Morrison, Friedman Intensify Attacks
Candidates to replace Susan Garrett in State Senate bicker over flip flopping, a woman’s right to choose and personal integrity.
The campaign between Highland Park pediatrician Arie Friedman and West Deerfield Township Supervisor Julie Morrison to succeed retiring state Sen. Susan Garrett (D-Lake Forest) intensified into an all out war of words Monday.
Morrison, the Democrat, issued a news release accusing Friedman of transforming himself from a Tea Party Republican when he ran in the 2010 GOP primary for Congress against Rep. Robert Dold (R-Kenilworth) and five other rivals to a moderate in 2012.
Earlier: State Senate Candidates Switched Parties
“There are a number of issues that Dr. Friedman is silent about and a number of issues he has flip-flopped on,” Morrison said. “From his support of the Tea Party, his affiliation with the NRA, and his support of the Paul Ryan budget, Arie Friedman refuses to clarify his positions on the issues that make our community safe.”
Friedman calls himself a “proud Republican” and claims he is focusing on issues he considers most important for voters in Illinois and the 29th State Senate District like economic and fiscal problems. He has no affiliation with the National Rifle Association, according to Campaign Manager Paul Miller.
“I have been forthright, proactive, and completely transparent on my positions regarding the entire range of problems facing our state today,” Friedman said. “I have spoken extensively over the last two years on an amazing variety of important subjects. I rightly choose to emphasize the economic and fiscal issues that threaten our state.”
Morrison Criticizes Friedman’s Pro Choice Bona Fides
Morrison also criticized Friedman’s claims he is pro choice because he has made financial contributions to an anti-choice political action committee which has endorsed people like Rep. Michelle Bachman (R-MN) and Rep. Joe Walsh (R-McHenry).
Friedman claims his donations to the group are for issues other than a woman’s right to choose. “My support of Family PAC was based on their strong support of small business—in particular their support of inventors and developers of new technology,” he said.
In the last week Friedman has come under fire from both Republicans and Democrats for his position on a woman’s right to choose, according to an article in the Illinois Review. Morrison Campaign Manager Bill Doerrer called Friedman a liar for claiming to be a moderate.
“During his 2010 run for Congress, Dr. Friedman ran as the Tea Party alternative to Bob Dold, received an "A" rating from the NRA and openly supported dangerous limitations on a woman's “right to choose,” Doerrer said. “Why is Dr. Friedman ashamed of his affiliations with the Republican Party, the Tea Party, the NRA and anti-choice organizations?”
Friedman Emphasizes Fiscal Issues
Not shy in his retort, Friedman stressed his emphasis on fiscal issues which he claims the Illinois General Assembly has been ignoring. He accuses Morrison of avoiding a discussion of economic issue facing Springfield.
“I am a social moderate who is laser focused on reining in Springfield’s fiscal irresponsibility by reducing spending, taxing, and borrowing,” Friedman said. “Once again we see that Mrs. Morrison steadfastly refuses to address Illinois’s fiscal and economic crisis.”
Doerrer rejected Friedman’s accusations against Morrison claiming she has addressed all of these issues on her website. According to Doerrer, Morrison’s moderate credentials are bolstered by endorsements from Garrett and former Rep. John Porter (R-Wilmette).
“Throughout her tenure as West Deerfield Township Supervisor, Julie Morrison has been accountable to her constituents and maintained an open, transparent form of government,” Doerrer said. “Julie has identified her support for letting the (Gov. Patrick) Quinn tax increases expire, defending education funding, and implementing tax credits that reward job creation.”
Gary
10:02 am on Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Wow. Nice hit piece on Friedman! More balanced reporting from the Patch.
Apparently Morrison doesn't have to answer for the economic destruction the Democratic party has brought to Illinois. Illinois is a national joke when it comes to overspending and over promising pensions with no way of paying the bill, and what's Morrison's repsonse?
Julie Morrison (D) "defends education funding". In other words, she will continue to make unsustainable promises to the unions who fund her campaign. She will not reform the State employee pension Ponzi scheme. She will do nothing to fix the mess. She will be another business as usual Democrat.
Hey Steve,
How about you write an article that demands accountability from the Democrats in Springfield and their well funded supporters? Why don't you put the blame where it belongs?
Guido McGinty
10:26 am on Tuesday, October 2, 2012
I see no evidence of a hit piece. Quotes from an opponent do not a hit piece make.
Gary
10:34 am on Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Let's put a little more meat on this debate.
Who has run up a $90 billion unfunded pension debt in Illinois?
Who has spent and borrowed so far beyond our means that our bond rating continues to drop because the smart money is starting to think we will never be able to pay it back?
Who has chased businesses out of Illinois with high taxes and regulations?
Did the Tea Party do this to Illinois? No.
Did the NRA do this to Illinois? No.
Did the right to lifers do this to Illinois? No.
Did hard-core ideologues on the right demanding fiscal responsibility do this to Illinois? No.
Did the Teacher's unions do this to Illinois? Yes.
Did the greater group of State employee unions do this to Illinois? Yes.
Did hard-core ideologues on the left who think the State can provide everything and that money will magically appear to keep it going... do this to Illinois? Yes.
Did the Democrat party, wholly owned by the unions, do this to Illinois? Yes.
Understanding what the problem is, is the first step in finding a solution. The Tea Party and the NRA are not the problem in Illinois.
D'skidoc
8:38 am on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Julie Morrison has been the township supervisor here in W Deerfield. Not in Springfield. Support of public education is what makes this area great. Arie Friedman just wants to disavow his ultra right positions when it's convenient to run towards the center. No hit piece, just a little history.
Gary
9:25 am on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Please explain to me what damage the "ultra right" wing has done to Illinois?
After that you can explain what damage the "ultra left" wing has done to Illinois.
RonnieTheLimoDriver
10:31 am on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Being the township supervisor should disqualify her as a valid candidate. The township form of government is nothing more than a redundant layer that offers no additional value to the taxpayers. The number of layers of government in the state is part of the problem. If Julie's first move had been to move to dissolve the township, then I would be an enthusiastic supporter. However, Julie is another IL politician that wants to ignore the real financial issues facing the state and instead run on social issues. The sad thing is all these social issues will become irrelevant if the state can no longer afford to provide social services due to a lack of funds. I don't know enough about Friedman to know if he is a good alternative, but I like that his campaign is focused on what our REAL issues are as a State.
D'skidoc
10:12 am on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Indeed the tea party didn't exist when Illinos was busy creating problems for its future, but the TP mantra of starve government w/o regard for the services it provides is irresponsible, and the NRA is a one-issue demagogue that has no place threatening that "Obama will take away your guns" like shouting fire in a theater with no evidence to support the claim. NRA should have stuck to being an advocate for gun owners, rather than a political threat machine. Either align with us or we'll blackball you! Another wing of the right just wants to control social issues, like who you sleep with and whether you procreate or not, but let business and rich people rig the process, with the unwitting help of those they care least about.
RonnieTheLimoDriver
10:39 am on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
The only reason the NRA is so active in IL is because our laws are different than the laws in the 49 other states. Im no friend of the NRA on the national level, because frankly I find some of their arguments illogical, and I do not like the use of FUD to raise funds. However, here in IL they have a valid issue. Pass Conceal Carry, modernize / eliminate FOID, and IL becomes no more attractive to the NRA than any of the rest of the states.
Im not a single issue voter, and if a candidate doesn't want to touch the gun control issue, Im fine with it. However, if you are going to be pushing for more gun laws in this state when the current ones don't work, and at the same time ignoring the financial issues we have, then you are not going to get my vote.
D'skidoc
1:38 pm on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
I shouldn't have bitten on Gary's laundry list. The NRA is a completely separate issue, agreed. None-the-less, just because you don't like the extra level of government doesn't take away from the public service Morrison has provided. Don't blame the individual for doing a good job in a position you want to eliminate. Anyway, the point was that Morrison wasn't one of the hacks in Springfield who helped create the mess. We have too many bad actors in Illinois from both parties to use that broad a brush. Might as well indict anyone who even wants to run for office because they will be corrupt sooner or later. Sort of like that Tom Cruise movie, "Minority Report"
Mr. Truth
9:29 pm on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
If They Are With The Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution Then Im Right Next To Them!
Ellie
7:44 pm on Saturday, October 13, 2012
A vote for Julie Morrison is a vote for the status quo: Chicago Democrat, John Cullerton, controlling forever the Illinois Senate! Financially, Illinois is at the bottom all 50 states. We are on financial "life support." Call in the doctor, before we collapse into total bankruptcy - another credit downgrading by Standard & Poor!
Vicky Kujawa
10:44 pm on Saturday, October 13, 2012
Thanks to our wonderful, corrupt Democrappic leadershit, ILLAnnoy is a toilet.