February 9 Evening Edition

ILLINOIS REPUBLICAN PARTY
— ILGOP Chairman Responds to Biden Firing US Attorney John Lausch
https://mailchi.mp/6c44b36d124d/icymi-pritzker-admin-mia-while-over-20-of-lasalle-veterans-home-residents-die-of-covid-4745176

ABC7
— Trump’s 2nd impeachment trial opens with jarring video of Capitol siege; Senate agrees to proceed – AP
https://abc7chicago.com/politics/senate-votes-to-proceed-with-trump-impeachment-trial-/10323423/
— Post COVID-19 brain-related symptoms may be common, study indicates – Kate Larsen
https://abc7chicago.com/health/post-covid-19-brain-symptoms-may-be-common-study-indicates/10323751/?cmp=emc-wls-news-headlines-2/9/2021
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Problems remembering names and conversations, difficulty paying attention, and slower processing speeds — these are all symptoms that people are experiencing post-COVID-19 infections. A new University of California, San Francisco study indicates these brain-related symptoms may be quite common. . .Dr. Hellmuth recently published a study that shows 20% of her the participants had persistent cognitive symptoms after COVID infections. “These problems seem to be quite common.” She says her study was based on 100 patients, none of whom had been hospitalized. Their ages ranged from 35-56 and the median age was 39. “Surviving from COVID is great, but we now need to be also thinking about the long term impacts to society, if we have millions of people who are no longer able to contribute in the workplace like they used to.”)

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Pritzker won’t pitch income tax hike | Kinzinger won’t seek statewide office in 2022 | Duckworth, Durbin, GOP congressmen ask Biden to reconsider dumping U.S. Attorney Lausch – LISA DONOVAN
https://www.chicagotribune.com/politics/ct-pritzker-budget-durbin-impeach-duckworth-lausch-spin-20210209-uiondu3zkjgrbb2c7zr7j2vybi-story.html
— Republican US Rep. Kinzinger, an outspoken Trump opponent, says he doesn’t intend to seek statewide office in 2022 – RICK PEARSON
https://www.chicagotribune.com/politics/ct-adam-kinzinger-illinois-governor-will-not-run-2022-20210209-qude7qkmazeebh6qdei4cfwqey-story.html
— New state Republican Party chair Don Tracy lives in an ethical glass house – ERIC ZORN
https://www.chicagotribune.com/columns/eric-zorn/ct-prem-column-don-tracy-ethics-violation-comical-excuse-zorn-20210209-sft2b34f6nga3djgesegbpdef4-story.html

DAILY HERALD
— GOP lawmakers: Culturally responsive standards for teachers would put politics in classrooms – JJ Bullock
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20210209/gop-lawmakers-culturally-responsive-standards-for-teachers-would-put-politics-in-classrooms
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters promote Kinzinger.
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20210209/kinzinger-defends-impeachment-vote-saying-hed-x201cregret-it-foreverx201d-if-he-didnt

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— After Capitol riots, can Republicans still count on corporate Chicago for cash? “A lot of companies are keeping their powder dry for a while,” says one GOP fundraiser. “Every PAC I’ve talked to says they’re going to reassess.” – GREG HINZ
(DIERSEN: He who pays the piper calls the tunes. How many major donors hint/imply/argue/shout that the more that is done to get rid of Trump-supporters, the more money that they will give? 2,446,891 in Illinois voted for Trump, 193,611 in DuPage County voted for Trump, 20,080 in Milton Township voted for Trump, and 157 in my precinct voted for Trump.)
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/greg-hinz-politics/after-capitol-riots-can-republicans-still-count-corporate-chicago-cash
(FROM THE ARTICLE: “A lot of companies are keeping their powder dry for a while,” says fundraiser Lisa Wagner, who works for an A-list of Republican officials. “Every PAC I’ve talked to says they’re going to reassess.” Wagner says corporations are under more pressure today to justify their political giving and that recent decisions to reassess after the Capitol riot ought to be viewed in that light. Going the furthest at this point is Northern Trust. “Recent political events require that the (company’s) PACs now consider additional criteria prior to making a political contribution,” the bank said in a statement. “The PACs now will exclude from future consideration any members of the U.S. Congress who voted against acceptance of the Electoral College vote results following the events of Jan. 6.” In Illinois, that would affect two GOP House members, downstaters Mary Miller and Mike Bost, who were among 138 House Republicans to vote to reject reported election results from Pennsylvania. Slightly less extensive are decisions made by firms including Exelon, Abbott, Kraft Heinz, Mondelez International, and Aon. Following previously announced decisions by McDonald’s, Discover, State Farm, Allstate and Boeing, they’ve temporarily halted donations to federal candidates. “Following the January riot at the U.S. Capitol, we immediately suspended all corporate and organized employee contribution (through our political action committee) to federal representatives at least through the end of the first quarter,” Mondelez said in a statement.)

ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters promote Kinzinger.
https://www.rrstar.com/story/news/politics/elections/2021/02/09/u-s-rep-adam-kinzinger-unfazed-censure-votes-threats/4457461001/

MILTON TOWNSHIP
— We are closing our Township offices for the remainder of the week, and canceling Food Pantry for Wednesday as well as tonight’s scheduled monthly meeting. We are scheduling a deep clean, all in the effort to isolate, contain and abate COVID. We will be back in action the day after Presidents Day, and staff continue to work from home as is feasible for their work.
https://www.facebook.com/MiltonTownshipIL

HEARTLAND INSTITUTE
— SIX PRINCIPLES FOR STATE LEGISLATORS SEEKING TO PROTECT FREE SPEECH ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS – James Taylor
https://www.heartland.org/publications-resources/publications/six-principles-for-state-legislators-seeking-to-protect-free-speech-on-social-media-platforms

CAPITOL FAX
— Kinzinger says repeatedly that he has no intention to run statewide, prepares to “fight to my political death” over the definition of Republicanism
https://capitolfax.com/2021/02/09/kinzinger-says-repeatedly-that-he-has-no-intention-to-run-statewide-prepares-to-fight-to-my-political-death-over-the-definition-of-republicanism/
— FROM THE ARTICLE: Seven Illinois Republicans are holding a town hall at Christ’s Church in Effingham to oppose ISBE’s proposed rules. The sign says the rules would ask teachers to “embrace and encourage progressive viewpoints” and “divisive, far-left politics.”
https://capitolfax.com/2021/02/09/throwing-red-meat-to-the-base-ought-to-have-some-limits/
— After report that Biden administration is asking almost all US Attorneys to submit their resignations, Durbin and Duckworth issue statement backing Lausch
https://capitolfax.com/2021/02/09/after-report-that-biden-administration-is-asking-almost-all-us-attorneys-to-submit-their-resignations-durbin-and-duckworth-issue-statement-backing-lausch/
— 2,082 new confirmed and probable cases; 20 additional deaths; 2,117 hospitalized; 497 in ICU; 3.3 percent average case positivity rate; 4.0 percent average test positivity rate; 55,455 average doses administered
https://capitolfax.com/2021/02/09/2082-new-confirmed-and-probable-cases-20-additional-deaths-2117-hospitalized-497-in-icu-33-percent-average-case-positivity-rate-40-percent-average-test-positivity-rate-55455-average-doses-administered/

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Biden establishes new tent city to process surge of illegal immigrants. Texas facility signals new border surge – Stephen Dinan
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/feb/9/bidens-dhs-opens-new-tent-city-process-illegal-imm/
— AOC: ‘I will not apologize’ for claiming Ted Cruz ‘almost had me murdered’ – Jessica Chasmar
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/feb/9/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-i-will-not-apologize-for-/
— Fauci: Masks needed until ‘level of virus is so low it’s not a threat at all’ – Jessica Chasmar
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/feb/9/fauci-masks-needed-until-level-of-virus-is-so-low-/

WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Impeachment trial Day One: Democrats defeat move to end trial – Kerry Picket
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/congress/impeachment-trial-day-one-democrats-defeat-move-to-end-trial

FOX NEWS
— Trump impeachment trial: Polls show slight majority support conviction. Surveys point to a vast partisan divide over whether Trump should be convicted or acquitted. – Paul Steinhauser
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-trial-polls-slight-majority-support-conviction
— Pentagon says extremist groups ‘aggressively’ recruiting soon-to-be veterans. Rooting out radicalization in the military has been a top priority for defense officials – Vandana Rambaran
https://www.foxnews.com/us/pentagon-says-extremist-groups-aggressively-recruit-military
— Cancel culture eerily similar to Communist China playbook to control its people. China seeks to shape its ideal citizen: don’t ask questions, disobey or think for yourself. – Rep. Mark Green
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/cancel-culture-similar-communist-china-playbook-rep-mark-green

BREITBART
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: A hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-hater says “Trump Supporters Can No Longer Claim ‘They Are Lovers of Law and Order.” Trump supporters disavow Capitol Rioters.
https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2021/02/09/cnns-cooper-trump-supporters-can-no-longer-claim-they-are-lovers-of-law-and-order/

NEWSMAX
— Study Estimates 14.4M Illegals, 5M ‘Anchor Babies’ in US – Brian Trusdell
(DIERSEN: Democrats have declared war on Republicans. Democrats see illegals and anchor babies as being their soldiers in their army to get rid of Republicans once and for all.)
https://www.newsmax.com/us/anchor-babies-fair-study-illegals/2021/02/09/id/1009327/

FEDERALIST
— Axios Calls For ‘Deprogramming’ And Censoring America’s Republican ‘Extremists’ – Gabe Kaminsky
https://thefederalist.com/2021/02/09/axios-calls-for-deprogramming-and-censoring-americas-republican-extremists/
— Blacklisting And Censorship Are Hallmarks Of Repressive Societies. Let’s Head Them Off At The Pass In America. China’s Communist Party uses the Great Firewall to block information from its citizens. Blocking speech based on politics has been a hallmark of every totalitarian government. – Jane Hampton Cook
(DIERSEN: How soon, if not already, will hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters demand that the following identify and blacklist extremists: a) your employer if you are still working, b) the organizations that you are a member of, c) your municipality d) your township, e) your county, f) Illinois, g) America, and h) the world? From what I see, the more of the following that you are, the sooner that one or more of the aforesaid will identify you as being an extremist and blacklist you: law enforcement officer, veteran, Trump supporter, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, heterosexual, married, non-poor, gun owner, Christian, Protestant, Italian American, German American, and/or if your ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://thefederalist.com/2021/02/09/blacklisting-and-censorship-are-hallmarks-of-repressive-societies-lets-head-them-off-at-the-pass-in-america/

DAILY CALLER
— Parents Are Pulling Kids From Public Schools Thanks To Teachers Unions. Now They’re Getting A Religious Education A rise in religious education?
(DIERSEN: My outstanding parents had me baptized as a Missouri Synod Lutheran (MSL), sent me to Trinity Lutheran Grade School in Crete 1953-1961 and then to Hope Lutheran Grade School in Park Forest 1961-1962 to stay with the Missouri Synod, and had me confirmed as a MSL in 1962.)
https://dailycaller.com/2021/02/09/public-schools-teachers-unions-parents-students-religious-education-catholic/

DAILY WIRE
— Texas Sheriff: ‘It’s Absolutely True’ That Biden Is Releasing Illegals Into U.S. Without COVID Tests
https://www.dailywire.com/news/texas-sheriff-its-absolutely-true-that-biden-is-releasing-illegals-into-u-s-without-covid-tests

GOPUSA
— Trump Supporters Will Remember What GOP Does In Impeachment Proceedings
https://www.gopusa.com/?p=106332
— Cost Of Keeping National Guard In Nation’s Capital Nearing $500 Million
https://www.gopusa.com/?p=106318
— Censors: Facebook, Instagram Announce Crackdown On Anti-Vaccine Opinions
https://www.gopusa.com/?p=106330
— AZ Sheriff: Illegals Flooding Border Under Biden Is ‘Obama 2.0’
https://www.gopusa.com/?p=106238
— Record 4.3M Background Checks For Gun Sales With Biden In White House
https://www.gopusa.com/?p=106242
— Why Is Winston Churchill Part Of The American Political Divide?
https://www.gopusa.com/?p=106248

ROLL CALL
— Social media could be sued for stalking, harassment, death. Three Democratic senators introduce bill to overhaul Section 230 of federal communications law. – Dean DeChiaro
(DIERSEN: My critics/opponents want all the Republican candidates on all the ballots in my precinct since 2000 who lost elections to sue me for causing their losses. My critics/opponents want those candidates a) to blame what I have done as the GOPUSA Illinois Editor since 2000 and as a Republican Precinct Committeeman since 1999 and b) to blame what I did as a TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairman 2005-2012, Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee member 2003-2011, Milton Township Republican Organization webmaster 2008-2010 and 2000-2004, Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee member 2003-2007, and American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board member 2001-2004.)
https://www.rollcall.com/2021/02/09/social-media-could-be-sued-for-stalking-harassment-death/

THE HILL
— GOP senators ‘perplexed’ by ‘unfocused’ and ‘weaker’ Trump legal defense – ALEXANDER BOLTON AND JONATHAN EASLEY (DIERSEN: I should write a book about attorneys who have dumped me. Of course, my critics/opponents side with these attorneys.)
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/538098-gop-senators-criticize-trump-legal-defense-as-unfocused-and-weaker
— Centrist Democrats pose major problem for progressives – ALEXANDER BOLTON (DIERSEN: Since at least Big Jim Thompson, the Illinois Republican Party has been dominated by anti-conservatives.)
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/537925-centrist-democrats-pose-major-problem-for-progressives

MSNBC & FORBES
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters promote Kinzinger.
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/gop-rep-senators-convicting-trump-would-help-save-america-n1257142
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jemimamcevoy/2021/02/09/rep-adam-kinzinger-urges-fellow-republicans-to-convict-trump-says-future-of-party-depends-on-it/

WASHINGTON POST
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters say “Seeking to combat extremists in ranks, the military struggles to answer a basic question: How many are there?” How soon, if not already, will hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters demand that the following identify and get rid of “extremists:” a) your employer if you are still working, b) the organizations that you are a member of, c) your municipality d) your township, e) your county, f) Illinois, g) America, and h) the world? From what I see, the more of the following that you are, the sooner that one or more of the aforesaid will identify you as being an extremist and get rid of you: law enforcement officer, veteran, Trump supporter, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, heterosexual, married, non-poor, gun owner, Christian, Protestant, Italian American, German American, and/or if your ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/military-extremist-threat-lloyd-austin-/2021/02/09/198794c8-66f9-11eb-bf81-c618c88ed605_story.html

NEWSWEEK
— Laura Ingraham Calls Joe Biden ‘Figurehead’ of Left Wing Insurrection – JACK DUTTON
https://www.newsweek.com/ingraham-biden-figurehead-leftwing-insurrection-1567871

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
— DECEMBER 17, 2018 FLASHBACK: Alumna Kate Siggerud on Government and the GAO Top executive in ‘congressional watchdog’ agency guided by Humphrey School values – Carmen Peota
(DIERSEN: One could compare and contrast Siggerud’s GAO career with my GAO career. GAO audits IRS. I started with GAO as an Analyst in 1980 when I was 31 years old. I brought with me almost 9 years of experience working for IRS, the last 5 1/2 years of which at the GS-12 Step 1-5 Levels, currently $85,935-$97,395/year. I had passed the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979. I had earned an MBA from Loyola in 1976. Nevertheless, my Democrat GAO superiors forced me to take a $20,361/year (21%) pay cut in today’s dollars to transfer. I earned a master’s degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980. I passed the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt in 1981. I became a licensed CPA in 1981. In 1986, the GAO manager who hired me finally succeeded in getting me assigned to audits of IRS and promoting me to GS-13, currently $102,188/year. But my Democrat GAO superiors forced him to retire in 1987 and threw me off audits of IRS in 1988. Nevertheless, I became a Certified Fraud Examiner in 1990, Certified Government Financial Manager in 1994, Certified Financial Services Auditor in 1996, and Forensic Accountant in 1997. I earned a master’s degree in financial markets and trading from IIT in 1997. Nevertheless, my Democrat GAO superiors succeeded in forcing me to take their early retirement “offer” in 1997 when I was 49 years old.)
https://www.hhh.umn.edu/news/alumna-kate-siggerud-government-and-gao
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Siggerud started as an analyst at the agency’s Chicago field office just after earning her master’s degree in public policy in 1987. She has now risen to one of the GAO’s top jobs, chief operating officer, and is a member of the agency’s executive committee. As COO, Siggerud oversees all of the 700 to 800 reports GAO generates each year.)

FORBES
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: If you really are a Trump-supporter, you do not do things that harm trump.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackbrewster/2021/02/09/marjorie-taylor-greene-claims-capitol-rioters-werent-pro-trump-days-after-denying-conspiracy-theories/

AXIOS
— How to deprogram America’s extremists – Kyle Daly
(DIERSEN: How soon, if not already, will hate-filled Trump-hating Trump-haters demand that the following identify and get rid of “extremists:” a) your employer if you are still working, b) the organizations that you are a member of, c) your municipality d) your township, e) your county, f) Illinois, g) America, and h) the world? From what I see, the more of the following that you are, the sooner that one or more of the aforesaid will identify you as being an extremist and get rid of you: law enforcement officer, veteran, Trump supporter, conservative, patriotic, Republican, American, White, male, older, heterosexual, married, non-poor, gun owner, Christian, Protestant, Italian American, German American, and/or if your ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://www.axios.com/fighting-online-radicals-extremism-90b8dcb6-31a7-4321-a53a-c8be5643f7d6.html

LGBTQ NATION
— Is your home state LGBTQ friendly? See how your state measures up. – Juwan J. Holmes
(DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, in Illinois, in DuPage County, in Milton Township, and in Wheaton, Democrats and Democrat plants, Libertarians and Libertarian plants, Greens and Green plants, Independents and Independent plants, and RINOs blacklist you if you do not promote LGBTQ. I do not promote LGBTQ. I should write a book about those who blacklist me because I do not promote LGBTQ.)
https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2021/02/home-state-lgbtq-friendly-see-state-measures/

(FROM THE ARTICLE: Overall, 19 states received the highest rank given in the index — the “Working Toward Innovative Equality” rating — in addition to the District of Columbia. It doesn’t mean equality is completely protected in these areas, but that they should work toward formalizing equality outside the more common areas where they are needed. The 19 states were California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington state.)

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.