February 18 Evening Edition

ABC7
— Rod Blagojevich: Ex-Illinois governor gets prison break from Trump
https://abc7chicago.com/politics/ex-gov-rod-blagojevich-sentence-commuted-by-trump/5943695/

NBC5
— Trump Commutes Ex-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s Sentence The move comes after months of speculation following Trump’s repeated comments that he was considering commuting the sentence
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-politics/trump-expected-to-commute-ex-illinois-gov-rod-blagojevichs-sentence-nyt/2221258/
— Pritzker Says Blagojevich Commutation ‘Sends the Wrong Message at the Wrong Time’ Not everyone was disappointed in the decision. Sam Adam Jr. who once represented Blagojevich said he “could not be happier.”
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-politics/pritzker-says-blagojevich-commutation-sends-the-wrong-message-at-the-wrong-time/2221381/
— Pardon vs. Commutation: What’s the Difference? President Trump commuted the sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Tuesday, but what does that mean?
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-politics/pardon-vs-commutation-whats-the-difference/2221443/
— Trumps Discusses Why He Commuted Blagojevich’s Sentence
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-politics/trumps-discusses-why-he-commuted-blagojevichs-sentence/2221391/

CBS2
— Rod Blagojevich Sentence Commuted: A Bio Of Illinois’ Former Governor
https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2020/02/18/rod-blagojevich-sentence-commuted-a-bio-of-illinois-former-governor/
— President Trump Has Commuted Former Gov. Blagojevich’s ‘Tremendously Powerful, Ridiculous Sentence’ – Todd Feurer
https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2020/02/18/rod-blagojevich-sentence-commuted-president-donald-trump/
— Lawmakers React To Blagojevich Sentence Commutation: ‘Not The Right Message’ – Vince Gerasole
https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2020/02/18/lawmakers-react-to-blagojevich-sentence-commutation-not-the-right-message/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Trump haters blast “real reasons” why Trump freed Blagojevich.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2020/2/18/21142727/rod-blagojevich-commutation-trump-edward-debartolo-bernard-kerik-illinois-corruption
— Arroyo successor challenge moves ahead – panel formed to probe appointment process rival calls ‘rigged and corrupt’ Earlier this month, Delgado’s qualifications were challenged by Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin, who called for a “clean break” from Arroyo. – Rachel Hinton
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2020/2/18/21142559/arroyo-successor-house-challenge-delgado-welch-appointment-process-reboyras

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Trump seems a shoo-in for reelection, his lasso wrapped tightly around base of voters – JERRY DAVICH
https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/opinion/ct-ptb-davich-trump-2020-reelection-reality-st-0219-20200218-etbdfhxmpvh2td7itfq24s65ca-story.html
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Ever-increasingly, Democrats promote LGBTQ activity.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/columns/heidi-stevens/ct-heidi-stevens-what-gay-marriages-can-teach-straight-people-0218-20200218-op5y7fmcmfgcpfjzqmy55g6upu-story.html

DAILY HERALD
— Schaumburg GOP hosts endorsed candidates Feb. 22
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20200218/schaumburg-gop-hosts-endorsed-candidates-feb-22
— Avon Township trustees to consider censuring supervisor Wednesday – Mick Zawislak
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20200218/avon-township-trustees-to-consider-censuring-supervisor-wednesday

SOUTHERN
— ‘Disappointing’: Durkin, Pritzker critical of Trump commutation of Blagojevich sentence – JERRY NOWICKI 
https://thesouthern.com/news/local/state-and-regional/disappointing-durkin-pritzker-critical-of-trump-commutation-of-blagojevich-sentence/article_5750c14d-cb52-5f84-b246-c90edc5ff4c7.html
— Little support in Springfield for Trump’s Blagojevich commutation – JERRY NOWICKI 
https://thesouthern.com/news/local/state-and-regional/little-support-in-springfield-for-trump-s-blagojevich-commutation/article_5750c14d-cb52-5f84-b246-c90edc5ff4c7.html

WGLT
— GOP, Dems Slam Trump For Commuting Blagojevich Sentence – ERIC STOCK
https://www.wglt.org/post/gop-dems-slam-trump-commuting-blagojevich-sentence-0#stream/0

CAPITOL FAX
— ILGOP delegation opposes – Former prosecutors weigh in – Pritzker responds – Trump confirms Blagojevich commutation
https://capitolfax.com/2020/02/18/question-of-the-day-3018/
— You’re leaving me no choice, Secretary White (DIERSEN: I should write a book about those who have treated me like they would ban me from their events if they could. I would focus on past and present leaders of the Milton Township Republican Organization (MTRO), DuPage County Republican Central Committee (DCRCC), Illinois Republican Party (IRP), Wheaton, Wheaton Chamber of Commerce, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois. I would focus on past and present activists, candidates, elected officials, party leaders, major donors, political consultants, and defendants in lawsuits that I have filed who have lots of religious, government, political, and/or financial clout and paint themselves as being religious, conservative, and/or Republican. Everyone in Wheaton, Milton Township, DuPage County, and Illinois sees how the aforesaid have treated me. The aforesaid have discouraged me from attending the DCRCC fundraiser this Friday evening. The aforesaid a) reject planks in the Republican Party platform and/or the IRP platform and work against those like me who support those planks, b) reject the MTRO resolution against video gambling and work against those like me who support that resolution, c) focus on destroying those like me who they cannot manipulate/dominate, d) were defendants in lawsuits that I have filed, and/or e) are operatives or dupes for the aforesaid.)
https://capitolfax.com/2020/02/18/youre-leaving-me-no-choice-secretary-white/
— Just four states let party officials fill legislative vacancies (DIERSEN: Who would have won if Wheaton had held special elections to fill the recent West and North District Wheaton City Council vacancies?)
https://capitolfax.com/2020/02/18/just-four-states-let-party-officials-fill-legislative-vacancies/
— Pritzker has “mostly met” his diversity goals (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, Illinois leaders crow about their success in promoting diversity, that is, their success in discriminating against those who are Trump supporters, Protestant, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, non-poor, gun owners, German American, draft avoiders, and those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://capitolfax.com/2020/02/18/daily-line-pritzker-has-mostly-met-his-diversity-goals/

WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Trump slams LA mayor for ‘urging illegals to beat the system’ – Spencer Neale
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/trump-slams-la-mayor-for-urging-illegals-to-beat-the-system
— Bloomberg rise reveals Democrats’ rank hypocrisy – Brad Polumbo
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/mike-bloombergs-rise-reveals-the-democrats-rank-hypocrisy

BREITBART
— TREASONOUS: Pete Buttigieg: Illegal Immigrants Have ‘Every Bit of Claim on This Country As the Rest of Us’ – CHARLIE SPIERING
https://www.breitbart.com/2020-election/2020/02/18/pete-buttigieg-illegal-immigrants-have-every-bit-of-claim-on-this-country-as-the-rest-of-us/
— Taxpayers in Low-Migration States Pay $454M a Year for Illegal Aliens, Anchor Babies – JOHN BINDER
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/02/18/study-taxpayers-in-low-migration-states-pay-454m-a-year-for-illegal-aliens-anchor-babies/

EPOCH TIMES
— Progressives Disrespect Americans and Disdain America – Mark Hendrickson
https://www.theepochtimes.com/progressives-disrespect-americans-and-disdain-america_3241818.html

COLLEGE FIX
— Dartmouth College Republicans cancel border security event, citing ‘threats against our members’ – Greg Piper
https://www.thecollegefix.com/dartmouth-college-republicans-cancel-border-security-event-citing-threats-against-our-members/

THE HILL
— How the media fall in and out of love with candidates – JOE FERULLO
https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/483414-how-the-media-fall-in-and-out-of-love-with-candidates
— GAO launches investigation into Trump aid for farmers – NIV ELIS
https://thehill.com/policy/finance/483472-gao-launches-investigation-into-trump-aid-for-farmers

POLITICO
— Black Illinois Dems cheer Blagojevich’s freedom, still shun Trump The former governor’s release was met with widespread jeers, but Blagojevich still has friends among the African American communities he sought to help. – SHIA KAPOS
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/18/black-illinois-dems-blagojevich-freedom-115837

CNN
— Trump commutes sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich – Kaitlan Collins (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes continue to blame me and my GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails for all losses that Republican candidates have suffered in Illinois since 2000, but especially Jim Ryan’s loss to Blagojevich in the 2002 general election.)
https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/18/politics/donald-trump-rod-blagojevich-commutation-sentence/index.html

WALL STREET JOURNAL
— The Progressively Purer Left Will Need a Smaller Tent Bobby Jindal argues that Democrats have adopted rigid, religious-type views on climate, abortion and gender fluidity. I’d add: open borders, identity politics, free stuff, high taxes and evil President Trump, among others. – Dana R. Hermanson, Marietta, Ga.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-progressively-purer-left-will-need-a-smaller-tent-11582045781

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.