Illinois Review

Illinois House votes to raise semi-automatic firearm purchases to 21

SPRINGFIELD - In a vote along party lines - with a few exceptions - the Illinois House Democrat majority voted to raise the age for purchase of certain firearms to age 21. Except for one, House Republicans opposed the measure. 

"Assault" weapon is a term used in the United States to define some types of firearms. The definition varies among regulating jurisdictions, but usually includes semi-automatic firearms with a detachable magazine and a pistol grip, and sometimes other features such as a flash suppressor or barrel shroud. 

The NRA opposes raises the age to 21. 

Bump stock ban passes Illinois House with help of several GOP House members

SPRINGFIELD - In an 83 to 31 vote Wednesday, the Illinois House passed a ban on the sale of bump stocks and trigger cranks - additives that allow the swift firing of large numbers of ammunition.

Those investigating the 2017 Las Vegas massacre reported finding bump stocks attached to semi-automatic weapons in the killer's hotel room.

HB 1467 "prohibits 90 days after the effective date of the bill, the knowing sale, manufacture, purchase, possession, or carrying of a bump stock or trigger crank. Defines 'bump stock' and 'trigger crank'. Establishes penalties. Effective immediately."

The bill will now move to the Illinois Senate. 

Illinois state worker reviews objections to mandatory union fees on Fox & Friends

SPRINGFIELD - Tuesday, Illinois state worker Mark Janus and Liberty Justice Center attorney Jacob Huebert explained on "Fox & Friends" the objections Janus has against forced union dues, and their thoughts the day after Janus vs AFSCME oral arguments were heard before the U.S. Supreme Court.

In an interview with Chicago Sun-Times Lynn Sweet, Attorney General Lisa Madigan said from the questions and comments raised by the justices, she saw Chief Justice John Roberts as the determining factor over a court split on the decision. 

Chicago's new City Key could be used for non-citizens' voter registration

CHICAGO - Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's new non-citizen ID would be used for voter registration. The topic was center stage Tuesday night on Fox News with Tucker Carlson as he interviewed Chicago Alderman Amaya Pawar, who sponsored the City Key measure in the city council.

Questions were raised about the issue of Chicagoans registering non-citizens years ago when Congressman Luis Gutierrez encouraged a rally of immigrants to vote in 2006. Illinois Review wrote about it then. 

New poll shows Rauner, Pritzker ahead in primaries; Rauner losing to Dem in General

CARBONDALE - Governor Rauner leads challenger Jeanne Ives by 20 points in Illinois' GOP gubernatorial primary race, but would lose in the fall to either Democrat J.B. Pritzker or Daniel Biss, a new poll released by Southern Illinois University's Paul Simon Public Policy Institute said Wednesday. 

“It’s interesting that Pritzker’s and Biss’s margins over Rauner are essentially the same in The Simon Poll,” said Charlie Leonard, an Institute visiting professor involved in the polling. “One explanation may be that in the minds of voters—who may know little about either Biss or Pritzker—the decision may come down to ‘Rauner versus not-Rauner.’ If the election were held today, I’d rather be ‘not-Rauner.’”

Chicago cardinal joins Illinois Democrats' gun control effort

Catholic Conference Bob Gilligan introduces Cardinal Cupich to reporters Wednesday

SPRINGFIELD - Wednesday morning, Cardinal Blaise Cupich joined calls for more gun control in Illinois, a state with already some of the nation's most stringent gun restrictions. Cupich joined the effort following the high school shooting in Parkland Florida two weeks ago.

“Our young people are shaming the adult world to recall that the principle rights among all those we hold inalienable in this nation are the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” Cupich told reporters in a press conference hosted by the Catholic Conference.

He said children in Newtown and Parkland were denied those rights. 

Moms demand more regulations on Illinois gun dealers

SPRINGFIELD - The gun control group "Moms Demand Action" will be in the faces of state lawmakers Wednesday, holding "corrupt gun dealers accountable."

The group says in a press statement they expect hundreds of mothers to gather at the State Capitol. "Moms Demand Action" is affiliated with the group "Everytown," founded by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. 

While several gun control bills are to be considered on the Illinois House floor, Moms Demand Action will be lobbying lawmakers to support the Gun Dealer Licensing Act, SB 1657. The measure would require gun dealers to adopt "responsible practices" and "hold corrupt dealers accountable."

Thorner: Sneak preview of Gosnell film stirs anticipation of nationwide October 2018 release

By Nancy Thorner -

A sneak peek screening of Gosnell, America's Biggest Serial Killer, was shown last Saturday evening to an overflow audience at Christian Liberty Academy in Arlington Heights. The film, which focuses on one of the most deadly abortionists in American history, is scheduled to be released to the public in October.

Producers Phelim McAleer, Ann McElhinney, who have so far produced six documentaries on an array of topics, have been conducting sneak peek screenings of the Gosnell movie throughout the nation since last fall as a way to promote their movie that Hollywood and others don’t want gotten out to the general public.

As a defense lawyer in the Gosnell movie for abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell said: Dr. Gosnell was only serving the needs of the poor women of Philadelphia. What he did was in keeping with a women's right to choose." 

IR Contributor Mark Weyermuller featured by Illinois Channel at CPAC

MARYLAND - Illinois Channel caught up with Illinois Review contributor Mark Weyermuller at the annual CPAC meeting in the D.C. area last week. Interviewer Terry Martin asked Weyermuller about the meeting and his thoughts as an Illinoisan about the conservative message promoted at CPAC. 

Wirepoints - Rauner’s failed record: The best case for a reform agenda in Illinois

By Ted Dabrowski - 

Gov. Bruce Rauner’s leadership failures have deflated the political pressure for spending and economic reforms in Illinois.

For three years, he couldn’t convince the legislature to pursue his reform agenda. He made things worse when he abandoned those reforms over time. As a result, the end of the two-year budget impasse left Illinoisans with no reforms and a 32 percent income tax hike. Now, in his latest budget address, Rauner has willingly embracedthe tax hike he opposed just months ago. Gone is the reformer who would turn around Illinois.

But while Rauner deserves his share of the blame for Illinois’ continued decline, the reform policies he initially espoused can’t be blamed. They were never implemented. Other than a misguided increase in funding for K-12 education, Rauner’s reforms were constantly rejected by House Speaker Mike Madigan.

The reality is Illinois declined due to the status-quo agenda set by Madigan and the state's former governors, from Jim Edgar to Pat Quinn. It’s their policies that are still locked in place. Illinois still has the same fake budget process. The same punishingworkers’ comp laws. The same restrictive labor laws. Growing pension promises.More borrowing. And ever-increasing property and income tax burdens.

Illinois Review breaks precedent, endorses in governor's race

For the first time in its 13-year history, Illinois Review is endorsing a candidate.

Why are we breaking our long-standing tradition?

Three reasons: 1) the desperate need for leadership to address the economic and cultural crisis Illinois presently finds itself in; 2) the preservation and promotion of rational and conservative principles and public policy in the Land of Lincoln; and 3) the soul of the Republican Party.

Ives points to Florida school shooting as "failure of government"

GOP candidate Ives displays this photo on her Facebook page

HOMEWOOD - In light of the furor over last week's school shooting in Parkland Florida, IL GOP gubernatorial primary candidate Jeanne Ives says she is open to arming teachers to protect their students, but with several crucial stipulations:

"The teachers would have to be trained, agree to continue to be trained and practice, and they would need to personally want to do it," Ives told Illinois Review during a meet and greet at south suburban Homewood's Aurelio Pizza Sunday afternoon. 

But the first step in correcting the problem, she said, is to make sure government is accountable. 

GOP state lawmaker proposes gun control measures to "protect public safety"

CRYSTAL LAKE – In the wake of another violent attack, State Representative Barbara Wheeler (R-Crystal Lake) says Illinois cannot continue to wait to take action to protect citizens from mass shootings.

NRA responds after losing more corporate sponsors

FAIRFAX, VA – The more than five million law-abiding members of the National Rifle Association have enjoyed discounts and cost-saving programs from many American corporations that have partnered with the NRA to expand member benefits. 

Democrat-controlled Illinois legislature to take up new gun control measures this week

SPRINGFIELD - Illinois lawmakers are likely to begin voting on a number of gun control measures when they return to the Capitol next week, Springfield radio station WMAY is reporting:

Illinois lawmakers will start voting next week on a package of gun-related bills in the aftermath of the Florida school shooting.

House Speaker Mike Madigan says a package of bills will be brought forward, including a measure to require state licensing of gun dealers, prohibiting the sale of assault-style weapons to anyone under 21, and putting new restrictions on access to firearms for anyone with a history of mental illness.

Another measure would make it easier for family members to intervene and have guns taken away from a relative who may pose a danger to himself or others.

More HERE

Rauner in DC for Supreme Court argument hearing on mandatory union dues case

Gov Rauner after SCOTUS hearing Monday, with Liberty Justice Center's Pat Hughes to right

WASHINGTON - Monday, Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner attended oral arguments before the Supreme Court of the United States on Janus v. AFSCME, a landmark court case that, his office says, "aims to restore free speech to public employees and forever alter the relationship between taxpayers and public unions."

Rauner boasted what he claims as his part in initiating the case.

Where’s Weyermuller? At CPAC 2018 in Washington D.C.

By Mark Weyermuller -

The highlight of the week was President Donald Trump addressing the crowd of 7000 at CPAC 2018.

Thousands more watched the president online, and perhaps millions more watched on CSPAN, Fox News, and other cable outlets which aired his 75 minutes live. The president had a prepared speech on the teleprompter but chose to go offscript and just talk to the enthusiastic crowd.

GOP State rep threatened with "shot in the f****** head" in anonymous voice mail

WINFIELD - Tensions over a GOP primary race in DuPage County have ratcheted up to an anonymous death threat level. Friday night at about 10:30 PM, an anonymous caller left the following voice mail on State Rep. Peter Breen's (R-Lombard) campaign phone: 

(Caution: Voicemail contains vulgarities and a death threat)

Thorner: Illinois lawmakers, beware of deceptive, sweet-talking ERA proponents

By Nancy Thorner - 

The late Phyllis Schlafly, an American constitutional lawyer and conservative political leader, is famous for her crusade against the Equal Rights Amendment. It was on October 1972 that Phyllis Schlafly founded and appointed herself national chairman of STOP ERA. Before then, Schlafly had been a political activist for 20 years.

Masters in Manufacturing: Perseverance in the face of challenge spells success

HM Manufacturing’s Nicole Wolter

WAUCONDA - Nicole Wolter has a huge challenge facing her and HM Manufacturing - the business she and her father Ken Wolter, now own as partners.

That current test is similar to ones business owners face every day: how to fulfill a customer’s latest demands.

Nicole Wolter is finding a way to nearly double the speed and efficiency of the multi-national company’s food processing machines in order to meet their customer demands.

It’s a good challenge, Wolter says. One she plans to meet.

How Often Do Citizens Use Guns to Stop Violence?

How often does legal gun possession prevent crime? If you don’t think it happens very often then you might think a policy of restricting gun rights will lead to greater public safety. The question is difficult to assess because it involves events that rarely get reported—as when a would-be criminal doesn’t commit a crime because he is deterred by the knowledge that a potential target is armed. That point is lost when the question is conflated—as it often is—with the question “What’s more common, crimes committed with guns or justifiable shootings of criminals in the act?”

Despite the inherent opaqueness of the issue, there has been some research on it, which Jim Agresti has rounded up:

Can Climate Models Predict Climate Change?

Predicting climate temperatures isn't science – it's science fiction. Emeritus Professor of Physics at Princeton University Will Happer explains.

Rauner endorsed by Chicago legacy media

CHICAGO - Governor Rauner is the hands down favorite of Chicago legacy media editorial boards in the March 20th IL GOP gubernatorial primary - the same Chicago media that boosted Democrat Barack Obama from a lowly state senator to new heights every time he ran for office, including President of the United States. Twice.

Ives shares personal experience when doctors recommended abortion

FLOSSMOOR - Thursday, GOP gubernatorial candidate Jeanne Ives called for a repeal of taxpayer funding of abortions while standing in front of Illinois' newest Planned Parenthood in Flossmoor, Illinois. 

"I stand with you, I will always stand with you on this issue," Ives said. "Abortion hurts women."

Ives, the only woman in the gubernatorial primary for either of the state's major parties, shared her personal experience when doctors counseled her to abort her fifth child: 

The complete press conference is available HERE. 

Rauner remains top incumbent governor expected to be ousted in 2018

WASHINGTON - POLITICO updated its list the top 10 most threatened incumbent governors Friday, and Illinois' Republican Governor Bruce Rauner remains at the top of the list.

Here's how POLITICO's Daniel Strauss sees the race:

Illinois — Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner is running for reelection. (Previous ranking: 1)

Rauner remains the most vulnerable governor in America — but much has changed ahead of the March 20 primary. Rauner's primary challenger, state Rep. Jeanne Ives, is running incendiary television ads aimed at turning conservatives against the incumbent. But things may be even more unsettled on the Democratic side: Controversial comments by self-funding front-runner J.B. Pritzker about African-Americans has widened an opening for his opponents in the primary. State Sen. Daniel Biss has emerged as a top competitor to Pritzker in the primary and points to polls of him leading Rauner in the general election. Both Rauner and Biss have been forced to begin airing attack ads against their two main primary rivals. Rauner and Pritzker, both billionaires, are still likely to win their bruising primaries, setting up the general election to be among the most expensive state races in the nation's history.

More HERE

Race heats up over allegations House candidate used ugly terms conversing with AG candidate

Burt Minor with Erika Harold

 

WINFIELD TOWNSHIP - GOP Township Committeeman Burt Minor does not deny accusations that he asked IL GOP primary candidate for attorney general Erika Harold if she was a "lesbo," or that he used the "n-word" in a conversation last fall. 

 

Minor - who is running for the 42nd IL House seat in the IL GOP primary - says in a statement posted on his Facebook page that his discussion with Harold "was an attempt to point out the unfortunate reality" that Republican voters are commonly not comfortable discussing race and sexual orientation. 

 

His alleged comments, Minor says, were in "no way meant to be offensive." He apologized "is she was in any way offended." 

GOP AG primary race draws attention - new Grasso ad says he's "proud to be pro-life"

CHICAGO - Two Republicans - Champaign area's Erika Harold and DuPage County's Gary Grasso - are vying to be the IL GOP's nominee for attorney general in 2018. 

Longtime Democrat incumbent AG Lisa Madigan is not seeking re-election. As a result, there are several Democrats hoping to win the March 20th party primary and challenge the eventual GOP nominee in November. 

Erika Harold is Governor Bruce Rauner's pick, and the Rauner millions that have been donated to the Illinois Republican Party are heavily financing Harold's campaign. Litigation attorney Gary Grasso is a former member of the DuPage County Board and former mayor of Burr Ridge. The two were among other AG candidates at a recent Chicago Sun-Times forum.

Lake Co Right to Life: Ives is only pro-life candidate running for governor

LAKE COUNTY - At a time when Gallup polling shows the nation evenly split on the abortion issues, Illinois voters that favor life will have only one choice in Illinois' upcoming party primaries, so says Lake County Right to Life.

Gallup's current polling shows 49% of Americans consider themselves "pro-choice" and 46% "pro-life."

The group released its March 20th GOP primary recommendations this week - and only one of the eight candidates of both parties the Lake County Right to Life queried responded. The same one was rated 100% prolife: Republican gubernatorial candidate Jeanne Ives. From Lake County's report:

Among all other statewide office candidates, Lake County Right to Life's findings showed only one that had a prolife voting record from the days she was in the Illinois House: GOP candidate for comptroller Darlene Senger. 

Thorner/Ingold: Emotions a Poor Substitute for Common Sense in Confronting Gun Violence

Parkland students grieve after last week's shooting | ABC photo

By Nancy Thorner & Ed Ingold - 

It is not difficult to appreciate the initial remarks from President Trump on gun violence about the need to stop just talking about gun violence but instead do things that will make a difference; however, we need ideas that are implementable and supportable by reasonable people, not knee-jerk responses that pander to a political position but are not adaptable to actual actions that will lead to a solution.

Fox News on Wednesday morning highlighted students from the Florida high school where 17 students and teachers were killed expressing their “solutions” to gun violence. Their remarks reflected a Pollyanna world view, such as, if only there were no guns (or a certain gun), all the problems would go away. The unfortunate truth is that only a good guy with a gun can effectively stop a bad guy with a gun. That principle applies to warfare, and, too often, life on the streets. Before there were guns, there were swords, arrows, sticks, rocks, hands and feet. There has always been someone undeserving who wants what you have, where you live, or resents who you are, and is willing to kill to get their way.

Di Leo: Lessons to be learned from Third World tragedies and horrors

By John F. Di Leo - 

On Wednesday, February 21, a bus tumbled over a cliff in Peru, killing at least 44 passengers. The bus was traveling on a narrow but important highway, the Pan-American Highway in the state of Arequipa, and the news horrified the nation, as it came less than two months after another almost-identical bus crash on January 2, also killing dozens of victims, on the same stretch of highway, an area so serpentine that sections are known by names like “Devil’s Curve.”

Such events occur on a daily basis in the third world, but rarely make the international news.  Much of the world is arrayed with crumbling infrastructure – from weak bridges to pothole-ridden roads – so traffic accidents, caused not by driver error but the inherent danger of the road, is commonplace.

In the case of the Pan-American Highway, however, we’re talking about a major thoroughfare, one which, despite being only one lane in each direction for much of its most dangerous route, is an important highway, generally running parallel to the Pacific coast for much of Peru.   It has the occasional sign – “Drive Carefully!” – but no guardrails, or width, to help people accomplish such a worthy goal.

UChicago criticized for promoting 'white supremacy ideology' with upcoming Bannon visit

Student organizations at the University of Chicago are now hosting regular teach-ins in response to Steve Bannon's inclusion in an upcoming debate on campus.

Professor Luigi Zingales, who extended the invite to Bannon, continues to defend the decision, explaining that while he disagrees with Bannon, he finds it important for faculty to hear both sides of the debate.

More HERE

The 10 worst colleges for free speech: 2018

The ten worst colleges for free speech. As ranked by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Drexel, Harvard, Los Angeles Community College District, Fordham, Evergreen State, Albion, Northwestern, University of California at Berkeley, and Texas State.

Plus, Depaul wins FIRE’s lifetime censorship award.

More at: “The 10 Worst Colleges for Free Speech: 2018,” from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, February 12.

Occupational Licensing Craziness With Anastasia Boden

Anastasia Boden lays out the craziness that is occupational licensing laws.

Government, John Stossel, and the TSA

Ives: "What the hell is wrong with this governor?" over reports of more Legionnaires' victims

QUINCY - After the report of four more veterans being stricken with Legionnaires' disease in Quincy's Illinois Veterans Home, GOP gubernatorial challenger Jeanne Ives demanded at a press conference Wednesday.

"What the hell is wrong with this governor? Veterans and their families are getting sick and dying, Governor. Get them out of there, now!"

 

From an Ives campaign press release:

Republican primary contenders join call for Madigan to step down over "Sex in the Capitol" scandal

SPRINGFIELD - More calls for Democrat House Speaker Mike Madigan came from Republican primary contenders Wednesday morning. Gubernatorial candidates of both parties, Democrat attorney general candidates as well as others were joined by now-Burr Ridge mayor Mickey Straub and former state Rep. Dwight Kay (R-Glen Carbon), who are running for the House in the March 20th primary.

Calls for Madigan to step down follow sexual harassment allegations from at least two young women that worked for the Speaker's legislative and political staff over the last several years - thus earning the "Sex in the Capitol" scandal tag.

MLK: "Without Dr. Graham, my Civil Rights Movement work would not have been as successful"

Dr. Martin Luther King with Dr. Billy Graham in the late 50s (Charlotte News Observer photo)

ATLANTA - With news of 99 year old evangelist Billy Graham's passing Wednesday morning came a barrage of criticisms from the Left as to Graham's racism and intolerance of other religious views.

Indeed, Graham's center message was always a firm "Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life," quoting from Jesus Christ's words in the Bible's New Testament.

Despite the Left's claims of racism, the Charlotte News Observer reports the late Dr. Martin Luther King once said of Graham, “Had it not been for the ministry of my good friend Dr. Billy Graham, my work in the Civil Rights Movement would not have been as successful as it has been.”

Where’s Weyermuller: Headed for DC's CPAC 2018

 

By Mark Weyermuller -

 

Every year the American Conservative Union puts on CPAC in Washington DC. The Conservative Political Action Conference is an annual political conference attended by conservative activists and elected officials from across the United States. I’ll be attending this week for my second year in a row.

Thorner: Protecting unborn innocents likely more difficult in upcoming Illinois legislative session

By Nancy Thorner - 

The 2018 legislative session in Springfield will be a very difficult year for pro-life issues, state lawmakers predicted last weekend. With abortion advocates dominating the Democrat majority in the Illinois House and Senate and a Republican Governor that supports "choice," as he says, the state could move in an even more radical Left direction in the upcoming year.

Wisconsin lawmakers vote to prohibit taxpayer-funded abortions for state employees

MADISON - The Wisconsin state Senate passed a bill to prohibit state health insurance programs from covering abortions for state workers, sending it to the desk of Republican Gov. Scott Walker Tuesday.

Illinois, also with a Republican governor, moved in the opposition direction. Starting January 1st, 2018, the Democrat-controlled legislature expanded taxpayer funding of abortions for state employees, as well as low-income women on Medicaid.

Delaware proposal would allow 5 year olds to choose their own race and gender

CHICAGO - A proposal that would let students in Delaware as young as 5 choose their own race and gender-identity – without approval from their parents – has sparked a bitter battle. 

Sound absurd to ignore basic science and DNA evidence?

First Delaware. Illinois could be next. Already - as of January 1, 2018 - Illinois allows residents to change their gender identities on their birth certificates  without undergoing anatomical surgeries. 

Charting Academic Freedom

Academic freedom used to be about pursing the truth. Is that still the case? Academic freedom is under attack. Do you know where the idea came from? Do you know how it has evolved over the years? The National Association of Scholars has published a chart comparing 14 major statements on academic freedom published since 1915.

From the introduction:

Antifa groups support Univ. of IL Urbana-Champaign instructor who punched Trump Supporter

University of Illinois instructor Tariq Khan (right). (Photo: Twitter/Pamela Geller)

The Campus Antifascist Network and a Purdue University student organization have come out in support of a graduate instructor who was arrested last year for assaulting two students at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

In November, Campus Reform reported that graduate instructor Tariq Khan had stolen and vandalized the phone of one student, and thrown a punch at another during an anti-Trump protest on campus.

Khan was arrested last year and issued a notice to appear in court for criminal damage to property for destroying one of the students' phones.

More HERE

Clerical error mistakenly ties Liberty Principles PAC to pro-Madigan mailing

CHICAGO - On a day when Speaker Mike Madigan is once again in hot water due to allegations of sexual misbehavior among his campaign staffers (SEE HERE) - a simple clerical error mistakenly seemed to tie Liberty Principles PAC and its originator Dan Proft to a $12k mailing supporting Madigan. 

Along with over $400,000 other expenditures on behalf of Liberty Principles PAC-backed candidates, the report mistakenly says a mailing Proft made in Madigan's 22nd District was on behalf of Madigan, causing a bit of an uproar among Illinois political insiders Monday afternoon.

All Illinois GOP Congress members receive 100% rating on family group's scorecard

WASHINGTON DC - The premiere conservative pro-family organization in the nation's capital released its annual Legislative Scorecard Monday.

Family Research Council Action scored all seven Republican U.S. House members from Illinois at 100% correct. The highest scoring Democrat was Rep. Dan Lipinski, at 44%:

Illinois' DePaul University denies Crowder, says he doesn't 'align' with mission

DePaul University is refusing to allow a conservative student group to host commentator and comedian Steven Crowder, saying Crowder's approach doesn't "align" with the school's mission.

According to an email sent to the president of DePaul's YAF chapter, the Speaker Review Board "came to the conclusion that [Crowder] creates videos to purposely to rouse and provoke people by making fun of the opposing side."

More HERE

What You Need to Know About Planned Parenthood

CHICAGO - WLS 890AM's last remaining conservative talk show host Stephanie Trussell defies the Left's pressure to focus on the NRA to blame for multiple deaths while the Left upholds Planned Parenthood abortion clinics as good for women and girls. 

"Planned Parenthood kills humans daily," Trussell tweeted Monday morning. 

Breaking: Rauner campaign mentions the words "Donald Trump"

SPRINGFIELD - Today's Rauner re-election campaign's "breaking news" headline?  The Republican governor mentions the name "Donald Trump" in a press release issued Monday morning. 

There are two names the governor has avoided saying and thus acknowledging the Republicans exist and are in the places they are: "President Donald Trump" and GOP primary challenger "Jeanne Ives."

New Ives ad focuses on Rauner betraying social conservatives

WHEATON - Illinois TV viewers have been told by Governor Rauner's campaign for the last couple of weeks that GOP challenger State Rep. Jeanne Ives is "Madigan's favorite Republican." Anyone that is keeps up on Springfield politics is well aware that Ives is not Madigan's favorite Republican, and that the comments used in Rauner's campaign were scoffing responses to the governor blaming Madigan for none of Rauner's Turnaround Agenda being put into effect.

In response, Ives - who has a considerably smaller campaign budget than Rauner's $65M - released a new ad on the internet called "Rauner’s Friends."  The ad, her campaign says, "exposes Bruce Rauner’s real political allies in Springfield." 

Weyermuller: Thousands pay respect to slain Chicago Police Commander

By Mark Weyermuller - 

Thousands mourned the death of Chicago Police Commander Paul Bauer Saturday after he was killed earlier in the week during a foot chase with a four-time felon just outside downtown's Thompson Building.

The funeral mass took place at the Nativity Of Our Lord Church in the city's Bridgeport neighborhood. All the trees and light posts were decorated with blue ribbons throughout the neighborhood heavily populated with police, fire and city employee families. Several hundred gathered in the main church sanctuary with overflow of another thousand in the church basement watching on video screens. Outside in 27 degree temperatures, thousands stood and listened on loud speakers. Many more Chicagoans watched the funeral and processional live on television.