Campaign News

Lauzen Challenges Oberweis to Speak for Himself, Get Control of Campaign

Friday, 1/4/2008

Aurora, Illinois – State Senator Chris Lauzen today issued a challenge to Jim Oberweis, in the face of relentless, negative attacks from his Republican primary opponent’s highly-paid, out-of-state political mercenary, Bill Pascoe. Sen. Lauzen issued the following statement: “Jim, you’ve left me no choice but to respond to your campaign’s negative attacks. From now on, I will not sit idly by and allow you to mislead the voters. The voters only need to look at Team Oberweis’ campaign rhetoric and public statements to realize full well that Jim is ignoring Denny Hastert’s desire to have his endorsed candidate run a positive campaign. In fact, it is rather difficult to find anything but scathing attacks on me that have nothing to do with the issues. Through the early phase of this campaign, Jim’s media consultant, Bill Pascoe, issued self-serving statements about how Jim was running a positive, issues-oriented campaign, when it was clear this was political bluster. Anyone can compare our campaign to theirs and derail the Oberweis-Pascoe spin machine. What really has happened in this campaign is just the opposite of what former Speaker Hastert intended. The Oberweis-Pascoe tandem loaded up a quiver full of poison-tipped arrows and has been firing them right at me. Pascoe assailed the character of Kane County Republican Chairman Denny Wiggins, who has served Kane County for 45 years and who previously handed Oberweis an embarrassing electoral defeat. He lied about my position on e-commerce and internet taxation, choosing to mislead voters and ignore the issues. And, perhaps worst of all, he equated me to George Ryan and Rod Blagojevich, when he knows full well that I am no favorite of either. I spoke out against Ryan’s Illinois FIRST and Blagojevich’s job-killing gross receipts tax. Pascoe may be shooting these arrows, but Jim is undoubtedly telling him where and when to aim. If he is not, that is equally troubling, for it shows that Jim has no control in this race, and that we cannot trust him to be a leader in Congress. I will continue to do what I have done for 15 years in public service – speak to the voters and the media directly. I am not afraid to let people know where I stand, and I refuse to have an out-of-town mercenary dictate my thoughts and words. It is unfortunate that Jim has chosen the opposite approach – to take refuge in a consultant-created bubble all the while claiming unconvincingly that he is taking the high road in running a “positive” campaign. Starting today, I am issuing a challenge to Jim. Issue your own press releases; speak directly to the media; and don’t be afraid to make quotes on the record. If you want to continue to lodge negative attacks and mislead voters about my record, step out of Pascoe’s shadow and do it on your own. Bill Pascoe is not running for office, and the voters of this district are too smart to let him play puppeteer. You want to speak in Congress for 550,000 people, but you won’t speak for yourself in the middle of a political campaign. Jim, to quote your political mercenary, it’s time for you to ‘man up’ and gain control of your campaign. Stop hiding behind your attack-dog consultants and let the voters figure out who is most ready and prepared to lead. If you are unable or unwilling to confront me yourself, say so and explain why.”                                                    ###