New “local” publication is an unwanted guest
September 15, 2022
When Lake County Gazette first arrived on my doorstep around a month ago, I paid no attention to it. It went in the trash with the rest of the junk mail.
However, when I received another copy last week, I was bored enough to skim the articles. The writers used combative headlines and highly controversial claims to desperately instill fear and paranoia. All of the articles in the paper were what I perceived to be far right opinions.
I was immediately curious. Who was publishing this and why was it coming to us?
On first glance, their website looks like just about any small town newspaper website, but upon further investigation I found a few strange things. When I went to the websites directory and clicked on the staff, it came up blank.
Some articles did have names attached to them but many of them are listed as written by the Lake County Gazette. This immediately raises concerns, so I proceeded to look into their social media accounts.
The Lake County Gazette’s Twitter has been suspended for an unknown period of time. While I agree Twitter sometimes has dubious reasons for their suspensions, this was another red flag. How many respectable newspapers are banned from Twitter?
When I clicked on their Facebook page, I noticed other residents were also upset about getting the unwanted paper. Some people were angry, other satirical. But their goal was the same: to stop getting Lake County Gazette.
I knew that there had to be some sort of big money behind this. After digging further, I found out that this newspaper is just one of dozens from a larger publishing firm known as Local Government Information Services Inc (LGIS). I went to the LGIS website and sure enough I found it listed as one of their publishing.
Dan Proft, a conservative radio host and former candidate for Illinois governor, is behind the publication. Gov. J.B. Pritzker labeled Proft’s publications as racist after a series of stories mischaracterized his criminal reform bills.
The shallow façade they construct to confuse readers as to their origin is pitiful. Who trusts a fake newspaper run by people too scared to admit who’s in charge? For a paper that “isn’t afraid to pull punches” the fact they leave their names off tells me all I need to know.
While I believe in free speech, I also believe in standing by your opinion publicly. The audacity of the people who run LGIS to market themselves as brave souls reporting the hard truth while hiding their identities and true motives is sickening.
Stand by what you say or do not say it. I cannot speak for the majority of residents, but I can speak for myself when I say I never want to see your pathetic dribble of a paper on my doorstep ever again.
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Vicky S. Kujawa • Mar 9, 2023 at 7:53 am
So if you don’t agree with it it can’t be published…..? How ‘tolerant’ of you. ?
David Fleuchaus • Oct 21, 2022 at 2:15 pm
Hello. This “newspaper” smells of one-sided bias. But I like to evaluate any claim I read by going to source documents before I develop an opinion and so I went on a hunt. The Lurie documents and positions are accurate. I found them on Lurie websites and in two school districts. The books shown are indeed in local libraries (www.world cat.org) though I only looked into three of them. The contents of the books as quoted are most likely accurate based on images of relevant pages found online. I stopped my search there. So while this newspaper appears to be propaganda, and might in fact have other biased information, the information I looked up was factually presented. Do with that what you will.
Carol • Oct 19, 2022 at 12:15 pm
Be honest, are you a Democrat critiquing this paper? If you don’t like what you see, don’t read it. This week’s publication (oct. 3 – 8) offers a front page challenge “Provide a single example of a story that is inaccurate, misleading or even unfair in your opinion and we will address and/or correct it.” More to this on the front page. The challenge has been made before with zero response. Interesting.
Katharine Christie • Oct 12, 2022 at 5:41 pm
The first issue that landed in our mailbox was shocking. Virtually every “article” in the “newspaper” presented some supposed failure or damaging social development & was accompanied by photos of black people or was about black people. Most egregious example : “Special Crime Edition – Coming next week…” is the headline below mug shot photos of two black men.
What kind of newspaper is this & how can I get off the mailing list were my first thoughts!
Dan Proft’s PAC has gotten attention for some controversial tv ads this year – it is primarily funded by local GOP donor Dick Uihlein who has even been involved in LFHS school board politics. While those tv spots are transparently political ads the mailers are less so.
Thank you for shining a light on the “The Lake County Gazette”. The views expressed are those of the people who made & paid for them – which is their right. However that information – including the fact that these are political advertisements should be clearly stated not hidden or misrepresented as independent journalism .
Jim Williams • Sep 16, 2022 at 4:04 pm
I agree with everything in the Gazette. About time a newspaper tells it like it is
Dan Maigler • Sep 16, 2022 at 11:03 pm
I think the author is saying it is fine that you agree with it but you have the courage of your convictions to put your name behind your comment and you are not trying to hide or misrepresent yourself as it sounds like the gazette is trying to do. I wish all people online had to put their real names behind their comments and be accountable for what they say. I understand that unfortunately it is not always safe to do that but there is no excuse for a publication to not be utterly transparent in where their information, authorship, and sponsorship are coming from.
Patty Fening • Sep 21, 2022 at 12:43 pm
This so-called “newspaper” is a disgrace to the name of journalism in our country. I tried to contact them to ask that they refrain from mailing a copy to me, but I have no idea how to contact them. An email address I had found bounced back. Cowards!!
William James • Oct 12, 2022 at 3:24 pm
Move to Russia.
Anita Hanna • Sep 16, 2022 at 8:30 am
Your thoughts were exactly what I was thinking! I researched this pathetic rag also! I concluded that it was a political plot to scare residents into voting for republicans candidates! I respect our political process but I don’t respect the fear mongering! I don’t respect the hiding behind fake media! This is what our country has come to, tear people down with lies! If you are going into politics, have integrity and run a campaign on your own merits!
B Cook • Sep 28, 2022 at 7:01 pm
I am sooo upset to be receiving this highly biased publication. I could tell right away it is so full of views I find to be misinformation and totally there to try to get Pritzker out. There is nothing in there that’s balanced.
I’ve emailed twice to remove my name from further mailings and it still comes. I’ve called their phone number and it was another business. The frustrated business owner says he’s getting many calls of people trying to stop receiving this publication. What an underhanded political scheme.