DONALD TRUMP
— Democrats, it is time to come together and put the SAFETY of the AMERICAN PEOPLE before POLITICS. Border security must become a #1 priority!
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1075870519046610945
ABC7
— Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to step down after clashes with Trump – AP
https://abc7chicago.com/politics/defense-secretary-mattis-leaving-after-clashes-with-trump/4938018/
— Trump defends move to risk government shutdown – AP
https://abc7chicago.com/politics/trump-defends-move-to-risk-government-shutdown/4935197/
— Trump pushing rule making work mandatory for food stamps – AP
https://abc7chicago.com/politics/trump-proposes-rule-requiring-job-for-food-stamps/4937976/
— GoFundMe for Trump’s border wall has raised more than $6M
https://abc7chicago.com/politics/gofundme-for-trumps-border-wall-has-raised-more-than-$6m/4935637/
NBC5
— NBC 5 Sues for Documents From Federal Raids on Ald. Burke’s Offices The lawsuit follows the denial of a request to release search warrants and subpoenas – Carol Marin and Don Moseley
https://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/nbc-5-goes-to-court-seeking-documents-from-federal-raid-on-ald-burke-503246421.html
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Pritzker names three heavy-hitting deputy governors but mum on salaries – Tina Sfondeles
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/pritzker-announces-heavy-hitters-deputy-governor-positions/
— U.S. says asylum-seeking migrants to wait in Mexico – AP
https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/asylum-migrants-mexico-us-border/
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— The abuse scandal: Next steps for Madigan and the church – Editorial
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-sexual-abuse-catholic-priests-chicago-archdiocese-20181220-story.html
— Trump administration moves to tighten work requirements for food stamps – AP
https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-food-stamps-snap-work-requirements-20181220-story.html
DAILY HERALD
— Pritzker should set goal of making tollway more patronage-proof – Editorial (DIERSEN: All my critics/opponents, all their operatives, and all their dupes promote patronage and reject the decision in Rutan v. Republican Party of Illinois (SEE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutan_v._Republican_Party_of_Illinois and http://www.nytimes.com/1996/03/13/us/seeking-return-to-ways-of-patronage-in-politics.html). My Democrat IRS and GAO superiors treated me like I was part of a plot to stop them from hiring, retaining, and promoting young Democrat minorities and young Democrat females. They knew that my wife had helped elect Jim Thompson. They were fully aware of the arguments that Thompson and Jim Edgar made in Rutan that government employers should be allowed to engage in political affiliation discrimination.)
https://www.dailyherald.com/discuss/20181220/editorial-pritzker-should-set-goal-of-making-tollway-more-patronage-proof
(FROM THE EDITORIAL: Today, we share our ideas for true tollway reform: Reduce political hiring. Patronage hiring is permitted in too many jobs, which are called “Rutan-exempt” in Illinois legal shorthand. That allowed the tollway to flood the agency with highly-paid top Republican insiders. More of these jobs needs to be designated as patronage free so they go to the most qualified, not the most connected.)
ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR
— Pritzker assembles strong team to make Illinois a winner – Editorial
https://www.rrstar.com/opinion/20181220/our-view-pritzker-assembles-strong-team-to-make-illinois-winner
FOX ILLINOIS
— Trump tells GOP leaders he won’t sign bill to avoid shutdown – AP
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/speaker-ryan-says-trump-will-not-sign-bill-to-keep-government-open
— Mattis leaving as Pentagon chief after clashes with Trump – AP
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/trump-announces-defense-secretary-mattis-to-retire-in-february
MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— Algonquin Township Road District Levy Drama – Cal Skinner
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2018/12/20/algonquin-township-road-district-levy-drama/
— Algonquin Township Board to Undo Damage Done by Previous Refusals to Approve Road District Levy
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2018/12/20/algonquin-township-board-to-undo-damage-done-by-refusal-to-approve-road-district-levy/
— Appellate Court Denies Jack Franks’ Ally’s Printer’s Appeal to Stop Illinois Integrity Fund Identification Process
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2018/12/20/appellate-court-denies-jack-franks-allys-printers-appeal-to-stop-illinois-integrity-identification-process/
CAPITOL FAX
— Reader comments closed until January 7th (DIERSEN: We are in a 12-hour news cycle. Ever-increasingly, people are busy, and they do not have time to read news and commentary articles that are more than 12 hours old. Overwhelmingly, since 2015, news and commentary articles linked in GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails have been less than 12 hours old. GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails have gone out each and every morning and each and every evening since 2015. They went out every morning 2005-2015. Those emails have included links to more than 320,600 news and commentary articles.)
https://capitolfax.com/2018/12/20/reader-comments-closed-until-january-7th/
FOX NEWS
— Gutierrez: Trump’s Border Wall Would Have Gotten Jesus Killed as Herod Intended
http://insider.foxnews.com/2018/12/20/luis-gutierrez-slams-nielsen-says-trump-border-wall-would-kill-jesus
BREITBART
— Luis Gutierrez: Trump Would Have Killed Jesus with Inhumane Border Policies – Pam Key
https://www.breitbart.com/video/2018/12/20/luis-gutierrez-trump-would-have-killed-jesus-with-inhumane-border-policies/
WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Trump’s veto threat pays off: House approves $5.7B for border wall – Susan Ferrechio
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/congress/trumps-veto-threat-pays-off-house-approves-5-7b-for-border-wall
DAILY CALLER
— E-VERIFY — THE IMMIGRATION SOLUTION CONGRESS IS LOOKING FOR – Ken Blackwell
https://dailycaller.com/2018/12/20/e-verify-solution-to-immigration/
— TRUMP MOVES TOWARDS SHUTDOWN OVER WALL FUNDING – Saagar Enjeti
https://dailycaller.com/2018/12/20/trump-shutdown-wall/
— GOFUNDME FOR TRUMP’S BORDER WALL SURPASSES $5 MILLION IN LESS THAN FOUR DAYS – Jason Hopkins
https://dailycaller.com/2018/12/20/border-wall-gofundme-millions/
EAGLE ACTION REPORT
— Rand Paul: ‘The Deep State Needs More Oversight’ – Sean Moran (DIERSEN: All my critics/opponents, all their operatives, and all their dupes promote patronage and reject the decision in Rutan v. Republican Party of Illinois (SEE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutan_v._Republican_Party_of_Illinois and http://www.nytimes.com/1996/03/13/us/seeking-return-to-ways-of-patronage-in-politics.html). My Democrat IRS and GAO superiors treated me like I was a member of the deep state, that I was part of a plot to stop them from hiring, retaining, and promoting young Democrat minorities and young Democrat females. They knew that my wife had helped elect Jim Thompson. They were fully aware of the arguments that Thompson and Jim Edgar made in Rutan that government employers should be allowed to engage in political affiliation discrimination.)
https://eagleactionreport.com/articles/rand-paul-the-deep-state-needs-more-oversight
— Will We Ever Get A Wall? – Derek Hunter
https://eagleactionreport.com/articles/will-we-ever-get-a-wall
CAMPUS REFORM
— 5 most politically biased courses of 2018 – Grace Gottschling
https://www.campusreform.org/?ID=11665
NEW AMERICAN
— Immigrationists Try to Wreck Tucker Carlson as Illegals Wreck Our Land – Selwyn Duke
https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/immigration/item/30971-immigrationists-try-to-wreck-tucker-carlson-as-illegals-wreck-our-land
NATIONAL REVIEW
— Mexico Is Building Its Wall — and the U.S. Is Paying for It – KEVIN D. WILLIAMSON
https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/12/mexico-border-security-us-foreign-aid-good-idea/
CNN
— GUTIERREZ CALLS TRUMP OFFICIAL KIRSTJEN NIELSEN ‘LIAR,’ STORMS OUT
https://www.wthitv.com/content/national/503264361.html
NEW YORK TIMES
— Planned Parenthood Is Accused of Mistreating Pregnant Employees – Natalie Kitroeff and Jessica Silver-Greenberg
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/20/business/planned-parenthood-pregnant-employee-discrimination-women.html
— For American Workers, 4 Key Retirement Issues to Watch in 2019 – Mark Miller
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/20/business/retirement-pensions-social-security-2019.html