By Illinois Review
On Monday afternoon, Chicago Republican Committeewoman Lynn Franco sent an email to Chicago Republican Party officials and Ward Committeeman detailing Chicago GOP chairman Stephen Boulton’s history of attacking women and conservatives online using both the official Chicago GOP social media accounts and his personal accounts, and calling for Boulton to be removed as chairman.
Franco writes,
“Chairman Steve Boulton…has exhibited despicable and shameless behavior towards women who disagree with him regarding political or civic issues. Boulton has insulted women and openly called them names; and he has repeatedly admonished me, a respected African American committeeman for no reason other than he thinks he has the power to do so.”
Franco goes on to say that Boulton routinely attacks other women within the organization, even accusing “an honorable committee member of being part of a Kabal. He called another committee-woman a ‘gadfly’.”
Franco concludes her open letter with,
“If he [Boulton] does not voluntarily resign, then I demand that you force him to step down. Steve Boulton has no place in leadership with these primitive and hateful practices. I ask all committee members to reject this misogynistic behavior and stand together with me. This type of behavior has no place in our party.
The evidence is there for all to see. It’s not hidden. Remaining silent, or allowing him to remain chairman is an indication that you condone this behavior and find it acceptable.”
And less than thirty minutes after Franco sent the email, a close friend and ally of Boulton, David Krupa – a 23-year old 13th Ward Committeeman replied all, writing,
“I think that it’s in everyone’s best interest to ignore any future communications from Lynn and not respond to them unless you want to end up on Illinois Review.
It is my opinion that any sensitive information in regards to the party should no longer be shared with anyone who turns around and gives it to bad actors in the infotainment industry.”
Krupa is no stranger to controversy – in a December 17, 2018 article in Politico, it was revealed that Krupa was accused of abuse by his ex-girlfriend Juliet Schmidt, and that an emergency order of protection was granted in June of 2017 and it was extended for nine months.
A filing with the Circuit Court of Cook County Domestic Violence indicated that Krupa sent “incessant text messages and an incident in which he chased Schmidt in his car while she was walking.”
Krupa says he was never charged and that this was a smear campaign leveled by former Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan. But the reality is that neither Krupa or Schmidt could decide on a hearing date before Schmidt left the state to attend college.
A nine month order of protection is a long time. And when seeking that order originally, Schmidt wrote to the court,
“I am afraid that David Krupa will continue to physically abuse me, harass me, interfere with my personal liberty and stalk me. Therefore, I fear for the safety of myself.”
Krupa would go on to win his race for 13th Ward Committeeman in 2018 and was endorsed by Jeanne Ives. And he remains in this position today.
