Guarded Optimism, But Show Us The Cuts

From the Office of State Senator Chris Lauzen (21st District)…

I am generally a gullible person, typically believing what people tell me. Age is tempering my natural inclination by teaching me that it is wiser to watch what people do, rather than to immediately believe what they say.

I hope that I am not being naïve to be encouraged by several developments within the swamp of Springfield events. My constituents can barely endure discussing the state’s current political and financial situation. They avert their eyes from the train wreck. They shake their heads, throw up their hands, and finally stick out their tongues. They instinctively realize that bankruptcy is the most severe failure of financial trust. And, Illinois is bankrupt.
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Guarded Optimism, But Show Us The Cuts”


Chicago Tea Party to the Rescue‏

From the Chicago Tea Party

Thank you

Thank you to the hundreds of Tea Party Patriots from Chicago and across the state of Illinois who traveled to Madison on Saturday to defend the taxpayers and parents of Wisconsin. We organized car pools, drove our friends and neighbors and paid our own way to get to the rally. We weren’t bused in by Organizing for America, SEIU, or the Democrat National Committee. This is a critical battle in the fight between freedom and big government and it will be repeated in state after state across the country.

Here is what is at stake in Wisconsin: will we live in a country where we have individual liberty, economic opportunity and a government that lives within its means, or will we live in a country where public sector unions buy our elected officials with our own tax money and government spending bankrupts our children and grandchildren? We can’t afford to lose this one in WI, and we took a giant step forward this weekend.
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Chicago Tea Party to the Rescue‏”


Tom Cross Intentionally Misleading on SB600

-By Warner Todd Huston

For years now thousands of rank and file Republicans have been trying to get SB600 passed in Springfield. This bill would allow us regular, lowly voters to actually vote for our GOP leadership on the GOP State Central Committee.

Unfortunately, Republican voters are not allowed to vote for their own leadership in Illinois. This good old fashioned way of electing leaders is not only truly American, but, heck, even the Democrats in Illinois have this capability! But we Republicans do not.
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Tom Cross Intentionally Misleading on SB600″


Chico Calls for Same-Day Permitting

From the Gery Chico for Chicago Mayor campaign…

Under Chico, slow pace and brick wall of bureaucracy would no longer stifle job growth

(CHICAGO) Mayoral candidate Gery Chico today pledged to make 24-48 hour permitting a reality in Chicago city government. Chico would inject a new sense of urgency and speed in the notoriously slow permitting process.

“Thanks to the new digital economy, commerce is moving faster than ever. It’s time to move government up to speed,” Gery Chico said. “We’ll break down the brick wall of bureaucracy and make the city permitting process move faster so we can bring more businesses to our city and create more jobs for our citizens.”
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Chico Calls for Same-Day Permitting”


Wisconsin State Senators Hide in IL to Prevent Voting

From the Chicago Tea Party…

Stand with Governor Scott Walker This Saturday in Wisconsin

What is happening in Wisconsin right now could prove to be a turning point in the fight against big government. Democrat State Senators in the state of Wisconsin have decided that the public sector unions are more important than representative democracy and the consent of the people. The voters in Wisconsin elected a Republican Governor, U.S. Senator and state legislature in November, but the Democrats don’t appear to think elections matter. The public sector unions are proving they are only interested in one thing: power.

Increasingly all over the country, Democrats and the unions are trying to create mayhem and disorder in hopes that hardworking taxpayers will just give up. But we’re not going to give up. We need to stand with Gov. Scott Walker in Wisconsin.
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Wisconsin State Senators Hide in IL to Prevent Voting”


Emanuel’s hard truths turn out to be cynical lies

From the Gery Chico for Chicago Mayor campaign…

(CHICAGO) In the wake of today’s Chicago Sun-Times report that once again proves Rahm Emanuel will say and do anything for power, Gery Chico denounced Emanuel’s cynical attempt to mislead voters about his pension position. While Emanuel has made his plans to slash existing pensions for city workers well known in editorial and business elite circles, this week he sent personal letters to city workers promising to protect their pension benefits, according to the Chicago Sun Times report.

“Rahm Emanuel is once again proving himself to be a pathological evader of the truth,” Gery Chico said. “When he needs donations and editorial support, he talks tough about slashing existing pensions but when talking directly with the city workers who depend on those pensions, he promises to protect their benefits. Either way, you can’t believe a thing this guy says.”

Emanuel’s desperate, dishonest letter to city workers comes just days before Feb. 22 as the Chico campaign is surging to the runoff. For more information, visit GeryChico.com.


Union Rhetoric Against Rahm Emanuel Heats Up

-By Warner Todd Huston

At a recent rally for Chicago Mayoral candidate Gery Chico, the head of the Operating Engineers Local 150, James Sweeney, said that Rahm Emanuel was a “Judas” to the union cause. Now Emanuel, himself Jewish, is attempting to make this common phrase into some sort of anti-Semitic attack on him.

During the rally, Sweeney attacked Emanuel’s long record of supporting the North American Free Trade Act (NATFA) that he helped Bill Clinton pass in the 1990s.

We don’t need to be told that there’s an economic problem, we live it every day. Rahm Emanuel doesn’t live it, he’s nothing but a Wall Street Judas… a bag of silver that he collected when he went and passed NAFTA. That’s exactly what he is.

For his part Emanuel is saying the whole thing is “blatantly antisemitic.” But come on. It is obvious that Sweeney had no intent to inject any anti-Semitism into his campaign rally when he said that Emanuel was a Judas to unions. Using the term Judas is a common term that properly fits any situation and isn’t just a Jewish reference.
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Union Rhetoric Against Rahm Emanuel Heats Up”


VIDEO: Speeches Given at Illinois GOP Reagan Dinner Gingrich, Bolton, Kirk, Rutherford

-By Warner Todd Huston

Last weekend I attended the Ronald Reagan 100th birthday dinner held by the Illinois Republican Party. I filmed all the speeches given and I am finally done making the video for these speeches. I did not get Ill. GOP Chairman Pat Brady’s address, but I did get the others.

In order of appearance, the dinner featured Senator Mark Kirk, Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, Congressman Mike Pence, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton, and finally Illinois State Treasurer Dan Rutherford.

I do not have Santorum’s comments here because he went on so long YouTube won’t accept my video upload because it is too long. If I remember, next week I will split his video in half and try again. Chicago talk show hosts Don Wade and Roma also appeared, but their bit was fluff and I did not bother recoding it.

The sound isn’t the best in the world, but it is at least intelligible.

Senator Mark Kirk At The Illinois Reagan Dinner


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VIDEO: Speeches Given at Illinois GOP Reagan Dinner Gingrich, Bolton, Kirk, Rutherford”


More of Rahm’s Union Troubles

-By Warner Todd Huston

In the race for the Chicago Mayor’s office we have seen quite a lot of evidence that Chicago’s union bosses are not big Rahm Emanuelites. This week we got another hint in that direction as several more unions came out in support of Emanuel’s most serious opponent, Gery Chico.

The Chico campaign added a group of Chicago unions to its previous announcement of endorsements from the Chicago Firefighters and Police unions, a growing coalition that Chico says shows that he has “growing momentum with working families.”

Labor organizations that endorsed Chico today include the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 9, Sheet Metal Workers Local 73, Ironworkers Local 1, Laborers’ District Council of Chicago & Vicinity, Painters District Council #14 and the United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers Local 11, together whose membership encompasses more than 60,000 hard working men and women in the Chicagoland area.

It is interesting to see the unions shy from the Emanuel campaign since Rahm is the presumed heir apparent to the Daley crown not to mention that Rahm has Barack Obama’s overt support. The air of a winner coupled with the favor of a Democrat president is usually more than enough to get unions to line up like good little lemmings. But this is clearly not the case with Rahm Emanuel.
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More of Rahm’s Union Troubles”


Former Chicago Bears support Chico for Mayor and Super Bowl plan McMichael: Chico is one tough guy (And introducing Chico iPhone App)

From the Gery Chico for Chicago Mayor campaign…

(CHICAGO) Campaigning today at Manny’s Deli on the near Southside, Gery Chico received the support of two former Chicago Bears, one of whom played a key role on the 1985 Super Bowl Championship team.

Steve McMichael and Bruce Herron- part of the Bears’ legendary defense for several years- both said they believe Gery Chico is the most qualified, honest candidate to lead Chicago in a new direction.

“If Gery Chico was an ’85 Bear, I would have wanted him by my side blitzing because he is one tough guy,” said Steve “Mongo” McMichael. “Just look at what he did for education in the 90s! He’d make a great mayor.”
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Former Chicago Bears support Chico for Mayor and Super Bowl plan McMichael: Chico is one tough guy (And introducing Chico iPhone App)”


VIDEO: Short Interview With Illinois GOP Chairman Pat Brady

-By Warner Todd Huston

On February 5, 2011, I attended the Illinois GOP Ronald Reagan 100th Birthday Diner and there I had the opportunity to have a quick few minutes with Illinois GOP Chairman Pat Brady. I asked him about how the Ill. GOP intends to capitalize on the GOP gains in the rest of the country. I also threw him a curve ball and asked about a Quinn recall over the tax issue to see what he’d say.

I also spoke with a few other GOP notables that night. Unfortunately, I only got a scant few minutes with them all.

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VIDEO: Short Interview With Illinois GOP Chairman Pat Brady”


VIDEO: Short Interview With Illinois Senator Mark Kirk

-By Warner Todd Huston

On February 5, 2011, I attended the Illinois GOP Ronald Reagan 100th Birthday Diner and there I had the opportunity to have a quick few minutes with Illinois Senator Mark Kirk. I asked him about some of the issues of the day, chiefly the Egypt question.

I also spoke with a few other GOP notables that night. Unfortunately, I only got a scant few minutes with them all.

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VIDEO: Short Interview With Illinois Senator Mark Kirk”


VIDEO: Short Interview With Presidential Candidate John Bolton

-By Warner Todd Huston

On February 5, 2011, I attended the Illinois GOP Ronald Reagan 100th Birthday Diner and there I had the opportunity to have a quick few minutes with former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton. I asked him about his aspirations for running for president and about the Egypt question.

I also spoke with a few other GOP notables that night. Unfortunately, I only got a scant few minutes with them all.

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VIDEO: Short Interview With Presidential Candidate John Bolton”


VIDEO: Short Interview With Presidential Candidate Rick Santorum

-By Warner Todd Huston

On February 5, 2011, I attended the Illinois GOP Ronald Reagan 100th Birthday Diner and there I had the opportunity to have a quick few minutes with former U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania Rick Santorum. I asked him about his aspirations for running for president and about the Egypt question.

I also spoke with a few other GOP notables that night. Unfortunately, I only got a scant few minutes with them all.

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VIDEO: Short Interview With Presidential Candidate Rick Santorum”


WGN’s Dean Richards: An Example of Chicago’s Rahm-Devoted Media

-By Warner Todd Huston

WGN AM 720 radio is one of the biggest radio stations in the country. It is traditionally one of Chicago’s most listened to radio stations and commonly tunes in as Chicago’s number one station. At least for the past few decades, WGN radio has also been the leading liberal station in the city. One thing WGN is not, however, is either edgy or independent of thought where it concerns Chicago’s ruling class. As a rule WGN is soldout all down the line to whomever is “the” Chicago guy.

This weekend Dean Richards, one of WGN’s weekend guys, employed the sort of “analysis” of Chicago’s mayoral election that tends to speak of what the station evidently feels must be the outcome of the election It was a not-so-subtle hint that Rahm Emanuel is the choice to take City Hall.

Richards took a segment of his weekend radio program to discuss the mayor’s race and the specific topic centered around candidate Gery Chico’s first major TV ad against Emanuel.
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WGN’s Dean Richards: An Example of Chicago’s Rahm-Devoted Media”


Celebrating Reagan’s Legacy‏

From Congressman Peter Roskam (Ill., 6th District)…

This Sunday, February 6, marks the late President Ronald Reagan’s 100th birthday. Particularly given our country’s current economic challenges, it is fitting we take some time to reflect on the legacy of this great American.

When President Reagan took office in January of 1981, our country was experiencing great hardships – not unlike today, he faced an economic recession and record unemployment. However, unlike the current Administration, President Reagan approached these challenges with a conviction that the American people could pick themselves up – as long as government stayed out of the way.

Take a minute to watch this video from the Heritage Foundation:

Reagan’s years in the White House were marked by a determined drive to shrink the size and cost of government and make America strong again. As a result, he ushered in one of the greatest periods of prosperity in the history of the United States.
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Celebrating Reagan’s Legacy‏”


Cook County Property Tax Information‏

From the office of Cook County Commissioner Timothy O. Schneider…

2011 Forest Preserve Calendars

Still looking for a 2011 calendar? We have free calendars provided by the Cook County Forest Preserve available at our district office. Call our district office for a calendar (847) 640-1632

Hanover Township Property Tax Reassessments

Hanover township reassessment notices where mailed out on January 10, 2011. Reassessment notices contain proposed values that will be reflected on second-installment tax bills, which will be due in the fall of 2011. However, the time to file appeals on these proposed assessments is now. The deadline to file appeals for properties located in Hanover Township is February 10, 2011.
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Cook County Property Tax Information‏”


Seen at the Illinois Reagan Dinner…

-By Warner Todd Huston

I just got home from the Illinois GOP Ronald Reagan 100th Birthday dinner and before I turn info the night I wanted to give a quick account of some of the folks I ran into this evening.

Seen tonight was 6th District Representative Peter Roskam, the Chief Deputy Whip. I also saw Adam Andrzejewski, chief of For The Good of Illinois and former Illinois Gubernatorial candidate, John Garrido candidate for 45th Ward Alderman, Dave Dierson of the famous GOPUSA daily email report, former candidate for Attny General Steve Kim, former 59th District candidate Dan Sugrue, activist John Bambeneck, John Tillman and the folks from the Illinois Policy Institute, Fran Eaton and the folks at the United Republican Fund as well as Illinois Review and many others (as I remember more, I’ll add them later).

A few old blogger friends were also in attendance…


From left to right: Paul Miller, Myself, John Ruberry of MarathonPundit, and Paul Mitchell of Thoughts of a Regular Guy


Adam Andrzejewski (center) and John Garrido and his lovely wife
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Seen at the Illinois Reagan Dinner…”


Illinois Celebrates Ronald Reagan’s 100th

-By Warner Todd Huston

I am here tonight at the Illinois Republican Party celebration of Ronald Reagan’s 100 birthday. The event is being held at the Hilton on the Mag Mile, Michigan Avenue, downtown Chicago. Tonight we’ll be seeing a small retinue of stars in the GOP firmament. Senator Mark Kirk, Former Speaker of the House of Representatives Newt Gingrich, Congressman Mike Pence (Indiana), former Penn. Senator Rick Santorum, former Ambassador to the UN John Bolton, with closing remarks by Illinois State Treasurer Dan Rutherford.

It is a packed house with over 600 diners enjoying the evening.
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Illinois Celebrates Ronald Reagan’s 100th”


Chico’s New TV Ad: ‘Voters, pay the Rahm Tax’

From the Gery Chico for Chicago Mayor campaign…

(CHICAGO) Mayoral candidate Gery Chico began airing a new TV ad today warning Chicagoans about the Rahm Tax, Rahm Emanuel’s latest scheme to raise taxes on a whole new range of services that working families depend on every day.

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Chico’s New TV Ad: ‘Voters, pay the Rahm Tax’”


URF Calls on Lisa Madigan to Join 26 States in Federal Healthcare Lawsuit

From the United Republican Fund of Illinois…

CHICAGO, IL – The United Republican Fund (URF) calls on Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and Governor Pat Quinn to join the 26 other states that have banded together to resist the federal government takeover of our states’ health care system. With the Florida federal judge’s decision deeming the health care reform law “void,” Illinois must move to protect our citizens from the law’s unconstitutional individual mandates.

“It is the duty of Governor Quinn and Attorney General Madigan to protect the state’s citizens from federal intrusions and unconstitutional mandates. Illinois cannot afford our current expenditures, so it is absurd for those in Washington to force these new expensive mandates on our broke government and over-taxed citizens,” URF Executive Director Dennis LaComb said Wednesday.
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URF Calls on Lisa Madigan to Join 26 States in Federal Healthcare Lawsuit”


Illinois Democrat’s Attempt to Register Homeschoolers Like Criminals

-By Warner Todd Huston

Treating homeschooled children like criminals that need to be tracked by the state, Democrat Illinois State Senator Ed Maloney of Chicago has introduced SB 136, a bill that requires all non-public school students to register with the State Board of Education.

The summary of the bill reads:

Amends the School Code. Requires the parents or legal guardians of children attending non-public schools, a defined term, or private or parochial schools to annually register their children with the State Board of Education, in conformance with procedures prescribed by the State Board of Education.

So, apparently this Democrat thinks that to be allowed to homeschool their own children Illinois parents have to register with the state, registering themselves like sex offenders, their every move tracked as if they are some threat to the state.
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Illinois Democrat’s Attempt to Register Homeschoolers Like Criminals”


Emanuel refuses to release Rahm Tax list

From the Gery Chico for Chicago Mayor campaign…

HARD TRUTH: Emanuel not being honest with voters

(CHICAGO) Rahm Emanuel today backtracked on his proposed Rahm Tax, saying his campaign would not release the entire list of services that would be hit by his tax hike. Mayoral candidate Gery Chico blasted Emanuel for not telling the “hard truth” to voters. Emanuel is currently running ads that suggest Emanuel is the candidate who best tells the “hard truth.”

“Rahm Emanuel has made a habit of not being honest with the voters of Chicago,” Gery Chico said. “Emanuel isn’t being honest about his plan to raise taxes on a whole new litany of services that will hurt working class families. Emanuel isn’t being honest about his tenure on the scandal-laden board of Freddie Mac. The last thing Chicago needs is a mayor who says one thing and does another.”
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Emanuel refuses to release Rahm Tax list”


Chico supporters: Vote now to stop Rahm Tax later

From the Gery Chico for Chicago Mayor campaign…

Former Emanuel opponent endorses Chico: “He’s a proven leader who never lost touch with the community”

(CHICAGO) With early voting set to begin tomorrow, mayoral candidate Gery Chico joined community leaders and elected officials to rally Chicagoans to vote now to stop the Rahm Tax later. Chico supporters who attended the gathering in Eckhart Park included Ald. Ed Burke (14th Ward), Ald. Joe Moreno (1st Ward), Rev. B. Herbert Martin, LGBT advocate Rick Garcia, local police and firefighters and former Rahm Emanuel opponent and respected community activist Nancy Kaszak.

Kaszak, a northside leader in the Polish community, called Chico a proven leader who never lost touch with the community.
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Chico supporters: Vote now to stop Rahm Tax later”


Chicago Tea Party: Repeal the Tax Hike

From the Chicago Tea Party…

If you’re outraged over the 67% income tax increase and the 46% corporate income tax increase in Illinois, then please join us at our next monthly meeting. Our featured speaker will be John Tillman, CEO of the Illinois Policy Institute. We will discuss our efforts to repeal the tax hike and reform out of control government spending. Find out what you can do to help make a difference.

Click here to register for the Chicago Tea Party February Meeting. You can also RSVP through Facebook.
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Chicago Tea Party: Repeal the Tax Hike”


Chico Blasts Rahm Tax at Local Barbershop

From the Gery Chico for Chicago Mayor campaign…

(CHICAGO) Visiting a Hyde Park barbershop that could potentially be hit by Rahm Emanuel’s haphazard plan to raise taxes, mayoral candidate Gery Chico again criticized the Rahm Tax as one of the largest expansions of the sales tax in city history at the absolute worst time.

“Need a plumber? Pay the Rahm Tax. Need a taxi? Pay the Rahm Tax. Need to park your car? Pay the Rahm Tax,” Gery Chico said. “If Rahm Emanuel gets his way, we will all pay the Rahm Tax.”
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Chico Blasts Rahm Tax at Local Barbershop”


Chico pledges 2,000 new police officers by end of first term

From the Gery Chico for Chicago Mayor campaign..

(CHICAGO) Mayoral candidate Gery Chico rolled out a five-point plan to crack down on crime today that would strengthen police presence in Chicago neighborhoods, expand community policing and tackle gang violence. At a press conference in Marquette Park, within Chicago’s 8th Police District where the city’s index crime rate is the highest, Chico vowed to put 2,000 more officers on the street by the end of his first term in office.

Noting the increase in violence against police officers as an indication of a dangerous indifference to the law, Chico said protecting the citizens is the mayor’s most important job.
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Chico pledges 2,000 new police officers by end of first term”


Rahmin’ It Home, Emanuel Stays on the Chicago Mayor Ballot

-By Warner Todd Huston

At last, the question of whether Rahm Emanuel should stay on the ballot has been settled once and for all. The Illinois Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that the Appellate Court’s decision to throw Rahm off the ballot was a “novel standard” without “any foundation in Illinois Law.” Therefore, Rahm Emanuel is eligible to run for election in the Chicago Mayor’s race.

The question arose when attorney Burt Odelson charged that Rahm Emanuel did not satisfy the residency requirement for a candidate. Chicago election law requires that a candidate for office must have lived in Chicago for a year before appearing on an election ballot.

Odelson claimed that since Emanuel lived in Washington for the last two years he did not satisfy the one year residency requirement. Two courts disagreed with the charge but the third, the Appellate Court, agreed throwing the whole city into a tizzy for the last several days.
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Rahmin’ It Home, Emanuel Stays on the Chicago Mayor Ballot”


Gery Chico for Chicago Mayor Ad: ‘Proven’

From the Gery Chico for Chicago Mayor campaign…

(CHICAGO) Mayoral candidate Gery Chico began airing a new TV ad today highlighting his plan to crack down on crime and fight gang violence in Chicago neighborhoods. The new ad – “Proven”- is Chico’s third to air as part of a robust television campaign. The ad features Chico’s recent endorsement by Chicago police officers and Chico’s pledge to put more police on the street and expand community policing.

In the past week, Chico was endorsed by Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2 in addition to the Fraternal Order of Police Chicago Lodge 7. Chico has also been backed by the Mexican American Police Organization, the Latin American Police Association, and the Chicago Police Sergeants Association.
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Gery Chico for Chicago Mayor Ad: ‘Proven’”


Poetic Justice for Rahm

-By Dan Proft

First Keith Olbermann was taken off the air and now Rahm Emanuel has been taken off the ballot. It has been like an infusion of vegetables into the diet of a body politic suffering from left-wing induced acidosis.

In the Rahm case, it is up to the seven members of the Illinois State Supreme Court to maintain our newfound homeostasis.

The state’s high court should end Rahm’s fraudulent candidacy.
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Poetic Justice for Rahm”