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*** UPDATED x1 *** You gotta be kidding me

Wednesday, Sep 3, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

* This is the sort of stupid crud that too often passes for “reform” in DC. Roll Call reports that Congressman Brad Schneider’s new TV ad might be in technical violation of federal election law…

Twenty-one seconds into “Together,” the congressman begins his disclaimer: “I’m Brad Schneider and I approve this message because we’re all in this together, accountable to each other.” But the voiceover is coupled with two shots: one of part of the side of Schneider’s face in a shadow as he drives a car and a second shot of him quickly entering a building through a revolving door and barely showing his face.

According to the Federal Election Commission, disclaimers can be conveyed one of two ways:

A full-screen view of the candidate making the statement (11 CFR 110.11(c)(3)(ii)(A)); or
A “clearly identifiable photographic or similar image of the candidate” that appears during the candidate’s voice-over statement. (11 CFR 110.11(c)(3)(ii)(B)).

This particular ad doesn’t fulfill the first requirement and may not fulfill the second requirement.

The Schneider campaign claims the law was followed. The ad in question is here.

I suppose there are reasons for this particular law, and we have our own weird laws and rules here (particularly regarding petition signatures). But, geez.

* Also, please raise your hand if you believe that the fine folks at Roll Call found this on their own by scrupulously timing this one particular advertisement out of the many hundreds currently running all over the nation?

Anybody?

I’ve become a firm believer in labeling opposition research for what it is. Just about everybody passes it off as “journalism” and I’ve come to believe that’s just flat-out deceptive.

*** UPDATE *** We may now know where that oppo came from…

Brad Schneider has landed himself in hot water for potentially breaking Federal Election Commission rules. Nathan Gonzales with Rothenberg Political Report/Roll Call unpacks the possible violations below.

The issue is with Brad Schneider’s shadowed face during the disclaimer – an ironic blunder given Schneider’s ongoing attempts to hide information about his tax returns and so-called small business experience.

It looks like Brad Schneider has a lot more work to do to introduce himself to the 44% of constituents who haven’t seen him do enough to form an opinion about him.

Emily Davis
Deputy Communications Director
Congressional Leadership Fund

…Adding… Apparently, the reporter did find it on his own. My apologies. I get pitched silly little dingy stuff like this every day.

11 Comments

New ads target Democratic incumbents

Wednesday, Sep 3, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The New Prosperity Foundation, run by Ron Gidwitz and IMA honcho Greg Baise, is out with a couple new attack ads. The first we’ll listen to is a radio spot which mocks freshman Democrat Cheri Bustos for breaking a promise to give up ten percent of her congressional salary…

Click to listen

* The next radio ad claims that Brad Schneider is “one of the richest members of Congress” and blasts him for playing hide the ball with his tax returns…

Click to listen

16 Comments

Quinn slammed for criticizing “job creators”

Wednesday, Sep 3, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

* This is a $100,000 “targeted online buy” from Americans for Prosperity Illinois. Rate it…

…Adding… Script…

The American dream.

Success.

Security.

That’s what Illinois’s governor should want for all of us.

Does Pat Quinn?

He criticizes job creators and business owners for their hard-earned success

He’s raised taxes, increased spending, and hasn’t solved the pension crisis

And while Illinois loses jobs – and paychecks – Pat Quinn’s taken millions in taxpayer dollars as an Illinois elected official

Call Pat Quinn and tell him to focus on helping people get ahead, instead of demonizing those who do.

32 Comments

Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - New outside cable TV buys in legislative races

Wednesday, Sep 3, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Non-denial denial

Wednesday, Sep 3, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Tom Kacich took note of the Politico story claiming that the DCCC was pulling out of the race against Congressman Rodney Davis…

But the DCCC still lists Callis’ campaign in its top-tier “red-to-blue” category and hasn’t canceled any of the TV time it has reserved for Callis, starting later this month.

Asked for a comment on whether the DCCC was yanking its support for Callis, spokesman Brandon Lorenz wrote, “Judge Callis is running a strong campaign talking about her record of reform and holding Congressman Davis accountable for keeping perks like his taxpayer-funded gym during his government shutdown.”

Not really a vote of confidence for Callis.

That’s an understatement.

* Meanwhile, Davis is running his second intro ad, and it’s pretty good…

* Script…

I’m Toryn Davis.

Next year I’ll be a freshman in college.

I’m a little nervous but excited to get away from my brothers.

It’s also a little scary to think about how much college costs.

That’s why I’m so proud of my dad, Rodney Davis.

In Congress, he’s fighting to make college more affordable and working just as hard to create jobs, so we all have a better future.

Even them. (points to her brothers, Clark and Griffin).

32 Comments

Bo-ring

Wednesday, Sep 3, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Give his campaign credit for a quick turnaround, I suppose, but Gov. Quinn’s new Web ad doesn’t live up to the hype of this press release…

A new Web ad from the Quinn for Illinois campaign features a recent headline from The Washington Post that, “Bruce Rauner spends more on wine than average Illinois households spend on everything.”

The Post piece follows Rauner’s admission that he had paid the more than $140,000 fee to join an exclusive Napa Valley wine club, where he helped to found the winery. The Post notes that the average Illinois household income is about $55,000.

Watch the new Web ad here.

Rauner has outraged Republicans and Democrats with his disingenuous attempt to misrepresent himself, dressing up in Carhartt jackets and touting an $18 watch.

In fact, the billionaire owns nine homes, paid $100,000 for an extra parking spot at one of his extra homes, and owns 23,000 acres (the size of Naperville) in Wyoming and Montana. He took in $53 million in 2012 alone.

Between bottles, Rauner has proposed cutting the minimum wage.

*No fancy wine was harmed during the filming.

* Man, is this thing ever boring…

I can’t stop yawning.

* National political writers and bloggers jumped all over this story. Bloomberg, WaPo, TPM, USA Today, Politix, MSNBC, Wonkette, etc. all got in on the gag. Yet all we get is a bottle of wine poured into a glass?

C’mon. Y’all can’t do better than this? It’s a Web ad. People won’t watch Web ads unless they’re somehow interesting. This ain’t.

Maybe they should have a glass of wine or two before brainstorming the next one.

44 Comments

*** UPDATED x1 - Quinn response *** Rauner’s new TV ad touts “property tax freeze”

Wednesday, Sep 3, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

* More magic ponies…

* Illinois Observer…

Local government finance experts have, however, panned Rauner’s proposal as unworkable and unrealistic because it would hamstring municipalities and school districts alike in their efforts to manage budgets in which routine inflation, for example, drives up costs.

“Mr. Rauner may be financial wizard in private business, but the property tax freeze idea betrays a total lack of awareness of municipal finance,” a suburban Cook County mayor told The Illinois Observer. “It belongs in the category of bizarre pipe dreams.”

Ah, but bizarre pipe dreams sell.

Policy aside, tapping perennial voter frustration over high property taxes and their routine increase is good politics – and a potential windfall for political consultants who would need to persuade voters either way.

*** UPDATE *** Quinn campaign response…

In response to a deceptive new television ad by Republican billionaire Bruce Rauner, who improperly filed for three property tax exemptions, former Cook County Assessor Jim Houlihan issued the below statement:

“In his deceptive new television ad, Bruce Rauner fails to mention that the Rauner Tax Plan would blow an $8 billion hole in the state budget and cause localities to enact the biggest property tax hike in Illinois history.

“The cuts in state funding for education made necessary by the Rauner Tax Plan would shift the financial burden for school districts to local property taxes. This would leave no choice but to send property taxes sky high.

“Mr. Rauner should stop deceiving voters.”

In reality, Governor Quinn, who opposes property tax increases, has made the tough decisions to restore fiscal stability to Illinois, putting the state in a position to provide more funding for schools and reduce reliance on property taxes.

Houlihan served as Cook County Assessor from 1997 to 2011 and before that served in the Illinois House of Representatives and as an aide to Chicago Mayor Harold Washington.

While Assessor, Houlihan fought to lower unfair property taxes that hurt families and businesses, instituting a 7% homeowner exemption. These efforts sought to decrease reliance on the property tax to fund education and other important services, a key priority for Governor Quinn as outlined in his 2014 State of the State address.

67 Comments

AFSCME rolls out new video comparing Bruce Rauner to Scott Walker

Wednesday, Sep 3, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From AFSCME Council 31…

Four years ago, Scott Walker became governor of Wisconsin and launched an all-out assault on public employees. He pushed through legislation stripping state, university and city/county workers of their right to bargain collectively. The impact was immediate and devastating.

Now, billionaire CEO Bruce Rauner is running for Illinois governor and vowing to copy Walker’s extreme agenda. Our neighbors to the north have a personal message about what this would mean for AFSCME members here. Watch this brand-new video to hear directly from public-service workers in Wisconsin

After you’ve watched, here are three steps you can take to help spread the word and make a difference:

1. Share this new video on Facebook.
2. Email the video to your co-workers and friends.
3. Sign up as a volunteer in your area to help stop Bruce Rauner.

In unity,

Roberta Lynch
Executive director
AFSCME Council 31

* The video…

Discuss.

82 Comments

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