“We must continue to disrupt radical policies and influences. We must stay involved. We must demand the truth and challenge the status quo. We are taking back our freedoms and our country. Remain vigilant.” — Catalina Lauf, 3/9/22, The Washington Times

On Wednesday of last week, IL-11 congressional candidate Catalina Lauf (R, Woodstock) had an op-ed published in The Washington Times titled “Winning the battle to take back our country“.

The op-ed ended with a by-line Lauf is a congressional candidate in IL-11, and though she has not yet filed her nominating petitions in Springfield yet, that reference makes Lauf’s op-ed a campaign issue, and it revealed a lot.

From the desk of John Lopez: The vapid op-ed rang hollow to me but also confirmed what I’ve suspected about Lauf for over half a year, but could not put my finger on it until a brilliant op-ed published the day after Lauf’s provided me with clarity from Above.

As to Lauf’s op-ed, beginning with the closing paragraph excerpt from above, particularly this section:

“We must demand the truth…”

Lauf does not have a consistent record of telling the truth, so how can she demand the same of anyone?

As discussed after her appearance at the We the People of McHenry County meeting in Cary on February 28, I brought up as a follow-up question, challenging Lauf’s claim she is not ashamed of her work four years ago for Citizens for Rauner.

For first time readers, Lauf worked from January through November of 2018 as paid staff for then-Governor Bruce Rauner’s reelection campaign, including her working against then-state Representative Jeanne Ives (R, Wheaton) primary challenge to Rauner through March of 2018.

Lauf was challenged by the truth she purposely, through omission, did not identify in her online LinkedIn job history she worked for Citizens for Rauner. I will not rehash the exchange from last month, readers can read about it here.

As some pro-Lauf commenters point out, Lauf’s Rauner employment is not a big deal.

People who think that need to rephrase, as it is not a big deal, just a symptom to the real problem with what Lauf has become in the past 6-8 months — she is challenged telling the truth, and her lie by omission on her LinkedIn job history is a symptom of the real problem.

More proof?

Take this quote from last week’s op-ed:

“At the beginning of this global pandemic, the American people were willing to temporarily grant power to our nation’s leadership in order to combat an indiscriminate virus. From the beginning, I voiced concern over the reality that while governments are more than willing to assume emergency power beyond that which is enumerated in our country’s Constitution, they are more hesitant to return that authority to its rightful owners – the people.“

Catalina Lauf Op-Ed, The Washington Times, 3/9/22, emphasis added

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“From the beginning…”!?

Where!? When!? What!?

I have no recollection of Lauf ever voicing concern about “the reality” she points out when the pandemic hit our country in earnest in early March of 2020.

If anyone can prove to me Lauf really openly voiced concerns with documented proof, please offer them. I am a “trust, but verify” kind of guy, and let’s review the facts as in my honest opinion, I believe Lauf is rewriting history.

The COVID pandemic came to Illinois in early March of 2020, at the same time Lauf was a congressional candidate, one of 7 running in IL-14 to challenge Lauren Underwood (D, Naperville) in the 2020 election cycle.

The pandemic hit Illinois directly on March 12, 2020, 5 days before the 2020 primary. If Lauf really voiced concern, she did it privately with herself, because the record shows nothing of Lauf talking about the point she brings up in her op-ed from last week.

Again, if she did, whether in print (and I could find none), or on video (provide proof), please, show it to me.

As said above, an op-ed published the day after Lauf’s brought clarity to what’s bothered me about Lauf for quite some time.

Lauf is a “cultural conservative”, opposed to a “social conservative” that I am, and her inability to consistently tell the truth proves my assessment.

What’s the difference between a “cultural conservative” and a “social conservative.”

As Peter Wolfgang, wrote in his March 10 op-ed published in The Stream:

“…the difference between cultural conservatives and social conservatives. Social conservatism means honoring God, advancing religious freedom, supporting families, and cherishing (which is more than just defending) life.”

Wolfgang defined cultural conservatives, using the writing of Matthew Walther:

“They [cultural conservatives] have ‘vague objections to so-called ‘cancel culture’ or critical race theory, [and] strong feelings about Dr. Seuss’s contributions to American literature and Colin Kaepernick and the integrity of women’s sports.’ They either don’t care about or approve same-sex marriage, pornography, embryonic stem-cell research, and legalizing marijuana.”

Then Wolfgang went on to apply the differences within the context of the elections of 2022 and the Republican Party:

“So what is going on? Here is what I think. In the wake of the Biden administration’s extremism and Republican Glenn Youngkin’s victory in Virginia, the GOP wants to ride the wave. They want to be the ‘party of parents.’ But it’s cynical. They don’t really mean it.

“They want to ride that wave only for the sake of being against the other party, not to be for something good. They will ride this issue to electoral victory and then fail to stop it once in power, as they did with their opposition to Obamacare. In that case, the Republican establishment just failed. In this case, they are on the other side.”

Please examine the core belief of a social conservative — honoring God.

Applying Scripture, this is obeying the Greatest Commandment,

“Love the Lord your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.”

Mark 12:30

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How does one love God? By obeying Him, and that means telling the truth at all times.

What has Lauf NOT done consistently over the last few months — consistently tell the truth, and the proof is not confined to her lie of omission on her LinkedIn page, or saying she said something at the start of the pandemic two years ago and there is no proof she actually did.

If Lauf, as expected, files tomorrow, this cultural conservative vs. social conservative will be explored fully, and it won’t be confined to Lauf’s candidacy, but in many others.

For now, please read the following:

• Catalina Lauf’s op-ed, “Winning the battle to take back our country” in The Washington Times, 3/9/22
• Peter Wolfgang’s op-ed, “What Matt Schlapp and the Cultural Conservatives Really Want (It’s Not What We Want)” in The Stream, 3/10/22

And finally, it’s not too late for Lauf, or anyone, to turn away from their respective destructive paths, confess, ask forgiveness and be forgiven, with visible true repentance. That’s at the core of Christianity, and it’s available for all.