Category: News

 An investigation into the conditions migrants in Chicago are dealing with revealed that the city was aware of the unsanitary, unsafe conditions of facilities as early as October, more than a month before a young boy died at the shelter. WTTW found that the Johnson Administration and the mayor himself were warned of unsafe conditions at the facilities, including “insufficient bathrooms, exposed pipes with raw sewage, cockroach infestation, a possible outbreak of illness with many people being sick, insufficient provision of meals and water and poor and disrespectful treatment of migrants housed in the shelter by staff.”

As this saga has unfolded, the root cause – Governor Pritzker, would rather stump across the country and take ads out in Texas newspapers than step in to take substantive action. Pritzker signed an emergency declaration in September 2022 after his public criticism of Gov. Abbott’s policy led to more buses coming to Chicago. What has been done since? More than a year later, the governor’s office announced a “Plan to Improve Asylum Seeker Emergency Response.” And now that the city of Chicago is now pushing buses into Chicago suburbs and communities are working to put their own guidelines in place, what is the Governor’s response? A sternly worded letter, an ad in an Austin newspaper, and plenty of headlines made in national news as a Joe Biden surrogate in Des Moines.

ILGOP Chairman Don Tracy released the following statement:

“More than a year after Governor Pritzker initiated this particular crisis, the only substantive thing he’s done about it so far is beg for help from Texas Gov. Abbott and Pres. Biden. The inability or unwillingness of the media to hold Governor Pritzker accountable for his role in bringing this crisis to our state has directly contributed to the Chicago migrant crisis spinning out of control. If Mayor Johnson and Governor Pritzker can’t handle the inherent responsibilities of being a sanctuary city and state, they need to start enforcing US immigration law, call to secure our borders, and work to stop the seemingly endless flow of illegal and unmanaged immigration.”

CHICAGO — Former alderman Ed Burke was found guilty today on charges of racketeering, bribery and extortion. Burke, alongside fellow indictee Mike Madigan, were active participants in the culture of corruption that has plagued this state for decades.

In response to Burke’s conviction today, the ILGOP released the following response:

“Alderman Burke’s conviction is just the latest example of prominent Illinois Democrat corruption at the highest levels of government,” ILGOP Chairman Don Tracy said. “Years of machine electioneering, pay to play politics, insider dealings, and catering to special interests have driven working families out of Chicago and Illinois, increased the tax burden and regulations on those of us who have stayed to fight for a better state, and hugely benefited the powerful few. As the latest prominent Illinois Democrat to be convicted of official corruption, Alderman Burke will finally be held accountable much like Democrats Senator Sandoval, Senator Link, Governor Blagojevich, Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr, and the 38 other Chicago Aldermen convicted in the last 50 years as we await Speaker Madigan’s corruption trial.”

CHICAGO — Former Illinois State Representative LaToya Greenwood’s reelection effort is hitting a roadblock as her petitions are being challenged following a history of fraud in the area surrounding fake signatures on official election documents. ILGOP Chairman Don Tracy called attention to this problem late last year after concerns were raised over forged write in ballots in the Democratic Party Primary in Madison County, after election judges from both political parties observed suspicious signatures on write-in ballots in a judicial contest.

The objection takes particular issue with the signatures collected by a number of circulators, including Greenwood herself.

Wavey Lester, the district resident leading the objection to Greenwood’s signatures, released the following statement: 

“Having lived in the Metro East area for many years, I have seen too often incidents of corruption and fraud go unreported. As a military veteran, I can no longer watch as another career politician tries to take advantage of our system. No one deserves to be on the ballot if they or their campaign use corrupt or dishonest means to get there. That is why I am filing this objection, the people of East St. Louis and the 114th District deserve honest and trustworthy candidates for office who will genuinely advocate for our interests.”

CHICAGO — The Chicago Sun-Times reported this morning about trouble in paradise between Governor JB Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson. Between the migrant crisis Pritzker brought to the state, Johnson’s inability to crack down on crime in Chicago that has made national headlines, and Illinois’s continued stagnation as Pritzker auditions to replace Biden, Illinois Democrats are facing new divisions heading into a critical 2024 for the state’s national profile.

From the Sun-Times: “There is real frustration behind the scenes on both sides, stemming from the migrant crisis, Chicago’s crime wave, a tug of war over leadership of the Democratic National Convention and the parade of tax increases and costly mandates being imposed on Chicago’s business community.”

Even fellow progressives understand that they are failing Chicago on an epic scale, as Alderwoman Jeanette Taylor told Ben Joravsky: “We should not be on the Fifth Floor. And I’m speaking my whole heart. We were not ready because we haven’t been in government long enough to know how government really works. … We’re pretending like now we got the power, let us show you how it’s supposed to be done. And we look real stupid, right now.”

ILGOP Chairman Don Tracy released the following statement in response:  
“If the Democrat party’s idea of a progressive utopia is Chicago and Illinois, I am more worried than ever for the future of this country. We have a Governor who pushes a radical left agenda while auditioning to replace Biden and an incompetent Mayor of Chicago who is all talk. National Democrats are in for a rude awakening when they arrive in Chicago this summer and see firsthand how even a great City like Chicago can be compromised and eventually ruined by corrupt and progressive Democrat political machines.”

CHICAGO — When Governor Pritzker promised to welcome the waves of migrants being bussed from border states to Chicago, he must have been thinking about running for President instead of how to house thousands of immigrants in Illinois.

The city and state’s lack of a cohesive, functioning sanctuary plan has become so disastrous that many migrants on their own are packing up to leave. Whether it was the city’s lack of jobs, resources, or just the idea of spending winter on Chicago’s streets, many are deserting the state, some even going back to their home countries.

Many have risked their lives for the American Dream, and are now rethinking those decisions. That’s how badly Governor Pritzker and Mayor Johnson have handled the migrant crisis.

“Gov. Pritzker appears to have put his ambitions for higher office ahead of the good of this state,” ILGOP Chairman Don Tracy said.“Like Biden, Pritzker encouraged illegal immigration to score points with open border advocates. Now Illinois taxpayers will have to foot the bill to house, feed, and provide for migrants in a state that is already one of the most taxed in the nation. This state needs a leader, not a politician auditioning to replace Biden.”

CHICAGO — Once again the Illinois Democrats are bowing to their special interest puppet masters,the teacher unions including especially the Chicago Teachers Union, by not renewing the Invest in Kids tax credit scholarship program. Without this program, thousands of low income students will lose the opportunity to attend schools they love and that set them up for a brighter future.

The beneficiaries of the Invest in Kids scholarships come from underserved communities that value school choice for a variety of reasons, just like CTU president Stacey Davis Gates. Union President Gates chose private school for her own children, but lobbies to take such choice away from other Illinois children.

“Letting the Invest in Kids program expire takes away educational opportunities from thousands of low income children they cannot otherwise afford,”ILGOP Chairman Don Tracy said. “Not only is it bad public policy that puts a powerful special interest over public interest, it’s also hypocritical. Many well off teachers’ union leaders and Democrat leaders choose private school options for their own children, and at the same time deny that opportunity to the less fortunate. Democrats say they are always pro-choice, but that is certainly not their policy when it comes to education.”

CHICAGO — Illinois GOP Chairman Don Tracy released to following statement in response to President Biden’s visit to Illinois: 

“President Biden is touting his failing economic agenda in a state that continues to lose people and business because of misguided Democrat leaders like Governor Pritzker. If President Biden’s idea of success is high taxes, excessive government debt and spending, a crime crisis, and a governor putting political ambition ahead of our residents, Illinois is a great place to promote Bidenomics.”

CHICAGO — In a resounding show of bipartisan support, the United States Congress passed a resolution on October 25th, firmly reaffirming the nation’s unwavering commitment to Israel’s security and unequivocally condemning acts of terrorism, particularly those perpetrated by the Hamas terrorist group. Despite the overwhelming bipartisan support, among the 10 “Nay” votes and 6 “Present” votes were two Illinois Democrats.

Congresswoman Delia Ramirez was among the Democrats who voted against condemning Hamas, while Rep. Chuy Garcia refused to take a stand on the issue by voting present. Being unable to condemn terrorist actions is unconscionable, something even their own party members agree with.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the former chairwoman of the DNC, said about the vote: “Someone who votes against this I would think doesn’t have a soul.”

“When elected ‘leaders’ like Ramirez and Garcia hesitate to unequivocally condemn terrorism, Illinois should be concerned about their ability to lead responsibly and effectively,” said ILGOP Chairman Don Tracy. “When groups like Hamas take human shields, including Illinoisans, as hostages to use them as leverage, that is terrorism and should not be condoned or forgiven. Shame on Representatives Ramirez and Garcia.”

CHICAGO – The Illinois Republican Party is thrilled to announce that Senator John Kennedy will be the keynote speaker at the inaugural “Bank Your Vote” Gala. The event is scheduled to take place on Friday, February 9, 2024, at the Westin O’Hare in Rosemont.

The “Bank Your Vote” Gala is the first of a new annual tradition promoting the importance of utilizing early voting, vote by mail, and other pre-election day methods to energize the Republican base entering this election year. 

Senator John Kennedy has been a strong advocate for conservative principles in the U.S. Senate, most recently putting Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias on the defensive regarding pornography in books available in public school libraries accessible to children.

The Bank Your Vote initiative is a national effort aimed at supporting early voting and Get Out The Vote programs. It’s a unified effort led by the Republican National Committee displaying the commitment of Republicans to facilitating early voting.

In her address to the nation, Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel emphasizes the significance of early voting and its crucial role in our democratic process. Watch the RNC video here.

Stay tuned for more details as the February 9th Bank Your Vote Gala approaches.

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If you are interested in attending or sponsoring the Gala, please click HERE. You can also support this event in several other ways: donating wine to our wine auction, purchasing an ad in our ad book, or by donating an item for our event auction!

Questions? Reach out to Alicia Heffley for more information.

CHICAGO — Mayor Brandon Johnson cancelled his trip to the southern border, realizing that not only would he be incapable of doing anything about Joe Biden’s border crisis, but also that if he wants to keep doing performative media stunts around the migrant crisis, he could just stay home.  

The Chicago Sun-Times posted a scathing editorial last week, saying Johnson’s handling of the crisis shows “no evidence of a solid, workable plan forthcoming from the five-month-old Johnson administration.”  

From the Sun-Times editorial: 

“Tent camps in a Chicago winter are a bad idea on its face, but that’s not the only problem. GardaWorld had been in line for a $40 million contract to build a similar camp in Denver, but officials there gave the company the boot last May, citing abuse allegations against the corporation and its thin experience with housing migrant populations.” 

Mayor Johnson, though he talked a big game during the campaign, he has abjectly failed to follow through on his promises. Johnson’s campaign website says “Chicago must lead with and live by the promise to be a sanctuary city and welcome immigrants and refugees, and treat them with dignity and respect… We must coordinate efforts with local communities with the infrastructure to support displaced immigrants and refugees, and coordinate efforts at all levels of government to provide humane conditions for everyone.”

Tent cities and cots in airport terminals hardly qualifies as treating migrants with dignity and respect. 

We acknowledge Mayor Johnson for realizing his job is the Mayor of *Chicago* and cancelling his border trip. Now he needs to take action to address the issues squarely in his court, like homeless illegal migrants, crime and failing Chicago schools, something he has proven incapable of doing thus far.