
UPDATE: IL GOP Executive Director Nick Klitzing notified Illinois Review Saturday afternoon that "a volunteer web designer for the ILGOP revamped the website and took down some content, including the Code of Ethics, past meeting & event information, links, pictures, etc. that have not had much web traffic for some time.
"The platform was on one of those pages," Klitzing said in an email. "I didn't even know the platform wasn't on the website until you alerted me ... The 2012 party platform is the official platform of the ILGOP and will remain so, until the 2016 convention platform committee makes changes (if any)."
SPRINGFIELD, IL - The Illinois Republican Party's website no longer displays its most recent party platform, which was adopted at the state party convention in 2012. The Party's Executive Director, Nick Klitzing, had no comment when asked about the omission.
"Maybe they're just redoing the site, or updating it," former McLean County Chairman John Parrott told Illinois Review. "I hope this is the case, because it's very important for people to become educated on the values and positions that we as a party stand for."
Speculation among IL GOP observers is that the platform may have been removed because Republican Governor Bruce Rauner disagrees with several of its planks. The speculation is fueling concern that the Party may seek to scrub the platform of traditional, conservative issues such as abortion and sanctity of marriage.
READ A COPY OF THE 2012 ILLINOIS REPUBLICAN PARTY PLATFORM HERE
"Rauner owns the Illinois Republican Party lock, stock and barrel," another party leader who wanted to remain nameless, said. "Neither Rauner nor Kirk want to talk about social issues."
In place of the official platform is a section on the website called "What We Stand for" which has no reference to social issues, and is silent on the Second Amendment and immigration as well.
The omissions frustrate Macoupin County GOP Chairman Terri Koyne, a conservative Republican that has worked hard to develop her county's GOP prominence.
"The platform was presented, approved and ratified by the state convention in 2012. It is our party's standard until it is officially changed, regardless of personal opinions," she told Illinois Review.
Karen Hayes, a precinct captain in Cook County's Worth Township, served on the 2012 platform committee after being appointed by then-1st CD State Central Committeeman Steve Daglas.
"I can think of no logical reason to explain why the ILGOP Platform was inexplicably removed from the website. The Convention voted to approve a platform that much work, thought and discussion had gone into. I would like to know what happened,” Hayes told Illinois Review.