8th congressional district Republican Party primary candidate Steve Greenberg is calling Democratic Party Congresswoman Melissa Bean to task for taking campaign contributions from lobbyists and employees of Canadian National Railraod and other companies interested in the sale of the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railroad to CN.

Here is his press release on the subject:

Canadian National Railroad, Illinois Central Railroad, US Steel and the lobbying firms hired by Canadian National each have a financial interest in Canadian National’s purchase of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railroad.

Combined, these companies have funneled over $146,000 to Melissa Bean during the past three years by contributing to the campaigns of other members of Congress who then passed the money on to Bean (see attached).

Bean has rewarded these big corporations by turning her back on her constituents and not opposing Canadian National’s purchase of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railroad.

LAKE ZURICH 12/26/07—With the proposed buyout of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railroad by Canadian National Railroad, freight train traffic in Illinois’ 8th Congressional district will quadruple according to Canadian National estimates. The line, which currently carries 3-5 freight trains per day, would increase to carrying over 20 freight trains per day. This increase would exacerbate an already congested traffic situation in the region, endanger the lives of hundreds of children who live near the tracks, increase noise and environmental pollution and decrease the effectiveness of first responders who need to cross those tracks as quickly as possible to save lives.

Despite the extremely negative impact Canadian National’s buyout of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railroad would have on her constituents, Melissa Bean, who has received over $146,000 from the big corporations with a financial interest in this deal, sent a letter to the Surface Transportation Board simply requesting hearings and discussion of the matter.

Meanwhile, Republican candidate for Congress, Steve Greenberg sent a letter to the Surface Transportation Board stating his staunch opposition to the plan.

“Canadian National’s purchase of the EJ&E would so negatively impact quality of life in the Northwest Suburbs, how could Melissa Bean take any position other than strongly opposing the deal?” Greenberg said.

“It’s not hard to connect the dots between Bean, the big corporations behind this deal and their contributions to Congressional candidates that eventually found their way into Melissa Bean’s campaign fund. If Bean will sell her neighbors in Barrington out to the big corporations who fund her campaigns, it’s frightening to think how she treats the rest of her district,” Greenberg concluded.