* The ads attacking Congressman Aaron Schock over his vote for the “fiscal cliff” resolution are more widespread than first reported…
The ads have been running on Fox News stations on cable systems across the 18th Congressional District, said Steve Shearer, Schock’s chief of staff. Similar radio ads have also been running in the district from the same sponsoring group — Jobs & Progress Fund.
An official of WICS-TV in Springfield said the group has purchased $34,300 worth of time combined on that Springfield broadcast station and its sister station in Champaign, WICD. Those ads started running Wednesday and are scheduled to continue through Jan. 26, said Jennifer Valenti, local sales manager at WICS. […]
In a radio ad being played in Springfield, a man and woman are talking about Schock. The man says that Schock “sided with the liberals and raised taxes.”
“Unbelievable,” the woman says.
* Schock’s office has sent a letter to stations demanding that they stop running the ads…
The passage of H.R. 8 on January 1st cut taxes significantly. Indeed, the universally respected and non-partisan Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation and the Congressional Budget Office each scored H.R. 8 as nearly a four trillion dollar revenue decrease over the next decade. […]
Your station is hereby on notice that the Advertisement makes false statements intended to deliberately deceive Illinois voters and defame Congressman Schock’s reputation. Based on the foregoing, we respectfully demand that your station immediately cease the airing of this false and misleading Advertisement.
*** UPDATE *** From Congressman Schock’s office…
STARadio Quincy, parent company of QuincyJournal.com, has received a cease and desist letter from lawyers for Aaron Schock regarding the ad. STARadio Vice President and General Manager Mike Moyers says the company will comply and not accept a scheduled ad buy for next week.
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
* The more calls I make, the more I’m starting to think he might be serious this time around…
Sneed has learned former White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley has commissioned the prestigious polling firm of Anzalone Liszt, which does polling for President Barack Obama and Illinois Senate President John Cullerton, to determine his viability in a race for governor of Illinois.
“We are hoping he’ll run, but the polls will tell all,” said a top Dem source.
Sneed is told the results of the poll will be released soon, although a call to the Montgomery, Ala., firm would not officially confirm or deny Sneed’s tip.
We’ll see.
* Meanwhile…
Last fall’s general election in Illinois saw $1.6 million in independent expenditures in targeted races for 15 House and 16 Senate seats, more than $900,000 of which was used negatively to oppose candidates, according to a January report by the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform.
The top five committees reporting the most independent expenditures, according to the report, were: JOBS PAC ($412,932), Personal PAC ($334,392), National Association of Realtors ($232,500), Liberty Principles PAC ($215,168), and GOPAC Illinois Legislative Fund ($186,524).
All told, those five committees spent the bulk of all independent expenditures while achieving success in only 12 of the 31 races they targeted. Out of all independent expenditures, the SuperPACs only had success in 19 of 77 races.
While independent expenditures only made up about 5.5% of the $29.4 million that candidates reported raising in the fall’s targeted legislative races, David Morrison, deputy director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, predicted a larger SuperPAC role in 2014 statewide elections.
“We have some experience with these but not at the state and local level,” Morrison said at an Illinois Campaign Finance Reform Task Force hearing Thursday. “We expect to see significant SuperPAC involvement in the governor’s race.”
There will definitely be bigtime SuperPAC involvement in 2014. Bet on it.
* Here’s the list of the top spenders in legislative races, according to ICPR’s interim report…
The JOBS PAC $412,932
Personal PAC Independent Committee $334,392
National Association of REALTORS® Fund $232,500
Liberty Principles PAC $215,168
GOPAC Illinois Legislative Fund $186,524
For the Good of Illinois PAC $78,430
Republican State Leadership Committee- IE Com $74,799
Citizens for a Better Quincy $60,000
Illinois Immigrant Action PAC $22,378
Adam for IL Committee (Adam Andrzejewski) $20,000
* One of the biggest winners was Personal PAC…
Illinois Immigrant Action PAC was another big winner…
Liberty Principles PAC was a big loser…
From the report…
Former Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Proft filed the Statement of Organization for Liberty Principles with the State Board of Elections and also filed a statement of organization with the Federal Elections Commission. […]
Most of the receipts reported by the federal Liberty Principles PAC came from two donors: Richard Uihlein at $125,000 (of Uline Industries, his giving includes $50,000 received on March 20 and disclosed on April 12, $50,000 received on August 24 and disclosed on October 15, and $25,000 received on October 29 and disclosed on December 6) and real estate developer John Buck at $100,000 (received on June 29 and disclosed on July 12). All told, the federal PAC received $65,500 prior to Election Day that was not reported to the public until one month afterwards.
* And the Justice Department is suing the State Board of Elections over the 2nd Congressional District special primary…
The U.S. Department of Justice is suing the Illinois State Board of Elections, saying it hasn’t allowed enough time for military personnel serving overseas to know who they can vote for in the special election to replace U.S. Rep Jesse Jackson.
By law, overseas U.S. voters were supposed to receive by Saturday absentee ballots that include the names of all qualified candidates’ for the Second Congressional District primary, the federal lawsuit filed late Thursday says.
But snafus mean they aren’t likely to receive the full printed ballots for at least another two weeks, it’s alleged.
Though federal law requires that overseas voters receive their ballots 45 days before the Feb. 26 primary, state law gives candidates until Monday to challenge their rivals’ nominating papers. Those challenges could take the state another two weeks to deal with, leaving overseas voters less than half the time they’re supposed to have to vote, the lawsuit says.
In an attempt to get around the federal law, Gov. Pat Quinn signed a state amendment in December that required overseas voters be sent blank “write in” ballots by Saturday — but the Justice Department says that won’t fly.
It wants a federal judge to intervene to ensure that overseas voters’ rights are protected and that their votes are counted — though the lawsuit doesn’t specify how that should happen or whether the primary should be delayed.
- Just Observing - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 12:41 pm:
Unless there is a reason that isn’t immediately clear to me, 45 in advance of an election for military personnel to receive ballots seems a bit of a stretch. But I guess, maybe, if someone’s out in the field for a few weeks it ensures they have time.
- Small Town Liberal - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 12:43 pm:
Pretty hilarious that Schock is forced to defend Obama’s fiscal cliff deal as a huge tax cut.
What’s with the whining cease and desist letter? This seems pretty tame as far as misleading political ads go. He better get some thicker skin if he’s planning on moving on to bigger things.
- WizzardOfOzzie - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 12:50 pm:
Anzalone & Liszt were also Pat Quinn’s pollsters in the primary. They left when AKPD was let go.
- Red Ranger - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 12:51 pm:
Bingo Small Town Lib! If Team Schock is this sensitive to that ad, can you imagine what it will be like when Bruce Rauner spends $3 million on ads against just him? He’ll have to hire a staffer just to call TV and radio stations to demand that ads be pulled.
- Bill - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 12:58 pm:
LOL at Proft. Give it up, dude!
- Crank Houston - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 1:06 pm:
I’m sure the Dillard folk have nothing to do with the Schock ads.
- siriusly - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 1:08 pm:
I think its likely not Dillard, but probably the DC Tax Pledge zealots who are trying to make an example of a GOP House member.
- the Patriot - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 1:37 pm:
I hope Daley will run. We will likely end up with another failed Chicago politiican as the next Governor whether it is Quinn, Daley, or Lisa Madigan. Daley is the one democrats can’t tell the boys down south he really cares about you. It may actually allow us to have an election about what this state really is…not republican vs. Democrat, but Chicago vs. Everyone else.
- bored now - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 1:43 pm:
hmmm, how many people in uniform OVERSEAS are registered to vote in the 2nd CD? this seems like a waste of resources, unless of course the justice department is going to pay for an election that does not coincide with (the small number of) village and township primaries being held at the end of february…
- OneMan - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 1:53 pm:
Well rules and rules and well known rules are well known rules.
Why do I suspect if it was some other group being partially disenfranchised (yeah that is a bit strong, I will give you that) would folks be cool with something like this.
- Jimbo - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 2:00 pm:
I’m no fan of the congressman, but that ad is a ridiculous smear in a non-election year. It should absolutely get yanked off the air.
- Small Town Liberal - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 2:08 pm:
- what this state really is…not republican vs. Democrat, but Chicago vs. Everyone else. -
Another victim heard from. I seem to remember from history class that patriots typically didn’t just sit around whining about perceived injustice. Maybe I’m misremembering wrong.
- The Captain - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 2:30 pm:
- what this state really is…not republican vs. Democrat, but Chicago vs. Everyone else. -
I’m just impressed that the House and Senate Dems were able to win super majorities with only Chicago based districts. How delightfully impressive.
- titan - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 2:46 pm:
@bored now - seeing as the DOJ 2nd District lawsuit has already been settled with a consent decree, it looks like the reporter missed the fact that it was a piece of “prepackaged litigation” where the conclusion was worked out before it was even filed.
- IrishPirate - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 2:51 pm:
Joravsky in the Reader has an interesting take on Mare Rahm’s view of a potential Daley run.
http://www.chicagoreader.com/Bleader/archives/2013/01/09/mayor-rahm-sabotages-bill-daleys-run-for-governor
- Sonic - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 3:27 pm:
It’s not “thin skinned” to respond to attacks. It’s stupid not to respond with everything possible. The anti-Schock ad has already been yanked from the air and most stations will follow suit.
The reason for this ad is the Republican primary for Governor. If you were gazillionaire Bruce Rauner, who would you fear in a primary, Dillard/Rutherford or Schock? Dillard is still in debt and has no money for ads like this. This has Rauner all over it.
Rauner, the guy who gave Rahm $250,000. Rauner,whose wife is on the national board of Emily’s List who only support left wingers for Congress. She is also on the board of Personal PAC. In fact, Emily’s List was one of the biggest donors to Bustos in her race to defeat Republican freshman Congressman Bobby Schilling. Rauner who has given more to Democrats than to Republicans. Rauner’s millions can’t hide those facts.
- ZC - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 3:29 pm:
Given how narrow the window is for fundraising, any of the 2nd district candidates who can, ahem, “persuade” a big Super PAC to go to the airwaves for them could have a huge leg up. Oh to be a fly on those walls right now.
- SuperPAC - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 3:37 pm:
This has Rauner written all over it. Schock would scare me in a primary too. But you can’t buy a base.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 3:43 pm:
This “Jobs and Progress” outfit smells like a DC thing, not a state thing. Boehner is a wounded leader and naturally somebody is trying to grab the gavel. Whoever it is just sent Schock a message. I’d bet Eric Cantor is behind this.
- Easy - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 3:48 pm:
Even Norquist agrees that Schock worked to cut taxes. this is a classic demagogue hit job. Schock made the responsible vote and now a few billionaires are unhappy.
- Spuds MacKenzie - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 3:51 pm:
I am hearing stations are already refusing to air the ad. Wonder how that makes Rauner feel. I would assume he would be happy right? Since he didn’t have anything to do with it.
- Colossus - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 3:54 pm:
47th - That’s an interesting angle I hadn’t thought of. I’m leaning more in Rauner’s direction than Cantor’s. If anything, I would think Cantor would want to make sure Schock was on his side. Wasn’t Schock a junior member of the Young Gunz?
- Empire - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 3:54 pm:
“Siriusly”, actual the ‘DC Tax Pledge zealots’ you reference side with Schock that this was the biggest tax cut in US history, not an increase…check out Americans For Tax Reform’s website yourself. As for the Ad, it’s got Raudner Wreak all over it…his first step into the governor’s race has been to try and spend big money to decieve the residents of Illinois…guess he’ll fit right in
- SuperPAC - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 3:57 pm:
Nice spelling Empire. That post is as coherent as Rauner’s hacky attack ad.
- Steve Brown - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 3:57 pm:
Reliable sources and the State Board of Elections note there is no law suit in the 2nd CD.
Actually the manner the special election was called avoided the law suite and had DOJ approval.
Sorry to step up so late to clear up the confusion. but better late than never.
- Chuck45 - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 3:59 pm:
This ad is crazy. I don’t believe it for a minute. Rauner-write any big checks lately?
- gtcr - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 3:59 pm:
right out of the box and rauner’s DC team get their ads pulled. not a good beginning.
- MaryLou - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 4:01 pm:
It’s much easier to sit back and sling mud from the sidelines than to actually govern. Real people look at Schock’s record and see that he works for them even when the decisions aren’t easy. Rauner’s tactics are the worst kind of politics.
- roberto - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 4:04 pm:
ATR ruled that Schock’s vote didn’t raise taxes, so the entire basis for this clumsy hit is a lie not even backed by the most strict anti-tax activists. It’s time Illinois politics were based on facts
- Whine unity - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 4:06 pm:
After all of the attack ads Schock has financed and paid for — all the misleading ads and mailers he has backed — he has the audacity to cry foul?! Sob.
- roberto - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 4:09 pm:
Tv stations have a right to know when people are lying on their airwaves, schock is just helping them do the right thing and clear the air of hackish untruths like these absurd and transparent attacks
- Huck - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 4:11 pm:
Whoever is behind this ad must be a secret liberal because they are attacking someone for supporting a tax cut. That is all.
- Demoralized - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 4:14 pm:
==Your station is hereby on notice that the Advertisement makes false statements intended to deliberately deceive Illinois voters and defame Congressman Schock’s reputation. Based on the foregoing, we respectfully demand that your station immediately cease the airing of this false and misleading Advertisement.==
As opposed to any other political ad? I’m sure if candidates had only known all they had to do was send a letter to get negative ads against them pulled the last campaing season would have been much more pleasant.
- Capt. Renault - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 4:19 pm:
Shocked. SHOCKED. That a billionaire would blast schock for providing tax cuts to the middle class but not billionaires.
- Jeff Trigg - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 4:45 pm:
Compared to the “Super PACs” how much has the IEA, IFT, AFSMCE, SEIU, etc thrown into campaigns this year? How much the pat 5 years, 10 years, 20 years?
Seems like a hit job on non-liberal campaign spending to me when they don’t consider the unions, government and private sector.
ICPR might not want to admit that the TEACHER UNIONS rule Illinois with their campaign contributions over the past 20 years, but that is reality. Surprised the idiot liberals didn’t blame the Kocks too, in this biased “report”. Wake up.
- Jaded - Friday, Jan 11, 13 @ 5:07 pm:
Just saw the ad. I like Schock, think he made the right vote, think the ad is baloney, but politics ain’t bean-bag.