Ill. Dem. Senate Candidate Being Funded by Terror Connected Financier?

-By Warner Todd Huston

Daniel Halper asks a whopper of a question, one that could cause quite a lot of trouble for Democrat Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias of Illinois. Halper reveals that one of Giannoulias’ donors is a man connected with a foundation with link to terror organizations.

Sahloul is the former president of the Mosque Foundation, a Bridgeview mosque that has numerous links to terrorist organizations. The Mosque Foundation contributed roughly $400,000 to four Islamic charities that were later shut down by the federal government for links to terrorism. According to the Chicago Tribune, the organizations receiving funds were: the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, the Benevolence International Foundation, the Islamic American Relief Agency, and Global Relief Foundation.

Apparently the Mosque Foundation’s Imam led an effort to raise $50,000 to help with the legal costs incurred by Sami Al-Arian, a University of South Florida professor who was convicted of raising money for terrorism in Palestine.

So what about this? Is Alexi Giannoulias taking money from a group with certain connections to terrorism?

Is the what Illinois wants as their representative in the Senate?
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Ill. Dem. Senate Candidate Being Funded by Terror Connected Financier?”


GOP Boss Pat Brady: ‘We Won’t Make Big Deal of Blago Verdict.’… Ill. GOP Being the Stupid Party Again?

-By Warner Todd Huston

On WBEZ radio the Chairman of the Illinois GOP made an odd statement. He told the radio station that he didn’t think the Illinois GOP was going to make a big deal out of the upcoming verdict in troubled Democrat Governor Rod Blagojevich’s trial.

Not make a big deal of it? Why in the name of all things political would the leader of a Party throw away one of the best things that could happen to his party: the conviction of the other party’s head man?

When asked about the Blago verdict, Brady said, “You know, we could make a lot of political hay out of it. I don’t think we will, because [I’ll] just [be] relieved it’s over.”

We won’t make any political hay out of it?

Unbelievable.
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GOP Boss Pat Brady: ‘We Won’t Make Big Deal of Blago Verdict.’… Ill. GOP Being the Stupid Party Again?”


Congressman Melissa “No Questions Please” Bean And Her Intimidating Enforcers

-By Warner Todd Huston

It is interesting to watch this video of a recent townhall held by Chicago area Congressman Melissa Bean (8th District). First she does her level best to avoid actually answering any questions and then when a constituent gets tired of the tap dancing she sends a guy that looks like a bar bouncer over to that person to stand over them in a threatening manner.

Notice that the enforcer comes over to intimidate not just the guy making the video here but another constituent, a middle aged woman.

Also I love the part about the questions. The congressman is right there for everyone to ask questions of her, yet she tells them to email her? Really? Email!?

If you’d like to contact the Round Lake Area Library where this happened, Lake County Tea Party has the contact info.
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Congressman Melissa “No Questions Please” Bean And Her Intimidating Enforcers”


Ill. State Rep. Randy Ramey (55th District) Will Introduce Arizona-Style Anti-Illegal Immigrant Law in Springfield

-By Warner Todd Huston

On August 8, Representative Randy Ramey of the 55th District told an audience at the Tri-County Tea Party that he’d introduce a law in Illinois that mirrors Arizona’s anti-illegal immigrant law.

Ramey told the crowd that in August he would be introducing the Arizona-like law here in Illinois “in the next few weeks.”

On what that law means, Ramey said, “We’re not pulling people off the streets, we’re not pulling them out of ice cream stores, we are not taking them out of their houses.”

“If you break the law, they’re going to ask you for your identification. If you don’t have your identification then they can start asking questions about your naturalization and are you a citizen of this country. It’s that simple ladies and gentlemen and that’s what we’re going to take care of here in Illinois.”


Illinois Republican Party Launches ‘Dismiss Quinn’ Web Site

Site to Offer Updates, Summaries and Links to Coverage

The Illinois Republican Party today launched a comprehensive web site, DismissQuinn.com, to show voters why Pat Quinn should be “dismissed” as governor this fall. The “Dismiss Quinn” title refers to comments from the late Chicago Mayor Harold Washington. “Pat Quinn is a totally and completely undisciplined individual,” Washington said when he fired Quinn as his Revenue Director. “He was dismissed, he should have been dismissed. [His appointment was] my greatest mistake in government.”
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Illinois Republican Party Launches ‘Dismiss Quinn’ Web Site”


Illinois: Is the State Fair an Entitlement?

-By Warner Todd Huston

Let me start this by saying I am not against state fairs. State fairs have a long tradition in America and often serve as a focal point for the community, most especially the rural, farm community. But a state fair is neither a “right,” nor an entitlement. Unfortunately, the attitude that a state must have a fair is just another abuse of what the role of government should be, especially in the United States. We are not a monarchy and when a state is billions in the red a state fair is the last thing people should be wasting state money on.

In fact I’d say canceling the state fair because of the deficit that politicians have gotten us into might be one way to get people to understand that they should be voting these politicians out of office.

In Illinois this whole state fair discussion arises from Pat “the accidental Governor” Quinn’s ire over what a Chicago-based conservative think tank said about the bankrupt state spending money it doesn’t have on an elaborate state fair.
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Illinois: Is the State Fair an Entitlement?”


Survey of Dem’s Most Loved Republicans: A Guide on Whom to Fire?

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Hill conducted its annual survey of how congressmen feel about each other and the answers are instructive. The survey found that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D. Calif.) is the most partisan, unwelcoming, hard to work with politician in all of the House of Representatives. But the list of Republicans that congressional leftists love should serve as the list of those voters should fire in November and after.

The Hill, however, did have an interesting point on why the extremist, left-wing, loud, hectoring, shrill Pelosi has been able to so easily get her anti-American policy agenda through Congress. She has a willing and able assistant in Steny Hoyer (D, Md.), a man that many congressmen like and find not to be the wholly leftist ideologue that Pelosi is.

As The Hill puts it, it’s sort of a good-cop-bad-cop relationship. The shrill Pelosi makes her extremist demands but it is the smooth, seemingly moderate Hoyer that gets people to sign on to those demands.
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Survey of Dem’s Most Loved Republicans: A Guide on Whom to Fire?”


New Father Pfleger Reality TV Show: Blessing The Mayor’s Office

-By Warner Todd Huston

Those chickens have come home to roost… or at least they will during the upcoming mayoral election in the Windy City if the new reality TV show being shopped by Chicago’s incendiary Father Michael Pfleger is concerned.

Chicago’s gadfly Father Pfleger, close friend of Minister Louis Farrakhan, outspoken anti-gun crusader, sanctuary city supporter, and liberation theologist is the Southside religious leader who once openly wished for the death of a local businessman and also once said, “America is the greatest sin against God.” Pfleger has been the subject of many “reviews” by the Catholic Church and was once suspended after attacking Hillary Clinton as a “white person” who felt privileged because of her race.

New show producer, Bud Billikin of Chicago’s South Side Productions, Inc., has announced that the new show will follow the Father Pfleger as he embarks on the adventure of a lifetime, a run for Mayor of Chicago.

On Friday Pfleger is expected to announce his run against long-time Democrat strongman Richard Daley whose father, a Mayor before him, was famed for having “helped” JFK win the White House in 1960.
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New Father Pfleger Reality TV Show: Blessing The Mayor’s Office”


250+ Residents Pack Joel Pollak’s Town Hall‏

From the Pollak for Congress campaign (9th District)…

Niles, IL – Over 250 residents of the 9th congressional district packed Joel Pollak’s town hall meeting last night in Skokie at the Holiday Inn on Touhy Avenue.

For two hours, Pollak held an open forum in which residents were able to ask him questions and raise concerns about critical issues facing the district and the nation.

“I’m amazed by the turnout,” Pollak said. “It exceeded our expectations, by far. We had to ask the hotel to bring in extra chairs. Even then, it was standing-room-only.
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250+ Residents Pack Joel Pollak’s Town Hall‏”


Hilarious: Lefty Threatens to Sue Illinois Political Blog

-By Warner Todd Huston

This is pretty funny… well, not so funny if you are The Illinois Review, one of our fine political news blogs in Illinois. Apparently billionaire Nadhmi Auchi has sent a threatening letter to the blog demanding that they delete an August 9 post linking Auchi to Democrat Senate candidate Alexi “the Mob Banker” Giannoulias.

The letter issued by attorneys Carter-Ruck demands that the August 9 piece be removed due to “defamatory and untrue allegations.” The letter also says that Carter-Ruck thinks that the source for the blog post was the Observer (of London) and the New York Times.

Apparently the nitwits at Carter-Ruck didn’t actually READ the post in question, however. The actually source for the blog post is clearly featured at the top of the body copy. Any fool can see that the blog post came “from the IL GOP,” as is noted on the actual post itself. This is a press release from the Illinois Republican Party, not an Illinois Review authored piece.
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Hilarious: Lefty Threatens to Sue Illinois Political Blog”


Ill. Policy Institute: The Bus

From the Illinois Policy Institute…

Put it All on Red!
Last week, the White House released a cartoon video explaining their new financial reform package and the causes of the current financial crisis. Apparently, the banks took your money, jaunted over to the casino, and blew all your money on roulette. Sadly, it’s not surprising to see the government accepting no responsibility for its role in this crisis. Watch the video above.

The Turnaround Starts Tuesday!
For years, Illinois politicians have driven our state in the wrong direction—a direction that’s leading us to financial ruin. It’s time we try a different (and better) path. That’s what we’re trying to accomplish with the Illinois Turnaround Tour. We’ve decked out a bus (see image below) and are driving around the state next week and the week after to send a message to Springfield! On Tuesday, August 17, we are taking the tour to Decatur and on Thursday, we are going to be at the State Fair. The week after, we are in Schaumburg and Joliet. For details on future Turnaround events, click here.
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Ill. Policy Institute: The Bus”


Brady for Illinois: Rasmussen Says Race is a ‘Toss Up’

From the Brady for Illinois Governor campaign…

While political polls will come and go between now and November, we thought you’d be interested in some great news!

A new, independent poll released today shows Bill’s lead over Governor Pat Quinn is growing. The new poll shows Bill now leads Governor Quinn 48 to 35.
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Brady for Illinois: Rasmussen Says Race is a ‘Toss Up’”


It’s All In The Family In Suburban McCook

From the office of Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica…

In the small suburban Cook County village of McCook it’s all about hiring as many relatives to the village payroll as possible.

It is mind-boggling to find out that a village as small as McCook (only 250 residents) — has at least 12 relatives of Mayor Jeffery Tobolski, including his own wife who work or contract for something with the village of McCook.
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It’s All In The Family In Suburban McCook”


2 Property Tax Changes That Should be Repealed

From the campaign of Dan Patlak for the Cook County Board of Review…

Two changes recently made to the property tax code by Governor Quinn and the state legislature are bad for taxpayers and should be repealed.

The first change is a “Senior Penalty” requiring that Senior Exemptions be renewed every year. Evidently, our lawmakers believe that once homeowners turn 65 they may actually get younger. The requirement for seniors to renew each year is an unnecessary burden on seniors as well as the County Assessor’s office which must repeatedly process paperwork year after year for taxpayers who have already proven they are eligible for the exemption. The result is more administrative expense, more missed exemptions, more refund applications and more confusion for seniors.
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2 Property Tax Changes That Should be Repealed”


Right Nation 2010 Features Training Conference

Conservatives, Republicans and Tea Party Independents Prepare for Victory Six Weeks Before November Election

CHICAGO – As part of the Right Nation 2010 effort to prepare candidates, activists, volunteers and leaders for the final six weeks before the November election, nationally-recognized speakers and grassroots groups will be at the Right Nation 2010 Conference to train Midwest conservatives, Republicans and Tea Party independents to win.

Groups such as American Majority, Americans for Prosperity, Leadership Institute, Freedom Works and others will present high-level seminars on such topics as “getting out the vote,” “using social networking to energize the base,” and “how to deal with the media in the run-up to the election.”
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Right Nation 2010 Features Training Conference”


Bill Brady for Illinois: New Video and Endorsements

Citing Bill’s commitment to fighting job-killing taxes and his pro-jobs agenda, the Illinois Chamber of Commerce today endorsed Brady for Illinois in the race for Governor!

Today’s endorsement follows in the wake of another important endorsement earlier this week by the National Federation of Independent Businesses, an organization committed to helping small businesses grow and stay competitive.

These endorsements prove Brady/ Plummer is the only campaign in this election that stands with families and business owners to create real jobs and protect taxpayers from political insiders like Pat Quinn who put big government before the people.
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Bill Brady for Illinois: New Video and Endorsements”


Illinois Congressman Dan Rostenkowski, 1928 – 2010

-By Warner Todd Huston

Disgraced former Congressman Dan Rostenkowski of Illinois passed away today at his summer home in Wisconsin. He was 82.

It says something about American politics that a corrupt influence peddler and ultimately an inmate and ex-con like Rostenkowski had a “summer home,” doesn’t it?

Being part of the corrupt Richard J. Daley Democrat political machine, Rostenkowski was in it up to his neck for his entire adult life and well did he wield that insider power built on deals made in smoke-filled rooms, by under the table agreements, and through influence peddling. He was a true “Chicago way” pol.

For folks our age (those over 40-years-old) Rostenkowski is best remembered as the pol that went to jail over the House Post Office scandal of the mid 1990s. In the end, in 1996, he pleaded guilty to two counts of mail fraud serving 17 months at the Oxford Correctional Facility in Wisconsin.
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Illinois Congressman Dan Rostenkowski, 1928 – 2010″


National GOP Officials Announce Investment in Ill. GOP Races

WASHINGTON – The Republican National Committee (RNC) today announced its Illinois D2H Victory campaign to establish the grassroots political operation to ensure Republican candidates are successful in November. In partnership with the Illinois Republican Party (IL GOP), the RNC is providing funding and resources to build the in-state GOP structure to support Republican leaders.

The RNC will devote the resources necessary to enhance the IL GOP’s ability to effectively reach Republican voters and tap into the state’s grassroots volunteer base. This investment in Republican state parties is a critical part of the RNC’s Delaware to Hawaii (“D2H”) strategy to compete aggressively in all fifty states.
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National GOP Officials Announce Investment in Ill. GOP Races”


Americans For Prosperity, Illinois: It’s Time to Get to Work… November is Coming!‏

Join Americans for Prosperity, Glenn Beck, Right Nation 2010
September 18, 2010 at the Sears Centre Arena, Hoffman Estates, Illinois…

Americans for Prosperity is proud to announce its partnership with Glenn Beck and Right Nation 2010. Join us for an unprecedented event featuring national conservative organizations and popular political & media personalities in the 10,000-seat arena.

Americans for Prosperity is offering an EXCLUSIVE Pre-Ticket Sale! (For more information click here)
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Americans For Prosperity, Illinois: It’s Time to Get to Work… November is Coming!‏”


Dan Proft: Channeling Texas

From Dan Proft…

Like most Americans, I recently spent a quiet Saturday evening pouring over the state-by-state nonfarm payroll employment numbers for the month of June generously provided by the gnomes at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In the course of my review I noted that Texas enjoyed the nation’s largest over-the-month increase in employment with 14,000 more Texans gainfully employed in June than there were in May.

This reminded me of a CNNMoney.com report I stumbled across a few weeks earlier listing the top 25 counties in America in terms of job growth over the last decade.
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Dan Proft: Channeling Texas”


Outrageous Pensions Turning Ill. Teachers into Millionaires

-By Warner Todd Huston

Over at Champion News Bill Zettler has been doing a fantastic job of following and chronicling the completely out of control pensions of Illinois public employees and this week he asks why Governor Quinn wants to raise taxes just to make millionaires of retiring teachers.

Zettler found two teachers that will be making in excess of a million dollars in pension payouts.

Check out this obscene total:
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Outrageous Pensions Turning Ill. Teachers into Millionaires”


A Suggestion for a Cook Co. Election Reform

-By Phil Collins

Phil Collins has an interesting idea to help reform Cook County elections. He posted his idea on his Examiner blog.

In 101 Illinois counties, voters, in the Republican, Democrat, and Green Party primaries, may vote for precinct committeemen, during each primary that is held during even-numbered years. In Cook County, voters may not vote for that office. In that county, voters elect ward and township committeemen, and those committeemen are able to appoint and fire precinct captains.

I think that Cook Co. voters should be able to vote for precinct committeemen, similarly to Illinois’ other 101 counties. If you agree, please contact your state senator and state representative and ask them to propose a bill, to implement this change. I emailed my suggestion to Sen. Brady, Sen. Radogno, Rep. Cross, and Rep. Coulson (my state rep.), but none of them responded.


Schilling-Hare in Virtual Tie in Latest Poll

From the Schilling for Congress campaign (17th District)…

“Schilling is well positioned to beat Hare this November”

EAST MOLINE, IL–Public Opinion Strategies, a national political and public affairs research firm, recently released the results of a survey in the Illinois 17th Congressional District, which showed a dead heat between Rep. Phil Hare, Democrat, and his Republican challenger, Bobby Schilling. According to the poll, Schilling was within 2 points of Hare, with a margin of error of +/- 5.66%. This is the second poll to come out in recent weeks, showing that this particular Congressional race has become extremely competitive.
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Schilling-Hare in Virtual Tie in Latest Poll”


Property Tax Education Center and Tax Facts Video Release‏

From the Patlak for Cook County Board of Review campaign…

With real estate values declining and property taxes rising, it is important to have a representative within our county government who is dedicated to making sure taxpayers get a fair hearing when they appeal their property assessment. My name is Dan Patlak and I am a candidate for Commissioner of the Cook County Board of Review which reviews property assessment appeals. Unlike my Chicago Machine opponent, I possess the formal education, professional credentials, real world experience and demonstrated actions as a Taxpayer Advocate that make me uniquely qualified to lead the Board of Review. Details confirming this can be found in my biography.
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Property Tax Education Center and Tax Facts Video Release‏”


The End Justifies the Means / What does the Illinois Republican Party stand for?

A message from the Michael White for Illinois Governor campaign…

The End Justifies the Means
What does the Illinois Republican Party stand for?

The Illinois Republican Party, a party that claims to support “less litigation*,” retained attorneys and a private investigator to limit your choice in the November 2nd election. To block ballot access, they have attacked the candidates, the petition circulators and challenged the intention of Illinois voters.
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The End Justifies the Means / What does the Illinois Republican Party stand for?”


Third Way Expert Sam Hodas

More of a multi-part series from the Palatine Tea Party…

(Palatine, Illinois) – Sam Hodas worked for Congresswoman Melissa Bean’s staff from 2007-2009 as a legislative assistant and a constituent services representative. He went to work for Third Way in late 2009 where he currently is a Policy Advisor for Third Way’s Clean Energy Initiative. Bean voted YES for Cap and Trade on 06/26/2009.
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Third Way Expert Sam Hodas”


Roskam Gives Republicans Weekly Address

From Roskam’s Office…

Rep. Peter Roskam (R-IL) Delivers Weekly Republican Address

Rep. Roskam: “Back in Illinois and around the country, the situation has reached a boiling point. Americans are asking ‘where are the jobs?’ and – forget about getting answers – they can’t even get President Obama and Washington Democrats to listen to their concerns.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In the Weekly Republican Address, Rep. Peter Roskam (R-IL) says President Obama needs to listen to the American people, who are asking ‘where are the jobs?,’ and abandon his failing ‘stimulus’ policies in favor of common-sense solutions that will promote private sector job creation. Republicans are listening to the American people through America Speaking Out and offering better solutions to cut spending now and help small businesses get people working again. Now in his second term in Congress, Rep. Roskam represents Illinois’ Sixth Congressional District and serves as job-creation policy director for America Speaking Out. Text of the address follows; audio of the address is available here and video of the address will be available here once the embargo is lifted.
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Roskam Gives Republicans Weekly Address”