Hey, Bridget Fitzgerald, I wrote no such thing
Wednesday, Nov 29, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Fundraising e-mail from Bridget Fitzgerald’s state Senate campaign…
Big news! Rich Miller, Illinois’ most followed political reporter and blogger, listed our race as the 5th ‘Race to Watch’. With over 160 offices up for re-election: it’s a really big deal! To keep us in that spot, we will need your fundraising help: Keep Team Fitzgerald in the top spot by donating here
Miller stated:
“41st Senate - The Democrats are hoping they can pull off an upset win here in a district once represented by retired Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno. Appointed Sen. John Curran (R-Downers Grove) faces Western Springs Village Clerk Bridget Fitzgerald, who also works for Treasurer Michael Frerichs, a former Senator. On paper, at least, this is a somewhat doable race for the Democrats. Hillary Clinton won by 5 points last year.”
We will pull off an upset! In order to do that, we will need to invest in staff to deploy our campaign, print hundreds of yard signs, distribute thousands of marketing material pieces and be ready to foot the bill for radio and TV advertisements next year. Help us pull off an upset by donating to Team Fitzgerald
It is a doable race! I’m running because of the incredible example Senator Christine Radogno left behind. She was the highest ranking female legislator and the beacon of bipartisanship. We are running a different campaign than the rest: one that brings people together and leads with innovation. Donate to move us from a victory that is not only ‘doable’ but ‘done’.
Again, THE Rich Miller named us ‘Race To Watch’ : very exciting!
* First of all, I put all of the contests in numerical order by district. Nothing was ranked by importance or likelihood of flipping or anything else. I started giving subscribers lots of very quick updates yesterday about who has filed petitions so far and what it might mean. So, even if the district was ranked in order of importance (which it wasn’t), that Senate race would still be behind the eleven legislative races I profiled on Tuesday.
* Second, here is the rest of what I wrote…
However, Republican US Sen. Mark Kirk won [the district] by 4 points and Republican Comptroller Leslie Munger won by 20 points. And Sen. Curran voted for the override motion on Operating Engineers Local 150’s bill to prohibit local “right to work” zones. Very smart move on his part, particularly since half his district is represented by House Republican Leader Jim Durkin, who is Number One on Local 150’s hit list.
Yeah. Kind of important.
* Third, I don’t look kindly on folks who re-publish parts of the subscriber edition. Hence, this rather harsh blog post. Anybody who contributes to Fitzgerald’s campaign based on today’s fundraising e-mail should get their heads examined. And anyone who thinks they can get away with doing this sort of misleading goofiness in the future is hereby on notice.
But, hey, thanks for the kind words. 
- Fax Machine - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 10:47 am:
Nothing excites potential donors more than hearing that a campaign is “somewhat doable”.
- Annonin' - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 10:49 am:
So bein’ heralded as “IL most followed…” isn’t enough?
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 10:51 am:
===isn’t enough?===
I thanked her for the kind words.
- Boone's is Back - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 10:51 am:
Ruh Roh
- bite - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 10:53 am:
oooooohhh, lighten up Francis
- Ron Burgundy - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 10:53 am:
–Anybody who contributes to Fitzgerald’s campaign based on today’s fundraising e-mail should get their heads examined.–
Somehow I doubt they will print that.
- Donnie - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 10:55 am:
Making “Illinois’ most followed political reporter and blogger” angry…what a brilliant campaign strategy.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 10:56 am:
If you still have to parse and cut a snippet to add credibility to your claim, you know you have no claim at all.
Work-Product, be it the written word, photos, any type of subscriber product exclusive to those paying shouldn’t haphazardly find its way into public discourse, but especially as the lede and meat of a fundraising letter, allowing that subscriber-only content, edited and parsed as it was, be a propping up of anything.
This is a bush-league, amateur attempt to seem like someone ready for prime time.
In actuality, it’s an embarrassing move that I see as a handful of rank amateurs and a candidate thinking thus is what real campaigns do.
Glad I found out early about Bridget Fitzgerald… and that crew too.
- Not It - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 10:56 am:
I hope she apologizes and all is forgiven. Rookie mistake.
- Montrose - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 10:58 am:
Please change your handle to “THE Rich Miller”
- Roman - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 11:01 am:
She could have at least included a “subscribe-to-capitolfax-here” link in the email. That might have put her a little closer to complying with the fair use doctrine, right?
- Trapped in the 'burbs - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 11:02 am:
Maybe Ken Dunkin will fundraise based on his multiple mentions by the state’s most followed political reporter and blogger.
- cal city crew - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 11:04 am:
Feel like response here is a bit overblown.
- PJ - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 11:04 am:
Nothing against you, Rich, but the weirdest part of this is the inherent assumption that dropping your name is going to score her cash. I highly doubt the constituents getting these emails have any idea who you are.
- JB13 - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 11:08 am:
I second Montrose. “THE Rich Miller” it should be.
- allknowingmasterofracoondom - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 11:09 am:
OW - “If you still have to parse and cut a snippet to add credibility to your claim, you know you have no claim at all.”
With respect of course, but can you name one politician who has not done the above?
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 11:09 am:
===Please change your handle to “THE Rich Miller” ===
That’s actually my dad’s line. I was named after him. lol
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 11:11 am:
Aw come on Rich, cut a girl some slack. I mean, she does refer to you as THE Rich Miller. I’ve never heard anyone use the term “THE John Kass” or “THE Mary Ann Ahern”.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 11:14 am:
- allknowingmasterofracoondom -
“Whatabout” doesn’t address what I commented, as I commented.
When I give a “free pass”, (pun intended), you get back to me.
Oh, and also, maybe your beef should be with Rich, since it’s his work-product and it was he, not me, calling out this specific incident.
K? K.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 11:17 am:
Also…
- allknowingmasterofracoondom -
r-a-c-c-o-o-n…
“raccoon”
- Commonsense in Illinois - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 11:27 am:
===Please change your handle to “THE Rich Miller” ===
===That’s actually my dad’s line. I was named after him.===
So, we can call you, “Junior?”
Saddle up, Indiana…
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 11:32 am:
===So, we can call you, “Junior?”===
No. My official name is Richard Miller II.
- Pundent - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 11:48 am:
=I highly doubt the constituents getting these emails have any idea who you are.=
And if they don’t maybe the email peaks curiosity and leads them to this blog. If it does I don’t think the reference is going to have the same effect that Fitzgerald was hoping for. And if these constituents are regular readers then they’ve now been educated on how Fitzgerald botched this. Either way a dumb move on her part.
- Soccermom - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 11:48 am:
“…print hundreds of yard signs…”
Did THE Rich Miller tell you to do that too?
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 12:05 pm:
Rich Miller II. Well, it doesn’t have that “Hamilton Fish IV” ring to it, but that’s a good thing. By the way, I thought Bridget was going to end her message with, “come to think of it, Rich Miller’s getting my vote, how about YOU?!
- Crazy Like a Fox - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 12:45 pm:
Bridget Fitzgerald is wonderful. That is all.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 12:47 pm:
===is wonderful===
You can be wonderful… and also grossly inept… and bush-league.
It’s not mutually exclusive.
- Dirty Red - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 1:15 pm:
For those arguing the punishment doesn’t fit the crime, keep in mind there are at least two crimes here: one being a misrepresentation of what was said, and the second being a violation of copyright policy for the sake of putting money in your pocket.
= I’ve never heard anyone use the term “THE John Kass” =
I have, but not in the same context.
- A guy - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 1:33 pm:
THE Rich Miller??
I didn’t know you were “a thing”.
Now I do. lol
- Arthur Andersen I - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 1:47 pm:
“My official name is Richard Miller II”
Could we call you “Sticks?” “Deuce?” Ok, never mind.
AA Jr. has told me to not get my hopes up for AA III.
- Team America - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 1:51 pm:
Prince Harry may be marrying a model but he has nothing on THE Rich.
- A guy - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 1:56 pm:
Might be time to call Uncle John and get some better advice.
- Sigh - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 2:02 pm:
Maybe there should be a new Golden Horseshoe category/award- The Rich Miller Award for the best misquote of ANY statement or best reference of a Rich Miller comment.
- MissBentohs - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 2:13 pm:
Thank you Rich for writing that article about how I should be on the next cover of People magazines best looking guys.
- jerry - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 2:27 pm:
“No. My official name is Richard Miller II.”
No, you are THE Richard Miller II.
- Thomas Paine - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 3:43 pm:
I am sure we can all think of atleast a half dozen news outlets that have cut and pasted snippets of Capitolfax and passed it off as original reporting.
I can think of a few political reporters who are repeat offenders.
You know who you are.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 3:59 pm:
- Thomas Paine -
Lemme know when they fundraise off it.
Thanks.
- Thomas Paine - Wednesday, Nov 29, 17 @ 4:55 pm:
@Oswego Willy -
Your point is well-taken.
Newspapers selling subscriptions and Google ads off of “scoops” they scooped off of Rich’s twitter over the weekend is, in my view, more egregious.
What I find more troubling in my view is the trend of campaign’s sending oppo dumps to capitolfax, which rich reports as “according to the campaign:” and then they turn around and use it in a mail piece with a footnote attributing it to Capitolfax. They are really just quoting themselves.
Of course, none of that is as bad as the IPI-Proft-Liberty Principles PAC echo chamber.