A knowledgable official of the Chicago Board of Elections yesterday described as "bogus" the allegation of 23-year-old "Tommy" Smithburg that Chicago GOP Chairman Eloise Gerson's 42nd Ward had no Republican election judges in 37 precincts in the last General Election.
The official, Patty Battista, should know, she is responsible for posting Republican Judges. In fact, the 42nd Ward has one of the best records in the City on Judges, and has a times exported judges to other wards due to a surplus.
"Consider the source", said Chairman Gerson. "It came from the Chicago Young Republicans. They have been lying about me for years."
In what the operators of this site consider to be no coincidence, just hours after posting an article critical of State Chairman Pat Brady and a Candidate backed by the Chicago Young Republicans, this website suffered the single largest cyber-attack in its history. Over 500 attempts were made to make a back door breach through the firewall and other protections of the site.
Being Republican, this site has been subject to numerous attacks over the years, with some inital ones even being successful, but nothing on this scale. Investigation is underway, and if evidence is found, authorities will be contacted for prosecution.
"It certainly looks like retribution," said one source. "Chairman Brady has a long history in law enforcement, so he is not a focus," it was added. "We have people pursuing it."
Steve Boulton of this blog was tossed off the ballot by the Board despite having around 150 signatures for a requirement of 75, and bringibng in 41 voter affidavits when he only needed to get 19 signatures back. All but two were rejected by the Board. Tongues are wagging!
We asked Boulton, and he would only say that the proceedings were "very peculiar."
The Challenger, Committeeman John Curry, saw his own attorney, John Fogarty, drop out of the case, leaving Curry to go on his own. Hmmmm!
Stay tuned on this one!
Most of you know me personally since I have been involved in pushing the ball forward for the Republican Party for over twenty-five years. You have seen me in the trenches walking precincts, putting up signs, making phone calls, promoting candidates and causes and attending events sponsored by Republican organizations and conservative groups.
The recent letter from my opponent does include some accurate statements, his name is Sean Morrison and he is running for the Board of Review. Beyond that, the letter is filled with inaccuracies, half -truths, unsubstantiated legal charges and a profound ignorance of the role of the Board of Review. No doubt this will continue into the primary election but I thought it important to respond so that Republican leaders and the public in general would not be taken in by the assortment of accusations Mr. Morrison has chosen to throw against the wall in the hope that something will stick. It is ironic that in Mr. Morrison’s letter published in Illinois Review a few weeks ago he whines that I am attacking his character by questioning his Party affiliation based on his life long record of voting in Democrat primaries and contributing to the 19th ward Democratic organization and yet attacking my character seems to be the entire basis upon which his campaign is built.
It is hard to know where to begin since Mr. Morrison’s letter provides so many opportunities to highlight his lack of knowledge of the Board of Review and the property tax system in general. His theme this year, as it was last election seems to be “lower taxes now!” A laudable goal but one that misleads the public. The Board of Review has little influence on the overall tax burden since every assessment reduction granted by the Board to one property owner results in a slightly higher tax bill for all other property owners. The Board should strive for fair assessments for all property owners. We do that by adjudicating appeals in a timely and non-biased manner. Contrary to Mr. Morrison’s contention that he would not be running if I had taken strides to improve the current property tax system, that is exactly what I have done by improving operations at the Board in big ways and small. To detail them now would take up too much space in what is already proving to be a lengthy response, but rest assured that our campaign will have much to discuss about our accomplishments between now and election-day.
The letter states that I have “focused on furthering the current state of malfeasance and inefficiency in Cook County government”. If Mr. Morrison believes I am guilty of malfeasance then it is his responsibility to take that charge and the evidence to back it up to the Cook County State’s Attorney and request an investigation. I am waiting Mr. Morrison.
Based on the most recent letter and two previous releases from the Morrison campaign, he seems to be fixated on my fundraising which has been conducted well within the law and within any commitments I made when I ran for the Board. He says I have “solicited contributions from special interests in amounts that far exceed those sought ever by previous commissioners”. Is he sure that that is true? Does he have any research to back up that claim? He goes on to complain that none of my contributions have gone to benefit the Republican Party. Another unsubstantiated claim. And if he really has a problem with the source of my contributions, then why would he be complaining that none of that money has gone to the Republican Party since he obviously believes it is tainted. The truth is that if Mr. Morrison were not challenging the first Republican to unseat an incumbent Cook County Democrat in the past fifteen years, it would be much easier for my campaign to contribute in larger amounts than I already have to Republican causes. As it stands now we will both be spending in the six figure range for a seat already held by a Republican. A colossal waste of money that cannot be justified by Mr. Morrison’s uninformed, unsubstantiated and unjustified contentions. The Republican Party would be much better served if Mr. Morrison focused his efforts and resources on defeating an incumbent from the Democrat Party or assisting other Republicans to do so.
One last thing, Mr. Morrison says that I have been “ignoring taxpayer interests” and that that will make me vulnerable to losing in the general election. Nothing could be further from the truth. In addition to improvements we have made at the Board to increase access for taxpayers and making it easier to permanently correct mistakes in property records, our office has conducted forty-nine assessment appeal seminars to date, educating thousands of taxpayers about their rights to appeal as well as providing information about exemptions and the property tax system in general. I have personally made presentations at forty-seven of those seminars. Since the November 2010 election I have been the first full time commissioner at the Board working every day with my staff to make sure taxpayers are afforded a fair review of their appeals. All of this on top of a long time record of activism in matters related to government spending and taxation. All of the above and more that I have not mentioned will make voters more, not less likely to vote for me in the general. What has Mr. Morrison done for taxpayers?
I have been through five elections and have been successful each time. As far as who will be the better candidate to defeat the Democrat in November, I leave it to you to compare our education, experience, achievements, knowledge and character in light of what would make a good commissioner and then determine which of us would have a better chance of success and who you believe would do a better job for the tax payers of Cook County.
Thank you for your kind consideration.
Dan Patlak
Commissioner, Cook County Board of Review 1st district
Your faithful Rumbings has been out there (listening to the all rumbings!), and they tell us that Ruth O'Connell, GOP Committeeman for Wheeling Township, has the decisive edge in the race to succeed Lee Roupas for the Cook County GOP Chairmanship. Ms. O'Connell has run an effective township oerganization for years in Wheeling Towhnship, which hold the highest GOP weighted vote of any Township or ward in the County. If she has made her deals with certain North Side powers that be, she is formidable.
One candiate making the rounds, Palatine Committeeman Aaron Del Mar, is being widely dismissed as an exercise in empty ambition, as he has been a Committeeman for barely over a year, with no GOP interaction with naming before that, and zero experience. ("This year Cook County Chairman, next year the White House!" is a line making the rounds amid chuckling.)
The more serious effort is coming from the South Side of the county, as Comissioner Liz Gorman seeks to hold on to the Chairmanship she has effectively controlled since 2007, in her own term and that of Lee Roupas, whom she got elected. Rumblings hears that Committeeman Pat Rea was approached, but does not appear to be interested. The South Siders now are approaching Sig Vaznelis of Lemont Township. Out of sheer size the South and Southwest parts of Cook County hold significant weighted votes. Whether they are enough remains to be seen. Speculation has been made that Del Mar may be a North Side vote splitter working for Gorman.
As readers know, Rumblings and others took a dim view of the action of certain people to oust President Rafael Rivadeneira od the Illinois Chapter of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly in what amounted to part vendetta part power struggle that involved as many Gringos as Hispanics. Once it became clear that the Rivadeneira faction was winning the battle for hearts and minds, the National RNHA, as the whim of its Chairman, unaccountably withdrew its recognition of the Illinois RNHA (unaccountably, that is, without factoring in the usual internal Republican knifefighting.)
Today the Director of Coalitions for the Illinois Republican Party wrote a letter asking that the revocation be rescinded, published below. Rumblings commends Ms. Bryant for this action, a surprising one given where her boss was on the initial attempted "c--p" . . . um, "takeover." (Mr. Boulton won't let me use the "c-word" anymore after frantic, begging phone calls from GOP officials the last time I did. He said it was for party unity and to keep the Chicago GOP out of the controversy, but I personally think he just got sick of the phone calls!)
[Ed. Note: We are informed that Ms. Bryant was speaking for herself in the communication below. The Illinois Republican Party has not asked for renewed recognition of the IL RNHA. - SFB ]
August 8, 2011
Dear Chairman Maldonado:
I am writing to you in regard to your decision to revoke the charter of the Illinois Republican National Hispanic Assembly. I have been silent as the process of evaluation of events which transpired in February of this past year progressed. It was my hope that once the parliamentarian’s evaluation and recommendations were offered that an amicable solution could be reached by all parties involved. It is unfortunate when we experience divisions in organizations that we work so hard to develop and grow.
I speak now because I have concerns in regard to the upcoming election cycle. The Illinois Republican National Hispanic Assembly has historically played a vital role in reaching a previously disenfranchised group of voters. A group once considered a minority voting bloc but, which is fast becoming a majority voting bloc in this state.
As a member of the IL RNHA and a delegate to the February convention, I was present for the entire convention. I was a witness to all that transpired at the convention itself. I was then later asked to attend the secondary convention in my capacity as the Coordinator of Coalitions for the Illinois Republican State Party. I was asked to address both gatherings. All parties involved had one common theme even at the most heated moments of contention and that was the importance of a Republican Hispanic presence in Illinois politics. The role of this organization in Illinois is invaluable.
Now that the dust has settled, the facts have been evaluated and the determination has been made that the convention held in February was indeed legitimate as well as the election of Mr. Rivadeneira and all others duly elected at the convention, it is time to move on.
I appeal to you as a fellow Republican and as a fellow leader who is concerned about the future of our party, our country and the value of all Hispanic voters in Illinois, to reconsider your decision to decertify the Illinois Republican National Hispanic Assembly. We must put aside all of our differences in this upcoming election cycle and be focused on one goal, to win elections!
Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have. I am at your disposal to assist in any way to further the mission of increasing Hispanic voters and influence in our great state and throughout the country.
1. I voted Democrat because I believe oil companies’ profits of 4% on a gallon of gas are obscene, but the government taxing the same gallon of gas at 15% isn’t.
2. I voted Democrat because I believe the government will do a better job of spending the money that I earn than I can.
3. I voted Democrat because Freedom of Speech is fine as long as nobody is offended by it.
4. I voted Democrat because I’m way too irresponsible to own a gun, and I know that my local police are all I need to protect myself from murderers and thieves.
5. I voted Democrat because I believe that people who can’t tell us if it will rain on Friday can tell us that the polar ice caps will melt away in ten years if I don’t start driving a Prius.
6. I voted Democrat because I think illegal aliens have a right to free health care, education, and Social Security benefits.
7. I voted Democrat because I believe that business should not be allowed to make profits for themselves. They need to break even and give the rest away to the government for redistribution to those too lazy to work.
8. I voted Democrat because I believe liberal judges need to rewrite the Constitution every few days to suit some fringe kooks who would never get their agendas past the voters.
9. I voted Democrat because I think that it’s better to pay billions to people who hate us for their oil, but not drill our own because it might upset some endangered beetle or gopher.
10. I voted Democrat because while we live in the greatest, most wonderful country in the world, I was promised HOPE AND CHANGE.
In January 2010, Mark Thompson, the Maine Township Republican Committeeman and candidate for the Cook County Board in the 2010 GOP primary against Elizabeth Gorman, filed a complaint with the Illinois State Board of Elections citing a variety of financial violations by Ms. Gorman and her political committee, the Gorman good Government Group.
One central allegation was that some $390,000 was “loaned” from car dealerships owned by the Gorman’s to finance Liz Gorman’s 2002 primary campaign against Incumbent Herb Schumann, at a time when the dealerships were on the financial brink, and under heavy pressure from creditors such as Chrysler Financial. At the time, all dealership funds were subordinated to the substantial debts due Chrysler. There is no record that the Gormans ever told Chrysler about the political loans (Liz Gorman was an officer of at least one of the dealerships.) What was found by a federal court was that at approximately the same time as the "loans" to the Gorman committee, Gerald Gorman loaned himself $1 million. It is known that the Gormans never told Chrysler about that loan. Ridge Chrysler Jeep LLC v. Daimler Chrysler Financial Services Americas LLC, 516 F.3d 623 (7th Cir. 2008).
A second peculiar transaction was a large repayment of $100,080 by the Committee to the dealership in 2002, a time when the campaign continued to borrow money from the dealerships. What was very peculiar was that the amount of the payment was never offset against the loan amounts due the dealerships to reduce the loan balance shown on financial statements filed with the ISBE. After spending the previously unheard of amount of $390,000+ on a primary, Gorman won that primary (Schumann spent less than $80,000.) After the Primary, Gorman only had a little over $16,000 left for the 2002 General Election (who outspends their rival 5-1 in a primary and leaves nothing left for the General?) But Liz Gorman was conveniently aided by the sudden withdrawal of the Democratic candidate without replacement (another unheard of occurrence – no Democratic candidate for a Cook County Board seat?) Gorman’s newly withdrawn opponent thereafter accepted appointment to the Board of Trustees of Orland Hills by a Gorman ally, Orland Hills Democratic Mayor Kyle Hastings. (But that is a story for another day.)
After the dealerships finally failed in 2003, Gorman Good Government Group filed "amended" financial statements with the ISBE that had some startling entries. First, the creditor on the dealership loans was changed to "Gerald Gorman" personally. Thereafter, repayments began to be made to Gorman, not the dealership creditors, to the tune of $43,000 through 2009. Second, the recipient of the mysterious $100,080 payment in 2002 was changed to "Gerald Gorman," raising suspicion that the 2002 payment never reached the dealership (or its creditors) in the first place. Gerald Gorman was not owed anything by the committee at the time.
In federal court litigation with Chrysler, Gerald and Liz Gorman were heavily sanctioned by the court for failure to preserve dealership financial records. The records were apparently destroyed without preservation for meeting requests for information in the suit by Chrysler.
In March 2010, the Illinois State Board of Elections dismissed Thompson’s complaint without public hearings, asserting that the charges were “not made on justifiable grounds.” Thompson sought judicial review of that decision.
Gerald Gorman filed for bankruptcy in September 2010. In November 2010, days after her reelection for a new term on the Cook County Board, Elizabeth Gorman filed for bankruptcy, though not resigning her seat on the Cook County Board. The Gormans owe Chrysler millions in court judgments, and their Orland Park mansion was placed in foreclosure.
In an Opinion released March 17, 2011, the Illinois Appellate Court in Chicago reversed the ISBE, and ordered the Board to proceed with public evidentiary hearings on Thompson's allegations. Calling the Board’s decision “clearly erroneous”, the Court called the explanations offered by Liz Gorman and her Committee for the transactions and name changes “implausible and oftimes confusing” and pointedly noted that no evidence of any loans by Gerald Gorman was ever offered. The Court stated that the 2004 amendments to the financial statements submitted to the ISBE which change the creditor and payment recipient to Gerald Gorman “do not shed any light as to the identity of the party or parties that made the loans at issue and actually diminish this court’s confidence that the reports are accurate.” Ouch.
Diane is the elected Republican Committeeman in the 46th Ward. In 2008 she ran for Cook County Circuit Court and was the top Republican in voter support, receiving the endorsements of the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun Times, and the Daily Herald.
Diane was born and raised in Chicago from a family of attorneys. She holds a Baccalaureate degree from Northwestern in Psychology and Communication, a Masters degree in Communication from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has been working down the long road towards a Ph.D in Public Policy Analysis. She now teaches Public Speaking at Triton Community College.
In her 32 year career serving the constituents of Cook County, Diane has worked as a Registrar of Titles, a Deputy Sheriff and an Investigator with the Adult Probation Department. She was certified as an Addictions Counselor in 1996. Diane has extensive experience working in all types of Civil and Criminal courtrooms.
Diane is a strong supporter of police efforts in Chicago. Diane has been President of the International Police Association, Region 4-Chicago, since 2002, which causes her to attend numerous community police meetings such as CAPS. Diane is currently on the Advisory Committee for Northwestern Business College's Law Enforcement curriculum.
Diane’s platform emphasizes public safety, economic development, construction, beautification and better sanitation with the 46th Ward. To better serve the population in which she works, Diane has learned how to speak Spanish, and is fluent in several other languages. Her new love is her Harley Davidson (Sportster XL1200 low rider) and she is currently taking riding classes so she can enjoy the open road.
The fact that there are tensions brewing between the leadership of the Illinois Republican National Hispanic Assembly, led by President Rafael Rivadeneira, and the local Cook County chapter, led by Angel Garcia, is well known to GOP insiders. The Cook County group, which wants power, calls Rivadeneira ineffectual, and apparently has even accused him of misappropriating funds. The Illinois RNHA, on the other hand points to an expansion of chapters in Illinois, and calls the Cook County group a bunch of power-hungry cloaked Machine Democrats, pointing to Garcia’s support for Rahm Emanuel and other officers’ ties with Machine figures.
With the Illinois RNHA Convention coming this weekend, with an election for President in which Rivadeneira is runnig for reelection, just after 7 am on Tuesday morning, Mark Aguilera, the National Committeeman for the Illinois RNHA, but also Vice President of the Cook County RNHA, sent out the following email to a wide assortment of GOP groups.
"Contact: Angel Garcia FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tel: 312.375.0979 Email:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
CHANGE OF RNHA OF ILLINOIS LEADERSHIP
Today the DuPage County RNHA has suspended the membership of member Rafael Rivadeneira. As a result, he is not a member in good standing and is not qualified to hold a position on the Illinois RNHA. Gabriela Wyatt per rules, is now chairwoman. Rene Hernandez (Illinois 2nd Vice president) was acting as chairman at today’s meeting as Mrs. Wyatt was absent.
The RNHA of Illinois has also disqualified the secretary of the RNHA of Illinois as she does not currently live in Illinois, a violation of the bylaws. Angel Garcia has been named interim Secretary by Mr. Hernandez.
The RNHA State convention will continue as planned this Saturday at the Comfort Inn in Dixon at 9:30am."
Most think this current move is contrary to proper principles of the Republican Party.
Later on that same Tuesday, John Guevara, Chairman of the Winnebago County chapter of RNHA, sent around a press memo on Republican National Hispanic Assembly of Illinois letterhead responding to the earlier release:
"STATEMENT OF LEGITIMACY Leadership of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly of Illinois
Today, an illegitimate group issued a fraudulent press release claiming an alleged change in leadership of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly of Illinois. We are truly saddened by the false allegations and the exploitation of trust and order, as expressed by Mr. Angel Garcia.
It is important to clarify that the DuPage Chapter is NOT IN COMPLIANCE, the DuPage Chapter Executive Committee is NOT IN COMPLIANCE, and Mr. Ric Gruber is NOT A MEMBER IN GOOD STANDING when the disorderly and unsuccessful actions were attempted. Previous to this hijacking of our good organization and name, the election of Mr. Ric Gruber was illegal according to Robert's Rules of Order and plagued with fraud and suppressing the vote of members of the DuPage Chapter, who do not support his actions.
We, the legitimate Executive Board of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly of Illinois, have yet to receive a response that we have repeatedly requested from Mr. Ric Gruber, regarding the numerous complaints, fraud, and non-compliance issues surrounding the DuPage Chapter. Therefore, the alleged suspension purported from the DuPage Chapter of President Rafael Rivadeneira’s membership and good-standing, is not true because Mr. Ric Gruber and his Executive Board were officially deemed NOT IN COMPLIANCE prior to this illegitimate and unethical action.
Furthermore, current Secretary Olga M. Pereira, is an established resident of Illinois, who maintains a permanent home of record in Illinois, while continuing to serve in her capacity for the United States Government. Furthermore, she is a Veteran of the United States Marine Corps, for at which time of service continued to be a resident of Illinois while on Active Duty across the country, until her Honorable Discharge. There is no violation of bylaws regarding her residency status as alleged by Mr. Angel Garcia.
The actions taken by Mr. Angel Garcia, Mr. Mark Aguilera, and Mr. Ric Gruber are immoral, unethical, unprofessional, and represent the lowest standards of conduct. We will work to heal the divisive aftermath of their actions and continue to build the Republican National Hispanic Assembly of Illinois.
This honorable organization is stronger than this exhibition of personal vendettas. The Executive Board neither authorized nor approved the release of Mr. Angel Garcia’s Press Release, which was an action of a minority on the Executive Board of the IL RNHA, to wit: Angel Garcia, Ric Gruber, Mark Aguilera, and Rene Hernandez Jr.
We look forward to turning a new page at the 2011 Convention for the Republican National Hispanic Assembly of Illinois."
This unfortunate episode does no credit to the RNHA or the actors, and reflects poorly on the Republican Party in general.
Carl is a life-long citizen of Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood.He was raised as a conservative Democrat with traditional American family values such as a love for God and Country.He joined he Republicans in the mid-1980’s, when the political divide became clearbetween liberal Democrats and Conservatives.In Carl’s view, Liberals came to stand for big government and not for the working man, while Conservatives still stand for individual right to work, limited government, private property and personal responsibility.
Carl is challenging the status quo in the City Council because he believes that our American values and principles should govern how we make public policy decisions, not cronyism and payoffs. One out of 12 homes in his Ward is in foreclosure.He is for reduced spending, including Aldermanic salaries, and a reduction in taxes.A priority for Carl is business development, and he will use half of his first year salary to fund an 11th Ward Job Fair.
If you would like to donate to Carl's cmapaign or assit him as a volunteer, his website is www.segvich.com.
Antoine Members is a Chicago native and Cook County Deputy Sherriff.A graduate of CVS high school, now Chicago Vocation Career Academy, he started public and community service career at a young age as a youth minister for Englewood Church of God.A strong Conservative, in 2008 he took on the challenge of being the GOP candidate for Congress against Bobby Rush in the 1st District.Antoine and his wife Tonia have been active and hard-working members of the Chicago GOP for years.
Antoine’s campaign emphasizes economic development in the 17th Ward, currently hindered by high taxes and lack of access to credit.He favors doing way with short term development projects with the large amount of TIF funds collected, and instead use the money for longer-term economic development of small business.
His opponent, incumbent Latasha Thomas, is a Daley loyalist who voted for the Parking Meter lease.
She runs her own law office, Yokoyama & Associates, P.C. In her spare time, she is President of DAC Imaging after serving as Chief Operating Officer for Affiliated Radiologists, S.C. Lori holds an Masters degree in Management from Northwestern University, and a law degree from DePaul, and serves on the Dean’s Advisory Council, and served as Vice-Chair of the Illinois State Bar Association Judicial Evaluation Committee.
Lori is very active in the professional, civic and community arenas. She is or has been on the Executive Board of Directors of the Japan America Society of Chicago; the Advisory Board member of the Chinese American Service League, Inc., and helped found the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Chicago Area. She has served on a number of Asian Advisory Councils for elected officials in Illinois.She has been a Fellow at Leadership Greater Chicago and served on both the United Way of Chicago Allocations Committee and the Board of Directors for the Japanese American Service Committee.
Lori provides volunteer legal services to immigrant wives that find themselves protected under the Violence Against Women Act and under the Federal Trial Bar that provides legal representation to inmates who have been subjected to a violation of their Civil Rights. Yokoyama was the 2005 Asian Model Family Award Recipient-Japanese Community; 2003 recipient of the DePaul University, College of Law, Distinguished Alumni Award.
To donate or volunteer some time for Lori, please see her website at www.lori2011.com
Who: State Treasurer Dan Rutherford What: Treasurer Rutherford's Chicago Office Open House When: Friday, January 14 - 4:30pm - 6:30pm Where: State of Illinois Building, 15th Floor, Chicago Hope to see you tomorrow with Treasurer Rutherford!
Ronald J. Baltierra, a decorated Vietnam war veteran and businessman decided to run for alderman of the 1st Ward because he has lived in the Wicker Park area for 17 years and feels that it is time for new leadership.Ron is recently retired after over 30 years of experience as a businessman and general contractor.
In an effort to address the problems of his neighborhood, Ron has led an independent organization called, United Neighbors Improving the Environment (U.N.I.T.E). As a leader in green construction, he has led this organization to clean up the streets and help beautify the neighborhood.
Ron received the Bronze Star with Valor and other decorations during the Vietnam War.He is now actively under consideration in Washington for the Silver Star and Medal of Honor. Ron is very active in Veteran issues and support.He is a member of the Mayor’s Advisory Council for Veterans Affairs, and is a past member of the Illinois Attorney General’s Veterans Rights Advisory council the Mexican American Veterans Advisory Council, AMVETS, the U.S.G.I. Forum, Veterans of Foreign Wars.
As a small businessman in Chicago for decades, Ron knows well the trials and hurdles our current government places in front of the free market business development that Chicago so desperately needs.Ron is also a past member of Hispanic American Construction Industry Association and the Latin American Chamber of Commerce.
Tongues are wagging that a certain well-known Democrat Machine troublemaker is looking to size up the Chicago GOP.
It's because under Eloise Gerson the Chicago GOP has taken big strides, like a 200,000 piece literature drop for Bill Brady, a group of GOP backed Aldermanic candidates, and the potential that the Republican vote could affect the race for Mayor, given the multi-candidate field. The Machine did not like seeing Treasurer-Elect Dan Rutherford get 27% of the Chicago vote, and Controller-Elect Judy Baar Topinka get 20%. Not at all.
The Machine likes the Good Old Days, when the local GOP did nothing but hold an annual lunch, kissed butt with Democrats, and caused no worry whatsoever.
Those days are gone . . . for now. Some want them back.
At an evidentiary hearing today, Hearing Officer Christopher Agrella entered his recommendation that the two Objections filed against Ron Baltierra be overruled, and that Ron's name appear on the ballot for 1st Ward Alderman.
It got Ron over a big hurdle, but it was a close thing. Ron made it by a single signature. He needed 93 valid signatures, and was down by five going into the hearing, at which he presented affidavits from voters who signed his petitions, but had their signatures rejected at the "Records Check" at the Board of Election Commissioners. He needed 93 valid signatures, and at the end of the hearing he had exactly 93, with five affidavits accepted into evidence to restore rejected signatures.
"We are very pleased with the result", stated Baltierra's counsel, GOP General Counsel Steve Boulton. "Ron has fought very hard to stay on the ballot against very talented election lawyers, and he has won so far."
The Board of Election Commisioners must accept or reject the Hearing Officer recommendation, and with no signatures to spare, the result cannot yet be considered final.
The ballot challenge process is nearing the finish line. The Report of Hearing Officer Joseph Morris on the Objections to Rahm Emanuel will be submitted and released tomorrow. The many challenges to Aldermanic Candidates are entering the final phases. Here are a few GOP related.
1st Ward – Ron Baltierra. Ron is in a tough battle against two different Objectors. On the signature check, Ron came out well ahead on one and just five valid signatures short on the other. An evidentiary hearing on a number of the rejected signatures will be held tomorrow. “We are hopeful that Ron will get reversal of enough borderline signature calls to get him on the ballot,” said Baltierra’s attorney, Chicago GOP General Counsel Steve Boulton. “It’s a very close fight, but Ron is still in it, and fighting hard.”
11th Ward – Carl Segvich. Carl was not challenged and will be on the Ballot in February.
17th Ward – Antoine Members. Antoine is in. He easily passed the records check on his petition signatures with room to spare and the opposition has dropped other claims. This one is all over but the filing of final documents. “We are pleased with the result for Antoine, and look forward to his campaign,” said Boulton, Members' attorney as well Baltierra.
36th Ward – Brian Matos. As described below, Brian admits he has lost the war and will be taken off the Ballot.
45th Ward – John Garrido. John is in a big fight in the raucous 45th Ward. The Objectors say he does not have enough valid signatures, which is unlikely to hold up on Records Check. The other allegation is that John did not file a Statement of Economic Interests with his nomination papers. But John is a Lieutenant in the Chicago Police Department, so his annual statement was already on file with the City and was subject to the “Employee-Candidate Exception“ adopted by the Board some years ago. The Objectors are trying to get the Election Board to renounce its prior adoption of the exception, which would seem to be unfair since John relied on the prior rule in his filing. It is a battle of lawyers.
46th Ward – Diane Shapiro. Diane was not challenged and will be on the Ballot in February.
FOX News Chicago - The Illinois Republican Party has a co-chair: Gabriela Wyatt.
Wyatt is the vice president of the Illinois Republican National Hispanic Assembly and heavily involved with the Kane County Republican Party.
Her term as co-chairman of the Illinois GOP begins immediately. She'll work with current chairman Pat Brady, who was elected to a four-year term in March.
Brady says he's excited to have Wyatt's perspective and wisdom.
Wyatt says she's honored to serve with Brady and plans to help reach out to the growing number of Hispanics in Illinois.
For only the second time in my adult life, I am not ashamed of my country!
I want to thank the hard working American people for paying $242 thousand dollars plus additional expenses for my vacation in Spain. My daughter Sasha, several long-time family friends, my personal staff and various guests had a wonderful time. Honestly, you just haven't lived until you have stayed in a $2,500.00 per night suite at a 5-Star luxury hotel. But we were frugal in only booking 70 rooms for our friends, staff and family.
Thank you also for the use of Air Force 2 and the 70 Secret Service personnel who tagged along to be sure we were safe and cared for at all times. Air Force 2 only used 47,500 gallons of jet fuel for this trip and carbon emissions were a mere 1,031 tons of CO2. It costs only $11,500 per hour to operate Air Force 2 and each additional plane for the other members of our party group. These are only rough estimates, but they are close (who's counting?). That's quite a carbon footprint as my good friend Al Gore would say, so we must ask the American citizens to drive smaller, more fuel efficient cars and drive less too, so we can lessen our combined carbon footprint.
I know times are hard and millions of you are struggling to put food on the table and trying to make ends meet. I do appreciate your sacrifice and do hope you find work soon. I was really exhausted after Barack took our family on a luxury vacation in Maine a few weeks ago. I just had to get away for a few days.
Will write more from Martha's Vineyard where we will spend our sixth vacation this year with more of our family and friends.
Demetra DeMonte, Republican National Committeewoman from Illinois on the Republican National Committee, and Secretary of the Midwest Region of the Republican National Committee, abruptly resigned as Director of Coalitions for the Illinois Republican Party this weekend. Under Ms. DeMonte's successful leadership, the Coalitions program resulted in a number of effective training programs for Coalition members and an expansion of the number of participating coalition groups, including the founding of new groups.
Several sources report that the resignation came during a heated exchange with State Chairman Pat Brady at a State Central Committee meeting this weekend. The resignation was immediately accepted by Chairman Brady. Stormy weather is erupting all around the GOP.
May 13, 2010: L.A. City Council passes a measure establishing an economic boycott of Arizona over Arizona's new immigration law.
June 7, 2010: Arizona power companies divert all power formerly sent to southern California to other states. 25% of Los Angeles electric power comes over the border from Arizona, so L.A. is plunged into darkness.
June 8, 2010: Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa calls upon Arizona to “take it easy” and turn the power back on.
June 9, 2010: Arizona announces that it will now withdraw its full 2.8 million acre feet per year allotment from the Colorado River before that water gets anywhere near the California border, an increased draw of 500,000 to 1.0 million acre feet. The new draw total means far less water for Los Angeles and southern California, as Colorado River water supplies 18 million customers in Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties. Arizona announces that the unused portion of the Arizona allotment, previously being made available to California on a voluntary basis by Arizona, will be diverted to form “Lake Villaraigosa” a new tourist and convention center project west of Phoenix.
June 10, 2010: Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa asks Arizona to not get so hasty, and offers Laker playoff tickets to Arizona’s Governor if she will turn the power back on.
June 11, 2010: The Arizona Department of Transportation announces major new resurfacing projects on Interstates 8, 10 and 40 near the California border. Truck and traffic delays for movement into California are projected to be “extensive.”
June 14, 2010: Los Angeles Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa requests immediate settlement talks with Arizona and announces that Matthew McConaughey, Robert Pattinson, Megan Fox and Scarlett Johansson will lead the Los Angeles delegation. Border crossings at San Ysidro slow to a trickle as Mexicans decide they are better off in Mexico than in southern California.
June 15, 2010: Los Angeles Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announces that Arizona can have any damned law they like, as long as they turn the power and water back on.
June 16, 2010: Arizona Governor counter-offers on talks, stating the condition that California accept immediate transfer of Mexican criminal gangs, present in Arizona as illegal aliens, from Phoenix and Tucson to L.A. “They’ll fit right in!” she notes.
June 17, 2010: Los Angeles Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa agrees to all conditions for talks.
June 19, 2010: Kidnapping for ransom skyrockets in L.A. as Mexican gangs arrive. Kidnapping rates in Phoenix, recently the second highest in the world after Mexico City, plummet.
June 21, 2010: L.A. Deputy Mayor announces that Mayor Villaraigosa will not be able to attend the talks with Arizona, as he has himself has been kidnapped for ransom. The rest of the delegation arrives in Flagstaff for talks.
June 22, 2010: Arizona and L.A. delegations meet and agree on withdrawal of all boycotts, and resumption of power, electrical and road service to California. All Mexican gangs transferred are to stay in California, where their illegal alien status will not be questioned.
June 23, 2010: L.A. City Council rejects all ransom demands for Mayor Villaraigosa, and advises the gangs to keep him and put him to work somehow.
"Vancouver! Vancouver! This is it!!" - the last words of geologist David Johnson, six miles from Mt. St. Helens on May 18, 1980. The pyroclastic flow cloud emerging from the mountain in this video (temperature 600+ degrees) reached his position within 30 seconds after initiation. His body was never found.
To understand the magnitude of the explosion, keep in mind that this mountain was over 5,000 feet from foot to base, about a mile high and just short of five times the hight of the Willis Tower in Chicago.
While flying over the destroyed area of hundred of square miles, with 57 dead, hundreds of thousands of animals dead and dying, and volcanic ash covering a good portion of the American Upper Midwest, President Jimmy Carter asked his National Science Advisor if any other natural phenomena could wreak such destruction on the U.S. The response was that what he was looking at was minor compared to the potential devastation from a major earthquake on the San Andreas Fault in Southern California, or an earthquake and tsunami on the Cascadia Fault offshore of Oregon and Washington, or an eruption of the supervolcano underneath Yellowstone National Park.
Chicago Republican Party Chairman Eloise Gerson and Christine Svenson, President of the Illinois Chapter of the Republican National Lawyers Association, recently welcomed Representative Eric Cantor to Chicago for speaking and fundraising events. Rep. Cantor is the Minority Whip in the U.S. House and Representative from the 7th Congressional District in Virginia.
Chicago GOP member Jim Pollack, a longtime acquaintance of Rep. Cantor, caught up with him at the American-Israeli Political Affairs Committee Convention in Washington earlier in April. Jim is on the National Board of AIPAC. Jim describes this picture as taken while he and Rep. Cantor discussed creative things to do with President Obama's legislative agenda.
The 42nd Ward Breakfast Speaker Program continued it's successful ways, as some 35 guests welcomed Lieutenant Governor Candidate Jason Plummer over an enjoyable meal to begin a Saturday.
In the absence of 42nd Ward Committeeman (and Chicago Republican Chairman) Eloise Gerson, the meeting was conducted by Christine Svenson, a member of the 42nd Ward Executive Committee and Chairman of the Chicago Chapter of the the Republican National Lawyers Association. Eloise is in Washington meeting with Republican Party leaders.
