The Tazewell County Republican Party in cooperation with the Peoria County Republican Party and the Woodford County Republican Party will host the Central Illinois Republican Governor Candidate Forum at Five Points Washington, 360 N. Wilmor Rd., Washington, IL from 7pm – 9pm, Monday, April 25th, 2022.
The candidates who will be attending this forum are Senator Darren Bailey, Gary Rabine, Paul Schimpf, Jesse Sullivan, and Max Solomon.
Seems like a certain Aurora somebody is missing. Hmm.
* Speaking of the governor’s race…
…Adding… Eliza Glezer at JB for Governor…
Any reasonable person, but especially a candidate for the highest office in the state, should not be raffling off guns while voting against common-sense gun legislation like background checks to protect Illinois families from senseless gun violence. This is just another example of how out of touch and extreme Darren Bailey’s conservative views are, which will not bode well for his chances at winning this election.
* Dan Brady campaign…
Illinois Secretary of State candidate Dan Brady, a Bloomington Republican, has pledged to take specific actions as Secretary of State to stop the rash of gasoline thefts that are currently plaguing Illinois car dealerships.
“With gasoline at $4.50 a gallon and unattended cars sitting in dealership lots, the temptation to make a quick, illegal profit has proven to be too hard to resist for many criminals,” Brady said. “I plan to use the resources of the Secretary of State’s office to help keep fuel in the cars and put thieves behind bars.”
Once elected, Brady will convene a special task force consisting of Secretary of State Police, local law enforcement officials and car dealer trade association representatives to come up with ways to help prevent these brazen parking lot thefts, which often result in expensive damage to the targeted vehicles. Since Secretary of State Police officers are frequently at car dealerships as part of their routine duties, Brady will also direct those officers to work with individual dealers to heighten security and to recommend additional anti-theft measures they may take.
“I realize this problem is occurring now and can’t wait until after the election for a solution,” Brady said. “So I encourage current Secretary of State Jesse White to take these ideas and run with them. Gasoline thieves don’t care about your political party affiliation.”
The Illinois Secretary of State Police Division helps to regulate the automotive industry in Illinois by tracking auto thieves, conducting surveillance on suspected “chop shops,” infiltrating auto theft rings, investigating fraudulent state identification documents and conducting “sting” operations.
The objection adjudication process began Tuesday, bringing forth multiple challenges against Central Illinois political candidates’ petitions. […]
Political newcomer Travis Weaver is also being challenged. Weaver tells WMBD it’s a “tactic being used by his opponent.”
“I’ve had multiple legal professionals tell me this is one of the most frivolous challenges they’ve ever seen. It’s a clear tactic by my opponent to distract from the fact that he has an anti-business, anti-farmer voting record and is incredibly conflicted as he is a State Rep while also being mayor.”
“The challenge alleges that I don’t live at the address I claim because it is listed as a wedding venue. There is a barn on the property that is becoming a wedding venue, but anybody can drive down War Memorial towards Kickapoo and see there is clearly a home. And if they drive by late at night or early in the morning they’ll see my car parked in the driveway.”
“The challenge also alleges I lived in Chicago until recently because that is where Caterpillar listed my office address. This is a shot in the dark. Everybody in Peoria knows that Cat was fully remote during the pandemic. I did hold a temporary residence there at one time, but my priories were always in Central Illinois and I fully transitioned home once remote work began over two years ago.”
Effective April 1, 2022, tours, rallies and events will be permitted inside the Capitol Building. Masks are recommended, but not required to be worn by the public.
* So, now groups like this won’t have to go across the street like they had to yesterday…
Rep. Camille Lilly and other IL State Legislators will join restaurant owner and worker advocates gathering for a press conference at the Lincoln Steps to rally support for the One Fair Wage Act (HB 5139), which would end the subminimum wage in Illinois.
The legislation was introduced in response to a wage shortage crisis across Illinois. One Fair Wage has issued multiple reports demonstrating that raising wages for restaurant workers who work for subminimum wages is critical to helping the industry recover. One Fair Wage has also tracked over 200 restaurant owners in Illinois who have voluntarily raised wages for tipped workers in order to recruit staff during the state’s worst-ever staffing crisis; this bill would create a level playing field for these responsible restaurant owners and help them fully reopen by sending a signal to millions of workers that wage increases will be permanent.
WHERE: Across the street from the IL State Capitol Building at the Illinois State Library in the Atrium
WHEN: Wednesday, March 30, 3:00pm CT
WHO: Restaurant Owners, Restaurant Workers, Representatives from the Illinois Full and Fair Wage Coalition Including Speakers from One Fair Wage, Women Employed & Shriver Center on Poverty Law
* Meanwhile, some members of this group, which tried to hijack a recent Chicago event, gathered on the 3rd floor of the Statehouse yesterday. It didn’t appear to be an organized rally, however…
A rally to draw attention to the deaths of two Black transgender Chicago women turned into a chaotic shouting match when another small group of anti-violence advocates crashed the event at Federal Plaza on Monday evening.
As transgender activist Zahara Bassett was pleading for justice for the two women, several members of Ex-Cons for Community and Social Change, including founder Tyrone Muhammad, interrupted the event with bullhorns.
“Our community is dying every day in these streets,” Muhammad said into the bullhorn.
After a scuffle between members of the two sides, the transgender advocates said they’d reschedule their action.
Sheesh.
* ECCSC has some very sharp-looking automobiles with the group’s logo and its activists have been down here this session looking for more state funding…
Maria Pike found her calling after her son Ricky was shot and killed in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood in August 2012.
She became an advocate for a better support system for grieving families, which is why she and hundreds of other relatives of victims of violence came to the Illinois capital on Wednesday to push legislators to invest in community-based efforts to combat street violence that would serve as alternatives to traditional law-and-order methods.
“I want them to see us,” said Maria Pike in a ballroom at a downtown Springfield hotel, where activists were joined by several state legislators. “Those survivors are in pain. They want answers and solved cases, right? But they also have other needs.”
Those needs include better housing and employment options, as well as mental health support for families coping with the loss of loved ones.
Tuesday’s event was hosted by the group Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice. Family members held up photos of relatives lost to violence and signs that included one saying, “Freedom from violence is a human right.”
…Adding… This Richard Irvin press release was sent out before the new TV ad was available, but the Irvin campaign did appear to know last night the general topic of the new spot…
JB Pritzker is running scared.
After releasing child killers from prison and signing the worst crime bill in America that puts criminals into our communities, he’s now hiding behind the Democratic Governors Association to meddle in the Illinois Republican Party Primary for Governor — airing a smear campaign against Richard Irvin and his strong record as a combat veteran, former prosecutor, and successful crime-fighting mayor of Illinois’ second largest city.
“For months, I’ve told voters that Pritzker was desperate and would do anything to win,” Irvin said. “Now, Pritzker is trying to hijack the Republican primary because he can’t run from the facts: crime is out of control, tax hikes continue, and corruption lives on in state government under Pritzker’s reign.”
Pritzker and his allies know he’s weak after he proudly and publicly turned his back on law enforcement and crime victims during his tenure as governor. He signed one of the most dangerous anti-police laws in our state’s history - a law that prioritizes criminals over communities throughout Illinois. His own Prisoner Review Board allowed the early release of cop killers, child murderers, and other dangerous criminals.
Richard Irvin’s record as a decorated combat veteran, a tough on crime prosecutor and a proven mayor has forced Democrats to intervene in the primary because Irvin is their worst nightmare.
* Politico has Irvin’s career timeline mixed up (he became a defense attorney in private practice after, not before, he was a prosecutor), but here’s some of the piece…
The goal is to rev up Republicans to vote for Darren Bailey, or maybe any of the other GOP candidates, over Irvin.
There’s nothing Republicans hate more than a candidate who’s not tough enough on crime, or conservative enough on social issues — at least that’s what the DGA and Gov. JB Pritzker’s campaign are hoping. […]
In the meantime, isn’t it interesting that Pritzker donated $250,000 to the DGA in December? His campaign told Playbook not to read too much into that. The governor donates to Democratic caucus and candidates regularly, after all. “How the DGA uses their money is up to them,” said a spokesperson.
This isn’t the first time the DGA has meddled in an Illinois Republican primary. Four years ago, it launched ads calling former state Rep. Jeanne Ives “too conservative” for the state, which was a boost to her campaign during the primary contest against Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.
The tactic didn’t work. Rauner edged out Ives in the primary.
Richard Irvin’s real record on crime? For 15 years, Irvin has been a defense lawyer, profiting by defending some of the most violent and heinous criminals. Domestic abusers and sexual assaults. Kidnapper who molested a child. Reckless homicide. Even accused child pornographers. Irvin has been getting rich by putting violent criminals back on our streets. Tell Richard Irvin to stop pretending to be tough on crime and start supporting policies to keep people safe.
* It’s more than this, I think, but here you go…
Democratic Governors Association (DGA) just placed their first broadcast buy for 2022. So far we've seen $360k placed for #ILGov. Ads are set to begin airing tomorrow.
Richard Irvin’s real record shows he is anything but ‘tough on crime’. For 15 years, Irvin made money by getting violent criminals off the hook and back on the street. Illinoisans deserve to know who the real Richard Irvin is. Irvin needs to stop pretending to be tough on crime and actually support the policies that will keep people safe.
