From Paul Barthel:

Local author and animal rights advocate, Paul Barthel and the Citizens to Elect Paul Barthel announces his official candidacy for Illinois McHenry County Board recognized with the State of Illinois State Board of Elections

“I am honored to announce my candidacy for the McHenry County Board. Illinois has been my home for most my life.

“It’s where I have raised my family.

“It’s where I have worked most my entire life and built a life centered around our faith, family, and friends.

“It’s important to us to give back and to help others and animals in every way we can.

“I’m running for Illinois McHenry County Board because these are unprecedented times in our state and nation.

“We have remained idle far too long while watching out-of-control bureaucrats having put politics over common-sense policy. The foundational principles that have made our nation great are now under threat.

“Now more than ever, it’s time for conservatives to demand courageous leadership that puts Illinois families, jobs, and our constitutional liberties first.”

A PRESCRIPTION FOR CHANGE

Barthel’s roots and generational footprint run deep in Illinois.  From an ancestral family with proud conservative beliefs, Barthel’s principles identify with those hard-working families through the veins of each Illinois county.  His great grandfather a farmer, a grandfather who served as a postal beat worker, and his father a truck driver, Barthel is from the same quilt of hard work ethics.  A conservative blue-collar private sector worker, animal welfare volunteer, restaurateur, author, and small business entrepreneur, Barthel identifies with the journeyman and skilled professional.

WHY SEEKING OFFICE?

“Disgraced by government mismanagement across Illinois, woke policies, school indoctrination, and crime, I was prepared to move my family to a more friendly and welcoming state.  However, questioning, why should those Illinoisans who through their hard work and exorbitant taxes they have contributed be forced to flee what was once a family and business-friendly state?” 

No stranger to the Illinois General Assembly and legislative lobbying for change, Barthel’s passion for animal welfare was the impetus for the formation of the Humane Animal Advocacy organization and backing of several prominent legislative efforts that are now law.  Barthel would write about his experience in his novel, Never Left Behind and in periodicals. 

WHY YOU?

An adversary with nothing to lose can be the most imminent threat.  I’m running for the Illinois McHenry County Board because these are unprecedented times in Illinois and across the country.  Illinois is operating from a tyrannical regime that goes unchecked by its lopsided General Assembly and despot Governor.  Illinois residents are continually forced to experience politics over common-sense policy.  The foundational principles that have made our State great are now under threat like never before.  

“As I have found with most animal advocacy issues, little can be done on a municipal level in an effort to make an impact as a whole. I had always wanted to make an impression on a state or county legislative level in regards to animal welfare/rights, similarly, for the citizens of Illinois, most of the incongruities, corruption, and egregious disregard to those very citizens of Illinois have been manifested on a State level.” 

The campaign web site can be found here.

Bartel is running as a Republican.

= = = = =

DEmocrat or Repubican, send your announcement of candidacy and McHenry County Blog will publish it and subsequest press releases,

Each year McHenry County goes beyond the letter of the law and publishes compensation for all of its employees (1,237 this year).

The figures are explained like this:

“In accordance with PA 97-609, and certain requirements within this act, a government entity is required to list on its website the total compensation package for every IMRF covered employee earning a total compensation package in excess of $75,000. Salary and benefit information for IMRF employees are for salaries on FY 2020-21 as it represents numbers that are projected to be earned at the completion of the fiscal year. Numbers do not become actual until the completion of the fiscal year. This information is offered to provide transparency.”

Below are only a summary of the information–name, position and total compensation. The figure includes salary and benefits, for example, health insurance, pension, uniform allowance.

Brian L. Newcomb DOT Maint Worker $66,143.20
James RM Newman Chief, Criminal Division $132,464.19
Debra L. Nieto Chief Deputy County Clerk $110,476.14
Yele D. Noah Correctional Officer – Union $110,225.84
Patricia M. Nomm Director of Env Health $125,903.33
Kyle W. Norberg WIC Nutritionist $50,511.96
Jennifer R. Northern Public Health Nurse $79,390.92
Jason M. Novak Deputy – Union $122,356.08
Robert C. Nowak County Board Member $29,593.04
Bret A. Nystrom Court Security Ofcr – Union $74,048.56
Roberta S. Oakley Front Desk Associate $12,976.60
Donald R. Oates DOT Maint Worker $75,719.20
Loreen A. O’Brien Career Planner $62,081.10
Leslie R. Odean WIC Nutritionist $57,065.96
Mark J. O’Donnell Correctional Officer – Union $79,994.08
Amanda R. Okayama Clerk III – Union $50,997.62
Sarah V. Oliveira Family Case Mgr Coordinator $76,855.66
Ermila Olsen Administrative Specialist I $32,994.00
Connie L. Olson Administrative Specialist III $51,833.82
Paul A. Olszak Court Security Ofcr – Union $42,744.80
Danielle Ory Registry RN $18,720.00
William M. Os Correctional Officer – Union $122,500.16
Lynnsey J. Osborne Facilities Coordinator $63,838.74
LeRoy H. Otterson, III Senior Network Engineer II $90,106.22
Daniel A. Ottlinger Correctional Officer – Union $114,834.08
Renee M. Overlee Lead Court/Courtroom Spec $59,031.54
Dawn M. Owen Clerk III – Union $64,456.22
Cynthia Pablo Public Health Nurse $83,233.66
Ricardo Pagan Deputy Chief of Administration $151,767.47
Neil W. Pagett Correctional Officer – Union $114,834.08
Jennifer L. Palek Activity Assistant $50,727.16
Jason U. Palmas Correctional Officer – Union $89,147.36
Melisa Paredes Lopez Registry – CNA $5,777.20
Lori R. Parrish County Board Member $40,647.60
Adriana Partida Registry – CNA $44,330.00
Beth A. Partridge Care Plan Coordinator $92,343.44
Daniel J. Patenaude Deputy Sheriff SGT $127,773.44
Travis R. Patenaude Chief Info Security Officer $127,565.42
Kristofer J. Paterek Correctional Officer – Union $114,834.32
Daniel R. Pauley Court Security Ofcr – Union $59,898.72
Linda S. Paulish Certified Nursing Assistant I $56,124.40
Jeffrey C. Paulson Correctional Officer – Union $114,834.08
Susan I. Payton Chief Managing Officer – Adult $92,267.72
Nornalyn A. Payumo Certified Nursing Assistant I $36,592.40
Samantha R. Pearson Accounting Assistant I $55,000.00
Thomas F. Pechous Correctional Officer – Union $114,834.32
Amy L. Peckham Court/Courtroom Spec II $53,147.94
Denise M. Pellegrino Telecommunicator $94,544.16
Angelica Perez Administrative Specialist I $57,364.74

2019-2020

Newbold,Bryan E Correctional Officer – Union $113,003.56
Newcomb,Brian L DOT Maint Worker $64,451.20
Nicholson,Suzan L Radio Dispchr – Union $82,075.76
Nieto,Debra L Chief Deputy County Clerk $103,112.46
Noah,Yele D Correctional Officer – Union $94,737.64
Nomm,Patricia M Director of Env Health $130,123.92
Norberg,Kyle W WIC Nutritionist $50,552.84
Novak,Jason M Deputy – Union $120,400.76
Nowak,Robert C County Board Member $29,584.80
Nuccio,Anthony R PIO/Transit Coordinator $49,375.36
Nystrom,Bret A Court Security Ofcr – Union $71,552.44
Oakley,Roberta S. Front Desk Associate $12,452.72
Oates,Donald R DOT Maint Worker $73,595.20
O’Brien,Loreen A Career Planner $60,717.42
Odean,Leslie R WIC Nutritionist $55,739.84
O’Donnell,Mark J Correctional Officer – Union $60,447.24
Oliveira,Sarah V Family Case Mgr Coordinator $75,429.24
Oliver,Charlie T Potable Water/Priv Sewage Coor $60,233.94
Olsen,Ermila Administrative Specialist I $32,826.96
Olson,Connie L. Administrative Specialist III $50,119.80
Olszak,Paul A Court Security – Non Union $3,505.00
Ortega,Maria G Administrative Specialist I $21,524.17
Ortiz Gonzalez,Felipe E Asst Cook/Food Service Worker $25,291.50
Os,William M Correctional Officer – Union $120,669.64
Osborne,Lynnsey J Facilities Coordinator $57,384.12
Otterson,LeRoy H Network Engineer $81,461.16
Ottlinger,Daniel A Correctional Officer – Union $113,003.56
Overlee,Renee M. Lead Court/Courtroom Spec $57,919.80
Owen,Dawn M Clerk III – Union $70,407.14
Pablo,Cynthia Public Health Nurse $80,438.12
Pagan,Ricardo Deputy Chief of Administration $148,448.78
Pagett,Neil W. Correctional Officer – Union $113,003.56
Palek,Jennifer L Activity Assistant $48,087.10
Palmas,Jason U Correctional Officer – Union $79,776.12
Parrish,Lori R County Board Member $40,639.42
Partida,Adriana Certified Nursing Asst I $17,470.05
Partridge,Beth A Care Plan Coordinator $97,633.14
Patenaude,Daniel J. Deputy Sheriff SGT $125,118.84
Patenaude,Julie E. Court/Courtroom Spec III $59,955.36
Patenaude,Travis R Chief Info Security Officer $125,030.50
Paterek,Kristofer Correctional Officer – Union $113,003.56
Pauley,Daniel Court Security Ofcr – Union $57,485.92
Paulish,Linda S Certified Nursing Asst I $48,050.62
Paulson,Jeffrey C. Correctional Officer – Union $113,003.56
Payton,Sarah M Mental Health Court Clinician $65,479.84
Payton,Susan I Chief Managing Officer – Adult $90,673.72
Payumo,Nornalyn A Certified Nursing Asst I $29,076.45
Pechous,Thomas F Correctional Officer – Union $113,003.56
Peckham,Amy L Sr Court/Courtroom Spec I $49,749.72
Pellegrino,Denise M Radio Dispchr – Union $91,590.56
Perez,Angelica Administrative Specialist I $55,980.12

Note from John Lopez: With the expected announcement on MLK, Jr. Day tomorrow of Aurora Mayor Richard C. Irvin seeking the Republican nomination for governor in the primary, moving this article, originally published on December 17, for readers to learn more about Irvin. Updates include names of lieutenant governor running mates, if announced.

“Aurora was built by and is still sustained by hardworking families where every dollar counts. We applaud Congresswoman Underwood for her stalwart efforts and fully support H.R.1757 and its goal of providing tax relief to working families,” Aurora Mayor Richard C. Irvin, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood press release 6/25/19

UPDATE 1/17/22, 11:10AM CST

This morning, WCIA TV reporter Mark Maxwell tweeted this:

Illinois Republican Party State Chairman Don Tracy said Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin is “definitely a Republican”, and pulled Democratic ballots because “that’s where the action is” in Kane County elections in even-numbered years?

From the desk of John Lopez: What Tracy said only applied to 2017 and 2021 Aurora Township Democratic primaries.

Yet Irvin trying to help Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (D, Naperville) peddle lies about the Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017 back in mid 2019, when Irvin had pulled a Republican ballot the previous year was not something that happened on Primary Day, the “action” was spreading lies about the state and local taxes (SALT) impacts, including the lie of “double taxation”.

What about the fall, 2020 campaign of the mother of Irvin’s illegitimate twin sons, trying to elect her as a DEMOCRAT over the Republican appointed circuit judge!?

Irvin “definitely a Republican”, there are mutliple applications of the word “action” of Irvin, helping Democrats pass their Leftist policies, or push a woman he womanized with onto the voters of Kane County to be a circuit judge.

Will Republican primary voters fall for this “big lie” concerning Mayor Irvin!?

State Party Chairman Don Tracy certainly has!

===================

With the news this week the richest man in Illinois Ken Griffin is unhappy with the current field of Republican candidates for Illinois governor, Griffin’s people float Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin as his Christmas gift to save Illinois from the tyranny of Democratic Governor JB Pritzker.

Is Griffin bearing a Christmas gift? Or is Griffin playing the grinch trying to steal conservatism from the Republican Party by promoting Democrat Richard Irvin as a Republican to beat Pritzker.

McHenry County Blog believes in full context, and it is not forgotten how Ken Griffin-backed Irvin’s record, including his work with then McHenry County Board Chairman Jack Franks (D, Woodstock) and five other Democratic elected leaders trying to help Congresswoman Lauren Underwood’s (D, Naperville) state and local taxes (SALT) deduction limits bill in 2019, when she and other local officials attempted to mislead the public the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 hurt the middle class.

The facts said otherwise as McHenry County Blog presented in July of 2019 and coverage of Franks, Irvin & company supporting the inaccurate campaign of Underwood.

The seven candidates for governor currently include four major and 3 minor candidates, and they are, with their lieutenant governor running mates, in alphabetical order:

• Darren Bailey / Stephanie Trussell
• Cheryl Erickson
• Gary Rabine / Aaron Del Mar
• Christopher Roper / Alfredo Cisneros
• Paul Schimpf / Carolyn Schofield
• Max Soloman / Latasha Fields
• Jesse Sullivan

Irvin would be the 8th candidate, and rumor is Millennial 29-year-old 3-term state Representative Avery Bourne (R, Morrisonville) is Griffin’s choice to pair with Irvin on the gubernatorial ticket, bringing downstate and gender balance, as well as conservative credentials to the married mother of one, who is very pro-life and pro 2nd Amendment.

If Irvin is at the top of the Republican ticket bankrolled by Griffin to defeat Governor JB Pritzker, how could Irvin campaign for his running mates, including the Republican nominee in the new IL-14 to unseat the two-term incumbent Underwood next year?

Would Irvin/Griffin & Company even try?

And then there’s Irvin’s Democratic voting history in primaries, both even-numbered years and odd-numbered years (2017, 2021) when Irvin was on the ballot for the officially nonpartisan office of mayor of Aurora.

He had to declare party as Democratic in order to vote in the Democratic primary for Aurora Township offices in both odd-numbered years he won the mayoral race.

The official copy of Irvin’s voting history WCIA-TV’s Mark Maxwell obtained yesterday from the office of Kane County Clerk Jack Cunningham (R, Aurora) has some irony.

In Irvin’s first mayoral run in 2005, then 1st term Kane County Clerk Jack Cunningham (R, Aurora) was one of Irvin’s four opponents in his first bid for mayor when then Mayor David Stover did not seek reelection that year.

The city of Aurora’s mayoral and city council offices are officially nonpartisan, and under a nonpartisan election, the top-2 candidates advance, regardless if the primary winner garnered more than 50% of the vote.

Irvin made the April ballot in 2005, finishing 2nd to eventual winner Tom Weisner, who garnered 60% of the vote in the primary. Irvin bested Cunningham and the other two candidates in the February primary in 2005.

Weisner went on to crush Irvin with the same supermajority of 60% of the vote in April.

Two years later, with the increased citywide name ID from his 2005 mayoral run, Irvin won an at-large City Council seat and served as an alderman for 10 years until his election as mayor in 2017 which was open due to Mayor Weisner’s resignation in 2016 due to cancer (he passed away in 2018) and acting Mayor Bob O’Conner chose not to seek election in 2017.

The Aurora City Council has a 10-3 configuration, with 10 alderpersons elected from single-member wards, with the mayor and two alderpersons elected at-large.

In Irvin’s successful 2017 campaign, he was one of four candidates in the nonpartisan primary, and the field included then state Representative (and now disgraced ex Illinois Veterans Affairs Director) Linda Chapa-LaVia and two other candidates. Chapa-LaVia did not get out of the primary, and Irvin went on to win the mayoral election in 2017.

Irvin’s general consultant for his successful 2017 mayoral election was Geneva’s Jeff Ward.

Ward’s blog, The First Ward is a treasure trove of free opposition research against Mayor Irvin, given Ward, going back to his southern Kane County journalism beat, still tracks local officials in Kane County and documents where they could have done better.

Ward, as Cobra Kai teaches, shows no mercy.

Here is a sample of Mayor Irvin’s record concerning shelters in Aurora, most notably long-established Wayside Cross Ministries (a western suburban smaller version of Pacific Garden Mission of Chicago) based in downtown Aurora and Hesed House.

• Wayside Cross Ministries
• Hesed House

From the desk of John Lopez: If Irvin does run for governor, and we’ll know next month, Jeff Ward’s stock as a political consultant will shoot through the roof, and of the remaining four major IL gubernatorial candidates are smart, they would be well advised to sign Ward to do opposition research against Irvin.

From WTTW:

“To celebrate, the Illinois Muslim Civic Coalition, which advocated for the holiday, is holding a virtual event honoring the boxing legend.”

His daughter is quoted in the article:

“When I think about what’s going on in the country right now, what comes to mind the most are conversations that we would have about why he took the stands that he took, why he demanded his human and constitutional rights to choose the religion of his choice. Why he confronted various forms of discrimination, oppression and violence against African Americans and other non-ruling people of color, and why he so publicly and proudly had self-love, showed self-love and pride as an African American and a Muslim,” said Maryum Ali.

= = = = =

At some Republican fundraiser at a big Chicago hotel Ali came by my table on his way out of the room.

He graciiously shook our hands.

I read somewhere that Lake in the Hills hired a social worker.

This may well be one of the first calls:

From Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy:

Mike Frerichs and his Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Awful, Very Bad Week 

Mike Frerichs has had some very bad weeks as a candidate, usually self-inflicted by the gaffe-prone career politician. But this week’s trifecta of blunders represents a new level of incompetence. Here is the rundown: 

• Illinois taxpayers were reminded of Frerichs’ support of Governor Pritzker’s tax-hike amendment and advocacy of a tax on retirement income. 
• Frerichs’ falsely claimed State Rep. Tom Demmer, Republican candidate for State Treasurer, opposed a bill that Demmer had actually supported – a 2016 law requiring life insurance companies to pay death benefits. After conceding that Demmer had in fact supported the final bill, Frerichs tried to save face by claiming the negotiated legislation was weak. Too bad he touted the final bill – supported by Demmer – as a win that closed loopholes and “helps our families.” (HB 4633, Passed 118-0, 5/31/16, Demmer Voted Yea)
• Frerichs was forced to cancel a fundraiser this week because it violated the state’s ethics law. 

To recap Frerichs’ week:  ethics challenges, false accusations about his opponent’s record, and his own record of tax hikes. Frerichs is so desperate to distract from his failures as Treasurer that he ran the entire playbook of the corrupt Springfield machine—in just one week.

From the Marengo Settlers Days Parade comes this entry from the Sacret Heart Catholic Church:

This mother and child were walking in the contingent:

After the parade I drove past the Sacred Heart Church and found this display in memory of aborted babies:

“I am looking forward to sharing soon what big news is coming soon! But here is a little sneak peak of all the hard work today [Fri, 1/14/22]! The biggest thank you to the amazing crew I worked with today! Thank you for being part of my story and the future for the voices who need to be heard…for our state and Country!”

The above quote was from a social media post from a “candidate X” in IL-11 and accompanied with multiple pics, including the one above, being shot outside a suburban home, with a light on a boom. Coupled with the other pics and the quote, this “candidate X” clearly shooting a video, likely an introductory video to launch their Republican primary campaign in the new 11th Congressional District for the honor to challenge Congressman Bill Foster (D, Naperville) this fall.

Yesterday afternoon, “Correcting”, one of McHenry County Blog‘s most thoughtful commenters, posted the following in the article with video from last week’s floor speech by U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D, AZ).

Only citing comments made about the IL-11 Republican primary for this year and the topic of “candidate X”, and in IL-11, there are two whom McHenry County Blog knows about on the verge of launching their respective congressional bids:

“I’m having serious doubts about John [Lopez]’s claim that someone is going to run against Catalina Lauf in the 11th district U.S. House of Representatives Republican primary.

“So, John, what I’m questioning is why people in D.C. would allegedly, according to you, be thinking about running someone against Lauf.

“It is now the 15th [of January, 2022].

“Just when the heck is this ‘candidate x’ going to announce?

“You said after New Year.

“It’s been over two weeks and now petition circulation has begun.

“Still, I have heard no announcement nor is there anything listed on the FEC’s website.

“I am suspecting that there is no candidate x.

“Lauf is going to sail through the primary without any serious competition and then lose to Foster.

“I have more to say about this, but would appreciate a response from John Lopez before saying more.”

Commenter “Correcting”, January 15, 2022, 3:28PM CST

.

Currently, the IL-11 Republican primary field includes, in the order they announced their candidacies, the following three candidates, with the date they submitted their respective Statements of Candidacy with the Federal Election Commission (FEC):

• U.S. Army Major (ret.) Michael Pierce, PhD of Naperville, November 2, 2021
• Dean Seppelfrick of Aurora, November 16, 2021
• 2020 IL-14 candidate Catalina Lauf of Woodstock, December 6, 2021

From the desk of John Lopez: There’s an old saying, “timing is everything in politics”. That includes the timing of one’s candidacy announcements.

This past week, including on Saturday, I confirmed the evidence of the two Candidate Xs. They have not announced, and I was asked to keep their confidence of their identity until they formally announce or file FEC paperwork for their IL-11 candidaces.

I, John Lopez, do not betray confidences.

To delineate the two people, Candidate X1 and Candidate X2, based on when I was first informed, and committed to keeping their names private until they announce/file with the FEC.

The picture and quote at the top of this article is from Candidate X1.

Now to continue answering Correcting’s questions from Saturday.

People in D.C. are NOT looking to run someone against Lauf. They are looking to run a viable, winning candidate against Foster in the fall who will win the June 28 primary.

The people in D.C. know a hard-core supporter of former President Trump will not win in the fall against Foster, as every metric of the new IL-11 shows a more moderate mainstream electorate than the IL-14 and IL-16 of the past 10 years.

Many believe a Trumpian cannot win in the new IL-11, in spite of Lauf’s recent attempts to reframe her message as a mainstream conservative, not the America First Trump supporter challenging Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R, Channahon) for most of 2021.

Her messaging in 2021, combined with her well-documented campaign cash high burn-rate (over 72% for 2021), is why recruitment for someone other than Lauf, took place in the last half of 2021.

To many, Lauf’s record since entering politics as a candidate in 2019 ties her to pro-Trump, “America First” Republicans like her advisor through most of 2021, Florida-based Alex Bruesewitz, along with 2020 MD-07 nominee Kim Klacik, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R, GA-14), Congressman Madison Cawthorn (R, NC-11) and candidate Anna Paulina Luna (R, FL-13), the latter two Lauf has contributed financially, including a total of $3,500 to Luna, through Lauf’s Defense of Freedom PAC.

Back to the timing, the candidates must choose when to announce, and as long as they announce, with enough time to gather the signatures to be on the ballot and avoid a petition challenge, a candidate will do their announcement in their time without other candidate announcements crowding out their announcement.

The first part of next week will be dominated by the expected entry of Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin running for governor. Anyone else announcing on Monday or even Tuesday, will be drowned out by the coverage of Irvin.

Lauf is not going to sail through the primary, nor should she. As documented here on McHenry County Blog since August of 2021, Lauf has been steadily descending from a once-promising candidate whose time may have come, into someone I no longer recognize by her challenges of telling the truth about herself.

Plus, Lauf’s record going head-to-head with an elected Democrat, which happened only once on September 30, 2020, was not pretty. Lauf was clearly bested in a head-to-head with state Senator Cristina Castro (D, Elgin), and she has yet to tangle with another elected Democrat, since.

Yes, the Castro-Lauf exchange was not a fair fight, but in spite of the lack-of-fairness, Lauf was blown-out by Castro, not losing a close-score exchange.

Unless Lauf begins correcting (pun intended) herself and shows respect to voters and stop being the practiced liar of a candidate she became in 2021, if Lauf wins the primary, one will quickly see a repeat of IL-14 in 2020, with donors and super PACs abandoning the nominee to flip the House in other districts with proven, credible and above all, honest Republican nominees.

As the IL-11 candidates X begin to publicly announce their candidacies between now and the end of January, Republican primary voters in the 11th District will need to do their own vetting, applying discernment to nominate the best possible candidate to end Foster’s 7 terms in the U.S. House on November 8.

McHenry County Blog will be here to cover the campaign in 2022, and ensure the truth becomes known about ALL of the candidates.

Note from John Lopez: With the expected announcement on MLK Day tomorrow of Aurora Mayor Richard C. Irvin seeking the Republican nomination for governor in the primary, moving this article, originally published on December 18, for readers to learn more about Irvin.

“But the [Aurora Mayor Richard] Irvin issue that should truly frost your cookies is his propensity to put former girlfriends in cushy City jobs. That list amounts to four with one making $132,000 a year in an utterly unnecessary position created just for her.

“It gets better, too! In what has to be the worst-kept ‘secret’ in Kane County, Irvin had twins with long-term former girlfriend and attorney, Brittany Pedersen.“ — Jeff Ward, “The First Ward Report – It’s time to elect a new Mayor, Aurora”, The First Ward, September 30, 2020

From the desk of John Lopez: I know it’s a week before Christmas, and most people are not thinking about politics or the 2022 elections right now, in spite of the flurry of activity which took place surrounding the Illinois governor’s race for 2022, including:

• Leaked private conversations Democrat Governor JB Pritzker has presidential ambitions for possibly as soon as 2024
• State Senator and Republican gubernatorial frontrunner Darren Bailey announced former radio show host Stephanie Trussell will be his lieutenant governor running mate next year
• Ken Griffin, the richest man in Illinois, and/or his consultants leaked, after Bailey’s announcement he is recruiting a slate of candidates for next year’s election including the possibility of Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin as his choice for governor

The timing of the Griffin team’s leak of his own recruitment efforts for statewide candidates next year, with the metaphor of the “Henry F. Potter” character from It’s a Wonderful Life scheming with his money to make a different “Bailey” character’s life miserable within two weeks before Christmas resonates irony, McHenry County Blog began its own vetting of the 2-term mayor of Aurora, plus noting Irvin served as an at-large alderman on the Aurora City Council for 10 years prior to his mayoral election.

Since fellow blogger Jeff Ward of Geneva, who knows Kane County politics better than most in part through his 16 years as a reporter and columnist for the old Aurora Beacon-News in its pre-Chicago Tribune days has documented more about Irvin’s record as mayor, it’s time to be the good conservative and appropriately re-use the work Ward researched, and published especially since Ward served as a general consultant for Irvin during the 2017 elections.

Continuing the excerpt cited above from Ward’s September 30, 2020, article opining for a successful challenge to Mayor Irvin in the 2021 elections, that Ward himself predicted in the same article would fail:

“To be fair, Richard is a part of their [illegitimate twins’] lives and he pays a reasonable amount of non-court ordered child support. But guess who’s paying at least a portion of that trios’ insurance bill?

“That’s right! They’re insured through the City which puts the fine citizens of Aurora squarely on the hook.

“To be clear, Richard’s love life is none of my or anyone else’s business until and unless he starts using taxpayer money to placate his ever-growing harem.

“Now [fall of 2020] Irvin’s promoting and helping Pedersen run for Kane County judge when her comportment and general track record clearly indicate she shouldn’t judge a third-grade science fair. We need more judges like her opponent, Elizabeth Flood, not fewer of them.”

The election Ward alludes to was for 16th Circuit Judge elected county wide between Republican Appointed Circuit Judge Elizabeth Flood and Brittany Pedersen, with the following result:

Given the countywide Republican races wipeout (circuit court clerk, auditor incumbents lost; open seats for county board chairman and state’s attorney flipped) in Kane County in 2020, Judge Flood escaped the carnage with a victory of just under 7,000 votes over the mother of Irvin’s illegitimate twins.

Those five races in Kane County last fall verified running countywide last year was a “year of the woman”.

So when it comes to “womanizing”, clearly what Irvin did with his involvement with Ms. Pedersen and other women Ward alluded to in his article last year, the younger Millennials and adult Gen Z readers may not be familiar with what “womanizing” really means. Merriam-Webster definition can be viewed here under the “intransitive verb” definition.

If Irvin does run for governor next year, expect the adjective of that term to be used frequently during the campaign given it’s involved taxpayer funds, per Ward’s research.

Jeff Ward’s full article on his The First Ward blog, a very informative read can be viewed here.

Will Lauf’s current or previous association with Bruesewitz and his X Strategies consulting firm help or hurt her campaign in the more moderate 11th District, especially after Bruesewitz’s appearance with Tucker Carlson last night?

Note from John Lopez: At this point, I do not know if Alex Bruesewitz’s X Strategies consulting firm is still being retained by Catalina Lauf’s congressional campaign since Congressman Adam Kinzinger announced he was not seeking reelection on October 29, and I know her campaign will not respond to me if asked. Given the stakes have been raised significantly in connection with January 6, 2021 this past week, and Bruesewitz tweeting about Lauf’s fundraising last night, the story relevant to the IL-11 Republican primary election.

Last night, Alex Bruesewitz appeared on Tucker Carlson’s show on FOX News to respond to being contacted by the U.S. House select committee investigating January 6.

Full context of the interview tweeted last night be Bruesewitz:

The announcement the 24-year old, Gen Z (born in 1997) Bruesewitz was financially helping several accused of wrongdoing in connection with the Capitol Riot was news. Bruesewitz’s estimated net worth is $5 million, and during his interview he told Carlson he had already made his millions and is willing to give back.

Bruesewitz willingness to help, and contacting some of the accused prompted the House select committee to contact Bruesewitz.

Last March within Lauf’s first month after announcing her primary challenge against Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R, Channahon), she announced Bruesewitz would be advising her campaign and he appeared with her in Rockford at the campaign event headlined by Scott Presler and Kim Klacik.

Campaign disclosure reports filed by Lauf’s campaign with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) confirmed payments to X Strategies in the 2nd and 3rd quarters of last year, totaling 23,033.87, with the last payment to X Strategies made in late July.

Lauf’s campaign has not published their 4th quarter FEC filing, which are due on January 31.

Last night after his appearance on FOX News, Bruesewitz was tweeting up a storm.

In one tweet, Bruesewitz predicted a year from now, Lauf, along with many high profile Republicans running for Congress this year like Anna Paulina Luna (R, FL-13), Karoline Leavitt (R, NH-01), Joe Kent (R, WA-03) and others will be members of the House after winning in November.

Additionally, Bruesewitz tweeted this about Lauf, which Lauf retweeted last night.

From the desk of John Lopez: Bruesewitz says, “…Lauf campaign…raised over $1m[illion] in just a couple of months.”

That’s an embellishment, as through September, Lauf had only raised $791K cash, and while I believe she’s raised over $1 million through the end of 2021, she sure didn’t raise it inside of 2 months.

If that were true, Lauf’s campaign would have announced their numbers early.

Put in perspective, Lauf’s friend Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, who a) won her primary in 2020, and b) has former President Trump’s endorsement, plus hosted two fundraisers for Luna at Mar-a-Lago, reported raising $500K for the 4th quarter this past week.

But then the real whopper, Bruesewitz claiming it was Lauf who caused Kinzinger to abandon reelection, implying “redistricting” was an excuse in my honest opinion nonsense. The real reason Kinzinger abandoned reelection was redistricting and Congressman Darin LaHood (R, Dunlap) being drawn in the same district.

Honestly, Lauf abandoned IL-16 because of redistricting and LaHood, too (who knew Lauf had something in common with Kinzinger).

How much Bruesewitz’s firm was paid by Lauf’s campaign during the 4th quarter will be known over the next couple of weeks, and maybe after Kinzinger dropped, Bruesewitz’s retainer as a paid consultant for Lauf was dropped, too.

But the other reason the Capitol Riot stakes went up was due to the Thursday announcement the Department of Justice indictments issued against 11 people on “seditious conspiracy” in connection with 1/6/21.

From the Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, January 13, 2022

Leader of Oath Keepers and 10 Other Individuals Indicted in Federal Court for Seditious Conspiracy and Other Offenses Related to U.S. Capitol Breach

Eight Others Facing Charges in Two Related Cases

A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment yesterday, which was unsealed today, charging 11 defendants with seditious conspiracy and other charges for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, which disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress that was in the process of ascertaining and counting the electoral votes related to the presidential election.

According to court documents, Elmer Stewart Rhodes III, 56, of Granbury, Texas, who is the founder and leader of the Oath Keepers; and Edward Vallejo, 63, of Phoenix, Arizona, are being charged for the first time in connection with events leading up to and including Jan. 6. Rhodes was arrested this morning in Little Elm, Texas, and Vallejo was arrested this morning in Phoenix.

In addition to Rhodes and Vallejo, those named in the indictment include nine previously charged defendants: Thomas Caldwell, 67, of Berryville, Virginia; Joseph Hackett, 51, of Sarasota, Florida; Kenneth Harrelson, 41, of Titusville, Florida; Joshua James, 34, of Arab, Alabama; Kelly Meggs, 52, of Dunnellon, Florida; Roberto Minuta, 37, of Prosper, Texas; David Moerschel, 44, of Punta Gorda, Florida; Brian Ulrich, 44, of Guyton, Georgia and Jessica Watkins, 39, of Woodstock, Ohio. In addition to the earlier charges filed against them, they now face additional counts for seditious conspiracy and other offenses.

Eight other individuals affiliated with the Oath Keepers, all previously charged in the investigation, remain as defendants in two related cases. All defendants – except Rhodes and Vallejo – previously were charged in a superseding indictment. The superseding indictment has now effectively been split into three parts: the 11-defendant seditious conspiracy case, a seven-defendant original case, and a third case against one of the previously charged defendants.

In one of the related cases, the original superseding indictment, charges remain pending against James Beeks, 49, of Orlando, Florida; Donovan Crowl, 51, of Cable, Ohio; William Isaacs, 22, of Kissimmee, Florida; Connie Meggs, 60, of Dunnellon, Florida; Sandra Parker, 63, of Morrow, Ohio; Bernie Parker, 71, of Morrow, Ohio, and Laura Steele, 53, of Thomasville, North Carolina. The other case charges Jonathan Walden, 57, of Birmingham, Alabama.

The three indictments collectively charge all 19 defendants with corruptly obstructing an official proceeding. Eighteen of the 19 defendants – the exception is Walden – are charged with conspiring to obstruct an official proceeding and conspiring to prevent an officer of the United States from discharging a duty. Eleven of the 19 defendants are charged with seditious conspiracy. Some of the defendants are also facing other related charges.

As alleged in the indictments, the Oath Keepers are a large but loosely organized collection of individuals, some of whom are associated with militias. Though the Oath Keepers will accept anyone as members, they explicitly focus on recruiting current and former military, law enforcement and first-responder personnel. Members and affiliates of the Oath Keepers were among the individuals and groups who forcibly entered the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

The seditious conspiracy indictment alleges that, following the Nov. 3, 2020, presidential election, Rhodes conspired with his co-defendants and others to oppose by force the execution of the laws governing the transfer of presidential power by Jan. 20, 2021. Beginning in late December 2020, via encrypted and private communications applications, Rhodes and various co-conspirators coordinated and planned to travel to Washington, D.C., on or around Jan. 6, 2021, the date of the certification of the electoral college vote, the indictment alleges. Rhodes and several co-conspirators made plans to bring weapons to the area to support the operation. The co-conspirators then traveled across the country to the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area in early January 2021.

According to the seditious conspiracy indictment, the defendants conspired through a variety of manners and means, including: organizing into teams that were prepared and willing to use force and to transport firearms and ammunition into Washington, D.C.; recruiting members and affiliates to participate in the conspiracy; organizing trainings to teach and learn paramilitary combat tactics; bringing and contributing paramilitary gear, weapons and supplies – including knives, batons, camouflaged combat uniforms, tactical vests with plates, helmets, eye protection and radio equipment – to the Capitol grounds; breaching and attempting to take control of the Capitol grounds and building on Jan. 6, 2021, in an effort to prevent, hinder and delay the certification of the electoral college vote; using force against law enforcement officers while inside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021; continuing to plot, after Jan. 6, 2021, to oppose by force the lawful transfer of presidential power, and using websites, social media, text messaging and encrypted messaging applications to communicate with co-conspirators and others.

On Jan. 6, 2021, a large crowd began to gather outside the Capitol perimeter as the Joint Session of Congress got under way at 1 p.m. Crowd members eventually forced their way through, up and over U.S. Capitol Police barricades and advanced to the building’s exterior façade. Shortly after 2 p.m., crowd members forced entry into the Capitol by breaking windows, ramming open doors, and assaulting Capitol police and other law enforcement officers. At about this time, according to the indictment, Rhodes entered the restricted area of the Capitol grounds and directed his followers to meet him at the Capitol.

At approximately 2:30 p.m., as detailed in the indictment, Hackett, Harrelson, Meggs, Moerschel and Watkins, and other Oath Keepers and affiliates – many wearing paramilitary clothing and patches with the Oath Keepers name, logo, and insignia – marched in a “stack” formation up the east steps of the Capitol, joined a mob, and made their way into the Capitol. Later, another group of Oath Keepers and associates, including James, Minuta, and Ulrich, formed a second “stack” and breached the Capitol grounds, marching from the west side to the east side of the Capitol building and up the east stairs and into the building.

While certain Oath Keepers members and affiliates breached the Capitol grounds and building, others remained stationed just outside of the city in quick reaction force (QRF) teams. According to the indictment, the QRF teams were prepared to rapidly transport firearms and other weapons into Washington, D.C., in support of operations aimed at using force to stop the lawful transfer of presidential power. The indictment alleges that the teams were coordinated, in part, by Caldwell and Vallejo.

The charge of seditious conspiracy carries a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Northern District of Texas and the District of Arizona.

The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office with valuable assistance provided by the FBI’s Dallas and Phoenix Field Offices. These charges are the result of significant cooperation between agents and staff across numerous FBI Field Offices, including those in Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Arizona, Alabama and Georgia, among other locations.

In the one year since Jan. 6, more than 725 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 225 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.