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* I told subscribers about this guy a couple of weeks ago. Mike Miletich spotted him yesterday…
David Paul Blumenshine tried to recruit poll watchers as people waited in line for their lunch. Blumenshine led a bus of people to Washington DC for the Trump rally on January 6, 2021. He is also the election integrity coordinator for Bailey’s campaign. The conservative talk show host on Cities 92.9 in Bloomington has lost several campaigns against Brady.
Pic…
David Paul Blumenshine is actively trying to recruit poll watchers as people wait in line for lunch. He participated in the Trump rally on January 6 and is in charge of “election integrity” for the @DarrenBaileyIL campaign. #twill pic.twitter.com/YU2yQRE3zW
— Mike Miletich (@MikeMiletichTV) August 18, 2022
From my subscriber story…
Sen. Darren Bailey’s gubernatorial campaign spokesperson confirmed over the weekend that David Paul Blumenshine is the campaign’s State Election Integrity Coordinator.
The spokesperson did not offer a comment, however, when asked if the campaign was aware that Blumenshine organized a “Stop the Steal” bus trip to Washington, DC for the now-infamous January 6, 2021 demonstration designed to delay or halt the counting of electoral votes for president. […]
“Darren Bailey’s agenda is dangerous for Illinois,” said Gov. JB Pritzker’s campaign press secretary Eliza Glezer when asked for comment. “It’s disturbing but not at all surprising to see him aligned with those who rioted on January 6th. He has perpetuated the Big Lie, cozied up to insurrectionists, and proudly embraced Trump’s endorsement. He does not stand for free and fair elections, and before he has a chance to make baseless claims regarding a ‘stolen’ election, Darren Bailey must vow to accept the results of the election in November, regardless of which candidate wins.”
According to a WMBD TV story on January 7th of last year, Blumenshine’s bus trip transported 49 people to the “Stop the Steal” rally. Blumenshine told the station’s reporter that the march after the rally was “reminiscent of Dr. Martin Luther King.” And despite the rally’s name, Blumenshine claimed that the whole thing was merely “a day to celebrate what our president has done.” He claimed the group didn’t participate in the breach of the US Capitol. On December 29, about a week ahead of the rally, a post on Blumenshine’s Facebook campaign page called it “The ultimate ‘Trump 2021 Rally.’”
* Back to Miletich’s piece…
Volunteers with Bailey’s campaign told police to kick one person out of the rally before the event started. Bailey supporter Lawrence Ligas clearly wasn’t welcome to participate in the rally after he was charged for participating in the January 6 insurrection. Ligas is no longer part of the Bailey campaign team and tried to tell police he was actually a member of the media covering the event on the fairgrounds before he was escorted out.
The Pritzker campaign said Bailey and his party are on a MAGA crusade to plunge Illinois into the past.
“As Governor Pritzker and Illinois Democrats continue to protect and build on critical rights and freedoms, Darren Bailey and Illinois Republicans are an active threat to equality and democracy,” said Pritzker’s campaign press secretary Eliza Glezer. “Any person who repeatedly disparages the economic engine of the state, while spewing racist, sexist, homophobic, and hateful views, doesn’t deserve to hold a position of leadership here or anywhere.”
Click here and here for more background on Ligas.
* Meanwhile…
Illinois now requires every elementary and high school teach a unit on Black History, ranging from African civilizations to U.S. slavery to the Civil Rights movement.
This week, Illinois Family Action (IFA), a conservative, Christian group, based in suburban Chicago, held a meeting with about 35 attendees, discussing those changes and attacking the city’s public school system.
The keynote speaker was the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor Stephanie Trussell, who’s also an Illinois Family Action board member. Trussell’s running mate, gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey, was endorsed by IFA in April. […]
“There’s a group of us inside of Illinois Family Institute, who our entire focus is on Public School Exit. And trying to get children to leave Illinois public schools for safer, better options,” [Tom Burrows, a field director for Illinois Family Institute] argued.
Trussell is an Illinois Family Action board member? Oh, man. The oppo on that group. Whew.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Aug 19, 22 @ 9:21 am
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If you are cool with insurrectionists, Bailey is your candidate.
If you are for Democracy and saving the Republic from those willing to destroy our country, Bailey is not your candidate.
Bailey is trying to fundamentally undermine the United States by embracing those who aided the insurrectionists on January 6th.
Now, the fact that 56% plus of voting Illinois Republicans support Bailey, that’s a discussion well outside this information or this post, but germane to the overall ILGOP
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Aug 19, 22 @ 9:30 am
We’re IFA the ones calling Democrats nazis in their mailers a few years ago?
Now they’re proudly lining up beside anti-semites. Neat
Comment by Commissar Gritty Friday, Aug 19, 22 @ 9:31 am
Cities 92.9 sure has an interesting cast of characters.
Another one of their personalities confronted a Normal Town Council member abd asked to “take things outside” after a heated council meeting this week and had to be asked to leave by the mayor, per WGLT.
https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2022-08-17/underpass-talk-leads-to-altercation-between-cities-staffer-and-normal-council-member
Comment by hisgirlfriday Friday, Aug 19, 22 @ 9:31 am
I’d be fascinated to hear Blumenshine and Bailey explain why “poll watching” is the best use of Election Day volunteers. It’s basically the only volunteer role that legally can’t do anything to win votes. They’ll just be sitting inside annoying election judges and looking for fraud that won’t happen.
Another piece of evidence that Bailey is totally disinterested in convincing voters to vote for him. It’s a weird strategy for winning an election, we’ll see how it works out.
Comment by vern Friday, Aug 19, 22 @ 9:32 am
A fifty-person campaign rally in Springfield, a 35-person public school abolition meeting, boy, the Bailey campaign really is committed to resurrecting the “There are dozens of us. Dozens” meme from Arrested Development at every turn.
Also, I guess this is more proof of Stephanie Trussell’s love for everyone.
Comment by Roadrager Friday, Aug 19, 22 @ 9:33 am
So Bailey has a “stop the steal” guy working on his campaign actively recruiting poll watchers at the Illinois state fair on Republican Day. No wonder Durkin didn’t talk to Bailey yesterday. You can’t make this stuff up. Please tell me JB’s team has an ad for this. Wow.
Comment by Baloneymous Friday, Aug 19, 22 @ 9:42 am
Election integrity is a non-sequitur with the IL MAGA GOP.
Comment by Norseman Friday, Aug 19, 22 @ 9:56 am
=“There’s a group of us inside of Illinois Family Institute, who our entire focus is on Public School Exit. And trying to get children to leave Illinois public schools for safer, better options,”=
And there you have it. They are opposed to the most American of institutions, the one place where all kids are welcome. Public schools were an institution in the colonies and supported by none other than Thomas Jefferson.
Trussel is not fit for leadership.
Comment by JS Mill Friday, Aug 19, 22 @ 10:12 am
== I’d be fascinated to hear Blumenshine and Bailey explain why “poll watching” is the best use of Election Day volunteers.==
They can gun up the works with BS challenges, but really the big appeal of poll watchers is that they just sit around all day. Perfect for Bailey’s armchair warriors.
Comment by Arsenal Friday, Aug 19, 22 @ 10:18 am
The ILGOP made perfectly clear that Trumpism is more than welcome in Illinois when it strongly opposed impeaching the ex-prez for the insurrection. In Illinois and elsewhere, Republicans either are or welcome authoritarianism (see also voters’ preferences). If it’s not Trumpism, it’s DeSantis banning books, whitewashing racism and silencing LGBTQ in schools. Sorry, but that’s how things are going.
Comment by Grandson of Man Friday, Aug 19, 22 @ 10:23 am
=They are opposed to the most American of institutions, the one place where all kids are welcome.=
It’s a concerted effort to demonize secular education where history takes precedence over the teachings of god (the safer, better option). Of course they won’t come right out and say that they want to defund public education and many of their supporters may not even understand that as the goal. But the intent is real.
Comment by Pundent Friday, Aug 19, 22 @ 10:29 am
I would spend my time making sure I get everyone out to vote and driving them to the polls. Watching yourself get defeated doesn’t do much good.
Comment by Publius Friday, Aug 19, 22 @ 10:35 am
“Illinois now requires every elementary and high school teach a unit on Black History, ranging from African civilizations to U.S. slavery to the Civil Rights movement.”
There’s something absolutely incomprehensible that a Black woman, Trussell, would be opposed to schools teaching Black history, but the GOP apparently equates it with CRT.
Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Friday, Aug 19, 22 @ 10:54 am
==There’s something absolutely incomprehensible that a Black woman, Trussell, would be opposed to schools teaching Black history, but the GOP apparently equates it with CRT.==
Candace Owens Syndrome. Who needs to care about Black or White, when there’s so much Green to be had out there.
==Of course they won’t come right out and say that they want to defund public education and many of their supporters may not even understand that as the goal. But the intent is real.==
Oh gosh, there’s a teacher shortage because of pandemic exhaustion, book banning, and LGBTQ-shaming? Well, no worries, we’ve got plenty of “educators” ready to serve your children with the proper belief system. And for the Full Armor Christian Academies of the world, there’s a voucher windfall coming your way. Great news for everyone.
Comment by Roadrager Friday, Aug 19, 22 @ 11:23 am
“Illinois Family Institute” sounds so nice . . . until you realize they are a hate group.
Comment by Demoralized Friday, Aug 19, 22 @ 11:38 am
==why “poll watching” is the best use of Election Day volunteers. .looking for fraud that won’t happen.==No it won’t happen, poll watchers or not, but there is part of the Bailey base that thinks it would if they aren’t there to keep an eye on things. The Dems might spike the GOP election judges’ Mountain Dew with some kinda sleeping potion, then be up to all sorts of shenanigans. When Bailey cleans up in downstate precincts they’ll say it proves their presence prevented massive fraud. In the precincts where Pritzker is certain to come out on top there will be no volunteers to do the poll watching. All plays in to the we got cheated mantra.
Comment by MoralMinority Friday, Aug 19, 22 @ 11:43 am
Wonder if teachers at Full Armor and some of the other “Christian” schools will take advantage of the increased tax break for educators by claiming the guns kept in the classroom as school supply expense.
Comment by MoralMinority Friday, Aug 19, 22 @ 11:59 am
Does Steph, “Daren’s Friend”, know that Illinois was one of the first states to ratify the 13th Amendment?
Comment by Jerry Friday, Aug 19, 22 @ 1:06 pm
==I’d be fascinated to hear Blumenshine and Bailey explain why “poll watching” is the best use of Election Day volunteers.==
Not that I think Bailey has one, but poll watchers can absolutely be part of a well-run GOTV effort. Poll watcher sits with voter list, checks names off the list as they come in to vote, and hands off the list to a runner every once in a while who calls people not yet checked off to see if they need a ride or whatever.
Comment by yinn Friday, Aug 19, 22 @ 3:35 pm
=== poll watchers can absolutely be part of a well-run GOTV effort. ===
Traditionally, that is the role and the one I performed as a GOP poll watcher. The MAGA GOP is now planning on turning them into amateur “election fraud” police. We can expect many reports of intimidation by these keystone cop poll watchers.
Comment by Norseman Friday, Aug 19, 22 @ 4:25 pm
Sadly, Blumenshine is from McLean County where there are still those who believe the 2020 election was stolen. They believe anything that supports their conspiracy theory.
https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2022-06-23/faction-of-mclean-county-gop-continues-to-embrace-discredited-election-fraud-claims
Comment by Nearly Normal Friday, Aug 19, 22 @ 4:43 pm
Ah, Blumenshine, the guy that wants to invite random folks off Facebook onto his program to badger them when people point out how many elections he’s lost. The sooner he slips into irrelevance, the better.
Comment by Fixer Friday, Aug 19, 22 @ 4:46 pm