Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Rove spending over a million dollars in two races

Thursday, Aug 21, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

The nonprofit arm of an organization founded by GOP operative Karl Rove is spending handily — to the tune of more than a half-million dollars — for attack ads that began Tuesday against U.S. Rep. Bill Enyart, who quickly responded with a message of his own.

Enyart faces Republican state Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, in the Nov. 4 election.

Crossroads GPS, which is a tax-exempt 501 (c) (4), plans to spend $565,000 to fund attack ads against Enyart, according to the D.C.-based insider publication, Politico.

* The ad is kinda cookie cutter…

* Lynn Sweet…

Crossroads GPS, a spinoff of a group founded by Karl Rove — the conservative strategist Democrats despise — is running an ad ripping Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill., for opposing the repeal of Obamacare, a message potentially hindering the comeback bid of former Rep. Bob Dold, R-Ill.

I hear the Dold team — seeking to portray Dold as an independent-minded moderate Republican — was not pleased with the Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies ad.

Crossroads GPS is sinking a whopping $640,000 into a cable buy for a spot or spots running since last Sunday through Sept. 3 in a bid to bolster Dold in the north suburban 10th Congressional District contest.

The Crossroads ad now in play may be more of a headache than help to Dold, in a rematch after Schneider narrowly defeated him in 2012. President Barack Obama won the district with 58 percent of the vote in 2012. Obamacare by no means is a pejorative in this Obama-friendly district.

So why go there? Repealing Obamacare is a priority of Crossroads GPS.

That ad hasn’t been posted yet, but it’s apparently similar to the Enyart ad.

21 Comments

Uber ramps up the pressure with new radio ad

Thursday, Aug 21, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Uber is running a new radio ad today calling on Gov. Pat Quinn to veto the ridesharing bill. Rate it…

Click to listen

* And the company sent out a press release responding to the Citizens Action release from yesterday…

As the calls for a veto of HB 4075 rise, the taxi industry reaches new lows

The front groups for the taxi monopoly have been spending a lot of time throwing mud. It started with lies about insurance and background checks that insult the hard working men and women who are our uberX partners, and now it’s a lie about our CEO.

Yesterday, taxi front groups reached new lows by falsely claiming Uber’s CEO Travis Kalanick was visiting Illinois to lobby on the anti-ridesharing bill.

No, Travis was not in Illinois, but here’s who was: more than 70,000 residents who have asked Governor Quinn to veto HB 4075 and and preserve ridesharing in the state.

A proud member of the taxi cartel’s league of front groups, the Citizen Action Network followed our innovation (surprise!) by launching a cute, little petition to try and counter the more than 70,000 loud and proud Uber supporters who have asked Governor Quinn to save uberX.

Not surprising to see a stale and tired playbook from an industry that has failed to compete for decades. You can’t track their signatures but you can check out all the support rolling in on for ridesharing here.

While Illinois residents count the days until the Governor makes his decision, and we all get a thankful reprieve from the onslaught of taxi company lies, let’s review the facts about HB 4075 - a bill that was handcrafted by the taxi industry to put their competition out of business.

HB 4075 bill would devastate uberX and ridesharing across the state of Illinois by:

·
Restricting the number of drivers who could become rideshare partners. That means fewer rides when Illinois residents need them, higher DUI rates, and residents who happen to live in neighborhoods that taxi companies refuse to provide service to will be left without any transportation.

· Adding red tape to the process of becoming a rideshare driver. uberX driver partners make a steady income on a flexible schedule by driving a few hours a week. This bill would eliminate the ability to do that by asking part time drivers to get a professional chauffeurs license – a process that costs money and does nothing to improve the quality or safety of rideshare service.

· Applying archaic insurance standards that do not benefit public safety. uberX driver partners have 3X more insurance coverage than Chicago taxi drivers. HB 4075 fails to recognize the industry-leading insurance that protect rideshare drivers and riders on thousands of trips every day in Illinois.

* And an infographic…

16 Comments

Quinn updates new TV ad to add Rauner “Not every job should be in America” quote

Thursday, Aug 21, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From a press release…

The Quinn campaign moved quickly to update their latest 30-second television ad highlighting Republican billionaire Bruce Rauner’s record of outsourcing American jobs overseas. The ad now includes Rauner’s own impassioned defense of outsourcing.

Rauner has taken in millions based on his business practice of outsourcing American jobs overseas to maximize profit by exploiting low-wage, no-protection labor markets. On Tuesday, he defended his actions, saying outsourcing was “part of our economy.” and, “No. Not every job should be in America.”

* The newly updated ad…

Thoughts?

49 Comments

Uh-oh

Thursday, Aug 21, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From a press release…

Bobby Schilling (R-Colona) is challenging incumbent Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (D-East Moline) to follow through on her promise to give up 10 percent of her pay by donating $34,800 to a veterans charity of her choice.

“Promises made should be promises kept,” Schilling said. “When I ran for Congress, I promised to reject the congressional pension and health care plans, vote against all pay raises for legislators, and lead by example—these are promises I kept. Congresswoman Bustos promised to reject 10 percent of her pay—that amounts to $34,800—but she has failed to do that. Today I am challenging Congresswoman Bustos to do the right thing and donate that $34,800 to a veterans charity of her choice. Not only would that be a worthy cause and an appropriate use of the money, but it might also help Congresswoman Bustos start to repair her relationship with veterans after she voted to cut $6 billion to benefits for disabled veterans and their families last year.”

* In September of 2012, Bustos was interviewed by the Chicago Tribune editorial board and pushed an idea to cut congressional pay by 10 percent. An edit board member pressed her on whether she’d give up 10 percent of her pay voluntarily if her bill didn’t pass…

Cheri Bustos: “And I’m saying, though, this is a vote. That every member of Congress takes a 10 percent pay cut, and there’s a pay freeze until we—we get this under…”

Interviewer: “I’m sorry, I’m confused. Are you—if you’re elected—are you saying to whoever the HR department is—”keep 10 percent of my pay.” Are you—it’s yes or no. Are you going to voluntarily give up ten percent of your salary?”

Cheri Bustos: “I’m saying that—yes. And I would—I would take a—I would propose that there is a vote to cut 10 percent of the pay for every member of Congress.”

Interviewer: “But you would do it regardless?”

Cheri Bustos: “I’m sorry?”

Interviewer: “You would do it regardless of how the vote turns out?”

Cheri Bustos: “Yes.”

* Listen for yourself…

Click to listen

* Bustos never did have ten percent of her pay deducted from her salary. And check out her campaign’s lame response…

Bustos’ campaign manager, Jeremy Jansen, said she “misspoke,” adding that Wednesday was the first time he heard the recording.

“Cheri Bustos has been a leader in fighting for more Congressional accountability, which is why she voted for the No Budget, No Pay Act, which forced members like herself to put skin in the game and prevented them from collecting any pay until they did their jobs and passed a budget,” Jansen wrote in an email. “Cheri misspoke in the midst of a discussion regarding budget proposals similar to this, but to that end supports legislation that would cut lawmakers’ pay 10 percent and looks forward to it coming up for a vote.”

Sorry, but that ain’t gonna fly.

* Bustos beat Schilling last time around mainly by claiming that Schilling had become “too DC” during his first term. But Schilling refused to accept congressional health insurance and pension benefits during his one and only term, so he can now turn this very issue back on Bustos in a potentially game-changing maneuver.

I cannot believe nobody took note of this promise at the time and made sure Bustos followed through. Big mistake. She probably needs to make that donation.