From “Fomer Quigley Supporter:”
14th Congressional District Update 6/24/19–2nd Amendment and Gun Violence
Today’s update is on the 2nd amendment and gun violence, given what Congresswoman Underwood did in Batavia yesterday.
As has been said elsewhere, discerning Republican primary voters will likely be taking apart what all of the congressional candidates say and do about the issues, including the 2nd amendment and what Congress should do concerning gun violence.
It is necessary for voters to apply discernment in order to cast informed votes in the March 17, 2020, Republican primary in order to nominate the best Republican who can beat Lauren Underwood in November of 2020 on all of the issues.
Republican primary voters are smart, and if most/all cast informed votes, the most qualified candidate will also be the one who can win in November of 2020.
Congresswoman Lauren Underwood’s Invitation-only Meeting of Stakeholders and Gun Violence Prevention Advocacy Groups in Batavia 6/23/19
Departing from her town hall meetings strategy and being accessible to all voters in the 14th district, Congresswoman Underwood held an invitation-only meeting with gun violence prevention advocacy groups and other stakeholders “…hoping they will help mobilize efforts this summer for gun reform.”
This meeting took place yesterday in the city of Batavia.
Underwood’s approach sounds like what the ISRA reported last month how SB 1966 was approached, first with all stakeholders, and then excluding 2nd amendment rights supporters from the General Assembly discussions. Fortunately, SB 1966 did not pass this legislative session.
Congresswoman Underwood stated yesterday at a post-meeting news conference:
“I stand with all of you today to call on the Senate to bring these bills to a vote and send them to the president’s desk. We can’t wait.”
Underwood also said at the post meeting press conference:
“Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell several times has expressed reluctance to consider ‘bipartisan, common sense legislation,’ Underwood said. ‘The American people speaking out boldly,’ would help convince him to do otherwise, she said.”
First, some additional facts the Chicago Tribune article did not include.
There are 2 pieces of legislation concerning the 2nd amendment which have passed the House back in late February and awaiting action in the Senate. They are:
— H.R. 8: Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019
— H.R. 1112: Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2019
The links below will allow anyone to read what specifically is in these 2 pieces of legislation. Now, let’s apply some discernment to what Underwood is saying.
“bipartisan, common sense legislation”
The terms “bipartisan” and “bipartisanship” have been used a lot lately.
When Underwood talks about “bipartisan” what does that really means?
Let’s look at the final vote counts for both bills when they passed the House:
— H.R. 8: Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019, 240-190; 8 Republicans in favor, 2 Democrats opposed
— H.R. 1112: Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2019, 228-198, 3 Republicans in favor, 7 Democrats opposed
Underwood thinks the support on the final vote for both pieces of legislation because they have barely 4% and 2% Republican votes in the affirmative is “bipartisan” support?
I guess we can look at the number of Democrats who voted against these 2 bills and can claim “bipartisan opposition”, right?
Throwing around terms like “bipartisanship” makes for a nice news story, but the truth is a reasonable person would not call either support or opposition as “bipartisan” to those 2 pieces of legislation given their respective vote counts.
Personally, I think to call something with bipartisan support, it should have at least 10% or more of affirmative votes from both parties to even be considered to be called “bipartisan”.
It wouldn’t be right for opponents to call the vote totals “bipartisan opposition”, and we do not want to dumb-down to Underwood’s level and calling a single-digit number of members of a political party as bipartisan. Discerning voters know better.
Now, what are the Republican candidates saying about what happened in Batavia yesterday? Thus far, only Danny Malouf has made a statement through a Facebook meme he posted this morning:
===========================================================================
Danny Malouf for Congress 2020
5 hrs ·
Lauren Underwood is wrong on guns. Especially for women, the elderly, and the disabled, firearms provide equality in their ability to defend their lives. Why such a push against this equality and these peoples’ natural human right to defend themselves?
Time and again, Lauren Underwood has formed a public record of calling for restrictions on the Second Amendment, further infringing on a human’s basic right to protect themselves.
However, gun control, just like gun-free zones, doesn’t work. So, while she and the media propagandize tragedies involving guns, unfortunately for their agenda, none of their proposals would actually eliminate the tragic human behavior and gun crime.
So, in the case of women, the elderly, and the disabled’s right to defend their lives, is Lauren really for equality? And in the case of legislation, is she being logical?
===============================================================
It is unclear if Mr. Malouf has actually read the legislation, but the last sentence in the 2nd-to-last paragraph stands out, and is the truth. His statements greatly echo James Marter’s statement from earlier this year, which will be posted a little later.
But make no mistake, Congresswoman Underwood’s invitation-only event and press conference yesterday was more about her political agenda and grandstanding against the law abiding citizens and the 2nd amendment and less about passing legislation.
Her loose use of labeling the 2 pieces of legislation is “bipartisan” betrays the approach Democrats will continue to paint Republicans as “extreme”, when in truth, it is House Democrats, including Lauren Underwood, who are the real extremists because they throw all supporters of the 2nd amendment into a lawbreaking citizen group.
Tribune Link: https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/ct-abn-underwood-gun-violence-st-0624-20190623-vcplm5brq5frldsn6v65zjvnhu-story.html
H.R. 8 Link: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/8?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22gun+violence%22%5D%7D&r=2&s=3
H.R. 1112 Link: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/1112?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22gun+violence%22%5D%7D&s=3&r=8
SB 1966 Link: http://159.89.184.83/2019/06/15/behind-the-scenes-look-at-gun-control-legislation
“Congresswoman Lauren Underwood’s Invitation-only Meeting of Stakeholders and Gun Violence Prevention Advocacy Groups in Batavia 6/23/19”
Invitation only?
WOW!
She doesn’t want anyone to know she is serving Girl Scout Cookies.
You know, I’m curious about this Girl Scout Cookie thing but realize it’s certainly only more GOPBS.
You know, I’m curious about Joey K’s trip to Vietnam to get that long overdue brain transplant.
Medical tourism is a growing enterprise.
(Cal, thank you for converting some of my comments into articles. If you do the same with this one, can you explode the 3 photo links in the Kass-Oberweis section. It will prove helpful to readers. Thank you. FQS)
14th Congressional District Update 6/25/19—Matt Quigley Statement, John Kass and Jim Oberweis
Matt Quigley Statement 6/25/19
Earlier this morning, former congressional candidate Matt Quigley posted a statement on his Facebook page updating everyone that the health issues in his family that caused his withdrawal from the race have passed. Additionally, he put down any rumor that he was about to re-enter the 14th district primary field. He is not, and he gave very good, honorable reasons.
Something I have always liked about Matt is he thoroughly respects the voters. Matt is a genuinely honorable man who speaks the truth from the heart, as a God-fearing man would. Today, he asked for 14th district voters to remain calm and that Republicans are not “snatching defeat from the jaws of victory”. He hinted that candidates needed to “…course correct to victory in their own way”.
It sounds like Matt will not at this point do a public endorsement of the current candidate field, including the potential candidates. He does drop a hint with the reference to qualified respect for his opponents “…to announced opponents that I respect and who live in the district…”. Matt appears to be unimpressed by the two prospective candidates who do not currently live in the 14th district.
Matt’s full statement he posted is below:
Matt Quigley for Congress
6/25/19 1:43AM
Given my recent updates, and the original reason for my withdrawal gone, I’ve been asked by A LOT of people in the last 3 weeks if I would consider re-entering the race. This was from supporters both locally and this weekend in DC who are keenly watching every news article or email that comes out of the 14th Congressional District. There are
those who worry we may be snatching defeat from the jaws of victory on our current path. First let me say, relax, the election is a long way away. It’s still several months until signatures, and time remains for each candidate to course correct to victory in their own way.
Some supporters who reached out had already proclaimed support for other candidates. The simple fact is that I feel it would be disingenuous to you, the voters, to cause more “political whiplash”, and dishonorable to announced opponents that I respect and who live in the district I were to jump back in at this time on my own accord.
In our community today we need leaders, not politicians and it would be the hallmark of a politician to take advantage of any perceived weaknesses of my peers for my own benefit. My run was never about me, but about providing a positive and uplifting constitutional conservative vision for our community. So help me God I want my own
children to grow up in a conservative environment that cherishes individualism, liberty and self-drive, the kind that enabled me to become the man I am today. That is the type of vision I KNOW will attract the people in our community who truly care about its success. It is those people we must bring to our side to win the general election. A
leader builds up those around themselves, sometimes even at personal expense and sacrifice. As long as I see a path to liberty and prosperity for my community, I will make that sacrifice daily, with a smile on my face.
It is why at least at the moment, I will continue to be very active with both local conservatives, and also groups of potential new voters. We need to grow our community outreach if we want to win the general election and we can’t wait till post-primary to build new relationships with voters. Until then, I will keep warmed up, like a Cubs bullpen pitcher, ready to step back in if needed or firmly asked. Meanwhile, I’ll be cheering like a true die-hard fan for our conservative cause like below:
https://giphy.com/gifs/mlb-dance-cubs-vol-7HsmAvlq6lDlm
John Kass and Jim Oberweis
In Matt Quigley’s post from this morning, he says that the current candidates for Congress for the 14th need to “course correct”. Let’s talk about one of those corrections Jim Oberweis needs to do sooner than later. For about two to three weeks, I have been writing about Oberweis’ continued use of a picture of him on his campaign’s web site, Facebook pages and now, on oversized banners displayed at his Crystal Lake campaign office, and likely elsewhere:
https://images.app.goo.gl/wa2w5BHrzGBBfcdC7
The reasons I’ve given included the fact this picture was taken in mid December of 2007, making it 11½ years old. Oberweis’ campaign doesn’t tell the voters when the vintage picture was taken, but misrepresents voters to believe Oberweis looks like he does in the picture in real life. The only time it is appropriate to have such a dated picture next to your name is in an obituary. For a man who is a genuine success in business, his political picture lacks “truth in advertising”.
Another reason Oberweis needs to course correct and use a current photo of himself for his campaign is because the incumbent Democratic congresswoman used a similar lack of “truth in advertising” in her successful election last year:
https://images.app.goo.gl/UoNU6LtyXMYRkG4S7
Through images like her in scrubs, she successfully misrepresented herself as a practicing career nurse that 14th district residents would see at a doctor’s private practice, a group practice or a hospital. Whenever Congresswoman Underwood addresses issues in Congress, you will more often than not hear the “as a nurse”, “I’m a nurse”. Yes she is certified and licensed as a registered nurse in 3 different states. But ever since graduate school, Underwood has not held a nursing job. May the successful Republican nominee bring that truth to full light next year to the voters.
But the biggest reason Oberweis’ continued use of his vintage 2007 picture of himself is completely insulting to the voters has more to do with Chicago Tribune columnist John Kass, who turns 63 today (6/25/19), and his honest view of Illinois politics which are still relevant today. In an October, 2015, column, Kass said the following:
”Illinois, the state where immigrants once came to work, is bleeding jobs. Many young people and what’s left of the middle class flee as economic refugees.
“Years ago, I began calling the political arrangement here the Combine, a play on the farm machinery chopping down everything before it, and on bipartisan bosses who ran things in combination.
“Chicago’s business leaders funded both parties. They relied on the Daleys and other Machine Democrats to maintain control of the city and give them what they wanted and if Republicans balked, they would have their ears pulled by the money guys.
“And now in Washington even the meat puppets can’t deny the Illinois Combine dynamic has been writ large: Big corporate and big government interests on one side — the Combine driving the Leviathan — while American taxpayers and families and small businesses are fed into the hopper.”
“The Combine”, or “Bipartisan Combine”, as Kass described it over the years is what Oberweis appears to be hanging on to with his continued use of that 11½ years old picture of himself. The Combine gave us George Ryan, Rod Blagojevich, Jim Edgar, Barack Obama, Michael Madigan, the Daleys, Ed Burke, Stuart Levine, Bill Cellini, Denny Hastert, among many others.
And it is the Hastert legacy that is the core reason the vintage picture of Oberweis and his campaign insists on using insults the intelligence of voters. Because the reason Oberweis is ear-to-ear smiles in that picture, is due to whom he was standing next to when that photo was taken, the now-disgraced Denny Hastert, while being endorsed by Hastert for Oberweis’ 2008 congressional candidacy:
https://images.app.goo.gl/QLRbtdYz2Dv1Ejeo7
And let’s read how the Combine applied to Denny Hastert from an excerpt of the May 2015 column by John Kass titled “Dennis Hastert and the Illinois Combine”:
“As speaker, he traded support for war for congressional earmarks to make his Republican colleagues look good. The Republican Party has yet to recover from that arrangement.
“Still, he knows about power. So it is impossible to think of him as a hapless victim.
“Dennis Hastert is a Republican boss of the infamous Illinois Combine that has run this politically corrupt state.
“As such, Hastert even tried to influence the selection of federal prosecutors and prevent politically independent outsiders from wielding federal subpoena power.
“I know he says otherwise. That’s his public stance. And here’s mine: He pushed and a few of us pushed back hard, and readers of this column pushed back even harder, and he dropped it.
“He lost that public battle to the conservative Republican reformer, Sen. Peter Fitzgerald, and to those of us who supported Fitzgerald against the Combine.
“Fitzgerald got his choice for the top federal prosecutor here. And top aides to the mayor of Chicago went to prison and Outfit bosses, too, and all sorts of political figures who fed off the public trust.”
I remember that very public battle between then-Speaker Hastert and then-Senator Fitzgerald. The Combine drove Fitzgerald out of politics after 1 term after he won that battle and recommended for appointment U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald (no relation). That Oberweis-Hastert picture was taken 4 years after the Combine, including Hastert, forced Fitzgerald out.
The reason team Hastert did the Oberweis endorsement for the 2008 special and regular election to the
congressional seat Hastert vacated was to attempt to chase out another conservative reformer from Illinois politics. Former Hastert staffers were campaign staffers to Oberweis and he won the 2 primaries. Oberweis went on to lose both elections to Democrat Bill Foster.
So why Jim Oberweis hangs on to the Hastert legacy represented in that campaign picture of his taken at Denny Hastert’s side that is the banner for his campaign, next to his bio and his profile picture and avatar in Facebook dumbfounds me. Illinois voters want to obliterate the legacy of the Combine. If Oberweis has done a Barack Obama and truly broken away from the Combine, he needs to make that break completely clean and permanent. And that means dumping that campaign picture of himself because that picture is tainted.
Matt Quigley wrote that the current candidates need to “course correct”, and Oberweis needs to do his course correct now!
Chicago Tribune 10/2015 Link: https://www.chicagotribune.com/columns/john-kass/ct-hastert-
plea-kass-met-1018-20151016-column.html
Chicago Tribune 5/2015 Link: https://www.chicagotribune.com/columns/john-kass/ct-kass-
hastert-met-0531-20150529-column.html
Lauren Underwood is a fake!
Good point Zebra!