* Retired Army Colonel Jill Morgenthaler hasn’t even announced that she’ll run against freshman Republican Peter Roskam yet, but she’s already being attacked by a flier in the 6th Congressional District.
The flier, which was apparently sent to Democrats in the district, damns her with praise, claiming, among other things, that she was the Army’s “go-to” person during the notorious Abu Ghraib torture scandal.
Morgenthaler said this morning that she was indeed the Army’s spokesperson during the scandal and a quick search shows she was widely quoted in the media.
“I was trying to make sure we got the facts out,” Morganthaler said, claiming that the scandal and the lack of leadership “led to a lot of good things being discounted.”
The flier also claims that Morgenthaler was a member of the Army’s Psychological Operations team in Qatar, but Col. Morgenthaler, who is Gov. Blagojevich’s deputy chief of staff for homeland security, said her involvement with Psy Ops was limited to a tour in California back in 1984 and likened her job to “advertising and marketing.”
Apparently, however, somebody is using Psy Ops against her now. Morgenthaler said this morning that, despite the claims made in the flier, she was not recruited by Congressman Rahm Emanuel. She has spoken with Emanuel, she said, but others, including fellow soldiers and Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs Director Tammy Duckworth, who lost to Roskam last year, have been far more influential.
Morgenthaler is taking vacation time this week to mull the bid against Roskam, talking to various people and assessing the situation, including the possibility of a continued smear campaign against her.
Morgenthaler is also quoted in the flier complaining about the lack of coverage of the good things that the military was doing in Iraq, and the retired colonel said today that while she was there (she arrive in early 2004 and left in October of 2004) a constitution was formed and elections were held. “Things got positive.”
As for the future, she doesn’t want an immediate pull-out, but said, “We can’t stay the course either.” She thinks several important voices have been overlooked in a search for a solution, including the British and other regional leaders like the Queen of Jordan, whom Morgenthaler praised for her insight.
Morgenthaler currently doesn’t reside in the district (she was mapped out in 2002), but she and her husband live on the Des Plaines River and the flooding this summer has already prompted a search for a new house.
She promised to get back to me as soon as she makes a decision. Stay tuned.
* Meanwhile, Republican Jim McConoughey defends his poor fundraising report…
“Mine is a strategy about elevating my name recognition and my overall qualifications for the candidacy and then going after fundraising after we’ve got that reputation and name recognition established,” McConoughey said Tuesday, adding the money he received was not solicited.
McConoughey. who wants to replace retiring Congressman Ray LaHood, got into the race just a month after state Rep. Aaron Schock, but raised just $3,000. He loaned himself the rest. Schock raised $375,000, including a loan to his campaign. John Morris raised about $218,000.
I’m not sure how you establish name recognition before you raise money to establish name recognition, but whatever.
* And, finally, the Daily Southtown urges GOP congressional hopeful Tim Baldermann to consider reprioritizing…
The Issue: Tim Baldermann insists he can run for Congress without shirking his duties as full-time police chief (and part-time mayor).
We say: If campaign proves to be too rigorous, Balderman will have to reassess his situation as chief and do what’s best for taxpayers.
Tim Baldermann wants to be congressman from Illinois’ 11th District. That’s the same Tim Baldermann who also is mayor of New Lenox. And it’s the same Tim Baldermann who also is police chief in Chicago Ridge.
If Baldermann wins the Republican primary in February and qualifies for the general election in November 2008, he will have spent more than 12 months as chief, mayor and candidate.