February 12, 2026

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ABC7
— ABC7 Chicago presents 2026 Republican US Senate primary forum
https://abc7chicago.com/post/abc7-chicago-league-women-voters-illinois-univision-broadcast-stream-2026-republican-us-senate-primary-forum-wednesday/18554376/

WGN9
— DD: Democrat leaders say that Republicans’ edge on immigration shrinks as independents balk at Trump’s tactics
https://wgntv.com/politics-3/ap-politics/ap-republicans-edge-on-immigration-shrinks-as-independents-balk-at-trumps-tactics-ap-norc-poll-shows/

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD WITH BIG PICTURE: DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use students to a) glorify and praise their illegals and b) fight their deportation.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/11/chicago-students-walkout-protest-ice/
— FRONT PAGE WITH PICTURE: DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use Marimar Martínez to promote more hatred against ICE.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/11/marimar-martinez-shooting-immigration/
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly demonize, denigrate, and condemn ICE.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/11/ice-crimes/
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly shout at Blacks that Republicans cause all the problems that Blacks have.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/12/opinion-black-equality-obamas-racism/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use their students to promote more hatred against Republicans.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/education/2026/02/12/no-recess-lockdowns-less-learning-how-immigration-agents-disrupted-cps-schools-this-fall
https://chicago.suntimes.com/morning-edition/2026/02/12/president-donald-trump-ice-border-patrol-chicago-public-schools-marimar-martinez-city-hall
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use their illegals to promote more hatred against Republicans.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2026/02/11/evidence-shows-feds-lied-about-marimar-martinezs-shooting-in-chicago-attorney-says
https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2026/02/11/juan-espinoza-martinez-cleared-of-bovino-murder-plot-still-in-detention-after-judge-denies-bail
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use Marimar Martínez to promote more hatred against ICE.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2026/02/11/evidence-shows-feds-lied-about-marimar-martinezs-shooting-in-chicago-attorney-says
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly push more LGBTQ.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/health/2026/02/11/federal-cuts-hiv-lead-poisoning-prevention-grants-raoul
— DD: ALL OF THE FRONT PAGE: Democrat leaders ever-increasing crow about their success in flooding Chicago with people from foreign countries.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2026/02/11/bad-bunny-super-bowl-halftime-show-latin-america-mexico-puerto-rico-ecuador-guatemala-venezuela

DAILY HERALD
— GOP candidates in 11th District differ on Trump’s efforts to dismantle Education Dept.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260211/us-congress-politics/gop-candidates-in-11th-district-differ-on-trumps-efforts-to-dismantle-education-dept/
— The Trump administration has withdrawn all federalized National Guard troops from U.S. cities, after its repeated attempts to surge forces into Democratic-run states encountered judicial roadblocks. DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly clear that they will never stop a) flooding America with their illegals and b) fighting their deportation.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260211/nation-and-world/national-guard-troops-were-quietly-withdrawn-from-u-s-cities/
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly side with America’s enemies against America.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260211/syndicated-columnists/latest-global-affairs-survey-shows-instability-of-america-as-a-partner/

WTTW
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly push more pot.
https://news.wttw.com/2026/02/11/even-though-marijuana-legal-illinois-clearing-old-criminal-records-still-challenge

WBEZ
— DuSable Black History Museum gets $1.6 million from state of Illinois for building improvements. The state money for renovations comes during Black History Month and as the museum is under investigation after a whistleblower lawsuit filed by a former employee.
https://www.wbez.org/museums/2026/02/12/dusable-black-history-museum-chicago-state-grant-renovations-trump-dei-lawsuit

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasing push more pot.
https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/state/2026/02/11/clearing-old-marijuana-records-is-a-struggle-in-illinois/88609915007/

SHAW LOCAL
— 2026 Election Questionnaire: Ted Dabrowski, Illinois Governor
https://www.shawlocal.com/news/2026/02/11/2026-election-questionnaire-ted-dabrowski-illinois-governor/

WISCONSIN EXAMINER
— DD: To get more votes from those who have demographics that vote for Democrats, Democrat leaders ever-increasingly give them more preference.
https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2026/02/11/supreme-court-justices-call-right-wing-groups-arguments-against-minority-college-grants-shocking/

AXIOS CHICAGO
— DD: Democrat leaders say crowded GOP field targets Pritzker
https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/02/12/gop-governor-jb-pritzker-darren-bailey-ted-dabrowski-illinois

POLITICO ILLINOIS
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly fight efforts to stop their illegals from voting.
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2026/02/12/illinois-mobilizing-to-guard-the-vote-00777960
(FROM THE NEWSLETTER: BALLOT SAFEGUARDS: Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says his office is in talks with election officials in Illinois and across the country about how to ensure the upcoming March 17 primary runs smoothly after the White House said it “can’t guarantee” immigration enforcement agents wouldn’t be near polling places. “We’re exploring ways in which we can ensure that we protect the fundamental right to be able to cast a vote,” Johnson said Wednesday after a speaking engagement hosted by the City Club of Chicago.
He’s not the only one: Johnson joins other government officials who are taking steps to ensure voting locations are secure out of concern that dispatching ICE agents to the polls could intimidate voters.)

CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2026/02/11/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-467/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— Illinois House Republicans are calling on Democrats to oppose new tax proposals.
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_e68c79e4-10cc-47ef-acf4-2a608013808e.html

GOPUSA ILLINOIS
— If you were me, what would you do to encourage people, and especially Republican Precinct Committeemen (RPC), to read my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters? I have been a RPC since 1999. As the GOPUSA Illinois Editor since 2000, I have sent out my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters since 2000. I have attended many Milton Township Republican Organization (MTRO), DuPage County Republican Central Committee (DCRCC), and Illinois Republican Party (IRP) meetings and events since 1999. Since 2000, I have asked MTRO, DCRCC, and IRP leaders to encourage RPCs and attendees at their meetings and events to read my newsletters, but they have not. Yesterday, I attended a MTRO monthly meeting. It was again obvious, based on many statements made at that meeting, that many, if not most, of the PRCs and other attendees had never heard of my newsletters let alone read any of them. Many past and present MTRO, DCRCC, and IRP leaders disapprove/despise/hate me and my newsletters. They blame me and blame my newsletters for their problems, for your problems, for my problems, and for everyone’s problems. They blame me and blame my newsletters for all the losses that Republican candidates on ballots in my precinct have suffered since 2000. They have taken many big adverse actions against me. My critics/opponents have hinted/implied that the aforesaid leaders might encourage readership of my newsletters if I stopped promoting the following planks in the Republican Party platform that they reject including the personal responsibility, traditional marriage and family, right to life, immigration, anti-vice, Second Amendment, and/or equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) planks. Again, if you were me, what would you do to encourage people to read my newsletters? – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters help their readers a) keep up with current political and government news and commentary of interest to Illinois Republicans and especially in DuPage County, Milton Township, Wheaton, and Wheaton Warrenville School District 200 and b) get facts and arguments to use to defend and advance the Republican Party platform, especially its personal responsibility, traditional marriage and family, right to life, immigration, anti-vice, Second Amendment, and equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) planks. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Far too many who read my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters do so for opposition research. They reject the personal responsibility, traditional marriage and family, right to life, immigration, anti-vice, Second Amendment, and/or equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) planks in the Republican Party platform. They use their operatives and their dupes to destroy people like me who they cannot manipulate or dominate, who refuse to glorify and praise them, who refuse to pander to them, who refuse to serve as one of their operatives or dupes, who refuse to cover up their wrong doing, and/or who refuse to give them money. I should write about my critics/opponents. I take the many big adverse actions that they have taken against me as badges of honor. But of course, my critics/opponents deny that they took their adverse actions against me for the aforesaid reasons. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— Far too many leaders of far too many Republican organizations reject far too many planks in the Republican Party platform, most commonly, they reject its personal responsibility, traditional marriage and family, right to life, immigration, anti-vice, Second Amendment, and/or equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) planks. They use the Republican Party’s BIG TENT policy to destroy the Republican Party. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com
— What is your Republican Precinct Committeeman going to do to encourage registered Republican and Not Affiliated voters in your precinct to cast Republican ballots in the March 17, 2026 primary? I am going to hand-deliver an envelope to each of the 400 residences in my precinct that have at least one registered Republican or Not Affiliated voter. I have affixed 800 mailing labels and my return address labels on 400 envelopes, sorted them into five batches, and put them in walk order. I am in the process of stuffing those envelopes with the sample ballot for my precinct, campaign literature that Republican candidates have provided the Milton Township Republican Organization (MTRO), and a MTRO flyer. I use my  Brother printer, paper, and my ink print the 400 2-sided sample ballots. So far, I have stuffed and delivered one of the five batches. The Republican candidates in contested races in my precinct are a) Chlebek, Tracy, Capparelli, Long, Tillman, and Evans for U.S. Senate, b) Dabrowski, Mendrick, Baley, and Heidner for Governor, c) Adamczyk and Harris for Secretary of State, d) Moore and Noonan for DuPage County Sheriff, and e) Helland and Senak for Appellate Court Judge. – Dave Diersen
http://www.gopillinois.com

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

NEW YORK POST
— Trump praises NY gov candidate Bruce Blakeman’s ‘fight’ in surprise endorsement video. DD: Which candidates on the March 17, 2026 Republican primary ballot in your precinct have a) sought Trump’s endorsement or b) gotten his endorsement?
https://nypost.com/2026/02/11/us-news/trump-praises-nys-gov-candidate-bruce-blakemans-fight-in-surprise-endorsement-video/
— American Olympic medalist Amber Glenn fires direct message at critics: ‘They hate to see two woke b—-es winning’
https://nypost.com/2026/02/12/sports/american-olympic-medalist-amber-glenn-fires-direct-message-at-critics-they-hate-to-see-two-woke-b-es-winning/

AMERICAN THINKER
— The Woke Smithsonian Disrespects Our Nation’s 250th Anniversary. It receives over 1 billion taxpayer dollars per year but celebrates mosques and gay meccas while ignoring some of the most pivotal places in our founding history.
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2026/02/the_woke_smithsonian_disrespects_our_nation_s_250th_anniversary.html

BLAZE
— No more ‘safe harbor for illegals’: Colony Ridge settles with DOJ, Texas. Colony Ridge has endangered American citizens by allowing illegal aliens to run rampant on its streets, in its schools, and in its community. DD: How many safe harbors are there for illegals in your county, township, municipality, and school district? The more safe harbors, the more poverty and crime.
https://www.theblaze.com/news/no-more-safe-harbor-for-illegals-colony-ridge-settles-with-doj-texas

CAMPUS REFORM
— Kansas ‘Freedom from Indoctrination Act’ targets DEI, CRT requirements. ​Republican legislators in Kansas recently introduced a bill to remove requirements relating to DEI and CRT from public universities. Supporters of House Bill 2428, which was introduced on Jan. 12 and received a hearing on Feb. 4, contend that students should not be required to join in DEI or CRT classes.
https://www.campusreform.org/article/kansas-freedom-indoctrination-act-targets-dei-crt-requirements/29403

CHRISTIAN POST
— Illinois school accused of unlawfully banning Christian Good News clubs: lawsuit
https://www.christianpost.com/news/illinois-school-accused-of-mistreating-good-news-clubs-lawsuit.html

COLLEGE FIX
— Military academies now accept Classical Learning Test as alternative to ‘woke’ AP exams. DD: If I had not passed the postal employment test, the Democrats who ran the Post Office in 1966 would not have hired me. If I had not passed the Federal Service Entrance Examination, the Democrats who ran IRS in 1971 would not have hired me. If I had not passed the CPA examination on my first attempt, the Democrats who ran GAO in 1980 would not have hired me.
https://www.thecollegefix.com/military-academies-now-accept-classical-learning-test-as-alternative-to-woke-ap-exams/

DAILY SIGNAL
— ICE Surge Ending in Minnesota, Border Czar Homan Announces
https://www.dailysignal.com/2026/02/12/breaking-ice-surge-ending-in-minnesota-border-czar-homan-announces/

FEDERALIST
— Conservatives Can’t Beat Democrats Until They Defeat The RINOs In Their Own Party First
https://thefederalist.com/2026/02/11/conservatives-cant-beat-democrats-until-they-defeat-the-rinos-in-their-own-party-first/

FOX NEWS
— Billionaire JB Pritzker says he’s had to overcome his wealth, which would be ‘obstacle’ in 2028. Reporter pokes fun at Pritzker for ‘overcoming being a billionaire.’
https://www.foxnews.com/media/billionaire-jp-pritzker-says-hes-had-overcome-his-wealth-would-obstacle-2028
— Judicial Watch sues Evanston’s reparations program over giving money based on race. Judicial Watch alleges program violates Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment in Constitution
https://www.foxnews.com/media/watchdog-group-sues-illinois-citys-reparations-program-over-giving-money-based-race
— White House reaffirms any illegal immigrant can be deported as Trump team zeroes in on ‘worst of the worst’
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/white-house-reaffirms-any-illegal-immigrant-can-deported-trump-team-zeroes-worst-worst

HOT AIR
— ‘Great Replacement’ Is No Longer Theory, but Openly Confessed. DD: Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly replace those who have demographics that vote for Republicans with those who have demographics that vote for Democrats and RINOs. Ever-increasingly, there are fewer and fewer and fewer Republican leaders who are conservative, White, male, older, Protestant, German American, and/or have ancestors who have been in America for a long time.
https://hotair.com/walter-hudson/2026/02/11/great-replacement-is-no-longer-theory-but-openly-confessed-n3811763
(FROM THE ARTICLE: The left has long dismissed “great replacement theory”—the notion that powerful institutions are deliberately working to reduce, supplant, or politically overwhelm the white population in Western countries—as a racist conspiracy theory. Merely raising the idea, they insist, should permanently discredit anyone as a vile racist unworthy of serious consideration.)

NEWSMAX
— Don’t Let Illegals ‘Cancel’ Our Vote
https://www.newsmax.com/newsmax-tv/voter-id-house-vote/2026/02/11/id/1245684/

TOWNHALL
— A new Harvard/Harris public opinion poll shows two-thirds of Americans now disapprove of ICE. That spells trouble for taxpayers and for everyone who wants safe neighborhoods. DD: The more illegals, the more crime. By coming to America illegally and/or by staying in America illegally, illegals have demonstrated gross disrespect for the rule of law and for America.
https://townhall.com/columnists/betsymccaughey/2026/02/11/if-ice-is-hamstrung-hold-on-to-your-wallets-n2671137

WESTERN JOURNAL
— Evanston Issues $25,000 in Cash to Black Residents for Reparations
https://www.westernjournal.com/illinois-city-issues-25000-cash-black-residents-reparations/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

NEW YORK TIMES
— Trump Says He Will Now Invite Democrats to Governors’ Meeting. Even as he reversed course on excluding Democrats, the president repeatedly attacked a Republican governor who had planned to oversee the meeting. DD: My critics/opponents do not openly attack me, they have their operatives and their dupes do that. They continue to have their operatives and their dupes take many big adverse actions against me.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/11/us/politics/trump-governors-meeting-democrats.html
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly push more LGBTQ.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/11/health/hhs-california-public-health-lawsuit.html

LOS ANGELES TIMES
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly push more LGBTQ.
https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2026-02-11/california-other-states-sue-over-trump-administrations-latest-cuts-to-hiv-programs

USA TODAY
— FRONT PAGE TOP OF FOLD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly crow about their success in getting judges to promote more hatred against Republicans
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/02/11/judges-criticize-ice-comments/88603088007/
— DD: Democrat and RINO leaders ever-increasingly discourage those who have demographics that vote for Republicans from getting college degrees.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2026/02/10/high-paying-jobs-no-college-degree/88593252007/

NEWSWEEK
— Kinzinger: Depoliticize the National Guard. DD: It seems that Kinzinger sides with George Wallace.
https://www.newsweek.com/adam-kinzinger-depoliticize-the-national-guard-opinion-11477634

YAHOO & USA TODAY
— Trump says he’s still excluding two Democratic governors from WH meeting
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-agrees-meet-white-house-202537419.html
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/02/11/trump-welcomes-democratic-governors-meeting/88623467007/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: “I even invited the SLOB of a Governor, JB Pritzker, and horrendous California Governor, Gavin Newscum, to the Dinner, despite the terrible job that they are doing. As usual with him, Stitt got it WRONG!” Trump said. “The Invitations were sent out to all other Governors, Democrat and Republican. I look forward to seeing the Republican Governors, and some of the Democratic Governors who were worthy of being invited, but most of whom won’t show up.”)

AOL
— Chris Harrison Returning With ‘Traditional Marriage’ Dating Show. DD: How has traditional marriage helped you? I met my outstanding wife at a social meeting for young adults at the Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago. She was raised as a Catholic and I was raised as a Missouri Synod Lutheran. We were both looking for a traditional marriage. Our marriage in 1978 helped me a) pass the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979, b) afford to take a $23,699/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer from IRS to GAO in 1980, c) earn a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980, d) pass the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt in 1981, e) become a licensed CPA in 1981, and f) get promoted to GS-13 in 1986. Our marriage helped us a) buy a home in Wheaton and two new cars in 1978 and b) have a home built in Wheaton in 1984. Our marriage helped my wife earn a bachelor’s degree in finance from DePaul in 1986.
https://www.aol.com/articles/chris-harrison-returning-traditional-marriage-190151573.html

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— Rove: Do Democrats Know How to Win? Their strategy for this November’s midterm elections is beginning to become clear.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/do-democrats-know-how-to-win-f86dfd98
— What I Suffered Being ‘Transgender.’  I’m suing the people who did this to me, and the Texas Supreme Court heard my case this week.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/what-i-suffered-being-transgender-3d0c891d

FORBES
— DD: Democrat leaders fight to allow illegals to vote.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohPsiLLpmyA
— Duckworth Accuses DHS Of ‘Implicitly Threatening The Independence’ Of Agency’s Watchdog. DD: The Democrats who run GAO falsely claim that the agency is independent. In 1980, I was one of the last Republicans who the agency hired. I doubt that there are any Republican GAO employees now.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestv/2026/02/11/tammy-duckworth-accuses-dhs-of-implicitly-threatening-the-independence-of-agencys-watchdog/

NATION
–DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly demonize, denigrate, and condemn Trump.
https://www.thenation.com/article/economy/trump-economy-jobs-report/

NATIONAL LAW REVIEW
— Florida and Texas AGs Issue Sweeping Anti-DEI Opinions on MLK Day
https://natlawreview.com/article/florida-and-texas-ags-issue-sweeping-anti-dei-opinions-mlk-day

CLARK UNIVERSITY
— From Personal Responsibility to Systemic Failure: the Blame Divide in American Politics. DD: My parents and teachers promoted personal responsibility. That put me on track to earn a) a job-related bachelor’s degree, b) three job-related master’s degrees, c) six job-related professional certifications, and d) a job-related professional license.
https://www.clarku.edu/events/event/from-personal-responsibility-to-systemic-failure-the-blame-divide-in-american-politics/

POLITICO
— GOP Donors Hope Trump Will Back Cornyn In Three-Way GOP Primary. DD: To this day, my critics/opponents remain furious that I became an elected Republican Precinct Committeeman in 2000 because Roskam and Hultgren endorsed me over the woman they had run against me.
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/11/money-being-burned-donors-fret-over-cornyn-primary-as-trump-sits-back-00773836

WASHINGTON SPECTATOR
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more hatred against Clarence Thomas.
https://washingtonspectator.org/how-clarence-thomas-bamboozled-his-way-onto-the-supreme-court/

DEMOCRACY DOCKET
— DD: Democrats want illegals to vote. Illegals want/need/demand massive government assistance. They lack education, lack job skills, have health problems, and/or have other problems. They will work for less money than citizens of America. They are much more easily exploited by employers. By coming to America illegally and/or staying in America illegally, they have demonstrated gross disrespect for the rule of law and for America.
https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/gop-uses-lies-in-push-for-save-america-act-as-house-prepares-vote/
https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/house-passes-gops-sweeping-anti-voting-bill/

ENTERTAINMENT
— DD; Democrat leaders say Vice President JD Vance issues warning to U.S. Olympians over politics. Vance received a chilly reception laden with boos when he and wife Usha Vance attended the 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Milan.
https://ew.com/vice-president-jd-vance-warns-us-olympians-over-politics-11905187

FROM FOREIGN SOURCES

MEAWW
— DD: Far too many who read my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters do so for opposition research. They reject the personal responsibility, traditional marriage and family, right to life, immigration, anti-vice, Second Amendment, and/or equal opportunity (no race or gender based preference giving) planks in the Republican Party platform. They use their operatives and their dupes to destroy people like me who they cannot manipulate or dominate, who refuse to glorify and praise them, who refuse to pander to them, who refuse to serve as one of their operatives or dupes, who refuse to cover up their wrong doing, and/or who refuse to give them money. I should write about my critics/opponents. I take the many big adverse actions that they have taken against me as badges of honor. But of course, my critics/opponents deny that they took their adverse actions against me for the aforesaid reasons.
https://news.meaww.com/pam-bondi-appeared-armed-with-opposition-research-during-tense-doj-hearing-says-legal-expert

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.