Oppo dump!
Thursday, Mar 8, 2018 </b>
* Tribune…
As she tries to score an upset over seven-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski in the March 20 primary, challenger Marie Newman is selling herself to voters as a onetime ad agency partner, marketing executive, author and anti-bullying advocate.
Absent from her resume: Less than four years ago, Newman and husband James went into business with a convicted felon who spent time in federal prison for his role in a large-scale mortgage fraud scheme.
The Newmans joined with James Garofalo to invest in and run three suburban breakfast cafes and Luigi’s House, a popular Aurora restaurant once owned by restaurant magnate Dick Portillo. The venture began in September 2014. By April 2015, the two sides had parted ways, documents show.
Marie Newman said she and her husband didn’t know about Garofalo’s criminal conviction, and started taking steps to end their involvement after they found out. Asked this week what voters should make of her failure to adequately vet Garofalo’s background, Newman said that “things will go wrong” in business or any organization.
“What speaks to your character is when you immediately fix it. And my husband and I immediately fixed our error,” she said. “I think it speaks very clearly that I’m very transparent, and that when I see that I’ve made a mistake or an error I’m very accountable and I own it, and then I fix it immediately and I move on, and I don’t make that mistake again.”
* Coincidentally or not, this anti-Newman mailer ostensibly from “Illinois Restaurant Enforcement” started hitting the boxes today. Click the pics for larger images…
* Notice the United for Progress website at the bottom? Go to the website and this is all you’ll find…
United for Progress, Inc. supports bold progressive leadership in government. We fight for a more just, equal and inclusive America and believe our country needs more leaders willing to take on powerful interests that prevent working families from getting their fair shot at the American dream.
* Lynn Sweet last month…
United for Progress, Inc., created in 2017 — with mega donations from three Chicago area contributors — reported last week spending $37,767 on direct mail designed to re-elect Lipinski.
According to FEC records, that was $20,237 to oppose Newman and $17,530 to support Lipinski.
FEC records show the 2017 mega donors to “United for Progress” include $200,000 from White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf; $100,000 from Craig Duchossois, the chairman and chief executive officer of The Duchossois Group, and $100,000 from Jim Frank, the CEO and president of Wheels.
- Posted by Rich Miller
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