critical-juncture-caseload-pile-trump-administration-chaos/15866230/
— First military flight to send migrants to Guantanamo Bay is set to depart
https://abc7chicago.com/post/guantanamo-bay-first-military-flight-send-migrants-is-set-depart-official-says/15865004/

WTTW
— El Salvador Offers to Accept Deportees From US of Any Nationality, Including American Citizens
https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/04/el-salvador-offers-accept-deportees-us-any-nationality-including-american-citizens

WGN RADIO
— 18 House GOP lawmakers back Trump’s birthright citizenship order in court
https://wgnradio.com/news/18-house-gop-lawmakers-back-trumps-birthright-citizenship-order-in-court/

WBBM
— Illinois Republicans say illegal immigration remains a crisis, point the finger at Democrats
https://www.audacy.com/wbbm780/news/local/illinois-republicans-say-illegal-immigration-remains-crisis

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Marco Rubio says El Salvador’s offer to jail violent American criminals faces ‘legalities’
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/04/marco-rubio-el-salvador/
— Alderman told to leave City Council meeting after he appeared to call colleague a white supremacist
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/04/alderman-told-to-leave-city-council-meeting-white-supremacist/
— Once-obscure Bolingbrook company WeatherTech has wild ride with its 13th Super Bowl ad
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/04/weathertech-super-bowl-ad/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— ‘White supremacist’ remark sparks City Council member’s ouster from hearing on public art dubbed antisemitic. Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez was ejected from the meeting of the Special Events Committee by the normally affable chair, Ald. Nick Sposato: “You can’t call anybody a white supremacist. You gotta go,” Sposato said. “We’re not gonna take that.”
https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/2025/02/04/city-council-public-artwork-committee-hearing-cultural-center-conway-sigcho-lopez
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly encourage citizens of foreign countries to seek refugee status in America.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/2025/02/04/trump-targeting-legal-refugees-political-persecution-state-rep-hoan-huynh

DAILY HERALD
— Democrats confront limits of their power in bid to stop Trump and Musk
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250204/nation-and-world-politics/democrats-confront-limits-of-their-power-in-bid-to-stop-trump-and-musk/

SOUTHERN
— Why shutting down USAID could have major impacts on Gaza aid
https://southernillinoisnow.com/2025/02/04/why-shutting-down-usaid-could-have-major-impacts-on-gaza-aid/

RIVER BENDER & WSIU
— Pritzker and Illinois Department of Revenue Encourage Taxpayers to Take Advantage of Tax Credits (COMMENT: My father never earned more than $50,000/years in today’s dollars.)
https://www.riverbender.com/news/details/governor-pritzker-and-illinois-department-of-revenue-encourage-taxpayers-to-take-advantage-of-tax-credits-79395.cfm?
https://www.wsiu.org/community-updates/2025-02-04/governor-pritzker-and-illinois-department-of-revenue-encourage-taxpayers-to-take-advantage-of-tax-credits
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The Illinois Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)  is a benefit for working people with low to moderate income. To claim an Illinois EITC for tax year 2024 (tax returns due in 2025), taxpayers must file an Illinois income tax return, even if they do not owe any tax and are not required to file and: have worked and earned income under $66,819)

WAND TV
—  Illinois House Republicans demand Pritzker cut migrant services
https://www.wandtv.com/community/illinois-house-republicans-demand-pritzker-cut-migrant-services/article_5b09c71a-e330-11ef-a749-8bd800e65ff7.html

NORTHERN PUBLIC RADIO
— How much do Illinois school districts rely on federal funding?
https://www.northernpublicradio.org/wnij-news/2025-02-04/how-much-do-illinois-school-districts-rely-on-federal-funding
— Musk and Trump aim to shut down USAID, leaving humanitarian work in doubt
https://www.northernpublicradio.org/2025-02-03/musk-and-trump-aim-to-shut-down-usaid-leaving-humanitarian-work-in-doubt

FOX ILLINOIS
— Border Patrol agents warned cartels might attack with weaponized drones
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/border-patrol-agents-warned-cartels-might-attack-with-weaponized-drones-reports-southern-border-security-cbp-arizona-mexican-drug-cartels-trump-illegal-immigration-crackdown

NPR ILLINOIS
— Trump administration adds fine print to ‘Fork’ resignation offer, deepening confusion
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-02-04/trump-administration-adds-fine-print-to-fork-resignation-offer-deepening-confusion

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Will Trump’s federal hiring freeze affect IRS tax returns? (COMMENT: While I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO 1980-1997, the agency was almost always under Republican-imposed hiring freezes and/or promotion freezes. My Democrat superiors punished me big time for that.)
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/national/will-trumps-federal-hiring-freeze-affect-irs-tax-returns/

NAPERVILLE PATCH
— OUTRAGEOUS, DISGUSTING: Democrats push pot in Warrenville
https://patch.com/illinois/naperville/prairie-cannabis-host-grand-opening-naperville-warrenville-area

ELMHURST PATCH
— Elmhurst D205 Hopeful Opposes DEI; Others Back It. Critical race theory also becomes a topic during an Elmhurst election forum.  (COMMENT: To promote DEI is to promote discrimination against those who are conservative, Republican, American, White, male, older, non-poor, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time. I am all of the aforesaid. My critics/opponents promote DEI.)
https://patch.com/illinois/elmhurst/elmhurst-d205-hopeful-opposes-dei-others-back-it

IPM NEWS
— Dozens protest on the streets of Champaign for the rights of transgender people
https://ipmnewsroom.org/dozens-protest-on-the-streets-of-champaign-for-the-rights-of-transgender-people/

CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
— New bills would ban school fines, provide working moms paid time to breastfeed (COMMENT: During the 1990s, GAO’s Chicago office gutted its smoking room and turned it into a lactation room.)
https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/new-bills-would-ban-school-fines-provide-working-moms-paid-time-to-breastfeed/

CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/04/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-242/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— House Republicans say immigration affecting Illinoisans’ finances, safety
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_2d613c70-e336-11ef-a1a2-cb40670ac798.html

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Sosnowski Takes on Teeny-Tiny Township Governments
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/04/sosnowski-takes-on-teeny-tiny-township-governments/
— Nunda Township Road Commissioner Mike Lesperance Issues Press Release on Charges from Opponent Ron Parish
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/04/nunda-township-road-commissioner-mike-lesperance-issues-press-release-on-charges-from-opponent-ron-parish/
— County Administrator Peter Austin Set for Contract Extension into 2029, Salary Up $39,000 to $250,000
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/04/county-administrator-peter-austin-set-for-contract-extension-into-2029-salary-up-39000-to-250000/
— Ness Proposes Legislation to Allowed Those Unrelated to Live Together, Overriding Local Zoning Ordinances
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/04/ness-proposes-legislation-to-allowed-those-unrelates-to-live-together-overriding-local-zoning-ordinances/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— More than 20,000 federal workers accept Trump’s buyout offer, with ‘largest spike’ yet to come
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/4/20-000-federal-workers-accept-trump-buyout-offer-l/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: More than 20,000 workers would amount to roughly 1% of the two million federal workers. That remains below the 5% to 10% of federal workers the White House initially estimated would resign.  The White House says the buyout offer would save the government $100 billion.)
— Illegal immigrant used stolen ID to vote, buy guns while hiding in Florida
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/4/illegal-immigrant-voted-owned-guns-feds/

BIZ PAC REVIEW
— Harboring illegals could mean decades in jail; Homan responds to blue state dem’s ‘come and get her’ challenge (COMMENT: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly analogize illegals to fugitive slaves.)
https://www.bizpacreview.com/2025/02/04/harboring-illegals-could-mean-decades-in-jail-homan-responds-to-blue-state-dems-come-and-get-her-challenge-1520551/

BREITBART
— Trump: U.S. Will Take Over Gaza, ‘We Will Own It’
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/02/04/trump-u-s-will-take-over-gaza-we-will-own-it/

DAILY SIGNAL
— Democrats Love Illegal Aliens, No Matter How Vicious
https://www.dailysignal.com/2025/02/04/democrats-love-illegal-aliens-no-matter-how-vicious/

EPOCH TIMES
— More Than 20,000 Federal Workers Have Taken Buyout Offer, Surge Expected Before Friday Deadline. Nobody knows now how many employees will ultimately accept Trump’s terms for leaving the government.
https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/more-than-20000-federal-workers-have-taken-buyout-offer-surge-expected-before-friday-deadline-says-official-5804094

FOX NEWS
— Dozens of illegals arrested in Trump’s home county in Florida. Officials arrested 32 criminal illegal aliens through ‘targeted immigration enforcement operations’ in Palm Beach County.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dozens-illegals-arrested-trumps-home-county-florida

HOT AIR
— Illegals Throwing Anti-ICE Temper Tantrums, Blocking Freeways
https://hotair.com/tree-hugging-sister/2025/02/04/illegals-throwing-anti-ice-temper-tantrums-blocking-freeways-making-friends-n3799466

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CNN
— FBI turns over names of 5,000 employees who worked on January 6 cases to Trump Justice Department, as agents sue
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/04/politics/fbi-employees-tuesday

NEW YORK TIMES
— Bondi Confirmed as Attorney General
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/04/us/politics/pam-bondi-attorney-general-confirmation.html

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Trump Order Set to Ban Transgender Girls and Women From Female School Sports. The NCAA has indicated it will move rapidly to change its rules in the face of such an order. (COMMENT: Transgender athletes should only be allowed to compete against other transgender athletes.)
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/transgender-athletes-women-sports-executive-order-6223e414

REAL NEWS
— ‘Don’t open the door’: how Chicago is frustrating ICE’s campaign of fear. Months of know-your-rights work has Trump’s border czar complaining.
https://therealnews.com/dont-open-the-door-how-chicago-is-frustrating-ices-campaign-of-fear

INC
— Companies Are Avoiding the ‘DEI’ Acronym–Even If They’re Not Pulling Back on Diversity Initiatives  The White House is wiping diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives from the federal government. It’s prompting a shift in the communication used by business leaders who still believe in the concept.
https://www.inc.com/sam-blum/rebranding-dei-companies-tread-carefully-in-the-era-of-woke-politics/91141932

NPR
— Rubio says El Salvador will house deportees from U.S., including Americans
https://www.npr.org/2025/02/04/g-s1-46352/rubio-el-salvador-deportees-americans

POLITICO
— Trump says US will ‘take over the Gaza Strip’  He provided no details on how this was possible.
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/04/trump-says-us-will-take-over-the-gaza-strip-00202508

LGBTQ NATION
— Pete Buttigieg’s replacement bans diversity celebrations at Department of Transportation. New Secretary Sean Duffy calls them a “distraction”.
https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/02/pete-buttigiegs-replacement-bans-diversity-celebrations-at-department-of-transportation/

February 3, 2025 Evening Edition

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ABC7
— Trump agrees to pause tariffs on Mexico, Canada for a month
https://abc7chicago.com/post/us-tariffs-mexico-paused-month-mexican-president-says/15860417/
— ‘A Day Without Immigrants’ protests and business closures in Chicago in opposition to Trump policies (COMMENT: Democrats ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration. I washed dishes for 18 months while I was in high school. If there had been as many illegals back then as there are now, they would have gotten that job.)
https://abc7chicago.com/post/day-immigrants-chicago-business-owners-city-close-monday-protest-president-trumps-immigration-policies/15859639/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Trump threatens to fire more than 100 Chicago EPA workers. An email tells new employees that the agency can “immediately terminate you.” (COMMENT: I transferred from IRS to GAO when I was 31 years old in 1980. Because I had served my federal probationary period by working for IRS for almost 9 years, my Democrat GAO superiors were furious that they could not just fire me. However, they did force the GAO manager to retire who had arranged my transfer.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/environment/2025/02/03/trump-threatens-to-fire-100-chicago-epa-workers-environmental-protection-agency
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The warnings came in an email sent last week to most-recently hired workers who have not yet put in enough time to enjoy more job-protection benefits. “As a probationary/trial period employee, the agency has the right to immediately terminate you,” the email said. “The process for probationary removal is that you receive a notice of termination, and your employment is ended immediately.”)

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Musk tightens grip on federal government as Democrats raise alarms
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/03/elon-musk-federal-government/
— Some Chicago businesses close their doors to protest immigration crackdown (COMMENT: Democrats ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration. I washed dishes for 18 months while I was in high school. If there had been as many illegals back then as there are now, they would have gotten that job.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/03/chicago-has-always-been-a-city-of-immigrant-workers-some-chicago-businesses-close-their-doors-to-protest-immigration-crackdown/
— South suburban business advocates warn targeting of DEI will hurt small businesses and the economy (COMMENT: Democrat and RINO employers use DEI a) to not hire Republicans like me and b) to get rid of their Republican employees like I was.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/03/south-suburban-business-advocates-dei-economy/

DAILY HERALD
— ‘We’re all humans’: Immigrant advocates rally in West Chicago to protest mass deportations (COMMENT: To come into a country illegally and/or to stay in a country illegally is to demonstrate gross disrespect for the rule of law and for that country.)
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250203/nation-and-world-politics/were-all-humans-immigrant-advocates-rally-in-west-chicago-to-protest-mass-deportations/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Carrying signs with slogans including “FIGHT IGNORANCE NOT IMMIGRATION,” a crowd of more than 150 people gathered in West Chicago to protest mass deportations Monday, saying the policy unfairly targets Latino residents. “We’re all humans at the end of the day. No one is illegal,” West Chicagoan Jessica Garnica said. “This is a new civil rights movement,” Casa DuPage Workers Center Executive Organizer Cristobal Cavazos said. He helped organize the Day Without Immigrants March and Rally, intended to demonstrate the importance of the Chicago area’s Latino community. Multiple Latinos are “not going to work, not going to school, not buying anything. The majority of people (at the rally) are essential workers in the factories, in the warehouses, in the restaurants,” Cavazos said. Drivers in passing cars and semitrucks honked as participants gathered at Route 59 near Route 38 before marching to the West Chicago City Hall. Mexican immigrants “bring a lot of diversity and culture to the U.S.” but are often treated with disrespect, university student Ajimelec Garcia of West Chicago said. As well as in Chicago, ICE actions have been reported in Deer Park, Elgin, Palatine, Round Lake, Waukegan and West Chicago as part of President Donald Trump’s deportation ramp-up. Federal authorities said their priority is arresting criminals but protesters feared longtime residents with jobs and families will be swept up. “A lot of people are worried,” Garcia said. “I feel they don’t really honestly care if you have papers, in a way. As long as you’re Mexican they don’t want you here.” On Fox News Sunday, Trump’s Border Czar Tom Homan cited a 93% decrease in illegal border crossings. “We can’t have strong national security if we don’t have border security. We need to know who’s coming in, what’s coming in, where it’s coming in and why it’s coming in.” About 5,000 arrests were made in the first week, with the majority being criminals, Homan said. He added “noncriminals are (being) arrested in sanctuary cities because you force us into the community rather than arresting the bad guy in jail. And, when we find that criminal, he’s most likely with others, and they’re going to go, too. “If you want to be a sanctuary city, you’re going to get exactly what you don’t want — more agents in the city and more noncriminals arrested,” Homan said. Marcher Alejandra Jacobo of West Chicago said she’s concerned about loved ones. “They’ve worked so hard, most of the time for minimum wage,” Jacobo said. “I know they’re (ICE) doing their jobs, but do not take our good people. Just take the bad ones. These are the ones you should be chasing after.” Handmade signs sported slogans including “MEXICANS MAKE AMERICA GR8,” MY PARENTS ARE NOT CRIMINALS FOR WANTING A BETTER LIFE,” AND “AMERICA WE ARE YOUR PEOPLE.” Marchers included seniors, teens and kids in strollers. “We’re staying strong as a community,” Garnica said. “When you believe in God, he’s the one who’s going to guide us through.” The rally was organized by the Casa DuPage Workers Center and DuPage Immigrant Solidarity.)
— Canada Follows Mexico in Reaching Deal to Delay Trump Tariffs. The leaders of Mexico and Canada each said they had struck agreements to pause tariffs for 30 days, but levies on products from China were still set to take effect just after midnight. (COMMENT: I have ordered a 2025 Dodge Charger Daytona R/T that will be built in Canada.)
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/02/03/us/trump-tariffs
— DuPage County keeps federal lobbyist
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250203/news/dupage-county-keeps-federal-lobbyist/

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— How are Chicago schools responding to increased immigration enforcement? Here are five examples. (COMMENT: Democrats ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration.)
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/education/how-chicago-schools-are-responding-immigration-enforcement

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL EWGISTER
— Pritzker calls Trump ‘incompetent’, says Illinois families will feel impact of new tariffs
https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/state/2025/02/03/gov-pritzker-is-vocal-about-pres-trump-calls-him-incompetent/78181424007/

FOX ILLINOIS
— Restaurants shutter nationwide for ‘Day Without Immigrants’ protests (COMMENT: Democrats ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration. I washed dishes for 18 months while I was in high school. If there had been as many illegals back then as there are now, they would have gotten that job.)
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/restaurants-shutter-nationwide-for-day-without-immigrants-protests-trump-mass-deporations-immigration-policies-washington-dc-utah-florida-california

CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/02/03/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-241/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— From what I see, Democrats have decided to not only reject Trump’s presidency, but to end it. Democrats have declared a Second Civil War on Republicans. Illegals are soldiers in the Democrat Party Army. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com

CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— McCombie urges cohesion amid party in fighting
http://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/illinois-quick-hits-mccombie-urges-cohesion-amid-party-in-fighting-conservation-group-raises-bird-flu-concerns/ar-AA1yl60B
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The head of Illinois House Republicans is responding to calls for her to step down from her leadership role. The Illinois Freedom Caucus, made up of six state representatives and one senator, is accusing House Minority Leader Tony McCombie of playing “silly games” after she denied several services at the Capitol for not voting for her as leader. McCombie said the suspension of certain caucus-specific services does not affect any legislator’s ability to serve constituents, and the focus should be on “fighting Democrat policies that are failing Illinois families, not each other.”)

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Mexico’s president blames U.S. for arming cartels (COMMENT: From what I see, Mexico will side with America’s enemies in WWIII.)
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/3/mexico-president-claudia-sheinbaum-blames-u-arming/

NEW YORK POST
— NJ Gov. Phil Murphy reveals he’s housing a migrant at his residence — and tells feds ‘good luck’ trying to get her. (COMMENT: Murphy wants to be a modern day George Wallace.)
https://nypost.com/2025/02/03/us-news/nj-gov-phil-murphy-reveals-hes-housing-a-migrant-at-his-residence-and-tells-feds-good-luck-trying-to-get-her/

FEDERALIST
— Former Mexican Consulate Lawyer Coaches Illegals To Lie To ICE (COMMENT: Democrats have declared a Second Civil War against America. Illegals are soldiers in the Democrats’ invading army.)
https://thefederalist.com/2025/02/03/report-former-mexican-consulate-lawyer-coaches-illegals-to-lie-to-ice/

CAMPUS REFORM
— University of Minnesota charges up to $1,575 for online DEI certificate (COMMENT: I should add up all the money that I paid for tuition and books to earn a) a bachelor’s degree (NIU-management-1970), b) three master’s degrees (Loyola- business-1976, DePaul-accounting 1980, and IIT-finance-1997), and two professional certifications CPA-1979 and Certified Internal Auditor-1981) and adjust that money to today’s dollars.)
https://www.campusreform.org/article/university-minnesota-charges-1575-online-dei-certificate/27386

WESTERN JOURNAL
— Celebrities Put on a Parade of Wokeness at Grammys, Proving They Didn’t Learn Their Lesson in 2024 (COMMENT: From what I see, Democrats have decided to not only reject Trump’s presidency, but to end it. Democrats have declared a Second Civil War on Republicans. Illegals are soldiers in the Democrat Party Army.)
https://www.westernjournal.com/celebrities-put-parade-wokeness-grammys-proving-didnt-learn-lesson-2024/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CBS NEWS
— Education Dept. to probe antisemitism at 5 universities, including Columbia, Northwestern, Berkeley
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/education-dept-antisemitism-universities-columbia-northwestern-berkeley/

NEWSWEEK
— National ’50 States’ Anti-Trump Protest Planned for Feb 5: What to Know (COMMENT: Democrats have declared a Second Civil War against America. Illegals are soldiers in the Democrats’ invading army.)
https://www.newsweek.com/50-states-anti-trump-protest-nationwide-february-5-details-2025300

U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT
— ACLU Sues Over Trump Ban on Asylum at U.S.-Mexico Border (COMMENT: Democrats have declared a Second Civil War against America. Illegals are soldiers in the Democrats’ invading army.)
https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2025-02-03/aclu-sues-over-trump-ban-on-asylum-at-u-s-mexico-border

WASHINGTON POST
— Immigrant advocates file lawsuit challenging Trump asylum shutdown. The Trump administration has claimed there is an “invasion” on the U.S.-Mexico border to justify summarily expelling migrants without giving them a chance to apply for asylum. (COMMENT: Democrats have declared a Second Civil War against America. Illegals are soldiers in the Democrats’ invading army.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2025/02/03/aclu-lawsuit-asylum-border/
— Here’s who’s been ousted from FBI, Justice Dept. so far. Will it stand? (COMMENT: My Democrat GAO superiors ousted me, that is, they forced me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997. My critics/opponents have no problem with that. Actually, they are furious that I have gotten a Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) pension since then. Currently it is $66,680/year. So far, in today’s dollars, CSRS has paid me $1.8 million.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/02/03/fbi-justice-firings-removals-due-process/

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Another Thing Musk Hates About Germany: Absentee Workers at His Tesla Plant (COMMENT: While I was a student at NIU in 1970, Chrysler hired me to work in its Belvidere plant on Mondays because that was when absenteeism was highest.)
https://www.wsj.com/business/autos/elon-musk-german-tesla-factory-workers-0317574f
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Elon Musk was taken aback last fall by reports of high absenteeism at Tesla’s TSLA -5.17%decrease; red down pointing triangle factory near Berlin. “This sounds crazy. Looking into it,” the company’s workaholic chief executive wrote last September on X, the social-media platform he owns, responding to a tweet citing a sickness rate above 15%. The number of workers calling in sick has long been a flashpoint at the facility, where managers are battling to preserve the freewheeling spirit of an American tech company amid union pressure to hew closer to more worker-friendly European practices. The culture clash offers corporate context for Musk’s increasingly frequent interjections on European politics, including his recent endorsement of the far-right Alternative for Germany party.)

ACLU
— Immigrants’ Rights Advocates Sue Trump Administration Over Efforts to Completely Shut Down Asylum at the Border (COMMENT: Democrats have declared a Second Civil War against America. Illegals are soldiers in the Democrats’ invading army.)
https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/immigrants-rights-advocates-sue-trump-administration-over-efforts-to-completely-shut-down-asylum-at-the-border

ACCOUNTNG TODAY
— Illinois lawmakers propose alternative paths to CPA license (COMMENT: Because my becoming a licensed CPA when I was 32 years old in 1981 was my biggest professional accomplishment, my critics/opponents have ignored/dismissed/belittled that the most. None of my GAO Chicago office superiors, supervisors, coworkers, or subordinates were licensed CPAs.)
https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/illinois-lawmakers-propose-alternative-paths-to-cpa-license

RASMUSSEN REPORTS
— 77% of Likely U.S. Voters believe that requiring photo ID to vote is a reasonable measure to protect the integrity of elections – up from 74% in 2021. Just 17% disagree.
https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/trump_administration_second_term/election_integrity_77_favor_voter_id

February 1, 2025 Evening Edition

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ABC7
— Trump imposes tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China, raising prospect of higher costs for US consumers
https://abc7chicago.com/post/president-donald-trump-imposes-tariffs-canada-mexico-china-white-house-prospect-higher-costs-us-consumers-raises/15854652/
— 2 migrant men allegedly beat Chicago businessman to death, left him bound, gagged, prosecutors say. Jefferson Ubilla-Delgado, Geiderwuin Bello Morales appear in court Saturday for charges in murder of 63-year-old George Levin
https://abc7chicago.com/post/jefferson-ubilla-delgado-geiderwuin-bello-morales-allegedly-left-george-levin-dead-norwood-park-basement-prosecutors/15854435/
— Events held across Chicago area to celebrate 1st day of Black History Month (COMMENT: What are your demographics? During what months are they celebrated?)
https://abc7chicago.com/post/black-history-month-events-held-chicago-area-including-aurora-breakfast-south-side-girl-scouts-event-west-book-fair/15854425/
— Venezuela frees 6 Americans after meeting between President Maduro and Trump’s envoy
https://abc7chicago.com/post/6-americans-detained-venezuela-freed-meeting-between-nicols-maduro-donald-trumps-envoy-richard-grenell/15853514/

NBC5
— White House takes aim at Selena Gomez for video of her crying amid ICE raids. The White House produced a video featuring three mothers whose children were killed by convicted undocumented migrants.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/politics/white-house-takes-aim-selena-gomez-video-crying-ice-raids/3662687/

FOX32
— Pritzker slams Trump’s tariffs, warns ‘working families will pay the price’
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/pritzker-slams-trumps-tariffs-warns-working-families-will-pay-the-price

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Democrats elect Ken Martin, the party leader in Minnesota, as chair of the Democratic National Committee (COMMENT: Serving as the chairman of a political organization is a thankless job. I served as the chairman of TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois 2005-2012. Also, I served on the Steering Committee of the Illinois Center Right Coalition 2003-2007. Also, I headed Pat O’Malley’s Republican gubernatorial primary campaign in Milton Township in 2002. Also, I have served as the GOPUSA Illinois Editor since 2000. Because of the aforesaid, my critics/opponents have blamed me for all the losses that Republican candidates on ballots in my precinct have suffered since 2000. I should write about my critics/opponents. I would focus on a) past and present leaders of the Milton Township Republican Organization, DuPage County Republican Central Committee, and Illinois Republican Party and b) Republican candidates on ballots in my precinct who have suffered losses and their major donors, political consultants, fundraisers, pollsters, and campaign managers.. I would focus on those who have taken the most/biggest adverse actions against me.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/31/democratic-national-committee-chair-elected/
— AUGUST 21, 2021 FLASKBACK: FAA’s shift in hiring raises concerns (COMMENT: Air traffic control staffing was involved in an audit of FAA that I worked on for GAO in the early 1980s.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2014/05/27/faas-shift-in-hiring-raises-concerns/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren, a Republican from Winfield, said the FAA has failed to give lawmakers answers that justify the hiring change or show how it will improve safety. “There is a lot of secrecy about where this new program originated,” said Hultgren, who has met with air traffic controllers and aviation graduates who live in his DuPage County district. “I have not gotten adequate responses from the FAA or from the (Obama) administration.”)

DAILY HERALD
— How Illinois compares to others on taxes, spending, other metrics
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250201/news/how-our-state-stacks-up-new-report-shows-how-illinois-compares-to-others-on-taxes-spending-other/
— Democrats push pot. Democrats oppose testing for pot impairment.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250201/editorials/daily-herald-opinion-the-importance-of-integrity-drug-testing-questions-put-officials-labs-and/
— What will happen to McConchie’s campaign cash after he leaves office?
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250201/illinois-state-politics/what-will-happen-to-mcconchies-campaign-cash-after-he-leaves-office/

BLOOMINGTON PANTAGRAPH
— Leaders in Illinois, among the nation’s largest exporters, fear cost of Trump’s tariff plan
https://pantagraph.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/leaders-in-illinois-among-the-nations-largest-exporters-fear-cost-of-trumps-tariff-plan/article_39392c60-e02a-11ef-ac0b-ffa19327c4f7.html#tncms-source=login

CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Colleges around the US cautiously navigate Trump’s DEI crackdown (COMMENT: UIC accepted me in 1966, NIU in 1969, Loyola in 1972, DePaul in 1976, and IIT in 1992. But I doubt that they would have accepted me in later years a) because of ever-increasing DEI pressure and b) because of my bad demographics.)
https://www.news-gazette.com/news/nation-world/colleges-around-the-us-cautiously-navigate-trumps-dei-crackdown/article_0b611e91-d8cc-552d-a263-ddc7428b6106.html

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Data Centers Coming Online Leading to Comeback of Fossil Fuels
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/01/data-centers-coming-online-leading-to-comeback-of-fossil-fuels/
— The Gift Book’s Origin
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/01/the-gift-books-origination/
— Democrat Calls for Passage of Property Tax Circuit Breaker, Abolition of Which Governor Pat Quinn Signed after Dems Sent Him Repeal
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/02/01/democrat-calls-for-passage-of-property-tax-circuit-breaker-abolition-of-which-governor-pat-quinn-signed-after-dems-sent-him-repeal/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Trump follows through with trade war threats, slaps tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/1/trump-follows-trade-war-threats-slaps-tariffs-cana/
— Democrats elect Ken Martin to chair Democratic National Committee (COMMENT: Serving as the chairman of a political organization is a thankless job. I served as the chairman of TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois 2005-2012. Also, I served on the Steering Committee of the Illinois Center Right Coalition 2003-2007. Also, I headed Pat O’Malley’s Republican gubernatorial primary campaign in Milton Township in 2002. Also, I have served as the GOPUSA Illinois Editor since 2000. Because of the aforesaid, my critics/opponents have blamed me for all the losses that Republican candidates on ballots in my precinct have suffered since 2000. I should write about my critics/opponents. I would focus on a) past and present leaders of the Milton Township Republican Organization, DuPage County Republican Central Committee, and Illinois Republican Party and b) Republican candidates on ballots in my precinct who have suffered losses and their major donors, political consultants, fundraisers, pollsters, and campaign managers. I would focus on those who have taken the most/biggest adverse actions against me.)
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/1/democrats-elect-ken-martin-chair-democratic-nation/
— No more ‘identity months’: Pentagon scraps official events for Black, Women’s History months (COMMENT: While I worked for the Democrats who ran the federal government for almost 30 years, ever-increasingly, every month was an identity month except for Whites, men, and older people.)
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/1/identity-months-pentagon-scraps-official-events-bl/

WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— If you really support immigration, stop excusing border chaos
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/3305430/if-you-really-support-immigration-stop-excusing-border-chaos/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Celebrity Selena Gomez recently posted, and then quickly deleted, a video of herself sobbing uncontrollably over the treatment of illegal immigrants being expelled by the Trump administration. Gomez was, of course, mercilessly mocked by conservatives across social media. There’s nothing really wrong with sympathizing with those trying to escape the deprivation and tyranny of the Third World. Most of us, I assume, would do the same for our families. The frustration, though, is misplaced.)
— The DEI regime is trying to make a comeback
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/3307158/dei-regime-is-trying-to-make-a-comeback/

NEW YORK POST
— Chicago ICE raids expose left-wing ecosystem protecting criminal illegal migrants from deportations
https://nypost.com/2025/01/31/us-news/chicago-raids-expose-how-leftist-groups-help-crooks-evade-ice/
— Democratic govs line up to fight Trump even as they dance around criminal illegal migrants
https://nypost.com/2025/02/01/opinion/democratic-govs-line-up-to-fight-trump-even-as-they-dance-around-criminal-illegal-immigrants/
— Over 7.2K illegal migrants arrested in 9 days during ICE crackdown
https://nypost.com/2025/02/01/us-news/ice-crackdown-sees-7400-illegal-migrants-arrested-in-9-days/
— Another flight was forced into last second redirect at DCA just 24 hours before deadly crash
https://nypost.com/2025/02/01/us-news/another-american-airlines-flight-was-forced-into-last-second-redirect-at-dca-24-hours-before-tragic-crash/
— Trump admin slams Selena Gomez for her infamously tearful video over ICE raids
https://nypost.com/2025/02/01/us-news/trump-admin-slams-selena-gomez-for-her-infamously-tearful-video-over-ice-raids/
— How DEI is being rebranded — not disbanded
https://nypost.com/2025/02/01/opinion/no-death-for-diversity-how-dei-is-being-rebranded-not-disbanded/
— Kristi Noem stops taxpayer money from funding illegal migrant flood
https://nypost.com/2025/02/01/opinion/how-us-taxpayers-funded-the-largest-illegal-migration-in-history/

BIZ PAC REVIEW
— Two illegal immigrants arrested in brutal murder of 63-year-old Chicago man
https://www.bizpacreview.com/2025/02/01/two-illegal-immigrants-arrested-in-brutal-murder-of-63-year-old-chicago-man-1520103/

FOX NEWS
— ICE crackdown sees 7,400 illegal migrants arrested in 9 days
https://www.foxnews.com/us/ice-crackdown-sees-7400-illegal-migrants-arrested-9-days

REAL CLEAR POLITICS
— Pritzker: Dem Governors Working Hard With One Another To Think About How Do We Fight Back? How Do We Push Back?
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2025/02/01/gov_pritzker_dem_governors_working_hard_with_one_another_to_think_about_how_do_we_fight_back_how_do_we_push_back.html

WESTERN JOURNAL
— NY Hotels Using Illegals to Bilk Taxpayers Hit With Whopping Monetary Judgment
https://www.westernjournal.com/ny-hotels-using-illegals-bilk-taxpayers-hit-whopping-monetary-judgment/
— Trump Is Right: Obama FAA Policy Penalized ‘High Aptitude’ Applicants, Even Chicago Tribune Was Worried in 2021
https://www.westernjournal.com/trump-right-obama-faa-policy-penalized-high-aptitude-applicants-even-chicago-tribune-worried-2021/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

NBC NEWS
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote birthright citizenship
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/pregnant-women-fear-trumps-birthright-citizenship-order-rcna188757

NEW YORK TIMES
— Trump’s Canada and Mexico Tariffs Could Hurt Carmakers. General Motors and a few other companies make as much as 40 percent of their North American cars and trucks in Canada and Mexico, leaving them vulnerable to tariffs.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/01/business/economy/tariffs-trump-automakers-canada-mexico.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Stellantis, which owns Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram, produces all of its Chrysler Pacifica minivans at a plant in Windsor, Ontario. It also makes the Dodge Charger muscle car, including a new electric version, there. About two-thirds of its highly profitable Ram pickups are made in the United States, but the other third comes from a factory in Saltillo, Mexico. Stellantis did not respond to a request for comment.)

WASHINGTON POST
— Trump’s DEI purge targets federal workers who did not work in DEI (COMMENT: While I worked for the Democrats who ran the federal government for almost 30 years, constructively, all its employees were always in DEI roles. All federal employees had to give preference to federal employees who were Democrat, and especially to those who were minority, female, younger, veteran, non-Protestant, non-German American, and/or had ancestors who had not been in America for a long time. That is, federal employees had to discriminate against federal employees who were Republican, and especially against those who were White, male, older, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or had ancestors who had been in America for a long time. I should write about the aforesaid.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2025/02/01/trump-dei-energy-education-departments/
— Democrat leaders use Venezuela’s Maduro and his “repressive state” to promote more illegal immigration. Under the Biden, America repressed Republicans.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/02/01/trump-venezuela-deportation-maduro-migrants/

LOS ANGELES TIMES
— Mexico’s president orders retaliatory tariffs on the U.S.
https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2025-02-01/trump-tariffs-mexico-canada-china

USA TODAY
— Gender, hiring, foreign aid: 3 ways Project 2025 is turning up in Trump’s actions
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/01/31/project-2025-trump-executive-orders/77977234007/

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— How Migrant Groups Are Thwarting ICE. As agents arrive in Chicago and other cities, elaborate operations are springing into action—aiming to hinder authorities.
https://www.wsj.com/us-news/trump-migrant-arrests-activist-campaign-20939aa5

FORBES
— Trump Acknowledges Black History Month—After Weeks Of Attacking Diversity
https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2025/02/01/trump-acknowledges-black-history-month-after-weeks-of-attacking-diversity/

January 30, 2025 Evening Edition

WHITE HOUSE
— Immediate Assessment of Aviation Safety (COMMENT: One of the audits that I worked on for GAO in the early 1980s focused on air traffic control tower staffing.)
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/immediate-assessment-of-aviation-safety/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ANC7
— Air traffic control staffing was ‘not normal’ before deadly DC crash, highlighting ongoing shortages
https://abc7chicago.com/post/deadly-dc-plane-crash-highlights-ongoing-air-traffic-control-staffing-shortages-challenges/15849959/

NBC5
— Records show pilots complained for 20 years about near misses at DC airport
https://www.nbcchicago.com/investigations/records-show-pilots-complained-for-20-years-about-near-misses-at-dc-airport/3661183/
— Trump blames DEI initiatives in deadly plane crash (COMMENT: One of the audits that I worked on for GAO in the early 1980s focused on air traffic control tower staffing.)
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/politics/trump-blames-dei-initiatives-in-deadly-plane-crash-ntsb-says-focus-on-facts/3660898/

CBS2
— Trump appoints new FAA administrator after vacancy during deadly plane crash
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/plane-crash-dc-faa-administrator-trump-appointment/
— Duckworth slams Trump for implying DEI initiatives caused D.C. plane crash
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/duckworth-slams-trump-for-implying-dei-initiatives-caused-d-c-plane-crash-how-dare-he/
— Trump speaks about D.C. plane crash and points blame at DEI
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/watch-live-trump-to-speak-on-dc-plane-crash/

WGN9
— Regional jet carrying 64, military helicopter on training flight collide near Reagan National Airport
https://wgntv.com/news/regional-jet-helicopter-collide-near-reagan-national-airport/
— ‘It got real crazy:’ The inside story of bad blood that boiled over into a brawl during a Thornton Township board meeting
https://wgntv.com/news/wgn-investigates/it-got-real-crazy-the-inside-story-of-bad-blood-that-boiled-over-into-a-brawl-during-a-thornton-township-board-meeting/

FOX32
— How do you become an air traffic controller? Deadly crash puts job requirements in spotlight.
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/air-traffic-controller-requirements
— Cicero residents push for ‘sanctuary city’ policy
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/1585546

WTTW
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more LGBTQ.
https://news.wttw.com/2025/01/30/members-chicago-transgender-community-raise-concerns-about-health-safety-after-trump

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Mayor: Following ‘longstanding practice,’ Aurora police not enforcing federal immigration laws (COMMENT: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/30/mayor-following-longstanding-practice-aurora-police-not-enforcing-federal-immigration-laws/
— Trump blames diversity hiring as investigation into deadly midair collision begins
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/30/president-trump-plane-crash-investigation/
— Pentagon agency pauses celebrations for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Black History Month, Holocaust Days of Remembrance and more (COMMENT: While I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO’s Chicago office for almost 18 years, they ever-increasingly required the office to celebrate groups each month, but they never celebrated Whites, males, or older people.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/29/pentagon-pauses-celebrations/
— Chicago sued by white men barred from Bally’s casino investment
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/30/chicago-sued-by-white-men-barred-from-ballys-casino-investment/
— Want a low-stress job with lots of time off? The state of Illinois says it wants to recruit you.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/30/editorial-state-of-illinois-commercial-jobs-benefits/
— Dolton faces a few more weeks of Tiffany Henyard. More than enough.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/30/editorial-dolton-tiffany-henyard/
— Trump administration revokes deportation protections for 600,000 Venezuelans
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/29/venezuelan-deportation-protections-revoked/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Ever-increasingly, Democrat leaders encourage/urge everyone to reject Trump’s election.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/2025/01/30/president-trump-immigrants-transgender-racism-equality-inflation-economy-edwin-yohnka
— White activists sue Bally’s over Chicago casino IPO limited to women, minorities. Bally’s announced a $250 million public offering last month for shares of its massive Chicago casino project, but only to women or people of color. That’s in line with Bally’s agreement with the city, but opponents call it an illegal “race-based stock offering.”
https://chicago.suntimes.com/casinos-gambling/2025/01/30/ballys-dei-lawsuit-minority-investment-ipo

DAILY HERALD
— DuPage County offers $1 million in grants to aid small nonprofits
https://www.dailyherald.com/20250130/news/dupage-county-offers-1-million-in-grants-to-aid-small-nonprofits/

CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— State GOP lawmakers introduce bills to punish sexual assault in schools
https://www.news-gazette.com/news/gop-lawmakers-introduce-bills-to-punish-sexual-assault-in-schools/article_61724002-df64-11ef-95a1-17bce3b49e2f.html

ALTON TELEGRAPH
— Civil rights activists call for a Target boycott after retailer backs away from diversity programs
https://www.thetelegraph.com/business/article/civil-rights-activists-call-for-a-target-boycott-20066567.php

SOUTHERN
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly use DEI to get rid of Republicans.
https://southernillinoisnow.com/2025/01/30/trumps-missing-the-point-on-dei-and-meritocracy-experts-say/

NORTHERN PUBLIC RADIO
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration.
https://www.northernpublicradio.org/2025-01-30/legal-centers-for-migrants-kick-into-high-gear-as-trump-ramps-up-immigration-policies

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Rubio says Trump’s interest in Greenland and Panama Canal is legit and driven by China concerns
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/politics/ap-rubio-says-trumps-interest-in-greenland-and-panama-canal-is-legit-and-driven-by-china-concerns/

WRSP
— Marijuana Use Negatively Impacts Working Memory (COMMENT: Putting GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters together and sending them out requires a tremendous amount of working memory.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsumOdc7kGA

FOX ILLINOIS
— Democrats ever-increasingly push more pot in Springfield.
https://foxillinois.com/news/local/springfield-launches-cannabis-grant-program-to-boost-minority-owned-businesses

DURBIN
— Many Insurrectionists Pardoned By President Trump Pose a Clear Threat To Public Safety
https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-many-insurrectionists-pardoned-by-president-trump-pose-a-clear-threat-to-public-safety

CHALKBEAT CHICAGO
— How are Chicago schools responding to increased immigration enforcement? Here are five examples.
https://www.chalkbeat.org/chicago/2025/01/30/how-chicago-schools-are-responding-to-deportation-threats/

CAPITOL FAX
— Illinois Freedom Caucus complains about punishment
https://capitolfax.com/2025/01/30/illinois-freedom-caucus-complains-about-punishment/
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/01/30/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-239/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

ILLINOIS FREEDOM CAUCUS
— Republican House Leader Tony McCombie Attacks Conservatives
https://illinoisfreedomcaucus.substack.com/p/republican-house-leader-tony-mccombie

CHICAGO CONTRARIAN
— ICE’s Immigration Mission Will Return Chicago to Normal
https://www.chicagocontrarian.com/blog/ice-immigration-mission-return-chicago-normal

PRAIRIE STATE WIRE
— Anti-government secrecy group demands Illinois disclose details on illegal alien criminals in custody
https://prairiestatewire.com/stories/669343672-anti-government-secrecy-group-demands-illinois-disclose-details-on-illegal-alien-criminals-in-custody

ILLINOIS POLICY INSTITUTE
— Madigan collects $158K while facing federal corruption trial in Chicago
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/madigan-collects-158k-while-facing-federal-corruption-trial-in-chicago/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— FAA turned away qualified air traffic controllers based solely on race
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/feb/1/editorial-faa-turned-away-qualified-air-traffic-co/
— FAA’s diversity hiring practices were under scrutiny long before the air disaster in Washington. Ongoing policy criticism envelops crash aftermath despite no evidence DEI hiring played any role in accident.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/jan/30/faa-diversity-hiring-practices-scrutiny-long-air-d/

NEW YORK POST
— Air traffic controller was doing the job of two people during DC plane crash due to tower being understaffed
https://nypost.com/2025/01/30/us-news/air-traffic-controller-was-doing-the-job-of-two-people-during-crash-faa-says/
— Trump admin rounds up 5,500 criminal migrants in less than a week — here are some of the worst (COMMENT: Countries that hate America ever-increasingly illegally send their operatives to America to destroy America.)
https://nypost.com/2025/01/29/us-news/trump-admin-rounds-up-5500-criminal-migrants-in-less-than-a-week-here-are-some-of-the-worst/

AMERICAN GREATNESS
— Trump Blames Biden Regime’s DEI Policies For DC Plane Crash, Says Pete Buttigieg Ran ‘FAA Right to the Ground’
https://amgreatness.com/2025/01/30/trump-blames-biden-regimes-dei-policies-for-dc-plane-crash-says-pete-buttigieg-ran-faa-right-to-the-ground/
— Bravo, Trump, for Restoring Merit and Banning Neo Racism in American Education. Trump’s executive order bans DEI in higher ed, mandates compliance, and puts school officials on the hook—no more hiding behind bureaucracy.
https://amgreatness.com/2025/01/30/bravo-trump-for-restoring-merit-and-banning-neo-racism-in-american-education/
— Mexico—Friend, Enemy, Neutral, or Something Else?  After years of U.S. appeasement, Mexico exploits open borders, drug trade, and remittances—it’s time for America to enforce real consequences and reclaim control.
https://amgreatness.com/2025/01/30/mexico-friend-enemy-neutral-or-something-else/
— Mounting Disobedience in Our Schools. School discipline is declining, and the education establishment is clueless about how to improve things.
https://amgreatness.com/2025/01/30/mounting-disobedience-in-our-schools/

FOX NEWS
— Trump says Reagan National Airport crash could have been prevented  (COMMENT: One of the audits that I worked on for GAO in the early 1980s focused on air traffic control tower staffing.)
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-says-reagan-national-airport-crash-could-have-been-prevented-clear-night?lid=itltmx3v03fi

TOWNHALL
— Details on Trump’s Illegals to GITMO Plan
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2025/01/30/here-are-the-details-on-trumps-illegals-to-gitmo-plan-n2651396

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

REUTERS
— Trump opens door to earlier deportation of many Venezuelans from U.S.
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/trump-administration-ends-extended-protections-venezuelans-us-official-says-2025-01-29/

NBC NEWS
— ‘Fear’ and ‘chaos’ grip federal workers as Trump rapidly remakes the government. More than a dozen civil servants detailed to NBC News their experiences over the past 10 days as Trump moves to quickly upend the federal workforce. (COMMENT: If I was still working for the Democrats who run GAO, they would have had me killed figuratively if not literally by now.)
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/fear-chaos-grip-federal-workers-trump-remakes-government-rcna189746
— Several top FBI officials are told to resign or face demotion as Trump continues federal purge. The affected employees include about a half-dozen “executive assistant directors,” who are some of the bureau’s top managers.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/several-top-fbi-officials-are-told-resign-face-demotion-trump-continue-rcna190095

NEW YORK TIMES
— Control Tower Staffing Was ‘Not Normal’ During Deadly Crash (COMMENT: One of the audits that I worked on for GAO in the early 1980s focused on air traffic control tower staffing.)
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/01/29/us/plane-crash-washington-dc
— What Caused the Crash Into the Potomac? For Trump, It Was Diversity.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/30/us/politics/plane-crash-trump-diversity.html

BUSINESS INSIDER
— Washington, DC, plane crash thrusts high-stakes role of air traffic control into the spotlight (COMMENT: One of the audits that I worked on for GAO in the early 1980s focused on air traffic control tower staffing.)
https://www.businessinsider.com/dc-plane-crash-atc-spotlight-investigation-ntsb-2025-1

NEWS BREAK
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote interracial marriage. Many of my Democrat IRS and GAO superiors and supervisors were in interracial marriages.
https://www.newsbreak.com/the-morning-hustle-1590243/3783934851960-could-trump-get-rid-of-interracial-marriage

GOVERNING
— Secession Schemes Within the States. Residents of red counties in blue states wish they had a new political home. (COMMENT: Under Pritzker and under his Democrats, Illinois is ever-increasingly headed for disaster. Soon, if not already, everyone in Illinois will be a) handing out welfare and/or c) receiving welfare.)
https://www.governing.com/politics/secession-schemes-within-the-states

January 24, 2025 Evening Edition

POST MILLENNIAL
— Pete Hegseth CONFIRMED by Senate as defense secretary. Vice President JD Vance was called up to cast the tie-breaking vote.
https://thepostmillennial.com/pete-hegseth-confirmed-senate

TOWNHALL
— Pete Hegseth Confirmed as Secretary of Defense
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2025/01/24/hegseth-confirmed-n2650817

WHITE HOUSE
— ENFORCING THE HYDE AMENDMENT
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/enforcing-the-hyde-amendment/
— I hereby revoke the Presidential Memorandum of January 28, 2021 . . . and reinstate the Presidential Memorandum of January 23, 2017 . . . (The Mexico City Policy). I direct the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to the extent allowable by law, to implement a plan to extend the requirements of the reinstated Memorandum to global health assistance furnished by all departments or agencies. I further direct the Secretary of State to take all necessary actions, to the extent permitted by law, to ensure that U.S. taxpayer dollars do not fund organizations or programs that support or participate in the management of a program of coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization. This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. The Secretary of State is authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/memorandum-for-the-secretary-of-state-the-secretary-of-defense-the-secretary-of-health-and-human-services-the-administrator-of-the-united-states-for-international-development/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Evanston investigating photo of firefighters wearing Trump masks at work (COMMENT: My Democrat GAO superiors were furious that I attended a Bob Dole rally in Wheaton in 1996.)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/illinois-city-evanston-investigating-photo-202200410.html
— A reported sighting of immigration agents attempting to enter an elementary school on Chicago’s Southwest Side on Friday was actually U.S. Secret Service agents investigating a threat.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/24/immigration-enforcement-hamline-elementary/
— Illinois State Senator Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) asks prison workers to contact her about undocumented immigrants: ‘I won’t rat you out’
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/24/state-senator-asks-prison-workers-to-contact-her-about-undocumented-immigrants-i-wont-rat-you-out/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Homeless tent camp on track to be removed from Gompers Park on Northwest Side. Ald. Samantha Nugent says the city promised to begin a process next month to help move unhoused people from the park into shelters. (COMMENT: Under the Democrats and under the RINOs, anticipate/expect homeless tent camps in your county, township, municipality, school district, and precinct.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/the-watchdogs/2025/01/24/chicago-homeless-tent-camp-removed-gompers-park-northwest-side-samantha-nugent-brandon-johnson

ABC7
— Target is ending its diversity goals as a strong DEI opponent occupies the White House
https://abc7chicago.com/post/target-is-ending-diversity-goals-strong-dei-opponent-occupies-white-house/15834406/
— Illinois Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use students to promote more hatred against Trump.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/mass-deportations-school-attendance-declines-parts-illinois-amid-fears-trump-immigration-raids-gov-pritzker-speaks/15834048/
— US Secret Service approached South Side school, not ICE agents. Chicago Public Schools officials initially claimed they denied ICE entry to Hamline Elementary Friday morning.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/us-immigration-customs-enforcement-agents-denied-entry-hamline-elementary-school-back-yards-cps-officials/15833738/
— Illinois Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use students to promote more hatred against Trump.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/mass-deportations-school-attendance-declines-parts-illinois-amid-fears-trump-immigration-raids-gov-pritzker-speaks/15834048/
— Illinois authorities divided on TRUST Act forbidding federal immigration enforcement collaboration
https://abc7chicago.com/post/trust-act-controversy-illinois-authorities-divided-law-forbidding-collaboration-federal-immigration-enforcement-raids/15834612/
— Trump vows to fight for abortion restrictions in March for Life remarks
https://abc7chicago.com/live-updates/donald-trump-2nd-term-live-updates-more-executive-action-planned-amid-day-1-fallout/15820865/
— Trump says military planes will deport migrants every day
https://abc7chicago.com/post/trump-border-czar-tells-abc-military-planes-will-deport-migrants-every-day/15834350/

NBC5
— CPS says ICE agents ‘showed up’ at Chicago school, Secret Service says it was them. A spokesperson for ICE, however, said “this was not an U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement encounter,” however.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/ice-agents-showed-up-at-chicago-school-amid-heightened-concerns-of-raids/3655459/
— Target announces major company changes following Trump’s diversity orders. Target, which operates nearly 2,000 stores nationwide, explained it already had planned to end the racial program this year.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/target-announces-major-company-changes-following-trumps-diversity-orders/3655681/
— Judge finds Dolton mayor in ‘indirect criminal contempt’ in liquor license case
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/judge-finds-dolton-mayor-in-indirect-criminal-contempt-in-liquor-license-case/3655764/
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more hatred against Trump.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/voters-unhappy-both-parties/3646584/

CBS2
— Illinois Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use students to promote more hatred against Trump.
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/chicago-public-schools-martinez-cupich-immigration-raid-worries/
— Illinois Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use poor people to promote more hatred against Trump.
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/northern-illinois-food-bank-immigration-policy-concerns/
— Chicago Democrats reject Trump’s election and the rule of law.
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/chicago-mayor-johnson-immigration-rights-announcement/

CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Trump and Vance join March for Life anti-abortion activists in celebrating the movement’s gains. President Donald Trump and his vice president, JD Vance, are celebrating gains in the anti-abortion movement with activists in the annual March for Life/
https://www.news-gazette.com/news/nation-world/trump-and-vance-join-march-for-life-anti-abortion-activists-in-celebrating-the-movements-gains/article_c22d1d39-93fc-54d5-827b-67e023017820.html

SOUTHERN
— Illinois Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use students to promote more hatred against Trump.
https://thesouthern.com/news/illinois-schools-prepare-for-immigration-enforcement-state-board-issues-guidance-after-trump-rescinds-biden-era/article_47c02031-d3c1-5998-a107-91095f03946d.html

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Federal agencies begin removing DEI guidance from websites in Trump crackdown
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/politics/ap-federal-agencies-begin-removing-dei-guidance-from-websites-in-trump-crackdown/

NPR ILLINOIS
— Local governments across U.S. signal they won’t aid Trump migrant crackdown (COMMENT: To what extent do those who run your county, township, municipality, and school district reject Trump’s election, that is, to what extent do they reject the rule of law?)
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-01-24/local-governments-across-u-s-signal-they-wont-aid-trump-migrant-crackdown
— U.S. puts virtually all foreign aid on 90-day hold
https://www.nprillinois.org/2025-01-24/u-s-puts-virtually-all-foreign-aid-on-90-day-hold-issues-stop-work-order

WREX
— Federal agencies told to move to eliminate DEI offices and positions within 60 days (COMMENT: What if Trump had been elected earlier, much earlier?  In Diersen v. GAO, to justify its forcing me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997, GAO argued that it was just following orders. GAO used Affirmative Action and DEI to get rid of its Republican employees, and especially those who were conservative, White, male, older, and/or non-veteran. I was all of the aforesaid.)
https://www.wrex.com/news/politics/federal-agencies-told-to-move-to-eliminate-dei-offices-and-positions-within-60-days/article_1c625fdb-9e6e-58db-9fd1-a3c70ed32bc2.html

CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2025/01/24/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-235/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— What if Trump had been elected earlier, much earlier?  In Diersen v. GAO, to justify its forcing me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997, GAO argued that it was just following orders. GAO used Affirmative Action and DEI to get rid of its Republican employees, and especially those who were conservative, White, male, older, and/or non-veteran. I was all of the aforesaid. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Trump is finally firing people (COMMENT: If was still working for the Democrats who run GAO, they would kill me figuratively if not literally.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/jan/24/trump-finally-firing-people/
— Repealing the climate hoax
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/jan/24/editorial-repealing-climate-hoax/

NEW YORK POST
— Mexico refuses to accept US deportation flight as Trump’s immigration overhaul gets into full swing
https://nypost.com/2025/01/24/us-news/mexico-refuses-to-accept-us-deportation-flight-as-trumps-immigration-overhaul-gets-into-full-swing/
— Trump’s Education Department sacks ‘book ban coordinator,’ tosses complaints over removal of ‘sexually explicit’ material
https://nypost.com/2025/01/24/us-news/trumps-education-department-eliminates-book-ban-coordinator/

CENTER FOR FAMILY & HUMAN RIGHTS
— Trump Eradicates Gender Ideology on Week One
https://c-fam.org/friday_fax/trump-eradicates-gender-ideology-on-week-one/

DAILY CALLER
— Illegal Aliens ‘Endanger Our Own People’: Democratic Alderman Raymond Lopez of Chicago Lays Into Governor Pritzker Seeking To Block ICE Raids
https://dailycaller.com/2025/01/24/chicago-dem-pritzker-trump-block-ice-raids/

GINGRICH
— President Trump Acts Decisively on Illegal Immigration (COMMENT: If Gingrich had reformed GAO instead of gutting it, I might still be working for GAO.)
https://gingrich360.com/2025/01/24/president-trump-acts-decisively-on-illegal-immigration/

TOWNHALL
— Senate Republican Announces Bill to Finish Building Donald Trump’s Border Wall
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/jeff-charles/2025/01/24/house-republican-to-reintroduce-bill-to-finish-building-trumps-wall-n2651080

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CBS NEWS
— Interior Department says Gulf of Mexico now renamed to Gulf of America, Denali to Mount McKinley
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/interior-department-gulf-of-mexico-america/
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use students and religious people to promote more hatred against Trump.
https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/ice-activity-new-york-new-jersey-schools-places-of-worship/

REUTERS
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration.
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/some-migrants-turn-pricey-smugglers-or-riskier-routes-after-trump-clampdown-2025-01-24/

NEWSWEEK
— Chicago Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more hatred against Trump and against those who voted for Trump.
https://www.newsweek.com/chicago-immigrants-fearing-trump-ice-deportation-raids-stay-home-2019296

U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration.
https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2025-01-24/some-migrants-turn-to-pricey-smugglers-or-riskier-routes-after-trump-clampdown

NEW YORK TIMES
— At Trump Luncheon, Billionaires Cozy Up to Policymakers
https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/politics/100000009942342/at-trump-luncheon-billionaires-cozy-up-to-policymakers.html

WASHINGTON POST
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/01/24/immigration-mexico-trump/eab0c612-da10-11ef-85a9-331436ec61e9_story.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2025/01/24/immigration-raids-deportations-trump-ice/
— Democrats and RINOs use DEI to get rid of Republicans.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/01/24/trump-dei-rollback-inequality/

USA TODAY
— Democrat and RINO employers use DEI a) to not hire Republican and b) to get rid of their Republican employees.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2025/01/24/health-wildfire-los-angeles-madison-keys-trump-dei/77922903007/

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— A ‘Pay Penalty’ Is Keeping Men Out of Classrooms. Male teachers can help struggling boys, but few men choose to go into teaching.
https://www.wsj.com/us-news/education/education-low-pay-male-teachers-8c3bfa30
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The typical college-educated man made $95,000 in 2023, compared with $65,000 for male teachers—a $30,000 pay gap, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of census data stored at the University of Minnesota. The comparable gap for women was $12,000.)

FORTUNE
— Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly promote more illegal immigration.
https://fortune.com/2025/01/24/migrants-us-asylum-appointments-canceled-trump-crossing-border/

BARRON’S
— America’s enemies ever-increasingly send their citizens to America illegally.
https://www.barrons.com/news/asylum-access-universally-recognised-right-un-says-after-trump-halts-arrivals-9c5a8983

INC.
— Since the 1960s, Democrats have ever-increasingly used their anti-discrimination laws to discriminate against Republicans who are White, male, older, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.
https://www.inc.com/kit-eaton/trump-federal-contracting-order-reverses-60-years-of-anti-discrimination-progress/91130572

AARP
— 10 Sneaky Retirement Expenses You May Not See Coming (COMMENT: The list includes: Health care/wellness, Home maintenance and modifications, Home and car insurance, Utilities, Taxes, and Staying connected. In today’s dollars, my Civil Service Retirement System pension is a) only 44% of what my salary was when I was 49 in 1997 and b) less than what my salary was when I was 23 in 1972.)
https://www.aarp.org/money/budgeting-saving/info-2023/most-common-underestimated-expenses.html

NATIONAL LAW REVIEW
— What’s Next for OFCCP? Agency Issues First Statement After President Trump’s Revocation of EO 11246
https://natlawreview.com/article/whats-next-ofccp-agency-issues-first-statement-after-president-trumps-revocation-eo

AMERICAN LAWYER
— The Justice Department rescinded job offers to dozens of law school students who were set to join the agency this year, while attorneys already in the government are worried about the risk of losing their jobs. (COMMENT: When I was 22 years old in 1971, Oldsmobile rescinded a job offer that I had accepted saying that it had just agreed to stop hiring Whites to settle an EEOC complaint. That had a tremendous impact on the rest of my life.)
https://www.law.com/americanlawyer/2025/01/24/government-attorneys-face-reassignment-rescinded-job-offers-in-first-days-of-trump-administration/

LAW 360
— Convenience store chain Circle K requires store managers to make trips to other locations to pick up out-of-stock items but doesn’t reimburse them for the costs associated with this travel.  (COMMENT: Prior to Diersen v. IRS ( SEE: https://www.gao.gov/products/b-180010.11 ) IRS used a purposely vague definition of “commuting area” to reward and to punish its employees.)
https://www.law360.com/employment-authority/wage-hour/articles/2288288/circle-k-fails-to-pay-for-travel-costs-manager-says

RASMUSSON REPORTS
— 45% View China as Enemy of U.S.
https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/trump_administration_second_term/45_view_china_as_enemy_of_u_s