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* Ozinga companty to back off from support of a big railway expansion…
Congressional candidate Marty Ozinga said he is not opposed to the Canadian National Railroad taking over the Elgin Joliet & Eastern tracks that roll through the southwest suburbs.
“It has a lot of positive effects for the Chicago area,” he said. “But they should not run roughshod over our communities.”
Ozinga said Friday he would be “amending” a statement his concrete company made last fall in which it went on record supporting the CN deal. Many community leaders and residents in the 11th Congressional District, where he is the Republican candidate, have staunchly opposed the CN transaction, saying it would quadruple the freight trains and create safety and traffic concerns.
* Meanwhile, Ozinga’s Democratic opponent, Senate Majority Leader Debbie Halvorson, tells a whopper has also done a bit of back and forth…
Halvorson said she has opposed the CN transaction “since I first heard about it.”
“Why take the gridlock from the city and dump it in the suburbs? We will fight as a community for the people of the community,” she said. “My opponent wants to grow his own business. It’s about his bottom line.”
* Not so fast. From Halvorson’s own campaign website…
“I will work with Senator Durbin and Mayor Holland to ensure that any plan that moves forward serves the best interests of local residents.”
To me, at least, that looks like the exact same position as Ozinga’s.
Oops.
…Adding… A week before that article appeared, Halvorson introduced a resolution calling on the US Surface Transportation Board to “not approve the sale of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Company to the Canadian National Railroad.”
So, she opposed the sale since early March, but she was apparently willing to discuss the details of any final plan.
* Meanwhile, Steve Sauerberg and a Senate Republican come out swinging on congressional earmarks, sorta…
A chief opponent of so-called pork barrel spending, Oklahoma Republican Sen. Tom Coburn, came to candidate Steve Sauerberg’s aid Friday and blasted Sen. Dick Durbin on earmarks.
“If we have many more Dick Durbins, my grandkids will have no more future in this country,” Coburn said of Durbin, tying his colleagues’ earmarking to the nation’s deficit.
Sauerberg has long hammered Durbin on earmarks, the often-criticized process by which lawmakers can land federal funds for local projects by attaching them to various pieces of legislation.
But there’s a “but”…
But if elected, the Willowbrook physician has not pledged he won’t seek earmarks himself. He promised Friday to only seek them if they have a direct federal interest. He also supports legislation to make the earmarking process more transparent.
* Related…
* Rep. Bean’s campaign cash from PACs hard to match
* Schoenburg: Callahan hits a hot button at bad time in campaign
* Democrat Scott Harper joins DCCC list of “emerging races”
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Sep 15, 08 @ 9:54 am
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Neither Ozinga or Halvorson seem ready for prime time. But I guess that’s not really a prereq for Congress.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Sep 15, 08 @ 10:25 am
Your quote from Halvorson’s web site, “I will work with Senator Durbin and Mayor Holland to ensure that any plan that moves forward serves the best interests of local residents,” is what most politicians would say, because it does not indicate whether they are for or against it, just that they are looking out for the voters.
I don’t see how Halvorson’s web statement is anything like Ozinga’s position of a year ago, where his company was clearly for it (as one would expect them to be). He is now trying to take the political tack by amending his position.
If criticism is to be leveled, it should be on Ozinga, who claims to not be a politician taking such a politician-like action. I suppose you could criticize Halvorson for being non-committal on her web site, but it doesn’t contradict what she’s saying in public.
Comment by Pot calling kettle Monday, Sep 15, 08 @ 10:27 am
Both candidates have shown that they will listen and that is what finally matters. So this issue is now no longer a decision maker for most voters. Whoever continues trashing the other over it will be wasting time and money.
The new issue is an opening for Ozinga if he jumps on it. Senator Jones, Halvorson’s mentor and boss has decided there will be no ethics bill, and no action until after the election.
Ozinga needs to recognize that attacking Halvorson viciously hurts them because her appeal is maternal, and no one likes it when mommy is attacked. Ozinga needs to win over enough independants to augment the district’s strong GOP base. Being seen as partisan buffoons will lose those needed independant voters.
Continue tying Halvorson to Jones because Halvorson needs a “Sister Souljah” moment against Jones to break her ties with him. Jones’ decision to kill the Illinois Ethics Bill and his refusal to work until after the election will force Halvorson’s hand, so be ready.
Right now she is wasting her time trying to talk Jones to return to Springfield, and that is a waste of time with too few days left in the campaign to make the entire situation work for her. The sooner she denounces her old silent partner, the better it is for her.
Halvorson is sinking under the weight of Jones and Blagojevich and she needs to jettison them eventually, or lose.
Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Sep 15, 08 @ 10:50 am
Steve who? I didn’t realize Durbin had an opponent. And with friends with Tom Coburn…
Comment by George H.W. Bush Monday, Sep 15, 08 @ 11:05 am
I was making that comment the other day. I’ve not seen a piece of mail, heard a radio ad, seen a TV ad, seen a billboard… In fact, the only indication we’re having a senatorial election this year is the billboard with Dick Durbin on it on one of our local expressways (I can’t remember which, it’s probably I88 or the Ike).
Comment by cermak_rd Monday, Sep 15, 08 @ 11:08 am
Cermak, it’s on the Ike about Cicero.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Sep 15, 08 @ 11:24 am
Let me get this straight. Sauerberg wants to get elected by criticizing Durbin for bringing federal dollars to Illinois. That should win lots of votes.
Comment by Pot calling kettle Monday, Sep 15, 08 @ 11:27 am
Sen. Durbin is opposed by Chad Koppie. He’s the only candidate, in that race, who is pro-life and pro-gun rights. Please read his site, www.koppieforsenate.com.
Comment by PhilCollins Monday, Sep 15, 08 @ 11:30 am