©2011 Galesburg Broadcasting Co.
| Cohen Denies Paying Pastors for Endorsements |
(IRN) -- The independent candidate for governor says he never offered to pay pastors for their endorsement.
Speaking at his campaign head quarters in Chicago, Scott Lee Cohen says he never asked an emissary to offer the Rev. Gregory Lee or the Rev. James Jones money for their endorsement.
The allegations surfaced when a TV station in Chicago received a "press release" from Lee, who later told the station "it was in the form of cash."
Cohen was at a meet-and-greet with pastors Tuesday in Matteson, at which Lee alleges that a Cohen campaign worker approached him and offered him $500 if he publicly backed Cohen. Jones says he received the same offer.
"Nothing could be further from the truth," said Cohen.
Cohen then showed a video to the assembled media that he said would refute any suggestions that his campaign made any type of financial offer. However the video, made by campaign staff, failed to prove anything other then the presence of a TV camera from a Chicago TV station. Cohen's campaign manager John Davis says the cameraman being present is evidence that no such thing happened. "Never would I have invited an outside camera if I knew or this campaign knew that this sort of thing was happening," Davis said.
In fact, the video shows Cohen speaking to pastors about how Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn was offering money to church leaders for their support. Asked if he was accusing Quinn of doing so, Cohen said that he personally was not but was told by several church leaders at the meet-and-greet that it was happening.
(Illinois Radio Network) |
|
| 10 23 10 by Newsroom |
Click here for the WGIL News Archive
Click here for national news
The following provision applies to all visitors (which shall include persons and representatives of legal entities, whether such representatives are persons or digital engines of a kind that crawls, indexes, scrapes, copies, stores or transmits digital content). By accessing this Web site or digital service, you specifically acknowledge and agree that: (i) Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium; (ii) No Associated Press materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and non-commercial use; (iii) The Associated Press will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing; (iv) The Associated Press is an intended third party beneficiary of these terms and conditions and it may exercise all rights and remedies available to it; and (v) The Associated Press reserves the right to audit possible unauthorized commercial use of AP materials or any portion thereof at any time.
