McHenry County Blog

McHenry County attorney Donna Kathryn Kelly ran for a 2nd Appellate Court judgeship.

I didn’t see any literature at the Republican Central Committee distribution day or I would have passed it out in my precinct, as I did for all the candidates who supplied it.

Two days after the election, I received the card in the mail with a first class stamp on it.

The Palatine postmark was January 29th.

So, how did first class mail take just one day short of a week to get delivered?

If I were Donna Kelly, that is what I would put in my letter to the regional Postal Inspector.

Or, maybe the Diane Kelly of Crystal Lake should send the letter. The post card I received had her return address sticker on it.

Such poor delivery is simply outrageous.

Kelly’s electoral performance puts her in a good position to run for judge in McHenry County,

Almost final McHenry County election returns for the February 2, 2010, primary election in which Donna Kelly polled more local votes than 2nd Appellate District winner Mary Schostok.

It seems appropriate to list the qualifications that she had on the palm card:

• An experienced appellate attorney
• 7 years as an assistant appellate defender for the Office of the State Appellate Defender, Third District
• Authored dozens of appellate court briefs
• Won numerous cases in the Appellate Court
• Argued and won 2 cases before the Illinois Supreme CourthouseFormer assistant public defender, Kane County
• 15 years experience in the criminal justice system
• Member of the Capital Litigation Bar
• Qualified to prosecute & defend death penalty cases
• 4 years as assistant state’s attorney in McHenry County
• Headed Gang Prosecution Unit
• Author of crime novel “Cop Eyes”
• Graduate of Northern Illinois University College of Law 1994
• Graduated from Marian Central Catholic High School, 1986

www.ELECTDONNAKELLY.COM

Two women appointed by Illinois Supreme Court Justice Robert Miller, Appellate Court Justices Ann Jorgensen and Mary Schostok, carried the day Tuesday.

Below you see the preliminary results of the judicial district that sprawls across northern Illinois from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River.

Jorgensen beat out former DuPage County Judge Kenneth Moy by a margin of 2-1.  Schostok’s race was significantly closer.  She defeated McHenry County attorney Donna Kelly 54% to 46%.

Name Party Votes Vote % Jorgensen , Ann GOP 153,996 67% Moy , Kenneth GOP 76,836 33%

Name Party Votes Vote % Schostok , Mary GOP 118,573 54% Kelly , Donna GOP 102,588 46%

Kenneth Moy's third mailing.

Moy sent out at least three large postcard mailers.

The back of Kenneth Moy's third mailing.

Jorgensen countered with one.  Click to enlarge any image.

Justice Ann Jorgensen's only mailing. She won 2-1.

Jorgensen used a comparison approach based on bar association members’ evaluations of the two candidates.

On the back of her comparison piece, Justice Ann Jorgensen listed her endorsements. The one from the Chicago Tribune was even more impressive than the quote she used. The Tribune suggested people should not be surprised to see her serve on the Illinois Supreme Court in the future. The photo does not do her justice. I guess her advisers wanted her to look "judicially serious."

In the second contest, Schostok was pitted against McHenry County attorney Donna Kelly.

Kelly carried McHenry County 11,751 to 10,198. She received 53.5% of the vote, giving her a leg up as a proven vote getter for the next local judgeship.

I saw yard signs for Kelly, but no mailing or literature.

License plate 989-NHH on a white Jeep into which Sheriff Keith Nygren and his wife drove from the fundraiser for Appellate Justice Mary Schostok. It has a license plate holder saying, "POSSE SHERIFF NYGREN."

I found this Wisconsin license plate in the parking lot of D’Andrea the night of the event for Appellate Court Justices Mary Schostok and Ann Jorgensen.

While looking for a big, lit up Nygren sign in the parking lot, I saw McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren and his wife Marge get into a large white Jeep with a Wisconsin license plate and a Nygren’s Posse license plate holder.

It prompted me to send this email yesterday morning to Nygren’s campaign web site.

Brent Smith sent me out to the parking lot at Schostok’s fund raiser to get a photo of your sign, which he said was lighted.  Searching the parking lot, I ran across a white Jeep with Wisconsin plates.  It had a Nygren Posse license plate holder.  (At the far edge of the parking lot I finally found the pickup truck, but with an unlit sign.)

Cary village Trustee Ray Chisholm and, later, Woodstock Mayor Brian Sager and I talked on the steps.  Then you and Marge left the event, got into the Jeep and drove away.

Why does the Jeep have Wisconsin license plates?

By the time I went to bed, having scheduled this to be posted shortly after midnight, Sheriff Nygren had not replied.

Reflected in the mirrors, Appellate Court Justice Mary Schostok addresses the crowd.

Attorneys and politicians gathered to honor Appellate Court Justice Mary Schostok at Crystal Lake’s D’Andrea Banquets last night.  The parking lot was almost full.

Before Schostok took the podium to explain her accomplishments in Lake County, McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren extolled her virtues, describing her as a friend of the law enforcement community.

McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren hugs Appellate Court Justice Mary Schostok after saying kind things about her.

They hugged after his introduction.

Appellate Court Justice Ann Jorgensen talks to Barrington's Steven Marderosian prior to the program.

Schostok also introduced her fellow appointed Appellate Court Justice Ann Jorgensen.

Appellate Court Justice Mary Schostok greets Mike McCleary.

Prior to the program, Justice Schostok greeted people at the door.

If you drive past D’Andrea Banquets this evening between 5:30 and 7:30, my bet is the parking lot will be jammed.

The McHenry Lawyers for Justice Schostok will be hosting a $30 fund raiser with payment at the door.

Besides the honoree Justice Mary S. Schostok, her colleague Ann B. Jorgensen will be there as a “special guest.”

So far, I have seen the two appointed 2nd Appellate Court Justices selected from among hundreds of applicates by Illinois Supreme Court Justice Bob Thomas twice times in McHenry County.

McHenry County State Rep. and GOP Central Committee Chairman Mike Tryon poses with Appellate Court Justices Mary Schostok and Ann Jorgensen at the Nunda Township Republican Picnic this summer.

First they were out campaigning this summer at the Nunda Township Republican Picnic.

Appellate Court Justice Mary Schostok (behind the table) and Ann Jorgensen greet precinct committeemen as they pass out literature and signs in Crystal Lake last Friday night.

Then, last Friday night, they were greeting precinct committeemen at the McHenry County Republican Central Committee’s literature pickup.

I’m sure no attorney with a general practice wants to be in appellate court, but, every once in a while cases do get appealed.

At $30 to attend the affair the price is certainly within the reach of attorneys in McHenry County. I would assume members of the public who would like to attend would be welcome as well.

Probably not attending will be the Grafton Township Trustees who wanted to build a township hall without adequate public notice or getting approval at the ballot box. The two lady justices, along with Crystal Lakes Sue Hutchison put the kabosh on that in a decision earlier this year.

Appointed Appeallate Court Justice and candidate for election to that position Mary Schostok stands behind a table of her literature, while appointed Appellate Court Justice and candidate for a different vacancy Ann Jorgensen looks at the camera in the foreground. McHenry County Board candidate Nick Provenzano stands between the two.

Friday night I picked up my literature at Liberty Outdoor and found two 2nd Appellate Court judicial candidates at the second table. Mary Schostok from Lake County and Ann Jorgensen from DuPage, were handing out literature and talking to the very relatively few precinct committeeman who came out in the cold.

Not only was candidate Schostok in Crystal Lake Friday, but she is having a fund raiser Thursday after work at Crystal Lake’s D’Andrea Banquets (southeast corner of Route 14 and 31).  Jorgensen will also be present as “a special guest.”

And, Schostok started off my week with a page four-color campaign piece in my mail box.

Having a life story helps a candidate identify with voters. Schosotok’s is summarized on the front page of her mailing:

From Immigrant
Shoemaker’s
Daughter to the
Illinois Appellate Court

How much better does it get than that?

Page two puts the story in pictures. Click to enlarge the page.

A resume appears on the third page. Schostok tells how she was selected by the Illinois Supreme Court “out of several hundred potential candidates” for appointment to fill a vacancy on the appellate court. Previously, she served as a circuit court judge and a Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney. Four awards are highlighted, including

• Fred Foreman Award for fighting child sexual/physical abuse
• Outstanding Service Award, Arson Investigation Association
• President’s Award for Excellence, Lake County Bar Association
• Benedict J. Ori Award for distinguished service to the legal community

The address side is mainly aimed at informing people about voting early and absentee. It’s well done, so you see it above.

There are also examples of her leadership in the community, including being on the board of Carmel Catholic High School.

The Thursday “Countdown to Election Day Reception “ fund raiser will be sponsored by “McHenry County Lawyers for Justice Schostok” on January 14th.

Special guest for the $30 event will be Justice Ann Jorgensen. Tickets cost $30 for everybody but Republican Precinct Committeemen, who may attend as guests .

RSVP’s to Renee, 847-989-3801, are appreciated for the 5:30 to 7:30 event.

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You may remember that both Schostok and Jorgensen, joined with McHenry County’s Sue Hutchinson in upholding Judge Michael Caldwell’s decision prohibiting Grafton Township from building a new township hall without a referendum.

The two justices also attended the Nunda Township Republican Picnic this summer.

I started noticing it when I looked at Friday’s mail.

Republican candidates are sending mailings to puff themselves up.

Or just to let us know they exist.

Candidates can’t count on precinct committeemen anymore. Besides GOP political organizations in the suburbs being shadows of what they used to be, what candidate in their right might would count on committeemen going door-to-door on February 2nd.

How much will have the snow have melted by then, even if we have a warm spell?

Setting the primary on Feb. 2nd was just another step in Mike Madigan’s centralization of power in the hands of those at the top.

This is the room at Liberty Outdoor where candidates laid out literature and signs for precinct committee to take last Friday night and Saturday morning. You can see Appellate Court Justice and candidate therefor Mary Schostok conversing on the right. Central Committee Executive Director Geri Davis is facing the camera next to the Dillard sign. Behind here is Ray Marachiori, Lt. Gov. Jason Plummer's campaign manager and my former staffer when I was chairman of the House Privatization Committee. He is talking to Lt. Gov. candidate and Sprinfield businessman Don Tracy, who is a candidate for Lt. Gov. Half of Tracy's head did not make it in the photo. Sheriff Keith Nygren talks with county board candidat John Jung in the center background. The top of his wife Marge's head can be see to Jung's left. Over Jung's shoulder appears a bit of Donna Kurtz.

I picked up my literature Friday night and took the photo you see above about 7:30. By the time closing time had rolled around on Saturday, about forth of some 200 precinct committeemen (if all the precincts were manned) had shown up to get literature. Most will mail what they picked up.

Friday I got an over-sized post card from Congressman Mark Kirk, the favorite to be the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama and occupied by Roland Burris.

The seat ought to be a pick-up, except for Kirk’s liberal congressional voting record, which has enraged many conservative Republicans.

Like Kirk Dillard, he plays the Jim Edgar card. There’s a photo of Edgar and Kirk and the message side of the postcard leads with this quote from Edgar:

“Mark has a superb record of integrity and ethics,
and he has a great record on the issues as well.”

Kirk plays to his strong points, promising

“Lower Taxes…Less Government…Tough on Corruption”

He actually has a record in those areas which would please a lot of Republicans.

I looked for any information on social issues, but no mention is made of any of his positions.

Kirk also stresses his military record, as you can see if you click on the image of the address side of the piece and enlarge it.

Candidates are nervous people.

So I can understand how Appellate Court Justice Mary Seminara Schostok felt after she got a Friday call from McHenry County Republican Party Chairman Mike Tryon.

He was inquiring why her name and the title of “Judge” had appeared here on McHenry County Blog. I took the information about a $2,500 contribution directly from on State Rep. Jack Franks’ campaign disclosure forms at the State Board of Elections.

We discussed the matter at Saturday’s Nunda Township Republican Picnic.

Here’s what I took off the State Board of Elections web site:

Michael & Mary Schostok, Occupation: Illinois Judge, Libertyville – $2,500

It turns out that Justice, no longer merely a circuit court judge, but now appointed 2nd Appellate Court Justice Schostok has different politics from her husband Michael.

He’s a trial lawyer and a friend of Herb Franks, one of 43 people who went fishing in Canada in June. It’s a bipartisan group, I’m told.

Sounds like a regular Illinois power elite.

The contribution was made on June 29th–right after the group returned home, I would guess.

Earlier in her political career, Schostok had taken heat when her husband had made a contribution with their joint checking account.

She persuaded him to open a separate account for his political contributions.

I suggested that once a contributor’s name is entered into the Illinois State Board of Elections’ system by a candidate that the next time a contribution is entered from the same name, the same information is probably entered by the campaign record keepers.

Come to find out, a $500 contribution was made on July 12, 2007, and the occupation listed wasn’t “attorney” to reflect Michael’s profession, but “Judge, State of Illinois” to reflect his wife’s.

No way to know why.

On April 3, 2003, the same sized contribution to Franks’ now defunct political action committee, Citizens for Jack Franks, had this identifier listed

Attorney, Salvi Schostok & Pritchard PC

Justice Schostok told me the Franks’ campaign has been asked to remove her name and position from state campaign records.

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The photo shows McHenry County Republican Party Chairman Mike Tryon posing with Mary Seminara Schostok and Ann B. Jorgensen, appointed Appellate Court Justices running for election for that same office.

Yesterday McHenry County Blog concentrated on the fun kids had at Crystal Lake’s Nunda Township Republican Picnic. Today, we’ll look at political activities.

Going toward the food and drink, one could not miss Brent Smith. He was collecting petition signatures for all sorts of candidates. Here Christian Kwasigroch affixes his signature.

Not only politicians were in evidence, so were the bureaucrats. Here’s a permit required by the McHenry County Health Department. I guess it protects people from being poisoned by Republicans.

Chicago’s 11th Ward Republican Committeeman Carl Segvich, in Crystal Lake in support of Adam Andrezejewski’s gubernatorial campaign, can be seen at the food along with Bob and Veronica Armstrong.

The bratwurst and hamburgers were wonderful. Here you see the grilling area. Joe Wheeler can be seen on the left talking with Bloomington’s State Senator Bill Brady, who is running for the GOP nomination for governor for the second time.

Will Brady introduced himself on behalf of Senator Brady. I took him to be Bill’s brother, but it turns out he is Bill and Nancy’s son.

I saw GOP gubernatorial aspirant Adam Andrzejewski talking with Nick Provenzano, who is running for the GOP nomination for county board.

Two county board members, Mary Donner and Barb Wheeler, were looking at the table where a silent auction was being held. That’s Nunda Township Highway Commissioner Don Kopsell in the background.

I bumped into a face from my 1970’s past, former Dundee Township and now Barrington Township Trustee Ron Szymanski. Here he is being approached by DuPage County’s Appellate Court Justice Ann Jorgensen. Being from Cook County now, Szymanski can’t vote for her.

Jennifer Gibson, Nunda Township GOP Chairwoman, was the next person approached by Jorgensen.

Nearby, former Nunda Township Republican Chairman and precinct committeeman Blake Hobson (now a resident of and precinct committeeman in the Grafton Township portion of Lakewood) was talking to McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi. When Hobson commented on his carnation, Bianchi credited his wife.

I turned around and the second Appellate Court Justice in attendance, Lake County’s Mary S. Schostok, was chatting up Will Brady.

His father and mother were working the tent. Here Bill Brady is seen talking with Don Kopsell and Bob Armstrong.

State Rep. Mark Beaubien arrived and talked to Nunda Township Supervisor John Heisler, among others. I praised him and other House Republicans for forcing Democrats to cast the votes for any income tax those Democrats think they require. Beaubien is on the right.

(A parentheses about why Republicans should not vote for an income tax hike:

When Ron Blagojevich took office, he said he discovered a $5 billion budget deficit. Funny how he couldn’t find it before the election, but, assuming he was correct, I figured it was a two-year deficit that could easily be worked off…if Blagojevich made cuts similar to those proposed by Governor George Ryan, which Blagojevich campaigned against.

Blagojevich and the Democrats controlling the General Assembly did not cut the budget.

They raised it about $1 billion a year. Health insurance for illegal aliens, etc.

After six years, Blagojevich’s replacement, Pat Quinn, announced that there was an $11 billion deficit.

Let’s see.

$5 billion, plus $1 billion a year, equals $11 billion.

So, I conclude that the Democrats created any financial mess the state is in and the Democrats should have to provide any votes needed to raise taxes they think are needed.)

Now, back to Nunda Township’s Picnic.

2000 GOP state representative nominee Tom Salvi is seen with former Nunda Township Trustee James Schlader and Appellate Justice Ann Jorgensen.

Gubernatorial and other candidates spoke next.

I missed getting Adam Andrzejewski’s picture, but got shots of

• State Senator Bill Brady and
• Dan Proft,

all running for the Republican nomination for governor.

Brady, who can be seen on the left, is believed to be the runaway favorite in the contest so far.

After the speechifying, at least Brady was off to the McHenry County Fair.

All three were undoubtedly planning to visit the Young Republican picnic in Barrington later Saturday afternoon.

On the way out, Brady stopped to talk with State Rep. Beaubien. That the back of Nancy Brady’s head.

McHenry County Republican Central Committee Chairman and State Rep. Mike Tryon arrived. I caught him talking with McHenry County Auditor Pam Palmer, who isn’t even up for election this year. (Of course, neither is Bianchi.)

I really don’t like posed shots, but who could resist Tryon’s standing between two Appellate Court Justices? Amy B. Jorgensen is on Tryon’s left. Mary Seminara Schostok is on his right.

Before I left, McHenry County Young Republican President Bryan Jayor was arriving. You see Tom Salvi on the left and Appellate Justice Mary Schostok in the center.

As I was leaving, Pat Morris was signing her name to petitions being held by Brent Smith. Pat has been a community activist since at least the early 1970’s. I remember her song about our money never returning from the RTA (written to tune of the “MTA.” More recently, she offered opposition to McHenry County College’s proposed taxpayer-subsidized baseball stadium before the Crystal Lake City Council. She also wrote piraty lyrics about Mayor Aaron Shepley’s 75% Crystal Lake sales tax hike to the tune of the “Lincoln Park Pirates.”

I had come full circle.

State Rep. Jack Franks (D-Marengo), obviously preparing for a statewide run before campaign contribution limits take effect, reported raising $1,319,769.37 during the first half of 2009.

(In case you are interested in what he spent during the last six months, click here. For the Chicago kingmaker he visited Friday, click here.)

In on the ground floor of whatever State Rep. Jack Franks (D-Marengo) is undertaking in the 2010 campaign are the following contributors:

First those donating $50,000 or more:

Eileen Franks, Eileen, Occupation: retired, Marengo – $450,000

Herbert H. Franks, Occupation: attorney, Marengo – $250,000

Deborah Franks, Occupation: housewife. Marengo – $200,000

Steven W. Kling, Occupation: Real Estate Broker, Employer: Grubb & Ellis, Hampshire – $100,000

Helen Lindow, Occupation: Owner, Lindow’s Appliance, Marengo – $50,000

None of these contributions would be legal in 2011, if Governor Pat Quinn signs the so-called campaign reform bill on his desk. While certainly not an expert on the legislation sitting on Governor Pat Quinn’s desk, the bill seems to have a $5,000 limit on contributions from individuals.

Jack Franks also loaned $150,000 to his political action committee.

$1.2 million of the $1.3 million or 90% of the money Franks is using to gain a place on the statewide ticket comes from just six contributors. All but one are relatives, I have been told.

This demonstrates how it almost a necessity to get big chunks of money from a relatively few number of donors. In the best of conditions, those making the contributions want nothing but good government in return.

Political action committees gave $45,800 of the total.

Small contributions came from the following individuals and incorporated entities. None of the money is tax deductible.

Look closely and you will see some who previously gave money to disgraced former Governor Rod Blagojevich.

The largest six-month amount I see below is $5,000, given by J.B. & M.K. Pritzker.

Large numbers of attorneys appear on the list. There are also a goodly number of firms involved in road construction, landscaping and medical care.

A contributor of $2,500 is Libertyville Judge Mary Schostok. [I talked to now Justice Schostok at the Nunda Township Republican Picnic Saturday, August 8, 2009. She told me that her husband, who has different politics from her, made the contribution from a non-joint checking account and that Jack Franks' campaign recorded it incorrectly. Schostok says a request has been made for Franks to change the way he reported the contribution.]

Several hundred dollars were given by Canadian fishing buddy Jesse White and Ed Burke. Strangely missing is Blagojevich father-in-law Alderman Dick Mell, another regular on the excursion.

Two former Republican officials are on the list:

• State Rep. Sam Vinson and
• Appellate Court Justice S. Louis Rathje

I see one contributor against whom Attorney General Lisa Madigan has filed suit.

A for-profit entity in the Mercy Health Systems constellation of entities donated $2,500. You will remember that Jack’s father Herb represented Mercy in its attempts to build a hospital in Crystal Lake.

The corporation that purchased the Woodstock Residence contributed $2,000.

The smaller contributors follow in alphabetical order:

Abbott Contractors LLC, Bartlett – $200

Action K-9 Security Inc, Chicago – $500

Advanced Practical Solutions LLC, Chicago – $2,500

Robert E. Aleksy, Chicago – $250

Ameren, St. Louis, MO – $500

Andrea A. Riala & Associates Inc., Chicago – $250

Astellas Pharma US Inc, Deerfield – $500

Attorneys Title Guaranty Fund Inc., Chicago – $1,000

Robert S. Baizer, Baizer Kolar & Lewis PC, Highland Park – $2,500

Richard Barr, Employer: PLS Financial, Northbrook – $1,000

Barton Management Inc, Northfield – $3,500

Baudin W Randal, Dundee – $500

Baxter & Woodman Inc, Crystal Lake – $250

Stella Black, Chicago – $200

BlueStar Energy Services, Chicago – $250

BNSF Railway Company, Fort Worth, TX – $1,000

Richard Boykin, Chicago – $250

Bricton Group Inc, Park Ridge – $200

Bruce Simon Consulting, Springfield – $250

Duane and Diane Bucksath, Homer Glen – $250

Christopher B. Burke Engineering LTD., Rosemont – $250

Jack Carey, Attorney at Law, Belleville – $350

John and Nancy Castle, Sycamore – $250

Clifford Law Offices PC, Chicago – $500

Cooney And Conway, Chicago – $500

Crossroads Care Center of Woodstock. Woodstock – $2,000

Lynn G. Cutler, Chicago – $250

Jim W. Demoss, Chicago – $250

Alice Dermer, Chicago – $300

George T & Beth J Drost, Arlington Heights – $500

Fidelity Consulting Group, Chicago – $250

Fletcher O’Brien Kasper & Nottage PC, Chicago – $500

Russell & Sara Foszcz, Richmond – $500

Frazier Consulting LLC, Park Ridge – $500

Globetrotters Engineering Corp, Chicago – $250

Lawrence N. Gold, Barrington – $250

Great Lakes Medicaid, Chicago – $500

GRO Horticultural Enterprises Inc, Union – $500

H S Crocker Co Inc, Huntley – $2,500

Richard D. Hannigan Ltd., Mundelein – $250

Charles G Haskins, Jr., Attorney at Law, Chicago – $250

Mark Hassakis, Mt. Vernon – $250

Keith A & Jodi B Hebeisen, Employer: Clifford Law Offices, Northbrook – $1,000

Harry & Carrie J Hightman, Chicago – $500

Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP, Chicago – $250

Illinois Governmental Consulting Group LLC, Chicago – $500

International Profit Associates, Buffalo Grove – $1,000

Intren Inc., Union – $1,250

Johnson, Willis & Shirley, Downers Grove – $250

Kamys Michael A. Law Offices, Chicago – $250

Howard Gordon Kaplan, Chicago – $250

Kraft Foods Global Inc., Northfield – $1,500

Krimson Valley Landscape Inc, Woodstock – $250

Ladden & Allen Chartered, Chicago – $200

Philip & Helene Lambruschi, Lakewood – $200

Law Offices of Rubin & Norris LLC, Chicago – $500

John G. Locallo, Chicago – $250

Edward & Tiffany Long, II, Beach Park – $250

Mackey Landscapes Inc., Libertyville – $250.

ManagCare Inc., Chicago – $500

Medco Health Solutions Inc.. Amherst, VA – $500

MercyCare Insurance Company, Janesville, WI – $2,500

Metropolitan Fire Restoration Inc., Libertyville – $1,500

Charles R Middleton, Chicago – $250

Christopher Mullen PC, Chicago – $250

Edward J Neumann, Jr., McHenry – $257.93

Larry O’Connor, Marengo – $350

O’Brien Farms Inc, River Forest – $1.500

Peter Baker & Son Co., Lake Bluff – $250

Pfizer Inc., Memphis, TN – $500

Pickering & Associates LLC, Elgin – $2,000

Prestress Engineering Corporation, Prairie Grove – $250

J.B. & M.K. Pritzker, Occupation: Partner, New World Ventures, Evanston – $5,000

S. Louis Rathje, Wheaton – $250

Edward M & Marilyn L Riley, Woodstock – $200

Eugene Rintels, Winnetka – $500

Roddy Leahy Guill and Zima LTD.. Chicago – $750

Rodriguez, Marcial and Laticia, Fox Lake – $500

Michael Rohrbeck, Chicago – $250

Arnold G Rubin, Occupation: attorney, Chicago – $1,500

Schain Burney Ross & Citron Ltd, Chicago – $250

Schnell, David and Batsheva, Chicago – $250

Michael & Mary Schostok, Occupation: Illinois Judge, Libertyville – $2,500

Schwartz, David L., Bethesda, MD – $500

Scot Forge, Spring Grove – $1,000

John Sexton Sand & Gravel Corp, Hillside – $350

Shefsky & Froelich Ltd, Chicago – $1,250

Skinners’ Amusements Inc, Crystal Lake – $250

Storino Ramello & Durkin, Rosemont – $250

Strom Neal B & Associats Ltd, Chicago – $350

Superior RX Inc., Chicago – $250

T-Mobile USA Inc, Bellevue, WA – $250

The Burnham Committee (an Ed Burke PAC), Chicago – $500

The Roosevelt Group, Chicago – $500

Thelen Sand & Gravel Inc, Antioch – $500

Ungaretti & Harris LLP, Chicago – $500

United Airlines, Chicago – $250

Sam Vinson, Chicago – $250

Michael P. Vondra, Bartlett – $300

Lawrence Jay Weiner, Barrington – $250

Mitchell Weisz, Woodstock – $250

Jesse White, Chicago – $200

Alfred W. Wieher, Attorney at Law, Hinsdale – $500

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The photo of State Rep. Jack Franks was taken from C-SPAN during the Rod Blagojevich impeachment hearings.