For more than a year Sean Casten’s campaign for Congress has centered on just two things, his attacks on Peter Roskam and Casten’s personal wealth, which he claims was derived from his success as a small business “entrepreneur.”
But while Casten has attempted to portray himself as a successful small businessman, he has refused to talk about the fact that he was sued by his own investors for manipulating his company’s books, committing breaches of fiduciary duty and paying his family members inflated salaries and bonuses.
The Roskam for Congress campaign today released an ad that takes square aim at Casten’s underhanded business dealings. A copy of the ad and the script is below.
“Sean Casten has held himself out as a successful businessman, but was sued by his own investors for illegal business activity, breach of fiduciary responsibility and for paying his relatives inflated incomes,” said Roskam for Congress Spokesman Veronica Vera. “Sean Casten’s attacks on Peter Roskam are designed to hide his checkered past, but voters deserve to know the truth about Sean Casten’s shady self-dealing.”
The Truth: He inherited millions and worked for his family’s business.
Casten was sued for mismanagement.
Accused of breaches of fiduciary duty.
And manipulating the company books.
Paying his family inflated bonuses and salaries.
While Casten propped up the business with unauthorized transfers.
Sean Casten’s just another shady Illinois politician who’d make things worse.
* Casten campaign response…
Today, Rep. Peter Roskam rolled out his first negative TV attack ad against Sean Casten, candidate for congress in Illinois’ Sixth District. The Casten campaign released the following statement:
“It’s pathetic and very telling that after 25 years on the public payroll, Roskam’s TV ad doesn’t even mention his own record but just throws mud at Sean,” said Greg Bales, Campaign Manager for Sean Casten. “The attacks come from a lawsuit filed during an attempted hostile takeover, which happens in business — something a career politician like Peter Roskam wouldn’t understand. Peter wants to muddy up Sean’s record as a successful green-energy entrepreneur because it contrasts so sharply with his own record of rubber-stamp partisanship — voting 94 percent of the time with President Trump.
Sean has been open and honest about his record, while Peter Roskam attempted to gut the Office of Congressional Ethics after they investigated his own.
“Peter Roskam knows that he can’t survive a campaign based on the truth about his own record, so he’s chosen to lie about Sean. The voters of the Sixth District, whom Roskam avoids at all costs, deserve far better from their Congressman than misleading negative ads. We’re confident they’ll choose ideas and independence over insults and partisanship on November 6th.”
Peter Roskam’s ad references a hostile takeover attempt of one of Sean’s businesses. The disputes were amicably resolved, allowing Sean to protect both his employees and investors.
Casten wrote about the hostile takeover attempt a few months back. Click here.
If this is the best Roskam can do, he’s in trouble. He can’t run on the disaster of his tax cut giveaway to the wealthiest, so his only chance is to make Casten un-electable.
He’s going to have to hit Casten with more than just “shady.”
It’s a strong ad. Not sure the “hostile takeover” reasoning will work too well here. He’s had more than one explanation for what happened. Some of those amicable settle=ees may be speaking up.
Roskam did spend some time as a private attorney along the way, and a school teacher way back.
Casten inherited some wealth and he’s a small business owner. Reducing the death tax and supporting free market/business interests used to be a part of the GOP platform. Now Roskam is hitting his opponent on them. Strange days indeed.
If Roskam has a copy of the lawsuit and results he should release it. If Casten can release it he should. But it sounds like two totally different lawsuits. I don’t see how a hostile take over pertains to be hauled in as a subcontractor
No matter how you feel about Roskam, that’s a really effective spot. It’s the proverbial 10 second sound bite that takes 10 minutes for Casten to explain. Good production values; good use of legal documents. I’d give it a solid A-.
- Last Bull Moose - Wednesday, Aug 8, 18 @ 4:16 pm:
In the article where Casten is interviewed he is discussing two separate lawsuits. It sounds like he managed the disgruntled investor reasonably well.
It’s a good ad, trying to undermine one of Casten’s strengths, private sector experience, something distinctly lacking from Roskam’s career as a politician.
The NYTimes’ podcast The Daily had an episode this week about the special election that took place yesterday in Ohio that was in a heavily Republican district with an insurgent Dem. One of the main points of the piece was that the incredibly negative tone the Republicans took in that race wasn’t a one off, but the Republican’s congressional strategy for the November election throughout the country. Looks like that is playing out with Roskam.
VM…you can do better than that sad drive by. How about addressing the substance of the referenced article. The NYT is a lot more reputable than many or most outlets outside of that bubble you might be in.
Don’t underestimate the anger in Roskam’s district. He’s never been all that interested in hearing from his constituents and in the Trump era that’s become even more apparent. He may very well win but he has every reason to be nervous.
Never heard of this guy before. His signs have stayed in the yards of his faithful. Just me, but I have a problem with 24/7/365 campaigning. Duckworth and Rahm and a couple million couldn’t take out Roskam. Casten won’t either. At least Roskam will vanish again after the election win or lose.
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 6:10 am:
Civil lawsuits among business partners can be every bit as awful as divorces. And like divorces, the side you believe depends on which partner was your friend.
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Aug 8, 18 @ 3:46 pm:
I really don’t know who he is, but after reading this - I don’t want him in Congress.
Roskam unleashes the hounds with 13 weeks to go.
Effective.
- Soccermom - Wednesday, Aug 8, 18 @ 3:52 pm:
Roskam is flailing.
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Wednesday, Aug 8, 18 @ 3:54 pm:
==he has refused to talk about the fact that ==
Says the guy who literally runs away from his own constituents.
- slow down - Wednesday, Aug 8, 18 @ 3:54 pm:
If this is the best Roskam can do, he’s in trouble. He can’t run on the disaster of his tax cut giveaway to the wealthiest, so his only chance is to make Casten un-electable.
He’s going to have to hit Casten with more than just “shady.”
- A guy - Wednesday, Aug 8, 18 @ 3:56 pm:
It’s a strong ad. Not sure the “hostile takeover” reasoning will work too well here. He’s had more than one explanation for what happened. Some of those amicable settle=ees may be speaking up.
Roskam did spend some time as a private attorney along the way, and a school teacher way back.
- Texas Red - Wednesday, Aug 8, 18 @ 4:05 pm:
Casten inherited some wealth and he’s a small business owner. Reducing the death tax and supporting free market/business interests used to be a part of the GOP platform. Now Roskam is hitting his opponent on them. Strange days indeed.
- DuPage Saint - Wednesday, Aug 8, 18 @ 4:07 pm:
If Roskam has a copy of the lawsuit and results he should release it. If Casten can release it he should. But it sounds like two totally different lawsuits. I don’t see how a hostile take over pertains to be hauled in as a subcontractor
- Violet Seepage - Wednesday, Aug 8, 18 @ 4:09 pm:
No matter how you feel about Roskam, that’s a really effective spot. It’s the proverbial 10 second sound bite that takes 10 minutes for Casten to explain. Good production values; good use of legal documents. I’d give it a solid A-.
- Last Bull Moose - Wednesday, Aug 8, 18 @ 4:16 pm:
In the article where Casten is interviewed he is discussing two separate lawsuits. It sounds like he managed the disgruntled investor reasonably well.
So far, Roskam is losing my vote.
- Precinct Captain - Wednesday, Aug 8, 18 @ 4:17 pm:
It’s a good ad, trying to undermine one of Casten’s strengths, private sector experience, something distinctly lacking from Roskam’s career as a politician.
- Montrose - Wednesday, Aug 8, 18 @ 4:23 pm:
The NYTimes’ podcast The Daily had an episode this week about the special election that took place yesterday in Ohio that was in a heavily Republican district with an insurgent Dem. One of the main points of the piece was that the incredibly negative tone the Republicans took in that race wasn’t a one off, but the Republican’s congressional strategy for the November election throughout the country. Looks like that is playing out with Roskam.
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Aug 8, 18 @ 4:45 pm:
NYTimes?
LOL
- Montrose - Wednesday, Aug 8, 18 @ 4:47 pm:
“NYTimes?
LOL”
I didn’t take you for part of the “fake news” crowd.
- Jibba - Wednesday, Aug 8, 18 @ 4:50 pm:
VM…you can do better than that sad drive by. How about addressing the substance of the referenced article. The NYT is a lot more reputable than many or most outlets outside of that bubble you might be in.
- Flat Bed Ford - Wednesday, Aug 8, 18 @ 5:35 pm:
Casten has hit his high water mark. Roskam wins by 4 points.
- Pundent - Wednesday, Aug 8, 18 @ 5:59 pm:
Don’t underestimate the anger in Roskam’s district. He’s never been all that interested in hearing from his constituents and in the Trump era that’s become even more apparent. He may very well win but he has every reason to be nervous.
- ughh - Wednesday, Aug 8, 18 @ 8:19 pm:
Castens’ response didn’t explicitly deny the lawsuits allegations. interesting.
- JackD - Wednesday, Aug 8, 18 @ 8:45 pm:
If you looked at the pleadings in the case, I’m pretty sure you would find that Casten did explicitly deny the allegations of the lawsuit.
- DG Dude - Wednesday, Aug 8, 18 @ 9:22 pm:
Never heard of this guy before. His signs have stayed in the yards of his faithful. Just me, but I have a problem with 24/7/365 campaigning. Duckworth and Rahm and a couple million couldn’t take out Roskam. Casten won’t either. At least Roskam will vanish again after the election win or lose.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 8, 18 @ 10:02 pm:
The lawsuit was brought in the primary and it did not seem to hurt Casten at that point in time. Here was the response he wrote at that time: https://medium.com/@sean_87437/check-your-ego-how-running-a-company-prepares-you-for-public-service-6be293a137ba
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 6:10 am:
Civil lawsuits among business partners can be every bit as awful as divorces. And like divorces, the side you believe depends on which partner was your friend.
- @misterjayem - Thursday, Aug 9, 18 @ 8:11 am:
Good ad.
But Roskam’s team has has yet to undermine Casten’s greatest strength: He’s not Peter Roskam.
– MrJM