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| Democratic Senate Candidates Debate in Chicago |
Democrats running for U.S. Senate agree ethics will be an issue as voters make their choice in the upcoming primary.
In a debate Tuesday night sponsored by the League of Women Voters and the Better Government Association, the five candidates declared themselves clean, while trying to cover their opponents in ethical clouds.
David Hoffman, the former Chicago inspector general, was accused of having close ties to the ethically suspect mayor of Chicago. He says that's crazy, and endorsement editorials in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times and the Daily Herald of Arlington Heights agree, with the Tribune characterizing him as "independent and incorruptible."
"Scandal, corruption, pay-to-play have been a bipartisan disgrace in Illinois," Giannoulias said. "We need to elect somebody who's going to bring ethics, integrity and transparency to the United States Senate."
Giannoulias notes that as treasurer, he signed an executive order barring campaign contributions from individuals or businesses that have contracts with his office.
Cheryle Jackson was spokesman for former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who goes on trial for corruption this summer. She says she left during his first term when she learned what was going on with campaign fundraising, and later hauled him into court over education funding, as president of the Chicago Urban League.
Jacob Meister says he has no fear of the trial this summer of the Blagojevich trial, saying he has no ties to Blagojevich or Rezko. "I know I'm not on the tapes," he said in reference to FBI recordings of Blagojevich.
Dr. Robert Marshall said he has "never met any of these people you've read about in the paper. Never been in a room with 'em, never campaigned with 'em," he said.
(Illinois Radio Network) |
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| 01 13 10 by Newsroom |
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