Ain’t nobody’s hands clean in this business
Wednesday, Oct 3, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune column…
Karen Feldman is a Republican, a mom and a real estate agent from Lincolnshire running for the state House. More than two dozen, separate mailers funded by the Democratic Party of Illinois portray her as an extremist who would criminalize abortion and give assault weapons to school children. She carries the outlandish mailers in a folder bound by an overworked rubber band.
Of course, the characterizations are inaccurate. But with the money spigot flowing from billionaire Democratic gubernatorial nominee J.B. Pritzker, and not enough nonpartisan fact-checkers, attack ads from House Speaker Michael Madigan’s party are more plentiful and vicious this cycle. The party is emboldened. It shows. […]
Feldman, who served on the Lincolnshire Village Board and faces a well-funded Democrat, is at the mercy of voters who don’t often delineate between national and state politics. On Nov. 6, Election Day, here’s hoping they will. Or at least throw those anti-Karen-Feldman mailers in the trash.
Feldman says she supports abortion rights. She supports common-sense gun legislation. She describes herself as a mainstream fiscal conservative. But with an “R” next to her name, she is constantly fending off questions about President Trump. It appears just about every Republican this election cycle is in the same boat.
* Yeah, well, things are often distorted in campaigns. Check out what Feldman and the Republicans are doing to her Democratic opponent Dan Didech in the mail…
“Like Madigan, Dan Didech has fostered a culture of workplace harassment,” according to the political mailing. “Dan Didech took a page out of the Madigan playbook and didn’t act to protect women in the workplace.”
The reference is to two female employees in the assessor’s office who came to Didech last year with complaints. He charges Feldman with mischaracterizing his actions “to score cheap political points” and says everyone deserves an environment free from sexual harassment and discrimination.
Didech said he acted on the complaints, adopted a comprehensive sexual harassment policy in October 2017 and fired two employees.
“Karen Feldman’s use of these women’s story is not only wrong but sets an incredibly dangerous and reckless precedent of using their story for political gain, and she owes the victims an apology,” Didech said in a news release.
The women issued a public statement defending Didech. The ad, they said, diminishes the importance of stories like theirs and “also makes it harder for victims of harassment to come forward, an incredibly difficult choice that too many women already struggle with.”
* Didech’s full statement…
“Every single person, male or female, deserves to work in a respectful environment, free from sexual harassment and discrimination. I believe this is an issue where we must all stand together on behalf of those who have come forward to say ‘me too,’ and those many more still unable to speak up. Sadly, in an attempt to score cheap political points in her recent mailer, Karen Feldman is unfortunately siding with perpetrators and enablers of harassment by blatantly mischaracterizing the actions I have taken on behalf of the employees and the taxpayers of Vernon Township. The women who were the targets of harassment and bullying have been first in my mind throughout every step of this process and their wishes have come first. They have bravely come forward to speak out, and have supported the actions I have directed in response. I will not ever apologize for standing with them to fight for a workplace free of harassment and discrimination.
No one deserves the kind of treatment that these women were subjected to in the assessor’s office. Sexual harassment, bullying, and discrimination have no place in the workplace, in our government, in our schools or anywhere in our society. Karen Feldman’s use of these women’s story is not only wrong but sets an incredibly dangerous and reckless precedent of using their story for political gain, and she owes the victims an apology. The victims have made the decision to come forward and issue a public letter sharing their story and how we worked together to end workplace bullying at Vernon Township. Their story is why my office adopted a comprehensive sexual harassment policy in October of 2017 that we will continue to revisit and revise as needed to ensure the safety and protection of every single township employee.
These brave women came forward over a year ago because they trusted me to listen to their story and take action to end harassment in their workplace. That’s exactly what I did. Now, Karen Feldman is forcing them to come forward again by lying about their story in a desperate attempt to win an election. This campaign stunt has no place in our community, and Karen Feldman should immediately and publicly apologize to these women. Until they receive an apology, I will not be dignifying her campaign by participating in any public events with Karen Feldman.
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 9:51 am:
You will be made to care.
Our concerns about our evil opponents are more important than any truth, integrity, credibility, or cost. You are not allowed to ignore our demand for your vote.
We will text you.
We will fill your mailbox with panic.
We will never stop until we defeat our enemies.
If we lose, we demand a recount..
If the recount goes wrong, we will impeach them.
They are our mortal enemies.
This justifies our lies.
This justifies our character assassinations.
This justifies our destruction of the innocent.
Why?
Because only we love you.
- Nanker Phelge - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 9:56 am:
Shameful.
Perhaps the only way to stop this kind of campaigning is for the electorate to totally reject individuals who engage in this type of campaigning. This type of campaigning says a lot about the character of those candidates.
Unfortunately, some people just blindly vote for one party or another and some are just ignorant. And, sometimes both candidates engage in this type of campaigning, which is the case here. So, what do you do?
Pretty sad.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 9:59 am:
–But what of the Democrats’ one-party rule in the Illinois legislature since 2003? –
Shouldn’t that be “what about?”
Such a one-trick pony, and not good at it.
- Ducky LaMoore - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 9:59 am:
This is exactly why most people, my included, won’t run for any office. You are smeared. Republican, Democrat does not matter. Thank goodness for the Capitol Fax. I can anonymously bloviate to satisfy all my political misgivings without being tarred and feathered.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 10:08 am:
===Until they receive an apology, I will not be dignifying her campaign by participating in any public events with Karen Feldman.===
Oh, boo hoo.
I saw those multiple mailers promoting your candidacy bub. Democrats at their absolute worst. To call those mailers dishonest would be overly polite. More like a Scheme to Defraud.
But you don’t see any apologies coming from him. Two years ago, all Republicans for the State House were child molesters. And now this candidate is also ducking public appearances?
We know who Didech is voting for Speaker of the House. Same old, same old.
- Responsa - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 10:27 am:
In 2017 as a newcomer to politics Didech was elected to the job of Township Supervisor with a good amount of bi-partisan support since he presented himself as a serious administrator and problem solver –and not a partisan. That changed almost immediately with his now highly partisan run for the state house after less than two years. Frankly, The mailers arriving in post boxes from both of these two campaigns have been stomach turning in their ugliness. But Didech’s are by far the worst, and so disappointing and hypocritical when laid against his choir boy run for the township office so recently.
- DuPage - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 10:29 am:
Several of the oversized postcards almost everyday, political robocalls several times a day, and people at the door every few days. Almost everything is inaccurate, half truths, or just outright lies.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 10:40 am:
Louis:
You are forever the victim and a hyperpartisan. The mailers are indeed over the top. But you, as per usual and in your hyperpartisan way, ignore the equally bad mailers put out by the Republicans.
Indeed, Louis. The same old, same old from you.
- Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 10:51 am:
How come the few Republicans who post here are the only ones who are “hyper partisans” and everyone else is “reasonable and moderate”?
- Ahem - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 10:57 am:
Wasn’t Ms. Feldman’s campaign behind a campaign that tied her primary opponent to Michael Madigan? Those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.
- Cook County Commoner - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 11:02 am:
In a perhaps a rare moment of candor, years ago David Axelrod responded to the question of why campaigns use negative ads by saying: “Because they work.”
- forgetful - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 11:03 am:
Anybody else remember that? Evidently it’s only okay (per the Feldman camp) for lies like this in the circular firing squad. I wonder what ever happened with that lawsuit.
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20180302/candidate-in-59th-gop-primary-drops-opponent-from-suit-over-mailers
- Pundent - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 12:31 pm:
=How come the few Republicans who post here are the only ones who are “hyper partisans” and everyone else is “reasonable and moderate”?=
Perhaps its because you assume that anyone who criticizes a Republican must be a Democrat. Let me enlighten you. There are lots of Republicans posting here.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 12:45 pm:
Lucky Pierre, learn some basic English grammar, punctuation marks go inside quotation marks. To your post, people are saying that they didn’t leave the Republican Party the Republican Party left them.
- Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 1:09 pm:
I can see why you are Anonymous
It makes it much less embarrassing to be wrong!
On the other hand, in these examples, the terminal punctuation is not part of the quotation―it applies to the whole sentence―so it goes outside the final quotation mark:
Do you actually like “Gangnam Style”?
I can’t believe you lied to me about the ending of “The Sixth Sense”!
https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/how-to-use-quotation-marks
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 1:17 pm:
==How come the few Republicans who post here are the only ones who are “hyper partisans” and everyone else is “reasonable and moderate”?==
How come you can’t post a comment without being a victim?
Are you claiming to be “reasonable and moderate?” Because that would be one of the biggest whoppers you’ve ever told here.
- Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 1:27 pm:
I never understood what you meant by victim Demoralized
Do you mean I am part of the vast majority of Illinois residents who have little confidence in our state government to address the state’s problems beyond just reflexively raising taxes again?
Or are you one of the few defenders statewide who think everything has been running like a swiss watch all of these years and agree with Madigan there is no reason to be a “change person”
- Lake county voter - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 3:33 pm:
The Republican ads against Didech weren’t from Feldman’s campaign- they were sent out by the IL GOP. Didech ads have been complete lies, while the Republican ads at least have some truth…DIDECH = MADIGAN = CORRUPTION
- North Lake - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 4:24 pm:
You all know voters don’t read the capfax comments right?? … maybe everyone should take a deep breath or a xanxax…
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 4:27 pm:
North Lake, why would you berate people for understanding more about state politics than average folks? You need a nap, man.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 6:31 pm:
==I never understood what you meant by victim Demoralized==
Really? Because it’s not that hard. You don’t have to look any further than the Governor to get an idea of what playing a victim looks like.
==Or are you one of the few defenders statewide who think everything has been running like a swiss watch all of these years and agree with Madigan there is no reason to be a “change person”==
There you go arguing like a child again. In your simple minded world opposing the Governor translates into your childish thought.
Grow up
- Unstoppablewarrior - Wednesday, Oct 3, 18 @ 8:08 pm:
I’d like to start out by saying Karen Feldman is hands down the most qualified candidate in the race. She has a proven track record at her post in the Village of Lincolnshire, her career as a businesswoman who was just nominated for businesswoman of the year on the North Shore of Chicago, and her other job as a mother of 3. Her opponent, Dan Didech, is a wannabe professional poker player, who has also bullied his own Village employee who happens to be Republican. He has come up with all kinds of lies and accusations about Karen, and will do anything to win. Here is the video of Barbara talking about Didech, a must see. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRpyoLhSSVk there is also a website I came across that I’ve been told is accurate, and you can view this here:
https://www.didechreport.com/
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Thursday, Oct 4, 18 @ 1:31 pm:
So one’s a Lincolnshire Village Board member and one’s a poker player?
How about Vernon Township Supervisor?
But you want me to watch something on YouTube you’ve been “told is accurate”. No thanks.