McHenry County Blog

From Grafton Township Republican Party Chairman Orville Brettman to GOP Precinct Committeepersons:

Wednesday’s Republican election

The hour is nearly at hand when the choice of leadership for our Party will be made and we will set the course for the next two years.

It is about this very important choice that I reach out to you today.

Two years ago my name appeared on the ballot for the position which our Chairman Jeff Thorsen now holds.

I can say to you today that I am confident that Chairman Thorsen has done a job as Party Chairman as good or better than any effort I may have brought forward to that office.

After having sat at his side and worked with him for two years as Grafton Township Republican Party Chairman, I am certain of this.

Chairman Thorsen effectively united the Republican Party in McHenry County after a vigorous and sometimes hotly contested primary election, and went on to help elect Republicans throughout a newly apportioned County where the County Board districts had been radically changed.

He has brought young blood into the Party, and grown the Party in areas of the Party where is was hurting.

Jeff Thorsen’s record of community and public service is almost without peer.

Jeff was on the Board of Directors with the Salvation Army for 25 years, Executive VP for Horizons for the Blind for 23 years, Crystal Lake City Council from 1999-2015 and the McHenry County Board from 2015-2022 and has nearly 30 years’ experience within the party.

Jeff’s plan for the future of the Republican Party is to continue to win elections, to further build and strengthen the Party and to recruit more new blood and younger faces into the Party.

His opponent however when asked at a Monday night meeting of ‘We the People’ for his six month plan should he win was quoted as saying “he would paint the office, and fix the toilet”.

This response is not totally unexpected from a gentleman with zero political experience; on the other hand perhaps it was an attempt at jest when the Country is sinking into socialism.

Either way we must come together and re-elect Jeff Thorsen as Chairman of the Republican Party in McHenry County.

We have no time for on-the-job training in the highest Party office in the County.

Thank you for your consideration, and I hope for your vote in this critical Party election Wednesday night at 6 pm at the old VFW in Woodstock.

From Republican Congressman Darin LaHood:

LaHood Surpasses $5 Million Cash on Hand with Largest Quarterly Fundraising Total

PEORIA – Illinois Congressman Darin LaHood today announced that LaHood for Congress has $5.249 million cash on hand, raising $694,017 in the first quarter of 2024, his largest quarterly fundraising total to date.

LaHood is running for reelection in the 16th Congressional District of Illinois. 

“I am grateful for the continued strong support from residents across Illinois,” said LaHood. 

“From the border crisis to inflation, with prices at the pump and in the grocery store at unbearable levels, President Biden has put our country on a path of decline.

“Illinois families and workers need a new direction in Washington and I look forward to working in the months ahead to grow our House GOP Majority in the November elections.”

LaHood is a Vice-Chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, where he has served as the Finance Director, helping raise over $300 million during the last election cycle, and currently serves as the Director of the Patriot Program, leading support for incumbent members of the House Republican caucus. 

LaHood represents Illinois’ 16th district, stretching 21 counties in Central and Northern Illinois from McLean to Jo Daviess counties. LaHood is in his fourth full-term in Congress serving on the House Ways and Means Committee, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.

From State Rep. Marty Mclauchlin:

McLaughlin Aims to fully fund the LGDF: University of Illinois Report “Pritzker’s Grocery Tax Will Hurt Municipalities“

BARRINGTON HILLS… State Representative Martin McLaughlin released the following statement after reading the new University of Illinois System’s Institute of Government and Public Affairs study released to the public last week.

“We can do two things at once just like walking and chewing gum or in this case eliminating the grocery tax and restoring the full 10% allocation to our Local Government Distributive Fund.

“A new report outlines exactly how the Governor’s proposed Grocery Tax elimination would hurt local municipalities.

“The University of Illinois System’s Institute of Government and Public Affairs released a study providing us with important context over the debate on eliminating the one percent tax on grocery sales.

“When Governor Pritzker proposed this idea in his budget address, he touted this as a great win to eliminate a regressive tax that would put money back in the pockets of struggling Illinois families.

“The report, titled ‘Should Illinois Eliminate the State Grocery Tax?’ highlights the actual reality of how this will affect families.

“Groceries purchased with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are not subject to the Grocery Tax, and low-income households will see a modest benefit if the Grocery Tax is eliminated.

“Those families within the first quintile of income ($0 – $25,806) would on average see an annual savings of $1.64.

“Households in the second quintile ($25,807 – $50,091), which are more likely to fall above SNAP income thresholds, would on average, maintain less than $30 in annual savings. 

“These modest benefits summarized above come at a significant cost to our local municipalities.

“The state estimates eliminating the Grocery Tax would cost local governments roughly $350 million.

“Multiple communities within the Northwest Municipal Conference (NWMC) estimate losses at over $1 million annually.

“There is an additional concern over the timing involved with scrapping the Grocery Tax at the start of the upcoming state Fiscal Year (FY25).

“Our local governments will be facing significant budgetary upheaval without time to find replacement revenue.

“The press release accompanying the report states, “Other policy proposals should be considered to benefit low- and middle-income households, and should the grocery tax be eliminated, alternatives for municipalities should be examined and implemented to make up for lost revenue.

“Our state already has some of the highest property taxes in the nation and this proposal will increase these taxes locally. It is time for the Governor to fulfill the 10% Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF) agreement and provide our education system with the majority funding to bring real relief to Illinoisans and permanently lower our egregious property tax burden.

“We can eliminate this grocery tax and fully fund our LGDF to bring money back to our communities. This is both straightforward and simple to do in our new budget. I am calling on the Governor and my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to join me in making this our top FY25 budget priority,” concluded Rep. McLaughlin.

From Orville Brettman, Chairman of the Grafton Township Republican Party:

Grafton Township Republicans Draft Resolution

At the regularly scheduled meeting of the Grafton Township Republican Party held on April 10^th 2024 a resolution entitled **A RESOLUTION OPPOSING NON-CITIZEN VOTING** was adopted unanimously.

The Grafton Township Republican Central Committee will be forwarding copies to the McHenry County Republican Central Committee as well as the Law and Governance Committee of the McHenry County Board in the hope that both bodies will adopt it.

The resolution is as follows:

WHEREAS, pursuant to applicable Illinois State law and McHenry County ordinances, only legal citizens possess the right to vote in elections for members of the McHenry County Board, school board members, and other elected positions within McHenry  County, Illinois;

WHEREAS, it is unlawful under federal law, as well as Illinois state law, for non-citizens to participate as voters in Federal Elections, Midterm Elections, Consolidated Elections, Primary Elections, Special Elections, School Board Elections, and any other elections conducted within the jurisdiction of McHenry County;

WHEREAS, all individuals who are not U.S. citizens and attempt to cast a vote in any election within McHenry County shall be subject to prosecution to the fullest extent of the law, and any individuals found to be registering non-citizens to vote shall also be deemed complicit in voter fraud and subject to legal penalties;

WHEREAS, Illinois State Senator Celina Villanueva, representing District 12, has proposed legislation that would permit non-citizens of the United States to register and vote in school board elections, a move that diverges from the longstanding requirement of U.S. citizenship for voter eligibility;

WHEREAS, the Illinois State Board of Elections explicitly lists U.S. citizenship as a primary criterion for voter eligibility in the State of Illinois, underscoring the importance of this requirement for maintaining the integrity of the electoral process;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the Grafton Township Republican Central Committee hereby expresses its strong opposition to the participation of non-citizens in the electoral process and affirms its commitment to uphold the requirement of U.S. citizenship for all voters in local elections, including but not limited to elections for the McHenry County Board, school boards, and other local governmental entities.

From the U.S. Attorney:

Former Veterans Affairs Procurement Supervisor Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Pocketing Kickbacks

CHICAGO — A former procurement supervisor at the Jesse Brown Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Chicago has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison for pocketing kickbacks from the president of a medical supply company to steer the company orders that the VA paid for but never received.

THOMAS E. DUNCAN, 40, of Chicago, pleaded guilty last year to one count of wire fraud. 

In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger on Friday ordered Duncan to pay $1,709,344 in restitution.

The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Gregory Billingsley, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Central Field Office.  The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heidi Manschreck.

While serving as a supervisor in the medical center’s Central Supply department, Duncan received thousands of dollars in kickbacks paid in cash and checks from DANIEL DINGLE, the president of a medical supply company in Dolton, Ill. 

The checks were made payable to Helping Hands Properties LLC – a third-party entity managed by Duncan – and contained false and misleading memo entries in order to conceal and disguise the existence and purpose of the kickbacks. 

In exchange for the kickbacks, Duncan used his official position at the VA to fraudulently initiate and approve purchases of products from Dingle’s company, knowing that many of the products would not actually be delivered to the VA.

The fraud scheme began in 2012 and continued until 2019. 

In late 2018, after Duncan became aware that the VA Inspector General’s Office was investigating his conduct, Duncan created fake invoices from Helping Hands purporting to document work performed for Dingle’s company. 

Duncan also told Dingle to falsely tell investigators that the payments Duncan received from Dingle’s company were for work performed by Helping Hands.

Dingle, 53, of Riverdale, Ill., also pleaded guilty to a wire fraud charge. 

He is awaiting sentencing.

Today in the electronic McHenry Times an article shows the names, birthdates addresses and whether they voted or not in the 2020 General Election of all registered in McHenry Township Precinct 6.

If the campaign to lead the McHenry County Board were determined by money in the bank, Chairman Mike Buehler would lead Democratic Party challenger $111,400 to $13,300.

Wegener raised $17,500 during the first three months of the year and spent $10,700.

Buehler took in $107,000 and spent $15,000.

Since the end of last month, Buehler garnered another $5,000, including $1,000 from Ozinga, the last name of Tim Ozinga, who resigned as State Representative recently and is being mentioned as a potential Republican gubernatorial candidate against JB Pritzker.

Looking at the contibutors, here are Wegener’s donations of over $150:

• $2,500 – Laborers International Union of North America, Chicago
• $1,000 – Citizens for Suzanne Ness
• $1,000 – William Koenig, Spring Grove
• $1,000 – Roofers and Waterproofers, Local 11 PAC, Oak Brook
• $1,000 – Charles Yager, Crystal Lake
• $750 – James and Carin Trotter, Cary
• $500 – IBEW Illinois PAC, Washington, DC
• $500 – Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council, Chicago
• $425 – Ed Gogol, Crystal Lake (same Post Office Box as Mary Ewert)
• $400 – Nancy & Eric Nott, Crystal Lake$250
• $350 – Mary Ewert, Crystal Lake
• $250 – Tom Burney, Crystal Lake
• $250 – McHenry County Building and Construction Trades, Crystal Lake
• $250 – Shelly Chamberlin, Crystal Lake
• $250 – Traci Naumovski, Crystal Lake
• $250 – Merideth Sarkees, Crystal Lake
• $250 – Eric and Rebecca Thiegs, Crystal Lake
• $250 – Adria Tyndall, Crystal Lake
• $200 – Mary Chemelewski, Cary
• $200 – John Labaj, Crystal Lake-
• $175 – Carl Edstrom, Crystal Lake
• $175 – Kin Hankins, Crystal Lake
• $175 – Ruth Scifo, Crystal Lake
• $125 – Jill McCutcheon, Crystal Lake

Contributions under $150 were $5,910, plus $155 or in-kind donations.

Buehler’s contributions of over $150 follow:

• $6,000 – Dale Berger, Wauconda
• $5,000 – Baker Manufacturing, Lake Bluff
• $4,000 – Johyn Ambrose, Gurnee
• $4,000 – Rabine Group, Schaumburg
• $4,000 – Julie Chamberlin, Wauconda
• $4,000 – CJ Drilling, Dundee
• $4,000 – R & J Land Corporation Services, Inc., Johnsburg
• $4,000 – Kyle Berger, Wauconda
• $4,000 – Matthew Turk, Crystal Lake
• $4,000 – Chicago Land Operators Mgmt PAC
• $4,000 – Plote Construction, Inc., Hoffman Estates
• $4,000 – Thelan Sand and Gravel, Antioch
• $4.000 – Alliance Contractors, Inc., Woodstock
• $4,000 – Builders Asphault, Hillside
• $3,952.48 from the candidate Mike Buehler to rent Hickory Hall
• $3,000 – Cunat, Inc., McHenry
• $3,000 – HDR Inc Employee Owners PAC, Omaha, NE
• $2,000 – Mackie Consultants, LLC, Rosemont
• $2,000 – Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd., Rosemont
• $2,000 – Sarah Shepard, Lake in the Hills
• $2,000 – Gayton Thomas, Lake in the Hills
• $2,000 – Falcon Green Resources, Woodstock
• $2,000 – Ploteland, LLC, East Dundee
• $2,000 – KC’s Cabin, Spring Grove
• $2,000 – AMB Sheetmetal, Johnsburg
• $2,000 – West Side Tractor Sales, Lisle
• $2,000 – Excavators, Inc., McHenry
• $2,000 – SRN Testing Services, LLC, Bartlett
• $2,000 – Civiltek, Inc., Itasca
• $2,000 – Mercycare Health Care, Janesville, Wisconsin
• $2,000 – Thelan Sand and Gravel, Antioch
• $2,000 – Kamick Supply Company, McHenry
• $1,500 – Tryon Governmental Consulting, Crystal Lake
• $1,500 – Intern, Union
• $1,050 – Paul Thomas, Wonder Lake
• $1,000 – Citizens for Colonel Craig Wilcox, Ringwood
• $1,000 – Charles Copley Roofing, Inc,. Crystal Lake
• $1,000 – Realtor Political Action Committee, Springfield
• $1,000 – Great Lakes Construction PAC, Libertyville
• $1,000 – Mathewson Land Services, Flossmoor
• $1,000 – Brian Kelly, Woodstock
• $1,000 – Brain Kelly, Woodstock
• $1,000 – Christopher Burke, Naperville
• $600 – Joel Kennedy Construction, Chicago
• $520 – K & L Contractors, Elk Grove Village
• $500 – John Barger, Woodstock
• $500 – Bolder Contractors, Inc., Cary
• $500 – M Tunta Transport, Lakemoor
• $500 – Mid-America Water, Wauconda
• $500 – Midwest fence Corp, Chicago
• $500 – Martin Mohr, Marengo
• $500 – Schmidt Engineering, Wauconda
• $500 – Ann Weidner, Lake in the Hills
• $500 – Citizens to Elect Steven Rcick, Harvard
• $500 – Good Government Council, Springfield
• $500 – LaHood for Congress, Peoria
• $500 – Vulcan Materials Company PAC, Birmingham, AL
• $450 – American Community Bank and Trust, Woodstock
• $450 – Buckley Fine LLC, Barrington
• $450 – Tonyan Brothers, Ringwood
• $450 – ZCWS Law, Crystal Lake
• $300 – LouAnne Majewski, Barrington Hills
• $300 – Derek Bretman, Marengo
• $300 – John Reinert Builders, Crystal Lake
• $300 – Liberty Mutual Surety, Hoffman Estates
• $300 – Matt Lowandowski, North Barrington
• $300 – Lynwood Development, Cary
• $300 – Greg P[enza, Crystal Lake
• $300 – Rempkes Garage, Marengo
• $300 – Jane Saidler, McHenry
• $300 – Transystems Corporation, Schaumburg
• $300 – Citizens for Haig Haleblian, Crystal Lake
• $250 – Richard Aldridge, Libertyville
• $250 – McCay and Company, Inc., McHenry
• $200 – SH Freund & Son, Inc., Johnsburg

Plus $1,701 in small contributions.

Known for his reportintg o th4 Twitter Papers after having written for Mother Earth News, Matt Tabbii reads his piece on NPR Editor Uri Berliner’s essay on National Public Radio’s shift from neutral to left-leaning coverage.

What stood out to me in Tabbii’s piece was that reporters used to allow their readers to make up their minds about content, rather than slanting it one way or the other.

That is what I try to do by printing press releases from candidates and public officials.

From the Crystal Lake Police comes these two arrests on the same charges

• Possession of a controlled substance
• 5(a) Possession of drug paraphernalia

with different dispositions:

From Republican State Chairman Don Tracy:

President Biden presents a clear and present danger to our paychecks, public safety and working families.

If Biden’s idea of utopia is Democrat controlled Chicago, a second Biden term will be a catastrophic acceleration of the leftist march to socialism.

To defeat this existential battle for the heart and soul of America before it’s too late, we need more Republicans and other good conservatives to get off the sidelines now and more actively engage in politics with their time and/or money .

Among other Biden failures, relentless Bidenflation is crushing the American people as standards of living continue to deteriorate under Bidenomics.

• March’s Consumer Price Index increased 3.5% compared to last year – twice the rate compared to when Biden took office and higher than expected.
• Inflation has been at or above 3% for 36 straight months, well above the Fed’s average target of 2%.
• Since Biden took office:
  • Eggs are up 49.3%;
  • Gasoline is up 47.8%;
  • Air fare is up 32.7%;
  • Butter and margarine are up 32%;
  • Electricity is up 28.3%;
  • Rent is up 20.9%;
  • Used cars are up 20.9%;
  • Milk is up 15%.
• Overall prices have risen by 19.4% since the start of the Biden administration – with Americans still reeling from its lasting effects.
  • On a year-over-year basis, inflation under Biden has averaged 5.5% – more than double the level of inflation seen under any of the last four presidents.
• Americans’ finances are being decimated.
  • 78% of Americans report having to live paycheck to paycheck in 2023, up 6% from the previous year.
  • The personal savings rate was 3.6% in February, well below a decades long average of roughly 8.9%.
• Americans’ earnings have taken a massive hit.
  • Real average weekly earnings are down by 3.9% since Biden took office.
• They rose by 8.2% during President Trump’s term.
• Americans are not happy with Biden’s economy.
  • A majority of Americans rate the economy as poor.
  • Only 38% of voters rate the economy as good, compared to 65 percent under Trump.
  • 60% of Americans disapprove of the way Biden is handling inflation and 53 percent disapprove of Biden’s handling of the economy.
  • 60% of Americans believe the economy is on the wrong track, 58% think the economy is weak, and 54% say their current personal economic situation is underwater.