April 27 Morning Edition

POLITICO ILLINOIS
— GOP chair race in LEGAL turmoil – Natasha Korecki  (DIERSEN: When and how will the Illinois State Board of Elections respond to Winchester’s April 26, 2018 letter SEE:  https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000163-04de-d374-a77b-04df3b5c0000 ?)

https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2018/04/27/gop-party-chair-race-in-legal-turmoil-chicagos-new-municipal-id-rosensteins-opioid-crisis-closeup-266385
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Infighting within the state’s fractious GOP has spilled into the race for Illinois Republican Party chairman, raising questions over whether Gov. Bruce Rauner’s favored candidate — Tim Schneider — can win another term and opening a new divide in a state party that just can’t heal itself. Robert Winchester, a 15th district committeeman candidate, a key district in southern Illinois, is disputing the validity of the results of his own election and threatening the Illinois Republican Party with legal action if it continues to identify his opponent, state Sen. Chapin Rose, as the winner. (Quick primer: Rose is pro-Rauner/Schneider while Winchester is poised to back Schneider’s opponent for state party chair). Party response: “A majority of Republican precinct committeemen in IL-15 cast their vote for state Sen. Chapin Rose for State Central Committeemen, which means he is the winner of that election,” Illinois Republican Party spokesman Aaron DeGroot responded by email last night. Except: in documents obtained by POLITICO, Winchester is demanding the party refrain from naming Rose the victor in the 15th district and separately asking the Illinois State Board of Elections to call the race. In a letter addressed to Andrew Collins, the executive director of the Illinois Republican Party, Winchester’s attorney alleges “substantial irregularities in the voting procedures in key counties of the 15th district.” “It is thereby demanded that the IRP take down all of the announcements in which Rep. Rose is identified as either the person receiving the most votes in the 15th district or identifying Rep. Rose as a member of the new State Central Committee,” attorney Stephen Boulton wrote. “If the IRP refuses or fails to cease its actions, Mr. Winchester will be forced to consider appropriate and immediate legal action.” (Read letter here.) (https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000163-04dd-da04-a1fb-14ff7f250001) Boulton works for Peraica & Associates. Tony Peraica is the former Republican member of the Cook County Board whose client is suing Democratic House Speaker Mike Madigan in a separate case. In a separate letter to the State Board of Elections, (https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000163-04de-d374-a77b-04df3b5c0000) Winchester’s attorney argues that validating the outcome is the election board’s duty. Why is this all significant? The outcome of the 15th district race could determine the next statewide chairman and likely the direction of a party that nearly threw out its incumbent governor in March. Enter the newly-elected Republican State Central Committeemen, who are to meet May 19th to vote on the next chairman. Each of the votes is weighted. The district with the greatest weighted vote? The one under dispute in the 15th. While Rose supports Schneider, Winchester had pledged his support to challenger Mark Shaw, who is Lake County’s GOP Chairman. GOP sources tell us that the unofficial breakdown is pretty closely divided between Schneider and Shaw, making the 15th district outcome all that more impactful. Disunity: If Schneider cannot hold onto power, that’s a direct reflection on Rauner’s weakened grasp of his party. That’s a particularly stinging rebuke since Rauner has almost single-handedly funded the Illinois Republican Party apparatus. Even if Schneider wins another term, this latest turmoil only shows there’s a long road to repairing the rift in the party.)

 

FOX NEWS CHICAGO
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: Illinois Senate views marijuana as opioid alternative – AP (DIERSEN: How much money are politicians taking from pot pushers?)
http://www.fox32chicago.com/health/illinois-senate-views-marijuana-as-opioid-alternative-1

 

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Emanuel doesn’t rule out another property tax hike if re-elected
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-rahm-emanuel-taxes-20180427-story.html
— Illinois pension tops goals, saves taxpayers money – Nisa Neely
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/arlington-heights/community/chi-ugc-article-illinois-pension-tops-goals-saves-taxpayers-2018-04-26-story.html
— Defending his record to Congress, EPA chief Pruitt shifts spending blame to staff – Brady Dennis and Juliet Eilperin (DIERSEN: What do you say “Republican” activists, candidates, and party leaders in Illinois who blame the Illinois Republican Party’s (IRP) problems on the traditional family, right to life, immigration, and other planks in the IRP platform? Political parties exist to help elect candidates who can and will defend and advance their platform. If you are not going to defend and advance all the planks in the IRP platform, and a) if you won a Republican primary race in Illinois as a Republican, you should immediately withdraw and b) if you got elected or appointed to a government office or a political office in Illinois as a Republican, you should immediately resign.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-epa-chief-scott-pruitt-capitol-hill-20180426-story.html

 

WLS AM
— Jeanne Ives: Spreading her message with new tour – Kimberly Kaczmarek
http://www.wlsam.com/2018/04/26/jeanne-ives-spreading-her-message-with-new-tour/

 

NORTHWEST HERALD
— Attacks on newspapers must be rebuffed – Editorial (DIERSEN: Should I write a book about those who have worked the hardest since 2000 to stop me from putting GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails together and sending them out?)
http://www.nwherald.com/2018/04/26/our-view-attacks-on-newspapers-must-be-rebuffed/af1cj1u/

 

SAUK VALLEY
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: Illinois Senate votes to allow medical marijuana as opioid alternative
http://www.saukvalley.com/2018/04/27/illinois-senate-votes-to-allow-medical-marijuana-as-opioid-alternative/at8d4i6/

 

CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Poll: Davis has slight edge on Londrigan – Tom Kacich
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2018-04-26/poll-davis-has-slight-edge-londrigan.html

 

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— Bump stock ban passes Illinois Senate – Brenden Moore and Maximilian Kwiatkowski
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20180426/bump-stock-ban-passes-illinois-senate

 

PEORIA JOURNAL STAR
— Multiple Sclerosis conference in East Peoria gets support from Lt. Gov. Sanguinetti
http://www.pjstar.com/news/20180426/ms-conference-in-east-peoria-gets-support-from-lt-gov-sanguinetti

 

NPR ILLINOIS
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Anti-Trumps claim that the “right” is winning. But the “left” is winning in Illinois, in DuPage County, in Milton Township, in Wheaton, and in my precinct. Ever-increasingly, the “left,” that is, Democrats and Democrat plants, Libertarians and Libertarian plants, Greens and Green plants, and RINOs make progress in getting rid of individuals, organizations, and companies that are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, German American, draft avoiders, and those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.
http://nprillinois.org/post/despite-so-much-winning-right-feels-its-losing#stream/0

 

WAND
— State union workers rally to end pay step freezes (DIERSEN: Have you gotten step increases? Of course, if I sought a government office a political office, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes would viciously demonize, denigrate, and condemn each and every step increase that I got while I worked for the Post Office 1966-1969, IRS 1971-1980, and GAO 1980-1997. I remember that before they succeeded in getting rid of him, the IRS manager who promoted me in 1972, 1973, and 1974 succeeded once in getting me an early step increase.)
http://www.wandtv.com/story/38051573/state-union-workers-rally-to-end-pay-step-freezes

 

PEORIA PUBLIC RADIO
— Public Employees Rally for Raises at Statehouse – SAM DUNKLAU (DIERSEN: Have you gotten step increases? Of course, if I sought a government office a political office, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes would viciously demonize, denigrate, and condemn each and every step increase that I got while I worked for the Post Office 1966-1969, IRS 1971-1980, and GAO 1980-1997. I remember that before they succeeded in getting rid of him, the IRS manager who promoted me in 1972, 1973, and 1974 succeeded once in getting me an early step increase.)
http://peoriapublicradio.org/post/public-employees-rally-raises-statehouse#stream/0

 

WSIL TV
— Illinois Governor’s race on pace to be most expensive in U.S. history – Andrew Feather
http://www.wsiltv.com/story/38054466/illinois-governors-race-on-pace-to-be-most-expensive-in-us-history

WGIL
— PRITZKER TOUTS LOCAL VOCATIONAL EDUCATION (DIERSEN: When you were in high school, were you considered to be “college material?” While I attended Crete-Monee High School 1962-1966, I took college preparatory courses notwithstanding the fact that many, if not most, if not virtually everyone at the time viewed me as NOT being “college material.” Neither of my parents had attended college. My father was the first of his ancestors to earn a high school diploma. My mother never attended high school. I spent my junior and senior years and the summer in between washing dishes for the minimum wage in the basement of the S.S. Kresges in Chicago Heights. I just barely made into the upper 20% of my class, my ACT score was only 24, I was draft bait, my eyesight could not be corrected to 20/20, I had partial red/green color blindness, and I had Osgood-Schlatter disease (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osgood%E2%80%93Schlatter_disease). Further, my father had fought type 1 diabetes from age 14. I am sure that many thought that I would soon also come down with type 1 diabetes.)
http://www.wgil.com/2018/04/27/candidate-for-governor-touts-local-vocational-education/

ILLINOIS POLICY INSTITUTE
— SPECIAL REPORT: WHY ILLINOIS NEEDS A SPENDING CAP – Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill, Joe Tabor
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/reports/special-report-why-illinois-needs-a-spending-cap/

ILLINOIS NEWS NETWORK
— The bipartisan bullies of township government – Austin Berg
https://www.ilnews.org/opinion/op-ed-the-bipartisan-bullies-of-township-government/article_88159f1a-495c-11e8-9ae2-cfa92681fabe.html

ILLINOIS HOME PAGE
— Another budget in the air as deadline nears – Raquel Martin
http://www.illinoishomepage.net/news/capitol-news/another-budget-in-the-air-as-deadline-nears/1143593255

WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Roskam pushes Boeing to cancel Iran contracts – Joel Gehrke
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense-national-security/gop-lawmaker-pushes-boeing-to-cancel-iran-contracts

NUMBERS USA
— Polling again finds U.S. Christians want less immigration — strongly at odds with their public religious leaders – Roy Beck
https://www.numbersusa.com/blog/polling-again-find-us-christians-strongly-odds-their-public-leaders-immigration

DAILY CALLER
— Broward Deputies Vote ‘No Confidence’ On Sheriff Israel – Amber Athey (DIERSEN: Who has “no confidence” in you? I should write a book about those who have “no confidence” in me. They blame me for their problems. They blame me for your problems. They blame me for my problems. They blame me for everyone’s problems. They blame me for all losses the Republicans have suffered in Illinois since 2000. They blame me for all the problems a) that TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois had, b) that Wheaton Chamber of Commerce has, c) that Milton Township Republican Central Committee has, d) that Illinois Center Right Coalition has, e) that American Association of Political Consultants has, f) that GAO, IRS, and the Post Office have, etc.)
http://dailycaller.com/2018/04/26/broward-deputies-vote-no-confidence-on-sheriff-israel/?utm_medium=email

REUTERS
— An impossible dream? Democrats try to connect with Trump voters – Susan Cornwell and James Oliphant (DIERSEN: From what I see, Democrats and Democrat plants, Libertarians and Libertarian plants, Greens and Green plants, and RINOs smell blood in the water, they do not want to “connect” with Trump voters, they want to get rid of Trump voters once and for all.)
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-democrats-trumpvoters/an-impossible-dream-democrats-try-to-connect-with-trump-voters-idUSKBN1HY1G5

NEW YORK TIMES
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ever-increasingly, Democrats glorify and praise illegals make it clear that are going to use illegals to get rid of those who are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, old, rich, gun owners, German American, draft avoiders, and those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/27/learning/teaching-activities-for-for-thousands-of-dreamers-it-has-been-a-wild-ride-and-its-not-over-yet.html
— House Chaplain Was Asked to Resign. He Still Doesn’t Know Why. – Elizabeth Dias (DIERSEN: I know why my Democrat GAO superiors “asked” me to take their early retirement “offer” in 1997 when I was 49 years old. It was to punish me for becoming a member of a class action lawsuit in 1988 when I was 40 years old that charged them with reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation. But more important, to send everyone a very strong message a) that GAO gives preference BIG TIME to its employees who are Democrat, minority, female, and/or younger and b) that GAO wastes the careers of and gets rid of its employees who are Republican, White, male, and/or non-veteran who GAO does not promote to GS-13 (currently $96,403) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $113,920) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $134,000) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $164,200) by age 40.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/26/us/politics/patrick-conroy-paul-ryan-house-chaplain.html

WASHINGTON POST
— Trump says he might get more involved in managing the Justice Department – Ashley Parker and John Wagner (DIERSEN: Since at least the 1960s, those who “manage” the Justice Department have made it extremely clear that they want patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation. They have made it extremely clear that they want federal agencies to waste the careers of and to get rid of federal employees who are Republican, White, male, and/or non-veteran who do not make GS-13 (currently $96,403) by age 25, GS-14 (currently $113,920) by age 30, GS-15 (currently $134,000) by age 35, and Senior Executive Service (currently $164,200) by age 40. It is called Affirmative Action, Diversity, Inclusion, and “up-or-out.”)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-says-he-might-get-more-involved-in-managing-the-justice-department/2018/04/26/01ea09fe-4956-11e8-827e-190efaf1f1ee_story.html

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Pruitt Says Attacks Are Driven by Opposition to Trump – Heidi Vogt and Louise Radnofsk (DIERSEN: What drives attacks against you? The following drive attacks against me: a) my support of the traditional family, right to life, immigration, Second Amendment, illegal drugs, equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving), and the rest of the planks in the Republican Party platform and in the Illinois Republican Party platform, b) my support of the Milton Township Republican Central Committee resolution against video gambling, c) my opposition to patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, and retaliation, d) my refusal to serve as anyone’s operative or dupe, and e) the lawsuits that filed during the 1980s and 1990s.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/pruitt-says-attacks-are-driven-by-opposition-to-trump-1524754373

CANNABIS NOW
— DISGUSTING, TRAGIC: Yet Another American Billionaire Wants to Legalize Marijuana Billionaire J.B. Pritzker, the Democratic nominee for governor of Illinois, is the latest fabulously wealthy individual with a penchant for drug reform. – Chris Roberts
https://cannabisnow.com/yet-another-american-billionaire-wants-to-legalize-marijuana/

Author: David Diersen

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