Something fishy in Peoria area Schock/Callahan race
The Peoria area race for Congress between Democrat Colleen Callahan and Republican Aaron Schock has been heating up the past few days.
As a letter to donors from the Durbin campaign puts it:
Contribute to Colleen Callahan today, and help expose "Backdate-gate!"
I am writing you this urgent appeal because I have nowhere else to turn.
There has been a game-changing development in an important Congressional race in downstate Illinois.
It's an open seat in Peoria, which is traditionally Republican.
The GOP nominee is a 27-year-old named Aaron Schock who has all the money he can spend. He shoots from the hip about sending nuclear weapons to Taiwan and his undying loyalty to George Bush's failed agenda.
Our Democratic nominee, Colleen Callahan, is a bright, engaging community leader who has spent 30 years in broadcast journalism covering a variety of issues and specializing in agriculture policy.
As a newcomer she has raised over $450,000, but Schock has swamped her with the help of national Republican sources.
Please make a contribution to Colleen Callahan's campaign today, and help her compete against her well-financed Republican opponent!
Last week there was a blockbuster story across Illinois that Schock had notarized fraudulent documents with false dates so that his father could be eligible for offshore tax shelters. The source of the story was Schock's own father in sworn testimony before a federal court. The damning testimony was buried in a court transcript but an Associated Press reporter dug it out, making statewide news.
Schock denied wrongdoing and said he saw nothing wrong with notarizing documents he knew were clearly fraudulent. A national notary expert quoted in the story said Schock clearly broke the law because "to backdate a document ... is illegal. You have to notarize for the current date."
Colleen Callahan's campaign has just produced a powerful new television ad to expose "Backdate-gate." But right now, Colleen has enough money to run this ad for only four days. She needs at least $10,000 from our community to deliver this important message to the voters through Election Day.
Please click here to watch Colleen Callahan's new ad, and make a contribution so she can keep it on the air through Election Day!
Schock's clear misconduct raises serious questions about his judgment. When the voters know the facts, Colleen Callahan can win.
Colleen is not only a good person, she brings the kind of mature judgment to this race that we need in Congress.
We need your help today.
If you can send Colleen's campaign $10, $100, or whatever you can afford, it can make the difference.
The election is only a few days away and your help can decide this critical contest.
Sincerely,
Dick Durbin
U.S. Senator
In addition to the revelation that Schock committed "official misconduct" by
putting a false date on his father's overseas tax shelter documents, there is
potentially a larger issue looming: whether Mr. Schock will ever release his
tax returns for public viewing, a common move done by congressional candidates
and incumbents.
Callahan, who's running an uphill battle in a Republican district, has been
publically calling on Schock to release his tax returns. Rumors have been
floating around Peoria for months that the big loan listed on Schock's 2007
FEC report might have come from an area businessman. Now, that's just a
rumor, an allegation -- but it's been circulating for months. It's time Mr.
Schock release those tax returns so that voters have all the information they
need before they cast their votes on November 4. This issue is very relevant
to the campaign and to the voters, given the past behavior of Mr. Schock
(putting false dates on tax returns). I mean, are voters ready to elect him
to go to Washington and write and vote on tax policy?
Schock has the fundraising lead in this race, but look for this race to be
competitive on election day thanks to the tide of blue for Obama-Biden.
posted by The Inside Dope @ 10/23/2008
6 comments
6 Comments:
The "Inside Dope" has really pulled off a major scoop on this one. Peoria area Republicans and Democrats and even reporters have heard for months about the $50,000 loan Schock gave his campaign. But the question is where he got the $50,000? Only by releasing his tax returns will we ever find out. Thanks for writing about this important congressional race.
You're doing a service to the public.
After all mankind has done for me, it was the least I, but a humble civic-minded citizen, could do in return.
Of course, I do expect my $150,000 Neiman-Marcus/Sak's clothing allowance any time now.
Ms. Inside Dope, you missed a very important factor in this story. Mr. Schock's 2007 FEC report, I think September, lists a $50,000 loan from Aaron Schock to candidate Schock.
That is the critical $50,000.
That is why he needs to show the public his tax returns. The rumor that has been flying around Peoria for months -- and it's getting to be old news by now that has never been reported on by the mainstream media -- is that a prominent businessman gave Schock that loan.
If a prominent businessmen gave him that loan, that would be a violation of Federal Election Law and other statutes dealing with money laundering.
Release your tax returns to clear up this issue, Mr. Schock.
Hey, I just read Mr. Schock's Illinois State Board of Elections report. Some guy named Khazan donated $26,000 to Schock's state rep campaign.
To anonymous above, did Schock ever work for that guy Khazan?
Oh, I forgot, how will the public ever find out who public servant Schock works for in his private sector world because he won't release his tax returns.
Is the Peoria media asleep?
This guy wants to go to Congress with all of these questions swirling around?
This is amazing.
Mr. Schock, release your tax returns. Do the right thing.
Hey everybody -
I've got a little more of a scoop.
I was in Peoria last week. Here's what folks are saying about this race. Callahan can win, but the Peoria media needs to challenge Mr. Schock to come clean. What everyone is saying down there is that a businessman gave Schock $50,000 and then Schock loaned his congressional campaign $50,000.
That is conventional wisdom and yet it has never been reported on by any reporters.
After Schock's problems with backdating his dad's offshore tax shelters, don't you think the public might say, "Hmmm, there's something fishy about this guy Schock?"
And, further, should we send him to Washington to write our nation's tax laws?
This is crazy. Someone had better wake up in Peoria.
Schock only has a fundraising lead because his idol, George W. Bush, came to Peoria and raised $500,000. Did I mention that Schock was perfectly ok with the taxpayers footing the $38,000 bill of overtime expenses for local police & fire fighters? Thanks, anyway Schock, but we can do w/o your Bush money or your Bush policies.
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