Sullivan's Travelling

Your LakeCountyEye won't have Ed Sullivan Jr to kick around any more. The Daily Herald says ...

State Rep. Ed Sullivan of Mundelein won't seek re-election in 2016, he announced today, making him the second suburban Republican incumbent to decide to end his Illinois House career with this term.
State Rep. Sullivan won't run; another Republican leaps in

Hours before Sullivan's surprise announcement, Dan McConchie announced that he would challenge Sullivan in the Republican Primary. According to the Chicago Tribune ...

The current officeholder is Ed Sullivan, Jr., a seven-term incumbent who also holds the position of Fremont Township assessor, a full-time job. "The incumbent has had both fists in the taxpayer's pocket for too long," McConchie said.
Dan McConchie to Seek Republican Nomination in Illinois House District 51

The two-fisted McConchie, according to the Illinois Review, is ...

currently a member of Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran's Human Trafficking Task Force.
MCCONCHIE TO CHALLENGE SULLIVAN IN 51ST STATE HOUSE GOP PRIMARY

It is unknown if Sullivan plans to run for Lake County State's Attorney instead. Your LakeCountyEye will keep you apprised when further developments warrant.

Reading the Tea Party Leaves

Fresh off his surprise come-from-behind victory over a more moderate, establishment Primary opponent, Ed Sullivan is publicly flaunting his Tea Party bona fides. As readers of this blog are hardly aware ...

The Library of Congress Pkwy?

the 51st District Representative is openly against spending any public funds on the Barack Obama Presidential Library. This despite the fact that a Sullivan family member is a librarian at the Fremont Public Library. At the risk of redundancy -- public libraries are, like their names imply, publicly funded.

Sullivan had originally voted in favor of funding the Presidential Library. This despite the fact that he was absent from the House committee meeting where the vote was cast. Ghost voting may be rare in Lake County, but not in Springfield!

As luck would have it, Sullivan will get another opportunity to vote, this time, against the Obama Presidential Library. According to the Sun-Times ...

Because of a controversy, an Illinois House committee will revote on April 30 a proposal to appropriate $100 million in state funds to help finance the construction of President Barack Obama's presidential library and museum in Chicago. "Some of our Republican friends decided to demonstrate their Tea Party gene because the word Obama was mentioned," said Steve Brown, spokesman for House Speaker Michael Madigan D-Chicago.
Do-over April 30 on Obama presidential library $100 million vote

In related news, scientists recently announced that they have sequenced the Tea Party gene:

It is unknown whether the Barack Obama Presidential Library will have a section for children's books.

The Library of Congress Pkwy?

Lake County is counting the days to the end of the Obama Presidency -- whereupon, in 2017, the doors will swing open at the Barack Obama Presidential Library. Bibliophiles eager to obtain borrowing privileges are lining up to apply for their library cards. Keen to begin construction on the proposed library, Springfield politicians are already manning their shovels.

A committee of the Illinois House voted unanimously this week to bring the Obama Presidential Library to Chicago. The verdict was unanimous despite the fact that Ed Sullivan -- the committee's minority spokesman -- was not present for the vote. The Northwest Herald reports that ...

At least one Republican lawmaker says he's filing a protest after an Illinois House committee recorded a 9-0 vote to commit $100 million to bring President Barack Obama's library to Chicago, even though only five Democrats – and none of the committee's four GOP members – were there. Rep. Ed Sullivan of Mundelein said he didn't attend Thursday's hearing because a vote was not expected. He told WBEZ radio and the Arlington Heights Daily Herald he would have voted no because he opposes using public funds for the library, which will house Obama's presidential records and artifacts.
GOP lawmaker objects to 9-0 vote for Obama library

Sullivan, who opposes spending public funds on a presidential library, apparently fell victim to the oldest political dirty trick in the book: Parliamentary Rules. Punk'd!

According to WBEZ ...

Rep. Ed Sullivan (R-Mundelein) was marked as voting yes on the measure, even though he did not attend Thursday's hearing and was working at his non-legislative job.
Nine Illinois lawmakers vote to fund Obama library - but only five members in attendance

Despite the fact that the voters of the 51st District expect Sullivan to be their fulltime Representative in Springfield, he is additionally employed as the Fremont Township assessor.

Moreover, sharp-eyed operatives will note that the Fremont Public Library also operates on public funds.

That's all your LakeCountyEye has. Move along.

Fremont Township GOP Committeemen are Revolting

On a scale of 1 to 10 it is not quite an uprising in Ukraine -- but the uprising among the Republican Committeemen of Fremont Township comes pretty close. The Daily Herald reports that ...

Longtime Fremont Township Assessor Ed Sullivan Jr. won't have the support of the township's Republican "foot soldiers" in his primary campaign to keep his state representative job.
Fremont Township GOP sides with challenger to veteran state legislator Ed Sullivan Jr.

Ed Sullivan Jr, the incumbent District 51 State Rep, could always rely on the support of his committeemen, in the past. It was a gimme -- Sullivan is also the Fremont Township Assessor. But that was back in the day. Haha, on Saturday those same committeemen voted to endorse Sullivan's opponent, Bob Bednar, to be their next Rep in 51.

Sullivan may have evolved into a legislator too liberal for the likings of his Republican brethren. Or it may be that Bob Bednar has rekindled the same magic that Joe Walsh had going, when he lit a fire in Lake County back in 2010.

Your LakeCountyEye notes that Bednar, as well as Sullivan's father, are Fremont Township Committeemen. This may or may not explain why Sullivan is now distancing himself from those same committeemen. He told the Daily Herald ...

"The majority of committeemen in Fremont Township represent the ultimate fringe of the Republican Party," Sullivan said Wednesday.
Fremont Township GOP sides with challenger to veteran state legislator Ed Sullivan Jr.

Your LakeCountyEye drove out to the ultimate fringe and found a putative Fremont Committeeman willing to speak on condition that he would not talk about gay marriage -- of which their surprise endorsement was totally not about. "Sullivan is a donkey in elephant's clothing." he said. "And I have the proof. When Sullivan was redistricted in 2010, he got put into a district that has 90% Republican voters. Why would [Illinois House Speaker Michael] Madigan give him a sweetheart gift like that, if he didn't want Sullivan in Springfield for another ten years?"

A question as difficult as it is hard. But your LakeCountyEye does know one thing. Do not sell your Sullivan stock short. And after the March 18 Primary expect a big broom to sweep through Fremont Township. And it won't be the Merry Maids.

The Monkeyshines in Mundelein

As heavyweight matchups go, this one may rival the Rumble in the Jungle and even the Thrilla in Manila. In one corner sits the defending champ and 6-time incumbent, Ed Sullivan Jr. And in the other corner is his challenger, past treasurer of the Lake County Republican Party, Bob Bednar. At stake is who will be the next undisputed State Representative of Lake County's 51st District.

Bob Bednar vows to uphold the 2012 Illinois Republican platform which calls for a constitutional amendment to preserve traditional marriage. Not surprisingly, right off the heels of Ed Sullivan's vote to legalize same-sex marriage in Illinois, some heavy hitters have entered the ring for Bednar. According to the Illinois Review ...

Fallout from passage of the gay marriage bill is being felt in Lake County where an email from Lake County GOP Vice Chair Jack Koenig states that he and Chairman Bob Cook are backing Bob Bednar in his attempt to unseat Republican State Rep. Ed Sullivan who voted for the bill (SB10) to redefine marriage in the state of Illinois.
Lake County GOP chair backs opponent of Republican State Rep. Ed Sullivan

Predictably, Keith Brin -- rumored next GOP Chair of Lake County -- is none too pleased. Brin thinks it is inappropriate for current GOP Chair Bob Cook to take sides in a Republican Primary, and said so in writing. According to the CapitolFaxBlog, Brin warns Cook that ...

if you will not disavow these series of events tagged with your name as Chairman, I would ask you to resign your official position until such time as a replacement may named.
Court clerk wants disavowall or resignation
Candidate: Lake County GOP chairman supports Sullivan ouster

The 51st District that Sullivan represents is paired with State Rep David McSweeney's 52nd District. The two districts -- 51 & 52 -- comprise Senate District 26, which is represented by Dan Duffy.

It is known that both Duffy and McSweeney voted against the marriage equality bill that Sullivan supported. It is not known whether Dan Duffy plans to support Ed Sullivan or Bob Bednar. Nor is it known whether David McSweeney will support Ed Sullivan or Bob Bednar.

Anyone?

Bueller?

Luck o'the Irish

If you were Ed Sullivan Jr you'd be feeling like you were in clover about now. Yes, the Republican State Representative is likely to be challenged by a member of his own party in the upcoming Primary Election. And yes, this blog has been trumpeting a totally made-up highly believable rumor ...

Sullivan's Traversal?

that Sullivan may switch sides and run instead as a Democrat.

Well, Jim Durkin, the leader of the Illinois House Republican Caucus, must keep abreast of the local developments here by monitoring this blog. That's because soon after the aforementioned rumor appeared on this blog, Durkin told the Daily Herald that ...

he'll back incumbent lawmakers that have primary election challenges next year even if their views are at odds with his own. Among suburban Republicans so far, state Rep. Ed Sullivan of Mundelein is facing a potential opponent in the primary over his backing of same-sex marriage.
New Republican leader "absolutely" supports incumbents in primaries

Sullivan is sitting in clover because, by all appearances, he is presently at the center of a bidding war. At the risk of angering the right-wing of his Party, Leader Durkin is signaling that he is ready to parachute into District 51 with a sackfull of the greenstuff -- on Sullivan's sayso.

Your move, Leader Madigan.

Note to ops: Bidding wars do not just happen by luck or magic. A lot of scutwork and skulduggery has to be executed before the magic happens. If you are an ambitious elected official who worries that their stock is being sold short, then your LakeCountyEye is here to help. These days, a politician without professional representation is like a State's Attorney without a conviction. Lacking the services of a professional agent, you -- Mr Career Politician -- are going to be remembered as being Mr-Pants-On-Fire. Because your political career will have been spent warming a seat.

Call your LakeCountyEye today for a ratecard. And a list of satisfied clients.

For Better or For Worse Til Death Do Us Part

One doesn't have to be a chatroom marriage counselor to see that Lake County is suffering through some marital difficulties. In one corner sits Congressman Randy Hultgren, who has co-sponsored a Constitutional Amendment that will Federally prohibit gay marriage. And in the other corner sits State Representative Ed Sullivan, who supports legislation that will legalize gay marriage in Illinois.

If you see political infighting happening within your Party, your LakeCountyEye advises never ever delay. Act immediately and pass that buck as quickly as possible over to someone that everyone can blame later -- ideally a pricey political consultant -- for instance, Dr. I.M. Bhatschidtkhrazzi, Professor of Party Led Mediation at the College of Lake County.

Your LakeCountyEye caught up with Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi at a nearby house of worship, where he immediately broke into a jeremiad: "The Democrats think gay marriage is this fantastic wedge issue that is going to divide the Republican Party. Well, I'll tell you what the people of Lake County really care about, and that is their guns. And Randy Hultgren and Ed Sullivan are both on the same page when it comes to firearms."

Your LakeCountyEye must've been caught in a blank stare, because Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi continued without missing a beat: "Have you noticed that Ed Sullivan has been in all the papers lately, talking about concealed carry and assault weapons? Soon everyone in Illinois will be walking around with a concealed weapon or assault rifle, and a direct beneficiary of this state-wide change-in-culture will be Randy Hultgren.

"Randy Hultgren?", asked your LakeCountyEye. "How so?"

Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi, seeming to have anticipated the question, scarcely paused: "The mortality rate among gun owners, from an accidental or self-inflicted gun-shot wound, is off the charts when compared to the general population. You don't need to be Warren Buffet to see the direct beneficiary of concealed carry and assault weapons in Illinois will be the funeral business. If I were an undertaker somewhere in Illinois, I'd be looking forward to boom times ahead."

Your LakeCountyEye, no Warren Buffet, did not know that. As always, your LakeCountyEye asked Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi if he had any parting advice for the ops.

He replied in a deadpan tone, "Tell all your operatives that before they apply for their concealed carry permit, to pre-order in advance for themselves a casket and gravesite. They'll save a barrel of cash."

Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition

There is only one thing Lake County likes better than carrying a hidden firearm. Or going to church. And that would be going to church, while carrying a hidden firearm.

Well, Lake County must be thinking it has died from an accidental gunshot wound and gone to heaven.  That's because now that Illinois is the 50th state to ratify concealed carry, Lake County can now worship not only at the church or synagogue of their choice but with their caliber of choice.  As one suburban Chicago Senator Tweeted (and far better than your LakeCountyEye could) ...

You may not know ... but now in IL people can carry loaded concealed handguns in churches. "Peace be with you" is now "Piece be with you?"
Twitter

Well the joke's on you, because that same State Senator is now threatening to chip away at Lake County's God-given 2nd Amendment Right to pack heat while being preached hellfire. According to the Daily Herald:

Even before Illinois' concealed carry law has been fully implemented, state Sen. Dan Kotowski, a Park Ridge Democrat, said he'll be trying to ban loaded guns from churches, temples, mosques and other places of worship. Legislation approved by lawmakers last week restricts carrying a concealed weapon in parks, schools, casinos and amusement parks, among other places, but churches aren't exempt.
Kotowski wants to ban guns in places of worship

Luckily Lake County has its own point man on concealed carry, State Rep Ed Sullivan -- who was quick on the draw to talk to the Daily Herald ...

State Rep. Ed Sullivan, a Mundelein Republican and concealed carry supporter, said it was predictable that opponents would start working to "chip away" at the new law. Sullivan said churches weren't a part of the negotiations that led to the existing exemptions. He argued the new law should stay in place for a while before lawmakers start trying to change it again.
Kotowski wants to ban guns in places of worship

If your LakeCountyEye had 21 guns, your LakeCountyEye would propose a 21 gun salute. Be that as it may, if anyone asks "who has your back?", tell then Rep Ed Sullivan.

For the record, Ed Sullivan is also an open supporter of gay marriage in Illinois. Sullivan, no doubt, would want to extend any marriage equality legislation to include shotgun weddings.

Haha, your LakeCountyEye loves that joke.

Silky Sullivan

Back in the day, there once was a racehorse whose ability to come from behind and win at long odds was the stuff of legend.  And were it not for this horse's ability to pay handsomely at the betting window, your LakeCountyEye would not be enjoying the leisure life of the gentleman blogger today.  The horse was Silky Sullivan:

Silky Sullivan (February 28, 1955 – November 18, 1977) was an American thoroughbred race horse best known for his come-from-behind racing style. His name is now a term used in sports and politics for someone who seems so far behind the competition that they cannot win, yet they do.
Silky Sullivan

If there was any one person in Lake County that Silky Sullivan personifies, he would not be Ed Sullivan Jr. A State Representative in a district gerrymandered to encompass a Republican super-majority, Sullivan has never been the darkhorse in an election. That however may change.

Sullivan, who favors marriage equality, has angered his Republican base -- who have promised to challenge him in the 2014 primary. Against a strong conservative challenger, Sullivan may finally find himself the underdog in an election, next March. Or will he?

Sullivan told the Daily Herald ...

he expects that his support for same-sex marriage this year means he'll face his first primary race in 2014 since he first ran in 2002. He was not shy about how he thinks that'll go. "You'd better be prepared for a battle," Sullivan said.
Sullivan expects primary, eyes leadership

A week later, the specter of a Sullivan primary challenge had the News-Sun all in a lather:

If Sullivan's support for marriage equality is the only blemish on his conservative credentials and provokes a conservative primary challenger, the party will send a signal. It punishes moderation. If a conservative were to defeat Sullivan, it will signal to every other candidate that moderation gets you the GOP political death sentence.
Can Illinois GOP give moderation a chance?

At the same time, the Daily Herald spread a rumor that Sullivan was in a position to be the next House Republican leader:

Suburban Republicans still appear to be the front-runners for the job, with state Reps. Jim Durkin of Western Springs, Tim Schmitz of Batavia, Dennis Reboletti of Elmhurst and Ed Sullivan of Mundelein all expressing various levels of interest.
New rules to pick a new ruler

Of course editorials do not win elections. What do the voters think about the rebranded Ed Sullivan Jr? Some of them have sent letters to the editor.

This letter appeared in the Daily Herald:

It is important that those of us who stand united with Rep. Sullivan show our support and let him know we appreciate his stance on this important issue. Thank you, Rep. Sullivan.
Praise for lawmaker’s support of gay marriage

This one appeared in the News-Sun:

I wish to thank Rep. Ed Sullivan for his support of the Marriage Equality Act. I know he went against many members of his party to do so, but apparently he felt it to be as important as I do.
Marriage equality

Another, more recent, letter appeared in, again, the Daily Herald:

Kudos to state Rep. Ed Sullivan for announcing his support of marriage equality in the face of protests from his party and opposition from his church.
Praise for support of marriage rights

Do media talking points like these ever appear all by chance?

Haha.

Will there be touted, in the next election, a come-from-behind longshot -- a candidate who wins in spite of impossible odds? Your LakeCountyEye thinks not. Silky Sullivan will not be running in Lake County.

Double Entendres

The summers in Lake County are so hot you could light a medicinal marijuana cigarette right off the sidewalk. So when Lake County operatives crave ice cream -- and lots of it -- your LakeCountyEye directs them to Fremont Township. Because that's where all the double dippers are.

Haha, your LakeCountyEye loves that joke.  Fremont Township boasts no fewer than two double dipping elected officials:

• Diana O'Kelly
  Fremont Township Supervisor
  County Board Commissioner
• Ed Sullivan Jr
  Fremont Township Assessor
  State Representative

But as much as your LakeCountyEye loves that joke, this may be the last time you'll get to hear it. Your LakeCountyEye recently received a cease-and-desist letter from the Ice Cream Advisory Board. Who knew? -- but the term double dipping along with other terms like sherbert, sorbet, gelato, softserve, hardpack and brainfreeze are protected property of the ice cream industry. And the Ice Cream Advisory Board would be so very pleased if your LakeCountyEye could cease and desist from using the term double-dip without proper attribution.

Now your LakeCountyEye doesn't know who invented it, nor particularly cares for the term double-dip -- and would be happy to have a better substitute. The correct term of the art is dual mandate -- the practice in which elected officials serve in more than one elected or other public position simultaneously -- but that's a term only a policy wonk could love.

So, your LakeCountyEye has delved into the reference literature and found ten other sobriquets in common use that describe politicians elected to two positions. Here are ten of them:

Ten Better Names to Call Political Double Dippers

Double Dealers Second Stringers Double Crossers One-Two Punchers Double Talkers Two Timers Double Trouble Twin Pickens Double Whammies Send-in-the-Clones

Look for your LakeCountyEye double parked near you.

The Fightin' Irish

Maybe it's the only the recent hot, summerlike weather -- but the Irish Republicans of central Lake County got their erm Irish up. Again.

Haha, as readers of this blog are aggressively aware ...

Q the Eye/04.20.13

State Representative Ed Sullivan Jr broke ranks with his Party and announced that he will support gay marriage legislation. The news did not amuse his conservative brethren, who picketed Sullivan's office and threatened to run someone against him in the next Primary. Sullivan, the beneficiary of a Phil-Cranelike political sinecure in the 51st District, told the Daily Herald ...

"They certainly have every right to protest what they believe."
'Traditional marriage' supporters protest at Sullivan's office

Among those picketing Sullivan's office was Lake County Sheriff, Mark Curran. Curran was unamused enough to put it all in writing and send it to Sullivan, in a letter:

Religious liberty will be eroded if same sex marriage becomes law, Curran said. "We have seen the false promises that liberty will be protected in other recent pieces of legislation, but we know this is a lie."
Lake County sheriff joins opposition to gay marriage bill

Late last year Curran announced that he would run for Illinois Attorney General in 2014. But that was before it became a virtual certainty that Lisa Madigan would be running for Governor, and the office of Attorney General would be an open ballot position in 2014. Curran's support then quickly collapsed, along with his bid for Attorney General.

Although he is expected to seek another term as Lake County Sheriff, it is widely believed (among the misinformed sources) that Curran yearns to pursue his political career in Springfield, not in Waukegan. Is it a coincidence that Curran is among those leading the Conservative charge against Sullivan's apostasy? Your LakeCountyEye thinks not.  Operatives should not be surprised if Sullivan has a Primary opponent in 2014, and his name is Mark Curran.

Q the Eye/04.20.13

Dear LakeCountyEye,

I've represented Lake County most of my adult life and you'd think that after a while we shouldn't be obligated to run for re-election every time there is an election. Be that as it may, it looks like I'm getting my wish anyways whether anyone likes it or not. After the maps were redrawn last year, now 90% of the people in my district always vote for my party.  I'm representative for life now and nobody in Lake County can do anything about it. Woohoo!

Not Joe Walsh

Dear Well Duh,

A quick note to correspondents: all questions sent to your LakeCountyEye must be phrased in the form of a question.

But to answer your quasi-question, absolutely, it sux not to be you.  Kick back, relax, don't rock the boat, and ease yourself into that nice, fat government pension in ten or twenty years.

Or not.

Don't make the mistake of one Lake County legislator who found himself in circumstances strikingly similar to yours -- he was redistricted into a Teaparty vote-sink where any Republican, with at least a valid-looking green-card, would be re-elected in perpetuum.  But did he take your LakeCountyEye's advice?  No, this intemperate legislator decided to come out in favor of same-sex marriage -- and wasn't shy about blowing his own horn over the decision in an e-mail he sent to his constituents:

Shotgun Weddings?

It's probably no coincidence that on the very next day some 100 of his Teaparty constituents showed up at his office to protest. According to the Daily Herald, they were none too happy that this legislator takes their support for granted:

"There was some discussion among people in the group today that maybe we need a primary challenge for him next year."
'Traditional marriage' supporters protest at Sullivan's office

Note to operatives: if anyone can be counted on to vote in a primary election that would be someone who shows up at your legislative office waving a protest sign.

Nothing is guaranteed to strike the fear of Jesus, so to speak, into the heart of the even most jaded elected official more than a primary challenge.  Especially if you are a Republican and the challenge is coming from your right.  Your LakeCountyEye would not be surprised to see this particular legislator demanding, loudly and publicly, school vouchers and an end to abortion and unrestricted access to concealed carry. And sometime soon.

Don't let this happen to you!

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

Shotgun Weddings?

They're back!

They are definitely back if by they one means spam unsolicited e-mail sent by State Rep Ed Sullivan Jr. As readers of this blog are definitely aware ...

An Email-Order Marriage?

Unsolicited e-mail from Sullivan's office -- with Marriage Equality as the subject-line -- arrived last month in the inbox of at least one operative. The operative was thanked for contacting the Lake County State Rep's office, even though they hadn't.

Since then, Sullivan has come out of the closet -- so to speak -- on the issue of same-sex marriage. And soon after, the same operative was spammed, yet again, by Sullivan's office:

From: ilhouse51@sbcglobal.net
Sent: 04/12/2013 4:15 PM
To: [redacted]
Subject: SB10

Dear  [redacted],

Thank you for your recent letter in favor of S.B. 10, the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act.  I am very proud to support this important legislation for our State.

After personal reflection and discussions with members of our community, I have decided to support civil marriage because it goes to the core of what I believe our State's-and indeed our Nation's-Constitution intends: a limited government whose citizens are free to make personal choices with equal protection under the law.

The role of a limited government is to fairly hold all people as equals, regardless of race, creed, or orientation, not to devise rules that make moral judgments of any particular class.  Furthermore, each citizen should be left to himself or herself to make deeply personal decisions regarding life and the pursuit of happiness.  Constrained by these principles, government should not stand in the way of two consenting adults who wish to commit to each other through civil marriage, regardless of their sexual orientation.

Thank you again for taking the time to write and share your concerns. I respect your opinion on this important issue, and invite you to contact me again regarding your concerns regarding any future legislation. It is an honor to represent you in the General Assembly.

Sincerely,

Ed Sullivan
State Representative - District 51

Note that the operative is thanked for contacting Sullivan's office about SB10 -- even though they in fact hadn't.

Your LakeCountyEye has already observed that ...

Guns and Butter

at about the same time he came out in favor of same-sex marriage, Sullivan also received a sizable contribution from the Illinois Firearms Manufacturers Association. Your LakeCountyEye can't say with certainty, but suspects this may explain why Sullivan's mail server is set on a hair-trigger.

Guns and Butter

It's no secret that Lake County is getting all bollixed up over gay marriage. What is less known is that gay marriage will soon be the law of the land in Illinois -- that is, if the gun manufacturers get their way.  Your LakeCountyEye has the greenlight to report an Internet exclusive: the gun manufacturers and their lobby, the NRA, are preparing to go full-bore, so to speak, in support of gay marriage.

Crime statistics show that most instances of domestic violence occur within the first few years of marriage. This fact is not lost on the gun manufacturers, who count newlyweds among their best and most loyal customers. Your LakeCountyEye has been told that in states where gay marriage became legal, gun sales increased by healthy if not significant margins.

One anonymous spokesman for the gun manufacturer's lobby told your LakeCountyEye: "Have you ever listened to country music? Do you think those song lyrics are all made up? Our internal sales numbers tell us that the first thing every newlywed does after the honeymoon is sneak out to the gun shop, behind the back of their partner. They want to make sure that they have some insurance against getting cheated on -- or a remedy as the case may be. I don't have to tell you what will happen to gun sales if large numbers of young, virile gay males suddenly enter this pool."

You heard it here first. It is only a matter of time, now, before gay marriage is legal in Illinois.

Now, operatives may be forgiven if they suspect your LakeCountyEye is pulling the wool over their eyes. But consider these recent news items:

On March 25, the Illinois Firearms Manufacturers Association, of Naperville, made a $1,500 contribution to Citizens for Sullivan.

Citizens for Sullivan: A-1 List

Citizens for Sullivan is the political action committee of Lake County State Representative, Ed Sullivan Jr.

Then the Chicago Tribune reported this week that State Rep Ed Sullivan Jr now supports gay marriage.

State Rep. Ed Sullivan Jr. of Mundelein said Sunday he will support a bill to allow gay marriage in Illinois, becoming the second House Republican to do so and first among leadership.
GOP state lawmaker backs same-sex marriage bill

Politics makes strange bedfellows.

An Email-Order Marriage?

There is an old saying in Lake County:

"Do not ask for whom the wedding bell tolls, it tolls for thee ... provided the word thee means you are gay."

Haha, gay marriage is coming to Illinois, and by definition to Lake County, where everyone is all a tizzy. This weekend, it's looking like Pat Brady could lose his Chairmanship of the Illinois Republican Party, because he favors gay marriage. The news has woken TeamAmerica10th from his dogmatic slumbers, who is in a tizzy over ...

the issue of GOP Chairman Pat Brady, and the calls of several Committeemen from the Illinois GOP Central Committee to hold a special meeting to consider just what to do about Chairman Brady in light of his recent statements on single-sex marriage (SSM).
Escaping from the Illinois GOP Central Committee's Trick Box on Pat Brady

The Illinois Senate this week passed a bill legalizing gay marriage, which is making its way to the Illinois House, where some Republican members there are in a tizzy to boot.

Gay marriage is popular with the voters, and that creates a problem for suburban Republican legislators. Vote against the gay marriage bill and alienate your voters by tarnishing your finely-honed Moderate-Republican veneer. Or vote for the bill and enrage your radical base who will likely run someone against you in the next Republican Primary. Sort of like what they are about to do to Pat Brady. (Note to Aaron Lawlor: there may soon be an opening for Illinois Republican Party Chair.)

To illustrate the problem, one Lake County operative was surprised to receive an unsolicited email from their Representative in Springfield, with the subject line ...

Marriage Equality

(This operative tells your LakeCountyEye that they never contacted the Representative, who will go unnamed. And although they support Marriage Equality, it was not something high on this operative's agenda.)

From: ilhouse51@sbcglobal.net

Sent: 03/05/2013 1:00 PM

To: ***redacted***

Subject: Marriage Equality

 

Dear Neighbor:

Thank you very much for taking the time to contact my office to provide me with your feedback on an issue of concern to you and your family. I appreciate your input and will take your views into consideration when reviewing this issue.

I receive hundreds of email requests daily from constituents like you with questions and concerns on various issues and I wanted to respond to you in a timely manner. Please be advised that while this is an automatic response e-mail sent to everyone who contacts my office, I regularly review and compile constituent feedback on every subject and will follow-up with you via e-mail to inform you when further legislative action is taken on this issue and my vote on any relevant legislation.

As the 98^th General Assembly progresses please be assured that I thoroughly analyze each piece of legislation and consider the feedback I receive from interested constituents like you when determining my vote in support or opposition to a specific public policy proposal.

Please feel welcome to call my District Office at 847-566-5115 if you have any further questions or concerns. You can also stay informed of developments from Springfield by visiting my website at www.sullivan.ilhousegop.org or by joining my "Sullivan Spotlight" e-newsletter list. Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.

Sincerely,

Ed Sullivan
State Representative - District 51

This Legislator seems to have gotten ahead of the curve and may have already spammed his email-list with an unsolicited form-letter, just to let his voters know that he is thoroughly analyzing the merits of Marriage Equality. Note to ops: one doesn't come to enjoy a finely-honed Moderate-Republican veneer by accident.

Something tells your LakeCountyEye that this Legislator will not be voting in favor of a Marriage Equality Bill.

Gun Accessory

No one loves their guns more than the homesteaders of Fremont Township. Arguably Lake County's wild wild west, Fremont Township is where they say the free-range chickens there would prefer to be at the gun-range, instead. And now that a Federal Court has thrown out all restrictions against concealed-carry in Illinois, every Fremont Township local, to a man, eagerly anticipates the day when he can look his neighbor in the eye and say: "Is that a concealed gun in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?"

And who wouldn't know better than Fremont Township Assessor, Ed Sullivan Jr, who told the Daily Herald ...

Sullivan, a Mundelein Republican, called the ruling "historic" and said now the sides have to negotiate what kinds of fees, training and restrictions a concealed carry law in Illinois should include. "Those of us that support the Second Amendment are glad this came down, finally," Sullivan said.
Suburban supporters cheer concealed carry ruling; opponents want appeal

Sullivan recently sat down with your LakeCountyEye for an in-depth interview to explain why his right to conceal a lethal weapon on his person cannot be infringed, even in the slightest.

Haha, psych! -- as if Ed Sullivan sat down for a one-on-one with your LakeCountyEye. (Particularly for this story.) Instead, your LakeCountyEye downloaded Sullivan's iTune playlist from his Facebook page. Here are ten hits to load & play during that important backyard beer-can target practice time. Be sure to pump up the volume!

Ten Frequently Played Songs on Ed Sullivan Jr's iPod

Happiness is a Warm Gun / Beatles Shotgun / Junior Walker & the All Stars I Shot the Sheriff / Eric Clapton Bang Bang / Sonny and Cher Annie Get Your Gun / Original Cast Album Who Shot Ya? / the Notorious B.I.G. Saturday Night Special / Conway Twitty The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence / Gene Pitney Pistol Packin' Mama / Bing Crosby & the Andrews Sisters Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner / Warren Zevon

Look for your LakeCountyEye shooting up to number one with a bullet.

Rebuffing with Faint Praise?

An operative from Mettawa received a Campaign Mailer Legislative Update in the mail from State Senator Dan Duffy. The op forwarded a scan from the Duffy newsletter to your LakeCountyEye, along with a question:

I recognize Sen Duffy in the photo. Who is the fellow (posed like Jack LaLanne) standing next to him?

Operatives are invited to search high and low throughout the mailer for some mention of the unidentified fellow's name. But if you are anything like your LakeCountyEye you too will be coming home with neither hide nor hair to show for your efforts.

In desperation your LakeCountyEye made a call to the archivist. The LakeCountyEye archivist does have compelling evidence to think the man of mystery is actually Duffy's co-host at the Children's Health and Safety Fair, State Rep Ed Sullivan:

Safety Blitz

If Sullivan was indeed co-host of the Fair, there is no mention of that, either, in Duffy's mailer.

Onionized!

These are not crocodile tears, your LakeCountyEye has been reading The Onion.

As readers of this blog are grievously aware ...

Rated R:
for Things Blown Way Out of Proportion

Some Springfield Rep this week tried to send a shout-out to Occupy Wall Street with a lame you-go-we're-all-behind-you House Resolution. The shout-out however was shot-down with front-line support from a familiar name:

The House voted down the resolution 58-37, led by Joe Walsh's new BFF, Rep. Ed Sullivan Jr. (R-Mundelein). Sullivan perpetuated the incoherent and unfounded ramblings of Walsh, once again tossing around that whole "un-American" thing. However, he went a step forward when he cutely pointed out he had supposedly read reports that demonstrators were "raping and pillaging and beating people up and murdering." Documentation of such reports remain missing. Perhaps Mr. Sullivan has re-read his copy of Game Of Thrones one too many times.
Illinois House votes down Occupy support resolution, cites protestors' "raping," "pillaging"

Sharpeyed operatives will detect snark reminiscent of your LakeCountyEye. The above quote, however, does not belong to your LakeCountyEye -- it is taken from The Onion. (The link is to A.V. Club, a spinoff of The Onion.)

Your LakeCountyEye did predict that Sullivan's remarks would attact some national media attention. However your LakeCountyEye did not expect to be stone cold ripped off by The Onion. And for the record, The Onion did not do their homework -- the aforementioned "documentation" is not "missing". The reports can be read in the comment section of ...

Q the Eye/12.02.11

... as readers of this blog are indignantly aware.

Now sometimes a hometown official will go off-script and go on-record to the media about who they think is un-American. And the hometown Internet smartalecks will be all over that official like a misspelled word all over Facebook. That's just the American way.

But when a national media outlet rips off your material, that's something different entirely. Editors of The Onion, this is fair warning: expect to see some sternly worded letters coming your way. Look in your comment section.

Q the Eye/12.02.11

Dear LakeCountyEye,

I must vigorously stand up and protest this latest of calumnies you've perpetrated upon an unexpecting and misinformed electorate and at the expense of one of our finest elected government officials! To wit I refer your attention to a recent dispatch posted on this laughably self-described "non-partisan" blog, of which your readers are without a doubt pompously aware! ...

Rated R:
for Things Blown Way Out of Proportion

Therein you basely attribute to State Representative Ed Sullivan Jr outrageous statements of an inflammatory nature against some self-appointed left-wing anarchists occupying our public plazas and thoroughfares! It stretches my credulity that the thoughtful, independent Ed Sullivan Jr would brand these hooligans as being "un-American" or accuse them of "raping and pillaging and beating people up and murdering". Whereas these same hooligans are obviously capable of such treasonous and criminal acts and more, no sensible elected official, at least within my sphere of influence, would ever make any sort of silly accusation of this nature! I personally know Representative Sullivan, who is a fine & well-qualified upstanding pillar who would never utter such a ridiculous remark, not unless under duress, and certainly never for the benefit of the public ear!

Sirrah, I demand a swift and unequivocal apology for the good maligned Representative!

Anonymous

Dear Gaseous Vitals,

Here's the video -- Sullivan begins at 6:19 -- see for yourself ...

YouTube

Your LakeCountyEye speculates that Sullivan is stealing a page from out of the Joe Walsh playbook:

1. Make some incendiary, outrageous remark for the benefit of the teevee cameras.
2. Wait for the MSM to pay you some attention.

This may be just what the doctor ordered for jumpstarting a stalled political career!

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

Rated R: for Things Blown Way Out of Proportion

This has been a week of disappointment. Promised graphic scenes of raping and pillaging and beating people up and murdering, your LakeCountyEye hastened to the nearest Plaza hoping to enjoy some action & adventure in 3D. Upon taking a seat, however, all your LakeCountyEye saw were some hippies milling around, either texting their iPhones or engaged in meaningful chitchat.

Was your LakeCountyEye at the movie theater to see the gladiator epic Immortals -- but somehow got ushered instead into the chickflick The Twilight Saga? Nope. Your LakeCountyEye was at the UIC Student Center for an Occupy Chicago event.

Your LakeCountyEye wasted an afternoon at some lame protest rally -- and not viewing Immortals -- all on the recommendation of Lake County State Representative Ed Sullivan Jr.

Sullivan, quoted by the AP and picked up by the Chicago Tribune, accused the Occupy Wall Street ...

protesters of "raping and pillaging." Rep. Ed Sullivan Jr. called the protesters "un-American." The Mundelein Republican says he has seen reports of them "raping and pillaging and beating people up and murdering."
Ill. House rejects 'Occupy' resolution

Who among you, operatives and journalists alike, could resist a hot tip like that? For the record, your LakeCounty Eye was not able to witness a single incident of rape or pillage or murder while at UIC. Not even a beating-up.

Were Ed Sullivan Jr ever tempted to become a full-time movie-reviewer, your LakeCountyEye would have to strongly advise him not to quit his day jobs.