By Illinois Review
On the IL GOP website, under “Who We Are,” it says things like,
“Caring for the dignity and value of every individual…”
“We believe in a welcoming society…”
“We are the party of freedom and advancement for all…”
On the Chicago Republican Party website, it says,
“The Chicago Republican Party represents a broad diversity of people in the city, across geographical, racial, ethnic and economic divides.”
“Get Involved.”
But a quick glance at comments on social media accounts on Facebook and Twitter, and you’ll see that Chicago GOP chair Stephen Boulton – the man that represents the principles and ideals of what it means to be a Republican in Chicago – viciously attacking women and conservative Republicans online.
Boulton even uses the official Chicago Republican Party handle to level attacks not at the Democrats – but against conservative grassroots Republicans – whom he despises.
Boulton denies that he’s the one behind the attacks using the official GOP accounts, but no one else associated with the Chicago Republican Party launches attacks the way Boulton does so often on his personal accounts.
On Tuesday, Illinois Review reported that in a Facebook thread a year ago, Boulton went on a tirade disrespecting the unvaccinated, suggesting that they pay for the hundreds of thousands of dollars in potential hospital costs out of their own pocket if they are hospitalized – don’t make the insurers or the vaccinated pay for your bill; and even going so far as to suggest that money and resources are being wasted in hospitals trying to save the life of an unvaccinated person.
His comments are both shocking and appalling. But Boulton specializes in mean, angry rhetoric – especially on social media for all to see.
Just yesterday, the official Chicago GOP Twitter account responded to the founder of Awake Illinois Shannon Adcock – a mother and patriot who’s going to battle every day against liberal, woke school board members, by replying,
“You’re always welcome to visit us in the city, anytime after the election – don’t worry about lunch, but bring some towels to wipe off the spit & dog crap and some brass knuckles to help us fight off the Marxists.”
Boulton even disrespects and berates his fellow Republican ward committee members in emails, as this one proves on November 28, 2022, when Boulton responded to an email by copying ten other people, writing,
“Always good to receive an upbeat message from you, Eloise. I can think of an easier path: have your deadbeat marionette Do. His. Job. That would solve everything.”
In another email to a Republican Ward Committeeman, Boulton sends an email and copies several people belittling a fellow Republican who serves in his organization,
“…you have done nothing, attended no meetings other than the first by video in 2020, and in the recent election, you did nothing in the 1st Ward or elsewhere….Since you plainly have no intention of filling the duties of the office in any manner, I hereby demand your resignation as Republican Committeeman of the 1st Ward…..I do not want to pursue removal, but we have done it before with a Committeeman and I will act if you force me…..Accordingly, please advise Chairman Morrison and me of your resignation in response to this email…”
This email from Boulton is beyond inappropriate – it’s repulsive.
But Boulton saves his best attacks for Facebook, where he is known to attack women, and conservative Republicans often.
On December 5th, Boulton used the official Chicago Republican Party Facebook account to level an attack against former US Senate candidate and grassroots conservative Peggy Hubbard, replying to her comment by belittling her statewide campaign, writing,
“We’d wager we’ve ventured out of Chicago for political gatherings, meetings, etc…more often than your 2022 primary campaign ventured into the city of Chicago. How many counties show up at the State Fair isn’t much of a measure of success or failure….”
In another post five days ago, the official Chicago Republican Party Facebook account mocked grassroots conservative Anne Fri, writing,
“Anne, thanks for your epic contribution, however, you’re also showing that you know very little about how Chicago works…”
Fri is a frequent target of Boulton, and in November, he mocked her again in a Facebook post, commenting on a post using his personal account, and then switching accounts and replying to her response using the official Chicago Republican Party account.
Fri was making the point that “people” – meaning the conservative grassroots base of the party, want to see IL GOP chairman Don Tracy go, and that it’s time for new leadership. Boulton then switches accounts and responds from the Chicago Republican Party account, mocking the grassroots by simply writing,
“The People…”
It’s no secret that Boulton and the IL GOP view the grassroots as steerage, or third class citizens – and this was proven during the Republican State Central Committee meeting in December, where Boulton served as the Sergeant at Arms, harassing and yelling at the grassroots conservatives who had gathered at the meeting to call for Tracy to resign.
It’s no wonder there are 18 vacancies (including Ward 1 and Ward 23) of Ward Committeeman in Boulton’s organization – who wants to serve with a chairman that belittles, berates, intimidates and attacks fellow Republicans?
It’s also no wonder why the Chicago Republican Party, under Boulton’s leadership, couldn’t find or fund a candidate for Chicago Mayor. Nobody wants to donate to an organization where Boulton is chairman.
In a January 6, 2023 opinion piece published in the Chicago Tribune, Boulton wrote,
“The Chicago Republican Party did not have the extensive financial resources required to fund a Republican candidate for mayor…”
And for Boulton to admit in one of the largest newspapers in the country that the Republican organization that he oversees as chairman couldn’t find a single mayoral candidate in an election as crucial as this one, is embarrassing.
Your job is to help recruit and support local Republican candidates, and you can’t even find a single person, in a city of over 2.6 million residents, to run for mayor.
No surprise here. The problem isn’t funding – it’s Boulton.
Sources confirm to Illinois Review that Chicago Republicans are growing weary of Boulton, and his days appear to be numbered.
Good. He’s harassed and intimidated enough people – it’s time for the Chicago Republican Party to move on from Boulton and be a party that welcomes everybody.
