Illinois Review

Di Leo: A Murder at Dawn, and the Difference Between Left and Right

Photo from  murder victim Adam Ward's video camera, broadcasting live in Roanoke

By John F. Di Leo - 

Reflections on the Roanoke television murders

A Liberal Response

A man is overweight, perhaps by a couple hundred pounds. 

The liberal responds in force, closing the fast food restaurant at the corner, shutting down the pizzeria across the street, banning the ice cream shop down the block from selling to him, limiting the soft drink size at the convenience store next door to only 20 ounces at a time.

The fact that the man was already heavy when he moved into the neighborhood – and the fact that he eats ordinary food from the grocery store, just too much of it – don’t factor into their decision. They see an overweight man; they attack every possible culprit in their line of sight… regardless of the rights of those businesses. Those businesses are just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

McCarthy: McConchie announces bid for 51st House seat

By Margaret McCarthy - 

Over the weekend, attorney Dan McConchie announced his 2016 GOP primary bid for the 51st House District at two events. 

The first was the Republican Assembly of Lake County’s annual picnic at the Lakewood Forest Preserve Saturday afternoon.  The second was held at former Congressman Joe Walsh’s home in rural Mundelein, where McConchie officially announced his candidacy. 

Does Free Speech Offend You?

Should offensive speech be banned? Where should we, as a society, draw the line where permitted speech is on one side, and forbidden speech is on the other? Should we even have that line? And should free speech be limited by things like trigger warnings and punishments for microaggressions? Greg Lukianoff, president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, answers these questions and more.

Rhoads: 24 Illinois Interns Honored

By Mark Rhoads - 

The Illinois State Society awarded 24 scholarships to Congressional interns from every Illinois Congressional office and honored them at a reception in the Rayburn House Office Building on July 29, 2015.

ISS Intern Scholarships assist students from Illinois in offsetting the cost of a summer internship in the offices of the Illinois Congressional Delegation in Washington, DC. Four named scholarships were given in honor of deceased ISS members who contributed to the success of the Society.

Ives: Open Letter to College of DuPage Trustees

By State Rep. Jeanne Ives - 

Thank you for taking an important first step toward the dismissal of Dr. Brueder as President of College of DuPage.  His time at the college has been marred by questionable - possibly illegal - financial decisions, faculty unrest, multiple state and federal investigations, and a total disregard for transparency and taxpayers.

Now it is time for you to ensure that no building at College of DuPage bears his name, and least of all, the Homeland Security Education Center. 

Earlier this year, when the public became aware of his self-serving request to name this building for him, a group of citizens spontaneously spoke up instead to name it for a true local hero who protected the homeland, Medal of Honor recipient U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Robert James Miller. 

Huge Crowds Gather in Aurora to Protest Planned Parenthood [video]

In the wake of revelations that Planned Parenthood sells human baby parts for profit, over 1600 gathered outside the abortion clinic in Aurora as part of the nationwide protest against abortion.

Dr Rob Rienow Addresses Two SCOTUS rulings

Making Sense of the Recent Global Economic Turmoil

The promotion of economic freedom at home and abroad is essential not only for a genuine and sustained revi-talization of the U.S. economy, but to America’s global leadership. The Heritage Foundation’s "2015 Global Agenda for Economic Freedom" describes in detail concrete plans to promote global economic freedom, and offers Washington a blueprint for a practical and effective global strategy.

Black Homosexual Murders Two Whites and Leftists Still Blame Guns

Adam Ward and Alison Parker

Allyne Caan of The Patriot Post has written that despite the overwhelming evidence that this week's tragic murder of Alison Parker and Adam Ward was perpetrated by a sick man bent on vengeance, almost immediately Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe and other leftists used the tragedy to blame their favorite scapegoat — guns.

Unfortunately, emotion plays better than facts in times of tragedy — and that’s what Obama, Clinton and McAuliffe are banking on. Contrary to McAuliffe’s insinuation, the murderer passed a background check in order to buy his gun. But leftists won’t stop with more checks because, as McAuliffe said, they’re after “restricting access.”

And despite Obama’s claim of increased gun violence, such violence has actually drastically decreased over the last couple of decades. In fact, in 2010, the gun homicide rate was 49% lower than in 1993, according to a 2013 Pew Research Center study. The downward trend appears to have remained steady since 2011 — all while gun laws have been loosened and gun ownership has increased.

Thanks in part to leftist rhetoric, though, just 12% of Americans believe gun crime is lower now than in the early 1990s. In fact, the 2013 Pew study reveals 56% erroneously believe it’s higher.

Unavoidably, false information leads to faulty judgment, such as one absurdly ignorant tweet saying the county where yesterday’s murders occurred supported Romney in the last presidential election, so it must be gun-friendly. Evidently this person hasn’t heard of Chicago, Baltimore, Ferguson, or any other inner city Democrat poverty plantation where murder and violent crime are rampant.

This week's killings were perpetrated not by a county, a community, a tool, or the Second Amendment but by a sick individual driven by racial and anti-heterosexual hatred. His hatred — not his gun — drove him to kill. More to the point, the killer wasn’t a Romney voter but reportedly was reprimanded for wearing an Obama button during campaign coverage. That’s a report the American Leftmedia won’t bother getting around to.

More HERE

UPDATE: The White House has conceded that new gun regulations probably wouldn’t have prevented the gunman who murdered two television journalists in southwestern Virginia this week. More HERE

Thorner: Brady, Andrzejewski address Illinois Forum Luncheon – Part 2

By Nancy Thorner - 

Part 1, "Illinois Forum prods Illinois Government in New Direction" featured two of the four featured speakers, Jim Tobin, President, Taxpayers United of America and Dr. David Crane, youngest brother of former Congressman, now deceased Hon. Phil Crane. Through Tobin's documented remarks, readers could determine how their elected Illinois representatives performed when voting on fiscal issues.  Love of country and service to country were displayed by Dr. David Crane, whose father instilled the same in all five of the Crane children.  

Featured in Part 2  are former gubernatorial candidates Bill Bradley and Adam Andrzejewski, founder of OpentheBooks.com. Each bring noteworthy information to readers.  Adam Andrzejewski goes where his research leads him. Republican are not excused when they go over the line.  

Speaker #3: Bill Brady, a conservative Republican, unsuccessful in running for governor.

Starkehaus: Chicago's Archbishop equals abortion to illegal immigration? Really?

By Irene F. Starkehaus - 

"While commerce in the remains of defenseless children is particularly repulsive, we should be no less appalled by the indifference toward the thousands of people who die daily for lack of decent medical care; who are denied rights by a broken immigration system and by racism; who suffer in hunger, joblessness and want; who pay the price of violence in gun-saturated neighborhoods; or who are executed by the state in the name of justice." Archbishop Blase Cupich of Chicago

This statement by the Archbishop of Chicago was made in response to the Center for Medical Progress's whistleblower videos regarding Planned Parenthood's sale and distribution of human fetal remains. It reflects a continuance of the late Cardinal Bernardin's propagation of misapplied social justice teachings.

This statement by the Archbishop of Chicago was made in response to the Center for Medical Progress's whistleblower videos regarding Planned Parenthood's sale and distribution of human fetal remains. It reflects a continuance of the late Cardinal Bernardine's propagation of misapplied social justice teachings.

Rhoads: Party Bosses Get the Last Laugh

By Mark Rhoads - 

Illinois Gov. Frank O. Louden (R) must be turning over in his grave.  Louden was one of the best leaders for party reform in the 1920s after he was a victim of the infamous smoke-filled room at the Blackstone Hotel in Chicago that led to the nomination of Sen. Warren Harding of Ohio for president.

For several decades after the 1920s, primary voters in both parties in Illinois and many states had a big voice in choosing state party leaders and delegates for the national conventions.  But in the last 10 years, the wannabe party bosses have had the last laugh.

Andrzejewski: IL Comptroller Munger pays Planned Parenthood; holds disability payments

CHICAGO - Instead of directing court ordered payments to the developmentally disabled, Illinois comptroller massively funded Planned Parenthood, spent taxpayer dollars on lobbyists, paid thousands of dollars in checks to a political blogger, and used the state plane as her personal taxi. 

Those are the assertions of government transparency advocate Adam Andrzejewski in a Forbes' commentary Friday. 

Illinois' newly-appointed comptroller is working her way through unprecedented state fiscal territory - with no state budget since July 1. She's been responding as directed by Governor Rauner's administration to court orders and judges' instructions.

Andrzejewski says she's close to being in contempt of court with the checks she's writing.

On August 18, the judge reiterated the order. Yet, Munger still didn't make the payments. 

So, the judge threatened her with contempt of court.  

Instead of prioritizing payments to the disabled under court order, who did the Comptroller actually pay? Here's what we found...

1) Planned Parenthood for $4.3 million since January. At the start of fiscal upheaval, between June 17 through July 22nd, "Grants and Awards" of $1,592,850 went to Planned Parenthood - five times higher than the previous month.

2) In July 2015, the Comptroller ordered payments to Ahead of Our Time Publishing - a company owned by the self-described 'political blogger' Rich Miller. Last year was his biggest year ever and $269,000 has flowed from taxpayers since 2009.

3) In June 2015, Comptroller Munger paid-out $5,000 to Shea, Page & Rogal - lobbyists. In fact, since 2009, the comptroller's office appropriated and paid over $320,000 in taxpayer money to this lobbyist firm. 

While Shea, Page & Rogal was receiving payments, official state filings show that Shea Page was also 'lobbying' the comptroller on behalf of other clients!

4) Munger used the state airplane seven times as her personal taxi - to shuttle back and forth from Chicago to Springfield.

The rest Andrzejewski's op/ed is HERE

Dold No. 1 in nation for Wall Street backing

CHICAGO - Illinois' Congressman Robert Dold's  (IL-10) 2014 campaign spending reached up into seven digits, and Open Secrets research suggests his 2016 race could match and surpass the last one. 

But as of the end of June, Dold was the No.1 recipient of Wall Street funding, Open Secrets writes.

As of June 30, incumbent Reps. Robert Dold (R-Ill.) and Bruce Poliquin (R-Maine) were Nos. 1 and 2 in money from Wall Street in these races, both in terms of total amount and as a share of their overall fundraising hauls. Dold, who was first elected in 2010 but was booted by voters in the next election before winning the seat back last year, brought in 13 percent of his total, or $162,000, from private equity firms, investment banks, hedge funds and other elements of Wall Street (in OpenSecrets vernacular, Wall Street includes the securities and investment and commercial banking industries). Poliquin, a freshman who won narrowly in his pro-Obama district, can credit Wall Street for 12 percent of his funds — about $132,000. The securities and investment industry has been the top industry contributor to Dold during this election cycle, and the second largest to Poliquin.

Two Democrats who are challenging Dold in Illinois — former Rep. Brad Schneider, who is seeking a rematch against the Republican, and Nancy Rodkin Rotering, the mayor of Highland Park, Ill. — also posted strong backing from Wall Street at almost $45,000 and over $39,000, respectively.

Read the rest HERE.

Chicago home healthcare owners accused of defrauding Medicare $6 Million

CHICAGO—The husband-and-wife owners of a Chicago home-healthcare business paid kickbacks to employees and marketers in exchange for referring elderly and disabled patients to the company for unnecessary or non-existent treatment that was funded by Medicare, according to a 23-count federal indictment unsealed Friday.

HCN Home Healthcare Inc., through its owners, Estrellita Duquilla and Miguel Duquilla, paid kickbacks to employees and marketers to induce the referral of Medicare beneficiaries to HCN, according to the indictment. The indictment further contends that HCN employees altered nursing reports and patient files to falsely create the appearance that its patients qualified for in-home treatment. As a result of the kickback and fraudulent billing scheme, Medicare made overpayments to HCN in excess of $6 million, according to the indictment.

The Duquillas, of Des Plaines, were each charged with conspiracy to pay and receive healthcare kickbacks. Also charged in the conspiracy were four employees of HCN and an outside marketer who is married to an HCN nurse.

Painkiller prescriptions soon to have combination cap locks in Illinois

SPRINGFIELD - Pharmaceutical prescriptions drugs containing opiates will be more difficult to access with new combination lock tops in the first ever state pilot program signed into law in Illinois this week. 

House Bill 3219, co-sponsored by State Representatives and former prosecutors Michael Zalewski (D-Riverside), Robert Martwick (D-Chicago) and Senator Iris Martinez (D-Chicago), will go into effect January 1, 2016.

"I'd like to thank Governor Rauner for his signature. Illinoisans will be safer as a result of this innovative legislation that will reduce the health crisis of opioid abuse," Rep. Zalewski said. 

The new law will launch a one-year pilot program regulated by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) in coordination with participating pharmacies across Illinois. The numerical locking devices – caps similar to those used on gym locks - would be placed on opioid pharmaceutical prescription bottles.

“This program is all about helping people who are caught in the stranglehold of painkiller abuse.  If this program saves just one life, it’s worth it,” said Rep. Martwick.

The bill passed the Illinois Senate and Illinois House unanimously.

California works to raise smoking minimum age from 18 to 21

SACRAMENTO CA - Could Illinois lawmakers take a cue from California, and push through an effort to raise the state's smoking age from 18 to 21? Could they also ban e-cigarettes from anywhere smoking is banned?

While both states have passed laws to allow medical marijuana consumption in any form, California is tightening the screws on inhaling tobacco. Illinois could follow their lead.

California's state Senate on Thursday approved six anti-tobacco bills, including measures that would raise the smoking age in California from 18 to 21 and bar electronic cigarettes from restaurants, movie theaters and other public places where smoking is banned, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Meeting in a special session on healthcare, the Senate also sent the Assembly bills that would allow counties to impose tobacco taxes, outlaw tobacco use at all schools, plug loopholes in a smoking ban in workplaces, and boost the licensing fee for tobacco retailers. All of the bills next go to the Assembly for consideration.

More HERE.

Chicago southeast side group sets up pet coke exposure text alerts

CHICAGO - People living on Chicago's southeast side near the KCBX Terminals can now sign up for text alerts warning them to stay inside as weather conditions indicate the Koch Industries' facility may be exposing them to petroleum coke.

Web developer and "Chi Hack Night" host Ben Wilhelm says the group decided text alerts would be a good way to raise awareness about the issue — “Something that would keep the problem in the forefront of people’s minds and also give them tools to be aware of the wind on the most hazardous days,” Midwest Energy News reports.

Jake Reint, spokesman for KCBX Terminal located at 3259 E 100th St on Chicago's southeast side, said the alerts are misleading.

Senator Duffy endorses McConchie over Sauer to succeed Rep. Ed Sullivan

(l) State Senator Dan Duffy (R-Lake Barrington) with GOP colleague (r) State Sen. Matt Murphy

LAKE BARRINGTON - Senator Dan Duffy announced Thursday that he is endorsing Dan McConchie for state representative in House District 51. Duffy, the conservative Senator whose district includes House Districts 51 and 52, was first elected to office in 2009 and was overwhelmingly re-elected in 2012.

Duffy chose McConchie over Lake County Board member Nick Sauer, who also announced his interest in succeeding State Rep. Ed Sullivan (R-Mundelein). Sullivan announced earlier this week he is not seeking re-election in 2016.

"Dan McConchie is the clear choice to be our new state representative in the 51st District," Duffy stated. "His extensive state legislative experience, grasp of the issues facing Illinois, and lifelong conservative values make him a perfect fit for our district. He has the courage to fight the status quo, and we desperately need his unique problem solving ability down in Springfield.  Unlike the other candidate in this race, Dan will not ‘go along to get along.’ Dan will be an outspoken advocate for our district and fight to make Governor Rauner's Turnaround Agenda a reality." 

Multiple sex allegations ... and counting; Josh Duggar turns to Illinois for help

ROCKFORD - Reality tv show star and disgraced Christian family leader Josh Duggar is on his way to Illinois to get help for his sex addiction, Gawker is reporting today. 

Duggar, who admitted molesting at least five underage girls - four that were his sisters -  when he was a teenager, was also found on the affair-arranging Ashley Madison website's list last week. Since then, porn star Danica Dillon has gone public and taken a lie detector test, saying she had an 2-night, $1500 interlude with Duggar while his wife Anna was pregnant. Dillon said Duggar's demands were "creepy" and "traumatic."

Today, the Duggar family announced their oldest son will be checking into a long term, Christian rehabilitation program in Rockford, Illinois, 90 miles northwest of Chicago. 

DuPage County Board member Tonia Khouri to challenge Foster for 11th CD seat

Tonia Khouri (l) with DuPage Co Board Chairman Dan Cronin, IL Lt Gov Evelyn Sanguinetti

AURORA, IL - Sunday, DuPage County Board member Tonia Khouri will officially announce that she'll be challenging incumbent Democrat Congressman Bill Foster (IL-11) in 2016.   

"Our government is not working for us. The people of the 11th District deserve to have a representative with passion, leadership, vision, and who is laser focused on economic and national security," she said in a statement announcing the event. "We deserve to have someone who will take action and get things done in Washington. Although our government is big, when we have the courage to stand up, stand together, and take action, we can make a difference."  

Khouri's official campaign launch will take place Sunday, August 30th at 3:45pm in Naperville's Frontier Park.

Thorner: Illinois Forum prods Illinois Government in New Direction - Part 1

Robert Redfern, longtime leader of Illinois Forum

By Nancy Thorner - 

The 26th Anniversary Luncheon of the Illinois Forum was held at Round Barn Banquet Center,1900 Round Barn Road, Champaign, Illinois, on August 22, 2015 at 12:00 p.m. Organized in 1989 by Chairman Robert S. Redfern, Illinois Forum promotes a smaller state government to restrain spending and to encourage tax cuts and further believes in returning the general assembly to a part-time legislature. As a volunteer movement, Forum members get the job done on their own and do not have to play by the same rules as politicians use to stay in power. Notable state conservatives from all sections of the State of Illinois attended the luncheon.

Chairman Robert Redfern in presenting opening remarks, spoke of the division that exists in this nation with one side believing in constitutional principles, the free market, strong national security and borders, self-reliance, individual freedom and traditional values. Opposing are those who believe in a constitution that means whatever they want it to mean. In discussing Illinois precincts, there are 11,000 in the state and many are not filled with committeemen. With one or two votes more in each precinct, Bill Brady would have been governor of Illinois instead of Quinn in the 2014 election.

Cook County Board of Review's Dan Patlak to face GOP primary challenge in 2016

 

PALATINE - Cook County Board of Review Commissioner Dan Patlak will apparently once again face a primary challenge in 2016 from a south suburban Republican.

This time, Patlak's challenger won't be Alsip businessman Sean Morrison, who filled former Cook County Board Commissioner Liz Gorman's vacancy earlier this summer. This time Patlak will be challenged by a Republican from Morrison's Palos Township GOP organization - Sharon Branigan. 

Branigan, who has been urging social conservative GOPers in the south suburbs to support her in the upcoming primary, will take her arguments against Patlak into his own backyard next Saturday, September 5th at the Palatine Township Republican Organization's monthly meeting.  

Branigan is a Palos Township trustee, and challenged Democrat Congressman Dan Lipinski in 2014.

Wall Street's problem is ...

H/T Townhall.com 

Dold Discusses Impact of Health Insurance Tax with Illinois Small Business Owners

LINCOLNSHIRE, IL – Congressman Bob Dold joined local small business owners today in Lincolnshire to discuss how the health insurance tax, or HIT, is impacting local businesses and employees. The event was hosted by the Stop the HIT Coalition, a broad based group representing the nation’s small business owners, their employees and the self-employed.

“The Health Insurance Tax will force small businesses both in my district and across the state of Illinois to go out of business. This is unacceptable at a time when we need to prop up small businesses and do everything we can to get our economy back on track,” said Dold, who is a co-sponsor of the bill to repeal the tax.

The HIT is a tax in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) that drives up health insurance costs for millions of small businesses. It is estimated that the tax will amount to $159 billion in new costs over the next decade, which will be almost entirely passed on to small businesses and the self-employed who purchase coverage in the fully insured marketplace. The tax raises the cost of health insurance premiums for families by approximately $500 a year, according to an analysis by former CBO Director Douglas Holtz-Eakin.

“Politicians in Washington need to understand that every time there is a new tax and a new expense, it turns into a burden that is unsustainable for the business and for our employees. Small businesses cannot handle this influx of new expenses and we need Washington to fight for Main Street, not only in Illinois, but across the nation,” said Rick Lesser, partner at Lesser, Lutrey, McGlynn & Howe LLP in Lake Forest. “As a small business owner who has created over a dozen jobs in Lake County, I am thankful that Congressman Dold is fighting for small business owners in his district and across the state.”

Illinois is home to more than 1.1 million small businesses, which employ more than 2.3 million workers. According to research by the National Federation of Independent Business Research Foundation, the HIT will jeopardize between 152,000 to 286,000 private-sector jobs across the U.S. by 2023, and reduce real GDP by as much as $20 billion to $33 billion over the same period.

Congressman Dold is a cosponsor of H.R. 928, a bipartisan bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that would repeal the HIT and permanently relieve small businesses of this burdensome tax.

Kirk hit by Left for not supporting Equal Pay Act

WASHINGTON - While U.S. Senator Mark Kirk from veers to the left on social issues - consistently irking the Illinois Republican Party's conservative base - his view on fiscal issues aggravates Democrats and the party's liberal base.  

The progressive group American Bridge grouped Kirk together with other Republican Senators that opposed a prize issue for the Lefties - Equal Pay.

First they attacked presidential candidates that oppose mandating women's equal pay - Jeb Bush, Donald Trump, Scott Walker, and Marco Rubio, which, the groups says, "have all proven more than a few times that they're on board for the GOP's war on women. But it's not just the presidential candidates who are bad for women." 

"Kelly Ayotte, Richard Burr, Roy Blunt, John Boozman, Mark Kirk, Ron Johnson, John McCain, Rand Paul, Rob Portman, and Pat Toomey all voted against equal pay legislation."  

Dold to announce support for eating disorder federally-subsidized program

Renfrew Center of Chicago in Northbrook

LINCOLNSHIRE - Chicago area women and girls dealing with eating disorders could get new support from the federal government with legislation being introduced in Congress, and supported by  U.S. Congressman Robert Dold (IL-10).  

Named the Anna Westin Act in remembrance of a 21-year-old woman who lost her life to eating disorders, the proposal will help those affected with or susceptible to eating disorders by focusing on training, treatment, and truth in advertising.

Rep. Dold plans tol make his announcement Friday during a tour of The Renfrew Center in Northbrook.

Whole House committee review; Bankruptcy proposal heard; State picks up air quality regulation authority

By Greg Bishop / INN Radio - 

House Committee of the Whole focuses on Motor Fuel Tax and CCAP
There’s still no budget solution for the state of Illinois. The Illinois House held a Committee of the Whole hearing Tuesday about a couple of different programs that are tied up because of a lack of a state budget. One panel focused on Motor Fuel Tax funds where the Chicago Department of Transportation Deputy Commissioner, Mayor of Macomb and County Engineers from Johnson and Union counties testified to the importance of the funds for road salt purchases and pothole repairs. The second panel featured organizations and other recipients reliant on funding through the Child Care Assistance Program. It’s now Day 57 of the current fiscal year with no budget in place.

House hearing on local government bankruptcy
A looming economic slowdown could lead to increased financial pressure for state and local government and politicians may not have the will to drastically cut services or raise taxes — that’s why local governments should be able to reorganize their debt. That’s according to a supporter of allowing local governments to declare Chapter 9 bankruptcy. During a hearing on Governor Bruce Rauner’s pension proposal, Brad Erens said if there’s another recession the state could take a sizable hit in revenue from a slowed economy.

“Frankly, if this does happen — obviously I hope it doesn’t happen — but look, none of us control the future, it will be politically unpalatable to raises taxes in that kind of environment. Presumably we’ll see an increase in unemployment in the state and that is not the time to increase taxes on the citizens,” said Erens.

Whitehead: They Live, We Sleep

Illinois' first Medical Cannabis dispensary opens in Marion

MARION – The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (DFPR) announced Tuesday the registration of its first medical cannabis dispensary.

Harbory, located at 8195 Express Drive in Marion, IL, successfully completed the DFPR business dispensary registration process and inspection and is now licensed to operate as a medical cannabis dispensary.

A dispensary set up by a mother and son team, Harbory's goal is to supply the highest quality medical cannabis available and to improve the quality of therapeutic and palliative care for patients in southern Illinois," its website says.

Dr. Michele Koo and her son Cameron Lehman are the dispensary's owners and operators.

"At Harbory, we ensure that every individual who comes through our doors feel truly cared for, valued and respected," they write on the website. "We honor the trust provided by our fellow citizens by rigorously observing and enforcing the laws of the great state of Illinois, while seeking to preserve the safety and tranquility of our neighborhood."

Hultgren encourages Illinois House to call for Planned Parenthood investigation

Protest organizers said 1600 were outside the Planned Parenthood in Aurora Saturday morning

WASHINGTON - Congressman Randy Hultgren (IL-14) is in full support of a resolution introduced in the Illinois legislature that calls for the state to investigate Planned Parenthood clinics and their abortion procedures and any involvement in trafficking aborted baby body parts.

The resolution, sponsored by State Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton), has nearly 50 co-sponsors - from both sides of the aisle - and still, Rep. Ives has not been able to move the resolution from the Democrat-controlled House Rules Committee.

No hearings or floor discussions have been developed in the Illinois legislature, despite other states moving to cut taxpayer dollars from supporting Planned Parenthood. Illinois' Governor Rauner has remained silent about the matter, as well.

“Planned Parenthood’s activities deserve an immediate and thorough investigation by both state and federal law enforcement, and I urge Illinois to act quickly on this resolution,” said Rep. Hultgren. “With the organization receiving more than $500 million in taxpayer dollars every year, they must be held accountable and provide detailed information about their fetal organ donation program and procedures, and their modification of abortion techniques to maximize their donations."

Reeder: Illinois' financial woes lead to state's ongoing brain drain

By Scott Reeder -

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois is experiencing brain drain.

Just as adults are migrating to states with better business climates, so too are new high school graduates.

In 2013, 40 percent of new Illinois high school graduates who chose to attend public four-year universities went out of state. And many may never return to live in the Land of Lincoln.

Each time this happens we should ask ourselves: How did we let down the next generation?

Look no further than Eastern Illinois State University.

Enrollment at that school has dropped from 11,630 students in 2010 to 8,913 in 2014. That’s a 23 percent drop in just four years.

And the story doesn’t end there.

New video reveals Stem Express obtaining body parts from 100 abortion clinics

A newly-released undercover video from Center for Medical Progress shows a Stem Express official saying she is working with nearly 100 clinics nationwide to obtain body parts from aborted babies, and problems with contamination of tissue specimens coming from unsanitary clinics.

She says that the easiest way to transport fragile brain tissue is leave it within the babies' heads, but says when the tissue is shipped that way, to warn the lab because workers "freak out" when they see what is inside the containers.

This latest video was released after a California judge lifted a court order last Friday which restricted the group from releasing any additional footage mentioning Stem Express.

“What would make your lab happy?” asks one of the actors. “Another 50 livers a week,” says Dyer. “We’re working with almost like triple digit number clinics,” Dyer explains, “and we still need more.” She later notes, “Planned Parenthood has volume, because they are a volume institution,” LifeNews.com reports.

The Moral Case For Freedom at AFP's Defending The Dream Summit

Daniel Garza (LIBRE Initiative), Stephen Moore( Heritage), Matthew Hurtt(AFP)

By Ulysses Arn - 

On the second day of Americans For Prosperity's Defending The American Dream summit in Columbus, Ohio the moral case for freedom was made by the Heritage Foundation's Stephen Moore and Daniel Garza of the LIBRE Initiative, along with Matt Hurtt with AFP.

Garza opened by saying that free market capitalism can kick you in the teeth as he told the story of his migrant farmworker father being fired on the spot by a farm owner when he asked for a raise.  Despite that, free markets are still the best economic model man has come up with.

Making the moral case for freedom has already had a major impact on the Hispanic vote, Garza said, highlighting how several key races in 2014 were won by Republican challengers because Hispanics went from voting 80% for Democrats to giving Republicans like Gardner in Colorado and Perdue in Georgia along with others, 40-45% or more of the Hispanic vote. That happened all because groups like LIBRE took the message of limited government, and free market capitalism to them, and explained how things like Obamacare were detrimental to their community.

The "40" Film showing Thursday night in Glen Ellyn

CHICAGO - Abortion and the methods Planned Parenthood uses to distribute aborted baby body parts are topics that are being overheard at the most unexpected places these days.

The timing of John Morales' production featuring women who've had abortions, doctors who've done abortions and nurses that worked at Planned Parenthoods couldn't be better for those wanting to keep the topic on the public's mind.

Thursday night, August 27 in Glen Ellyn, a VIP showing of the "40" film will be held at St. Petronille's Auditorium, at 420 Glenwood Rd, Glen Ellyn, IL. More information is available HERE.

Rhoads: Tony Cermak's Endearing Humility

By Mark Rhoads - 

Quote for today:  "It's true I didn't come over on the Mayflower, but I came as soon as I could."  -- Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak in 1931.

Ed Sullivan not to seek 8th term in Illinois House; public reactions reveal more

MUNDELEIN - State Representative Ed Sullivan (R-Mundelein) announced to his 51st State House constituents Monday that he will not seek re-election in 2016. Sullivan pointed to the need for new voices, and referred to a health situation that has caused him to re-evaluate his future plans.

However, responses from his colleagues and co-workers pointed to other possible reasons for Sullivan's decision, and hinted at whom Sullivan preferred to succeed him in representing the 51st House District.

At the same time, Monday, attorney Dan McConchie formally announced his decision to run in the 2016 GOP primary, as Illinois Review reported last week. 

UPDATE: Since this story was posted, Illinois Review received a press release from Nick Sauer, announcing his candidacy for the 51st House District. In the announcement, Sullivan endorses Sauer.

Sullivan's announcement about his decision posted Monday on his website said:

Zion's Tom Handyside to challenge Bush for 31st Senate seat in 2016

ZION - Zion Illinois resident Tom Handyside said last week he's running in the GOP primary for the 31st State Senate District - a seat now held by Democrat first termer Melinda Bush.

Handyside, who is a distribution manager for a medical supply company, said his far northern district is "being heavily vacated due to jobs north of the border and skyrocketing property taxes.”

Handyside pointed to his experience as a Zion-Benton Township High School Board Secretary and Secretary of the Zion Police Department Pension Fund Board as reasons why he is qualified to be state senator.

“With my experience in business and time on the ZBTHS Board of Education and Zion PD Pension Board, I am uniquely qualified for this office. But it’s my experience and understanding of how the current economic environment impacts all businesses, small and mid-sized and of course families, that makes me the candidate of the people,” Handyside said in his announcement.

Masters of Manufacturing: Wayne Sikorcin and Tim Roth of Craftsman Tool & Mold

Craftsman Tool & Die's Tim Roth (l) and Wayne Sikorcin (r) 

AURORA - Wayne Sikorcin's father started Craftsman Tool & Mold in 1965, the same year he was born.

One of four children, Wayne says that he grew up hearing about the things his father and partner were doing at Craftsman Mold - then located in Franklin Park.

Now Craftsman Tool & Mold is located in a 40,000 square foot facility at 2750 Church Road in Aurora, where 45 people are employed.

Truax PAC dropped $500k on WI Senate Race. AFP Summit abuzz about Kirk replacement.

CHICAGO - Illinois-based Restoration PAC dropped $500,000 in advertising to blast Russ Feingold, a former Democrat U.S. Senator from Wisconsin who is challenging incumbent U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI).

Restoration PAC is a Super PAC run by Doug Truax, who ran to be the GOP nominee to challenge Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin in 2014. He lost to State Sen. Jim Oberweis who was subsequently beat by Durbin 53.55% to 42.69%.

Truax's PAC is one of several Republican groups that have already dropped more than $12 million into GOP senate races — compared with just $2.5 million from Democrats, according to media tracking sources.

Another one of those groups is American For Prosperity (AFP), which held its "Defending The American Dream Summit" in Ohio this past weekend. Sources who attended the conference tell Illinois Review that a replacement for U.S. Senator Mark Kirk was a topic of discussion.

Rumors are spreading that the Illinois Republican Party may have worked out an accommodation with Kirk to replace him before the March 2016 GOP Primary. Replacement candidates include Congressman Adam Kinzinger, former U.S. Rep. Bobby Schilling, and radio talk show host and former congressman Joe Walsh.

Thorner/O'Neil: Government-approved killings provided via Planned Parenthood

Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger

By Nancy Thorner and Bonnie O'Neil -  

The undercover videos depicting conversations of Planned Parenthood discussions of selling and having sold “baby parts” has ignited a firestorm of debate. In the 7th video in 10 short minutes we hear a former Planned Parenthood “procurement specialist” tell the terrible story of “harvesting” an intact brain from a late term baby boy whose heart was still beating after the abortion. Neither the procurement specialist or her supervisor knew for sure if this meant that the baby was still living – but that didn’t stop them from cutting his face open to get at his brain. 

The videos are not only shocking, but they expose the questionable practices of Planned Parenthood in performing abortions using procedures which may violate the "Partial Birth Abortion Act", the "Born Alive Infant Protection Act", and provisions of the federal fetal tissue research and experimentation laws, all of which require informed consent and prohibit altering abortion procedures for the purpose of harvesting infant body parts. The abortion debate is appreciated, as this controversial subject deserves to be more thoroughly explored. It is an important human rights issue seen from exceedingly different points of view, depending upon one’s background, experiences, religion, amount of accurate information, and historical knowledge.

Where's Weyermuller? With David Koch, Defending the American Dream

Nearly 300 Illinoisans traveled to Columbus Ohio with Joe Walsh and David From this weekend

By Mark Weyermuller - 

Americans for Prosperity sponsored the Defend the American Dream Summit in Columbus, Ohio this past weekend. It was attended by 3500 conservative activists from all fifty states.  

Our Illinois delegation had almost 300 attendees, sponsored by local AFP leaders  David From and Andrew Nelms. Former Congressman Joe Walsh filled five bus loads of activists from his Walsh Freedom volunteers group. 

 

The two day event included breakout sessions, training seminars, book signings, networking and speeches from Republican presidential candidates. In the candidate session, Jeb Bush, Bobby Jindal, Rick Perry, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz addressed the enthusiastic crowd. Later in the evening, attendees met at a local bar for the "Buckeye Bash." 

Arn: From "Defending The Dream" Summit: Millennials and Freedom

Bonham (Campus Reform), Given (Students For Liberty), Houck (Free Market America)

By Ulysses Arn -

"Millennials and Freedom" was the topic of a panel discussion at Americans For Prosperity's "Defending The American Dream" Summit in Columbus, Ohio featuring Ryan Houck of Free Market America, Casey Given of Students For Liberty, and Caleb Bonham of Campus Reform.

Caleb Bonham said that Millennials have a bunch of knuckleheads in their midst and some great entrepreneurs, and that this rising generation is fairly libertarian in many respects, they just don't know it yet.

The Most Important Question About Abortion

Is abortion right, or is it wrong? It's the big question that's lost in a societal debate that's mostly focused on legality. But, really, whether it's right or wrong is the most important question about abortion.

Proft: Gambling With Illinois' Future

The Iran Deal Leads to War. There Is a Better Way.

Joe Walsh, Tony Katz at AFP Summit: Why radio talk shows are so important [video]

By Ulysses Arn -

Former congressman, turned AM560 The Answer(Chicago) host Joe Walsh and Tony Katz with 93.1 WIBC (Indianapolis) spoke in a panel discussion Saturday at Americans For Prosperity's 9th annual Defending The American Dream Summit in Columbus, Ohio on the importance and impact of talk radio.

Rhoads: Why I love curmudgeons

By Mark Rhoads - 

Quote of the day: "Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard." - H.L. Mencken

Di Leo: Government's Wasteful Spending, from the Forest to the Trees

By John F. Di Leo - 

Reflections on the release of the HUD watchdog's report on wasteful public housing assistance...

The watchdog for the Department of Housing and Urban Development released a report.

Some 25,000 families, only about 3% of the system, depending on how you look at it, receive federal housing assistance despite having earnings well above the income limits required to qualify for such subsidies.

Major publications on both sides of the argument – such as the Daily Caller on the right and the Washington Post on the left – immediately seized on the issue and rightly blasted it. How dare the government provide welfare state programs to people who don’t qualify for them? It’s outrageous!

From the left’s perspective: this displaces housing dollars that should have gone to needy people on wait-lists. From the right’s perspective: this wastes tax dollars that were therefore wrongly confiscated from taxpayers.

New study reveals that Illinoisans pay a second mortgage in property taxes

Illinois property taxes are now so high that they are equivalent to a second mortgage, according to a new study from the nonpartisan Tax Foundation, a Washington-based tax-research and -education center.

The report, which shows the effective property-tax rates in each state, ranks Illinois as the second-highest property-tax state in the U.S. The top spot goes to New Jersey, where the effective property-tax rate is 2.38 percent, barely higher than Illinois’ 2.32 percent.

The Tax Foundation’s report is in line with an earlier study by WalletHub that showed the dollar amount for property taxes in each state. WalletHub’s study also ranked New Jersey’s $3,971 as the highest average tax burden, while Illinois’ was just a shade lower at $3,939.

More HERE and HERE