5th District Ratowitz: Democrats in Congress Failed to safeguard the Gulf Coast

From the Ratowitz for Congress campaign (5th District)…

David Ratowitz, Republican Candidate for Illinois’ 5th Congressional seat, demands accountability from Democrats in Congress for their failure to safeguard the Gulf Coast

U. S. Congressional Candidate, David Ratowitz (IL – 5), claims “Democrats in Congress have spent the last four years rehashing lost political fights of the past instead of governing 21st Century America. We have the capability to contain and minimize damage from an oil spill, Democrat failures to realistically address America’s energy policy are the cause of the current oil spill calamity.”

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5th District Ratowitz: Democrats in Congress Failed to safeguard the Gulf Coast”


Melissa Bean’s Healthcare101 – Part 3 of 13

From the Palatine Tea Party…

(Palatine, Illinois) – In response to the letter Melissa Bean wrote to the constituents in district 8 dated April 16, 2010. We will respond to each of her statements Melissa Bean made based on emotion with factual responses where she stated the following:

“After deliberate review of the final legislation in relation to (the concerns of the people of the 8th district) I supported it (the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) because it will provide the health care security, affordability and choice families and businesses seek, while utilizing the private market-not a government takeover-and yielding a significant federal deficit reduction of $1.3 trillion…”

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Melissa Bean’s Healthcare101 – Part 3 of 13″


Scott Lee Cohen Runs for Ill. Gov. as Independent

-By Warner Todd Huston

Well, it seems to be official. Former Democrat Lt. Gov. primary winner, Scott Lee Cohen, is running for governor as an independent.

Cohen told Fox News that he is “tired of waste and mismanagement” in Illinois government. and that is why he’s running. He told the media that he may not be perfect, but he’s been honest with the people.

Cohen needs to get 25,000 signatures on his petition by June 21 to have his name added to the ballot.

It ought to be interesting, eh?


Troubles Mount for Walsh Campaign (R, 8th District) — Walsh MUST Step down NOW!

-By Warner Todd Huston

Last December Joe Walsh, the primary winner for the GOP nomination for the 8th District Congressional seat, lost his campaign manager Keith Liscio. Liscio quit the Walsh campaign over unpaid consulting fees adding up into the thousands. Now two more top campaign operatives are quitting Walsh’s campaign adding to worries of financial problems, missed filing dates for federal paper work, and other questions of Walsh’s suitability for office.

Richard Cape and Ted Livengood, the campaign manager and field director respectively, have announced that they are quitting the Walsh campaign. In a recent email to supporters and media both the pair have also said they no longer endorse his candidacy. In the email are listed quite a few questions that have come to trouble Cape and Livengood about candidate Walsh.
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Troubles Mount for Walsh Campaign (R, 8th District) — Walsh MUST Step down NOW!”


5th District Ratowitz: Where Does Rep. Quigley Stand on Taxing Retirement Savings?

From the Ratowitz for Congress campaign (5th District)…

David Ratowitz, Republican Candidate for Illinois’ 5th Congressional seat, demands to know: where does Mike Quigley (D IL-5) stand on taxing retirement savings?

U. S. Congressional Candidate, David Ratowitz (IL – 5), wants to know: “where does Mike Quigley stand on taxing retirement savings? Just this week, Democrats in Congress said they wanted to tax IRA and 401(k) retirement accounts. Obviously, Mike Quigley doesn’t care about us, otherwise he would oppose tax increases that target our retirement savings and destroy jobs in the District.”
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5th District Ratowitz: Where Does Rep. Quigley Stand on Taxing Retirement Savings?”


Walsh: Not a Perfect Candidate, but the Perfect Candidate to Defeat Melissa Bean

From the Walsh for Congress Campaign (8th District)…

8th District Republican Congressional Nominee spent an hour last night speaking with, listening to, and answering questions from more than 100 Eighth District residents at a candidate forum last night.

“I am not a perfect candidate,” Walsh said, “But I am the perfect candidate to defeat Melissa Bean,” he said to great applause from the audience.

“I wasn’t the establishment choice,” Walsh said. “And the fact that I am neck-and-neck with Rep. Bean in the polls makes those who benefit from the status quo nervous. That’s okay. I’m not going to make the same mistakes Melissa Bean has made by putting her political party ahead of her district. You elected me and it is your interests that will fight for and your values that I will represent in Congress.”
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Walsh: Not a Perfect Candidate, but the Perfect Candidate to Defeat Melissa Bean”


Melissa Bean’s Healthcare101 – Part 2 of 13

From the Palatine Tea Party…

(Palatine, Illinois) – In response to the letter Melissa Bean wrote to the constituents in district 8 dated April 16, 2010. We will respond to each of her statements Melissa Bean made based on emotion with factual responses where she stated the following:

“After deliberate review of the final legislation in relation to (the concerns of the people of the 8th district) I supported it (the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) because it will provide the health care security, affordability and choice families and businesses seek, while utilizing the private market-not a government takeover-and yielding a significant federal deficit reduction of $1.3 trillion…”
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Melissa Bean’s Healthcare101 – Part 2 of 13″


Melissa Bean’s Healthcare101 – Part 1 of 13

From the Palatine Tea Party…

In response to the letter Melissa Bean wrote to the constituents in district 8 dated April 16, 2010. We will respond to each of her statements Melissa Bean made based on emotion with factual responses where she stated the following:

“After deliberate review of the final legislation in relation to (the concerns of the people of the 8th district) I supported it (the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) because it will provide the health care security, affordability and choice families and businesses seek, while utilizing the private market-not a government takeover-and yielding a significant federal deficit reduction of $1.3 trillion…”
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Melissa Bean’s Healthcare101 – Part 1 of 13″


Adam Andrzejewski: Illinois Can’t Afford Quinn‏

From Adam Andrzejewski and For the Good of Illinois

Thanks to you, we’re winning the fight to Open the Books!

Over the past couple weeks, advocates of transparent and accountable government in Illinois have been winning more and more small victories.

Quinn’s canoe czar, $85,000 per year, STOPPED!
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Adam Andrzejewski: Illinois Can’t Afford Quinn‏”


Cook County Spending Over $200,000 for ‘Fresh Rolls and Pastries’

-By Warner Todd Huston

Last week we discovered through the Cook County online check register that the county spent $300,000 for coffee services from the ACE Coffee company. (See here, and here). This week The Prairie Stater has discovered that the county is spending more than $200,000 additional budget dollars on “fresh rolls and pastries” from Chicago’s Alpha Baking Company.

So, not only do county workers make more than you on the job and far more than you in retirement, now we find out they even eat better than you on the job.

It must be like a party to go to work everyday in county government.
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Cook County Spending Over $200,000 for ‘Fresh Rolls and Pastries’”


The Left’s Lies About ‘Peaceful’ Immigration Protesters

-By Warner Todd Huston

HotAir.com posted an excellent side-by-side video from Fox News that shows the lengths that the left goes to in order to excuse the common every day violence, hate and criminal actions of folks from their own side.

Take a look at this excellent report…

This ignoramus, hypocrite that Fox News dredged up to represent the left is typical of the back bending gymnastics indulged by the Old Media and the left — one in the same, I know. This is typical in the way they denigrate the perfectly peaceful Tea Party protests while excusing the lawless, criminal actions of the left’s protesters — in this case the recent pro-illegal immigrant criminal protesters in Arizona.
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The Left’s Lies About ‘Peaceful’ Immigration Protesters”


Mayor Daley Wants Foreign Kangaroo Court to Rule in Chicago

-By Warner Todd Huston

Mayor Richard “King” Daley has just earned his monarchical (or is that maniacal) nickname by announcing his desire to have a European “court” invade the U.S. and begin prosecuting American citizens for doing a legal, Constitutionally protected business in America.

The despicable, mob-infested mayor of Chicago’s newest harebrained scheme in his fight against the U.S. Constitution is to have the so-called World Criminal Court at the Hague to begin prosecuting gun manufacturers and gun dealers here in America.

It’s bad enough that this Eurocrat wannabe thinks that this kangaroo court in Europe has legal jurisdiction in the USA, but he’s teaming up with a foreign plutocrat in Mexico to try and pursue this idiot’s scheme.

Mayor Daley again proves his essential hate for his own country. First by wallowing in his mob connected lifestyle, next by his surrounding himself with criminal Democrats that rob the city blind, then by siding with foreigners against his own country.

Maybe we would be better off with Rahm Emanuel in the big chair at City Hall? At least Rahm is just an average crook!
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Mayor Daley Wants Foreign Kangaroo Court to Rule in Chicago”


Chicago Fox Attacks 8th District Candidate Joe Walsh

-By Warner Todd Huston

Fox News Chicago ran a piece on 8th Congressional District Republican candidate Joe Walsh who topped a field of five candidates in the primary. They found that Walsh’s campaign never filed his financial disclosure forms as required by federal election law. The Fox correspondent pointedly asked Walsh, “how come you didn’t file your personal financial disclosure forms as obligated by federal election laws?”

Fox News also found a couple of local pols that said they would ask Walsh to resign his primary win if these things were not figured out. Of course, neither of the guys they found supported Walsh during the primary, so it shouldn’t be surprising that they’d immediately jump to calling for Walsh to quit the race.

But my biggest problem with these stories about Walsh’s financial troubles is that they never came before the primary. They’ve all come after the primary. Even I wrote about Walsh’s financial troubles before the primary and I don’t have the investigative tools that TV and newspapers do! Yet all these high falutin’ Old Media outlets in Chicago ignored the issue until Walsh won the primary.

It is hard not to imagine that the Chicago media waited to “report” these matters until after the primary specifically so that they could hurt the Republican pickup of this seat.

Walsh’s campaign did file the disclosure forms and paid a $200 fine after Fox News brought it to their attention. Walsh says it was but an oversight. Here I’ll make no judgment, you decide.
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Chicago Fox Attacks 8th District Candidate Joe Walsh”


Wow, Ill. Senate Race Rated as ‘Favors Republicans’

-By Warner Todd Huston

The famed Cook Political Report has just updated its reading of the race for Obama’s old Senate seat in Illinois to a “favors Republicans” rating!

This is pretty astonishing news:

As expected, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation seized control Friday of Broadway Bank, the community bank owned by the family of Democratic Senate nominee Alexi Giannoulias.

The bank’s financial problems and its business relationships with people associated with corruption and organized crime have dogged Giannoulias’ campaign since early February when he became the nominee. Broadway’s failure will have an enormous impact on Giannoulias’ campaign, and it is entirely possible that the fallout could force him from the race. As such, the race is moving from the Toss Up to the Lean Republican column.

…Given recent events, it’s impossible to justify keeping the race in the Toss Up column. While current circumstances would seem to lend themselves to a rating of Likely Republican, we know that it’s entirely possible that we could well be dealt a different hand – and a very different race – a month or two from now. As such, the race moves to the Lean Republican column.

I have to say, with a possible Republican pick up of Obama’s old Illinois seat AND the possible pick up of VP Biden’s Delaware seat also looking to go to a Republican (Mike Castle), it would be an amazing rebuke to the Democrats to have their two top men’s old seats switch parties!

This would be one for the record books, for sure. I mean, has this ever even happened before?
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Wow, Ill. Senate Race Rated as ‘Favors Republicans’”


Ill. Lawmakers: Bring in the Army to Kill Chicagoans

-By Warner Todd Huston

The second I hear the facile ideas of our elected officials to bring in the Army to start cracking down on “crime” I get visions of jack-booted legions of the Wehrmacht goosestepping through the city, machine guns at hand, knocking over old people and making little kids cry.

But, I guess Representative John “Twitchy” Fritchey is wholly unaware about the rules and philosophies of the American system. You see comrade Fritchey, there is a reason why the Commissars aren’t allowed to bring the Army down upon a city. It’s because our U.S. armed forces are supposed to protect us against foreign enemies. Our laws and police agencies are supposed to protect us from internal crooks, criminals and thugs. And if our police are failing, “Twitchey” Fritchey, it is your fault (yours and your fellow “lawmakers”) Not the police’s.

Further it is not the job of the Army to harass citizens into cowering inside their homes for fear of being cut down in the streets by or own soldiers.
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Ill. Lawmakers: Bring in the Army to Kill Chicagoans”


8th District: Meet GOP Candidate Joe Walsh

Some Lake County Republicans are sponsoring a meet the candidate event on Wednesday 28 from 7PM to 9PM. There you can meet candidate for the 8th District Joe Walsh.

Illinois 8th Congressional District Republican Challenger Joe Walsh Talks Back

JOE WALSH “Talks Back”

No Holds Barred on the issues .. Have Questions? Ask Joe!

Is Congress Really Representing “We The People”?

Date: Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Time: 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Location: The South Barrington Club
Street: 3 Tennis Club Lane
City/Town: South Barrington, IL

For Information Call Carol Ann Parisi 847-496-5400 or email Hangnloose@comcast.net

Directions: http://www.mapquest.com/mq/2-Xz1b


Walsh Proposes Indexing Congressional Salaries to Median Household Income in the US

From the Walsh for Congress campaign (8th District)…

(Grayslake, Illinois) – 8th District Republican Congressional Nominee Joe Walsh today promised that, if elected, he would introduce legislation to tie the salaries of members of Congress to the median household income level in the United States.

Rank-and-file members of Congress make $174,000 annually. According to the Census Bureau, the median household income in the U.S. is $50,233 (2007).
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Walsh Proposes Indexing Congressional Salaries to Median Household Income in the US”


Andy Stern: Union Chief Fleeing Ahead of Illinois Indictment?

-By Warner Todd Huston

Until recently, Andy Stern was the President of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), a union that has served as one of President Obama’s biggest donors as well as filling the ranks of his ground troops. In a surprise move, Stern resigned his post this month and no one is really sure why at this point.

Andy Stern has been one of the closest union chiefs to a president in history. Along with SEIU treasurer Anna Burger, he was one of the most frequent visitors to the White House. He was even chosen by President Obama to serve on his Deficit Reduction Commission — a sort of contradiction in terms that.

Upon his resignation, it has been learned that Andy Stern’s leadership of the SEIU has not brought financial solvency. As F. Vincent Vernuccio reports in the Washington Times, Stern has left the SEIU in pretty shabby shape.
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Andy Stern: Union Chief Fleeing Ahead of Illinois Indictment?”


Is He or Isn’t He: Scott Lee Cohen for Governor?

-By Warner Todd Huston

A few days ago, we pondered the amusing possibility of Scott Lee Cohen running for Illinois Governor as an independent. Wouldn’t it be hilarious if this fellow ran for governor after being kicked off the Democrat ticket?

Well it is beginning to look like Cohen really is looking to run for governor as an independent. Now a spokesman for Michael Madigan is saying that Cohen told the party bigwigs that he does, indeed, want to run for governor as a lt.

This would be awful fun if it came to pass. But I warn everyone about Cohen. He seems awfully flakey. Don’t be surprised if Cohen flakes out and decides he “never said he’d run.”

I don’t think we can trust this guy to really commit.
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Is He or Isn’t He: Scott Lee Cohen for Governor?”


Feds Shut Down Dem. Sen. Candidate Giannoulias’ Family Owned Bank

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Democrat’s Illinois Senate candidate, Alexi Giannoulias, has seen his family business stripped away from them and placed in the hands of a new owner (MB Financial) because he and his family could not come up with the $85 million needed to shore up falling liquidity.

Banking regulators seized the Giannoulias’ Broadway Bank this evening and placed it in the hands of MB Bank, a bank with branches throughout the Chicagoland area.

Alexi Giannoulias was the bank’s chief lender and vice-president from 2002 to 2006. He has been criticized for working for the bank when it loaned $20 million to Michael “Jaws” Giorongo and reputed mobster Boris Stratievsky. Giannoulias’ family has also been attacked for taking $70 million in dividends in both 2007 and 2008 as the bank’s loans were going bad.
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Feds Shut Down Dem. Sen. Candidate Giannoulias’ Family Owned Bank”


Gov’t Waste: $300,000 for Coffee in Cook County Government?

-By Warner Todd Huston

Tony Peraica has chimed in on the “Coffee Czar” controversy as reported here earlier this week.

“Yes, despite the political insiders’ claims that government is bankrupt and their calls for tax increases — we’ve learned that the county taxpayers spent more than $75,000 on a local coffee company in the first three months of the current fiscal year alone. That adds up to some $300,000 a year for coffee and snacks!

As I told the reporter for that story, I’ve long said that we have “corruption on steroids” here in Cook County — but now we learn it might also be fueled by coffee!

Are these really the types of wasteful “projects” on which our hard-earned tax dollars should be spent?

As your commissioner, I will continue to fight to expose these instances of abuse, and to fight for sensible spending reform and tax relief.”


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Gov’t Waste: $300,000 for Coffee in Cook County Government?”


Did Obama LIE?

-By Warner Todd Huston

Did the President lie? Blago thinks so. Rod Blagojevich’s team asked the court to issue a rial subpoena to President Obama to get him to answer some key questions in Blagojevich’s trial. The ex-guv is accused of attempting to sell Obama’s vacant Senate seat.

The motion was made public but was supposed to have been heavily redacted. Unfortunately for the prosecution, the computer file released to the press was easily restored to an un-redacted state through simple computer features. So, here is the un-redacted subpoena:
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Did Obama LIE?”


More of Melissa Bean’s Hypocritical Ways

From the Palatine Tea Party…

(Palatine, Illinois) – Since Melissa Bean voted yes on January 28, 2009 for the $787B stimulus bill the unemployment rate in Lake County continues to rise. While Bean spent the last year ignoring her constituents and the American people she continued down a path of the takeover of our healthcare industry while ignoring the jobs which are disappearing at an alarming rate in Lake County. Bean’s stance to support the Obama Administration’s failed policies is hurting businesses and individuals which live and work in Lake County.
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More of Melissa Bean’s Hypocritical Ways”


Governor Quinn Says There’s a Tax for That‏

From Adam Andrzejewski and For the Good of Illinois…

One week ago today, I had the honor of speaking at five tea parties throughout Illinois. Their message – government is out of control, spending has reached unsustainable levels and we’re Taxed Enough Already.
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Governor Quinn Says There’s a Tax for That‏”


Blago-a-go-go: Suckin’ Up to Da Man

-By Warner Todd Huston

In the ongoing Blago-a-go-go, the sage of the Governor whose aborted attempts to sell a U.S. Senate seat for money, profit and high falutin’ job opportunities for himself and his family, we see ex-Governor Rod Blagojevich taking a little time out from his busy radio and TV star schedule to visit the court rooms of the Richard J. Daley building in beautiful downtown Chicago.

Blago has been yelling from the rooftops that the prosecution should “play all the tapes” to prove that he, Blago, is innocent as the driven snow. Today Judge James B. Zagel (Reagan appointee, 1987) shot down Blago’s demands and said that he is the one that will determine what tapes will be played and what won’t.

“I will not allow the time of these jurors to be needlessly consumed,” Zagel said. Zagel also scolded Blago saying he would not allow any “legal head butts” to take place in his courtroom.
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Blago-a-go-go: Suckin’ Up to Da Man”


Rep. Roskam: GOP Not the Party of No, the Party of ‘No, How About This?’

-By Warner Todd Huston

On April 19, House Republican Whip Eric Cantor and Illinois Congressman Peter Roskam joined Fox News Chicago to talk jobs and the economy. The anchor brought up the claim made by many in the chattering classes that the GOP is just the “party of no.” Roskam had a great come back for this dismissal of the GOP’s principled stance against Obama’s socialist-like attack on our political system.


Rahm Emanuel: ‘I Would Like to Run for Mayor of Chicago’

-By Warner Todd Huston

On PBS’ Charlie Rose show, Rahm Emanuel finally admitted what has been rumored in hushed voices throughout the city of Chicago: He wants to run for Mayor.

Emanuel told host Rose that if Mayor Daley decides not to run again, he would like to throw his own hat in the ring and run for the big seat at City Hall.

But if Mayor Daley doesn’t, one day I would like to run for mayor of the City of Chicago. That’s always been an aspiration of mine even when I was in the House of Representatives.

Now the pressure is on Mayor Daley to decide if he wants another term and to wonder if Emanuel will run against him despite his claim to want to support Da Mayor if he runs again.

The diminutive, oft times profane Emanuel reiterated a few times that he’s not looking to knock Richard Daley out of the office, but one really does have to wonder. Few Presidential Chiefs of Staff last long and one can be pretty sure that Emanuel will be gone for that position sooner rather than later. So, is he really, really sure that he won’t run to beat Daley?

This is a question that Daley would be foolish not to be asking himself.
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Rahm Emanuel: ‘I Would Like to Run for Mayor of Chicago’”


14th District, Hultgren: The Momentum is Shifting!

From the Hultgren for Congress campaign (14th District)…

Great news from the campaign trail!

This week non partisan political analyst Stu Rothenberg came out with his latest House race rankings, and he’s moved Rep. Bill Foster’s seat closer to the Republican column, calling it a “Pure Toss Up!”

Additionally, thanks to the huge outpouring of support from around the district, our campaign had its best fundraising quarter yet!
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14th District, Hultgren: The Momentum is Shifting!”


Hultgren Moves 14th District to ‘Pure Toss-Up’

-By Warner Todd Huston

According to the Rothenberg Political Report, the race in the 14th Congressional District is now a “pure toss-up” in a political climate in which 44 seats have been moved in favor of Republicans while only 4 have moved in favor of Democrats.

Currently, the 14th District is represented by Democrat Bill Foster who took the seat formerly held by Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert. The Republican candidate for the 14th is Randy Hultgren, currently the State Senator for the 48th District.

Hultgren won the primary pretty handily by defeating Ethan Hastert 54% to Hastert’s 45%.

Hultgren graduated from Wheaton Academy in 1984 and from Bethel University in 1988, Magna Cum Laude. He earned his doctorate degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1993. He’s been both a state rep as well as a senator in Springfield since 1998.

His site can be seen at: http://hultgrenforcongress.com/
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Hultgren Moves 14th District to ‘Pure Toss-Up’”