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Bringing it on themselves

Tuesday, Sep 21, 2010 - Posted by Rich Miller

* House Speaker Michael Madigan usually takes no chances when it comes to his district. Madigan’s Republican opponents are generally friendlies that can be counted on to safely disappear.

This year’s self-sacrificing victim is Patrick John Ryan, whom the Republicans say “is a 30-year old resident of Chicago’s 13th Ward who voted in Democratic primaries until this year.” He has no campaign committee, which means he hasn’t raised any real money.

So, the Illinois Republican Party has decided to tweak Madigan and gin up some publicity by holding a “fundraiser” for his “opponent.” The party issued this tongue in cheek press release today

“We applaud Mr. Ryan for taking on such an enormous challenge of trying to unseat Speaker Madigan, and we want to show our support,” said Chairman Brady. “He’s definitely got the intestinal fortitude we look for in our Republican challengers. I’d just like to meet him.”

The “funder” is Thursday, September 30, at English, 444 N. LaSalle Boulevard, from 5:30 – 7:30 pm. Be there!

* State Sen. Randy Hultgren has brought this story on himself

In a year in which TARP has become a dirty word from coast to coast, most Republicans are ripping the government’s decision to bail out Wall Street through the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

But one local congressional candidate can’t do that —because his day job is to market securities for a firm that offered investments backed by TARP and subsidized by another federal bailout program.

Hultgren has said he would’ve voted against TARP, and he denied that he was the lead marketer for the firm on TARP-backed securities. Here’s what his firm, PTIA, marketed…

One of the four funds offered by PTIA in the past year or so is known as Performance Trust TALF Fund Ltd. TALF stands for Term Asset-Backed Loan Facility. The TALF program was set up by the Federal Reserve Bank to help banks get toxic assets off their books by loaning those who would buy the securities up to 90% of the price at low interest rates — something that wealth adviser Carol Pepper described to Forbes Magazine as “an incredibly free lunch.”

And what about Hultgren’s flat-out denial that he was involved with marketing any of that? His firm threw him right under the bus…

But PTIA, in answer to written questions submitted by me, said, “Mr. Hultgren’s role has not changed.”

* And if you watch this video at work, make sure you have an understanding employer or you’ll be bringing some problems on yourself. It’s from Vote Naked Illinois and it’s ostensibly about encouraging early voting. As you might imagine, it’s also the most unusual Illinois political video I’ve ever seen. It’ll probably also become the most watched. The thing just went up yesterday and it has almost 3,000 views already. Take a peek


* A big down-ballot campaign roundup…

* Stark contrasts in 8th District race over abortion, guns

* 10th Dist. hopefuls back Metra’s STAR line

* Seals camp slams rival (a Christian) for attending event on Yom Kippur

* Schilling, Hare remain at odds on debating

* Schilling, Davis plan 3 debates; Hare still wants 2 on TV

* Deadline passes for scheduling more Hare, Schilling debates in 17th District race

* Treasurer candidate visits Jacksonville

* Pollak challenges Osmond for House seat

* 43rd House candidates debate budget fix

* 56th District rivals address ethics of campaign finance

* House 66 candidates call for limited spending, no tax hikes

* 91st race galvanizes over abortion issue

* Herald & Review: Flider’s campaign ad stoops too low

* Newcomer named in Kane County board race

* Candidates to take gloves off in debates

* Dist. 15 candidates talk about openness in Lake Co. government

* [McHenry] County sheriff hopefuls point out differences

       

27 Comments
  1. - fedup dem - Tuesday, Sep 21, 10 @ 1:57 pm:

    Those Republicans at Ryan’s fundraiser ought to hand out milk cartons with the picture of the “candidate” on it!


  2. - Team America - Tuesday, Sep 21, 10 @ 2:02 pm:

    Even the ultra-liberal DailyKos is smacking Dan Deals around for his ridiculous press release criticizing Bob Dold for going to a political event on Yom Kippur (neither candidate is Jewish):

    http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/9/21/13444/5119


  3. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Sep 21, 10 @ 2:03 pm:

    ===Even the ultra-liberal DailyKos===

    TA, a post with just three comments on a site that big is hardly a unanimous slam.


  4. - Team America - Tuesday, Sep 21, 10 @ 2:05 pm:

    Well, Rich, no one seems to be rushing to Seals’ defense, either.


  5. - Pat Collins - Tuesday, Sep 21, 10 @ 2:21 pm:

    vote naked

    If they had used elected officials in their ad, it might have been more interesting.

    But there is no doubt that early voting is a real thing for politicians. I dont think it increases turnout, I do think it gives candidates less time to shift opinion, turn things around.


  6. - QRBNST - Tuesday, Sep 21, 10 @ 2:25 pm:

    The people at Vote Naked Illinois clearly aren’t worried about fat people voting.


  7. - ivoted4judy - Tuesday, Sep 21, 10 @ 2:30 pm:

    Any money raised for Ryan and actually delivered to him will eventually end up in the 13th Ward Democrats account. Madigan wins again>>


  8. - QRBNST - Tuesday, Sep 21, 10 @ 2:34 pm:

    Just because a committee raises funds to support the election of a candidate, does not necessarily mean that the candidate will ever get his hands on the money.

    For example, 3rd party advertising in support of candidates that was neither “approved” nor “paid for” by the candidate.


  9. - Levois - Tuesday, Sep 21, 10 @ 2:41 pm:

    Well this merely begs the question: Are there Republicans in Madigan’s district? :P


  10. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Sep 21, 10 @ 2:42 pm:

    Levois, the district has changed, but Reagan won it in 80 and 84.


  11. - Fed up - Tuesday, Sep 21, 10 @ 2:43 pm:

    Maybe the states attorney general could look into these faux candidates.


  12. - Just Observing - Tuesday, Sep 21, 10 @ 2:45 pm:

    As a Jew, I am somewhat offended by Seals’ baseless and meaningless attack on Dold. It is such a silly attack. The Jewish community does not expect non-Jews to cease all business on the Jewish holidays. The Jewish community will not be swayed by such pandering.. if anything, it is a turn off. Dan Seals will better serve the 10th District, Jewish and non-Jewish, by talking about real, not contrived issues.


  13. - CircularFiringSquad - Tuesday, Sep 21, 10 @ 2:58 pm:

    Gotta wonder why Gags Brady is not smart enough to do the funder in the district? But then this is the genius who brought the band that sells strip club underwear to the state fair — actually it was the bad band ….

    Another brilliant move Gags


  14. - Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Sep 21, 10 @ 3:02 pm:

    If the Herald & Review thinks that its a “new low” to accuse your opponent of pay-to-play politics when they receive a campaign contribution within days of casting a vote that benefited the donor financially, they are in for a rough-and-tumble election season.

    1. I love the “Adam Brown’s not as big of a crook as Rod Blagojevich” defense;

    2. I love the “Staff approved of this contract first” defense — as if Rod Blagojevich’s staff never greenlighted a contract for a campaign donor.

    Keep swingin’ Bob!


  15. - wordslinger - Tuesday, Sep 21, 10 @ 3:15 pm:

    The Illinois GOP, in a knowlingly “clever” gag, hosts a fundraiser in the Southwest Side race of Patrick John Ryan vs. Michael Madigan at a place called……”English” in the Loop.

    That’s about right.


  16. - VanillaMan - Tuesday, Sep 21, 10 @ 3:16 pm:

    Hare has the uncomfortable spot of looking like he is avoiding his voters who need to be won over this late in the campaign. I’m not sure who he is expecting to carry him to victory, but he is definately basing his hopes on unions and his district’s historic leanings.

    He is really stumbling. Schilling’s campaign is opening up town hall meetings and feeling that their candidate can answer any questions thrown at him, while Hare is doing the opposite. Hare has some room to retreat, but he needs to start addressing voter’s concerns bravely. I don’t envy him, but it is what he needs to do to defend himself right now.

    Hare isn’t a good campainger, but he can’t win votes based strictly on party loyalties this year. He shouldn’t be losing, but he is.


  17. - D.P. Gumby - Tuesday, Sep 21, 10 @ 3:18 pm:

    I wonder if they asked any of the candidates to participate in the Naked Illinois video??


  18. - Siriusly - Tuesday, Sep 21, 10 @ 3:21 pm:

    That Vote Naked ad is my favorite TV commercial of the year. Well done!!

    If they raise any funds for the Madigan opponent, he can use them how he pleases I assume. Does the guy even have a committee? A bank account? - I’m guessing not. Good luck giving those checks to someone.

    The Seals move was inevitable. I’ve been waiting for the guy to do something to sink himself. I thought Aviva Gibbs was smarter than that - surprised to see her make that comment.

    This is the kind of move that could turn Jewish voters off, give them an excuse to vote for a likeable Republican. Nice one Dan.


  19. - wordslinger - Tuesday, Sep 21, 10 @ 3:30 pm:

    –Schilling’s campaign is opening up town hall meetings and feeling that their candidate can answer any questions thrown at him, while Hare is doing the opposite.–

    VMAn, are these observations first-hand accounts from the campaign trail? A summary of what you’ve read? Or just stuff you made up?


  20. - Bubs - Tuesday, Sep 21, 10 @ 3:44 pm:

    The fundraiser for Ryan is pretty funny. The only sad thing about Democratic stooge candidates is that they sometimes get endorsed by GOP organizations that are Democratic stooges as well.


  21. - Rahm's Parking Meter - Tuesday, Sep 21, 10 @ 3:49 pm:

    As someone who works with the Jewish community and as a former 10th District resident, I also have to say that this attack is offline. It is an insult for a campaign to dictate what holidays another candidate must have off. If Quinn attacked SLC for campaigning on any holiday, I would be equally stunned. Rabbi Balinsky is the director of the Chicago Board of Rabbis. If he has no problem with it, why should Aviva Gibbs?


  22. - Draznnl (Rhymes with orange) - Tuesday, Sep 21, 10 @ 4:52 pm:

    My dog just said I should vote for SLC.


  23. - Kent - Tuesday, Sep 21, 10 @ 5:31 pm:

    State Sen. Randy Hultgren - a toxic asset salesman and a career Springfield politician now wants to be a congressman?


  24. - Gene - Tuesday, Sep 21, 10 @ 8:25 pm:

    There was a report in April that Hultgren also has failed to pay tens of thousands in taxes for his campaign employees, leaving hard-working Illinois taxpayers holding the bag. Do we see a pattern here? Tax dodging & lying… what other taxes has he been dodging?


  25. - too obvious - Tuesday, Sep 21, 10 @ 8:27 pm:

    Instead of playing childish games and whining, why didn’t Pat Brady recruit a better candidate to run against Madigan, if he doesn’t like the current candidate? Isn’t it Pat Brady’s party? Why would Pat Brady let Madigan run his party and choose gop candidates?

    Because Pat Brady is a clown that’s why.


  26. - obvious - Tuesday, Sep 21, 10 @ 8:53 pm:

    Mr. Hultgren was selling “the fund at one point had $10 million in assets and limited investors to those prepared to plunk down at least $1 million” - that’s helping average folks like us, he claimed?

    Even worse - the fund was based in the Cayman Islands “so that investors could deduct on their state tax returns the interest paid on their loan from the Fed. Otherwise, the result would have been a negative investment return.” Good god!! That’s sick.


  27. - Liandro - Wednesday, Sep 22, 10 @ 1:39 am:

    Keep trying, obvious. What’s “sick” is our ridiculous tax code altogether. This is hardly the worst of it’s shortcomings, and the shortcoming is that a firm is more welcome elsewhere to begin with.

    As for your cheap shot on “helping average folks”, I don’t think the point of Mr. Hultgren’s day job (or most people’s) is to “help” any given person besides his clients and his company…perhaps you’re thinking of his job as a State Senator, where he HAS been fighting for us.

    I volunteer in my community to “help” out. This contrasts to when I go into work, where I’m earning a living. Differentiate the two, please.


Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.


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