A Gun No-Show

Note to Ops: If you are organizing the Second Annual Lake County Republican 2nd Amendment Dinner & Gun Raffle you better hurry up. The Village of Deerfield wants to ban your assault weapons:

An assault weapon ban was previously discussed in Deerfield in 2013 when the Village Board of Trustees decided to regulate the storage and transportation of the firearms. Now, the village is preparing to make that category of weapons illegal.
Deerfield to consider village ban on assault weapons

The Lake County GOP was giving away those same assault weapons, last year, for a $2000 donation:

Lake County Republican 2nd Amendment Dinner & Gun Raffle

These assault weapons are already banned in Highland Park. If they are banned in Deerfield this raises a question: How many Lake County Republicans will be willing to spend $2000 for an assault weapon that they could not legally keep in their homes?

Fortunately there is a simple solution to every complex problem:

That's all your LakeCountyEye has. Hit the road.

Black Cats

News Alert! A black panther has been sighted in Wauconda:

Many Black Panther fans are just realizing that there is an actual village in Illinois called Wauconda -- and they're having a little fun. Wakanda is the fictional African nation from the Blockbuster movie, "Black Panther."
Wauconda, IL is not Wakanda, but ‘Black Panther’ fans are pretending it is

This comes on the heels of a cougar report earlier this year in DuPage County:

Reports of a cougar spotted in a DuPage County forest preserve has triggered an investigation by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
Reports of cougar sighting in DuPage forest preserve prompts investigation

DNR officials urge residents to keep calm, as sightings have not been confirmed. But to please report any suspicious activity immediately.

The last verified sighting was at the Republican National Convention in 2016.  According to FoxNews ...

Members of the controversial "black power" group the New Black Panther Party plan to pack legal heat when they hold rallies in Cleveland in conjunction with next week's Republican convention if the law allows, the group's chairman said.
New Black Panther Party plans to bring guns to GOP convention, if law allows

Your LakeCountyEye will keep you apprised when further developments warrant.

Q the Eye/02.21.18

Dear LakeCountyEye,

They give away the razors so they can sell you the blades.  Then why don't they give away guns to sell you the bullets?

Good Guy Seeks Good Gun

Dear Uh Huh,

How many times has this happened to you? You're at a gun show. A good looking AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle catches your eye. But when you pull out your wallet you come up short.

Too many? That's because those good looking AR-15-style semi-automatic rifles don't come cheap. They were moving at $2000 a pop at the Lake County Republican 2nd Amendment Dinner & Gun Raffle, last year:

Lake County Republican 2nd Amendment Dinner & Gun Raffle

To put that in perspective, $2000 is about the average donation the NRA gives the average Illinois Republican Congressman:

Gun-rights groups giving to Illinois Republicans in Congress

So take it from Lake County vestigial Congressman Peter Roskam: If you really want that assault weapon that you can't afford, just follow these 3 easy steps:

1. Become a Republican Congressman
2. Receive Big Donations from the NRA
3. Go Shopping

A no-brainer!

If you are an elected official, or a previously elected official, or just a private citizen under indictment, send your political questions to Q the Eye c/o ... LakeCountyEye@gMail.com

Lake County GOP Gun Raffle

Your LakeCountyEye is under the weather with the 1918 flu.

Please enjoy this encore presentation from last year!

Lake County GOP Gun Raffle

Save the date! The Lake County GOP invites you to their 2nd Amendment Dinner & Gun Raffle on Oct 13, 2107.

The story first broke in the News-Sun:

The "Lake County Republican 2nd Amendment Dinner & Gun Raffle" in northwest suburban Kildeer features an AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle for those who pay $2,000 to sponsor the event, raffles for a 12-gauge shotgun and a 9 mm handgun, and other gun-related packages.
Suburban Chicago Republicans moving ahead with gun giveaway fundraiser 2 weeks after Las Vegas massacre

Operatives seeking the biggest bang for their buck are advised to take a look at this AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle:

Lake County Republican 2nd Amendment Dinner & Gun Raffle

This little beaut goes for only $2000 and the money goes to a worthy cause: the Lake County Republican Party. Who else will be working arm-in-arm with the NRA to protect your Second Amendment Rights? Who else will fight to make sure that anyone can purchase any firearm they want, any time, any place?

Anyone other than the Lake County GOP?

Your LakeCountyEye doesn't think so!

The Role of Government in a Functioning Democracy

Adlai Stevenson Center on Democracy

Cook County Clerk, David Orr will present, The Role of Government in a Functioning Democracy. Mr. Orr serves as the chief election authority in the third largest election jurisdiction in the country. He led the fight to implement the motor voter law in Illinois. Mr. Orr also introduced Early Voting legislation and Automatic Voter Registration.

• Sunday
  February 25, 2018
  2:00 pm
• The Stevenson Center on Democracy
  25200 N St Mary's Rd
  Mettawa (Libertyville), IL 60048
  773-281-0378
• $15
  (Students Free)

Ask Denise

This week's question for Denise comes from the Lake County Gazette, aka Lake County's #1 Fake News Source:

Blair Garber, whom Gov. Bruce Rauner appointed to the Illinois Lottery Control Board, resigned last month after disparaging remarks on social media about East St. Louis. Even more damaging, the words were apparently enshrined in a tweet. Reports allege that Garber was responding to a tweet by musician Charlie Daniels criticizing U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin's (D-IL) reaction to President Donald Trump's comments on nations like Haiti. Garber reportedly piled onto the musician's tweet, calling East St. Louis "the s***-hole of the universe" and thereby disparaging Durbin's hometown.
Lottery chairman's resignation the appropriate response, Rotheimer says

What does Denise think? Denise says:

"The use of profanity in (Garber's) comment shows a lack of professionalism rather an inability to articulate his thoughts and opinions with dignity," Rotheimer said.
Lottery chairman's resignation the appropriate response, Rotheimer says

Care to know what is on Denise's mind? Send your questions to Denise c/o the LakeCountyEye.

You Get What You Pay For?

Your LakeCountyEye's shovel is broke. Which means your LakeCountyEye is not digging this Lake County slo-mo snow-mageddom, not one lick.

Note to Ops: You are a blogger and you are marooned. What do you do? Why, you do what the McHenryCountyBlog does. You look up the salaries of County employees:

Better Government Association Payroll Database

Of the eight highest paid employees on the Lake County payroll, seven are with Health Services. Four of these are psychiatrists.

The exception is the County Administrator:

There is an old joke among the psychiatric profession: "Talk is not cheap."

Just Sayin!

In Russia the Radio Listens to You

Question of the Day: If Peter Roskam expects a s***load of extra money will appear in his paycheck because of the GOP Tax Bill authored by him, then why is he meeting with the Russians?

Irakli Kobakhidze, Chairperson of the Georgian Parliament, is visiting the US:

Kobakhidze is also meeting with Elisabeth Millard, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, Member of Congress Paul Ryan, Congressman Ted Poe and Congressman Peter Roskam.
Georgian Parliament Chairperson on US Visit

Note to Ops: Law enforcement does not need a search warrant to spy on foreign nationals. So be sure to schedule that meeting with that Russian agent somewhere where the authorities cannot eavesdrop. Like a Manhattan laundromat, for instance.

One spokesman however is having none of it: "Vestigial Lake County Congressman Peter Roskam is a personal injury attorney. And every ambulance chaser knows, firsthand, the importance of having good collusion insurance."

A Wynn-Lose Proposition

So this Operative is walking down the Las Vegas strip. And he runs into Peter Roskam, Lake County's vestigial Congressman. Roskam recognizes the Operative and asks him for a campaign donation. The Operative says he'd like to make a donation but he asks: "How do I know you won't use my money to give back other campaign donations from former GOP finance chair and casino mogul Steve Wynn?" Roskam says: "Oh I already got gamblin' money."

Haha, true story. But that hasn't stopped the spoilsport Democrats from demanding that Roskam return all his Steve-Wynn dirty-money anyways:

Two candidates vying to go up against Congressman Peter Roskam in this fall's general election are calling for him to return any contributions he reportedly received from former RNC Finance Chair Steve Wynn. Wynn, the owner of a chain of hotels in Las Vegas, stepped down from the finance chair position after allegations of sexual misconduct were levied against him.
Candidates Call on Rep. Roskam to Return Reported Campaign Donations From Steve Wynn

Spoiler alert, Roskam unloaded those dollars like they were Russian Rubles parked in a Manhattan laundromat:

Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for Republican U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam of Wheaton said Tuesday he will be donating a $1,465 contribution Wynn made to his campaign in 2006.
Cubs co-owner Todd Ricketts expected to take RNC finance job

At the same time, another spokesman said: "We're just hours away from our deadline! Will you help us meet our fundraising goal? If just one more person steps up, we’ll close the $1,465 gap in a matter of minutes!"