ABC7
— Chicago celebrates St. Patrick’s Day – Megan Hickey
http://abc7chicago.com/society/chicago-celebrates-st-patricks-day/3227464/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Governor Bruce Rauner took the opportunity to encourage residents to vote. “We need everybody to get out and vote, support our campaign,” Rauner said. “We can win on Tuesday, we’re going to beat Pritzker and Madigan in September.” . . . Republican gubernatorial candidate Jeanne Ives made an appearance along Palatine’s parade route. “We’ll be connecting with voters and getting ready for tomorrow and Monday, quite frankly, with media stuff,” Ives said.)
— Simeon Career Academy students make amends after classmates trash Walmart during walkout – Will Jones
http://abc7chicago.com/community-events/simeon-students-make-amends-after-classmates-trash-walmart-during-walkout/3224923/
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Pritzker defends putting $69.5 million of his fortune into campaign as politicians march in St. Patrick’s Day parade – Kim Geiger and Hal Dardick (DIERSEN: Who wants you to defend what you do and why? Of course, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes want me to defend a) my spending 10+ hours of what is left of my life each and every day and b) my spending thousands of dollars for newspaper subscriptions, bulk email and website expenses, etc. each and every year putting together and sending out GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails each and every morning and each and every evening. They have always hinted/implied/argued/shouted a) that no one wants to get the emails, b) that no one appreciates getting the emails, c) that neither they nor anyone else reads the emails, and d) that the emails have caused all the losses that Republicans have suffered in Illinois since 2000.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-illinois-primary-st-patricks-day-parade-20180317-story.html
— Census: Mokena’s population up nearly 1,600 – Susan DeMar Lafferty (DIERSEN: Is the population up or down in your precinct, in your municipality, in your township/ward, and in your county, and what are the main reasons why?)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/news/ct-sta-mokena-census-totals-st-0307-20180316-story.html
— What Naperville residents will see on primary election ballots Tuesday – Erin Hegarty (DIERSEN: Since 2000, as soon as sample ballots are available, I have always hand delivered copies of the ballots to all the residences in my precinct that have at least one Republican or one Independent registered voter.)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/naperville-sun/news/ct-nvs-march-primary-election-naperville-st-0318-20180317-story.html
— An extra nudge for these candidates on Tuesday – Editorial
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-endorsements-illinois-primary-candidates-20180316-story.html
DAILY HERALD
— Illinois governor race more fierce, costly as primary nears – AP (DIERSEN: Of course, my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes hint/imply/argue/shout at Rauner, at Ives, and at the rest of the candidates on Republican primary ballots in Illinois that every vote that they do not get is because of me and because of my GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails.)
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20180317/news/303179924/
— The donors behind the dollars in governor races: Will war chests matter? – Marni Pyke
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20180317/the-donors-behind-the-dollars-in-governor-races-will-war-chests-matter
(FROM THE ARTICLE: But after President Donald Trump upset expectations in 2016, all bets should be off in Tuesday’s election, especially with potential low turnout and undecided voters creating flux, suburban experts said. “If the real hard core turns out, Rauner is in trouble,” veteran Republican organizer Pat Durante of Addison said. “If the moderates turn out, Ives is in trouble. If you asked me to pick who’ll win today … I couldn’t.” . . . On the Republican side, Rauner reported a formidable $55.6 million cash in hand at the end of 2017. In 2016, the governor donated $57 million to his campaign, and over the course of his political career, he’s given himself $95 million, state records show. That’s a stark contrast to Ives, who banked $404,000 cash in hand in the last quarter of 2017. But she surged in 2018, raising more than $3.3 million, mainly because of a $2.5 million windfall from Dick Uihlein of Lake Forest, founder of Uline shipping supplies and a one-time Rauner donor. “I never expected Ives to spend the kind of money she’s spending,” Durante said. Other significant Ives contributors include Chicagoan Vincent Kolber, president of rail equipment firm Residco and a former Rauner donor, with over $500,000; Hinsdale IT entrepreneur William Merchantz with $75,000; and the Illinois Opportunity Project, whose co-founders include conservative talk show host Dan Proft. Rauner has garnered more than $440,000 in 2018. His biggest donors include previous supporter and Chicago executive William Kunkler of C.C. Industries with $100,000 and the Illinois Republican Party with $191,000. Rauner has donated about $200,000 to the state GOP since 2010. Durante wouldn’t predict who’ll win, but he senses an enthusiasm gap. “I would think the hard-core base will go for Jeanne,” he said. “I think Rauner needs to get to those moderate Republicans. … It might be tougher for him than he imagines.” . . . For starters, Rauner wasn’t supposed to have an opponent, but the state’s entrenched financial crisis and political gridlock provoked rumblings of unrest from the rank and file. Despite the government dysfunction, the Winnetka investment banker is endorsed by mainstream Cook and DuPage Republicans. Ives, of Wheaton, has picked up a slew of local endorsements such as the Wheatland Township Republican Organization, Republican Organization of Wheeling Township and Batavia Township Republican Organization. She launched her bid after Rauner supported Medicaid funding for abortions. The conservative West Point grad has used social issues to whip up support among the GOP base, although the strategy has backfired with moderates. Last week, Ives launched an ad blitz calling Rauner a “fake” Republican, while he’s retaliated with commercials linking her with beleaguered Speaker Michael Madigan, a Democrat.)
— Sheriff, clerk among Kane County’s hottest primary races – James Fuller
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20180317/sheriff-clerk-among-kane-countys-hottest-primary-races
— Celebrating Illinois’ 200-year history at Naper Settlement (DIERSEN: What discourages you from celebrating Illinois’ 200-year history? For me, it is knowing that my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes a) stress that my ancestors have been in Illinois since 1844, b) hint/imply/argue/shout that my parents, my grandparents, and the rest of my ancestors discriminated against minorities and against females big time, and c) that therefore, because of the foresaid, I should pay the price of Affirmative Action, Diversity, and Inclusion big time.)
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20180317/celebrating-illinois-200-year-history-at-naper-settlement—
— DuPage County races worth watching Tuesday – Robert Sanchez
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20180317/dupage-county-races-worth-watching-tuesday
— Trump wildlife protection board defends trophy hunting – AP (DIERSEN: What do trophy hunters think of you?)
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20180316/news/303169991/
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Peaceful protest shouldn’t have been marred by student vandalism at a Walmart – Mary Mitchell
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/peaceful-protest-shouldnt-have-been-marred-by-student-vandalism-at-a-walmart/
CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Pension mess? You’d hardly know it from 2018’s gubernatorial candidates. – MARK GLENNON
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20180316/ISSUE07/180319908/pension-mess-youd-hardly-know-it-from-2018s-gubernatorial-candidates
SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— As primaries loom, downstate Democrats look for a way back – Brenden Moore
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20180317/as-primaries-loom-downstate-democrats-look-for-way-back
BELLEVILLE NEWS DEMOCRAT
— McSweeney seeks to abolish townships to lower taxes – AP
http://www.bnd.com/news/business/article205664954.html
ALTON DAILY NEWS
— Lawmakers Must Pass Budget By May 31st – Greg Bishop
http://altondailynews.com/news/details.cfm?clientid=17&id=261947#.Wq2dYcuKSM8
ALTON TELEGRAPH
— In Madison County, sales tax, few contested races face primary voters – Scott Cousins
https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/In-Madison-County-sales-tax-few-contested-races-12761133.php
HERALD & REVIEW
— Recognize these names? Meet the Macon County donors who gave $420,000 to political candidates – TOM LISI
https://herald-review.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/recognize-these-names-meet-the-macon-county-donors-who-gave/article_aedb7c16-2b34-5b1b-a924-49ef19751893.html
SOUTHERN
— Substitute teacher shortage hitting Southern Illinois hard; lobbyists working with legislators to change rules – SIMONE MALCOLM (DIERSEN: The federal jobs that I had were so bad that a) GAO hired me in 1980 because it could not find a qualified Democrat, minority, female, younger person, or veteran who would take the job, b) IRS hired me in 1971 because it could not find a qualified Democrat, minority, female, or veteran who would take the job, and c) the Post Office hired me in 1966 because it could not find a qualified Democrat, minority, female, or veteran who would take the job.)
http://thesouthern.com/news/local/education/substitute-teacher-shortage-hitting-southern-illinois-hard-lobbyists-working-with/article_4939aa7d-b837-5a83-8088-078e1a06012e.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: There are a number of issues that the state is facing in regard to retaining teachers and substitute teachers in school districts, such as reducing $250 to $300 it costs for a substitute license, reduce the requirements for out-of-state teachers, and increasing the rate of pay for subs. “The biggest thing is the rate of pay for substitute teachers,” said IARSS Association President Mark Jontry. “With the exacerbated shift in the economy, there is a reduced number of applicants because we have a stronger economy. People are now looking for job opportunities outside the state.” To compete with other counties of the state, Klosterman’s district had to increase the pay of its substitute teachers to $90 a day. “It was necessary to be competitive and expand the candidate pool for us to make sure that we did everything we could to fill positions as much as possible,” he said. Other methods Klosterman’s district implemented were using social media to advertise and speaking with employees, parents, friends, relatives, etc., asking if they know anyone who would like to be a substitute.)
PEORIA PUBLIC RADIO
— Ives Pushes Back on School Walkouts, DGA Ad – RYAN DENHAM
http://peoriapublicradio.org/post/ives-pushes-back-school-walkouts-dga-ad#stream/0
— ST. LOUIS TODAY
Trump factor looms large in Illinois governor primary campaigns – Rick Pearson (DIERSEN: Rauner paints himself as being anti-Trump. What will the anti-Trump voters in your precinct, in your municipality, in your township, in your county, and in Illinois do? Will they cast a Republican primary ballot and vote for those candidates who are the most anti-Trump? Or will they cast a Democrat primary ballot and vote for those candidates who are the most anti-Trump? How many of the voters are anti-Trump in your precinct, in your municipality, in your township/ward, in your county, and in Illinois? Only 137 voted for Trump in my precinct, while 211 voted for Clinton.)
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/trump-factor-looms-large-in-illinois-governor-primary-campaigns/article_a588ade7-d304-5fa6-9929-b0f182e1f00d.html
IVES FOR GOVERNOR
— Surrender With Rauner or Fight With Jeanne
https://app.crowdskout.com/email.html?uuid=44e1cb1e-282c-44d8-b915-0094f6e5feb1&cs-from=44e1cb1e-282c-44d8-b915-0094f6e5feb1
— Liberal Rauner’s Liberal Friends Don’t Like Ives…Which Is Why You Should (DIERSEN: Who does not like you? Those who do not like me a) reject planks in the Republican Party platform and/or the Illinois Republican Party platform and work against those like me who support those planks, b) reject the Milton Township Republican Central Committee 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 and/or are anti-Trump supporters, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, ant-gun owners, anti-German Americans, anti-draft avoiders, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
https://mailchi.mp/a223f71b4fd3/liberal-rauners-liberal-friends-dont-like-iveswhich-is-why-you-should?e=985ad8c00b
BRUCE RAUNER
— Has the DGA Filed an In-Kind Contribution for Ives Yet? – NO.
https://www.brucerauner.com/news/
COOK COUNTY RECORD
— Tweets containing embedded pics could be copyright violation, NY judge says; decision an ‘outlier,’ for now – Tomas Kassahun
https://cookcountyrecord.com/stories/511356918-tweets-containing-embedded-pics-could-be-copyright-violation-ny-judge-says-decision-an-outlier-for-now
ILLINOIS REVIEW
— QUID PRO QUO? RAUNER GIVES $1.5M TO 41 COUNTY GOP ORGS THROUGH ILGOP (DIERSEN: He who pays the piper calls the tunes.)
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2018/03/thru-il-gop-rauner-gifts-41-county-gop-orgs-5k-and-more-leading-to-primary.html
(FROM THE ARTICLE: In an political strategy unprecedented in the Illinois Republican Party, thousands of dollars were transferred from the Illinois Republican Party to county organizations in the last three months leading up to the March 20th IL GOP primary. State Board of Elections records show that 41 county GOP organizations received gifts from the IL GOP from $5000 to $25,000. Never before has the IL GOP had the resources to distribute funds in such a manner. Where did the unprecedented party funding come from? County leaders tell Illinois Review they were asked to fill out applications, and checks were sent their ways – no requests or expectations voiced in the process. The Illinois Republican Party has been consistently sending out press releases over the past few months promoting Governor Rauner, however. Leading up to the check distribution, only five major donations were made to the IL GOP, including nearly $5 million from Citizens for Rauner, which the Rauners fund personally. Three million of the IL GOP funding went to the House Republican Organization.)
— PALATINE GOP LAWMAKER TOM MORRISON MAKES LAST MINUTE PUSH FOR IVES (DIERSEN: What discourages you from helping elect candidates in primary elections? My critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes have always hinted/implied/argued/shouted that any candidate that I might support in a primary election is far too conservative to win in a general election.)
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2018/03/palatine-gop-lawmaker-makes-last-minute-push-for-ives-.html
— IL CONGRESSMAN GUTIERREZ OFFERS FIRED FBI MCCABE A JOB (DIERSEN: My critics/opponents hint/imply/argue/shout that after my Democrat GAO superiors succeeded in forcing me to take their early retirement “offer” in 1997 when I was 49 years old, that neither they, nor anyone else offered me a federal job. They hint/imply/argue/shout that if I was any good, Henry Hyde, Peter Fitzgerald, Dennis Hastert, Peter Roskam, etc. would have offered me jobs.)
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2018/03/il-congressman-gutierrez-offers-fired-fbi-mccabe-a-job.html
— DEMOCRAT GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION INTERFERES IN IL GOP PRIMARY
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2018/03/democrat-governors-association-interferes-in-il-gop-primary.html
— COOK CO GOP SAMPLE BALLOT CONTROVERSY DEEPENS SPLIT IN COUNTY ORGANIZATION
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2018/03/cook-co-gop-sample-ballot-controversy-deepens-split-in-county-organization.html
CAPITOL FAX
— Tribune drops bombshell on Biss running mate
https://capitolfax.com/2018/03/17/tribune-drops-bombshell-on-biss-running-mate/
— Campaign Shenanigans!
https://capitolfax.com/2018/03/17/shenanigans-2/
— Saturday campaign money report
https://capitolfax.com/2018/03/17/saturday-campaign-money-report/
BLAZE
— Chicago: Dozens of Simeon Career Academy students ripped up a Walmart while they were supposed to be protesting guns – Teri Webster
https://www.theblaze.com/news/2018/03/17/dozens-of-chicago-students-ripped-up-a-walmart-while-they-were-supposed-to-be-protesting-guns
NATIONAL REVIEW
— Illinois Primary Is a Bellwether for Pro-Life Democrats – ALEXANDRA DESANCTIS (DIERSEN: Far too few activists, candidates, elected officials, party leaders, major donors, political consultants, etc. in Illinois, in DuPage County, in Milton Township, in Glen Ellyn, and in Wheaton who say that they are religious, conservative, and/or Republican defend or advance the right to life plank in the Illinois Republican Party (IRP) platform. Those who reject the right to life plank in the IRP platform have always worked extremely hard against me. I should write a book about them.)
https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/03/illinois-primary-is-a-bellwether-for-pro-life-democrats/
DAILY CALLER
— Change At State Promises Trump A More Harmonious Outcome – Alan Keyes
http://dailycaller.com/2018/03/17/change-at-state-promises-trump-harmonious-outcome/
THE HILL
— Democrats meddle against Illinois governor ahead of GOP primary – REID WILSON
http://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/378933-dems-meddle-against-illinois-governor-ahead-of-gop-primary
— McCabe firing roils Washington – MAX GREENWOOD (DIERSEN: My Democrat GAO superiors’ forcing me to take their early retirement “offer” in 1997 when I was 49 years old certainly did not roil those who are anti-Trump supporters, anti-Protestant, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic, anti-Republican, anti-American, anti-White, anti-male, anti-older people, anti-rich people, ant-gun owners, anti-German Americans, anti-draft avoiders, and/or anti-those whose ancestors have been in America for a long time.)
http://thehill.com/homenews/news/378971-mccabe-firing-roils-washington
ABC NEWS
— Illinois governor race more fierce, costly as primary nears – AP
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/illinois-governor-race-fierce-costly-primary-nears-53821233
— Trump Cabinet members under scrutiny for pricey trips and $31,000 dining sets – STEPHANIE EBBS and ERICA Y KING
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-cabinet-members-scrutiny-pricey-trips-31000-dining/story
USA TODAY
— Conservative Democrat Rep. Lipinski struggles to fend off progressive primary challenge – Aamer Madhani
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2018/03/17/democrat-rep-lipinski-marie-newman-progressives/434103002/
DAILY MAIL
— SIXTY Chicago students trash Walmart after being allowed out of school to take part in nationwide gun protest
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5511131/SIXTY-Chicago-students-trash-Walmart-anti-gun-walk-out.html
— Students trash Chicago Walmart during gun control walkout
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/news/video-1650418/Video-Students-trash-Chicago-Walmart-gun-control-walkout.html
