* Sen. Michael Frerichs laid into Rep. Tom Cross’ stated plans for the treasurer’s office during an interview with the SJ-R editorial board yesterday. Regarding Cross’ pledge to sue if the GA passes an unbalanced budget, Frerichs noted the treasurer has no such constitutional authority to do so, then went for the throat…

If you take him at his word that this is really a high priority and that it’s fundamental for the state, then he ought to have some opinion on Bruce Rauner’s budget.

It doesn’t take that long to read through it. And it also doesn’t take that long to read through numerous economists, political scientists and journalists who have all looked at his budget and pronounced it is horribly out of balance.

You can’t claim to be a watchdog for the state, you can’t claim to be focused on a balanced budget, and then have no thoughts on this clearly unbalanced budget by the head of your state party. You can’t call yourself a watchdog, and be a lapdog protecting your own party.

Oof.

That’s the cleanest shot he’s taken at Cross since Day One.

*** UPDATE 1 *** From the Cross campaign…

“Another desperate, false attack by Sen. Mike Frerichs. After being rebuked for blatantly false attacks on Tom’s record, now Sen. Frerichs is careening toward a new attack that is equally false.

Here’s the bottom line: Tom Cross has consistently and forcefully said that balancing the budget is a top priority and he will not hesitate to enforce that constitutional requirement, whether it be a Republican or Democrat Governor.

In contrast, Mike Frerichs dutifully voted with Gov. Quinn this year on a budget that was called unbalanced by independent, non-partisan rating agencies. That’s why it’s not surprising that Sen. Frerichs’ own hometown paper wrote that he ‘clearly doesn’t know what he really thinks, and, when candidates don’t know what they believe, they say whatever seems convenient at the moment.’”

Champaign News-Gazette May 1, 2014

*** UPDATE 2 *** Frerichs campaign…

Tom Cross misled the public when he told the SJ-R editorial board “I haven’t read his [Rauner’s] proposal” as he once again refused to answer questions on whether the Rauner budget is balanced and Constitutional.

Just weeks ago, Mr. Cross said otherwise:

“Sometimes Republicans disagree,” Rep. Cross said of his opposition to the Rauner tax plan. “I don’t support any of the service taxes.”

The former Illinois House minority leader, Rep. Cross said he wanted it on record that he supports “everything else” in Mr. Rauner’s plan for the state.

- Dispatch-Argus, Quad Cities, July 22nd

http://qconline.com/archives/qco/display.php?id=689203&query=cross%20rauner

As Oswego Willy notes, Tom Cross has not only been a lapdog for Bruce Rauner, but was very cozy with Rod Blagojevich. Tom Cross led efforts to pass Rod Blagojevich’s $10 billion pension borrowing deal which lined the pockets of both their friends. Before that, Cross supported every single George Ryan budget, turning surpluses into deficits, engaging in historic borrowing to fund pork projects, and ending with a budget that Tom Cross voted for that was $600 million out of balance.

Capitolfax fans can see it all here at about the 17 minute mark and judge for themselves whether Mr. Cross is being honest:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBdsCVllNK8&list=UUWmlNV4T2GQdNz6UTF4RJ2g

[ *** End Of Updates *** ]

* The comment comes at about the 19-minute mark…

* Frerichs goes on to say he opposes making the income tax hike permanent, but wouldn’t rule out any new revenues, pointing out that Rauner and Comptroller Topinka both have said the same sort of thing.

* Meanwhile, Frerichs sent out a fundraising email this week entitled “Slick New Packaging Can’t Hide The Real Tom Cross Record”…

Dear Friend,

The race for Treasurer is heating up, and with just 35 days to go, we’ve got the momentum.

We need your help to keep the pressure on our opponent, by contributing whatever you can today, whether it is $5 or $500, to stop Tom Cross and his ultra-conservative agenda dead in its tracks.

Tom Cross is trying desperately to rebrand himself, but he can’t run away from 22 years of voting with corporate and conservative interests in Springfield:

In 2014, Tom Cross turned his back on equal rights for women.

In May of this year, Tom Cross stood with the ultra-conservative Illinois Family Institute, and failed to support efforts to advance the Equal Rights Amendment.

In 2011, Tom Cross was leading a national effort to protect discrimination in all 50 states.

Tom Cross was a member of a national task force backed by the ultra-conservative ALEC, which was co-founded by Henry Hyde, author of the federal abortion ban. The task force met behind closed doors in 2011 to push for legislation in all 50 states that would protect businesses that discriminate on the basis of race, gender or sexual orientation and engage in patterns of sexual harassment.

In 2010, Tom Cross turned his back on equal rights for gay Americans.

Tom Cross voted to block the march toward marriage equality, joining with ultra-conservatives who oppose basic rights of loving same sex couples by voting against civil unions.

Tom Cross has a long record of undermining Illinois values that stretches back 22 years.

Tom Cross has repeatedly opposed the minimum wage, voted against ending racial profiling, voted to legalize workplace discrimination against gays, and funded the elections of Tea Party conservatives that fight progressive priorities every single day.

After two decades of stepping on our values, Tom Cross wants to use the Treasurer’s Office as a stepping stone to impose right-wing values on Illinois

Our campaign is fighting back, but we need your help.

The fundraising quarter ends tonight at midnight, and we are just 210 donors away from reaching our goal. Please give $25, $50, $250, or as much as you afford today.

Thank you,

Team Frerichs

* Carol Marin is not amused with this line of attack…

Frerichs is pitching hard that Cross is a right-wing conservative and a tea party acolyte.

Cross is not. He is, however, a Republican who has, to use his word, “evolved” on some issues. Including same-sex marriage, which he opposed until last year’s vote legalizing it in Illinois. You might argue that was a kind of deathbed conversion prior to a primary. But you might also argue that in so doing he gave his tea party opponent in the March election ammunition to use against him.

Frerichs, by the way, has also “evolved.” He used to be an opponent of abortion rights. Today both he and Cross are endorsed by the liberal, abortion rights group Personal PAC.

What does same-sex marriage or abortion have to do with the Treasurer’s race?

Not an ever-lovin’ thing.