All the News That's Counterfeit to Print

Like a mafia crime family, the Lake County Gazette is going legit.

In a startling turn of events, the Lake County Gazette no longer obtains its news content from Russian Troll Farms. Instead, what used to be Lake County's #1 fakenews source is now obtaining its news content directly from Republican Party operatives:

A publisher of far-right websites and mailings designed to look like newspapers created a special online portal for top Illinois GOP candidates and activists to directly seek favorable coverage during last year's elections, according to a newspaper report that prompted state Democrats to denounce the actions as "deceitful" to voters. The Washington Post reported Thursday that Brian Timpone, an ally and business partner of right-wing radio talk show host Dan Proft, used a password-protected portal that allowed Republicans to pitch stories, provide questions for interviews, place campaign announcements and run "verbatim" op-eds on websites and mailings that are published by the Local Government Information Services organization.
Illinois Democrats denounce as 'deceitful' a pipeline used in last year’s elections to right-wing local news sites

Evidence of the editorial overhaul is clear.

Here is a story posted by one Lake County GOP operative, State Representative Martin McLaughlin:

And a story posted by another Lake County GOP operative, State Senator Daniel McConchie:

One Lake County GOP spokesman told your LakeCountyEye: "If you can't believe a Republican operative, who can you believe?"

Scatter Train

Question of the Day:

The Lake County exploding bomb train failed to explode once again. Where did it happen this time?

If you answered Blue Island, give yourself a non-exploding cigar:

A CSX freight train derailed in Blue Island shortly before 9:30 p.m. Wednesday.
CSX freight train derails in Blue Island Wednesday night

One amateur pyrotechnical expert told your LakeCountyEye: "Well, that blows."

Election Dissection

Can you spot the error below?

The 2023 election results were certified in Lake County. And right-wing extremist candidates swept all of the library and school board races. Soon, the books in the schools will be burned. And in the libraries, sex education will be replaced with Bible study.

HaHa, j/k:

Amid all the attention on this month's elections in Wisconsin and Illinois, one outcome with major implications for 2024 flew under the national radar: School board candidates who ran culture-war campaigns flamed out.
Why GOP culture warriors lost big in school board races this month

Note to Ops: Enjoy it while it lasts. The next local election is 2025.

Wrong Number

Question of the Day:

How many people moved to Lake County in 2019?

Answer: That would depend on who you believe.

If you believe the Lake County Gazette, Lake County's #1 fakenews source, the answer is 16,316:

Some of you may be skeptical. Then you should believe Lake County's #1 fakenews source, the Lake County Gazette -- where the answer is 6,320:

OK, who is correct, the Lake County Gazette or the Lake County Gazette?

One thing is unequivocal, both "newspapers" are published by Dan Proft. This is the same Dan Proft who recently fessed up to cooking the books:

After the state Democratic Party filed a complaint against him for failing to disclose more than $1 million in receipts to the political action committee he runs, right-wing radio talk show host and GOP political operative Dan Proft is blaming the discrepancy on a near $3 million typo.
Dan Proft corrects a nearly $3 million typo on campaign finance report following complaint by Democrats

Note to Ops: Get your Lotto numbers somewhere else.

The Bully Culprit

He was the top of the ticket candidate for his political party. He was, however, subsequently hauled into court, whereupon he threatened the judge. And now ...

Breaking News!

He is is going to jail.

Your LakeCountyEye of course is referring to Lake County favorite son and honorary Republican, Kash Jackson:

A man who ran for governor in 2018 was sentenced to four years in prison for threatening two Lake County judges. Grayson K. Jackson, also known as Kash Jackson and Benjamin Winderweedle, 44, threatened to kill the two judges who presided over an ongoing civil case Jackson was party to during a call in October 2021 to the Lake County sheriff's court security office.
Former governor candidate gets 4 years in prison for threatening Lake County judges

One random Lake County GOP spokesman was overheard to say: "The New York judge who is trying Donald Trump has received dozens of threats. And Trump is walking free right now. They're a bunch of snowflakes out here in Lake County."

Election 2023 Post Mortem

Even with no Republicans on the ballot, every Lake County Republican candidate failed to win their School or Library Board race in Tuesday's election:

Typically low-turnout, nonpartisan school board elections took on a different tenor this spring, particularly in parts of northern and southwestern Lake County. From Antioch District 34, where 13 candidates duked it out for six open seats, to Barrington — where a New York-based political action committee spent more than $13,000 backing seven candidates for the school, library and village board — voters mostly supported incumbents and their slates.
Apparent winners emerge as dust settles in unusually intense Lake County school board races; 'Our community has some healing to do'

One exception was Millburn District 24 school board member Peter Pettorini. Despite being under criminal investigation, Pettorini (who is President of the Lake Villa Township Republican Club) was not shown the door by the voters.

An expert in political science offered this explanation: "You need to put an asterisk by Pettorini's name. He did not lose this time because he was not running for re-election. His term expires in 2025. We'll see if Pettorini can pull off that trick in two years."

The Law and Order Party

Question of the day:

Q: The Democrats are soft on crime!

A: Let's see you do any better if you were up against an unprecedented Republican crime wave.

HaHa, Donald J Trump has been indicted for cooking his books. And now a conservative New York PAC has been caught red handed as well:

A New York-based political action committee belatedly reported that it so far has spent more than $13,000 backing conservative candidates in next week's local school board elections in Illinois. Its reports were submitted beginning late Tuesday after the Tribune wrote that the group had not disclosed what it spent on mailers that began arriving in Chicago-area mailboxes last week within the time frame required under state law.
Out-of-state PAC backing conservative school board candidates belatedly files spending report

The PAC is funded by Lake County moneybags Richard Uihlein. Closer to home, an Illinois PAC funded by Uihlein also got itself into legal hot water:

the Illinois Democratic Party filed a legal complaint against the Darren Bailey campaign for governor. The complaint says that the campaign illegally coordinated with an independent political action committee (known as a super PAC). The super PAC, called the "People Who Play By The Rules PAC", is led by Republican political operative, talk show host, and one-time failed gubernatorial candidate, Dan Proft. The People Who Play By The Rules PAC is funded almost entirely by billionaire businessman and Republican mega-donor, Richard Uihlein.
Illinois Democrats File Legal Complaint Against the Darren Bailey Campaign

Finally, there is Millburn District 24 school board member Peter Pettorini. Can he get some of that Uihlein money? Pettorini is President of the Lake Villa Township Republican Club. And he is under criminal investigation:

Round Lake High teacher, Millburn school board member under criminal investigation

Pettorini may qualify.