VIDEO: Illinois GOP Chair Pat Brady Owes Republicans an Apology

 

Dear Fellow Republicans,

There has been some “controversy” about the State Central Republican Committee meeting on April 13. But out of respect for the victims of the bombings at the Boston Marathon  and their families, I waited to speak about it.

Now it is time to put the protest in its true perspective. Make no mistake about it: April 13th was a major turning point for Illinois Republicans. To the everyday Republicans that came to speak out, let me say how very proud I am of you.

GOP chairman Pat Brady’s arrogance was on full display as he – one again – disrespected rank-and-file Republicans. He lied. He denied public comment until after executive
session. He told people that it would be 20 minutes and, instead, made people wait three hours to deliver a two minute statement. Even grandmas in wheelchairs and
walkers. He called the police again and again and treated Republicans like less than animals.

Here is the full account of what happened with links to video.

But an amazing thing happened that day: Republicans stood up and made their voices heard. We bore witness to why the Illinois GOP continues to fail. People took photos,
posted comments on Facebook, tweeted, and shared videos – and people saw with their own eyes what really transpired. Pat Brady may have some good friends and supporters
in the liberal media – but pictures and video don’t lie. Republicans made a difference and finally things may be beginning to change.

Now, there are some who were upset about the chanting and the protest. To those people, I say that this is just the beginning. Pat Brady and some of the members
of the State Central Committee have lied to Republicans for too long. Brady has made it his mission to work against conservatives, sabotaging them behind-the-scenes.
He has divided the party. What kind of GOP Chairman calls the police on little old Republican ladies?

No, GOP Chairman Pat Brady has no right to civility after what he had done to hurt Republicans.

What happened on April 13th is what we, as conservatives, need to do more of – not less. We have been “respectful” for too long and have been taken advantage of.
We haven’t engaged in enough protest to keep the pressure on GOP leaders on issues ranging from pension reform and taxes to drivers licenses for illegal immigrants
to Obamacare. That’s why we have GOP leaders helping Democrats pass bad legislation. And that’s why, if we hope to win elections in 2014, we cannot stop our protest  until GOP Chairman Pat Brady resigns – now and not later.

Voters deserve a two party system. They deserve a real Republican Party in Illinois – not one that has ceased to be relevant. Voters deserve more than a choice between
the Democrats and a corrupt Republican Party controlled by donors to Rahm Emanuel and riddled with cronyism.

The 2014 elections are just around the corner. The governor’s office and a U.S. Senate seat are at stake. We cannot let GOP Chairman Pat Brady spoil any more elections
for Republicans this time around.

Please sign up for our mailing list and consider making a contribution to our efforts
today.

Regards,

William J. Kelly

Republicans Revolt Against IL GOP Chair Pat Brady (FULL VIDEO)

The Deceit of Bruce Rauner and his Rahm Republicans

Chicago, Illinois, April 2, 2013 – I have a few questions for some of my fellow Republicans: Why are you supporting Bruce Rauner as your 2014 GOP candidate for governor?

How can you claim the Republican mantle and not question Rauner’s connections to Rahm Emanuel and his history of Democrat pay-to-play style politics?

A few weeks ago, IR contributor Sam Pierce wrote a piece asking the same question of these Republicans who have aligned themselves with Rauner.  Pierce included a list of Rauner and his wife’s contributions to the Democrat Party and the left-wing political action committee, Emily’s List.

Pierce’s list is just the tip of the Democrat iceberg. Rauner’s relationship with Mayor Rahm Emanuel goes back more than a decade.

Recall that, back in 2001, FCC regulations were forcing SBC to divest itself of SecurityLink. So GTCR, Rauner’s firm, tapped Rahm Emanuel to use his influence with the Clinton Administration to make an exception. It was another sneaky insider maneuver. In the end, SBC financed all but $100 million of GTCR’s $479 million purchase of the firm. After less than six months, Rauner’s firm sold SecurityLink for $1 billion and made a quick $500 million in profit.

Rahm had no experience as an investment banker yet earned a $16.2 million paycheck in less than two years at Wasserstein Perella. Rauner and Rahm have been BFFs ever since.

For those that are not following it, Crain’s has also been reporting on Rauner’s contributions to Democrat Gov. Ed Rendell, a total of $300,000 in 2002. GTCR was already managing $110 million in pension funds for Pennsylvania’s State Employee Retirement System. After Rendell’s election,  Pennsylvania doubled its stake in GTCR funds to $226 million, earning GTCR more than $4 million in fees.

These “deals” don’t just happen out of thin air. Rauner is claiming to be the outsider reform candidate for governor. But his track record seems to be right out of the Pay-to-Play Handbook. Blagojevich is probably taking notes from his cell.

Still, Illinois Policy Institute’s John Tillman has been touting Rauner in interviews saying that Rauner (and Tillman’s business partner, Dan Proft of corrupt Cicero fame) – are the only people with the vision “bold” enough to be governor.

Exactly, what “vision” would that be? So much for the “apolitical” Illinois Policy Institute’s 501c3 status.

Of course, a board member of the Illinois Policy Institute sits on Rauner’s exploratory committee for governor. Jack Roeser also sits on Rauner’s board.

There are others on Rauner’s board that are of note – Citadel’s Ken Griffin – a major campaign bundler to Barack Obama ($200,000) and top contributor to Rahm Emanuel.  Between Griffin and his wife, a former executive with Soros Funds, they have contributed in excess of $200,000 to Rahm. The massive contributions have paid off.  According to city records, Griffin has regular private access to Emanuel.

Griffin has a history of funding liberal Republicans and powerful Democrats – thousands to Richard Daley, Rahm Emanuel, and ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich among others. He’s also been funding all of the John Tillman/Dan Proft political action committees and candidates.

Now I have heard some “conservatives” claim that Rauner’s relationship with Rahm is not an issue. In fact, recently, one Republican strategist said on FOX Chicago that this just shows Rauner “can work with people to get things done.”

Work with people? Rauner appears to have a habit of using his Democrat political connections to enrich himself. That’s not “working with people.” That’s insider games. That’s the pay-to-play politics of the “Combine.” That’s supposed to be what we, as Republicans, are against. But, then again, we have had many so-called Republicans who participate in “Combine” schemes with the Democrats.

Some people plead with me to keep hush-hush about this stuff, arguing, “Bill, it’s not illegal.”

But very little is “illegal” in our corrupt political system. The politicians who benefit from these practices have made sure of that. Those “conservatives” that claim a leadership mantle and then endorse corrupt candidates and practices are the highest form of hypocrite. The highest form of hypocrite being a life form less advanced than an amoeba. That may be insulting to the amoeba but there it is.

It’s pretty clear to me why these “Republicans” are supporting Bruce Rauner. He has the kind of money that can help fund candidates and policy institutes and the like. But if Republican leaders are going to form alliances with Obama bundlers and Rahm Emanuel’s top advisors – why stop there?

If these Illinois conservative are willing to go along with Bruce Rauner and his friend Rahm Emanuel, why don’t they just go all the way and make a direct fundraising appeal to socialist billionaire George Soros?

Republicans who are supporting Bruce Rauner have some serious explaining to do. What has Rauner promised you and what have you promised him and his friends in return?

GOP primary voters are waiting to hear your answers. Unfortunately, I believe I already know.

KELLY TO MAKE UPDATED CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCEMENT ON APRIL 13

Chicago, Illinois, March 19, 2013 - On April 13, Republican William J. Kelly will make an updated announcement about his plans for the 2014 election season. In 2010, Kelly ran for Illinois comptroller, coming in second in a three-way race.

“It is no mystery that I have been exploring another bid for Illinois comptroller in 2014,” Kelly says. “On April 13, I will give my supporters an update about my intentions.”

Kelly says he would take on Topinka again in 2014. “After four more years of Topinka, Illinois is worse – not better off. The state’s fiscal situation has grown dire. Illinois has been downgraded again and again. Our pension system is in crisis. And Topinka shares a big part of the blame.”

Kelly points out that Topinka, as a state legislator, regularly supported budgets that skipped pension payments. She served three terms as state treasurer and supported the ill-conceived 1994 pension ramp-up bill. She still maintains one of the highest political pensions in Illinois, having pocked hundreds of thousands of dollars, and has defended the gold-plated pensions of state bureaucrats.

“I have run against Topinka before and I can do it again,” Kelly says.

Kelly says that he continues to be disappointed with the Illinois GOP leadership, who along with Topinka, recently supported a law to give state drivers licenses to 250,000 illegal immigrants. The Illinois Association of Police Chiefs and all but three Illinois sheriffs opposed the law. Kelly’s organization, Safer Families Coalition, led opposition to the law.  He says he is also concerned about top donors and advisers to Rahm Emanuel buying influence within the Illinois GOP. 

Kelly says that his updated announcement will be based on whether Pat Brady is forced to resign his Illinois GOP chairmanship. He has called for Republicans to rally on April 13 at the Republican State Central Committee meeting in Chicago, which will decide Brady’s fate.

“The Illinois GOP needs new leadership now. That is why I have been leading the charge to replace Pat Brady since 2010,” Kelly says. “We need leadership that knows how to win elections and not lose them. We need a GOP that offers real change to the people of Illinois and not the corrupt politics of the past and present. We have an opportunity to rebuild the Illinois GOP and the time to do that is now.”

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KELLY CALLS FOR APRIL 13TH PROTEST AGAINST PAT BRADY

In February, I called for a rally in protest against Pat Brady at a fundraiser he organized for a major Democrat donor. Due to mounting pressures, the fundraiser was cancelled. Now I am calling on conservatives to protest again on April 13th at the next Republican State Central Committee meeting (SCC) in Chicago, which will decide Brady’s future as GOP chairman.

This will determine whether Republicans have any shot at winning any statewide office – including the governor’s office which is up in 2014.

The civil war taking place right now in the Illinois GOP is very real and the stakes are high. The GOP establishment is clinging for dear life to hold on to power. The power to cut deals with Democrats. The power to extract a crumb from the Illinois pie of political largess. The fiscal pie isn’t nearly as appetizing as it used to be but pie is pie.

In the process of trying to extend Pat Brady’s reign as Illinois GOP chairman, many so-called Republicans “leaders” have exposed themselves. Can you be a real conservative Republican and support Pat Brady? No, you can’t.

Of course, the mainstream liberal media has become Brady’s biggest cheerleader, claiming that the Illinois GOP is doomed without him. Last week, Rep. Tom Cross and Sen. Mark Kirk were forced to step in to derail the SCC vote on Brady’s ouster. This is the same Rep. Tom Cross who cut a deal with Democrats to implement Obamacare two years early in Illinois in 2012. In January, Cross joined other Republican “leaders” like Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka, Sen. Bill Brady, and former Gov. Jim Edgar in helping Democrat leaders pass a bad bill to grant driver’s licensees to thousands of illegal aliens – against the protests of Illinois law enforcement.

Is this is what counts as “Republican” leadership? Apparently, the answer is “yes.”

A few Republicans have called Brady the best Illinois GOP Chairman we have ever had. The best chairman we have ever had? The standards must be extremely low.

Brady has lost election after election in 2010 and 2012. He has targeted conservatives for defeat. He has made it personal. He has divided the party. He won’t support the GOP party platform and uses his position to lobby GOP legislators against it. He honors major Democrat donors like John Rowe of Exelon and relies on donors like Ken Griffin, a major bundler for Barack Obama and contributor ($100,000) to Rahm Emanuel. Brady has hanged his hat on his ability to raise millions of dollars for the Illinois GOP in 2012. But how much of that money was from the RNC cannibalizing Illinois for donations for use out-of-state?

By any definition, Pat Brady is a failure.

For too long, the Illinois GOP has been run by liberal Republicans who are more than happy to cut deals with the Democrats. Former Sen. Peter Fitzgerald referred to this corrupt cabal as the “Combine.” And that they are. But, in addition to cutting backroom Democrat deals, these Republicans also aggressively support the liberal progressive agenda.

That is why the GOP leadership has an abysmal track record in Illinois, including Judy Baar Topinka, who gifted the U.S. Senate race to Barack Obama, and Andy McKenna, another failure, who personally tapped Brady for chairman. That is why the Illinois GOP has a sordid history as bad as the Democrats – from Gov. George Ryan to Stuart Levine and Bob Kjellander. That is why people like Brady have targeted conservative candidates for office behind-the-scenes, telling donors not to fund their campaigns. And that is why grassroots organizations that could make the critical difference remain underfunded or unfunded. It’s not just bad management or stupidity on Brady’s part – its intentional.

This civil war is reaching a new level as we prepare for 2014.

Top Democrat advisers and billionaire contributors to Rahm Emanuel are working overtime to influence peddle within the Illinois GOP. As usual, money talks and principles are coming in a very distant second. It is now becoming clear which Republican “leaders” have already sold out their values.

It wouldn’t be the first time.

Kelly Announces Voter Effort to Repeal Driver’s Licenses for Illegal Aliens

Chicago, Illinois, January 27, 2013 – This afternoon, Gov. Pat Quinn signed SB 957 into law, granting illegal aliens state-issued driver’s licenses in Illinois. The new law does not require fingerprinting, a valid passport, or proof of auto insurance. 

William J. Kelly, Chairman of Safer Families Coalition says that it work tirelessly for a repeal of the bill because it represents a serious threat to public safety.

“This bill has been fast-tracked from the beginning. The citizens of Illinois did not want this bill. Law enforcement did not want this bill,” said Kelly. “Politicians wanted this bill for political reasons, not public policy. It’s just more pay-to-play politics in Illinois. But Safer Families will work for the repeal of this terrible bill by any means necessary.”

Kelly says that politicians not only ignored the strong opposition from law enforcement but participated in dishonest tactics to get the bill to the Illinois house floor. Kelly says the group will organize a state-wide petition drive to put a referendum on the ballot.

“Keep in mind that 16 of 18 states that had similar legislation have already repealed it,” Kelly says. “I guarantee you we will be the 17th.

The Illinois Association of Police Chiefs strongly opposed the bill. Only three Illinois sheriffs supported the measure. Sheriff Mark Curran who recently compared U.S. immigration law to Nazis was the only member of law enforcement to testify in favor of the bill.

Driver’s license fraud is rampant in the states that have granted driver’s licenses for undocumented workers. In June, nine people were arrested in a national driver’s license fraud ring in New Mexico involving the sale of hundreds of illegal licenses to foreigners in Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Documents like rental agreements, utility bills, vehicle titles, and proof of insurance were forged to get the licenses. Illinois currently has a problem with a Chinatown driver’s license ring being investigated by the FBI involving the Illinois Secretary of State’s office.

The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) has made past statements against the use of consular IDs, saying they invite fraud. But the ICIRR recommended the use of consular IDs in the Illinois legislation. Consular IDs – not valid passports – are the only requirement.

“All we have heard from SB 957’s proponents in Springfield is that we – the people of Illinois – need to “trust them” on this bill. Illinois politicians tell us that they know what they are doing and there won’t be any fraud or abuse. But Illinois politicians haven’t earned our trust.”

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To schedule comment or for questions, please contact Amy at (312) 768-8683 or revpublicrelations@gmail.com.

Pro-Family Leaders to Call on GOP Chair to Resign After Gay Marriage Statements

MEDIA ALERT

Pro-Family Leaders to Call on GOP Chair to Resign After Gay Marriage Statements

Friday, January 4, 2013

11:00 AM

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – January 3, 2013 – Members from Illinois’ pro-family movement will hold a press conference Friday outside State Republican headquarters at 55 W. Monroe Street in Chicago at 11:00 AM to call on GOP Chair Pat Brady to resign after he stated his support for same-sex marriage Wednesday.

Conservative activist William J. Kelly has released the following statement:

“Pat Brady’s statements in support of same-sex marriage insult the GOP’s pro-family base. They are in direct conflict with the Illinois Republican Party platform’s position on marriage and reveal, once again, the failure of leadership within the Illinois GOP to represent Republican voters. Illinois GOP voters deserve representation and they deserve better than Pat Brady’s lies and duplicity.”

Kelly says Brady’s record of failure as GOP Chairman is also clear: Brady was hastily appointed by party insiders to the GOP chairmanship in 2009 – without opposition. In 2010, he bungled the GOP’s chance to retake the governor’s office in a landslide Republican year. That failure meant Illinois Democrats retained exclusive re-map control of Illinois districts.

Earlier this year, Kelly called on Brady to resign after he interfered in state GOP primaries. Brady has also been widely criticized for the state GOP’s participation in a funding scheme involving top donors to Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

At the State Convention in June, Brady and members of the State Central Committee also blocked the resolution on direct elections from going to a floor vote, which would have allowed GOP voters to directly elect their party leaders.

At a recent state central GOP committee meeting, Brady bragged of his fundraising record in the 2012 elections.

“But none of those funds went to help pro-family candidates for public office,” says Kelly. “Donations were squandered and the Illinois GOP lost race after race after race in 2012. That’s why GOP voters must call for Brady’s resignation effective immediately.”

To schedule comment or for questions, please contact Amy at (312) 768-8683 or revpublicrelations@gmail.com.

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Kelly Responds to Sheriff Curran, Challenges to Him Debate on Driver’s Licenses for Illegal Aliens

Statement by William J. Kelly

Chicago, Illinois, December 17, 2012 - In a letter to the Illinois Review, Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran accused me of “inaccuracies” concerning his support of Senate Bill 957, which allows 250,000 illegal immigrants to receive state-issued driver’s licenses. Since I am not in the habit of penning inaccuracies, I feel compelled to address his response. In January, I will be speaking to the Republican Assembly of Lake County on the issue of driver’s licenses for illegal aliens. I would like to challenge Sheriff Curran to come and debate me on this issue publicly at that time.

Let me say that I did not single out Sheriff Curran in my column for criticism. Curran, unlike other GOP leaders, changed his position on illegal immigration about a year or so ago. Other Illinois Republican leaders who supported this bill changed their position on illegal immigration…one day after the November election. This is what masquerades as “principle” these days.

Illinois politicians can spin it in any way they want; but everyone knows this bill is about politics, not policy. SB 957 was fast-tracked and Illinois Republicans leaders just hoped GOP primary voters wouldn’t notice the vote right before the holidays. They were wrong.

The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) has been trying to get this legislation passed for a long time and they have targeted legislators who oppose them. Sensing the GOP blood in the water this election cycle, they moved quickly. The ICIRR recast itself as the “Highway Safety Coalition,” which has a nice, friendly ring to it. After all, who can be against “highway safety?”

But the public doesn’t know what is really taking place behind the scenes here. Greg Sullivan, Executive Director of the Illinois Sheriffs Association, was kind enough to offer a glimpse of how law enforcement really feels about this bad bill. Now we know have some idea why Illinois police chiefs have joined together to oppose the bill in Springfield.

In his response, Sheriff Curran named a handful of law enforcement officials who support this bill. ICIRR knew they needed the backing of law enforcement to market this bill to the public and to Springfield. But it is truly deceptive to say that Illinois law enforcement supports this bad bill – when the majority does not.

A few other key points. Curran repeated – almost verbatim – all the arguments in favor of the bill listed on the Highway Safety Coalition’s website. I am familiar – but not impressed – by any of them.

Yes, Illinois lawmakers plan to use “biometrics” like facial recognition to issue driver’s licenses but not fingerprint biometrics. Why not use fingerprinting if it can help and law enforcement wants it and trusts it? I think it is because the ICIRR’s membership doesn’t want it. But why is our state law being determined by illegal immigrants who don’t want to be fingerprinted?

Illinois, New Mexico, and other states have used biometrics in the identification process for years. But we still have driver’s license fraud in these states. Just this past June, nine people were arrested in a national driver’s license fraud ring in New Mexico involving the sale of hundreds of illegal licenses to foreigners in Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Documents like rental agreements, utility bills, vehicle titles, and proof of insurance were forged to get the licenses.

This raises some serious questions about the use of passports and consular IDs to receive a TVDL in Illinois. In his response, Curran says that foreign governments have established “strong procedures for issuing these documents” and that “they have no interest in enabling fraud.” Really, these documents aren’t subject to fraud? How much cooperation has the U.S. received from the Mexican government on the issue of illegal immigration? I’m sorry, but I’m skeptical and the public should be too.

Curran’s last point is we need a “smart solution that allows cops to actually do their jobs and go after bad guys and (not good people just trying to go to work, school or church).” But more than 80,000 accidents a year are caused by these “good” illegal immigrants on their way to work, school, and church at a cost of $660 million to insured drivers. A smart solution isn’t a solution that panders; it’s a solution that works.

All we have heard from SB 957’s proponents in Springfield is that we – the people of Illinois – need to “trust them” on this bill. Illinois politicians tell us that they know what they are doing and there won’t be any fraud or abuse . But Illinois politicians haven’t earned our trust. Whether it is driver’s licenses and convicted Illinois governors or billions in unfunded pension liabilities, we have a broken system in Illinois.

And, somehow, I don’t think issuing driver’s licenses to 250,000 illegal immigrants is going to help.

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SIGN THE PETITION: Illinois Politicians Mislead on Bill to Permit Driver’s Licenses for Illegal Immigrants

Here is the text of the petition:

We, the people of the State of Illinois, oppose what is currently known as SB 957, legislation that will permit 250,000 illegal immigrants the opportunity to obtain a state-issued driver’s license.

The current bill is poorly thought-out with no safeguards in it to protect against fraud and corruption.  Given the history of licenses-for-bribes in the Illinois Secretary of State’s office and the involvement of a now convicted Republican governor and 80 indicted state officials, we, the people, believe that this bill is lacking in any fundamental safeguards to issue these licenses and are concerned that they will be misused as official identification.

Illinois lawmakers admitted in a recent press conference that there is an insurance “loophole” in the present bill; yet the insurance provision is one of the stated reasons why proponents say this bill is necessary. We, the people, believe that Illinois lawmakers are misleading the public on this bill and there is no guarantee of any uninsured drivers securing insurance in exchange for a driver’s license.

New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez is attempting to repeal the bill that permits these driver’s licenses in her state, citing reasons of fraud, corruption, and security concerns. We, the people, agree with Gov. Martinez and demand that our elected representatives vote “no” to this poorly-conceived, hastily assembled, pandering bill that is an affront to all legal citizens, legal immigrants, and undocumented workers.

Please sign today and contact your representative in the Illinois State House to say “no” to this bill when it comes up for a vote.

Please share this petition with friends and family.

TO SIGN AND SHARE THE PETITION, CLICK HERE. 

 

Kelly calls for Dec 4th Springfield Protest: Just say “No” to Driver’s Licenses for Illegals

UPDATED SCHEDULE:

Tuesday, December 4, 2012 – 10:00 AM Rally in the Capitol Rotunda, Springfield Illinois 

Tuesday afternoon – lobbying of Springfield legislators

Springfield coordinator: Sandy Dragoo, (ph) 217.725.9445, sandydrago@aol.com

Or contact William J. Kelly at (312) 768-8683 or williamjpkelly@gmail.com.

Thanks to Republican Leader Sen. Christine Radogno and Sen. Bill Brady, a new controversial bill to permit 250,000 illegal immigrants to receive Illinois driver’s licenses just cleared Senate Executive Committee by a 12-2 vote Thursday. A full Senate vote is expected next week.

If passed by the House and signed by Gov. Quinn in January, Illinois will join other states like New Mexico and Washington State in issuing licenses to undocumented workers.

According to the Highway Safety Coalition (HSC), a pro-amnesty front group, approximately 80,000 accidents are caused every year by “unlicensed, uninsured immigrants” in Illinois.

That begs the question: what happens to the 80,000 uninsured illegal immigrants involved in those accidents?

Illinois is a sanctuary state with a very lenient policy on illegal immigration. So next to nothing happens. Insurance premiums skyrocket and legal, insured drivers are on the hook for an extra $836 million a year.

So isn’t that another reason to punish – instead of rewarding – uninsured, illegal drivers?

Apparently, that’s not what Republican lawmakers Sen. Christine Radogno and Sen. Bill Brady believe.

This isn’t the first time Illinois has had a run-in with issuing “illegal” driver’s licenses.

n 1994, an illegally licensed truck driver named Ricardo Guzman caused the deaths of the six young Willis children in a fiery van crash near Milwaukee.

A large piece of the truck’s taillight assembly had broken off and Guzman, who purposely ignored the warnings of other drivers, failed to stop. He said he was afraid of being stopped by police. Other driver’s radioed him on the CB but Guzman, a Mexican native, didn’t understand English.

Duane and Janet Willis’ van struck the assembly which pierced the gas tank, exploding the van and trapping the young Willis children inside. No human being should die like that – much less six children.

The horrific deaths of the Willis children ignited a federal investigation into how Guzman managed to get a commercial driver’s license or CDL.The resulting investigation, Operation Safe Roads, exposed a heinous bribery scheme in George Ryan’s Secretary of State’s office: Pay a bribe, get a license.

From driver’s licenses to vehicle stickers, Ryan & Co. collected their kickbacks. Whistle blowers told their party bosses that unqualified people were receiving licenses and were promptly told to shut up and look the other way.  Unsafe driver’s who failed the driving test were put on the road. And people died.

A lot of people died – not just the Willis children.

Despicable.

The investigation determined that more than 2,000 tainted licenses were issued and all the while Ryan had been collecting cash payments, gifts and vacations at Jamaican villas. 80 defendants were eventually convicted in the wide-ranging scheme.

There are political motives behind this new legislation in Illinois to allow illegal immigrants to receive driver’s licenses too.

Of course, Illinois politicians are licking their chops over all those votes in the growing Hispanic community.

The corporate headquarters of State Farm Insurance is in Bloomington, Illinois–Sen. Bill Brady’s state senate district. They would benefit from this deal. Is State Farm twisting Brady’s arm?

How many unqualified drivers will be issued licenses this time? Who will be on the receiving end of the kickbacks? How many more people will die?

We need to put an end to the madness and say “no” to rewarding bad behavior.

Join me on December 4th in Springfield, Illinois to let lawmakers like Sen. Bill Brady and Sen. Christine Radogno know how you feel about their support for driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants.

Instead of rewarding bad behavior, we need to punish it.

We need legislation that ensures we have safe streets for the people of Illinois of every race, color, and creed. This new legislation that is being supported by the GOP establishment does not protect the people of Illinois.

For information about the protest, contact Amy at (312) 768-8683 or williamjpkelly@gmail.com.