Illinois GOP leadership Bashes Grassroots Conservatives And Intervine In Primaries Once Again.

Right when you thought it was getting better it got worse.

Val Ojeda, Writer

The Illinois Republican Party needs a revival. As a matter of fact, it's happening right now. The Grassroots Republicans, upset by the events leading up to the midterm elections, finally had enough. As you remember, the Illinois GOP committed a hostile takeover of the primary process by inserting their choice of liberal moderate candidates in every statewide race from Governor and the other constitutional seats, including Illinois House and Senate seats. 

Very deceitfully, they created “vetting” committees. I witnessed this first hand managing candidates for many of these offices being sought. My candidates were questioned by field directors for the Illinois House and Senate Victory Fund Committees. At the direction of Rep. Jim Durkin with the HRM and Sen. Dan McConchie, they questioned many of my candidates about their public policy stance. 

My contenders were 100% pro-life and anti-liberal grassroots Republicans. However, the official policy for the “win” strategy for both sides of the Republican Minority legislative Caucus was to embrace pro-choice and adopt liberal policies such as supporting Amendment One and other liberal ideologies. Their rationale was that this was the only way to get votes. To speak for the LGBTQ agenda and other liberal leanings. 

Now get this, if you wanted the support of the Illinois House and Senate Republicans, you could not support Darren Bailey for Governor or God help you that you were a supporter of President Trump.

So during this “vetting”, they turned away many qualified candidates because they would rather not adopt this liberal strategy. One of these candidates was Philip Nagel.

Philip is an Air Force Veteran who ran for the Illinois Senate in the 40th District in Will County against Democrat Patrick Joyce. As his consultant, I made the introduction to Nick McNeely, the SRO legislative field director in charge of recruiting. At the time, I was unaware of the strategy they were pushing. After meeting with Minority leader McConchie and McNeely they turned him down because of his stance on being pro-life and his work with parents fighting for their parental rights. 

Mind you, it was Nagel that wrote legislation that was introduced and passed through the General Assembly that was signed into law thanks to an Illinois lawmaker in support of children and parental rights. He's a perfect grassroots candidate, who, by the way, supported Darren Bailey for Governor and Trump. Phil is pro-life. 

Now get this. They passed on Phil for being too “extreme” and not willing to become a liberal moderate to have their support. So, instead they preferred a DEMOCRAT who had a record of pulling Democrat ballots that was recruited by Patrick Sheehan, another Senate candidate in Will County. They chose to support him for his support of Richard Irvin for Governor. 

Vela has an interesting background. Not only is she a Democrat, but she has worked on very left - leaning Democrat political races. As we began an investigation on her, we were able to capture screenshots of her with Democrats and postings of her criticizing Republicans and trashing Trump supporters. We conducted a criminal background check and found numerous arrests including a felony Domestic Battery arrest. That's not all.

Also discovered were pictures of her protesting the Police as she was a part of the Black Lives Matter movement, proudly rioting against the government and attacking the Police. How lovely. So, McConchie, McNeely and Sheehan who by the way is a Police Officer proudly supported this criminal to be their contender for the 40th Senate District running as a Republican to primary a military veteran, pro-life supporter who was grassroots. Vela was supported and endorsed by Richard Irvin as well. 

What's funny is she retained the services of an attorney running for Illinois Governor, in an attempt to expunge her arrest record to hide it from the voters. Too late. We conducted a nationwide background vetting including FOIAs for every home she lived in. It was found out that she burglarized her former employer. It was a fast food restaurant that she stole money from. How ghetto was that for a potential Illinois Senator. 

This criminal candidate also attacked Phil and his family threatening physical harm. Of course she began to use the race card by calling Phil's supporters racists for not supporting her as a person of color. This individual wasn't so bright either. It turns out she was campaigning in the wrong district. You can't make this up. 

Fast-forward to June 28th, the day of the GOP primary and Phil Nagel whipped Vela by 80 percentage points. Yes, he crushed the Illinois GOP's favorite for that seat. Many other candidates that I managed also whipped the GOP choice contenders in the primary, including Connie Cain beating out Aren Thrower in Kane County after Durkin spent $300,000 to defeat her supporting Thrower with Connie winning by a thin margin. A great win considering the money that was spent by Durkin in the primary. 

So, once again, the Illinois House is cherry-picking candidates for next year's Republican primary. Rep. Jackie Haas, who represents the Kankakee area in the Illinois House, is running for re-election. Jackie became a sellout by supporting the Democrat, Rep. Patrick Joyce, in the 40th District that Philip Nagel was running against. 

This was a tier one race that was going to be a win hands down for Nagel. Then the powers that be, that included leader Jim Durkin, made sure that that seat was protected by having Jackie Haas, the Republican, campaign for Democrat Patrick Joyce. As the incumbent, Jackie used her resources to help Joyce secure his win. 

Mind you, they went as far as speaking at political events supporting each other and shared sign locations. Many of the Nagel signs were stolen and replaced with Haas and Joyce signs as they were running in a slate. As a matter of fact, they were. 

As you know, Chairman Tracy and members of the Illinois GOP State Central Committee stated they would not get involved in primaries. This was the biggest concern the Illinois Grassroots Republicans had since the Irvin disaster and the former minority leaders in the Illinois House and the Senate cherry-picking contenders like they did with Kristina Vela, the criminal they chose to support with many other RINO candidates. 

Now it's come to light that after a candidate stepped up to challenge RINO Rep. Haas for her seat in next year's GOP primary, Tim Ozinga the Chairman of the Will County GOP and a State Central Committee Member of the Illinois GOP, the very organization that affirmed that they would not interfere in primaries, stated the Illinois GOP would finance, support and endorse Rep. Jackie Haas a pro-choice moderate liberal Republican in her primary against a grassroots Republican candidate that is more aligned with our conservative agenda supporting life. 

My question for Mr. Ozinga is, are you going to risk breaking up this party once again and not bring peace and solutions by once again intervening in GOP primaries in support of a fake Republican who had a hand in taking out a great conservative that ran against her pal Sen. Patrick Joyce?

If this is the case, Mr. Ozinga, it's time you remove yourself from GOP leadership and support this RINO Haas on your own. You have the money to do it, that's for sure. As I recall, when many of your Will County candidates that ran for office needed financial help, you were not there for them. Instead, you waited until one day before the midterms general election to donate one million dollars to your campaign committee in a power play to become the next Illinois GOP Chairman. It never worked out that way. 

It is time that we challenge the minority leaders in the Illinois House and Senate, that by the way accepted donations from the Chicago teachers' Unions to support AMENDMENT ONE, that many of us REPUBLICANS fought against. That it's time not to get involved in primaries. If they choose to do so, they will be primaried themselves and every Grassroots Republican will fight to make that happen by raising money to support candidates to get them out of office. 

Rep. Tony McCombie and Sen. John Curran are already in the hot seat as the leaders in the GA for supporting Democrats and Amendment One, so replacing them in a primary shouldn't be that complicated. Let this be a warning that I'll personally back this effort and manage these primary candidates myself free of charge.  

How complicated is it to just sit back and wait to see who wins the primary, then use those funds to back the winner of the GOP primary to avoid a waste of money like what happened to RINO Richard Irvin? We will see. 

Speaking of RINOs let's visit Cook County and the Chicago GOP. 

If you are unaware, Sean Morrison, a member of the State Central Committee for the Illinois GOP and the Chairman of the Cook County Republican Party who also served as Vice Chair for Irvin for Governor that has worked actively against grassroots candidates in Cook County in the midterms for their support of Bailey has begun a political consulting firm to recruit moderate liberal “conservative” candidates with his partner the famous Rep. Tim Ozinga. They want to make money fleecing political candidates with inept consulting advice. You can't make this up!

I verified this story from an elected official that was attempted to be recruited by Morrison himself. This unnamed individual took a hard pass. As a matter of fact whatever Sean Morrison touches turns to shit. Just look at his sweet potato, Matt Podorski, the no neck liberal "Republican" who ran for Cook County Board that was running for a seat occupied by a retiring Republican. 

Podorski raised a lot of UNION money beholden to his Democrat buddies and promoted AMENDMENT ONE, of course. By the way, Matt was another Vice Chair for Irvin for Governor. This RINO is also the Chair of the North West Side “GOP” Club, who sells endorsements to Democrats. 

Podorski lost his ass in that race manipulating GOP voters handing the seat to a Democrat. How nice. 

So, Sean, like Ozinga, is looking for the Illinois GOP to interfere in primaries with their liberal Republican RINO choice applicants. Sorry, guys, it isn't going to happen. We will burn it all down before we allow you two to support liberal Irvin clone candidates that aren't worth a shit.

As you know, Sean works hand in hand with his buddy Steve Boulton, the Chicago GOP Chairman and bully that tossed Peggy Hubbard out of the December meeting in Bolingbrook going as far as pushing people around, including women and even calling the police on them like a coward does. Speaking of picking on women, this recently happened in Chicago and It's not good. 

On Mother's Day I had to take a call from an black older adult who is also a Ward Committeewoman named Lynn Franco in Chicago that explained to me she was under attack by the “Chairman” of the Chicago GOP. Steve Boulton, the RINO scumbag.

At the very time she should be celebrating the birth of her children and raising them, she called me to express her displeasure with his attacks on her. 

It's no news that Steve Bolton acts this way to bully anyone who crosses him. In this case, he has been attacking Lynn Franco savagely, trying to rid her from the party. She is an elderly black woman who ran for Cook County Board. 

If you remember, Boulton and other losers in the Chicago GOP leadership, including David Krupa slated many Republicans at the last minute for bragging rights just to say they recruited many contenders just to abandon them with no help whatsoever. No financing, training, nothing. They had no websites, no social media, walk cards and did not know where to get lawn signs. I had 7 of these candidates referred to me. I felt so bad for them. 

Like many of these candidates that couldn't afford a consultant, I charged them practically pennies on the dollar and offered them lines of credits for their printing as I owned my own printing company and graphic design firm. 

Lynn Franco is an amazing woman. I met her at an event where she told me she was slated to run for her seat, but yet, she did not know where to begin. She asked for my help. When I asked her why the Chicago GOP that slated her wasn't helping her, she offered no explanation. They threw her to the wolves. 

In the midterms, I ran 43 political candidates all over the state, including Congressional. I also supported Bailey and Devore by having my candidates walk precincts for them with our volunteers. 

So, I decided to help her. With time that was not afforded to me to win this race, I built her website, her Cyber, her social media, graphics, signs, and the ground campaign to win. 

She lost this campaign not because she was a bad campaigner, but because we just didn't have the time to market her message just a few weeks before the election. 

Later, I consoled her, giving her the reasons why the loss came true. It was because the Chicago GOP wanted bragging rights of the most slated GOP candidates. But they offered no help to get them going to defeat the incumbent in office. Most were promised just $100.00 just like Lynn Franco's case, but yet, Matt Pordorski that ran for Cook County Board that was supported by the party and Richard Porter raised hundreds of thousands, including the GOP donations. 

So, this black mature woman that we should be promoting to gain votes in Chicago is instead is being attacked by the Chicago GOP Chairman bully Boulton. Just last week, the black community in the South shore expressed their displeasure with the immigration movement that will take their entitlements, benefits, and housing. If Boulton had any strategy, he would use her to promote the Conservative cause to get their votes. But nope. Not bully Steve. 

Instead, this man attacked this Patriotic black Republican woman because she questioned another ward committeewoman who supported Democrats. Here is the email he sent her:

Lynn,

I have not communicated with Ms. Bonilla-Aniel or “put her up” to making a complaint, as you allege. Her distress and humiliation should have been evident to you as a black woman had to rebut your attack on her citizenship by birth in this country before all the other Committeemen in attendance. It plainly was to others, judging by the reactions Jeff and I have received.  

I have instead been getting plenty of reaction from other Committeemen including demands for proceedings against you, and this text, received after my last email to you demanding that you apologize for your actions: 

“Thank you for addressing that because that was beyond unnecessary and unacceptable.  I would like to suggest we give her to the end of the month or 2 weeks. And if we have not received the apology for how to treated our fellow committeemen. I ask that we have a vote June 1, 2023.” 

I do not see this as a matter of “free speech”, but instead one of common decency to a fellow member of the Committee, and an attempt to rein in your increasingly brazen attacks on people who dare to disagree with your wild allegations. 

Contrary to your email, I have not turned Committeemen away from you.  You have done that to yourself with your conduct, as was on full display at the meeting.  To the contrary, I have urged Committeemen such as Wayland Johnson to work with you.  I have not been against you, and even chaired two separate slating meetings to get you slated for Cook County Commissioner, after the South Side Committeemen at the first meeting voted unanimously against slating you - despite your being the only candidate!  I then authorized payments to Wayland for reimbursement of amounts he paid people to collect signatures for you, which we had to do twice, because your attempt at getting on the ballot by initial filing was defective for low signatures, and you faced certain removal in the face of a Democrat Objection, so we had to have you withdraw your Petitions in favor of slating. 

I take your email as a refusal to apologize to Committeeman Bonilla-Aniel and Ms. Castillo.  I will give you time to think that one over.   However, if there is no apology by May 31, I will place the matter of censure before the Central Committee to decide.  Of course, censure will not terminate your office as a Committeeman, but it will demonstrate the Committee’s refusal to condone your outrageous conduct by silence and inaction.

Now this woman that Boulton speaks of has resigned her ward committeewoman position in protest over a relationship she had with a candidate running for ward Committeeman that has been known for showing up to crime scenes and homicides acting as a "community activist" just to get on TV news offering false rewards for the capture of these offenders. He has yet to pay out for any of these captures. All lies. Well what do you know from a guy that calls himself out as the "Upper echelon of the Chicago GOP" He also worked for Democrat Paul Vallas. 

So, the drama continues. They had a terrible domestic situation, and they split up, and she was back as a GOP committeewoman in her ward in Chicago. She actually reached out to this writer to help with her domestic situation for which I declined to stay away from her drama. In return she blocked me on social media for my attacks on Steve Boulton. No loss here. 

The loss is for the Chicago GOP if Franco decides to have enough and resigns her elected seat. Instead of embracing this woman they continue to attack her with threats of removal meanwhile the very woman that is attacking Franco, Committeewoman Aniel, greeted the new DEMOCRAT MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON taking pictures with him as he were the Pope congratulating him and promising to work with him. 

THIS GUY IS THE ENEMY, A DEMOCRAT. No, as a proud union steward she sees this as a chance to promote herself. May the GOP be damned. At least Franco picked a side and is a loyal Trump supporting grassroots Conservative Republican. Unlike Steve who works with Democrats and just recently congratulated Brandon Johnson's election. Once again working with the enemy with no shame. Just like how he endorsed Paul Vallas a DEMOCRAT on behalf of the GOP. 

So, after bullying Steve's threat of removal and censure of Franco by the party, this was Lynn's response by email, even exposing Boulton hiring a convicted felon to be on his staff at the Chicago GOP.

This is her reply:

She is supporting Paul Vallas.  I was informed by a voter in the 18rd Ward that they also received similar letters from their respective Aldermen. with the same message; that they were in favor of Vallas.

On a D2 statement, I saw the name, Quintin Barton listed as treasurer of the Southeast GOP.  This man is not an elected committeeman nor is he any kind of Republican choice for office according to serious and honest citizens. Has Mr. Barton voted Republican during the last two primaries?.  Also he is a convicted felon.  The address at the top left hand corner of the form is an address of the committeeman, Wayland Johnson.  Why would you allow such an appointment?! This is even worse than outrageous.

First you turn the south side men against me, now you are working on the female minorities to turn against me.  No way are you a leader.  Your unethical behavior is poisonous to the party.  SURUS getting $400,000 is strange and it leaves any thinking individual that more here is at play.  I want to know why.  Part of the reason that I was loud is because I asked multiple times if you could hear me. Jeff Fiedler muted me and he and you have no right to mute a committeeman.  Talking loud is not unheard of at political meetings.  There are serious issues at stake and you don't want anyone thinking for themselves.  As always, Steve.  It's always about the money.  Not issues, not posterity for the party, not about a better standard of life in Chicago.  It's all about you.

Lynn Franco

8th ;Ward Committeeman  

Former Candidate for Cook County Commissioner 4th District 

I stand with Lynn Franco. As you remember, Illinois Review did a couple of articles in defense of her as well. She also was a guest on MARK MY WORDS with Mark Vargas. 

What is the problem with the leaders in the Chicago GOP? Just recently, Boulton offered congratulations to Brandon Johnson, a fat lefty Democrat worse than Lori Lightfoot. Is he propping himself up for a city job with Johnson. So quick, they sell themselves out. 

If the Chicago GOP decides on May 31st to rebuke Lynn Franco out of spite, myself and other grassroots Republicans, political candidates and donors will object and conduct a scorched earth campaign fighting back. We will do everything in our power to expose every single person who was responsible for this censure. It will be a crusade of embarrassment. I have nothing to lose; you do. I have no reputation to protect like others. 

It's amazing how this infighting continues, but I feel it is necessary. Just like mobsters say that mob wars and going to the mattresses are healthy to clean the house every decade or so. Maybe it will work to finally get rid of the RINO leadership and dead weight. Durkin and McConchie are already gone, and the grassroots still have a taste for blood. I don't blame them. Let the housecleaning begin. Why not! 

If we are going to do this, let's do it quickly. We are 18 months away from the elections and the Democrats are laughing at us. 

It's a shame that 71 years ago in 1952, the City of Chicago hosted the National GOP Republican Convention hosted by a great Republican none-other than the great Five-Star General Douglas MacArthur. A commander of the war in the Pacific during WWII and later Korea, he knew how to fight and win. They elected another Republican, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, to be President. He served two terms. 

In 2024, we can do it again with President Trump, maybe delivering our state's 17 electoral votes to him. But we better get our shit together now than later. We have the strategy to win now, so let's implement it, to finally begin winning again. It begins with your commitment. Let's see how serious you are today to save America. We shall see…