So much material...where to begin?
First up: Fake Suffering People
Seems that Jim Oberweis, the Republican candidate running to for Denny Hastert's seat in Illinois' 14th CD, really, really, really, really wanted to slam is opponent, Bill Foster, in an attack mailer claiming that Foster would raise the taxes on American families. He wanted to use examples of who would supposedly suffer if Bill Foster is elected.
It's an old Republican ploy; Tax and Spend, Tax and Spend, Tax and Spend, Tax and Spend, Tax and Spend, Tax and Spend, Tax and Spend, Tax and Spend, Tax and Spend, blah, blah blah....
BUT the problem is, he couldn't find any people who would suffer...but that didn't stop him. He simply made them up.
More after the flip:
Check out the mailer:
click on image to enlarge
Okay, pretty standard Republican smear stuff. Have pictures of some average families and then show how much more money Foster wants to tax them...with the figures completely inflated.
But now check out the fine print disclaimer on the mailer:
click on image to enlarge
Let me quote it:
The four examples are fictional, and any similarity between these characters and any real people is pure coincidence. The effects on the individual's tax bills was calculated using the tax calculator found at a link to the Heritage Foundation
THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION! Sheesh.
The Chicago Trib, in an editorial yesterday titled, Meet the Wadsworths, nailed Obie. Here are the money quotes:
"We can't afford Bill Foster's tax hikes!!" says the headline on Oberweis' glossy flier, which was sent to voters in advance of Saturday's special election.
If Bill Foster gets his way, the Wadsworths will pay an extra $8,905 a year!
Total fiction. All of it. These people don't exist. They were created by Oberweis' campaign, which bought stock photos to use in the ad.
--snip--
By the way, using Oberweis' calculations, the Wadsworths must be paying $34,250 in taxes on their $73,000 income. And that's before the $8,905 increase.
They really need a new tax accountant.
Oh, that's right. They're not real.
And what was Obie's response? This is too good:
"Three or four days before the end of the campaign to go out and spend time trying to find people to fit those different categories was a lot more difficult than just finding actors," Oberweis countered.
Just too hard to find those people!!!
Second up: As Jerry 101 points out, Oberweis is suing the DCCC for, get this, airing an ad that he claims isn't telling the truth.
Here's the ad:
Obie is claiming that illegals weren't working for him...but they were. They were hired by a contractor, but they worked there, none the less.
Crunch Time
1953 people have donated to The Foster campaign on Actblue. They are hoping to raise that number to 2008 by tomorrow evening. You can help by donating at:
Blue Majority ActBlue Page
Obama for Foster ActBlue Page
Foster's Blue Plate Special
Let's win this one.
UPDATE: The Geneva Sun has just endorsed Bill Foster.
Given the traditional voting history of the district and former Speaker Dennis Hastert's popularity and political success over the past two decades, the Democratic Party just hasn't provided candidates who would best represent and benefit the residents living here.
That changes today with our endorsement of Bill Foster in the March 8 special election.
h/t MagisterLudi in the comments.
Disclaimer: I am working with the Foster campaign.