Free Republic

Only a few months ago, Representative Mark Kirk voted for Cap and Tax… er, I mean Cap and Trade. Conservatives and Republicans in general lit into Kirk with a vengeance. Then he started running for the Senate and at a subsequent September 5 campaign stop he reversed himself and decided he wouldn't support Cap and Trade. Kirk is not a strong pro-life supporter, he is bad on the Second Amendment, Kirk is only middling on free trade, and he has drifted back and forth on sometimes support for Obama's left-wing, big spending agenda in Washington… though he is sometimes good...

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with U.S. Bank, NA, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, a wholly-owned subsidiary of U.S. Bancorp, to assume all of the deposits and essentially all of the assets of nine failed banks. The nine banks were closed this evening by federal and state bank regulators, which appointed the FDIC as receiver. The nine banks involved in today's transaction are: Bank USA, National Association, Phoenix, Arizona; California National Bank, Los Angeles, California; San Diego National Bank, San Diego, California; Pacific National Bank, San Francisco, California; Park National Bank, Chicago, Illinois; Community...

Bishop J. Peter Sartain / Bishop-elect Joseph Siegel Joliet, Ill., Oct 28, 2009 / 11:09 am (CNA).- The Vatican announced on Wednesday that Pope Benedict has appointed Father Joseph Siegel as an auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of Joliet, Illinois.  Bishop-elect Siegel is currently a pastor of Visitation Parish in Elmhurst, Ill. and has served the Diocese of Joliet since his ordination in 1988. “I was both humbled and honored when I received the unexpected news that Pope Benedict had named me to serve as auxiliary bishop of Joliet,” Bishop-elect Siegel said on Wednesday.“I am deeply grateful to our...

In 2008 an enraged, deranged known drug dealer/crack cocaine smoker attempted a violent attack on a Central Illinois man. The FOID-carrying victim pulled his legally owned, legally carried, unloaded, disassembled, non-functioning, encased semi-automatic pistol, inserted the magazine, readied a bullet and stopped the attack abruptly. The crackhead had a spiritual awakening, a "Come to Jesus" moment. Possible instant death creates instant deep thinkers. Police responded. Police rejected the gun owner's vehicular carry methods. Plus, the gun wasn't unloaded immediately after the event. Police arrested the gun owner on a questionable felony and several questionable misdemeanors. The legitimate, recordless, lawful defender...

*snip* Turns out that when the former governor instituted a state-hiring freeze back in 2003, it was just a ruse so that he could do favors for a bunch of politically connected buddies. He ended up hiring just over 2,500 people during the so-called freeze. But these weren’t ordinary applicants; politicians, including then-state-senator Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, pushed all the job seekers on Blago. None of the politicians in the report are accused of doing anything wrong -- leaning on clout is the status quo in Springfield -- but the report does illustrate the insider game that occurs...

Even before he was elected governor in 2002, Rod Blagojevich and three of his closest friends schemed about ways to enrich themselves by controlling state government, the former governor's former chief of staff alleged as part of a plea agreement today with federal prosecutors. When Blagojevich took office, his three friends became key players in his administration and met repeatedly with the governor to share moneymaking ideas and get updates on their plans to bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars that they could split up later, former top aide Alonzo "Lon" Monk alleged. Monk, who also was a groomsman...

The search continues for an armed and dangerous man wanted by Rockford police after a pawn shop robbery. The man's accomplice remains in critical condition at a local hospital. "They had a couple down here, a couple in the alley and then they had it guarded off," said Laurie McLain. McLain describes the police presence in her neighborhood about three hours after a crime scene took over the nearby Broadway Joe's Pawn Shop. "It was just a shock. You could just tell there had been some type of violent crime there," McLain said. Rockford firefighters and police responded to Broadway...

ChicagoGunCase.com Restoring the Second Amendment Sep 30 2009 The Schedule Published by Alan Gura under Uncategorized Here is what we can look forward to in the coming months… Our opening brief is due November 16. The city’s brief is then due December 16. Our reply brief is due January 15. The case is expected to be argued in February, with a decision expected by the end of June, 2010. No responses yet Sep 30 2009 PRESS RELEASE: SUPREME COURT TO HEAR McDONALD CASE Published by Alan Gura under news release Read the the U.S. Supreme Court docket WASHINGTON, D.C. –...

NEWS | POLITICS Michael Steele Withdraws Support for Mark Kirk's Senate Bid Kirk's changing positions on a "cap and trade" environmental bill are inspiring angry boos from some fellow Republicans Copyright Associated Press / NBC Chicago First Published: Sep 24, 2009 1:48 PM CD By ANDREW GREINER Updated 3:54 PM CDT, Thu, Sep 24, 2009 Michael Steele has been responsible for some monumental gaffes since he took the reins of the Republican National Committee. Perhaps he’s trying to avoid another error by supporting a flip-flopper. The RNC Chairman has reportedly withdrawn his sole endorsement for Illinois Representative Mark Kirk...

INDIANOLA, Ill. - Police say an eastern Illinois man shot two people to death after they forced their way into his home and tried to rob him. Vermilion County Sheriff Pat Hartshorn says the two masked men held the homeowner on the floor at gunpoint Monday night and choked him while demanding money. The sheriff says the alleged robbers were 22 and 17 but didn't identify them or the homeowner.

Laurie Higgins recently found another disturbing vote cast by Representative and Senate Candidate Mark Kirk (R, IL) revealing again his penchant of voting left of center all too often. This time he's co-sponsoring a bill that will aid the homosexual lobby gain more influence in our schools. Higgins reveals that Kirk is looking to vote "yes" on H.R. 2262, The Safe Schools Improvement Act -- a so-called anti-bullying act. What could be wrong with being anti-bullying? Anyone who has been paying attention knows that anti-bullying/safe schools curricula are now the central means by which pro-homosexual propaganda is secreted into public...

www.TeaPartyExpress.org  For Immediate Release:September 7, 2009 Contact: Levi RussellLevi@Frontlinestrat.com(509) 979-6615 10,000 PATRIOTS IN NEW LENOX RALLY FOR LIMITED GOVERNMENT(NEW LENOX, IL) -  The Tea Party Express - -  www.TeaPartyExpress.org - - was joined by a crowd estimated at over 10,000 today at the New Lenox Tea Party Rally outside Chicago. The crowd size of this national cross-country tour’s rallies have grown considerably over the past few days as incredible momentum and enthusiasm builds. “At Town Hall meetings earlier this year, it was said that the ‘sleeping giant’ may have awakened,” said Mark Williams, Vice Chair of the Tea Party Express.  “I think the tremendous crowds...

Sheriff Reports 10,000 at New Lenox/Joliet Rally

... A demonstration of this misguided mindset by the GOP establishment (both nationally and in Illinois) is illustrated perfectly by the rush to support the Senate candidacy of U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk (R-10th District). Kirk's voting record more closely reflects that of a liberal Democrat... I have been watching the political scene for nearly 20 years and without doubt, I have never seen such a visceral reaction to a Republican candidacy--as is the case with Kirk. In fact, there are a number of web sites and blogs dedicated to exposing Mark Kirk's stand on the issues. The latest effort is...

Sen. John McCain has endorsed Illinois Congressman Mark Kirk (R-10th) in his run for the U.S. Senate.

An 18 year old burglar was shot in self defense by the owner of an East St. Louis, IL home. Police reportedly say that just 18 year old Michael Holmes III and another person attempted to break in to a home. The home was being rehabbed by its owner, so that the owner, his wife, and their child could move in to the house. The owner, who is said to be a Navy service member, was working inside the house when the two men are said to have forced their way in. The homeowner opened fire in self defense, killing...

What`s the worst thing Mark Kirk has done on behalf on Illinoisans? Aug 26, 2009 By Dr. Eric Wallace, Ph.D. Was it his vote against the ban on partial birth abortion, a hideous and medically unnecessary act recognized as gruesome and inhumane by all but the most determined pro-death adherents? Was it his opposition to making it a federal crime to transport a minor across state lines for the purpose of obtaining an abortion in circumvention of state law? Or, was it his vote against the Pence Amendment, which would have prohibited federal tax dollars from funding Planned Parenthood?...

While a teen struggles to survive a shooting, the city tries to get guns off the streets. But do gun turn-in programs really work? Taccara Swain, 15, was shot in the head three times Wednesday night. Police say she is an innocent victim who was trying to shield a young relative from the bullets. It's this kind of tragedy the city of Chicago is trying to stop with a gun turn-in program this weekend. But are events like that effective? CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery reports that the continuing carnage in our streets suggests otherwise. That 15-year old was...

In Chicago, one of the most frustrating aspects of gun rights activism is the constant struggle to reach the average person for whom guns and self-defense have never seemed like important considerations compared to making a living, dodging parking tickets and avoiding the crustiest CTA stations--day-to-day concerns overwhelm loftier questions of human rights and political activism. Here at the semi-palatial offices of the Chicago Gun Rights Examiner, a quick survey reveals that most of the non-gun owners the staff have encountered over the years have had no idea what Chicago, Cook County, Illinois or U.S. gun laws are really like....

video clip ALSIP, Ill. (AP) -- Three gravediggers and a cemetery manager unearthed hundreds of corpses from a historic black cemetery south of Chicago, dumping some in a weeded area and double-stacking others in existing graves, in an elaborate scheme to resell the plots, authorities said Thursday. All four were charged with felonies. Frantic relatives of the deceased descended on Burr Oak Cemetery - the final resting place of lynching victim Emmett Till and blues singers Willie Dixon and Dinah Washington - in hopes someone could tell them their loved ones' remains were not among the pile of bones that...

The Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence sharply criticized the Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA) and Illinois Carry for holding a public rally Friday calling for ending Chicago’s 27-year-old handgun ban only days after the tragic shooting of 9-year-old Chastity Turner who was gunned down while bathing her dog in front of her own home. Thirty-six Chicago Public School students were also killed during the ’09 school year in a continuing rash of gun violence. Most troubling is the language, tone and materials that pro-gun groups are using to promote their rally in downtown Chicago. Ralph Connor, an African-American conservative who...

The Caseyville Rifle and Pistol and Pistol Club has weathered the storm of efforts by St. Clair County to close it, and the costly effort is far from over. The Caseyville Rifle and Pistol Club has spent the past four years battling for its survival in a legal war of attrition with St. Clair County. So far the gun club -- the owner of the metro-east's only outdoor rifle range -- has won every round in court. The most recent victory occurred June 5, when a St. Clair County Circuit judge dismissed the county lawsuit aiming to shut down the...

First of all, I know it looks impossible to even say, so let’s clear up that last name. It’s pronounced An-gee-ef-ski. I know, I know, that means here in Illinois we could possibly go from a Governor Blagojevich to an Andrzejewski. But the difficult last name should stand as the only similarity between the two men, for Adam seems to have some ideas on how Illinois might get out of its fiscal nightmare. I interviewed him not long ago and he had some very interesting thoughts on how to fix Illinois. (adamforillinois.com/) In fact, Andrzejewski has already made some headway...

Documents show that unqualified student would have been allowed to transfer ### University of Illinois College of Medicine officials acknowledged Friday that an unqualified applicant pushed by Trustee Lawrence Eppley received an unfair advantage. An initial review of nearly 500 pages of documents released late Friday found no other examples of clout affecting medical school admissions decisions. *snip* Some of the records, however, were so heavily redacted that it was impossible to interpret them. But in the 2003 Eppley case, the student seeking to transfer to the Chicago-based medical school had "very poor grades" in the beginning of his college...

PEORIA — Three, maybe four times every year, Wolf Hollow Archery in Chillicothe hosts classes for local residents to get certified to carry a handgun when walking on the sidewalk, driving down the street, or going to the grocery store. At the most, the class has attracted 20 people. An instructor will guide the attendees through a daylong course in handgun laws, proper handling of a gun, and the locations where it's OK to possess a handgun. If they pass the course, attendees will get a permit valid to carry a concealed weapon in Utah. Derek Howald of Chillicothe has...

A gun rights rally in Chicago, of all places? A bit counterintuitive, perhaps, but it's one more sign that the gun rights advocacy movement in Illinois is tired of playing defense--that now, it's the citizen disarmament advocates who are going to have to try to stop us, rather than the other way around. If you live anywhere near Chicago, this is where you need to be on Friday, June 26th, from 11 AM to 1 PM. The U.S. Supreme court issued a ruling recognizing the Second Amendment is an INDIVIDUAL right of the PEOPLE on June 26, 2008. In light...

I don't know if there's such a thing as a typical supporter of Mayor Jim Ardis' concealed-carry proposal. But my last guess might be Wanda and Ron Swenson, a pair of gray-haired retirees who live in a nice condominium in northwest Peoria. Their dwelling and station in life seem far removed from the gangs, shootings and mayhem that regularly plague certain slices of the city. Still, they feel the creep of crime, so much so they often feel like prisoners in their own home. They'd feel much safer if they could pack a firearm when about town. "I would not...

Violence in Chicago is beyond any pretense of control by the authorities. NPR sums up the symptoms: Young people in Chicago are dying violent deaths at an alarming rate. So far this school year, at least 36 Chicago Public School students have been killed, most of them victims of gunshots. Scores of other Chicago children and teenagers have been wounded in shootings, and there are concerns that the gun violence could escalate when school is out for the summer in a few weeks. This past weekend was no exception: Stansbury was among seven people slain in several shootings Saturday night...

PEORIA — Mayor Jim Ardis wants to see a push for Peoria to become a pilot city for statewide concealed-carry legislation that would allow people to carry guns in a responsible manner, he said Thursday. Ardis wants to see legislation passed in Springfield allowing Peoria to enact an ordinance permitting citizens the right to carry a concealed weapon. His comments come one day after a gas station attendant was shot and killed in the East Bluff and a shot was discharged on Newman Golf Course during a botched robbery. "I'm trying to see if there is an opportunity for (the...

Democrats could have another Kennedy in the Senate chamber. The Chicago Sun-Times reported last night that businessman Chris Kennedy, the son of Robert F. Kennedy, will be running for the Senate in Illinois. And Kennedy’s pollster John Anzalone confirmed to POLITICO that Kennedy will soon be entering the race, joining a Democratic primary against state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias and, possibly, Sen. Roland Burris (D-Ill.). For his part, Kennedy told Lynn Sweet Tuesday night: "I'm keeping my options alive and working through a whole series of issues still." Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) and Chicago Urban League president Cheryl Jackson are also...

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Governor Pat Quinn is promising to go through the state budget line by line to look for waste and inefficiency. Some lawmakers say all he needs to do is take the elevator one flight down to find a waste of taxpayer's money. Dane Placko reports on the debate over what to do with the lieutenant governor's office.

If you want to understand the political environment out of which President Obama emerged (unscathed, as his supporters would suggest), today's piece from the Associated Press provides a nice summary of many ways in which crooked Illinois politicians rob that state blind. One researcher, a former Chicago alderman and political scientist, has pegged the "corruption tax" at roughly $300 million annually, but that only includes the Chicago area. A few samples: Someone put in a government job because he knows the right people isn’t likely to work hard for his paycheck. In extreme cases, he might not show up for...

Federal prosecutors have only a week left to indict former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. When authorities arrested Blagojevich back in December, it was based on a criminal complaint. Prosecutors didn't have the case all tied up in a bow, but U.S. attorney Patrick Fitzgerald rushed to bring charges because he said Blagojevich was in the middle of a crime spree. FITZGERALD: Sometimes when there's ongoing criminal conduct, and this is a very different case than what we often see, we will expose the criminal conduct and bring charges to let people know we're on to it, and to hopefully, to...

A maintenance firm contracted to work on an abandoned and foreclosed home in Illinois owned by Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. made a startling discovery while draining the flooded basement: pipe bombs and tear gas grenades were uncovered when the water had been removed, leading the surprised workers to notify both Countrywide and local authorities. Police were reported to have responded to the scene at 3245 203rd St. in Lynwood (Chicago Heights), IL.......

Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was joined by Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, in announcing the arrest of MOHAMMED T. ALKARAMLA, age 24, of 6029 North Artesian in Chicago. ALKARAMLA was arrested earlier today at his residence, without incident, by members of the Chicago FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF). ALKARAMLA, who is a Jordanian national, was charged in a criminal complaint filed today in U.S. District Court in Chicago with one (1) count of sending an Interstate Threatening Communication, which is...

Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich today blasted his successor Pat Quinn's tax plans as "predictable", part of what he alleges was a scheme cooked up with legislative leaders before he was "hijacked from office." The appearance on WLS radio's "Don Wade and Roma Show" marked Blagojevich's first foray into the world of political commentary, since he was ousted in disgrace in January. "He doesn't have to raise taxes, and he can cut taxes," Blagojevich declared, saying there are enough savings to be found in state spending to balance the budget without going directly to taxpayers for more money.

The potential field of candidates for President Obama's Senate seat -- for which Roland Burris may or may not be running -- keeps on growing. The Hill reports that Bill Daley, former Commerce Secretary under Bill Clinton, is on the verge of entering the race for President Obama's former Senate seat. Daley is the brother of Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, and son of the late Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley. Daley was also a co-chairman of Obama's presidential campaign, and has reportedly spoken to top political talent including Larry Grisolano -- who works for David Axelrod and David Plouffe's...

I was doing the Mancow radio show talking about my candidacy for the 5th Congressional District (Rahm Emanuel's seat) I was honored to meet the guy who made this movie. We talked and I told him I would help him get the word out. It will premiere in Chicago on March 13th 2009. It will be playing in alot of diferent cities. Please support the film. The movie trailer is AWESOME!

As President Obama and military officials plan for a marked escalation in the number of American troops in Afghanistan, the powerful words of a fallen soldier show how much the mission continues to mean to the women and men on the ground. Illinois National Guard Sgt. Scott Stream, 39, of Mattoon, Ill., was killed Tuesday in Afghanistan. Below is a letter he wrote to a friend on New Year's Eve. The Tribune received a copy of the letter from Stream's mother. ~~~~ Wednesday, December 31, 2008 at 9:30am A strange thing... When I think about what surrounds me, the institutional...

WASHINGTON – Federal prosecutors plan to move an alleged al-Qaida sleeper agent out of a Navy brig in South Carolina and send him to federal court in Illinois to face trial. Two people familiar with the case of Qatar native Ali al-Marri said Thursday the government plans to transfer him to the civilian court system. The two people spoke on condition of anonymity because it's a pending criminal case. The transfer could avert a Supreme Court hearing in April and a subsequent ruling that would govern other cases against accused terrorists. To justify holding al-Marri, the Bush administration claimed the...

She quietly pleaded guilty to drunken driving and was sentenced on the day President Obama was inaugurated. But it may be another two years before Cook County Judge Sheila McGinnis is disciplined by the authorities who oversee Illinois judges - if they discipline her, according to the executive director of the Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board. McGinnis on Tuesday dodged a potential one-year jail term when she admitted drunkenly crashing her Chevrolet sport utility vehicle into the back of a family-of-four's minivan May 9 in Tinley Park. With the attention of the Southland and the world focused on Washington, D.C., Judge...

Gov. Pat Quinn on Wednesday installed as his chief operating officer an appointee of ousted predecessor Rod Blagojevich who also has close ties to convicted fundraiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko. The decision to name longtime friend Jack Lavin as one of his top aides raised eyebrows with some who said it might send a message of politics as usual in Illinois. “Certainly he comes with some baggage that we have to be very sensitive about at this moment in our state’s history, but personally I want to work with everyone right now to make sure we get through the very serious...

SPRINGFIELD -- Illinois is lining up with other states begging for potential federal stimulus dollars, but only projects that can begin quickly will be eligible, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Thursday. “The goal is to help jumpstart the economy by getting money out the door to projects that are ready to go,” said LaHood, a former Republican congressman from Peoria. To decide who gets what share of the potential $1.8 billion pie from the federal government, Illinois lawmakers created a task force to distribute the money. State Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, is on the committee. “We’re looking for shovel-ready...

One of the myriad of details in the forthcoming 647-page, $825 billion economic stimulus package is the writing off of impeached, yet hilarious, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. According to CNN the bill includes a provision added by the House Appropriations Committee that would withhold funds from the state of Illinois "unless the Legislature directs how it will be spent, or until 'Rod R. Blagojevich no longer holds the office of governor of the state of Illinois.'"

Blagojevich's office on Friday also released copies of dozens of federal subpoenas that underscored the sweeping nature of the prosecution's longtime criminal investigation of an administration built on a pledge of reform. One subpoena issued a day before Blagojevich's Dec. 9 arrest seeks records of any correspondence with top Obama advisers David Axelrod and Valerie Jarrett, while others seek documents involving state hiring, bidding and contracts as well as information about the real estate business run by the governor's wife, Patricia. On Monday at noon, the ornate chandelier-framed chambers of the Illinois Senate will provide the setting for the impeachment...

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Berkeley, Ill.-based National Bank of Commerce was closed by regulators Friday, marking the first bank failure of 2009, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation said in a statement. Republic Bank of Chicago will assume all of National Bank of Commerce's deposits, while the two locations of National Bank of Commerce will reopen Saturday as branches of Republic Bank, the FDIC said.

Sun-Times and NBC5 exclusive: WIN-WIN LOSES | Everybody was supposed to benefit. But things didn't turn out as planned It was supposed to be a quintessential City Hall deal. Help the homeless. Remove an eyesore from a booming neighborhood. And help Mayor Daley’s pal build a multi-million-dollar condo development. The deal cost Chicago taxpayers at least $13.5 million. But it hasn’t worked out as planned. One of the city’s oldest homeless shelters left its crumbling home in Greektown for a new $25 million, state-of-the-art building. But the deal left the homeless shelter on the verge of bankruptcy, desperate to raise...

If the Senate Republicans truly wanted to make Tombstone Burris' march on Washington a spectacle to bedevil the Democrats, here's what they'd do. They'd put on some choir robes, stand outside Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's office Wednesday and invite every news organization in the land to hear them sing. They'd sing a cappella, in a mournful baritone, to mark the latest Democratic public relations disaster—the all-white Senate controlled by Democrats denying a seat to a duly appointed African-American. So if they wanted a true spectacle, the Republicans would hold hands and begin to croon: "When Roland was in Harry's...

Reversing themselves, Senate Democratic leaders on Wednesday morning opened the door to allowing Roland W. Burris to replace President-elect Barack Obama in the Senate. After a private 45-minute meeting with the former Illinois state attorney general, Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the majority leader, and Senator Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, the No. 2 Senate Democrat, said that they were open to recognizing Mr. Burris’s appointment as long as he meets a series of conditions.

One of Chicago's most well-known real estate moguls appears to have shot himself to death, police said. The body of Steven L. Good was found in his Jaguar on Monday. The car was spotted in a parking lot of a wildlife preserve in Kane County, Illinois, just outside Chicago, authorities said. No note was found, and police say they do not know how long the 52-year-old had been in the vehicle. Good was the chairman and chief executive officer of Sheldon Good & Co., a major U.S. real estate auction company. The death comes amid great turmoil in the country's...