This postal indicia is used on attack mailings in a nasty GOP primary
SPRINGFIELD – One topic on the IL GOP State Central Committee's upcoming meeting agenda will be the guidelines of using the state party's postal indicia on primary race materials.
The IL GOP's mailing indicia was allowed to be used on mailers attacking Burr Ridge mayor Mickey Straub, who is challenging Republican House Leader Jim Durkin in the March 20th primary.
After learning of the Illinois Republican Party's postal indicia being used on a sleazy mailer earlier this week, IL GOP Committeeman for the 14th CD Stan Bond requested the distribution guidelines be discussed at the IL GOP State Central Committee to be held in February.
"This has been a topic of previous State Central Committee meetings (rightfully so), and I would be happy to raise the issue again and report my observations of the discussion," Bond wrote on a public Facebook forum. "I encourage everyone to ask their State Central Committeeman for their position on this and other issues. Everyone can look theirs up at www.illinois.gop."
Bond said he would much rather see positive party building messages on IL GOP-related mailings, and he encourages concerned Republicans to contact their State Central Committeemen before the meeting.
"At the very least maybe we can adopt some standard of civility for any message on which the party’s postal indicia appears. I will make that motion at the Feb 24 meeting," Bond said.
Any mailing using the IL GOP's indicia is charged a discounted price and is given handling priority. Even though funds transferred in from Durkin's leadership coffer, the party's postal status benefits Durkin's campaign.
"When candidates take advantage of their ability to use the state party’s postal rates and efficiencies, the mailing piece must identify the party. In reality, the candidate committees are paying for the mailing, but that is not the impression left by the imprint on the mailer," Bond said.
"This has surfaced before as cause for concern, and yet the statutes regulating the wording to be used is pretty specific. No endorsement or party involvement is indicated or intended by the required phrase."
But the IL GOP is blatant about its attacks on Straub with stories featured on the IL GOP's website.
The IL GOP reported raising $5,030,000 in the last quarter of 2017. Those funds came in from only three sources: Associated Beer Distributors, Citizens for Durkin, and Citizens For Rauner:
I believe the beer and soft drink distributors are responsible for killing any legislative attempt to putting a deposit/refund law for cans and bottles into effect in Illinois, as is in effect for several states surrounding Illinois. But they contribute heavily to Illinois political campaigns, so no such bill ever gets passed.
That’s why we see so many trash cans and bottles littering Illinois roads and highways.
Years ago, I sent a letter to then-senator Chris Lauzen asking him to sponsor such a deposit/refund bill.
He never replied.
Late I learned he was a benefactor of their political contributions.
Deposits on soda cans and bottles just increases the costs to businesses and consumers. The state lawmakers need to slow down on the nanny laws and overregulation. They don’t need to micromanage every sctivity. Today they want to ban tackle football for kids.
Might I suggest they work on massive pension reform including IRAs or social security starting with new employees especially teachers. A deposit on a can of Coke is the least of my worries as people flee the state. Why put more merchants out of busibess?
Why can’t the Republican Party defend its House Leader against Madigan Mickey?
I personally support electing the State Central Committeemen through the primary rather than through the County Committees.
Why should I donate to the IL GOP when I support the challenger in a primary race? Is the IL GOP a vehicle of Rauner’s now – something he’s bought and is using and will toss aside when he’s done with it?
Are we not supposed to be working as a team towards building a state government with principles that uphold positive things for all? Why should the elites at the party top tell us all who we should support when we that live in these districts believe a challenge to longtime incumbents is healthy for us all?
Your view is that average voters should stay out and let the professionals run the show. That’s a travesty. Those professionals are as responsible for the government we get as the elected officials are.
Let’s start a new day in Illinois. It’s possible.
Stan has a great idea. I hope that, for seven months before each primary, the state party and HRO will be neutral.
Stan Bond is running against an incumbent long-time Republican campaigner for Kane County Clerk.
I suspect this IR piece is just another publicity stunt.