August 22 Morning Edition

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— 120+ attended Bob Berlin’s outstanding fundraiser at Arrowhead Golf Club in Wheaton Tuesday evening, August 21, 2018. Attendees included Birkett, Boltz, Bucholz, Cronin, Dieden, Eckhoff, Grasso, Jorgensen, Keller, Kinsella, Krajewski, C. & A. LeVan, Marquardt, McCluskey, Mendrick, Olsen, Rosenblum, Jim Ryan Jr., Skuarka, Thomas, Valle, Wagner, Walsh, Wilson, and Zay. Event sponsors included Elsner, McMahon, and Jim Ryan Jr. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com

 

ABC7
— Mollie Tibbetts case: Man in country illegally charged with murder, police say
https://abc7chicago.com/man-in-country-illegally-charged-with-mollie-tibbetts-murder/4018080/
— Ex-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen pleads guilty, implicates Trump in hush-money scheme – AP
https://abc7chicago.com/politics/ex-trump-lawyer-michael-cohen-pleads-guilty-implicates-trump-in-hush-money-scheme/4020074/
— Chicago foreign policy advisor to Trump George Papadopoulos plans guilty plea in lying case – Chuck Goudie and Barb Markoff, Christine Tressel and Ross Weidner
https://abc7chicago.com/politics/chicago-foreign-policy-advisor-to-trump-plans-guilty-plea-in-lying-case/4022448/

 

NBC5
— Pritzker Leads Rauner in New NBC News Poll The results suggest Pritzker is ahead by 16 points, getting support from 46 percent of registered voters in the state to Rauner’s 30 percent. – Carol Marin and Don Moseley
https://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/Pritzker-Leads-Rauner-in-New-NBC-News-Poll-491399221.html

 

CBS2
— Terra Costa Howard Attacks Rep. Peter Breen’s Pro-Life Views – Derrick Blakley
https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2018/08/21/terra-costa-howard-attacks-rep-peter-breens-pro-life-views/

 

FOX NEWS CHICAGO
— President Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen pleads guilty in hush-money scheme – AP
http://www.fox32chicago.com/home/president-trump-s-former-lawyer-michael-cohen-in-talks-to-strike-plea-deal-sources-say
— Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort found guilty of 8 charges – AP
http://www.fox32chicago.com/home/jury-in-paul-manafort-trial-enters-4th-day-of-deliberations

 

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— NBC/Marist poll: Pritzker up by 16, Rauner 2-to-1 unfavorable rating – Rick Pearson
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-pritzker-rauner-new-poll-20180821-story.html
— Ex-Trump lawyer Cohen pleads guilty in hush-money scheme, campaign finance violations – AP
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-michael-cohen-plea-deal-fraud-case-20180821-story.html
— Jury finds Paul Manafort, Trump’s former campaign chairman, guilty on 8 of 18 counts – AP
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-paul-manafort-trial-20180821-story.html
— Man in U.S. illegally charged with murder in missing Iowa student Mollie Tibbetts’ death – AP
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/midwest/ct-missing-iowa-student-found-20180821-story.html
— Better answers, please! Our candidates for governor are ducking questions and falling short – Eric Zorn
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/zorn/ct-perspec-zorn-rauner-pritzker-budget-taxes-governor-0822-20180821-story.html
— Trump throws coal plants a lifeline, but Illinois among states showing no signs of turning back – Michael Hawthorne
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-met-trump-coal-plant-regulations-illinois-20180821-story.html
— While we focus on Trump, the left devours itself with emotion – John Kass
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/kass/ct-met-john-brennan-john-kass-20180821-story.html
— The problem? Our politicians have no idea how the internet works – Catherine Rampell (DIERSEN: I should write a book about my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes who proudly hint/imply/argue/shout a) that they do not read emails, b) that they do not use Google, c) that they do not visit websites, and/or d) that they do not use the internet. The aforesaid hint/imply/argue/shout that the Democrats in Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois learn everything that they know about what Republicans were doing by reading my emails. My critics/opponents want everyone to know only what they tell them, no more and no less.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-perspec-internet-politicians-luddite-twitter-cyberpolicy-0822-story.html

 

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— TV news poll shows Pritzker leading Rauner by 16 points – Tina Sfondeles
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/nbc-news-poll-pritzker-leading-rauner-16-points-governors-race/
— Trump: Manafort a ‘good man’ caught up in ‘witch hunt, and it’s a disgrace’ – Matthew Barakat, Chad Day and Eric Tucker
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/paul-manafort-fraud-trial-robert-mueller-russian-election-interference-jury-note/
— Ex-Trump ‘fixer’ Cohen pleads guilty to paying hush money to Stormy Daniels – AP
https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/michael-cohen-donald-trump-raid-fraud-case-plea-deal/
— Chicago is a tale of two cities, no matter what Rahm might say – David Cherry and Ira Acree
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/chicago-tale-cities-rahm-emanuel-ira-acree-david-cherry/
— DNC members arrive in Chicago to talk midterms, 2020 convention
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/dnc-summer-meeting-chicago-2018-updates/
— Convicted judge Jessica Arong O’Brien faces bid to knock her off ballot – Jon Seidel
http://www.pressreader.com/usa/chicago-sun-times/20180822/


DAILY HERALD
— State police investigating Lake County Board chairman Aaron Lawlor’s finances – Russell Lissau
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20180821/state-police-investigating-lake-county-board-chairmans-finances
— Get rid of procurement cards for elected officials – Editorial
https://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20180821/get-rid-of-procurement-cards-for-elected-officials
— After Cohen’s guilty plea, Trump attacks Manafort conviction – AP
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20180821/after-cohens-guilty-plea-trump-attacks-manafort-conviction
— Glen Ellyn District 41 seeking nearly $400 average property tax increase – Katlyn Smith
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20180821/glen-ellyn-district-41-seeking-nearly-400-average-property-tax-increase-

 

BLOOMINGTON PANTAGRAPH
— Aaron Schock seeks to move his corruption trial to Peoria – Andy Kravetz
https://www.pantagraph.com/news/state-and-regional/aaron-schock-seeks-to-move-his-corruption-trial-to-peoria/article_4ec65e21-6492-59e7-8a9e-3d786749a4b7.html

 

QUINCY HERALD WHIG
— LaHood visits CVS to check out medicine disposal unit used to fight opioid epidemic – Doug Wilson
http://www.whig.com/20180822/lahood-visits-cvs-to-check-out-medicine-disposal-unit-used-to-fight-opioid-epidemic#//

 

EFFINGHAM DAILY NEWS
— Rauner shares views, Illinois residents express concerns Rauner’s ‘Fight for What’s Right’ tour stops in Shelbyville – Kennedy Nolen
http://www.effinghamdailynews.com/news/local_news/gov-rauner-shares-views-illinois-residents-express-concerns/article_5f238c4b-e369-5f37-921a-77fa961eb20e.html

 

FOX ILLINOIS
— New legislation to help keep Illinois students in state – Senait Gebregiorgis (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, because Democrats run all the colleges in Illinois, if you earn a degree from a college in Illinois, you are presumed to be a Democrat. Ever-increasingly, Democrats are anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, anti-draft avoiders, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time. If I had attended or earned degrees from conservative colleges, a) the Post Office would NOT have hired me in 1966 or let me work there for almost 3 years, b) IRS would NOT have hired me in 1971 or let me work there for almost 9 years, c) IRS would NOT have promoted me in 1972, 1973, or 1974, d) GAO would NOT have hired me in 1980 or let me work there for almost 18 years, and e) GAO would NOT have promoted me in 1986.)
https://foxillinois.com/news/local/new-legislation-to-help-keep-illinois-students-in-state

 

WJBC
— State leaders aim to curb Illinois’ college brain drain
http://www.wjbc.com/2018/08/21/state-leaders-aim-to-curb-illinois-college-brain-drain/

 

POLITICO ILLINOIS
— FROM THE ARTICLE: Rauner is less popular than President Donald Trump. Thirty percent of Illinoisans have a favorable view of Trump, according to the NBC News/Marist poll, compared with Rauner’s 26 percent. Pritzker is at 38 percent in the poll. How Trump supporters lean. The poll notes that 58% of Trump voters in Cook County support Pritzker, vs. 21 percent for Rauner. More interesting, 43 percent of central/downstate Trump voters say they’ll vote for Pritzker, vs. 33 percent supporting Rauner. The fallout: A top of the ticket blowout could have serious down-ballot implications, especially for central and downstate congressional and state legislative races. Good example: Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Bost in the 12th or U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis in the 13th District.
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2018/08/22/stunning-poll-shows-pritzker-clobbering-rauner-emanuel-ad-links-mccarthy-to-trump-and-impeachment-talk-sets-in-299868

 

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Jack Franks Taxpayer-Financed Giveaways Resolution Sent Back to Committee
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2018/08/22/jack-franks-taxpayer-financed-giveaways-resolution-sent-back-committee/

 

DUPAGE POLICY JOURNAL
— State House candidate Khouri hopes to repeat budget-trimming feat statewide – Robert Hadley
https://dupagepolicyjournal.com/stories/511539737-state-house-candidate-khouri-hopes-to-repeat-budget-trimming-feat-statewide

 

ILLINOIS REVIEW
— A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS (DIERSEN: People who come to America illegally, people who stay in America illegally, and/or people who bring other people to America illegally are not immigrants, they are criminals. Ever-increasingly, Democrats encourage people to come to America illegally, encourage people to stay in America illegally, and encourage people to bring other people to America illegally.)
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2018/08/a-nation-of-immigrants.html
— BRITAIN’S INABILITY TO HANDLE LAST YEAR’S FLU SEASON SHOWS PERILS OF SOCIALIZED MEDICINE
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2018/08/britains-inability-to-handle-last-years-flu-season-shows-perils-of-socialized-medicine.html
— VENEZUELA ON THE VERGE OF HUMANITARIAN COLLAPSE. THE CULPRIT? SOCIALISM.
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2018/08/venezuela-on-the-verge-of-humanitarian-collapse-the-culprit-socialism.html

 

CAPITOL FAX
— NBC Poll: Pritzker leads Rauner by 16 points
https://capitolfax.com/2018/08/21/nbc-poll-pritzker-leads-rauner-by-16-points/
— Should Illinois political reporters now refer to the state Democratic Party as JB Pritzker’s party?
https://capitolfax.com/2018/08/21/question-of-the-day-2728/

 

FOX NEWS
— Tibbetts slaying becomes immigration debate lightning rod
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/08/22/fox-news-first-tibbetts-slaying-becomes-immigration-debate-lightning-rod-trump-in-legal-peril-after-cohen-deal.html
— Border Patrol stops caravan of 128 illegal immigrants from entering US – Lukas Mikelionis
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/08/22/border-patrol-stops-caravan-128-illegal-immigrants-from-entering-us.html
— MS-13 gang member, in US illegally, pleads guilty in brutal quadruple killing – Lukas Mikelionis
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/08/22/ms-13-gang-member-in-us-illegally-pleads-guilty-in-brutal-quadruple-killing.html

 

NEWSMAX
— Trump: Iowa Murder Shows Our Immigration Laws Are ‘Disgrace’- Cathy Burke
https://www.newsmax.com/politics/mollie-tibbetts-illegals-criminal-alien-border-security/2018/08/21/id/878103/

 

GOPUSA
— South Africa begins seizing white-owned farms
http://www.gopusa.com/south-africa-begins-seizing-white-owned-farms/

 

DAILY CALLER
— PRESIDENT TRUMP: ‘I’D RATHER HAVE FAKE NEWS LIKE CNN’ THAN HAVE UNPOPULAR OPINIONS CENSORED – Mike Brest (DIERSEN: According to my critics/opponents, all news and commentary is fake except for the news and commentary that they publish or bless. They belittle/dismiss/badmouth/demonize/denigrate/condemn the articles that I include links to in GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails and they glorify and praise articles that I do not include links to in GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails. Of course, my critics/opponents are frustrated/mad/furious when I include links to their articles in GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails.)
http://dailycaller.com/2018/08/21/president-trump-cnn-censorship/
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Trudeau sides with illegals. Who you side with says more about you than anything that you can say about yourself. Who you oppose says more about you than anything that you can say about yourself. Those who oppose me promote dependency on government, dependency on charity, LGBTQ activity, abortion, mass/illegal immigration, abolition of the First and Second Amendments, booze, gambling, pot, and other vices, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, age discrimination, and retaliation.
http://dailycaller.com/2018/08/21/trudeau-criticizes-heckler-concerned-about-illegal-immigration-says-some-people-are-on-a-dangerous-path/
— TRUMP: MOST FEMINIST PRESIDENT EVER? THE TRUMP WOMEN SOUND OFF – Amber Athey
http://dailycaller.com/2018/08/20/trump-most-feminist-president-ever-the-trump-women-sound-off/

 

BLAZE
— Drag Queen Story Time for toddlers is coming to one of the most conservative cities in Louisiana – Dave Urbanski (DIERSEN: How soon will the Democrats succeed in bringing “Drag Queen Story Time” to your municipality?)
https://www.theblaze.com/news/2018/08/21/drag-queen-story-time-for-toddlers-is-coming-to-one-of-the-most-conservative-cities-in-louisiana

 

TOWNHALL
— We Must Call Them Regressives, Not Progressives – Joy Overbeck
https://townhall.com/columnists/joyoverbeck/2018/08/22/we-must-call-them-regressives-not-progressives-n2511890

 

AMERICAN THINKER
— Progressive Delusions – Thomas O’Malley
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2018/08/progressive_delusions.html

 

CAMPUS REFORM
— Instructor tries to quarantine gun owners in back of class – Frances Floresca (DIERSEN: I have had an FOID card since I was 20 years old in 1968.)
https://www.campusreform.org/?ID=11241

 

TRIBUNE REVIEW
— Can America ever come together again? – PAT BUCHANAN (DIERSEN: Democrats do not want America to come together again. Democrats want to get rid of individuals, organizations, companies, governments, and countries that are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, rich, gun owners, draft avoiders, German American, and those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://triblive.com/opinion/featuredcommentary/13997180-74/pat-buchanan-can-america-ever-come-together-again

 

WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Illegal immigration leads to 2,200 deaths, 118,000 rapes, 138,000 assaults – Paul Bedard
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/washington-secrets/report-illegal-immigration-leads-to-2-200-deaths-118-000-rapes-138-000-assaults

 

THE HILL
— Russian hackers turn on anti-Kremlin conservatives – JACQUELINE THOMSEN
http://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/402938-russian-hackers-turn-on-anti-kremlin-conservatives?rnd=1534892613/

 

CNN
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ever-increasingly, Democrats a) side with illegals against Americans and b) side with foreign countries against America.
https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/21/us/mollie-tibbetts-missing-iowa-student-murder-suspect/index.html

 

NBC NEWS
— Poll: Democrat leads expensive race for Illinois governor Democratic challenger J.B. Pritzker leads incumbent Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner by 16 points, according to a new NBC News/Marist poll. – Mark Murray
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/first-read/poll-democrat-leads-expensive-race-illinois-governor-n902616

 

NEW YORK TIMES
— FRONT PAGE: Facebook Identifies New Political Influence Operation Ahead of Midterm Elections – Sheera Frenkel and Nicholas Fandos
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/21/technology/facebook-political-influence-midterms.html
— Why Prosperity Has Increased but Happiness Has Not Our well-being is local and relative — if you live in a struggling area and your status is slipping, even if you are relatively comfortable, you are probably at least a bit miserable. – Jonathan Rauch (DIERSEN: Every year that goes by, the negative impact of my Democrat GAO superiors’ success in forcing me to take their early retirement “offer” in 1997 when I was 49 years old grows greater.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/21/opinion/happiness-inequality-prosperity-.html

 

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Illegal Immigrant Charged With Murder of Missing Iowa Student Authorities say suspect led them to a body believed to be that of Mollie Tibbetts – Joe Barrett and Kris Maher
https://www.wsj.com/articles/illegal-immigrant-charged-with-murder-in-case-of-missing-iowa-student-1534894935
— Facebook Pulls Accounts Tied to Political Misinformation Campaign Facebook said purged accounts originated in Iran and Russia – Deepa Seetharaman and Dustin Volz
https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-pulls-652-fake-accounts-engaged-in-coordinated-influence-campaign-1534896500
— Welcome Students, Let’s Talk About Confederate Statues In the South, colleges grapple with historical markers; Silent Sam falls at UNC – Cameron McWhirter and Melissa Korn (DIERSEN: What more will colleges do to attract students who are anti-Trump, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, anti-gun owners, anti-German Americans, anti-draft avoiders, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time?)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/welcome-students-lets-talk-about-confederate-statues-1534930202
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Affluent Americans continue to show confidence in the economy, boosting spending on homes, designer clothing and other luxury products – Laura Kusisto and Harriet Torry (DIERSEN: To be “affluent,” how high does your income and net worth need to be? While I was a federal employee for almost 30 years, my Democrat superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates demonized me, denigrated me, and condemned me as being undeservedly filthy rich. They stressed the money that I spent on new cars, tuition, real estate, collector cars, etc. They stressed the money that I saved for retirement. They always used the aforesaid to hint/imply/argue/shout a) that I was overpaid, b) that I should not have been promoted in 1972, 1973, 1974, or 1986, and c) that I should be forced to take early retirement. They hinted/implied/agued/shouted that they had less money a) because they did not avoid the draft, b) because they did not marry someone who had income, and/or c) because they had children. However, overwhelmingly, they spent far more money on “immediate pleasures” than I did.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/toll-brothers-profit-jumps-as-buyers-continue-spending-on-luxury-homes-1534858353
— FRONT PAGE: No Cats, No Sleepovers: Boomers Become Housemates Living with housemates is challenging—and it doesn’t get easier with age; ‘not in my house.’ ‘People of Similar Sensibilities Sharing Living Quarters’ – Christina Rexrode and Laura Kusisto
https://www.wsj.com/articles/no-cats-no-sleepovers-boomers-become-housemates-1534868115
— Today, Truth Itself Can’t Be Taken for Granted Polarization has put the reliability of facts in doubt. But nations rest on shared beliefs. – William A. Galston (DIERSEN: According to my critics/opponents, the only news and commentary that is true is the news and commentary that they publish or bless. They belittle/dismiss/badmouth/demonize/denigrate/condemn the articles that I include links to in GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails and they glorify and praise articles that I do not include links to in GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails. Of course, my critics/opponents are frustrated/mad/furious when I include links to their articles in GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails.)
https://www.wsj.com/articles/today-truth-itself-cant-be-taken-for-granted-1534892638
— Let Taxpayers Pay the Minimum Wage Employers shouldn’t bear the brunt of redistributive policy. – David Neumark
https://www.wsj.com/articles/let-taxpayers-pay-the-minimum-wage-1534892582
— The Media Fesses Up To its credit, the New York Times mentions the press’s role in fanning racial angst. – Holman W. Jenkins, Jr.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-media-fesses-up-1534892606

 

BLOOMBERG
— Trump’s War Against Blue States His administration’s erratic policies are part of a clear pattern. – Paula Dwyer
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-08-21/trump-s-war-against-blue-states

 

FORBES
— Are Employers Ready For Old Employees? – Elizabeth Bauer (DIERSEN: Potential federal employees who are Republican, White, male, and/or non-veteran should be advised that the federal government will waste their careers and get rid of them if they 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. Extremely few federal employees make the aforesaid promotions.)
https://www.forbes.com/sites/ebauer/2018/08/21/are-employers-ready-for-old-employees/#27e286b2de23

 

USA TODAY
— If Democrats embrace socialism to get away from Donald Trump, they can kiss the midterms goodbye – Jon Gabriel
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/nation-now/2018/08/21/democrats-moving-left-trump-socialism-lose-midterm-elections-column/1049990002/

 

CATO
— Results from the 2018 Libertarianism vs. Conservatism Post-Debate Survey – EMILY EKINS (DIERSEN: There are tremendous conflicts between Libertarianism and Conservatism.)
https://www.cato.org/blog/results-2018-libertarianism-vs-conservatism-post-debate-survey

 

NEWSWEEK
— MOST RUSSIANS THINK LGBT ‘PROPAGANDA’ AIMS TO DESTROY TRADITIONAL VALUES: STATE POLL – DAMIEN SHARKOV (DIERSEN: Those who promote LGBTQ activity, their operatives, and their dupes have always worked the hardest against me. I should write a book about them.)
https://www.newsweek.com/most-russians-think-lgbt-propaganda-will-destroy-traditional-values-state-1082616

 

INSTINCT MAGAZINE
— The First Official Russian Pride Parade Was Banned Before it Occurred – Victor M Rocha (DIERSEN: Of course, individuals, organizations, companies, governments, and countries that promote LGBTQ activity oppose Russia.)
http://instinctmagazine.com/post/first-official-russian-pride-parade-was-banned-it-occured

 

WINDY CITY TIMES
— Quigley urges voter participation in ‘Trans Talk’ – Bronson Pettitt
http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/Quigley-urges-voter-participation-in-Trans-Talk/63852.html
— Rally on 50th Anniversary of Chicago ’68 Democratic Convention Aug. 25
http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/Rally-on-50th-Anniversary-of-Chicago-68-Democratic-Convention-Aug-25/63837.html
— Attorney General Lisa Madigan urges HUD to retain rules on fair housing
http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/Attorney-General-Lisa-Madigan-urges-HUD-to-retain-rules-on-fair-housing/63834.html

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.