Dear Friend, 

This week in Springfield, the radical liberal Democrat progressive forces from Chicago that control the House of Representatives took direct aim at the 2nd Amendment protections afforded to United States citizens in the Bill of Rights on our Constitution.

It can't be said any other way.

I spent the final two days of February in Springfield, battling Chicago Democrat-led attempts to implement a wide-ranging gun control agenda. Within 48 hours, legislation that creates new restrictions on age, ammunition limits, and new costs and licensing requirements on small business owners that sell firearms passed from committees to the House Floor for debate. I voted NO in  Committee and on the House floor on all the follow gun grabbing measures. 

HB 1465 would increase the minimum age to 21 for purchases of semi-automatic firearms or ammunition like the AR-15, .50 caliber shells, high capacity magazines and a host of other munitions. The bill narrowly passed the House 64-51 over my strong objections. In my view, HB 1465 is a punishing overreach. This type of gun grab is what was in mind when the founding fathers of our country made sure Second Amendment protections were included in the Constitution. Forced compliance with surrendering legally owned weapons is the slickest of slippery slopes. The bill makes law-abiding gun owners into criminals overnight. I VOTED NO!

SB 1657 would create new licensing costs and regulations for small, independent gun dealerships. The bill is probably the most notorious piece of legislation among gun owners and Second Amendment supporters in Illinois, drawing more than 14,000 opponents on the record when presented to the House Judiciary Committee. The bill creates a new fee and additional licensing regulations for businesses that do the majority of their business selling guns and ammunition. The bill would require gun dealers to have a state license for the owner, a state license for the dealer, and possibly a local license in addition to the federal license that is already required. The bill also allows for local governments to impose additional requirements on gun dealers.

Once again, Chicago Democrats are leading the charge to run up costs for law-abiding gun dealers. These new regulations will cost small businesses more time and money while at the same time killing jobs. When Democrats say things like ‘common-sense’ gun regulation, law abiding folks should listen closely to what they're trying to really accomplish. People that don’t own guns or know our culture and history in Southern Illinois don’t appreciate the traditions that we share with generations of our families.

We teach our kids how to hunt and how to responsibly own and use firearms. We don’t need the Federal or State government coming into our communities taking guns from law-abiding folks. I’m going to stand up for my district and vote to protect our Second Amendment rights each and every time.

Tracking Down the Fake News and Exposing Illegal Coordination Between Paul Jacobs and His Chicago Super PAC

In today's over-hyped, social media crazed world, it can be difficult to tell the real news from the fake. That has become especially true in the 2018 Primary Election for State Representative. Across the State, a Super PAC from Chicago is illegally coordinating with various campaigns and candidates for the Statehouse. Unfortunately, the 115th district is one of the places that this collusion is happening. I've gone into great detail in this space before describing how Paul Jacobs, the Southwest Illinois newspaper (fake news), and Liberty Principles PAC funded by a shady Chicago billionaire and his cronies have colluded to plant fake newspaper stories that later end up in illegally coordinated mail pieces and television commercials. 

Well this week, Paul Jacobs' Chicago funded smear campaign was back at it with more fake news. This time, Paul Jacobs and his Chicago Super PAC and fake newspaper are claiming that I am refusing to debate Paul Jacobs. 

Here are the facts: 

1. Yes. Paul Jacobs did in fact send me a letter via certified mail at the end of February demanding three debates. 

2. I in fact DID respond to Paul Jacobs' request. I have provided a copy of the letter for you below. Please note the date. 

As you can see folks, you gotta watch out for the fake news from Fake Republican Paul Jacobs and his illegally coordinated Chicago Super PAC funded smear campaign. 

I also had several questions for the Jacobs campaign in regard to their attacks on me and their positions on the issues. If you have any thoughts on any of these questions, I would love to hear them. See below: 

6. In regard to specific issues, if you can not find a suitable date, venue, and moderator to accommodate both of our very busy schedules, I would like you to be specific in answering the following questions:

a. Your criticism of my vote to produce a balanced budget and rescue critical human services, educational facilities, and health care providers has been paramount to your campaign. In the absence of a state budget, it is widely known that a 40% across the board cut would be required to balance revenues with expenditures.

i. IF SIU were to have lost its accreditation, do you believe that would help or hurt our region? If you support 40% across the board cuts, which parts of SIU would you cut? What are your plans to restore funding that has been lost and how would you help stem the tide of declining enrollments at SIU and the overall outmigration of higher education students leaving Illinois?

ii. Do you believe that places like the Carbondale Women’s center should close?

iii. If the State of Illinois did not pass a budget, we would not have been able to consolidate past debts into a lower payment. The budget I voted for gave the Comptroller the authority to save taxpayer dollars on interest payments and allowed health care providers to be paid following a more than 2 year delay in some cases. How would you have addressed the $16 billion bill backlog that we were facing in July of 2017? Which of the state’s bills would you delay paying?

iv. When a Judge ordered the State of Illinois to start making Medicaid payments that we could not afford to make, which of the state’s bills would you have chosen default on in order to make those court ordered payments?

v. When Comptroller Mendoza issued an emergency alert the week prior to the balanced budget passing, she indicated that by mid-August, with no action taken, State employees would begin missing paychecks. As State Representative, in the absence of a budget, would you be OK with State employees not receiving a paycheck?

vi. Your own website indicates that SB 1947 was ‘a good start’, and now you are attacking me using your political PAC backers from Chicago for forcing a ‘Chicago bailout’. How do you explain a recent attack ad that you are running on TV slamming SB 1947 as a Chicago bailout if you also supported the bill? In case you are not sure what I am referring to, I have helpfully included a screenshot of your own website as a reminder of your past support of SB 1947.

vii. You have indicated that you would like to have Illinois’ school district system mirror that of the State of Florida. In order to do that, massive consolidations of schools would have to take place. Which schools, specifically, would you combine together? Are you in favor of one school district per county? One school district per State Representative district? You have repeatedly used this issue as a main tenet of your campaign for State Representative, so I would expect that you would have some detailed plans on which schools you feel should be absorbed into others and which towns you would choose to lose their school district.
viii. Do you support my efforts to re-open the shuttered Murphysboro IYC and do you believe the 100 jobs it will create for our residents is a good thing or a bad thing ?

ix. You are indeed a very busy man. Right now you’re running two optometry offices, a winery, restaurant, and a brewery. With so much going on, how can you reassure the people of the 115th district that you will be a full-time Representative, focused on the needs of the 108,000 residents of the district and their very diverse needs?

REMINDER - Polish Fest Parade Tomorrow in DuBois!

Calling ALL Volunteers! DuBois Polish Fest 2018 Parade This Weekend!

Team Bryant will be marching in the 24th Annual DuBois Polish Fest Parade on Sunday at 1:00 PM! This year, the parade is just part of the fun. Check out this year's schedule!

The Antique Tractor show starts at 9:00 AM at the K of C Hall with show cars welcome.

POLKA Mass starts at 10:00 AM at St. Charles Catholic Church

The parade line up and registration begins at 10:00 a.m. and lasts until 12:30 PM. Team Bryant parade walkers should be in place by 12:30 for lineup and pictures. The parade starts at 1:00 PM .

The DuBois K of C Hall is located at 130 S. 8th Street, DuBois, IL 62831. 

We will have plenty of bright green Team Bryant T shirts for our walkers and great goodies to give away. I hope to see you there. If you have an immediate question, send an email to [email protected] and someone will get back with you right away.

Stay Connected!

My office in Mt. Vernon is open Monday through Friday and my office in Murphysboro is open Monday through Thursday, each from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. You can also contact me directly through the Contact Form on my official website at www.repbryant.com - or visit www.bryantforillinois.com for the latest endorsements in the race for 115th district State Representative.

Your opinions on important topics facing the State of Illinois are invaluable to me. Keep them coming!

Sincerely, 

Terri Bryant
State Representative - 115th District

Calling ALL Volunteers! DuBois Polish Fest 2018 Parade This Weekend!

Team Bryant will be marching in the 24th Annual DuBois Polish Fest Parade on Sunday at 1:00 PM! This year, the parade is just part of the fun. Check out this year's schedule!

The Antique Tractor show starts at 9:00 AM at the K of C Hall with show cars welcome.

POLKA Mass starts at 10:00 AM at St. Charles Catholic Church

The parade line up and registration begins at 10:00 a.m. and lasts until 12:30 PM. Team Bryant parade walkers should be in place by 12:30 for lineup and pictures. The parade starts at 1:00 PM .

The DuBois K of C Hall is located at 130 S. 8th Street, DuBois, IL 62831. 

We will have plenty of bright green Team Bryant T shirts for our walkers and great goodies to give away. I hope to see you there. If you have an immediate question, send an email to [email protected] and someone will get back with you right away.

Stay Connected!

My office in Mt. Vernon is open Monday through Friday and my office in Murphysboro is open Monday through Thursday, each from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. You can also contact me directly through the Contact Form on my official website at www.repbryant.com - or visit www.bryantforillinois.com for the latest endorsements in the race for 115th district State Representative.

Your opinions on important topics facing the State of Illinois are invaluable to me. Keep them coming!

Sincerely, 

Terri Bryant
State Representative - 115th District

Dear Friend, 

I want to use this opportunity to share some activity that took place on Facebook this week. Because you deserve to know the truth about who is running for the 115th district State Representative seat, I'm continuing to explain the illegal coordination going on between my opponent Paul Jacobs and his big money Chicago based Super PAC, Liberty Principles PAC. 

I have included a few links and pictures that I hope you will take the time to review and read. But first, here is some relevant background information.

Illegal Coordination

Paul Jacobs has been illegally coordinating his campaign with Liberty Principles PAC. He has taken hundreds of thousands of their dollars to run negative ads to attack me. Liberty Principles PAC CEO is Dan Proft. Dan Proft is the proprietor of several Fake News newspapers that he has started all across Illinois. Basically, Proft bought a bunch of cutesy domain names like the CarbondaleReporter.com, and the Southwest Illiinois News (SWIllinoisnews.com) and used the websites as places to plant fake news stories in support of political candidates that Proft's Liberty Principles PAC is funding.

Then, Proft writes headlines and plants them in his fake newspapers and then uses pictures of the fake news in campaign propaganda that he creates in coordination with several different Primary campaigns for State Representative. It's totally illegal! Independent Expenditure Super PACs are not allowed to directly coordinate with candidates' campaigns. But the law has not stopped Paul Jacobs and Dan Proft from illegally working together to spend hundreds of thousands in campaign cash on negative ads that distort my record and attack me for supporting the opening and funding of our schools. If you look below you'll see how each campaign is closely coordinated with the other and with Liberty Principles PAC.

Follow the link for a fun and thorough explanation by a real journalist, Rich Miller of Capitol Fax. I think you'll be highly enlightened. But please, come back and KEEP reading for more hijinx from the illegally fake newspapers and Paul Jacobs' campaign.

https://capitolfax.com/2018/02/22/its-all-one-big-thing

But the illegal coordination gets worse, folks. Paul Jacobs and Liberty Principles PAC are now attacking me for supporting SB 1947, a recently signed law that secures record funding for our schools. Two big problems. 1. Paul Jacobs has supported SB 1947 from the beginning and it even says so on his own website right up until this minute.

In case Dan Proft and Paul Jacobs realize their mistake, I have helpfully provided a picture of his website below: 

2. SB 1947 will bring more than $5 million in NEW funding to local schools and ensures fair and equal funding for Southern Illinois schools. Every school in my district does better financially under SB 1947. 

Senate Bill 1947 (Public Act 100-465) creates a new Evidence-Based Funding Model for Illinois public schools. The new law was the result of years of negotiations and was supported by a broad coalition of education advocacy groups. The new funding model places Illinois school districts into tiers based on local resources and total need. Tier 1 districts receive 50 percent of all new funding the State allocates to K-12 education in FY 2018.

Under, SB 1947, the evidence-based model, here is a breakdown of projected funding increases for schools in the 115th district:
• Murphysboro CUSD186 will receive over $820,000 in new funding for a total of $10.3 million.
• Mt. Vernon high school and elementary schools will receive more than $1 million in combined new funding for a total of more than $12.3 million.
• Schools outside of the city of Mt. Vernon in Jefferson County will also receive a combined total of more than $1 million in new funding.
• Cobden, Anna, Jonesboro, and Shawnee school districts will take in more than $600,000 in new funding bringing Union County schools total to more than $9.7 million in State support.

I'm supported by both school management groups and organized labor in this race because I voted YES on SB 1947.

BUT WAIT...THERE'S MORE!

So, this is part three in what was supposed to be a 2-part series showing illegal coordination between Paul Jacobs and Liberty Principles PAC. As I showed you above, Paul Jacobs is now running attack ads on a vote that I took to secure record funding for our schools. Remember, the same Chicago radio personality that runs the fake newspapers SWIllinois.com and the Carbondale Reporter also runs Liberty Principles PAC. They are doing illegally coordinated hits on several different House Republicans using fake newspapers, a Super PAC, and each individual campaign. The bouncing ball can be hard to follow but try to stay with me.

When the SW Illinois news reported that Jacobs was attacking me with a new ad on SB 1947 we discovered two things. 1. Paul Jacobs' own website says he is FOR SB 1947 even as of this morning, and 2. The SW Illiinois news mixed up the Paul Jacobs and Josh Griffith campaigns when writing their smear article on me. I suppose that 'clerical error' could be forgiven, seeing as how the guy running the fake newspapers and the illegal PAC coordination is working with lots of campaigns around the state.

When we called out the 'clerical error', the SW Illinois News fake newspaper quickly worked to fix their mistake. Now comes the funny part. Check out the 'correction'. Here's the link: This is from today - still up to this minute 3:21 PM on Saturday Feb. 24: 

And here's a screen shot. Folks, you just can't make this stuff up! Joshua Griffith is Rep. Norrine Hammond's opponent up in northwestern Illinois! The illegal coordination has gotten so massive that Dan Proft can't even control it all.

Here's the bottom line: Do not be fooled by these fake newspapers or the illegal coordination going on between my opponent and his Chicago based Super PAC backers. On March 20th, I would humbly ask that you would consider supporting me to continue to bring integrity and leadership to Springfield. I pledge that I will always put Southern Illinois first!

CHEAP CHICKEN DINNER IS TOMORROW IN DUQUOIN

Coming up tomorrow, Sunday February 25th, I'll host my 3rd Annual Cheap Chicken Dinner at the DuQuoin American Legion from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Tickets are only $10 per person and kids under 12 eat FREE! This is a great way to get a cheap family dinner and show your support for my re-election campaign. There will be door prizes and plenty of food for everyone. I look forward to seeing you there.

You can RSVP by visiting the event page on Facebook by clicking here or call Carolyn at 618-559-4997 or email us at [email protected]

Congratulations to the Anna Jonesboro Wildcat Basketball Team!

Last night, the Anna-Jonesboro Wildcat Basketball Team won not only the Regional Championship but also broke the school record for wins in a season! Best of luck to the Wildcats as they continue on in tournament play! March Madness has started in February in the 115th district! GOOD LUCK A-J!

The Story of Marjorie Strong and Her Mother Peggy
Earlier this week, the Chicago Tribune published a story in a continuing series that they call "Suffering in Silence." The articles in the series have detailed the stories of individuals with developmental disabilities that find themselves in the care of the State of Illinois. Often times family members can be unequipped to deal with serious mental and physical developmental disabilities. That is why the State of Illinois runs facilities like the Murray Center in Centralia. I am proud of the close working relationship I have built with the Murray Center Parents Association.

I have toured the facility, met the staff and residents, and have met one on one with parents that rely on the Murray Center to provide top notch care for their loved one in desperate times of need. If you have time, I would encourage you to read the story of Marjorie Strong and her mother Peggy.

The job of State Representative is challenging at times, and you never want to see anyone suffer. You can learn about Marjorie's story and her move from conditions of squalor and almost certain death to the Murray Center, where she is now on her way back to health and safer than she has been in a very long time.

Here is the link with the whole story. Please take the time to read it!

Stay Connected!

My office in Mt. Vernon is open Monday through Friday and my office in Murphysboro is open Monday through Thursday, each from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. You can also contact me directly through the Contact Form on my official website at www.repbryant.com - or visit www.bryantforillinois.com for the latest endorsements in the race for 115th district State Representative.

Your opinions on important topics facing the State of Illinois are invaluable to me. Keep them coming!

Sincerely,

Terri Bryant
State Representative - 115th District

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 22, 2018 
CONTACT: Rep. Terri Bryant - [email protected]

Terri Bryant Says Paul Jacobs’ New TV Ad is Blatant Lie
Chicago Super PAC Coordinating with Jacobs Campaign to Run Misleading Attack Ads

Murphysboro, IL – State Representative Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) is fighting back against false claims Paul Jacobs is making about Illinois’ new school funding reform law.

Jacobs is backed by Liberty Principles PAC, a Chicago-based ‘dark money’ Super PAC. In fact, Jacobs has taken hundreds of thousands in campaign support from the Chicago based Super PAC. The cash is being used to launch a disgusting new attack ad against Terri Bryant, which falsely characterizes her vote for Senate Bill 1947, the new Evidence-Based Funding Model for Illinois schools.

“Paul Jacobs and his Chicago political backers are attacking my support of the new school funding reform law despite the fact that Paul Jacobs’ own website says that passing SB 1947 was a ‘step in the right direction’,” Bryant said. “This is the kind of political double-talk you could only learn in a Chicago political boss’ media training session.”

Bryant says the tone of Jacobs’ campaign has been almost completely negative. She says Jacobs has provided very little in the way of specifics on his own platforms, instead choosing to run a negative ad campaign using Chicago provided campaign money.

“My opponent’s campaign has sunk to a new low with this latest negative and false attack on my record,” Bryant said. “I am proud to have supported SB 1947. It provides more than $5 million in new State funding for schools in the 115th district. This is not some Chicago bailout. It’s record funding for our schools. It means smaller class sizes, all day Kindergarten, and overall better outcomes for students. Paul Jacobs should be ashamed of himself for opposing this desperately-needed education funding reform law and for his Chicago-style double-talk on this issue. The only thing that’s worse than his flip flop on this issue is that he is now playing politics with our kids’ education. It is just shameful, but that’s the type of campaign he’s chosen to run. It’s unfortunate.”

Senate Bill 1947 (Public Act 100-465) creates a new Evidence-Based Funding Model for Illinois public schools. The new law was the result of years of negotiations and was supported by a broad coalition of education advocacy groups. The new funding model places Illinois school districts into tiers based on local resources and total need. Tier 1 districts receive 50 percent of all new funding the State allocates to K-12 education in FY 2018.

Under, SB 1947, the evidence-based model, here is a breakdown of projected funding increases for schools in the 115th district:
• Murphysboro CUSD186 will receive over $820,000 in new funding for a total of $10.3 million.
• Mt. Vernon high school and elementary schools will receive more than $1 million in combined new funding for a total of more than $12.3 million.
• Schools outside of the city of Mt. Vernon in Jefferson County will also receive a combined total of more than $1 million in new funding.
• Cobden, Anna, Jonesboro, and Shawnee school districts will take in more than $600,000 in new funding bringing Union County schools total to more than $9.7 million in State support.

Here is screen shot proving Paul Jacobs supports SB 1947 from his own campaign website as of February 22, 2018 at www.jacobsforillinois.com/issues

Dear Friend,

This week in Springfield, Governor Rauner addressed another joint session of the legislature as he laid out a plan for a state budget for fiscal year 2019. I was encouraged that the proposed budget includes money for operations for the Murphysboro correctional facility.

Staff members are already in place at the facility receiving training, and it is expected that the minimum security prison and re-entry facility will be fully operational next month. As I have previously stated, the reopening and repurposing of the facility means good paying jobs for our region and it will provide a means for lessening the burden on our overcrowded prisons throughout the state.

In 2015, I stood in front of the shuttered IYC for a press conference to announce that I had introduced legislation aimed at reopening it. Next month, the building will reopen and eventually create 100 good paying jobs for hard working southern Illinoisans.

NEWS LINKS ON MURPHYSBORO REOPENING!
The Citizen Tribune: Murphysboro Re-entry Center set to open

WSIU Radio -  Rep. Terri Bryant Says Staff Start Moving in to Former IYC Murphysboro on Feb. 16

Governor’s Budget Address Reaction - Bryant Says Budget Address is Just First Step    

Springfield....State Representative Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) issued the following statement in reaction to Governor Bruce Rauner’s budget address on Wednesday.

“Today’s budget address is the jumping off point for what I hope will be a fruitful next few months of negotiations. The most important thing we do as legislators is pass balanced budgets that reflect the priorities of our constituents.

Last year, when I voted to pass the first balanced budget in more than two years, I said at the time that passing a budget was just the start. Illinois must remain on a very tight, very strict fiscal diet going forward if we are to overcome the challenges of rising costs and past due bills.

In addition to fiscal restraint, Illinois must grow its economy by enticing companies to locate in Illinois to take advantage of our wealth of natural resources, our world class institutions of higher learning, and our skilled and dedicated work force. The key to economic growth is for Illinois to get the boot off the neck of the job creators and enact policies that help us be competitive with our neighboring states.

Throughout the next several months, I will work with my colleagues in the House to craft a budget that reflects the priorities of Southern Illinoisans, abides by wise fiscal policy, and enacts economic policy that will help grow good paying jobs for the hard-working families.”

####

WJPF Radio Interview
I had a great discussion with Tom Miller of WJPF’s Morning NewsWatch on Friday. We talked about the current state of Illinois’ financial picture, our political environment, the Governor’s budget address, and why I am the best candidate to serve the 115^th district in Springfield. The Primary Election is heating up, and as we move closer to election day, I would encourage you to check out my website at www.bryantforillinois.com to stay up to date on the latest news.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO MY INTERVIEW WITH TOM MILLER OF WJPF RADIO

Cheap Chicken Dinner Fundraiser Coming Up Next Week!

Coming up on Sunday, February 25, 2018 I'll host my 3rd Annual Cheap Chicken Dinner at the DuQuoin American Legion from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Tickets are only $10 per person and kids under 12 eat FREE! This is a great way to get a cheap family dinner and show your support for my re-election campaign. There will be door prizes and plenty of food for everyone. I look forward to seeing you there.

You can RSVP by visiting the event page on Facebook by clicking here or call Carolyn at 618-559-4997 or email us at [email protected]

Stay Connected!

My office in Mt. Vernon is open Monday through Friday and my office in Murphysboro is open Monday through Thursday, each from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. You can also contact me directly through the Contact Form on my official website at www.repbryant.com - or visit www.bryantforillinois.com for the latest endorsements in the race for 115th district State Representative.

Your opinions on important topics facing the State of Illinois are invaluable to me. Keep them coming!

Sincerely, 

Terri Bryant
State Representative - 115th District