McHenry County Blog

When a former Assistant U.S. Attorney gets involved in the process of replacing Congressman Tim Johnson, you might expect that the questionnaire would be thorough.

I give the credit to political consultant Jon Zahm, who has had his run-ins with Illinois State Republican Central Committee Chairman Pat Brady, for pointing me to the questionnaire.

Zahm thinks it’s more than a bit intrusive.

He asks this good question:

“How can the candidates who submit this information know that their privacy is protected?”

Numbering the questions gets me to 53, but there is more information requested, including one’s Social Security number.
And Zahm’s analysis leads him to ask:

“Why is there not a single issue based question on this survey?”

A campaign needs a candidate, money and issues. At least that’s what I remember from the campaign schools I have attended.

Here are the questions as listed:

1. Have you ever been arrested?
2. Has any member of your family been arrested?
3. Have you ever been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor?
4. Has any member of your family been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor?
5. Have you ever been stopped under suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs? If so, what was the outcome?
6. Have you ever been treated for substance abuse or spent time in a rehabilitation facility?
7. Have you ever received any traffic tickets? If so, please provide a complete listing to the best of your knowledge.
8. What is the status of your driving record and car insurance?
9. Have you ever been denied car insurance or had car insurance cancelled?
10. Have you ever been questioned by state or federal authorities in connection with the alleged commission of a crime? If so, when? If applicable, did you provide testimony or material evidence (testimony or documents) in the case? What was the ultimate disposition of that case?
11. Have you ever testified or been served with a subpoena to testify before a grand jury,
12. trial court, administrative or regulatory agency? If so, provide all details.
13. Have you ever been served with a subpoena to produce records to a grand jury, trial court, administrative or regulatory agency? If so, provide all details.
14. If you are an attorney, please list the type of clients /nature of the cases in which you are involved (corporate, criminal defense, family law, etc.) and any noteworthy cases that could be potentially relevant in a congressional campaign.
15. Have you ever written for or in any newspaper (including op-eds, letters to the editor) magazines or blogs? If so, please elaborate.
16. Have you ever been published in a journal, book or other written publication?
17. Are you currently active on any social networking media? (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
18. Where is your current residence? Do you lease or own this property?
19. Do you maintain any other residences? If so, where? Do you lease or own these
20. properties? Has your house or any property been foreclosed by court order?
21. Have you ever been delinquent with personal, business or property taxes?
22. Have you ever owned or run a business? If so, please elaborate.
23. If you have owned or run a business, did that business ever outsource any of its production?
24. If you have owned or run a business, did that business ever receive federal funding
25. (grants, contracts, Stimulus funds, earmarks, subsidies, etc.)?
26. Was the business ever sold? If so, to whom?
27. Please list any history / problems with your employees (mass layoffs, illegal immigrants, benefit disputes, etc.)
28. Please list any history / problems with your business partners (litigation, criminal matters, sanctions, etc.)
29. Has there ever been a lien placed on your property or business?
30. Have you or your business ever been investigated by any government agency (EPA, DOL, DOJ, etc)?
31. Have you ever filed for bankruptcy?
32. Has any member of your immediate family filed for bankruptcy?
33. Are your taxes up-to-date?
34. Have you ever been a party in a civil or criminal court case? If so, please elaborate.
35. Has any member of your immediate family been sued?
36. Has the IRS audited you or your business or family business?
37. Have you ever been fined by the IRS?
38. If licensing is required for your profession or business, please list the agencies and indicate if you are current with the licensing authority.
39. Have you ever been delinquent in filing for these licenses?
40. Have you been involved in any disciplinary action with any governing body or licensing organization in your professional career? If so, please elaborate.
41. Have you ever run for elective office? If so, when, and for what office?
42. What year did you register to vote and with what election authority?
43. Is your voter registration current with your current election authority?
44. Have you ever voted in the primary of any political party other than the Republican Party?
45. Have you ever outwardly supported a candidate who was not a Republican Party candidate?
46. Have you ever been fined by the FEC, State Board of Elections, or local election board?
47. Have you ever made campaign contributions to a candidate that was not a Republican or a PAC that did not support Republican candidates/causes? If so, who, for what office and in what year?
48. To what Republican campaigns/organizations have you or your spouse donated in the past 20 years. Please estimate the amounts of the contribution.
49. Are you or have you ever been a registered participant or member of a radical, communist or socialist political party or organization?
50. If you are, or ever have been, an elected official, have you cast any votes that your constituents or this body may consider controversial? If so, please explain.
51. Is there anything in your past that has not been addressed in this questionnaire that may be considered a potential vulnerability in your run for Congress? If so, please elaborate?

Here’s what Presidential candidate Rick Santorum Illinois Coordinator Jon Zahm has to say about Chicago-area appearances prior to the Marcy 20th GOP primary election:

“Friday March 16 Northridge Prep, 8320 Ballard Road, Niles Rally 7 to 9pm.

“We will overflow the gym. Capacity 960.

“Sat March 17 downstate swing west to east out of St. Louis.”

Early this morning, McHenry County Blog did its best to describe contents of over 100 pages of email exchanges involving Kane County Board Chairman Kevin Burns and supporters in his campaign against Chris Lauzen.

Now, a Geneva press conference has been called by political consultant Jon Zahm in which he will hand out the documents, only a part of which I copied into the article.

Here is his press release:

FOIA to Geneva City Hall Uncovers Dozens of Examples of Kane Board Chairman Candidate’s Misuse of City Resources

Shocking Content is Also Found, Including from Other Local Politicians

(Batavia)- Kane County Conservative Coalition Chairman Jon Zahm filed a Freedom of Information Act Request with the City of Geneva on February 10 requesting specific records in several areas of the Mayor’s office.

On February 17 the City turned over 116 pages of e-mail records between Kevin Burns and the following Republican Party insiders:

• Ken Shepro- St. Charles Township Chairman and Attorney for the Kane County Board
• Karen McConnaughay- Kane County Board Chairman and Senate Candidate- 33rd District
• Mike Kenyon- Kane County Republican Chairman and Kane County Board Member- 16th District
• Pat Brady- Illinois Republican Party Chairman
• Ellen Nottke- Batavia Township Republican Party Chairman

“What we have here is an inside look at how this group plays politics

“The mask is off and the taxpayers of Kane County can read for themselves the vulgarities, the hatred, the manipulation, the depravity that some Republican party insiders practice,” Zahm said.

Zahm has created numbered packets, 1-116, and will present an index at the press conference and highlight some of the most shocking dialogues.

“I am not editing anything. I want the press and public to see these records in their entirety as I will make electronic copies available after the conference as well,” Zahm said.

“At a minimum,” Zahm said, “after the public digests all of this vile content, there will be calls for Burns to resign from this race and from his Mayor’s seat and Batavia Township Chairman Ellen Nottke to do likewise from her party boss and precinct committeeman positions.”

“In 1996 I filed a FOIA in the Village of South Elgin

“Upon return of the records I requested the Village Manager resigned in disgrace and the Village Finance Director followed suit a short time later.

“I have been a watchdog in Kane County fighting for open and honest government against those who reward their friends and punish their enemies

“This is a continuation of that work,” Zahm concluded.

= = = = =
Location: Caboose’s Bar and Restaurant at Geneva Train Station

I gave you the information passed on by Presidential candidate Rick Santorum’s Illinois Chairman here.

Now, here’s what Santorum’s Illinois Coordinator Jon Zahm says,

“Leadership from the

• Romney campaign (Dan Rutherford),
• Gingrich campaign (Bruce Hansen and Nick Provenzano),
• Paul campaign (Chris Younce) and
• Santorum campaign (Al Salvi and Jon Zahm)

have agreed today to withdraw all petition challenges in Illinois against one another’s statewide and delegate petitions.

“This is a victory for unity and for allowing these volunteer driven grassroots campaigns to go forward and voters to have more choices.

“Kudos to all involved.”

Previously, Newt Gingrich’s State Coordinator Nick Provenzano left this comment:

Nick Provenzano

“The only reason why Newt’s petition signatures for Delegates and Alternate Delegates were not challenged was because they were properly filed with double the required signatures.”In almost every district we filed with 1,200 signatures only needing 600.

“The Newt petition challenge that Jon Zahm filed against us can’t be for lack of signatures.

“For Newt’s petition we collected 6,200 signatures, the minimum was 3,000 but the state would only let us file 5,000.

“So we picked the best of the best 5,000 signatures.

“We also used Newt’s home address on his statement of Candidacy which might be the basis of contention against the other Candidates.

“Nick Provenzano, State Political Director, http://www.IllinoisWithNewt.org“

The Republicans standing in a circular firing squad had now devolved into a Mexican standoff.

The Romney folks. led by State Treasurer and gubernatorial aspirant Dan Rutherford has people challenging Delegate slates of Rick Santorum pretty much all over Illinois.

A challenge from a Robinson supporter of Newt Gingrich has now seen fit to withdraw his separate objections to Santorum petitions.

Now it is the Santorum forces playing a game of chicken with those led by Rutherford.

Santorum supporters have challenged Mitt Romey’s right to appear in the beauty contest in Illinois.  No Delegates are at stake, but it would be severely embarrassing if Romeny’s name didn’t appear on TV screens as the popular vote is counted on the night of March 20th.

Think of the negative publicity that Gingrich and Santorum got when they did not make the Virginia GOP primary ballot.

The ammunition that Santorum has ready to fire to keep Romney off the ballot is unpublicized.

Rutherford’s Romney objections are based on there being too few signatures on the petitions challenged.

This post from Santorum State Coordinator Jon Zahm appeared today on the Rick Santorum Illinois web site:

Gingrich Illinois With Newt Team is for Republican Unity and Fair Play

“I have just reached agreement with Illinois With Newt that their supporter in Robinson Illinois will release his challenges to the Santorum petitions in exchange for me releasing my challenge to Newt’s.

“This is an example of the type of unity and class that is possible to achieve.

“Will Dan Rutherford and the Romney team do likewise for the betterment of Illinois?

“I hope so.

“It is not too late.

“Yet.”

Delegate candidate and Pro-Life leader Penny Pullen commented:

“I guess we know who the gentleman is and isn’t.

“Thanks, Jon and all those who helped, for securing this victory.

“Pray now for the Romney team to see how deeply they are wounding their own candidate and for their state chairman to see how he is jeopardizing his own future.”

The song, “Yes, We Have No Bananas,” runs through my mind as I write this story.

I guess the word “objections” has the same number of syllables.

If the objections are to be believed, Republicans handling Presidential campaigns in Illinois have done more than slip on a a few banana peels.

Republican Party participants, led by State Treasurer Dan Rutherford, the head of the Mitt Romney campaign, and Jon Zahm, State Coordinate for the Rick Santorum campaign, appear to be adopting the stance of a circular firing squad.

Or maybe a game of chicken would be a more apt analogy.

Regardless, it’s pretty typical behavior for Illinois Republicans.

Rutherford’s Romney allies challenged a majority of the Santorum Delegate slates in Illinois.

Apparently ready to counterattack, Zahm then filed objections to the beauty contest petitions for Romney, Gingrich, Paul and Perry.

Let’s put the objections in chronological order by time of filing.

At 4:35 on Friday, January 13th, 1st Congressional District Romney Alternate Delegate candidate Sherri Griffith filed an objection against Santorum candidates Eric Wallace, Jennifer Wallace and Gina Danahar, plus Alternate candidate Sandra K. Czyznikiewicz, Karen Hayes and Nicholas Tieman.

Also time stamped at 4:35, objections were filed by Romney Delegate candidate Marjorie Malone against 2nd District Delegate candidates David E. Smith, Caesar I. LeFlore and Jay Farquhar, not the mention Alternate candidates George Pearson and James Skutt.

One minute later, at 4:36, the Dan Rutherford-led Romney campaign filed objections to the 15th Congressional District Santorum slate. Romney Alternate Delegate candidate Ron Loudermilk signed the paperwork to remove Santorum Delegate candidates John Hagen, John Hurst and Loren Heal. Alternate delegate candidates whose candidacies were challenged are Corey Walters and Margaret Hagen.

Also at 4:36, James Broerman filed objections for Santorum’s slate in the 16th Congressional District. Delegate candidates targeted were Chris Arndt, Jan Peterson and Dennis S. Kosinski. Alternates candidates challenged were Bill Cross and Barbara Offill. (Broerman is not on Romney’s slate in the 16th, but Romney State Chairman Dan Rutherford is.  Considering when the objection was filed, circumstantial evidence strongly points to Broerman’s being a stalking horse for Rutherford.)

Romney Alternate Delegate candidate George Offord drew the short straw for the Romney campaign in the 3rd Congressional District. His petition objection was filed at 4:36 against Delegate candidates Richard Grabowski, Thomas M. Mann and Lynn Livesay. In addition, Alternate candidates Jaqueline Grabowski and Dean Mann petitions were challenged.

In the 10th District Romney Delegate candidate Steve Kim filed the objections at 4:36. They were against Delegate candidates Tony Raymond, Bonnie Quirke and Dan Surgue, plus Alternate Delegate candidates Michele Raymond, Jim Quirke and Rachael McCarthy.

Included in the 4:36 submission were also the 10th District objection was filed by Bollingbrook Mayor and Romney Delegate candidate Roger Claar to the Delegate petitions of John Gardner Huff, Cynthia Schneider and Ignacio G. “Jerry” Ramirez. I see no alternate candidates running.

Romney Delegate candidate Jeffrey M. Diederich filed against the Santorum slate in the 12th District at 4:36. Delegates whose candidacies are at stake are Dalton Gray, Michelle Sharp and Sharee Langenstein. Alternates on the slate are Michael Langenstein and Paul Wilcoxen.

Also at 4:36, an objection was filed to challenge the Santorum slate headed by Santorum State Coordinator Jon Zahm and Delegate running mates Rick Nordstrom and Kay Ferris, plus Alternate hopefuls Doug Crow and Vance DeBruine. The objection was filed by Galena Romney Delegate candidate Andy Blankenbaker.

Still another Romney petition objection was stamped in at 4:36. Bloomington Romney Alternte Delegate Eugene Lorch signed the paperwork. It was for the 18th District where Elizabeth Eilers, Charles Trovillion, David Hulliger and Richard Keller are running for Delegate in support of Santorum. Michael H. Baker and Frank W. (Bill) Dragoo are the Alternate aspirants.

Rick Santorum’s Illinois coordinator Jon Zahm filed objections against Mitt Romney’s and Ron Paul’s petitions at 4:47 in the afternoon on Friday. That’s just 13 minutes before the statutory deadline at the Illinois State Board of Elections and, obviously, after the Romney objections were filed against the Santorum petitions the collection of which he coodinated.

Zahm has maintained that tradition in Illinois does not have Republican Presidential candidates challenging other candidates’ petitions.

Not this year, it seems.

At 4:48, a minute later, Zahm filed an objection to Newt Gingrich’s and Rick Perry’s petitions.

At 4:49 James A. Runyon added a second objection to the slate of Santorum delegates in the 15th Congressional District.

And, at 4:50 the same Runyon challenged Santorum’s beauty contest petitions.

Only Buddy Roemer’s petitions escaped an objection.

Santorum’s Delegate and Alternate petitions were not challenged in 6th, 8th, 9th and 14th Congressional Districts.

The the 6th and 14th Districts cover McHenry County after the 2012 election.

Looking at what is on the web site of the State Board, I see that Ron Paul’s petitions use a Virginia address, obviously not his Texas residence, while Texas Governor Rick Perry claims to live in a post office box.

The statements of candidacy are not on the web site, so only those who make a trip to the Election Board’s Springfield offices know the details.

Given the late start of the Santorum campaign to gather petition signatures, it seems likes that some or maybe all of the ones challenged don’t have the number of good signatures required by law.

But could there be other aspects to the challenges that remain unknown to all but those closest to the action?

Assuming that lots of Santorum candidates have fallen short of the legal requirement, if Romney folks withdraw their objections, won’t the reason for such action be delicious?

You know the candidates for President don’t file their own petitions.

Volunteers or paid staff do the work.

McHenry County Blog has received two photos from candidates’ campaigns of those who went to the Springfield office of the Illinois State Board of Elections.

The best was from the Newt Gingrich campaign.

While the picture above was take prior to filing, the one below from a cell phone was shot afterward.

Here’s the latest on one of two GOP Presidential candidates who has not yet surged:

Santorum Illinois Team Gaining Momentum

I am pleased to announce some outstanding editions to the Santorum Illinois team.

Coordinating Congressional Districts 6 and 8 will be Carrie Miller, the leader of the Schaumburg Tea Party.

Coordinating CD’s 9 and 10 will by Tony and Michele Raymond, leaders of the Northern Illinois Patriots.

Coordinating CD’s 13 and 18 will be the former State Director of Herman Cain for President Liz Eilers.

Coordinating CD’s 12 and 15 will be former Adam Andrzejewski Downstate Director J.C. Hagen.

Coordinating District 16 will be Bureau County Tea Party Leader Christine Arndt.

Coordinating Districts 11 and 14 will be me (Jon Zahm).

We have received some outstanding new commitments today for Delegate.

District 10 Lake County Right to Life PAC Leader Bonnie Quirke.

District 17 Galva Mayor Rich Nordstrom.

Much more to come tomorrow. Please e-mail me at jon@thegoliathslayer.com or jazahm@facebook.com if you wish to be a Delegate or Alternate. We want to finalize our Delegates tomorrow, Wednesday at the latest.

And, here’s the first post:

Welcome to the Rick Santorum for President- Illinois Web Site

Between Christmas and January 6 we are organizing to get Rich Santorum on the Illinois primary ballot.

Our leadership team is growing daily but includes:  Honorary Co-Chairmen Al and Kathy Salvi. State Directors Penny Pullen and David Rickert and State Political Director and Spokesman Jon Zahm.

This site will be the place to go to download the Statewide petition and each of the 18 delegate and alternate petitions. The statewide petition is posted currently.

We need a minimum of 3000 of those with a maximum of 5000. Each delegate petition needs 600 valid signatures from registered voters who live within the specific Congressional District.

Any questions or media inquiries can be directed to Jon Zahm via cell phone at 630-946-8683 or e-mail jon@thegoliathslayer.com Also please visit www.ricksantorum.com for campaign news and updates.

Rick Santorum petition. This site will be updated daily and we will be announcing our District Directors and our Delegates and Alternates in the next 24-48 hours.

There are some openings so please reach out to Jon Zahm at the prior e-mail or via private Facebook message at Jon A. Zahm. There is also Santorum Illinois on Facebook.

Thank you for your interest in the surging campaign of the consistent conservative, Rick Santorum.

= = = = =

Rick Santorum and Al Salvi attended Catholic High School together in Lake County.

Yesterday, I speculated on the rumor that Kane County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay would leave that powerful post and run in the vacant 33rd State Senate District.

As sometimes happens with such articles, more information is offered by those who comment.

Jon Zahm wrote the following:

Chad Koppie is supporting Orville Brettman for State Senate in the 33rd.

Rick Zirk, the Village President of Gilberts and former Village President of South Elgin is considering a run for the 33rd. He is the only person in Illinois history to be electing Mayor of two different communities. Zirk is a former Public Works director and currently works for a major McHenry County company, so he has many contacts in the north end of the district.

Cliff Surges, a twice elected Gilberts board member and owner of a successful insurance business with offices in Gilberts and Chicago is also exploring a run. Surges is the Booster Club President at Jacobs HS in Dundee and has been very involved in Gilberts and East Dundee campaigns and elections over the years. Surges was born and raised in the St. Charles part of the district so he has key contacts there.

McConnaughay can run from her record of crony hiring, pay to play, and big pay raises to favorite staff members, but she cannot hide.

Phil Collins added,

Chad Koppie, a member of the Kane Co. Regional Board of Schools, will probably run for the 33rd State Senate District.

If Chairman McConnaughay runs, statewide, in 2014, I hope that she’ll run for comptroller. Comptroller [Judy Baar] Topinka might decide to retire, since she’ll be 70.

I emailed State Sen. [Chris] Lauzen, and I asked him to run for Congress, in the new 11th District, which won’t have an incumbent. No Republican has announced, in that district, and a Republican can easily win. Most of that district has a republican state senator, including Senators Lauzen, Dillard, and Radogno.

Paul Greenlee weighed in with this comment:

Karen McConnaughay

A number of years ago, I served with Karen on a volunteer project in Kane County, where we heard the appeals from first time offenders for alternative sentencing and made recommendations to the state’s attorney. She is a capable lady, a good person and well thought of by her constituents, as she should be. I look forward to supporting her campaign in whatever she chooses.