Tom and Monte Larrick discuss free speech, bringing nativity scenes to state capitols nationwide, religious freedom at risk in Illinois with democratic supermajorities and governor, what the Thomas More Society does over the country, sidewalk counseling and the bubble-zone lawsuit, an update on lawsuits combating taxpayer funding of abortion and Illinois’ abortion referral law, a threat to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the importance of retaining Illinois’ parental notification of abortion, and legalizing assisted suicide and euthanasia.… Continue Reading

This past weekend, incumbent Governor Bruce Rauner appeared on the Flannery Fired Up political program on Chicago’s local Fox32 station (WFLD). During this thirty-minute weekly program, political reporter Mike Flannery went one-on-one with Rauner, covering a number of state issues.

What caught my attention and got me fired up was their discussion about the structural imbalance of the Illinois state budget. In their exchange, Rauner had the audacity to complain that healthcare costs for state employees are “out of control,” rightly saying that it healthcare is “broken.”… Continue Reading

In this week’s podcast episode, Illinois Family Institute lobbyist Ralph Rivera and contract lobbyist Mark Johnson join Monte Larrick to discuss some of the action, and inaction, that occurred during the spring Illinois General Assembly session.

Rivera and Johnson weigh in on Illinois’ new budget, the possibility of a tax increase after the November election and the House resolution proposing a progressive income (“fair tax”) plan, as well as the danger of an even greater Illinois Exodus than we’ve experienced to date.… Continue Reading

According to Rep. Breen, “Our greatest threat right now as a people of life, of faith, is losing hope and thinking we’ve lost.”

The battles continue in Illinois, for example, on the issue of taxpayer funded abortion.… Continue Reading

Ann Scheidler, the Executive Vice President of the Pro-Life Action League, joins Monte Larrick to discuss the Sanctity of Life in Illinois.

Background

Since HB 40 (taxpayer funding for abortion) has been enacted,  a new Planned Parenthood has popped up in Flossmoor, with an abortion clinic in the works for Rockford, with rumors of three or four additional abortion mills surfacing throughout the state.

With Republican governor Bruce Rauner signing HB 40 and permitting taxpayer funded abortions, it is expected that the number of abortions will greatly expand in Illinois.… Continue Reading

Since HB 40 (taxpayer funding for abortion) has been enacted,  a new Planned Parenthood has popped up in Flossmoor, with an abortion clinic in the works for Rockford, with rumors of three or four additional abortion mills surfacing throughout the state.

With Republican governor Bruce Rauner signing HB 40 and permitting taxpayer funded abortions, it is expected that the number of abortions will greatly expand in Illinois.… Continue Reading

A new ad for the Jeanne Ives for Governor campaign titled “Rauner’s Friends” brings attention to the support Bruce Rauner is receiving from radical left-wing organizations like Personal PAC.

The ad points out that Personal PAC has spent four million dollars “helping Mike Madigan defeat conservatives.” Why would a pro-Madigan political action committee that opposes conservatives support a Republican governor for re-election?

The ad explains: “Personal PAC is a pro-abortion group with the history of also funding Planned Parenthood.”… Continue Reading

Monte and Dave are back with Ralph Rivera, a lobbyist for Illinois Right to Life Action and Illinois Family Institute.

This week’s edition of Spotlight features a discussion about the March 20th primary, the lawsuit surrounding HB 40, a bill enacting taxpayer funding of abortion, SB 1564 a bill that forces medical personnel to refer women to abortion clinics, the sanctuary state legislation signed by Governor Rauner, the Equal Rights Amendment, and new legislation concerns, including physician assisted suicide, and recreational marijuana.… Continue Reading

This week’s Spotlight features a discussion about the March 20th primary, the lawsuit surrounding HB 40, a bill enacting taxpayer funding of abortion, SB 1564 a bill that forces medical personnel to refer women to abortion clinics, the sanctuary state legislation signed by Governor Rauner, the Equal Rights Amendment, and new legislation concerns, including physician assisted suicide, and recreational marijuana.… Continue Reading

The Springfield Nativity Scene Committee* (SNSC) recently held its annual opening day ceremony for their privately sponsored and funded display depicting the birth of Jesus Christ.  This display marks the 10th straight year that this display has had a place in the center of the State Capitol Rotunda.  This is possible, thanks in large part to the help of the Thomas More Society, including our guest Tom Brejcha. … Continue Reading

Because the Illinois Republican Party nominated a radical left-winger in 2014 who has demonstrated an inability to lead, three years into his term Illinois finds itself worse off than when Governor Bruce Rauner took office.

What happens when that aforementioned Republican governor is willing to spend millions of dollars of his own money to purchase support? We’re witnessing the answer as candidate Bruce Rauner meets with county party chairmen and offers them assistance — in the form of money, candidate training, website support, etc.… Continue Reading

Prayer, Pastor LeFlore said, “is required because an awakening is necessary for the darkness to be overcome.… Continue Reading

The following Bill of Particulars was unanimously endorsed today by representatives of 20 statewide pro-life and pro-family organizations at a meeting in Chicago.

Bill of Particulars

Whereas the 2016 platforms of both the national and Illinois Republican parties clearly state their opposition to taxpayer-funded abortion.

Whereas the Republican members of the Illinois House and Senate have expressed their united opposition to taxpayer-funded abortion as expressed in House Bill 40.… Continue Reading

“Governor Rauner is done…he will not be governor in January 2019,” State Rep. Peter Breen (R-Lombard) told Monte Larrick in this week’s bonus Illinois Family Spotlight podcast.

With Gov. Bruce Rauner’s signing of HB 40’s taxpayer funding of abortion, Breen said that Rauner can no longer make an effective case for his leadership. Breen explains that HB 40 is one of the worst bills ever to be signed into law in Illinois, and it happened even though Rauner looked Breen in the eye, shook his hand, and pledged to veto it.… Continue Reading

Joining Monte Larrick to talk about this ominous legislation is State Representative Peter Breen (R-Lombard), an Illinois House GOP floor leader and a pro-life leader in his own right.  Rep. Breen has been one of the most outspoken Republicans against HB 40.

Discussed in this bonus podcast: the implications of the bill, what we can do to mitigate its effects, the governors inability to outmaneuver House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago), and the question many Illinois conservatives are asking: should Governor Rauner be challenged in the March 2018 Primary Election?… Continue Reading

It hasn’t been a good couple of weeks for the pre-born in America. Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner signed HB 40, allowing for taxpayer funding of abortions. In Washington, D.C., Republicans still haven’t gotten their act together regarding their promised defunding of Planned Parenthood.

Here is Dr. Susan Berry writing a rather simple sentence:

Republicans have presented themselves to Americans as a pro-life party, and promised to defund Planned Parenthood once they had control of the House, the Senate, and the White House.

The deceitful media has talked a lot about electoral “collusion” on the national level, but there is a clear case of collusion here in Illinois and we haven’t heard a peep about it.

During the Spring session of the Illinois General Assembly, Democratic lawmakers passed  House Bill 40, on a party line vote (62-55 in the House on April 25th and 33 to 22 in the Senate on May 22nd).… Continue Reading

Politico recently reported that Governor Rauner’s “ongoing struggle with the politics of a controversial abortion bill hasn’t gone unnoticed by potential opponents.” A Democrat opponent in the 2018 gubernatorial race, J.B. Pritzker, has capitalized on “Rauner’s indecision with HB 40 by releasing a new statewide TV ad where the billionaire Democrat declares if he’s elected, HB 40 will be the first bill he signs.”

This comes on the heels of Pritzker, along with the bill’s sponsors, making a video about dropping off 4,000 postcards to Gov.… Continue Reading

Monte Larrick recently interviewed Vicki Thorn, the keynote speaker at the recent Lake County Right to Life banquet. Vicki founded Project Rachel in 1984, a ministry of the Catholic Church to post-abortive women. You can read more about this ministry here. Ms. Thorn is also the Executive Director of the National Office of Post-Abortion Reconciliation and Healing.

In this week’s Spotlight podcast, they discuss the healing process of post-abortive women, Project Rachel, some of the road-blocks to healing, the impact of abortion on men, post-abortive women in the church, and discuss whether churches are doing enough to help post-abortive men and women.… Continue Reading

They discuss the healing process of post-abortive women, Project Rachel, some of the road-blocks to the healing of post-abortive women, the impact of abortion on men, post-abortive women in the church, and are churches doing enough to help post-abortive men and women.… Continue Reading

At a recent Face the Truth Tour event, Monte Larrick interviewed Eric Scheidler, the Executive Director of the Pro Life Action League. They discuss why the Pro Life Action League does this tour where pro-baby activists and volunteers converge on a busy intersection displaying signs depicting aborted human beings.

Monte and Eric also discuss pending legislation for taxpayer funded abortion (HB 40) in Illinois, and the possibility of overturning of Roe v.… Continue Reading

In this 50th edition of the Illinois Family Spotlight podcast, IFI’s and Illinois Right to Life Action’s lobbyist Ralph Rivera gives us a recap of the spring legislative session in Springfield. Well over 6,000 bills were introduced between January 11, 2017 and May 31, 2017.  Dozens of these bills were on our radar screen. For a quick reference guide to these bills of concern, please click HERE.

In this podcast, Monte, Dave, and Ralph focus their discussions on HB 40, a bill which removes the ban on taxpayer funded abortions.… Continue Reading

The anti-baby forces are already out in full force as they stake a claim to your tax dollars to pay for their abortions. Using the dishonest and tired rhetoric of a “war on women,” the death industry seeks to punish legislators who voted against HB 40, a bill that would remove all restrictions on taxpayer funding of abortion.

One case in point is that of State Representative Mark Batinick (R-Plainfield), who was featured in one ad, asking people to call his office to ask him why he didn’t “stand up for women’s rights.”… Continue Reading

Take ACTION! Please call your state rep and ask them to vote NO to each of these bills.

HB 40 — reinstates taxpayer-funded abortions for Medicaid recipients and adds abortion coverage in state employees’ insurance plans.… Continue Reading

HB 3735 says counselors who are convicted of “intimidation” against pregnant mothers and staff members entering the abortion clinic, will be subject to longer prison stays and/or fines.… Continue Reading