* I told subscribers about this earlier today…
A 91-year-old World War II veteran from Auburn says he is “absolutely outraged” that his political views were “completely” mischaracterized in campaign fliers put out by a union organization.
“They took advantage of an old man,” Vincent Speranza wrote in a letter distributed to area newspapers after he saw a flier, from Service Employees International Union Healthcare, that has him attacking state Rep. Sara Wojcicki Jimenez, R-Leland Grove, and Gov. Bruce Rauner, over proposed cuts to funding for a home-care program.
The flier also backs Jimenez’s opponent in the 99th House District, Democrat Tony DelGiorno of Springfield.
Speranza said he received a call Friday morning from Jimenez. He said he backs her candidacy, and he offered to campaign with her.
“We had a nice chat,” Speranza said.
* Here’s the mailer…
* And here’s the resulting letter to the editor from Speranza…
* Meanwhile, check out the latest mailer sent by the ILGOP on behalf of Rep. Wojcicki Jimenez…
- Team Sleep - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 2:11 pm:
This is a huge mistake on SEIU’s and Mr. DelGiorno’s parts.
- Southern - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 2:15 pm:
The Madigan mailer is a complete mischaracterization. Madigan has never worn his pants that low.
- Publius - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 2:18 pm:
Wow rich how much money has DelGiorno received from madigan?
- Thunder Fred - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 2:19 pm:
Funny that they used a picture of Sara from back in the days she was still a democrat. Is that photo from the Giannoulias administration file?
- John Rawls - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 2:19 pm:
Mike Madigan and the Committee of Public Safety he controls.
- Publius - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 2:24 pm:
Did Jimenez say anything about the content of the ad?
How can her campaign use the puppet line after being appointed by the governor to the legislature even when local GOP wanted someone else and repeatedly voted against the district.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 2:24 pm:
What a mess.
Dear Labor Groups,
Hows about ya worry about convincing your members to stop voting for Raunerites and leave the other messaging to those that can follow through with actually getting permission to do things.
It’s not embarrassing, it’s political malpractice. This will now backfire at a higher rate then what coulda been got if this was not… awfully wrong.
To the ILGOP mailer.
The creative arm of the ILGOP on vacation or just not trying anymore?
That’s the “best” they can do? Seriously, this is what you point up as “good work”
The check cashes the same I guess, the quality of work just doesn’t matter.
- Jake From Elwood - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 2:27 pm:
Can everybody just leave this poor guy alone.
Jeez.
- Grand Avenue - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 2:29 pm:
The IRP ad has the feel of the schlocky ads that have been sent out by DPI for years
- Jon - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 2:35 pm:
While not receiving the above SEIU flyer, I received one about a week ago with a disabled woman on the front that made me wonder whether consent was given or not to use her image and story.
I have some issues with SEIU using clients in their political advertisements. I won’t go so far to state SEIU coerced the individuals, but if some of their clients are totally dependent upon the care provided by SEIU providers and the alternative is custodial care in a long term care facility, there may be some hesitancy for the client to say no to being the center of a mailer.
While it is a stretch to apply any kind of ethical standard to Illinois elections, SEIU may have crossed the line with these mailers.
- phocion - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 2:42 pm:
Speaker Madigan sure looks dapper in that red bow tie. He should wear it more often.
- AC - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 2:43 pm:
Tony DelGiorno is one of the most likeable candidates I’ve ever spoke with, I hate to see a misstep like this hurt his chances. The other mailer, on it’s own is nothing I’d be proud of either. “Reign of terror” is some of the least creative and ridiculous hyperbole I’ve read in a while.
- Responsa - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 2:45 pm:
This unethical “the end justifies the means” philosophy of trying to win elections is disgusting. Mr. Speranza seems to be sharp as a tack and (though he shouldn’t have to) as a veteran he sounds ready to suit up to fight another battle if he has to. SEIU picked on the wrong guy.
- @MisterJayEm - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 2:46 pm:
– MrJM
- Honeybear - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 2:49 pm:
On the other hand, who looks at mailers and letters to the editor any more?
- Grand Avenue - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 2:50 pm:
I think that’s the first time I’ve ever seen the word “counter-brochure”
- Liberty - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 2:54 pm:
The SEIU mailer is bizarre… there has to more to that story…
- Responsa - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 2:55 pm:
What SEIU did to Vincent Speranza was HB’s favorite word–perfidy.
- Team Sleep - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 2:58 pm:
Jon - that is an excellent question.
OW - you and I certainly in agreement on the “creativity” aspect. I do wonder if perhaps they have polled in the district and have numbers that would support the non-stop anti-MJM messaging.
- Jerry Seinfeld - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 2:59 pm:
Madigan looks like a young Frank Sinatra in that pose….”i’ve got the world on a string”
“Sitting on a rainbow”
“Got the string around my finger”
“What a world!#
“Hey…this is the life!”
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 3:00 pm:
=== I won’t go so far to state SEIU coerced the individuals…===
Whew, well that’s a relief.
===…but if some of their clients are totally dependent upon the care provided by SEIU providers and the alternative is custodial care in a long term care facility, there may be some hesitancy for the client to say no to being the center of a mailer===
But you’ll go “there”
That’s… odd.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 3:03 pm:
- Team Sleep -
I think that’s about right.
The laziness in the creative in what they see in polling is reflective of a real lack of talent in trying to convey an alleged winning message.
Seriously, that made the “go” side? What wasn’t good enough?
Lacking.
- Ron - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 3:08 pm:
Absolutely LOVE the Madigan pic!
- Trolling Troll - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 3:10 pm:
I 100% support Rauner and his agenda, except for the part that affects me. - Vince.
- Give Me A Break - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 3:14 pm:
Well the poor guy in mailer could be confused as to he supports and what they are running for given the fact first Sara wanted to be a Democrat, then she wanted to be a Republican, then she wanted to be Chief of Staff then she wanted to be Rep.
Sara defines going with whatever way the wind is blowing and jumping at every chance there is to move up.
- Honeybear - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 3:24 pm:
Why did he write “They took advantage of an old man”? Why not “They took advantage of me”? Could it be that IPI wrote that letter and not Mr Speranza?
- Indochine - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 3:27 pm:
Black helicopters everywhere in Honeybears world.
- DD - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 3:31 pm:
No HB, they didn’t, because it was in South County Publications papers, something the IPI has probably never heard of.
- Honeybear - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 3:33 pm:
Indochine-true but my tinfoil helmet protects me from them!
Look it seems obvious that IPI wrote the letter to the editor. That’s all I’m saying.
Did SEIU mess up. Yep, pretty bad and I think someone might get fired for this. But if we’re arguing that SEIU puts words in his mouth…well I think IPI or whomever is doing the same. That’s all.
- Honeybear - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 3:34 pm:
South County Publications papers
Is this one of the Proft papers?
- MSIX - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 3:36 pm:
=I 100% support Rauner and his agenda, except for the part that affects me. - Vince. =
Bingo.
- Honeybear - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 3:39 pm:
Sorry just answered my own question that I don’t think it is a proft paper but I’m still betting that Mr. Speranza didn’t write it. Just sayin. It might very well be his sentiment but it seems to hit a lot of talking points of IPI. It just seems awfully clear for a 92 year old who needs four days of care.
- Give Me A Break - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 3:40 pm:
Honeybear: South County Publications is the group who publishes several small town weekly newspapers in southern Sangamon County. Towns like Chatham and Auburn.
They pretty much “cookie cutter” most of their newspapers but try and include some custom stories for each small town. They have been around for years.
- Commander Norton - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 3:41 pm:
Nobody writes about themselves, on their own behalf, like either the mailer or the letter to the editor. My opinion? This gentleman is being used by both sides.
- The Dude Abides - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 3:42 pm:
I received that mailer just the other day. Just a careless mistake by SEIU. I also received a Wojcicki mailer. It said she works hard for her District. I laughed at that, she doesn’t work for her District, she serves the Governor.
- Honeybear - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 3:43 pm:
–This gentleman is being used by both sides.–
Bingo
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 3:45 pm:
The way SEIU corrects this now, after apologizing and such is mobilizing Labor to make sure they are heard.
I mean, it’s not like Sara is considered a friend to Labor, so… do the best thing, mobilize and “McCann”
- northsider (the original) - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 3:46 pm:
Sounds like SEIU took a page from the IPI movie producer’s disclosure policy.
- DD - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 3:51 pm:
This used to be Poe’s district, did it not ? A democrat will not beat Sara J.
- Honeybear - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 3:51 pm:
In all honesty OW I’m more worried about mobilizing AFSCME’s than “purple people” ( SEIU’s have purple t-shirts ). Every event I go to AFSMCE are outnumbered 2-1 by purple people. They are wonderful activists. They always show up.
Again, they screwed up big time and I thinking that someone is going to get canned for this but it’s a high stakes game and they just fumbled badly.
- Honeybear - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 3:56 pm:
SEIU’s are solid activists OW. Purple people always show up, always. Just like they are always there for those they serve. Leadership screwed up here, not caregivers.
- Responsa - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 3:58 pm:
HB–obviously a quick google search would have told you what South County Publications is and is not before you posted that loaded question in the first place. Responding to this mailer perfidy was your moment to shine here–your moment to demonstrate the bottom line ethics and standards you practice as a proud union member by showing concern for an individual, (a senior citizen even) who was wronged. Yep. It was your moment to maybe rise above politics and show the humanity that you so fiercely seem to expect others to show. Somewhat surprised and so sad to see that you couldn’t quite manage to do it. We learned a lot today.
- Thunder Fred - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 4:21 pm:
Close the thread and give Responsa a golden horseshoe. You can’t tie a neater bow on it than that.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 4:22 pm:
- Honeybear -
After this, they all need to regroup and realize y’all need to take of your own business first.
That’s as honest as it gets.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 4:31 pm:
Glass Houses…
I’d hold off on all that back-slapping.
- MSIX - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 4:37 pm:
=It just seems awfully clear for a 92 year old who needs four days of care.=
He’s a pretty sharp cookie and is well spoken. He’s also an author. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he wrote that, even if he was given some hints about content.
And while he’s obviously and justifiably upset about being misrepresented, I don’t think he’s being used at all. He’s certainly no stranger to the limelight or public exposure.
- Anonymous - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 4:38 pm:
OW- I realize that it can only take one slip like this to change a course. I don’t think it will. But as always I appreciate and honor all that you write.
- Honeybear - Friday, Sep 30, 16 @ 4:39 pm:
4:38 was me. HA! I finally got a response to post!