From the desk of John Lopez: As a warning to anyone else thinking of this reckless course to intimidate, minor candidate in FL-13 takes his gaslighting too far and threatens life of 2020 Republican nominee, an ally of Catalina Lauf, in now open congressional seat, prompting her to seek protection and having it granted from law enforcement
On Thursday, the astonishing story out of the Tampa-St. Petersburg area hit mainstream print media concerning a minor Republican candidate in the FL-13 Congressional District being recorded planning a “hit” to “take out” 2020 Republican nominee Anna Paulina Luna, who was planning to seek election in 2022 for the now open seat held by 3-term Democrat Charlie Crist, who’s running for governor.
Here is POLITICO‘s online exclusive cover, and you can read the details in the links at the end of this article:
There are very disturbing similarities between FL-13 and IL-16, starting with gaslighting, which minor candidate Jack Lombardi has been doing since launching his campaign and seeing Catalina Lauf’s candidacy flourishing bringing in significant campaign contributions and seeing her grow her Twitter following from 63K to 144K.
Thursday morning, I did something in Twitter I rarely do, post a Twitter thread, which is transcribed below for ease of reading:
“All right Gaslighting Jack Lombardi look what happens when gaslighting goes too far. In FL-13, minor candidate plots demise of Anna Paulina Luna an ally of IL-16 Catalina Lauf who recently interviewed Lauf.
“I see your comments on blog & Twitter. Tone it down!
“Jack Lombardi, on McHenry County Blog comment: ‘Honestly, regardless of my views of Catalina lacking life experiences needed to be a successful REPRESENTATIVE, I’ve decided to leave her alone – until now.’ with your continued gaslighting that because of my writing, you’re now taking stronger methods attacking Catalina Lauf. Your gaslighting will not work, and I do plan to continue writing the truth about you for IL-16 to see.
“Focus on your campaign/message, & on FEC fundraising and prove your support not astroturf as I’ve long suspected.
“Jack Lombardi, I don’t think you’ll try anything foolish like the character in FL-13 against Lauf ally Luna.
“Don’t prove me wrong there.
“But please prove me wrong and turn in > $100K FEC Q2 next month.
“Then IL-16 will know you’re for real.
“Don’t talk; do.”
John Lopez Twitter thread, 6/17/21
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I stand by what I said, and it’s not lost upon me the target in FL-13 happens to be an Hispanic woman.
The disturbed 37 year old candidate named William Braddock, who filed his FEC paperwork on Monday, appears to have taken his own gaslighting and made it a threat in a phone conversation with a Florida-based author, who recorded the conversation and shared it with law enforcement and with Luna and her husband.
Last Friday, this tweet with a dated picture of Luna and her husband, Andy Gamerzky when both were serving in the United States Air Force, with a Scripture verse, turned out to be a first public hint something was amiss:
The connection between Lauf and Luna has been documented on McHenry County Blog going back over a year and a half. The now 32 year old Luna was an informal running mate with Lauf and 3 other conservative women in a “Stop the Squad” slate of candidates, per this 12/11/19 article.
Of the 5 candidate slate, 2 won their respective primaries, with Luna winning an impressive victory in FL-13 over establishment favorite, former U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski aide Amanda Makki and 2018 nominee George Buck in the Florida congressional primary in August of last year.
Last December, both Lauf and Luna, along with Marjorie Taylor Greene, Madison Cawthorn and many other conservatives participated in the Club for Growth’s Action super PAC “Save America Tour” campaigning for the elections of the Republican U.S. Senate ticket for the January 5 runoff, with both Lauf and Luna participating for about a week campaigning across Georgia.
Additionally, Lauf’s Defense of Freedom PAC contributed to Luna’s General Election campaign, as well as both Republican U.S. Senate campaigns in the Georgia runoffs late last year.
But more recently, Luna, who earlier this year began working as the vice president and chief correspondent for El American, interviewed Catalina Lauf about the 2022 campaign, just over 2 weeks ago (the interview was conducted through Instagram TV, and links through Facebook problematic, but Instagram users should be able to find it).
Last night, Luna, after the story broke nationally, issued the following:
“Thank you all for your kind words & support.
“My family & I are grateful to all of you & those working on this case.
“Due to the multiple ongoing law enforcement investigations, I will not be commenting at this time.
“I am confident that the facts will be public at the appropriate time.”
Anna Paulina Luna, via Twitter, 6/17/21 evening
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So, what’s Jack Lombardi’s latest gaslighting since I took up his challenge to talk about Lauf’s proven leadership?
This tweet from early Tuesday morning, alleging conversations with “Catalina Lauf’s home turf”, certain, unnamed McHenry County Republicans allegedly urging Lombardi to run against Lauf when congressional redistricting, as many expect, eliminates the current IL-16.
Late Tuesday night, I responded to Lombardi’s tweet with the following:
“Cut your gaslighting Jack Lombardi you’re just embarrassing yourself again.
“No McHenry County Republicans, at least ones who carry any real weight, are talking to you.
“Better back up your talk w/ dollars on your FEC Q2 in a month.
“Your talk’s cheap & IL-16 knows it.
John Lopez, 6/15/21 tweet
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While I’m not naive to know there are people, including Republicans, who do not want Lauf to win a congressional primary, let alone a seat in Congress for a variety of understandable reasons, those who’ve participated in politics (and I’ve been involved in Illinois politics for over 25 years) will know an unproven Lombardi with no history helping the Republican Party will be the last person sought to challenge Lauf.
No, I expect the likes of Jim Oberweis (even at 75), Ted Gradel and Sue Rezin and other proven fundraisers/candidates/elected officials will get the calls long before anyone would settle on Lombardi, or someone else of his weak standing.
But I will be continuing the proven leadership challenge Lombardi challenged me, because as I said to Lombardi in a tweet reply, when someone picks a fight with me like he did, I finish the fight, and I set the time and the place.
As far as life experiences, yes, I’ll be talking about those too, both Lauf’s, and Lombardi’s, and unlike Lombardi and his usual gaslighting tactic of alleged conversations with unnamed sources or name dropping, I’ll use the best source of all, Lombardi’s own words.
Stay tuned.
External references:
- POLITICO 6/17/21 can be viewed here
- Tampa Bay Times 6/14/21 can be viewed here
Lost amid the story, Anna Paulina Luna’s formal campaign launch for 2022 on Monday, including 1 minute intro video:
There is no comparison to the two situations.
Cal, this is worse than just biased, gratuitous reporting.
It’s Lopez’ wet dream splashed all over your blog.
Opinions vary.
And as usual the Leftist FAKE NEWS MSM refuses to report on this so as to protect their own.
Can’t wait to hear what DJT has to say about this.
Oh good god… seriously?
I think that Lombardi is a joke, and that the vast majority of his arguments and messaging against Lauf are pretty terrible.
But they are in NO WAY comparable to threatening someone’s life, and to pretend that they’re remotely comparable is absurd.
Also, I don’t think that Lopez knows what “gaslighting” means.
WHY CAN’T YOU ALL JUST STICK TO THE ISSUES AND TELL US THE LEGAL TAX PAYIN AMERICAN VOTING CITIZENS IN DETAILS HOW YOUR GONNA FIX IT ?????
HOW IS THAT FOR A NOVAL APPROACH… DOH!
DOESN’T TAKE A BRAIN SURGEON TO FIGURE WHAT IS RIGHT AND WHAT IS WRONG… UNLESS YOU WERE RAISED LIKE A PIG IN A BLANKET…
Good God… all of ya Grow UP!!
“Women creating a gentler, more loving World”. I heard this for decades, and in the next few years / maybe in the next decade we are going to see if this is a fact. I am not too worried what is going to happen in 20 years because I be dead. At the same token I believe its too late for my generation to look at this “gentler, more loving” thing a second time.
What’s coming out of some of these women in power is nothing I have ever witnessed. Its safe to say that the level of deception and its viciousness is as high as any of us alive remember. Fun to watch really, because there is absolutely nothing anyone can do to fix this. More women in power is granted, its too late to do anything about that. We are in for a ride.
It looks like Ms Luna’s husband is in Air Force Special Warfare.
That’s not someone that a wise person messes with.
@Alabama Shake
You’re missing the point entirely; the story was merely an excuse for John Lopez to post another picture of Catalina Lauf.
The Toilet Bowl
How does someone raise a “pig in a blanket” ?
Billy Bob, we all suspect that “special” means a hairline away from running amok – at least before they have at least one shell-shock, or lose some limbs. Then they come home as veterans or corpses.
So, what the rest of us ordinary citizens should do? Fear them, respect them, stand-up to them, uncover them, spy on them, blame them? Any advice?
Somewhere in that whole statement of yours the “representative democracy”, “the constitutional republic”, the “american way of life” is lost. Its amusing to see how the memes and the comments contrast most times. On one side there are memes created and then reposted until we have seen them all a thousand times. On the flip side you come in making statements about the way things are and have little chance to change. How are we supposed to balance that?
How about this: we tune out, we ignore what the candidates say about each other?
If they kill each other – good! We have one in the morgue, one in custody, all accounted.
We are going to left with those who come from behind, maybe they are working on something, maybe they have accomplished something.
My bet is one of them is in the race for the fight of his life, and I hope he is not a woman. Wait and see.
I’ll get the little thing out of the way first. It is Morgan Zegers, not Zegars.
This is a weak and desperate reach trying to link Luna’s situation where someone is talking about calling in a foreign hit squad to take her out and Jack Lombardi’s occasional childish name-calling tweets (which I advised him on this blog to not do).
This article reminds me of Charlie Kelly ranting about Pepe Silvia.
https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/pepe-silvia
HonestAbe1, I see articles from Washington Post, Politico, Complex, MSN, MSNBC, ABC Action News, The Week, Snopes, Mic, Heavy, Free Press Times — Tampa, Florida News Times, UPROXX, Forbes, People, New York Magazine, Yahoo, and Wonkette, among others about this story.
Protect their own?
The person who allegedly made the comments about Luna is a REPUBLICAN running against her in the primary.
The “leftist fake news” would love a story like this.
It’s perfect for their narrative.
It shows Republicans as crazy/dangerous and ties them to Russia.
AlabamaShake, the only gaslighting going on here is John gaslighting the readers with an absurd comparison!
It’s so confusing and nonsensical that it might make some people question their sanity.
What examples are there of Lombardi gaslighting?
I have my concerns about him as a candidate, but I don’t recall him doing any gaslighting.
Name-calling is not really gaslighting.
I’ll say it again: trying to prop up Lauf will backfire.
It didn’t work last time either when this blog wrote several puff pieces about her.
It just makes more people more suspicious of Lauf, and it further erodes this blog’s credibility.
I think Cal is going to hear a lot of complaints about this and John might have to back off on this contest much like what happened when he covered the 66th district GOP primary and was unnecessarily harsh on Allen Skillicorn.
But just like in that contest, viewers aren’t asking for John to not cover the race, they’re just expecting the coverage to not be so blatantly one-sided.
I concur with the commenter called “I.”
Please read the room, John.
Try to get a pulse for what people think.
I’m guessing most people are creeped out by this.
You’re a good writer, but this is cringe.
It’s embarrassing.
Pump the breaks!
If Lauf is such a great candidate she will rise to the top on her own merit.
If Republicans inflate her with puff pieces and softball interviews, what happens to her in a general election?
What happens if you elevate her to the main stage but she’s not ready for prime time?
Think about that.
Correcting, some of us here have no “prime time” left anymore, some of us are here to see Rome burn. Nobody can fix stupid, and what you wrote is precisely what make some candidate so repulsive. You can smell the stench of manipulation all around them, its hard to ignore.
If I was running for a political candidate I would start by firing all who speak for me. This is the most tedious job, all these self-appointed wannabees, especially these days with internet and the public square overran by rats and roaches.
I see this and I do not complain. “The facts are with those who learn to Read, not with those who Write”. I have no time to read all you do – Washington Post, Politico, Complex, MSN, MSNBC, ABC Action News, The Week, Snopes, Mic, Heavy, Free Press Times — Tampa, Florida News Times, UPROXX, Forbes, People, New York Magazine, Yahoo, and Wonkette – but I trust your judgement.
I also believe that the “first insult invalidates all else you have to say”. Its a pleasure to read what you write.
Before you complain about this blog I am going to share a little secret.. the reason I am here is because this blog is awesome. Everything I posted so far was approved, and there are NO ADVERTISEMENTS. Two killer features not to be found anywhere else in Illinois.
I’m a fan of this blog as well, but not the frequent puff pieces about Catalina Lauf.
This comes across as cheerleading for her.
The primary is a year away.
Why pick favorites now?
They haven’t even had a debate.
They haven’t even circulated petitions.
We don’t even know what the districts are going to look like.
(I didn’t read all those articles by the way, I just did a search and saw them in the search results so I know the story was mentioned in the mainstream media and was pointing that out to HonestAbe1.)
Thank you for your work on alt-tech, Mr. Kunyik.
I may know a political organization that would be interested in having you as a guest speaker.
Correcting, I am not much of a salesman but I am going to do well as a geek and a nerd.
From the Laptop (Dell) of the Bred Winner. Lopez, this entire post is incomprehensible.
Club for Growth? I will never vote for her.
Talk about controlled opposition.
Lopez, you astound me!
Stop the gaslighting.
I keep receiving the Three Headed Eagle Pint and Politics invitation, this time with Jeannette Ward who…
“lost with a margin due to voting irregularities” …
When is it going to be my turn?
Because the first thing I would do is sue Amazon for never losing a transaction, out of the millions each day, billions each month.
Might as well sue UPS – when was the last time you entered a 1Z string and it came up empty? I was a UPS internal web developer around Y2K, I know.
When is it going to be my turn to testify?
See what I’m talking about?
AlabamaShake, bred winner, other commenters, and myself are in agreement.
That’s like a solar eclipse and a full planetary alignment at the same time! Take it to heart.
Statements like the following one by John Lopez fuel speculation and paranoia that there is a concerted effort to gatekeep and make sure certain candidates such as Jack Lombardi don’t get to the general election in the first place.
John said,
John, what do you mean by “the calls”?
From whom?
For what?
Why would people make “the calls” to Sue Rezin, Jim Oberweis, and Ted Gradel?
To make sure Lombardi does not win the primary?
If he’s such a bad candidate, wouldn’t he just lose
Wouldn’t someone with “weak standing” lose in the primar
Why would people have to make calls? Are you now conceding Lauf might not defeat him so easily?
Keep in mind, voters don’t really know if such “calls” would be to make sure an “unelectable” candidate doesn’t get the nomination or if it’s something more nefarious like idea/policy gatekeeping, but even if it is the former, voters don’t like backroom rigging by party elites, and voters don’t like being told by “experts” what is best for them and who they can and can not elect.
Remember that the GOP tried hard to make sure Trump did not get the nomination, even talking about ignoring election results and having delegates go rogue!
And if they’re getting calls, hopefully it would be from grassroots supporters and not a bunch of beltway boys, but I tend to be one of the more paranoid people on this website.
…I could very well just be reading too much into that statement, but I have always believed Lauf was an Astroturfed candidate.
If Lauf’s people want her to succeed just have her speak to local Republican organizations more.
It’s not that hard.
Her problem is that everyone sees her as like skipping them and trying to build her campaign top down, when she needs to be convincing the local people.
You can’t just skip and ignore those people by having a popular Twitter profile.
It’s not going to help you on the ground.
Even if you can reach a lot of people with an ad, that’s not enough.
You need to convince local movers and shakers.
Trust me.
Correcting, we want to kill the ads.
Here is the “issue” with the America First, the MAGA, the Conservative Movement… granted and secured Trump owns a lot of that stuff, nobody in his right mind (if I was a woman I would write in her right mind) doubt what we owe President Trump. I was 14 growing up in Soviet-occupied Hungary when Reagan was elected, and you have no idea of the astonishment… someone like.. not trained in politics.. is Reagan even qualifies? I owe President Reagan, without him I would probably drunk myself to death in Socialist Hungary.
We want to kill the “Loving Mexican Female” ads. We want to kill all that is not bullet-proof. I appreciate your thanks about the work I did in alt-tech but the reality is – we are not “alt-tech”. We are not about “opening eyes”, “chaining minds”.
The network (grassroots are bastardized, I cannot call this a “grassroots”) is about quick and permanent results – like forming the Constitutional State Militia. I do not have the slightest idea if this is “valid”. But I have to do something, I cannot just sit here front of Twitter and re-tweet endlessly. I am an intelligent guy, I work as a manufacturing process engineer. Twitter is incompatible with my processes, Twitter is an intellectual Death Trap.
I guess what I am trying to explain is there is a time and place for everything, and when it comes to question who is right about the Green New Deal – who do you trust? AOC or this guy?
I was trained to service Soviet-made railway engines, graduating in 1984. Later, of course I self-trained to do a lot more. By now, 30-some years later AOC is a toy-train to me.
There is a time when you politicians need to hang up your hats. There is nothing coming out of federal government I cannot prove wrong. “Disobedience” is not something you plan for, and I am afraid none of the names you print here is going to help. As far as I am concerned I am not voting anymore. I was born into Socialism, and I have seen this movie before.
Civil disobedience is your last hope.
By the way, I am getting my own timeline confused… I was born in 1968, I graduated from the railways school in 1986 – I left to Austria in 1987 December, and after waiting in Austria for my permit to enter the USA I arrived to Chicago in 1989 August. I lived on green card, I became a citizen in October 2019, for the sole reason to vote for Trump. I am ashamed I did not do start voting sooner, we are all a little guilty for all that is happening.
But you need to start acting today. Make sure your kids train in “alt-tech”, do not let them use Big Tech and be satisfied with that. The CCP is not the Soviets, the CPP loves capitalism, it loves to steal, and it hates everyone not Chinese equally. Make sure you declare Communism a crime against humanity, and you deal with Communist spies and comrades – especially those in Congress. You eject all Islam from government, and you shame the girls who think they can do all a boy can do. Something along the line. Its really, really simple – but just talking about is not going to get you there.
And so far, all we did was talk.
Sandor is spot on, the jewess witch Madeleine Albright is the archetype of the vicious female.
https://imgflip.com/i/28xgb0
I am not here to “be spot on”. I am here to build a civil disobedience network in each county of the USA.
Weeks go by, and nothing is being built, nothing is being done. I could post a billion cleverly written paragraphs or a million-words books, it would not create the network.
Nothing creates the network but Virtual Private Servers, each renter for around 8.00 USD per month, inclding backup and snapshots. Hours of work spent configuring Debian, BIND, installing YunoHost, then adding the email, the wiki, the forum instances. Days and moths worth of collecting and posting what is NEVER going to change in America, what makes america a Conservative Constitutional Republic and Representative Democracy. So, future generations may read all about it, and laugh Communism out of town.
THAT is the ONLY thing that would build a SOLUTION. Not more talking, more writing, more upvoting, mnore opinions and arguments. You see the humongous gap the way I see a possible solution, and the way most people in Illinois see it?
Weeks pass by, years pass by, and the network is still not a reality. I am doing my part, I am doing more than my own fair share. I am looking for people who are really, truly fed up with talk talk talk talk talk, and ready to ACT.