* November 26…
Supporters of President Donald Trump sparred with counter-protesters during a downtown rally Thursday as they pushed the false claim that wide-scale fraud had swung the election for his Democratic rival, Joe Biden.
“Four more years!” a group of roughly 60 defiant Trump backers, mostly maskless, shouted as they congregated in Millennium Park after marching from Trump’s riverfront skyscraper. The crew included Edgar “Remy Del Toro” Gonzalez, president of the Chicago chapter of the far-right Proud Boys, as well as other marchers touting the pro-police “Back the Blue” movement.
* Today in the Sun-Times…
The former leader of the Chicago chapter of the Proud Boys says he plans to run for the Illinois Senate after being present for the violent riot at the U.S. Capitol that’s prompted federal criminal charges against roughly 20 other members of the far-right group.
Edgar “Remy Del Toro” Gonzalez told the Sun-Times that he’s collecting signatures to challenge state Sen. Antonio Munoz, D-Chicago, in next year’s election. Munoz’s 1st District covers portions of the city’s South and West sides.
“I will be the voice and the muscle for many in our state,” said Gonzalez, who plans to run as an independent, in a series of Twitter messages.
Though Gonzalez no longer serves as president of the Proud Boys’ Chicago faction, he is still a member of the all-male neo-fascist group’s overarching Northern Illinois chapter. In recent months, he has been photographed alongside some of the group’s most prominent leaders.
Kinda doubting that he’s circulating petitions this early, since I don’t even think he can legally do it yet. Also, he’s gonna need a ton of those signatures and he’ll be showing up at doors or at supermarkets looking like this…
Lovely.
*** UPDATE *** According to the Illinois State Board of Elections, independent candidates can’t start circulating petitions until March 29, 2022, more than a year from now.
- Fav Human - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 1:32 pm:
The “super casual” vote may be far larger than you realize
)))
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 1:33 pm:
Walking precincts will be good exercise and it looks like he could use some.
- Chris - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 1:33 pm:
Oh, come on. IMO, He should be left at the deep-end of the ocean for his recent (and current) associations, but we can’t assume he wouldn’t clean himself up a bit before knocking on doors.
Maybe even put on a Fred Perry shirt. [/s]
Also: “the muscle”?? No place in politics from anyone, but especially from someone already associated with violence.
- NotRich - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 1:33 pm:
wanna bet his block will not be in the Munoz district after the new map comes out?
- NIU Grad - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 1:34 pm:
“I will be the voice and the muscle”
Good luck with that.
- Sayitaintso - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 1:36 pm:
Edgar got the top spot due to being the best dressed and being the best at doing ‘shadow rabbits’ at their caucus in van down by the river.
- Jocko - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 1:41 pm:
==I will be the voice and the muscle for many in our state==
Like 47th was saying, I’m not seeing a whole lot of muscle…intellectual or otherwise.
- Candy Dogood - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 1:43 pm:
After the Chicago FOP endorsement he’ll probably get some help with the petitions.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 1:46 pm:
At least he’s running as an independent?
Is that the only silver lining here?
There’s too many ways to go sideways on the “muscle” remark so I’ll let it fester on its own.
- Ducky LaMoore - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 1:50 pm:
I saw this post, and for some reason this is what popped into my brain…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsWTww8E2P4
- Ace Laredo - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 1:56 pm:
A lifetime of experience has taught me that the more a guy talks about how tough he is, the less tough he actually is.
- Unconventionalwisdom - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 1:59 pm:
The nutters are increasingly coming out of the woodwork. Goes for all sides.
A trend that continues to increase and is detrimental to our nation.
- The Real Captain - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 2:00 pm:
90 days prior to filing is when he can collect signatures … best of luck … he’ll need it.
- PublicServant - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 2:08 pm:
Illinois legislators and Governor Pritzker. Get done what needs to get done for Illinois, and its working class citizens. This whole fascist circus will burn itself out. Just get the needed work done, and ignore the goofs.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 2:10 pm:
===best of luck===
Hard pass.
- Glengarry - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 2:10 pm:
Disturbing and he’s flashing the white power sign to boot.
- Cheryl44 - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 2:14 pm:
I guess this guy doesn’t realize the Proud Boys will judge him by the color of his skin, not the content of his character.
- Dotnonymous - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 2:19 pm:
White Power looks ready to ’splode…by the ton…Proud Girthy Boys?
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 2:19 pm:
There is zero good from anyone of that organization I won’t even type it’s name.
Bad actors intent on trying to destroy democracy than decide to participate in it, they have no good intentions.
That last picture in particular makes me more ill, if that’s possible.
- Dotnonymous - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 2:34 pm:
These types cannot be taken seriously…that’s part of the current problem…one whose solution evades me…currently.
If I had (any) clue, I would gladly share it here.
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 2:35 pm:
So these are not Antifa and BLM posing as Trump supporters to damage the former president?
The utter hypocrisy of “back the blue” is quite a thing, after the Trump crowd attacked cops and tried to overthrow the government.
- Dotnonymous - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 2:39 pm:
Just what America needs…more muscle…that’ll solve everything…just muscle it…until you feel the last heartbeat?
- Precinct Captain - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 2:40 pm:
How soon until he’s co-hosting with Proft and Jacobson?
- Dotnonymous - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 2:46 pm:
Gang signs and symbols are generally the creation of (generally vicious) incarcerated racists…bored with daytime TV and suffering from delusions of (false) superiority based on actual inferiority…generally speaking.
- SuburbanRepublican - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 2:48 pm:
Lol
- Anon E Moose - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 2:48 pm:
What is he proud of exactly?
- Dance Band on the Titanic - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 3:01 pm:
Well someone needed to pick up where Arthur Jones left off.
- Dotnonymous - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 3:03 pm:
The big boys in black are both proud of their ability to bend steel…with their bare bodyweight.
- low level - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 3:13 pm:
== Kinda doubting that he’s circulating petitions this early, since I don’t even think he can legally do it yet.==
If he says he is, I take him at his word. Considering he was w those who stormed the Capitol, he probably thinks the rules dont apply to him.
- Big Mike - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 3:13 pm:
I wonder when he’ll start saying the election is rigged?
- Yiddishcowboy - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 3:14 pm:
@Cheryl44: I was thinking the same thing. I wonder if the PB (and the other far-right groups that don’t like a certain skin pigmentation) truly accept him.
- H-W - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 3:20 pm:
Two thoughts. First, is he the same person (same name) who was arrested for firearms violations a couple years ago in Rockford?
Second, isn’t there a contradiction between his Latino heritage, and his support/leadership of white nationalism?
- High Socks - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 3:36 pm:
I could see this getting ugly. Proud Boy clowns like to use violence and intimidation and there are plenty of folks in Munoz’ political orbit who aren’t exactly shrinking violets
- It's not me ... - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 3:41 pm:
I’ve noticed a lot of GOP are running as independents. Hope they aren’t trying to fool John Q. Public.
- Huh? - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 4:26 pm:
Kind of funny for a Latino to do the white power thing. Wonder what the aryan thinks of him.
- Boone's is Back - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 4:27 pm:
This guy stormed the Capitol? I have a hard time believing that he could make it up the steps. Good luck bud.
- Joe Bidenopolous - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 4:32 pm:
==Goes for all sides.==
Screw you and your both sides BS
Only one side said they wouldn’t accept the results of the election *before* the election - Republicans
Only one side claimed, without any evidence, that the election was stolen and the count was fraudulent - Republicans
Only one side held rallies to “stop the steal” - Republicans
Only one side constituted a treasonous insurrection against the United States of America - Republicans
And only one side has continued to make these claims, and is making it harder to vote for low-income and people of color - Republicans
So as I said before, screw you and your both sides bull****
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 4:35 pm:
I hate Illinois nazis.
- LBJ - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 4:40 pm:
Not the brightest bulbs in the pack…apparently
- MyTwoCents - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 4:59 pm:
I had the same thought that other commentators had about people of color and far right organizations. So I found this enlightening article:
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/02/trumpism-the-proud-boys-and-the-extremist-allure-for-people-of-color
- Been There - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 5:05 pm:
I feel sorry for Rep Edgar Gonzalez. He will be running at the same time in the next district over or at least close by depending on the map. Probably going to be answering a bunch of questions that have nothing to do with himself.
- ChrisB - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 5:10 pm:
Ugh, can we not make that the WP symbol? It was a fun game back in high school (~20 years ago), and I’d hate for people to think I was in to that stuff when the symbol was harmless back then.
- Regular democrat - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 5:17 pm:
Didnt Munoz just get reelected to ac4 year term?
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 5:42 pm:
- Regular democrat -
It’s a remap, everyone is up.
- Amalia - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 5:53 pm:
Come for the Kevin Smith style, leave cause of the political hate.
- walker - Thursday, Mar 25, 21 @ 6:42 pm:
Looking to punch his victim card.
Scared alone; very dangerous in a group.