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McSweeney slams Rauner for meeting with party chair who’s also “a known extremist”

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A state lawmaker is lambasting Gov. Bruce Rauner after Illinois’ top leader met in private during the weekend with members of the McHenry County Republican Party.

Rauner spent part of his Saturday at an invitation-only roundtable at the McHenry County GOP’s Crystal Lake headquarters – an event featuring a who’s who of party insiders, including McHenry County Sheriff Bill Prim, McHenry County State’s Attorney Patrick Kenneally and County Board member Jim Kearns.

But state Rep. David McSweeney, R-Barrington Hills, took issue with someone else in attendance at the meetup: the local Republican Party’s new chairwoman, Diane Evertsen, who at one time served as president of the Minutemen Midwest – an organization the Southern Poverty Law Center designated a “nativist extremist” group.

“The governor should apologize for meeting with a known extremist,” said McSweeney, who heard about the meeting after it happened.

McSweeney pointed to Evertsen’s association with Minutemen Midwest, which the SPLC named several times on its annual list of nativist extremist groups between 2007 and 2010.

* A blog popped up in 2010 that saved deleted posts by Evertsen like this one…

An invasion is taking place. Whether by means of legal or illegal immigration, the third-world hordes are invading the first world, and they are taking no prisoners. If this is not stopped now, America within one generation will be a third-world sewer.

Invaders from the Orient, Asia, Africa, Central and South America are invading the first world, and they are intent only upon conquest. (cut) Americans have been duped by the left-wing notion of a “proposition nation” and by myths about third-world assimilation, neither of which will occur. Historically, nations have been built upon blood and soil, kith and kin, ancestral rites, and genealogical ties. A real nation is but an extension of a tribe, and this realization should be shared by all traditionalists, conservatives, paleolibertarians, patriotic liberals, union democrats, and moderates. The “creedal nation” (one only has to believe in propositions to be a good citizen) is a lie; it is but a Trojan horse to implement the third-world invasion of America.

That’s quite a county party chair they have up there.

…Adding… DGA…

Yesterday, the Northwest Herald reported that Governor Bruce Rauner recently met with McHenry Country GOP leaders, including Diane Evertsen, former President of the “nativist extremist” group Minutemen Midwest. The Southern Poverty Law Center labeled them a “nativist extremist” group from 2007 to 2010 for writings that warned of a “conspiracy afoot to merge the U.S. and Mexico” by a “shadow government” and claimed “most Mexicans…are not Western; genealogically, they are Asiatic, and they despise the West.”

Rauner’s clandestine meeting is not out of line with his overall record - Rauner’s done little to push back on President Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric and refused to protect the 42,000 DACA recipients in Illinois facing deportation. But Rauner’s cozying up to the far-right risks alienating other Republicans like state Representative David McSweeney who called on the governor to apologize for agreeing to the meeting.

“Bruce Rauner is showing his stripes by cozying up to anti-immigrant extremists and silently supporting Donald Trump’s agenda,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “After failing to protect Illinoisans from President Trump, Rauner’s giving the far-right a voice in Springfield.”

…Adding… Democratic Rep. Sam Yingling…

Instead of negotiating in good faith to pass a state budget or working to reduce local property taxes, Bruce Rauner spent last weekend meeting with the former leader of Minutemen Midwest, a group the Southern Poverty Law Center labeled a “nativist extremist” group. There’s no place in for the fear-mongering tactics and conspiracy theories these extremist groups espouse in our state, and I applaud Representative Dave McSweeney, a Republican from McHenry County, for demanding an apology from Bruce Rauner, the head of the Illinois GOP. I join my colleague across the aisle in demanding an apology from this failed governor and hope other local elected officials and candidates will as well.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, May 9, 18 @ 10:57 am

Comments

==took issue with someone else in attendance at the meetup==

Really?
That’s it?

Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, May 9, 18 @ 11:08 am
–Whether by means of legal or illegal immigration, the third-world hordes are invading the first world, and they are taking no prisoners. If this is not stopped now, America within one generation will be a third-world sewer.–

When that was written in the 1850s, it referred to the German and Irish Catholics.

When that was written in California in the 1870s, it referred to the Chinese.

When that was written in the 1920s, it referred to Catholics, Eastern Orthodox and Jews from Eastern Europe and Mediterranean countries.

I’m sure Everetsen considers herself a good Christian. Right kind of Christian, mind you.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, May 9, 18 @ 11:16 am
Unless McSweeney wants to condemn the whole roundtable, abd evryone rose who attended, then…

You’d think McSweeney would condemn the whole production, then Rauner’s participation. That’s a thoughtful statement. This is lazy to the moment of disgust, and while well founded, lazy to just go after Rauner.

Is McSweeney absolving everyone else?

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 9, 18 @ 11:16 am
How much you wanna bet Diane Evertsen thinks the TRUST Act is a ’sanctuary state” bill. Seems McSweeney would agree with her on that.

Comment by ste_with a v_en Wednesday, May 9, 18 @ 11:17 am
There are lots of things about this country that are “third world”. Like the corruption

Comment by SameolG Wednesday, May 9, 18 @ 11:18 am
McSweeney’s story doesn’t quite add up, isn’t part of his district in McHenry County, so his GOP County Chair and he wasn’t invited? Plus, she was elected less than a month ago so the good guy thing to do is maybe give the Governor a heads up about this woman’s background, but looks like McSweeney went down the other path.

Comment by Swift Wednesday, May 9, 18 @ 11:20 am
===…thinks the TRUST Act is a ’sanctuary state” bill.===

Rauner should come out and fully explain what the TRUST Act does.

Probably not a mistake he won’t, even after letting things fester, this misunderstanding.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 9, 18 @ 11:21 am
Word….I know your “good Christian” comment is mostly snark. Let me assure you that the “good Book” has a lot to say about the way we are supposed to treat refugees. There seem to be a lot of people who call themselves “Christians” who are ignoring or who are ignorant of these admonitions. It’s disappointing and I believe God is grieved by such behavior.

Comment by ajjacksson Wednesday, May 9, 18 @ 11:26 am
It was a round-table, and likely very informal. It is not like the Gov had her over for tea to discuss ideas. Secondly she is the GOP chair up there, so it is logical that she be in attendee at a GOP meeting with the GOP Gov. I guess he is guilty by simple association here.

Comment by Texas Red Wednesday, May 9, 18 @ 11:27 am
Kinda rich coming from the guy who endorsed Jeanne Ives.

Comment by SAP Wednesday, May 9, 18 @ 11:29 am
So, what are Ms Evertsens plans to grow the party? Is she the prototype suburban woman who will strengthen the party foundation, and broaden its appeal?/s

Comment by Langhorne Wednesday, May 9, 18 @ 11:57 am
“”paleolibertarian”"

Is that Neanderthal or Cro-Magnon?

Comment by walker Wednesday, May 9, 18 @ 11:59 am
“Blood and Soil” has nasty connations. Besides being a tenet of National Socialism in Nazi Germany (it least they had an ethos!), it was chanted by many of the good people marching in Charlottesville last summer. To paraphrase the late great Molly Irvins, I am sure Ms Everton’s writings sound better in their original German.

Comment by Paddyrollingstone Wednesday, May 9, 18 @ 12:11 pm
== built upon blood and soil ==

That is, literally, a Nazi slogan translated into English. Blut und Boden. Very cool, Illinois Republican party!

Comment by PJ Wednesday, May 9, 18 @ 12:22 pm
If David were there, he could have met with 2 extremists.

Comment by A guy Wednesday, May 9, 18 @ 12:45 pm
I’m confused. I thought Rauner was a left coast limousine liberal, not a far right thug.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, May 9, 18 @ 1:45 pm
The irony is not lost on me.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, May 9, 18 @ 1:47 pm
===I’m confused. I thought Rauner was a left coast limousine liberal, not a far right thug.===

Ives ran against Rauner.

Why Rauner or any of them were there… that’s on them.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 9, 18 @ 2:17 pm
Republicans are not doing a good job of blocking out the radical right. Rauner and the party chair have not done their jobs on this.

The price of liberty is eternal vigilance.

Comment by Last Bull Moose Wednesday, May 9, 18 @ 4:26 pm
Wait, was Jeanne Ives at the round table? I thought she and McSweeney were pals?

Comment by Morty Wednesday, May 9, 18 @ 5:35 pm
Never meet with anyone that disagrees with you. Don’t discuss flaws and mistakes just turn your back and point your finger at them. You won’t get tainted and, best of all, you get to feel superior.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, May 9, 18 @ 7:00 pm
Even worse, Evertsen sits on the board of the local community college.

Comment by Love, Peace and Guitars Wednesday, May 9, 18 @ 7:22 pm
Cal Skinner’s scandal sheet must be en fuego. Next, better send in the Edgar County Watchdogs.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, May 9, 18 @ 8:32 pm