UPDATE: The Topinka people say that when she was in the state Senate Topinka “voted one time to move a bill on the temp increase to the House because the House was playing games with them. All Senate Repubs did. She voted against all the tax increase bills that became law.”

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Let the negative campaign begin. From a Blagojevich press release.

The Blagojevich for Governor campaign released its first “Topinka Watch” today, the beginning of an ongoing series that will highlight State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka’s record of misleading attacks, distortions, and policy failures.

“It’s hard for voters to keep up with Judy Baar Topinka’s attacks and distortions, but we will work to set the record straight. She is hiding from her record of failures and inaction and is resorting to silly personal attacks. We believe voters deserve better and we will hold her accountable for her actions,” Blagojevich spokesperson Sheila Nix said.

The first Topinka Watch sheds light on a false claim on Topinka’s campaign website. As a State Senator in 1991, Topinka voted to make a 20 percent increase in the state income tax permanent. Yet, her campaign website claims that she “voted against all income tax increases.”

“Judy Baar Topinka does not want voters to see the clear contrast with Governor Blagojevich when it comes to taxes. She voted for a 20 percent increase in the state income tax while Governor Blagojevich held the line on taxes despite inheriting the worst budget deficit in our state’s history,” Nix said.

Topinka Watch will regularly detail the false claims and distortions of the Topinka campaign. In recent weeks, Topinka has flip-flopped on whether she wants President Bush to secretly raise money for her, has criticized Governor Blagojevich for late Medicaid payments while she personally delays the release of millions in Medicaid dollars and has failed to explain her record of votes against seat belts and child safety seats.

“With Judy Baar Topinka, the gap between her rhetoric and reality is as big as the budget deficit her friends and allies left for Governor Blagojevich. We hope Topinka Watch will help voters keep an eye on the facts,” Nix said.

They even have a nifty new logo:

The only problem is, their e-mail announcing Topinka Watch had this in the subject line: Rob Blagojevich Press Release

I didn’t know Gary Forby was working for the campaign.

UPDATE: It appears the photo in the guv’s new logo was taken from Jake Parillo’s website. Wonder if there’s a copyright problem? Here’s the original.