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* Proft calls the Daily Herald a “paid vendor”…
I'm sorry, what is against the rules about that? Take it up with the Daily Herald. What's "hilarious" is how clueless you are about how the things you carry on about actually work. The Herald is a paid vendor. There is nothing improper. You may now return to howling at the moon.
— Dan Proft (@DanProft) September 21, 2022
But, you know, support local news media and all that.
* Speaking of supporting local news, Fox 32 has essentially helped candidate Bailey lay the groundwork to declare the election was stolen with its goofy clickbait push-poll stunt…
Bailey now fundraising off fake poll hyped by Fox 32. https://t.co/kWRNwwnMK1 pic.twitter.com/BCDZuHjGLp
— Beachwood Reporter (@BeachwoodReport) September 20, 2022
Smart move by Bailey to raise money off of 32’s news judgment.
* Sun-Times…
Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough on Tuesday issued a clarion call for military veterans to step back into service as poll workers this election year, as the region faces a “critical shortage” of the election judges they need to make the ballot-casting process run efficiently.
With seven weeks to go before Election Day, Yarbrough said her office has about 4,350 people lined up to work at suburban polling places on Nov. 8, but she needs at least 7,000 “to adequately cover” all of them.
That “potential crisis” is why the county is urging veterans to “step up one more time for democracy, because that’s what’s on the ballot,” Yarbrough said at her Loop office. […]
More than 130,000 poll workers have dropped out across the country since 2018, according to Vet the Vote, which says about two-thirds of election authorities that year reported trouble finding enough workers.
* Big bucks for Budzinski…
WOMEN VOTE! Invests $732K Supporting Nikki Budzinski in Illinois’ 13th Congressional District
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, EMILY’s List WOMEN VOTE! announced its first expenditure in support of Nikki Budzinski in her race to represent Illinois’ 13th Congressional District. The ads, “Control” and “Keeps,” will air for three weeks in the St. Louis media markets on broadcast and cable starting today. EMILY’s List President Laphonza Butler remarked on the importance of this investment with the following statement:
“Abortion is on the ballot, and pro-choice champion Nikki Budzinski is the only candidate in the race to represent Illinois’ 13th Congressional District committed to protecting our fundamental freedoms. Her extremist, anti-choice opponent, Regan Deering, celebrated the fall of Roe v. Wade. Voters will not stand for her out-of-touch attempts to ‘control’ their bodily autonomy and make their most personal medical decisions for them. EMILY’s List is proud to stand with Budzinski in this critical race as she endeavors to advance opportunity and justice for every member of her district.”
* Budzinksi’s opponent issued a press release on the 2020 Fair Tax failure…
As Gov. Pritzker’s senior advisor, Nikki Budzinski was instrumental in his flagship policy point - changing the Illinois Constitution to allow politicians to increase taxes on Illinois families and businesses with a new tax structure.
If adopted, the amendment would have changed the constitution to allow for a progressive income tax structure with brackets determined by Illinois statehouse politicians. Besides increasing taxes, the amendment language made it easier for politicians to also add new taxes such as service taxes or the retirement tax suggested by Treasurer Frerichs.
Despite spending $56 million of his personal wealth to advertise the tax increase to voters, the amendment was overwhelmingly rejected by Illinoisans. It was especially unpopular in the 13th Congressional District where it was shot down in Madison, St. Clair, Macoupin, Sangamon, Macon, and Piatt counties.
“The votes show that Nikki Budzinski is clearly out of touch with the needs of our district,” said Regan Deering, candidate for Illinois’ 13th Congressional District. “I am strongly opposed to increasing taxes, especially during the disastrous Biden Administration when Illinois families are feeling the effects of record inflation costing the average household $769 a month. In Congress, you can count on me to fight every day to keep more money in Americans’ pocketbooks.”
* Casten has a new video…
Today, U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (D-IL) released his second digital ad of the cycle. The ad highlights Keith Pekau’s extreme anti-choice stance on reproductive rights. The ad will run on Facebook, Google, and Hulu through Election Day as part of a six-figure digital buy.
You can watch the ad, “Susan”, here.
* PPIA…
The Board of Directors of Planned Parenthood Illinois Action (PPIA), the non-partisan political and advocacy arm of Planned Parenthood of Illinois, proudly announces its final endorsements for the November general election. Candidates were selected based on their reproductive health care policies and their commitment to protecting the health and rights of all Illinoisans. The full list of endorsements and more information is available at ppiaction.org.
“All freedoms are on the ballot this November. With a right-wing activist federal court in power, we are supporting these candidates who are champions of reproductive freedom and will protect people’s right to decide what is best for themselves and their families,” said Kelley Foxx, PPIA Board Chair. “As more and more legislatures strip away abortion rights in surrounding states, it is critical to vote for candidates who will uphold Illinois’ position as a haven state for abortion in the Midwest.”
All Democratic statewide officeholders were endorsed, including Sen. Tammy Duckworth, as well as the two Democrats running for the Illinois Supreme Court. The endorsed legislator list was long, so click here.
* ILGOP goes after MKO on crime…
Judge Mary Kay O’Brien’s deep ties to the Madigan Machine are well known. O’Brien was appointed as an Appellate Court Justice during her final year in the Illinois General Assembly after voting with Madigan 93.6% of the time. O’Brien also “Helped Madigan Regain The Speakership,” and received over $200,000 in political contributions from political groups led by Madigan over the course of her career. In addition to her ties to the indicted former party boss, O’Brien’s record on the bench is even more concerning.
As an Appellate Justice, O’Brien has overturned the convictions of some of Illinois’ most heinous and violent criminals and has a history of coddling criminals while turning her back on local law enforcement.
For example, in 2013, Jesus Zambrano was convicted of murder for his role in the Joliet murder where the “victim was shot in the head inside a third-floor apartment at the Larkin Village apartment complex during an apparent lover’s triangle”. Zambrano was arrested while attempting to flee to Mexico, and would later appeal his conviction on the grounds that he received “ineffective assistance of counsel”. In 2016 O’Brien’s court granted his appeal and ordered a retrial for Zambrano. He was later found not-guilty and released. In 2021, Zambrano was once again arrested, this time for shooting a man in the groin during an altercation.
All told, O’Brien has overturned many serious criminal convictions, including murder convictions and numerous robbery, drug, and sexual assault convictions.
“Madigan Machine Judge Mary K. O’Brien has a history of using the courtroom to coddle criminals. As Illinois grapples with the impending elimination of cash bail on January 1st, 2023, the last thing Illinois families need is a soft-on-crime judge on our state’s highest court. O’Brien might say nice things on television, but she has been a card-carrying member of the Madigan Machine who’s spent her judicial career putting criminals before crime victims and the safety of our communities,” said Illinois Republican Party Executive Director Shaun McCabe.
Click here to see a story on why Zambrano’s conviction was overturned. Click here for a news report on how Zambrano was found not guilty by a jury in his retrial.
* Supreme Court justice’s spouse co-chairs “bipartisan coalition of women” to boost said justice’s campaign…
Today, Citizens to Elect Justice Michael J Burke announced a bipartisan coalition of women who publicly support and endorse Justice Burke for election to the Illinois Supreme Court. The coalition is being led by Mary Ann Burke, the proud wife of Justice Burke, and State Senator Sue Rezin of Morris.
The coalition is made up of more than 200 notable women throughout the counties of DuPage, Will, LaSalle, Kankakee, Grundy, Bureau, and Iroquois. You can find a list of coalition members below. This group represents various backgrounds and walks of life across the 3rd Illinois Supreme Court district, from those in small business, education, law, elected office, and other fields.
This bipartisan women’s coalition is endorsing Justice Burke because he is a community leader who has a proven record of prioritizing public safety, upholding the rule of law, and promoting judicial independence.
The full list is here.
* Dan Brady has a new online spot on organ and tissue donation…
Dan Brady today pledged to continue his lifelong passion to increase organ and tissue donation, and as the next Illinois Secretary of State has set a goal to make Illinois the top state in the nation for this lifesaving program.
“I am the only candidate who has worked to reduce the number of people who die every day waiting for a donation,” Brady said. “Since the Secretary of State’s office administers the organ and tissue donor program in Illinois, I will actively put this state on a path to save more lives than any other by enrolling more people as donors in the program.”
Friends of Dan Brady have released a new fifteen second online ad spotlighting Brady’s work with the Organ and Tissue Donation Registry. The video may be seen at https://youtu.be/ufpPv0Q5kA8 or on Brady’s website, VoteDanBrady.com
* Demmer again whacks Frerichs on retirement taxes…
A recent study from Wallethub places Illinois 45th out of 50 for best states to retire, and ranks Illinois dead last in their “taxpayer ranking”.
“The cost of living is high, so when you are living on a fixed income, that is not helpful,” Jill Gonzales of Wallethub explained to Center Square . “It is also not very friendly to taxpayers, specifically not friendly to retired taxpayers.”
Illinois State Representative and candidate for State Treasurer Tom Demmer said the statistics were disappointing but not surprising.
“Two years ago our Illinois State Treasurer Mike Frerichs publicly floated the idea of taxing Illinois retirement income, stripping retirees of one of the few tax benefits left in this state,” said Rep. Demmer. “That doesn’t just send a negative message to people entering their golden years, but it discourages people for all stages in life from planting their roots and growing their families in Illinois at all.”
The study also shows that out of 182 Cities across the U.S. measured for best places to retire, Illinois puts forth only two cities, Aurora at 171st and Chicago at 154th, while other surrounding states had better rankings.
“There are some midwestern cities that did all right on this list, Minneapolis ranked 12th, Madison ranked 22nd, Fargo ranked 25th,” Gonzales said. “So it is not like this is a midwestern problem.”
Demmer said he is running for Treasurer to be a fiscal watchdog for all Illinoisans and combat Treasurer Frerichs’ recurring attempts to raise taxes.
This year, he introduced H.R. 753, which petitions the Illinois General Assembly to reaffirm Illinois residents’ overwhelming rejection of Gov. Pritzker’s failed attempt to change the Illinois constitution to allow politicians to raise taxes indefinitely with a progressive tax, and, according to Frerichs, make it easier to begin taxing retirement income. Additionally, he has launched a new online petition for Illinosans to formally register their opposition to Frerichs’ tax on retirement income.
“We will continue to struggle to attract new families to our state until we elect fiscal leaders who will act as a check and balance in Springfield,” Demmer said. “That’s why I’m running for Treasurer, to be a fiscal watchdog who will fight for the future of our state.”
* Background is here if you need it. Press release from Terrell Barnes, Democratic Party of Dupage County Vice Chair of Outreach and Engagement…
A story was revealed on the Capitol Fax Political Blog 2 days ago that is disturbing. It was revealed that Illinois Republican candidate for State Representative District 48, Jennifer Sanalitro, attended the Capitol Insurrection on January 6, 2021. The main aim of this rally was to stop the certification of the 2020 US Presidential election.
Wyoming Congresswoman Lynne Cheney famously sums that day up best with the following: “President Trump summoned the mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attack.”
On this day, President Trump summoned now candidate Jennifer Sanalitro, assembled the mob around her and she struck a match and walked away, as she now claims she went back to her hotel room. She struck that match when she ignored court case after court case that clearly showed Trump lost the election. She got on that plane to DC anyway showing bad judgement.
Along with her fellow travelers, she propagated the big lie detailed in her picture holding the sign ‘Save America’ begging the question from what? This sentiment contributed to the violence that day.
She was proud of this day, posting it on her cover page for a social media account, until she wasn’t proud and deleted it. She was proud of a clear and present danger to our democracy until she wasn’t. Think about that.
Her explanation raises more questions than it answers. Our community has concerns. We have a candidate running for Illinois State Representative (48), the same legislative body Abraham Lincoln served in, who is a democracy denier.
This is unfortunately a dangerous trend. I call on Jennifer Sanalitro to affirm the results of the 2020 Presidential Election and state clearly Joe Biden got more total votes nationally than Donald Trump. I call on her to say Joe Biden got more electoral votes than Donald Trump and Donald Trump lost the 2020 Presidential Election.
Additionally I call on Evelyn Sanguinetti, Republican candidate for Dupage County Clerk, to do the same. In this important upcoming election our community needs to know a candidate running to administer our elections isn’t a democracy denier.
Our community needs answers and we need those answers in 48 hours. The silence on the issue of our very Democracy would speak volumes. The good news, Dupage County voters get to speak volumes on November 8, 2022.
The county party chair, Ken Mejia-Beal, called on Sanalitro to “step down as a candidate for Illinois State Representative.”
* Republican DuPage County Board chair candidate runs first cable TV ad…
Greg Hart, candidate for DuPage County Board Chairman, today released his first campaign ad in which he proposes “a different kind of politics in DuPage County.”
Hart’s ad rejects the pointless partisan bickering like the kind we see in Washington. Hart suggests this kind of politics has no place in DuPage County, and even goes so far as to say he’s “disgusted” with the partisanship that keeps us from getting down to the real issues.
“Our challenges can be solved by working together,” says Hart.
Hart, a sitting county board member who is known for being a strong and unifying leader, has already received a tremendous amount of support from the community, including from over 200 leaders across the county and state who have endorsed his campaign.
The spot is here.
* I laughed out loud when I opened this email today…
Hey now “first name” emails worked for Rahm campaign back in 2010! https://t.co/D2Uz1h2P03 https://t.co/2HeZgulgnl
— Chicago Bars (@chicagobars) September 21, 2022
* More…
* Politics and Facebook: How local candidates are using social media ads to advance campaigns: The Regan4Congress campaign had five ads last month, sharing details on upcoming events and photos from previous meetings. In total, the campaign is estimated to have spent no more than $800 which secured approximately 153,000 impressions. Alternatively, Budzinski’s campaign has invested heavily in its Facebook presence – estimates between $30,000 and $37,000 on three ads this month. This strategy has netted the Democrat more impressions than voters in the newly formed congressional district.
* Sen. Darren Bailey stops in Quincy during tour across the state: Around 100 people attended the rally at the Holiday Inn.
* Waukegan officials blast Darren Bailey’s campaign for photo posted from non-political event; ‘I do not support … his radical ideas’: Shortly after learning she was pictured with Bailey on social media, she contacted his campaign and asked the picture be removed, writing, “The event was not a political event. The photo is posted on your website. I am requesting you remove it.” Shortly after sending the email, the picture was no longer posted on Bailey’s Facebook page with the words, “Sorry, this content isn’t available right now” and a graphic of a worker holding a wrench above the words.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 1:01 pm
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What a great post. Wow.
For openers? Easy.
“Take it up with the Daily Herald”
Hilarious. Let that sink in. Take it up… with… the Daily Herald.
Proft is basically saying if you think there’s an ethics lapse, ask them, “meanwhile”… Proft and his ilk complain about, you guessed it, the mainstream media.
I’d say Proft continues to be disingenuous, but one need not have any integrity or ethics, as the checks cash the same for Proft… take it up with the Daily Herald.
Pure genius… if you lack integrity.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 1:07 pm
===Hilarious===
And true. I don’t blame Proft at all. This is on the DH.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 1:12 pm
=== And true. I don’t blame Proft at all. This is on the DH.===
Exactly.
This revelation found about a “vendor”, it takes all the heat off what Proft is actually doing with these papers and squarely, pointedly, and simply…
Take it up with the Daily Herald
It was up to them to make their ethics call, not Proft to find any vendor that must align with him.
Genius. It has changed the discussion to all of it too.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 1:17 pm
–Wallethub places Illinois 45th out of 50 for best states to retire […] “It is also not very friendly to taxpayers, specifically not friendly to retired taxpayers.”–
That zero percent income tax is brutal, I’m sure. And the property tax exemptions for retired homeowners must feel like a ton of bricks.
It’s quotes like the one above when I like to remind myself when WalletHub ranked Naperville as “one of the best beach towns in the US”.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 1:37 pm
Driving around Elmhurst and seeing a lot of Mike Burke yard signs. From what I can tell, lots of support for Burke in Democratic DuPage but lots of support for O’Brien in the Republican downstate portion of the district.
Comment by Suburban Operative Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 1:40 pm
“if you think there’s an ethics lapse”
It is called running a private print business. Now you may think the context of his paper is unethical - however that is very subjective. What litmus test would you have them apply to print clients? Rember that they still need to make a profit and avoid any due process claims. I’ll wait.
Comment by Donnie Elgin Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 1:40 pm
And for those who care about methods, here is a link to the goofiness of WalletHub. Theaters per capita counts the same as percent of seniors in poverty. And don’t get me started about how they rate tax friendliness separately from tax friendliness for seniors.
https://wallethub.com/edu/best-and-worst-states-to-retire/18592
Comment by Jibba Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 1:48 pm
Makes a nice nickname, but I’ll probably stick with my real fake name
Comment by FirstNameOrThere Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 1:48 pm
I noticed Profit didn’t address the “fake newspapers with right wing propaganda” comment during his retort.
Comment by Vote Quimby Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 1:53 pm
=== Now you may think the context of his paper is unethical - however that is very subjective.===
Tell me you promote alternate facts without telling me you promote alternative facts, lol
=== What litmus test would you have them apply to print clients?===
It’s not a litmus test when you feel that alternative facts need to stop flooding the electorate… but still take it upon yourself to print… alternative facts.
You are claiming you can’t grasp the irony here.
Proft made it a punch line against a tweet questioning Proft’s *own* ethics… mercy me… lol
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 2:01 pm
Just curious why Paul Lange (D candidate in the IL-15th) wasn’t endorsed by Planned Parenthood of Illinois. He had a long post on his campaign Facebook page on August 8 supporting pro-choice.
And, before OW goes off on me that “he’s going to lose, why bother”, that should not factor into an endorsement.
PPIA doesn’t have to donate to his campaign, but they could, as could others, acknowledge that at least he has stepped up and offered those of us in the new 15th a true choice at the ballot booth this November.
https://www.facebook.com/PaulLangeforCongress/posts/pfbid02deuG2yehUwWvAxFmZcm8nCqXmnKAZcEJ6ZeduCJApcrvGjWmo7vyjokP3eq57gtjl
Comment by Anon221 Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 2:01 pm
This alone… you’re saying the quiet part out loud.
===Rember that they still need to make a profit and avoid any due process claims.===
Printing what is deemed alternative facts by a newspaper group is about the money made, not the ethics curbed.
No need to wait. You’ve said it all.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 2:03 pm
- Anon221 -
First, a shorter link would help my browser.
:)
To your “before” thingy…
That district, in a primary, chose Mary Miller, who attended 1/6 events… and chose her overwhelmingly over Davis
Why not endorse against her?
Losing candidates get endorsements all the time, or don’t.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 2:06 pm
OW- Apologies on the link. Didn’t think it would spread out that far. Will tiny.url next time.
To the endorsement issue… why not do both? What could it hurt? It would be one additional line on their endorsement page. In a General Election, if someone took their endorsement to heart, maybe it would sway some voters… especially with name recognition in the booth. Just sayin’… not up to any big discussions on this today. Only for consideration.
Comment by Anon221 Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 2:15 pm
- Anon221 -
Campaigns are weird, endorsements (or lacking) are weird too.
That’s the pithy.
Be well.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 2:27 pm
“Bailey draws a crowd of 100 in Quincy” does not suggest that momentum is on his side.
Comment by Friendly Bob Adams Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 2:43 pm
“All Democratic statewide officeholders were endorsed, including Sen. Tammy Duckworth, as well as the two Democrats running for the Illinois Supreme Court.”
Too bad we don’t have one-punch,straight-ticket voting anymore. It would make voting so much easier for those who follow PPIA.
Comment by Donnie Elgin Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 2:50 pm
Agree that the shocking part isn’t that Proft is doing this, it’s that the Daily Herald/Paddock Publications is publishing it.
These materials have been criticized as racist and homophobic. And the response back from the Paddock CEO is that it’s just business?
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 3:05 pm
Dan Proft’s Starfish Consulting, a “vendor”, made $75K from Uihlein since April: https://data.centerforilpolitics.org/committee/people-who-play-by-the-rules-pac-37277
That is just part of the grift.
Comment by * Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 3:05 pm
Demmer always had the message, and seemingly always lacked the resources to elevate its visibility.
That’s how things go now.
Sell out to Rauner, realize that a hollowed out party in the era of Trump is a dead end.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 3:11 pm
Burke’s list consists of some of the most notable anti-choice leaders in Illinois politics who want to make abortion illegal in Illinois. Thank you very much for this extremely useful information.
Comment by Cosgrove Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 3:21 pm
“Florida resident Dan Proft.” Ha!
He’s in fine company along with:
Florida resident Bruce Rauner
Florida resident Ron DeSantis
Florida resident Marco Rubio
And let’s not forget
Florida resident Donald Trump.
Comment by jackmac Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 3:32 pm
I don’t love Sean’s ad. It doesn’t pack much of an emotional wallop. Compare JB’s similar ad, which is much more powerful. Sean’s ad feels scripted
Comment by Soccermom Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 4:09 pm
== paid vendor. ==
Yo, Profiteer Proft.
Just show the receipts, dannyboy.
Let’s see the original dated ones.
Comment by sal-says Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 4:10 pm
“Florida resident Dan Proft.”
He could have said Florida Man, but was being polite.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 4:14 pm
So, this Zambrano guy was given a trial and a jury found him not guilty, and so he was released?!? The horror! I am sorry if he committed some other crime later, but you cannot blame MKO when a jury found the guy not guilty.
Comment by Mayflower voyager Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 4:40 pm
=They still need to make a profit and avoid any due process claims. I’ll wait.==
Last time I checked you can’t successfully bring a due process claim against a private company.
Comment by Big Dipper Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 4:52 pm
Demmer can’t seriously be giving advice on state finances while being advised by and employing the Rauner Team. Sorry, but we have learned our lessen since the last time these guys had any access to the levers of government. Frerichs should respond with something similar and start posting what happened to Illinois and will happen again if Demmer wins. The Rauner purge continues…
Comment by Primate Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 5:15 pm