The 10th District primary battle between Dan Seals and Jay Footlik may finally be going nuclear. Footlik's campaign was cited today in a JTA blog article accusing Seals of padding his resume to include his claimed credential as a Northwestern University professor, even though the single night course Seals is scheduled to teach does not begin until April 2008, well after the primary.
As regular TA readers know, our astute commentors figured this out last December, and we recently followed up to try to confirm whether or not Seals ever had ANY teaching experience at Northwestern that would allow him to claim that he is a "current" adjunct professor at Northwestern, as his on-line biography at his website claims, and as he has claimed at numerous public events and to the MSM. We came up with nothing that evidenced that Seals had any teaching experience at Northwestern whatsoever... unless you count a class that isn't scheduled to begin for some months yet. But, as Seals was making this claim as early as last October, it seemed to us to be a serious misrepresentation of Seals' credentials as a candidate.
The response from the Seals campaign given to the JTA is telling:
“These types of baseless political attacks are why people are fed up with Washington and ready for change,” said Liz Smith, Seals’ communications director. “Dan is running for congress to put an end to this type of politics.”
and further:
“They are making hay out of something that isn’t an issue in this race and why are they doing it? Because they are desperate because they are so far behind,” one person close to the Seals campaign told me. “It says more about their campaign than the Seals’ campaign.”
Well, sorry, kids, I have some shocking news for y'all:
CREDIBILITY is an essential point of any campaign. We send people to Congress to represent our interests. Any betrayal of that trust is one of the worst sins a politician can commit.
Seals has destroyed his credibility with the voters by misrepresenting his credentials. It IS an issue, since not only did Seals put it out there, he CAMPAIGNED on it to bolster his credentials. Seals knew his creds were thin to begin with, so it appears that the temptation to do that extra bit of resume padding was just too much.
TA's sources hear that some MSM are now getting interested in this story. Let's see how events unfold for the Seal Pup in the next few days. Wonder if the local media will finally pick up this story and inform their readers?
Also wonder if the Chicago Tribune has ever retracted an endorsement based on the discovery that a candidate misrepresented his credentials? Maybe there's still time to make the Daily Herald think twice...
ALSO- note in the JTA article the hat tip to Team America, which 'sources close to the Seals campaign' describe as a "right wing rag." Thanks, guys, I didn't know you cared... ;-)
THURSDAY MORNING UPDATE: Well, I guess I was giving the MSM too much credit with my endorsement predictions. The Daily Herald drank the Seals Kool-Aid even more so than the Tribune. Well, it'll be interesting to see if Professor-gate ever makes it to a page in the MSM. Wonder if the print media is at all concerned about following leads and checking credentials anymore. Sigh...
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20 comments:
TA,
The interesting thing about your blog is that it allows opposition view points. While a fair read of posts indicates that most writers lean a bit to the right of center, those to the left are also welcome to post opposing views. Comments are not deleted nor are posters banned because of the views they express. This is far from a "right wing rag."
In stark contract, the real left wing rag, run by Ellen, I'm a lonely Catwoman, does not allow for such left-right discussion. On that site, if your post does not show love and affection for The Pup, and pure hatered for all things to the right of The Daily Kos' view of the world, you are not welcome.
Indeed, Catwoman's blog is not a blog at all. A blog welcomes all views by definition. The Catwoman is actually running a bitter, rambling diary, that other unhappy, bitter ranters are allowed to chime in on as long as they love The Pup and hate Kirk.
I thought the Democratic party was the party of free speech?
TA, the credibility issue IS a very serious issue and must not be allowed to be shoved under the rug. I think this should be taken up with the appropriate office of academic affairs at NU. If you look at the personnel handbook that is issued to all teaching staff, Seals running for office is surely something that requires their approval and agreement. I'm wondering if the Footlik campaign manager or Jay himself has talked to NU officials about all of this. It could be a day late and a dollar short, but I think it's sure worth making a point of all of this. And yes, ICBP, this IS a real Blog where all kinds of opinions are welcome and stated. Ms. Shrill rants, raves and writes from a very dark place in her mind. After next November I hope she gets some help.
Lot to discuss today TA.
This Berkman fellow, I am guessing a kid fresh out of some mid-west tier 2 undergrad j school is amateur hour adnauseum wetting his pants to cover this race. This blog has more info and analysis of this race than all chicago papers have put thus far combined. Tell me Ms. Smith how happening to support a congressman who is moderate on all national issues, according to the national journal and the last gop congressman in dc to take money from gay rights groups makes him right wing?
Incompetance there.
Job changing is tough but if you read through the lines here it's clear Dan's been doing nothing for the past 3 years but campaigning and that shows us he's not for much change but someone that's hungry for political status. We dont need another power hungry pol.
He's not been in a classroom if the course doesn't start and it's not hard to put a curriculum together and "consulting projects is vague".
Job thing and resume thing raises a few questions.
Do we know who the consulting deals were for- a major donor that expects payback? The trib played a big role in helping dump jack ryan by arguing that his sex scandal could be used for undue influence. If these projects came from a donor that handed dan a lifeline so he could campaign and expects a big vote down the road-, that's a silver bullet we could use to burst him like a fat pimple. It also would come nicely with the way chicago politics often operates.
Thats a huge deal right now 15k to do an investigation and find some dirt would be much better than 1.5 million of hard advertising.
Liz Smith sounds like a neophyte so I'll break it down why lying about being a teacher is so bad. If you lie about this, the most basic of things what are going to lie about in the future? Our rep is our lifeline to d.c. have to trust him, dan's playing us here and it portends ugly for the future. DUH.
I feel like we should be paid as advisors to footlik. Dan's just that dumb.
ta, In your 1st paragraph you said "accusing Footlik of padding his resume ". Didn't you mean Seals?
D'oh! Thanks for pointing out that error, Anon, I'm fixing it now! That's what I get for rushing to get the story out!!!
Seals = unemployed, unimpressive
Footlik = employed, more impressive
Hey TA, it's actually the Department of Human Resources at Northwestern University that should be contacted about their employee, one Dan Seals.
If someone from Jay's campaign or one of his supporters takes a look at the Faculty Handbook I think they'd be very surprised to learn that Seals may just be pushing the envelope over the edge with this gig of his. Worth checking.
Seals lacks credibility, he lacks ability. Let's just leave it at that.
And as for this being a "right wing rag" - just consider the source, TA, and consider it something of a badge of honor. All the talk and all the activity is coming from you and your posters. Catwoman and her scary followers are non-issues and mean nothing.
Anon 12:35 a.m.- actually, as part of our investigation, we DID contact the HR department, but they would not give out any information without Seals' "employee number." No surprise, and obviously I didn't have that info. Even if you are a prospective employer or someone calling to confirm employement, they won't hand out that info unless you have the person's number. If they never actually worked there, I'm not sure how you could ever prove the negative, at least through the HR department.
As I indicated in my prior post, Dean Shapiro was more forthcoming with information, but he could only say with certainty that Seals had never worked for the School of Continuing Studies before and could not positively confirm that Seals had never worked elsewhere in the University. That's why we challenged Seals to disprove our premise some weeks ago, and there has been no response.
I know a couple of folks who are signing up for the class.
Evey word recorded, the place will be a circus.
TA: Seems like you've caught another story here before the print media is willing to expose it. First Link, and now Seals. Why isn't your buddy Rich Miller picking this up?
Anon 8:32
Can't agree with you more - this is where you get ALL the info - hey, TA, it appears Seals is trying to be more and more like his political idol - didn't Obama claim to be a "professor" and as far as "getting a job" goes, I can't believe Obamarama has missed 70% of the votes in Congress since the 4th of July and a whopping 80% since September (according to Chuck Goudie's column last week)- I would like to propose an amendment to his "ethics" legislation that would require "members of congress seeking higher office must request an "unpaid" leave of absence to conduct their political activities if such political activities prevent the appropriate representation of their constituents; "appropriate respresentation" to include access and availability to constituents, and not missing more than 10% of the vote within any given week."
Think about it - how many of us could ask our employers to continue to pay us $180,000 a year while we "run for office". I work for a fairly open minded group of individuals, but I feel confident they'd show me the door and wish me the best.....
TA,
Let me get this straight, this series of articles held on electronic devices is a "rag"? The term "rag" in this instance would refer to a dead tree newspaper, not really applicable here on Al Gore's wonderous Internet. If only the Seals people got out more and you know, worked, they might be able to use the English language in a better fashion. Does Dan line his birdcage with Dells, Macs and iPhones?
Tepid endorsements for Seals -- Footlick really stole the day
Of course all you right-wing voters want to run against Footlik - it's a no-brainer. And having listened to both men, there is no doubt which one plays very very loose with the truth, and it's not Seals. Footlik has lied about his work, his residence, his family, his reasons for not running last time, to name just a few. Seals is getting the endorsements because he is a far better candidate with a much greater chance of ridding us all of the excuse for a congressman that is Kirk.
Anon 11:41 let me be the first to tell you that your guy is NOT going to win in November. Your guy is nothing more than an empty suit with nothing to offer this district or the US Congress. Mark Kirk will get out there and defend his record of solid achievements over the past 7 plus years. Your guy has done absolutely nothing. This latest credibility issue surely doesn't help win him any support. But isn't it nice to know that unlike that other blog over there, this blog allows you to express your views, regardless of how off base and baseless they happen to be. Get over it. Dan Seals is not going to DC as a Congressman, at least not from the 10th Congressional District.
anon 11:41...
that's like saying an egg mcmuffin is a far better healthfood than a bacon double cheeseburger. Both are full of nothing but crap; the burger just has more.
Anon 11:41 - I think you really need to go back and read those endorsements. Not only were both endorsements very clearly very close between the two, the Tribune endorsement was one shade on the safe side of being a diss, not an endorsement.
As far as I know, Footlik has not been caught in a direct lie so far. Not sure if the same can be said for your man Danno.
LOL, Anon 11:56.
Appropriate too, Dan may well have to be asking "Do you want fries with that?" as his next gig, as nothing seems to be working out for him so far, except living off his campaign.
TA -
Considering the source you should take right-wing-rag as a compliment. Thanks for keeping me informed while I was gone - It sure is good to be back.
I just posted a primary dilemma at the Unincorporated Middle and would appreciate your thoughts and those of your readers. Pop on over when you get a chance.
UM
interesting editorial in the deerfield review this past week about this issue, we'll see if it gets any more press
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