McHenry County Blog

The annual Pro-Life Pig Roast was held again at Irene Napier’s farm on Valley View Road.

There was a goodly crowd of supporters of the Pro-Life position.

Old friends renewed acquaintances.

Candidates from Lake courted voters.

Lake County Republican Bob Bedar advanced his candidacy for Recorder of Deeds.

30th District GOP State Senate candidate Don Castella was there, too.

I even sat at his table briefly talking to Barrington’s Jim Finnegan about how Democrat State Rep. Jack Franks of Marengo had stymied Chose Life license plates by putting authorization bills in subcommittees to die.

There were at least three McHenry County Board members and candidates in attendance.

I saw Board members Nick Provenzano and John Hammerand.  Cheryl Hammerand, a Wonder Lake Fire Protection District Board member was there, too.

Mary McClelland, a GOP McHenry County Board candidate in District 3, spoke to the crowd.

State Senator Dan Duffy also spoke to the crowed.

He told of how Illinois Senate President John Cullerton changed his parking space when he would not use an offered Point of Personal Privilege to apologize to his fellow members for having insulted them when he spoke during Governor Rod Blagojevich’s impeachment trial.

Duffy had said that he didn’t understand how Blagojevich has been allowed to do all the things that had been presented in evidence at the trial by those who had served in the legislature at the same time.

Duffy told Cullerton that if he were granted the floor again, he had more to say in the same vein.

Shortly thereafter Cullerton announced the change in parking space.

Duffy said he thought he was back “in junior high.”

The highest ranking official to address the crowd was Congressman Randy Hultgren.

Illinois Democrats redistricted congressional districts so that all of McHenry County but Algonquin Township will be represented by Randy Hultgren…unless Democrat Dennis Anderson of Gurnee pulls off a bigger upset than Joe Walsh did when he beat Melissa Bean.

Hultgren praised Walsh for not doing what the Democrats hoped would occur–a face-off between Hultgren and Walsh.

He urge the crowd to help Walsh beat Tammy Duckworth.

Peter Roskam will represent the rest of McHenry County, that is, Algonquin Township, unless there is a Democratic landslide of enormous proportions.

Joe Edwards talked of the progress being made to bring an ultrasound machine to McHenry County.

I think I heard that the Lutheran Life League had recently pledged $10,000.

The Thomas More Law Society‘s Peter Breen told of his groups defense of Pro-Life video makers and other Pro-Life causes.

He also told of the role that his organization is taking in defending the Defense of Marriage Act, which liberal Cook County officials are refusing to defend.

Below are photos of the two other County Board members I noticed.

There was lots of networking.

Although Congressman Peter Roskam was absent, campaign worker David Rivera and his fiancee Kelly Baumgart were there to carry the flag…or at least wear the tee shirt.

And, how could I pass up Woodstock’s Jim Klocek’s tee shirt of “Umbert?”

Sunday, June 24th is day for the annual Sigma Pigma Pie Pro-Life Pig Roast at Irene Napier’s farm east of Crystal Lake, south of Prairie Grove and west of Oakwood Hills.

Proceeds go the Pro-Life Victory PAC.

The event has limited parking, the flyer says, so advance reservations for the $40 event ($75 for couples) is recommended.

Lake County’s Pro-Life leader Bonnie Quirke is the Honorary Co-Chairman with McHenry County’s Pro-Life Godmother Irene Napier.

A map showing the location of the Napier is below:

A press release from the Pro-Life Victory PAC:

Right to Life McHenry County Pro-Life Victory PAC Endorses Hultgren in the 14^th

Crystal Lake, IL – The Right to Life McHenry County (RLMC) Pro-Life Victory PAC today announced its endorsement of U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren (IL-14) in the Republican Primary for the 14^th Congressional District.

The RLMC Pro-Life Victory PAC seeks to identify, assist and offer support to candidates for public office who have a proven commitment to the sanctity of human life and will be a strong and effective voice for the unborn.  The Pro-Life Victory PAC examines three factors in the decision to endorse candidates; their stand on life issues, their track record on life issues, and their ability to win.

“We strongly endorse Congressman Randy Hultgren in the Republican Primary for the 14^th Congressional District,” said Irene Napier. “Randy has been a constant fighter for life and believes that the family is the very foundation of our society.

“Randy Hultgren should not have to face opposition in the Primary from U. S. Rep Joe Walsh. We continue in our efforts to encourage Joe to run as the Pro Life candidate in the 8^th Congressional Districtr. When Joe Walsh announces this decision, we will support his victory in the eighth district, as well as Randy Hultgren’s victory in the 14^th.”

RTLMC Pro-Life Victory PAC supports the candidate who best represents their ongoing mission to respect life at all of its stages and courageously proclaims the truth that all human life is sacred and must be protected by law.

The annual Pro-Life Pig Roast was held at Irene Napier’s Valley View Road farm northeast of Crystal Lake Sunday and there were candidates galore.

With Governor Pat Quinn’s having just signed the Democrats’ reapportionment bill for for congressional districts, the two incumbents living in the new 14th District showed up.

Joe Walsh, who lives between McHenry and Johnsburg, arrived first.

He worked the crowd, then spoke to it.

He and other elected officials were drafted to auction off donated items.

Randy Hultgren, from the DuPage County end of the new 14th District came with his family.

After speaking to those gathered, Hultgren also became a celebrity auctioneer.

State Senators Dan Duffy and Chris Lauzen told what was happening in Springfield.

Then, they were also impressed to be auctioneers.

Two people whose names have been mentioned as potential candidates for the Republican nomination for State Representative in the new 64th district, which is divided about 50-50 between McHenry County and Lake County were sighted.

Retiring McHenry County Board member Barb Wheeler was in attendance, as was McHenry Grade School and Library Board member John O’Neill.

Democrat State Rep. Jack Franks flattered O’Neill by removing the Spring Grove precincts where O’Neil beat him last year from the boundaries of his newly-drawn 63rd District.

Both are possibilities, as is attorney Joe Gottemoller.  Wheeler and Gottemoller have Crystal Lake addresses.  O’Neill lives in McHenry.

A potential candidate for the 8th congressional district is Rich Evans.

A CPA, Evans has contacts in the 8th District, although he now lives in Crystal Lake.

Incumbent 8th District Congressman Joe Walsh is not expected to run for re-election in the new district.

In addition to Barb Wheeler, three McHenry County Board
members were in attendance:

• John Hammerand of Woodstock,
• John Jung of Bull Valley and
• Nick Provenzano of McHenry

A potential candidate for District 6, former Huntley School Board President Shawn Green, attended with his toddler and pregnant wife Angela.

Other elected officials were also chowing down.

Included were

• McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi,
• Wonder Lake Fire Protection District Trustee Cheryl Hammerand, and
• Johnsburg School District Board member Steve Rooney.

Judge Michael Chmiel was there with his wife, Marie, a former McHenry County Board member.

Patriots United announced that Maria Rodriguez has been hired as Executive Director.

Out of the ordinary was the appearance of two guys not seeking office,

• physician Arie Friedman and
• former State Rep. candidate Dan Sugrue.

After his run against an incumbent Democrat in Lake County last year, Mike Madigan put the woman who beat him in a district with incumbent Republican Sid Mathias.  Any chance that Sugrue could win in the Green Oaks district where he lives is minimal.  He was elected the the village board his past spring, however.

Friedman ran in the 10th congressional district Republican primary against Robert Dold.  He has often spoken in public forms against Obamacare.

 

With Special Prosecutor Henry Tonigan’s unsuccessfully trying to link campaign contributions to McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi to a dismissal of a misdemeanor charge against a man who had previously received the group’s report, the Pro-Life Pig Roast Sunday from 1-4 might yield some interesting conversation.

Although former Pro-Life Victory PAC head Sue Suedar denied in an affidavit that a quid pro quo existed and Quest investigator Patrick Hanretty agreed under oath before he disagreed under oath in front of confused court officials and audience in Rockford Friday, such a quid pro quo was part of the criminal indictment against Bianchi.

Tonigan has all but disappeared from the case, leaving his associate Thomas McQueen to present what remains of the case. The two have not submitted a bill since.

But, back to the pig roast.

This is where any candidate courting the pro-life vote in McHenry County ought to be Sunday afternoon.

Here’s a map showing where the event will be:

This demure Christmas Pig was found at the Pro-Life Pig Roast six months ago.

It seems like an appropriate item to post on what has become the biggest shopping day of the year.

This demure Christmas Pig was found at the Pro-Life Pig Roast six months ago.

It seems like an appropriate item to post on what has become the biggest shopping day of the year.