The Coveted "Todd Stroger Endorsement" Goes to.....Keith Matune

While Ron Sandack - candidate for State Representative is utilizing Coach Mike Ditka to offer his 'closing argument' in the campaign, his opponent - and serial liar - Keith Matune is (apparently?) getting his support from a different camp.

We were 'tipped' this news this am:  The Toddler - Todd Stroger - is backing Keith Matune.  He can get behind a guy who lies on his job application.

Have something you want to give us?  Drop us a line:  tipthetruthteam@gmail.com.

*Editors's Note...we have no idea if Todd Stroger said such things.  In fact, we doubt it.  But...let's be honest.  It was too funny to pass up posting!

Chicago Tribune's Eric Zorn on ILGOP: Stop Fighting Yesterday's War

We've long talked here on the Truth Team about how we 'grow' the ILGOP and how we're supporting candidates who are doing just that:  making moves to ensure the Republican Party in Illinois survives.  There are others who aren't interested in growing the party.

Those 'platform Republicans' as they like to be called would have the smallest, most pure Republican party that would surely win a ton of arguments but loose a ton of elections.

Using the Ron Sandack/Keith Matune slugfest as the prism to examine how the ILGOP can move forward, Chicago Tribune's Eric Zorn put (pardon the usage...) a 'fine line' on it:

What's pathetic is that all the righteous venom is in the service of an ultimately lost cause. Gay marriage is here, it's fast spreading beyond Illinois, and the sooner the so-called "pro-family" groups and perpetually seething activists who have focused their money and wrath on this DuPage County district get their minds around this fact and stop fighting yesterday's war, the sooner the GOP will emerge into the 21st century.

Latest in Matune/Sandack Race: "Creepy Cicero Outsiders"

Early this morning, we were tipped this image in our inbox (if you have something you want us to check out...remember...drop us a line at tipthetruthteam@gmail.com).

In what appears to be the latest salvo in the Ron Sandack/Keith Matune slugfest (remember...we're supporting Sandack because he's good for the ILGOP), the attack is now focusing on the messenger (Dan Proft).  We've seen this before ("Don't let Chicago-style Politics...") but this is the first time we've it used against Proft.

Carol Marin Unloads on Dan Proft and Keith Matune

We've been mostly silent the past week while the Ron Sandack and Keith Matune fireworks have been going off, but that doesn't mean we weren't paying attention. 

Yesterday in the Chicago Sun-Times, one of the most important voices in Illinois politics for the past few decades chimed in on the Sandack/Matune race and calls what Dan Proft and his stooge Keith Matune are doing by an accurate word:  ugly.

From the Marin piece. she shines a light on who's supporting Keith Matune:

Dan Proft, a dark presence in Illinois politics, likes to pose as a defender of principled conservative values. Values he touts on his WLS-AM radio show and through his Liberty Principles PAC that lends support to political candidates. 

One of those candidates is Keith Matune, a 44-year-old teacher from Downers Grove who is making a GOP primary run against 50-year-old incumbent state Rep. Ron Sandack, the former mayor of that suburb.

But she also digs a bit on Keith Matune and confirms that he's a liar about his deep criminal record.  

It turns out that Keith Matune failed to disclose on questionnaires — including his application to teach in Indian Prairie District 204 — that he had been arrested for passing bad checks, trespassing and public indecency back in 1991 and 1992. 

“To my knowledge, they were all expunged,” Matune told me by phone this week.
They were not.  

When I called the Tippecanoe Records office in Indiana where Matune had been charged with being “in a state of nudity” outside a computer center and trespassing, the clerk told me those charges were decidedly not expunged. “It’s a public record as of now,” she said.

Keith Matune: A Rotarians Worst Nightmare

Special Interest Support from these guys?

Posted by: The Ghost of Babe Woodyard

Special thanks to Illinois Review for posting candidate surveys on their site. Some of the surveys have really provided some insight into the candidates, some of it not so great for the candidates.

One in particular is Keith Matune who is running in the 81st Illinois House District, aka the race to ensure that only pure-bred Republicans that strictly follow the whimsies of an unelected platform committee hold office. Mr. Matune was nice enough to fill out the Illinois Review survey to allow voters a look at his beliefs, and wow...what a look it was.

Mr. Matune believes that children should not receive immunizations without the consent of their parents. No matter what the immunization is, no parents sign off, no immunization.

It makes me wonder if Mr. Matune is being bought off by "big iron lung manufacturing interests" or maybe a large leg brace conglomerate is backing his campaign.

For years groups like the Rotary and the March of Dimes have spent countless dollars promoting the use of vaccines and helping eradicating unbelievably dangerous diseases. Mr. Matune wants to throw it all away on his first day in office.

Some will say it should be a parent’s choice, but any parent who thinks that their child would be better off having the potential to get polio or smallpox than having a vaccine to prevent it should not be a parent. Unfortunately, with fear mongering, vaccine use has become controversial in some small minded circles that Mr. Matune might be pandering to.

So remember, if you believe that having American children once again get polio in 2014 is a laudable goal than Keith Matune is your candidate.

Compare the Candidates: Ron Sandack vs. Keith Matune

This mail piece was shared with us via Twitter and with all the increased attention to the race between Ron Sandack and Keith Matune, we thought it would be worth sharing.

The takeaway here is:  "The Choice Is Clear."

We can't agree more.  We've been consistent from the start here on the Truth Team.  We're backing Ron Sandack.  Not because of what he's done.  But because of who he is.

We're, unashamed, rooters for the ILGOP.  And we know that if the ILGOP is to survive, let alone win races, we need more guys like Ron Sandack - who is energetic, smart, and willing to do the right thing while standing for smaller government and fiscal sanity.

As for Keith Matune, the fatal blow isn't his arrest record (while that isn't a positive thing), rather it is unfettered willingness (and some may even say 'enthusiasm') for raising property taxes.

Let's stop him at the School board before Keith Matune can raise even more of our taxes.

If you want to see everything we've written on Ron Sandack, you can check out our Ron Sandack Archives here.

Ron Sandack Endorsed in State Rep Race, Mentioned as Possible Future Governor's Candidate

The Illinois Observer condenses the case to re-elect Ron Sandack for State Representative in the 81st House District into a short, but powerful paragraph.

Our support of Sandack has been documented many times over.  Not only do we think that he's facing a TOTALLY unnecessary primary against Keith Matune based purely on one very important vote, we think that if the ILGOP is to survive - and fourish - we need a lot more Ron Sandacks' down in Springfield, not less.

The Observer, in their endorsement agrees.  And...they even go further: they tout Sandack as having a potentially bright future:

GOP Primary: Keith Matune v. Ron Sandack. The choice in this contest is clear. State Rep. Ron Sandack (R-Downers Grove), a former Downers Grove mayor, is a genuine rising star in the House – and Illinois politics. Sandack’s blend of intelligence, enthusiasm, moderation, and deeply conservative fiscal credentials not only qualify him for second term in the House, but also position him to be a viable, future candidate for governor. If Republicans are to ever exit their minority status in Illinois, Sandack serves as their role model and his record as their road map. Sandack is enthusiastically endorsed.

We agree completely with the endorsement, but the Governor's Mansion for Sandack?  We'll see.  Let's think about something like Illinois Republican Party Chairman first where he can revitalize the party and bring more voters into his 'big tent'.

Hey!  Even the President has chimed in on the Sandack Endorsement:

Bob Grogan, Keith Matune Endorsed By "Group"

Two of our most-covered candidates - Keith Matune for State Representative and Bob Grogan for Illinois Treasurer -  are out touting an endorsement this morning.

From the Illinois Review:

DuPage Conservatives, a 321-member social media group, announced their March 18, 2014 endorsements yesterday. They include:

• State Treasurer – Bob Grogan
• 48th Representative District – Peter Breen
• 81st Representative District - Keith R Matune

We think the photo of the group (Seen above) speaks for itself.  (Oh..by the way...they have "open admission".  Don't you want to join?)

Not Interested in Legos, Keith Matune Became a Conservative At Six Years Old

As you likely know, Keith Matune is running in the GOP Primary against Ron Sandack for State Representative of the 81st District.  We've covered the 'curious case of Keith Matune' over the past few weeks.  You can read some of the coverage here, here, and here.  

As you also know from reading the Truth Team, we loathe unnecessary GOP Primaries.  We're here to help build the party and provide a voice for the elected officials, candidates, and issues that stand not for one-single issue/position, but rather for those Republicans who represent the true "Big Tent".  They're what is going to drive our party forward and make our party relevant in the next decade.  

Anyway...back to Keith Matune. Over the weekend, we received a tip on our Facebook page. It said: 

You folks need to check out Keith Matune's latest Facebook post. 

The first sentence is classic.. It states: "It’s been 25 years since President Reagan left office and he is sorely missed. Many people have asked whether I became a Conservative Republican because of Ronald Reagan. The answer is no; Jimmy Carter was the reason."

Matune was 21 in 1991 when he was arrested. Basic math gives him a 1969-1970 birth year. Jimmy Carter was President from 1976 to 1980. Not sure how many 6-10 year olds are that astute on policy? A 10 year old would be in the 4th grade at the oldest.

That had us wondering...and wanting to find the post.  Sure enough, on Keith Matune's Facebook page, in a post honoring the anniversary of President Reagan's birth, that very text exists.  We took a screenshot here:

Know what we here at the Truth Team were doing when we were six?  We were playing our He-Mans and Legos.  We certainly weren't being influenced by national politics.

But Keith Matune?  He must have been "old for his age", we guess?

Keith Matune Eating Crow on "Criminal Background" Tweet?

It appears that State Representative candidate Keith Matune has taken down one of his tweets from back in December.  As you'll recall, Matune, who is running against Ron Sandack has been a teacher and has told everybody - including the Daily Herald - that he's never been arrested.

The problem?  There's this mug shot.

Anyway...Matune was up on his high horse and posted a tweet about an Illinois State Prison official.  But...after getting caught lying about his own criminal background, it seems he's pulled it down.

The apt-named "Big Brother" posted this on Twitter yesterday:

I wonder why @keithmatune deleted his tweet? #liar pic.twitter.com/OsrUffF0tR
— Big Brother (@I_amBigBrother) February 4, 2014

Much ado about nothing?  We don't think so.  Looks like a pattern of saying one thing by a politician.  Until you get caught.  Then changing your tune.

The 81st District has solid representation in the form of State Representative Ron Sandack.  Let's work to re-elect him this Spring.

What's the Story with Keith Matune And His Criminal Record?

There's been plenty of chatter that we've been picking up about Keith Matune and his arrest record.  Mutane is running against Ron Sandack in the GOP Primary for State Representative in the Western Suburbs.

Sandack is a former State Senator, current State Representative and former Downers Grove Mayor.

As for the arrest record, Rich Miller at Capitol Fax labeled the story "The Curious Case of Keith Matune".  He lays out the story thusly:  Ron Sandack meets with Matune to tell him that in opposition research, they turned up this arrest.  Matune goes nuts and says he's being threatened.  Oh...and.. at some point in there, Matune denies being arrested.  The issue with Matune's claim of never being arrested?  There's the fact that a mugshot exists.

So...there's totally no way, he ever was arrested, right?  Please.  This must be from some killer fraternity party, right?  "Jailbirds and Tramps at Phi Delta Theta" or something?  Yeah...that must be it.  They had an awesome "Social Chair" who was very thorough with their frat party theme-ing...

The biggest issue for Matune might not be this race for State Representative.  (Where...we're hoping Sandack wins big, btw)

But...the bigger issue for him is the whole idea about being arrested.  He's a teacher.  And he's been telling everybody for the past 15 years that he's never been arrested.  And he even told the Daily Herald he wasn't arrested in his questionnaire.  He's (allegedly) requested to amend that form.  Hmmm....