Changes

The GOP committeeman in the early 1980’s was Dean Sodaro.  A barely competent attorney, he somehow got slated for judge.  He divorced his wife and began a liaison with his law student at the second tier law school Chicago-Kent School of Law, Jennifer Prager Sodaro, who whom he then lived on Forest Avenue.  Prager was the daughter of the corrupt Berwyn village president, [[Betty Maltese]], who was convicted and imprisoned for embezzling large amounts of money from the Berwyn coffers.

The GOP committeeman in the early 1980’s was Dean Sodaro.  A barely competent attorney, he somehow got slated for judge.  He divorced his wife and began a liaison with his law student at the second tier law school Chicago-Kent School of Law, Jennifer Prager Sodaro, who whom he then lived on Forest Avenue.  Prager was the daughter of the corrupt Berwyn village president, [[Betty Maltese]], who was convicted and imprisoned for embezzling large amounts of money from the Berwyn coffers.

==The 1990’s in Oak Park===  

==The 1990’s in Oak Park==

Sodaro died in 1991 at the age of 64, and a local attorney and GOP voter Paul Sengpiehl appointed himself as the greeter at the funeral parlor door, to the disdain of Jennifer Sodaro.

Sodaro died in 1991 at the age of 64, and a local attorney and GOP voter Paul Sengpiehl appointed himself as the greeter at the funeral parlor door, to the disdain of Jennifer Sodaro.

Upon Dean Sodaro’s death, Jennifer kept the home on Forest Avenue, and the GOP leadership transferred to his ex-wife, Jean.  Jennifer then took a live-in boyfriend, and they held séances as part of their new age interests.

Upon Dean Sodaro’s death, Jennifer kept the home on Forest Avenue, and the GOP leadership transferred to his ex-wife, Jean.  Jennifer then took a live-in boyfriend, and they held séances as part of their new age interests.

===Golden Era==

===Golden Era===

Well-meaning, Jean did little to further the local GOP.  The only candidate she slated was [[Les Golden|Let Cut-the-Taxes Golden]] <ref>(1996) Kass, John, “Nothing dull about 7th race – U.S. House contest full of controversy,” ''Chicago Tribune'', March 8, Section 2, p. 1</ref><ref>(1992) Zorn, Eric, “But Yakov seems so, so . . . judicial,” ''Chicago Tribune'', March 10, Section 2, p. 1</ref><ref>(1996) Montgomery, Susan, “GOP slates Golden to run for state rep,” ''Oak Leaves'', July 3, p. 10</ref><ref>http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=16936&WhenStart=2011-08-06+12%3A51%3A32</ref><ref> (1996) “Cut taxing districts,” ''Berwyn Life'' October 9, p. 22 </ref><ref>http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/773242/posts</ref><ref>(2002), Mission:  Fool voters (editorial), ''Chicago Tribune'', January 18, p. 18 </ref><ref> http://anti-state.com/forum/index.php?board=2;action=display;threadid=1446</ref><ref>http://ddd-hph.dlconsulting.com/cgi-bin/newshph?a=d&d=HPH19980107.2.3&cl=&srpos=0&st=1&e=00-00-0000-99-99-9999--20--1----Sen.+Obama-all</ref><ref>http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2002-09-18/news/0209180186_1_ballots-fractional-jagielski </ref><ref> http://www.oakpark.com/News/Articles/10-30-2002/Golden_wins_Cut-The-Taxes_suit,_sues_again_</ref><ref>http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2002-10-16/news/0210160202_1_blagojevich-spokesman-doug-scofield-illinois-state-board </ref><ref>Zorn, Eric. (1995) This candidate is a Cut the Taxes above the rest,  ''Chicago Tribune'' (Metrowest), October 3,  p. 1; http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1995-10-03/news/9510030038_1_wallace-gator-bradley-candidates-taxes </ref><ref>http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2002-10-23/news/0210230072_1_golden-ballot-orr </ref><ref>http://www.actuarialoutpost.com/actuarial_discussion_forum/showthread.php?p=136091</ref><ref>www.highbeam.com/doc/1N1-1110F700ED5B9A50.html</ref><ref>http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/news_columnists_ezorn/2009/09/should-we-use-cheryle-robinson-jackson-or-stick-with-cheryle-jackson-.html</ref><ref> (1996) Hevrkejs, Judy and Conklin, Mike, “Cutting Les,” ''Chicago Tribune'', March 12, p. 2</ref><ref> (1996) “ ‘Cut the Taxes’ cut from GOP ballot,” ''West Suburban Post'', March 8, p. 5</ref><ref>http://forums.gunbroker.com/pop_printer_friendly.asp?TOPIC_ID=34426</ref><ref>http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?DocName=001000050HArt%2E+16&ActID=170&ChapterID=3&SeqStart=56200000&SeqEnd=57400000; see 10 ILCS 5/16-3 (e); </ref><ref>10 ILCS 5/16-3 (e)</ref> <ref>http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2003-06-03/news/0306030127_1_orr-slogans-78th-district; (2003) Groark, Virginia, “Legislature cuts the slogans from names on ballot,” <i>Chicago Tribune</i>, June 3</ref><ref> Trainor, Ken (1997), “Who is Les Golden?”, ''Wednesday Journal of Oak Park and  River Forest'', April 2, p. 29-37 </ref>  <ref>www.champaigncountyclerk.com/elections/docs/2012/2012CanGuide.pdf</ref><ref>www.elections.il.gov/downloads/electioninformationcourth/pdf/2011canguide.pdf </ref>  .  Golden had led the local [[CARE Party of Oak Park|CARE Party]] since 1989, .<ref>see, for example, (1989) CARE joins school board fray, <i>Wednesday Journal of Oak Park and River Forest</i> , July 31, page 1; (1989) CARE tries to seek new identity, <i>Oak Leaves</i>,  October 11, page 7; (1990) CARE endorsements have defeat the "incumbent" goal, <i>Wednesday Journal of Oak Park and River Forest</i> , October 31, page 21; (1991) CARE challenges shake up village races, <i>Wednesday Journal of Oak Park and River Forest</i>, February 6, page 1;  

Well-meaning, Jean did little to further the local GOP.  The only candidate she slated was [[Les Golden|Let Cut-the-Taxes Golden]] <ref>(1996) Kass, John, “Nothing dull about 7th race – U.S. House contest full of controversy,” ''Chicago Tribune'', March 8, Section 2, p. 1</ref><ref>(1992) Zorn, Eric, “But Yakov seems so, so . . . judicial,” ''Chicago Tribune'', March 10, Section 2, p. 1</ref><ref>(1996) Montgomery, Susan, “GOP slates Golden to run for state rep,” ''Oak Leaves'', July 3, p. 10</ref><ref>http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=16936&WhenStart=2011-08-06+12%3A51%3A32</ref><ref> (1996) “Cut taxing districts,” ''Berwyn Life'' October 9, p. 22 </ref><ref>http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/773242/posts</ref><ref>(2002), Mission:  Fool voters (editorial), ''Chicago Tribune'', January 18, p. 18 </ref><ref> http://anti-state.com/forum/index.php?board=2;action=display;threadid=1446</ref><ref>http://ddd-hph.dlconsulting.com/cgi-bin/newshph?a=d&d=HPH19980107.2.3&cl=&srpos=0&st=1&e=00-00-0000-99-99-9999--20--1----Sen.+Obama-all</ref><ref>http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2002-09-18/news/0209180186_1_ballots-fractional-jagielski </ref><ref> http://www.oakpark.com/News/Articles/10-30-2002/Golden_wins_Cut-The-Taxes_suit,_sues_again_</ref><ref>http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2002-10-16/news/0210160202_1_blagojevich-spokesman-doug-scofield-illinois-state-board </ref><ref>Zorn, Eric. (1995) This candidate is a Cut the Taxes above the rest,  ''Chicago Tribune'' (Metrowest), October 3,  p. 1; http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1995-10-03/news/9510030038_1_wallace-gator-bradley-candidates-taxes </ref><ref>http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2002-10-23/news/0210230072_1_golden-ballot-orr </ref><ref>http://www.actuarialoutpost.com/actuarial_discussion_forum/showthread.php?p=136091</ref><ref>www.highbeam.com/doc/1N1-1110F700ED5B9A50.html</ref><ref>http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/news_columnists_ezorn/2009/09/should-we-use-cheryle-robinson-jackson-or-stick-with-cheryle-jackson-.html</ref><ref> (1996) Hevrkejs, Judy and Conklin, Mike, “Cutting Les,” ''Chicago Tribune'', March 12, p. 2</ref><ref> (1996) “ ‘Cut the Taxes’ cut from GOP ballot,” ''West Suburban Post'', March 8, p. 5</ref><ref>http://forums.gunbroker.com/pop_printer_friendly.asp?TOPIC_ID=34426</ref><ref>http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?DocName=001000050HArt%2E+16&ActID=170&ChapterID=3&SeqStart=56200000&SeqEnd=57400000; see 10 ILCS 5/16-3 (e); </ref><ref>10 ILCS 5/16-3 (e)</ref> <ref>http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2003-06-03/news/0306030127_1_orr-slogans-78th-district; (2003) Groark, Virginia, “Legislature cuts the slogans from names on ballot,” <i>Chicago Tribune</i>, June 3</ref><ref> Trainor, Ken (1997), “Who is Les Golden?”, ''Wednesday Journal of Oak Park and  River Forest'', April 2, p. 29-37 </ref>  <ref>www.champaigncountyclerk.com/elections/docs/2012/2012CanGuide.pdf</ref><ref>www.elections.il.gov/downloads/electioninformationcourth/pdf/2011canguide.pdf </ref>  .  Golden had led the local [[CARE Party of Oak Park|CARE Party]] since 1989, .<ref>see, for example, (1989) CARE joins school board fray, <i>Wednesday Journal of Oak Park and River Forest</i> , July 31, page 1; (1989) CARE tries to seek new identity, <i>Oak Leaves</i>,  October 11, page 7; (1990) CARE endorsements have defeat the "incumbent" goal, <i>Wednesday Journal of Oak Park and River Forest</i> , October 31, page 21; (1991) CARE challenges shake up village races, <i>Wednesday Journal of Oak Park and River Forest</i>, February 6, page 1;  

Ryan was elected.  As Secretary of State he had taken bribes to give truckers licenses.  One such, in a highly publicized event, let to the death of the children o the Willis family (unrelated to Richard Willis).  Convicted, Ryan remains in jail.  His wife died during his incarceration.  Shel Marcus was defeated in his next run for committeeman.

Ryan was elected.  As Secretary of State he had taken bribes to give truckers licenses.  One such, in a highly publicized event, let to the death of the children o the Willis family (unrelated to Richard Willis).  Convicted, Ryan remains in jail.  His wife died during his incarceration.  Shel Marcus was defeated in his next run for committeeman.

=The 2000’s in Oak Park==

==The 2000’s in Oak Park==

Having felt the taste of power, Meyer ran for committeeman in 2002.  He pulled off the same trick as had Sengpiehl.  An active member of the born-again Christian Calvary Church, where in fact he had met his wife, he had his fellow parishioners flood the ballot box and he defeated Sengpiehl.  This was again, no doubt, in the name of Christ.

Having felt the taste of power, Meyer ran for committeeman in 2002.  He pulled off the same trick as had Sengpiehl.  An active member of the born-again Christian Calvary Church, where in fact he had met his wife, he had his fellow parishioners flood the ballot box and he defeated Sengpiehl.  This was again, no doubt, in the name of Christ.

The next four years were barely better than the previous under Lynch.  She raised no money and slated no candidates.  Following Golden’s lead of previous elections, she held one or two poorly attended debate parties at local homes.

The next four years were barely better than the previous under Lynch.  She raised no money and slated no candidates.  Following Golden’s lead of previous elections, she held one or two poorly attended debate parties at local homes.