McHenry County Blog

Thought you might find this of interest:

And take a look at this ad about Obamacare by a female Indian-American primary care physicial:

Two other TV ads paid for by Indian Americans for Freedom.

I think I like the one best that has an India-educated engineer who, along with fellow grads (1969) who couldn’t find a job in his homeland, came to American and “found and lived the American dream creating thousands of jobs…

“Why do we want to follow policy that failed the middle class everywhere else on this planet?”

You can see the other two ads here on Bill Baar’s West Side blog.

A press release from Congressman Joe Walsh:

Rep. Walsh Comments on Duckworth’s Negative Campaign Commercial

Democrat candidate for Congress in Illinois’ 8th district, Tammy Duckworth, recently began airing a campaign commercial attacking Congressman Joe Walsh.

Duckworth had previously pledged she would not run negative spots.

In response, Congressman Joe Walsh released to following statement:

“I’m very disappointed Ms. Duckworth has decided to go negative more than a month before the election.

“It just shows that her campaign is desperate and she will say and do anything to get elected.

In one of the first slides of Tammy Duckworth’s first negative ad, she claims she is bipartisan.

“This is a clear contrast to my own commercials that are only positive and talk about where I stand on the issues that matter to 8th district voters.

“Her accusation that I will raise taxes on the middle class is a complete lie.

“Not once have I voted for a bill that raises taxes for any individual, and I never will.

“My opponent, who as a Blago appointee, supported his tax increase, which was the largest in Illinois history.

“It is clear that Tammy is willing to look the voters in the eye and lie straight to their faces in order to get their vote. We deserve better than that.

One of the final screens of Tammy Duckworth’s first negative ad.

“Ms. Duckworth would prefer to use her campaign funds from California and New York to run commercials to mislead voters.

“I remain committed to discussing the issues and proposing solutions to get folks back to work and stop placing this debt on the heads of our children and grandchildren.”

View the 60 second version of Congressman Joe Walsh’s campaign spot “The Real Joe” here.

It wasn’t a one-two punch.

It was a one-two-three punch.

There were two mailings.

One was from the Democratic Party of Illinois.

This abortion piece uses the code phrase “women’s health.”

“To extremist David McSweeney Women’s Health is just another political game.”

Again “women’s health” is used as a code word for abortion.

[I'm sure that Dave McSweeney considers his wife's breast cancer as his most important "women's health" care issue this year.]

On the address side is the word “None.”

The next attack was from the pro-abortion Personal PAC.

On the back of the piece as delivered, are the words “No exceptions.”

It looks identical to the hit piece that was successfully used against 2010 GOP gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady.

On the left hand side of the inside foldout are the words “No exceptions…”

It was sent to the woman of the house and is so long that I cannot get an image of how it looks when unfolded.

“Not for incest” is the first hit on David McSweeney.

So, let’s try to piece it together.

After unfolding it again, one sees the word “period” on the left after the words, “No exceptions.”

On the right after opening it one more time are the words “Not for rape.”

“Not for rape” is on this panel.

Open up the third fold and the tail is pinning on Republican Dave McSweeney’s back.

David McSweeney’s photo shows up after opening up the last panel, along with the beginning of a sentence that is too long to put on my scanner: “David McSweeney supports an Illinois law to make abortion illegal.”

The final panel shows a young women in deep thought.

A young woman deep in thought is on the last panel of the Personal PAC hit piece.

Under the photo is the following: “The more you know, the less there is to like…Vote No on David McSweeney.”

But that’s not all, folks.

The Dee Beaubien abortion ad attacking David McSweeney starts with a photo of a young woman with the following question below: “Should a woman have the right to make her own decisions?”

On the Six O’clock WLS-TV News, there was an ad paid for by Dee Beaubien’s campaign committee.

The next slide says, “Politician David McSweeney doesn’t think so.”

That pretty much explains why Beaubien put in $50,000 of her own money into her Political Action Committee and Mike Madigan matched it.

Then there is a slide which has a photo of David McSweeney with what he told Illinois Review on June 6, 2005.  It starts with the following: “Someone could just say they were raped or a victim of incest.  The next slide has a second sentence:  “That creates too broad of an exception.”  There are three more slides, each emphasizes one of the words you see in yellow above until they are all three highlighted.

This ad ran pretty much in the middle of the ABC local news.

The next screen uses the label that Dee Beaubien is trying to pin on Dave McSweeney: “David McSweeney is too extreme.”

The final screen shows that the ad is paid for by Citizens for Dee Beaubien.

The text on the final screen of Dee Beaubien’s ad reads, “David McSweeney, He wants you to trust him, But he doesn’t trust you.”

Meanwhile, McSweeney sent out the following mailing, which stresses his business background on the address side.

This is the address side of David McSweeney’s “I’m a businessman” piece.

When one turns it over, one sees that he is taking on Springfield as well.

“They must be held accountable,” Dave McSweeney’s mailing says.

Inside, the businessman theme is echoed and three types of “accountability” are emphasized.

Inside the latest David McSweeney piece tells of his wanting to roll back the 67% income tax hike, eliminate legislative pensions, cut legislative salaries and budgets and fighting for “real property tax relief.”

For today, it is obviously Advantage Beaubien.

I didn’t get shots of all of the screens on David McSweeney’s cable TV ad on Fox News, but I did catch a couple, which you can see below.

It is a hit of opponent Dee Beaubien, who is running as an independent, but who is very heavily financed by Mike Madigan Political Action Committees.

The screen I got after figuring out what I was watching say,s” Dee Beaubien said taking 67% more from paychecks:  ‘fair.’”

Next up is a photo of Democratic Party Chairman and House Speaker Mike Madigan.

McSweeney points out that Dee Beaubien is “bankrolled by Chicago political bosses.”

I didn’t get a clear photo of McSweeney talking to someone with skyscrapers in the background, but the one of his walking with his wife turned out.

A press release from the Now or Never PAC:

NOW OR NEVER PAC

DUCKWORTH (IL-8) TRIES TO GET NOW OR NEVER PAC AD PULLED, CLAIMING IT IS FALSE DESPITE OVERWHELMING PROOF THAT AD IS FACTUAL

Tammy Duckworth

Democratic Congressional candidate Tammy Duckworth (IL-8) is attempting to get ads produced by Now or Never PAC pulled from the airwaves.

Duckworth has been contacting stations claiming that the the PAC’s ad makes “false claims” about Duckworth’s record and is not “accurate.”

The ad in question, entitled “Better Off,” was released by Now or Never PAC last week:

NON-PAC Television Advertisement: “Better Off”

Duckworth: I think that the people in this district, and especially businesses, are better off.

VO: Better off?  Come on, Tammy!

Hard-working families and businesses are struggling.

Better off?

Duckworth support Governor Blagojevich’s budget that increased taxes and spending by billions.

As a “Blago” appointee, an audit found Duckworth was guilty of misusing or misreporting four-million dollars of taxpayer money.

Tammy Duckworth, a Blagojevich pal who supports higher taxes and wasteful spending.

Maybe Tammy’s better off, but we aren’t.

VO: Now or Never PAC is responsible for the content of this advertising

= = = = =

Duckworth is trying to discredit the advertisement and Now or Never PAC by calling the television spot “false.”  But, the following source information makes it the case against Duckworth clear.

Claim: Tammy Duckworth thinks that the people in her district, and especially businesses, are better off.

Fact: On September 14th, 2012, during a televised 8th Congressional District Debate on WFLD Fox Chicago, Tammy Duckworth said “I think that the people in this district, and especially businesses, are better off.”

Source:
1.    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8kN2taXbtA (Begin Minute 45)

Claim: Hard working families and businesses are struggling.

Fact: Unemployment in the United States has been above 8% for 43 months in a row.

Source:
1.    http://www.politifact.com/georgia/statements/2012/sep/14/phil-gingrey/unemployment-rate-comparable-great-depression-cong/

Claim: Tammy Duckworth supported Governor Blagojevich’s higher taxes and spending.

Fact:  Tammy Duckworth Advocated for Governor Blagojevich’s Fiscal Year 2008 Budget.  Governor Blagojevich’s 2008 budget included a “gross receipts tax” on businesses, and called for spending to be increased by $2.3 Billion over the previous year’s spending.

Sources:

1.    Support for 2008 Blagojevich Budget: Kurt Erickson, “Duckworth: A ‘Perfect Storm’ Builds On Vets Care,” The [Bloomington, IL] Pantagraph, 3/25/07

2.    Tax Increase in 2008 Blagojevich Budget: Courtney Klemm, “VA Director Advocates For ‘Families Initiative’,” [Illinois] Herald & Review, 3/23/07

3.    Increased Spending in 2008 Blagojevich Budget: Chrissy Mancini, “Analysis Of The Fiscal Year 2008 Illinois General Fund Budget Proposal,” Center For Tax And Budget Accountability, May 2007

Claim: Tammy Duckworth was an appointee of Governor Blagojevich, and an audit found that Tammy Duckworth was guilty of misusing or misreporting $4 million of taxpayer funds.

Fact: Tammy Duckworth was appointed by former Governor Rod Blagojevich, and was the Executive Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs during the period of time in which an audit was conducted by the Illinois Office of the Auditor General.  The audit of the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs uncovered that more than $4 million in taxpayer funds had been misused or improperly reported.

Sources:

1.    Tammy Duckworth was appointed to be the Executive Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs by former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich: http://www.illinois.gov/PressReleases/ShowPressRelease.cfm?SubjectID=3&RecNum=5542

2.    Tammy Duckworth was the Executive Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs from 12/15/06 – 2/6/09, and she was the Executive Director during the period in which the Illinois Office of the Auditor General conducted an audit: http://www.auditor.illinois.gov/Audit-Reports/Compliance-Agency-List/DVA/FY08-DVA-Comp-full.pdf. Pages 1 and 77.

3.    The Illinois Office of the Auditor General found more than $4 million in misused or misreported funds in an audit of the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs while Tammy Duckworth was the Executive Director of the Department: http://www.auditor.illinois.gov/Audit-Reports/Compliance-Agency-List/DVA/FY08-DVA-Comp-full.pdf.  Pages 11 – 43.

4.    The Illinois Office of the Auditor General states on Page 7 of their audit that “The management of State of Illinois, Department of Veterans’ Affairs – Central Office is responsible for compliance with these requirements.”  http://www.auditor.illinois.gov/Audit-Reports/Compliance-Agency-List/DVA/FY08-DVA-Comp-full.pdf  Page 7.

5.    Therefore, Tammy Duckworth was the Executive Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs, appointed by Gov. Blagojevich, during the period of time in which Illinois Office of the Auditor General found more than $4 million in misused or misreported funds.  Further, the Illinois Office of the Auditor General expressed in their audit that it is the responsibility of the Management of the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs Central Office to comply with the regulations which were found deficient in the audit.  As the Executive Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Tammy Duckworth was the manager for the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs, and therefore she was responsible for the deficiencies found in the audit.

The Now or Never Political Action Committee (NON-PAC) will fight to keep the ads on the air, despite Duckworth’s convenient memory-lapse about her time at the Department of Veterans Affairs and her comments that people in her state and district are “better off.”

Here’s what appears to be State Rep. Kent Gaffney last mail piece can be seen below:

The address side of Kent Gaffney's final piece. He features his attractive family and his Chicago Tribune endorsement.

The back of the mailer again emphasizes endorsements:

This side lists endorsements and sumarizes the issues Kent Gaffney thinks are important.

Saturday night my wife was watching one of the Irish movies and saw Pam Althoff on the TV.

This picture of State Senator Pam Althoff or the screen before it must have been what caught my wife's attention during an Irish movie.

She asked me if Pam were running for office.

I told her Pam was, but that she didn’t have an opponent.

I watched a while, but didn’t see the ad.

Now, the Gaffney campaign has sent a copy of the cable TV ad, but it doesn’t seem to be on YouTube and I can’t figure out how to post it.

If the campaign sends me a YouTube version, I’ll post it below.

Gaffney is opposed by Dave McSweeney and Danielle Rowe.

Meanwhile, a volunteer political operative for McSweeney reports a favorable response from the two precincts he worked in Crystal Lake. He predicts McSweeney will receive close to 50% of the vote.

The following TV ad from the campaign of Congressman Adam Kinzinger targets primary opponent Don Manzullo.

Because retiring State Rep. Dave Winters appears in it, my guess is that it will be mainly run in the Rockford television market.

One of the screens in Adam Kinzinger's attack ad on Don Manzullo shows a spinning compass with the message that Manzullo has lost his way.

That’s because people outside of Rockford won’t have much, if any, idea of who Winters is.

A press release from State Rep. Kent Gaffney. The incumbent is being challenged by Dave McSweeney and Danielle Rowe.

Gaffney Slams McSweeney for Negative, False Campaign Ad

Fox River Grove, IL – Acting true to form, politician David McSweeney is now resorting to negative attacks ads in his desperate attempt to save his failing campaign.

State Representative Kent Gaffney (R-Lake Barrington) slammed McSweeney for going negative and running blatantly false campaign ads. Gaffney issued the following statement:

Kent Gaffney speaks at the YR Candidates' Forum while primary opponent Dave McSweeney looks on.

“I have run a positive, issue-based campaign to inform voters of my budget expertise, my common-sense solutions for our state, and my endorsements by 50 local Republican leaders, the Chicago Tribune, the Daily Herald, the Illinois Chamber of Commerce PAC and the National Rifle Association.

“My opponent David McSweeney is the first candidate in this race to go negative. He’s running a blatantly false ad against me that outrageously attempts to link me to Pat Quinn and higher taxes. There are so many outright lies in McSweeney’s ad that I’m not sure even where to start.

“As the budget director for the House Republicans, I opposed the Blagojevich/Quinn borrowing and spending sprees that led to the state’s fiscal crisis. Last year, the Illinois House approved a revenue/spending estimate that was $2 billion below what Governor Quinn wanted to spend. And I worked to block Quinn’s borrowing plan that would have piled more debt onto taxpayers.

“Just last week, I voted against the FY13 revenue estimate because it was $500 million more than last year. I broke with House leadership and was one of only a handful of Republicans to vote against the higher revenue estimate. David McSweeney must have been too busy with his negative campaign to notice my vote against more spending.

“On taxes, I opposed the Democrats’ 67 percent income tax hike and worked to unite Republican legislators against it. I’m the chief sponsor of legislation to repeal the tax increase. There’s only one candidate in this race who has voted to raise taxes and his name is David McSweeney.

“I urge the voters of the 52nd District to reject David McSweeney’s false, negative attacks. I call on the media to carefully examine McSweeney’s claims, his long history of negative campaigns, and both of our records on the issues of taxes and spending. I am the only candidate in this race with the experience and proven track record to clean up the mess in Springfield.”

= = = = =

The McSweeney television ad has not been posted on YouTube…at least I couldn’t find it.

= = = = =

Here's the first message in the Dave McSweeney ad.

Someone found and pointed me to it. Three views as McHenry County Blog posts it.

The theme of Kent Gaffney's cable television ad is shown above: The Numbers Guy.

The theme is that State Rep. Kent Gaffney is a “budget expert, “the numbers guy.”

It’s been running for five days, according to Gaffney’s campaign manager, Nick McNeely.

Gaffney is running against Dave McSweeney and Danielle Rowe.

It would be fun to be able to see Rockford TV this next month.

There will be lots of television ads in the Don Manzullo campaign against Adam Kinzinger.

Here’s one from Manzullo: