* Here’s a new Liberty Principles PAC ad on behalf of Mickey Straub, the GOP primary opponent of House Republican Leader Jim Durkin…

* ILGOP responds…

“Mickey Straub isn’t a ‘proud Republican’ as he says. He’s a phony Republican who makes Mike Madigan proud. After missing three consecutive Republican primaries, Straub is teaming up with Mike Madigan’s union allies in an attempt to hijack the Republican Party and keep Madigan in power. Madigan Mickey doesn’t share our Republican values and can’t be trusted.” - Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot

Mickey Straub says he’s “proud to be Republican,” but it’s all a ruse designed to trick voters and keep Mike Madigan in power.

This morning, Politico Illinois Playbook reported that Straub hasn’t voted in a single Republican primary since 2010 - not even one. There’ve been two consequential presidential primaries and a critical gubernatorial primary, yet “proud Republican” Mickey Straub was AWOL.

Now, an outside group backing Mickey Straub is running an ad featuring testimonials from “neighbors,” but their Republican credentials are just as spotty as Straub’s:

Jorie Peirce - voted in 2016 GOP primary, no other recent primary elections
Peter Smolka - voted in 2016 GOP primary, no other recent primary elections
Gail Demory - voted in 2012 GOP primary, no other recent primary elections (Liberty Principles PAC misspelled her name - Gail De Mory)
Keith Lutz - Chicago resident and voter (can’t vote for Straub); voted in 2010 and 2012 Dem primaries, 2014 and 2016 GOP primaries

That’s why it’s no surprise phony Republican Mickey Straub is teaming up with Mike Madigan’s union allies in an attempt to hijack the Republican Party. It’s all a coordinated effort to keep Madigan in power.

It’s clear - Madigan Mickey doesn’t share our Republican values and can’t be trusted.

* From one of Dan Proft’s newspapers…

A suburban community is taking on the Illinois Republican Party and state House Republican Leader Jim Durkin.

Campaign pieces on behalf of Durkin have been hitting mailboxes in Burr Ridge and other parts of the 82nd state House District, claiming that Burr Ridge has enacted “four unbalanced budgets,” “hiked property taxes 16 percent” and “raised fees to funnel money for a Chicago bailout.”

Burr Ridge has written a letter to the party and Durkin insisting that they “cease and desist from any further distribution of false information pertaining to the village of Burr Ridge and that you immediately provide a written correction and apology for false information.”

The village’s mayor, Mickey Straub, is challenging Durkin of Western Springs in the spring Republican Primary for his state House seat.

The mailers have linked House Speaker Michael Madigan, a Democrat, with Straub. The pieces have even pegged Straub as Mini-Me, the clone of Dr. Evil, Austin Powers’ nemesis, in the “Austin Powers” movies. Madigan is depicted as Dr. Evil in the mailers.

“I got sick over it,” Straub told the Chronicle, regarding the mailings that have been hitting southwest suburban homes for the past two months. “The lies about the village and me could not be further from the truth.”

* I asked the ILGOP for a response and this is from Aaron DeGroot…

Hi Rich,

Unfortunately the Cook County Chronicle did not reach out to the state party for comment. Contrary to what Mickey Straub told the reporter, a written and dated response was sent via email from the ILGOP’s general counsel to the Village of Burr Ridge this past Friday [letter attached], sufficiently rebutting the claims made in the Burr Ridge letter, which was written by taxpayer-funded village officials.

Sadly, but not surprisingly, the Burr Ridge letter is yet another example of Madigan Mickey using public resources for political purposes. Mickey Straub should not be authorizing the use of taxpayer resources to prosecute his own personal political grudges.

This isn’t the first time Mickey Straub has misused taxpayer resources. As you know, Village records show Straub previously used taxpayer funds to attend political events. You reached out to him three times on that topic. Has he ever gotten back to you? My guess is he hasn’t.

It’s clear that “Madigan Mickey” Straub is just another politician playing the ultimate Madigan insiders game.

Thanks,

Aaron

The state party’s legal response is here.

* And spotted on the campaign trail…

Background is here.