Democrats on Giannoulias

HOFFMAN CAMPAIGN ON GIANNOULIAS

Criticizing Experience/Age/Character

• “‘In Fact, He’s Only Held Two Jobs,’ Hoffman Said Of Giannoulias, Who Was An Executive At His Family’s Broadway Bank Before Being Elected State Treasurer In 2006.” (Deanna Bellandi, “4 Democrats Seeking Ill. US Senate Seat Debate,” The Associated Press, 12/16/09)

• “[H]offman Asked Why Voters Worried About Jobs, Terrorism And Other Urgent Issues Should Elect Someone Who Is Just 33 Years Old And Has Basically Held Only Two Jobs A Position In His Family Bank And Three Years As State Treasurer. ‘Isn’t it fair for voters to be concerned?’ Hoffman asked.” (Christopher Wills, “Giannoulias, Hoffman Spar In Ill. Senate Debate, The Associated Press, 1/20/10)

• Hoffman Press Release: “[A]lexi Giannoulias Doesn’t Want To Discuss His Limited Professional Experience – Because What It Lacks In Length And Accomplishment, It Makes Up For In Scandal And Poor Decisions.” (Hoffman For Illinois, “Yes, Alexi It Is About Your Resume,” Press Release, 12/17/09)

• Hoffman’s Campaign Manager: “[D]uring His Short Six Year Professional Career He’s Made More Questionable Decisions And Been Embroiled In More Scandals Than Most People See In A Lifetime.” (Hoffman For Illinois, “Yes, Alexi It Is About Your Resume,” Press Release, 12/17/09)

• Hoffman’s Campaign Manager: “[C]haracter, Job Performance And Experience Are Key Issues In This Race,” And Giannoulias “Fails These Crucial Tests.” (Hoffman For Illinois, “Statement From Hoffman Campaign Manager Michael Powell On Alexi Giannoulias’ Misstatements On Bright Start At Today’s Union League Club Debate,” Press Release, 12/16/09)

• Hoffman Campaign: “Mr. Giannoulias Has A History Of Playing Fast And Being Loose With The Facts.” (Hoffman For Illinois, “Alexi Giannoulias’ TV Ad: A Work Of Breathtaking Dishonesty,” Press Release, 1/5/10)

• Hoffman Campaign: Giannoulias “Consistently Fails” The Test Of Honesty, Accountability And Integrity. “Voters have had enough of dishonesty in politics. They don’t like politicians who won’t level with them about the truth. They want people of integrity who will stand up and be accountable for their errors. They want them to tell the truth. Mr. Giannoulias consistently fails this test.” (Hoffman For Illinois, “Alexi Giannoulias’ TV Ad: A Work Of Breathtaking Dishonesty,” Press Release, 1/5/10)

• Hoffman Campaign Manager: Giannoulias Has Shown “A Consistent Lack Of Maturity, Judgment And Personal Responsibility.” (Hoffman For Illinois, “Giannoulias Doesn’t Want To Answer Bright Start Questions,” Press Release, 1/6/10)

Criticizing Job Performance

• “[D]emocratic U.S. Senate Candidate David Hoffman Went On The Attack Wednesday Against Alexi Giannoulias, Saying His Rival In The Primary Failed At Both Big Jobs Of His Life: As State Treasurer And As Vice President Of His Family’s Bank.” (Abdon M. Pallasch, “Foe Rips Giannoulias In Senate Race Debate,” Chicago Sun Times, 12/17/09)

• Hoffman: “[H]ow Can He Ask Us To Trust Him With The Nation’s Business In Washington When He Couldn’t Even Protect The People’s Money In His Job As Treasurer.” “Hoffman questioned Giannoulias’ job performance as state treasurer, pointing to investment losses in a college-savings program. . . . ‘Fundamentally, I don’t know how he can ask us to trust him with the nation’s business in Washington when he couldn’t even protect the people’s money in his job as treasurer,’ Hoffman said.” (Deanna Bellandi, “4 Democrats Seeking Ill. US Senate Seat Debate,” The Associated Press, 12/16/09)

• “Hoffman Criticized Giannoulias And Other Officials With His Family’s Broadway Bank For Withdrawing $70 Million Even As The Bank’s Outstanding Loan Balances Mounted. He Said Broadway ‘Is Now One Of The Worst-Performing Banks In The Country.’ Two bank-rating agencies give Broadway the lowest possible ratings for bank soundness.” (Abdon M. Pallasch, “Foe Rips Giannoulias In Senate Race Debate,” Chicago Sun Times, 12/17/09)

• Hoffman “Said That As Giannoulias Ran Bright Start, The State’s College Savings Program, ‘He Invested In Mortgage-Backed Securities And Junk Bonds After Telling Parents That Their Money Was Safe.’” (Abdon M. Pallasch, “Foe Rips Giannoulias In Senate Race Debate,” Chicago Sun Times, 12/17/09)

• Hoffman Campaign: “The Last Thing We Need In The Senate Is Someone Too Inexperienced And Reckless To Protect Money Hard Working Citizens Of Illinois Invested In Order To Provide Their Children With An Education. Mr. Giannoulias has demonstrated his immaturity by misleading the public about the extent of the losses and never taking responsibility for this massive loss.” (Hoffman For Illinois, “Statement From Hoffman Campaign On Bright Start Settlement,” Press Release, 1/22/09)

• Hoffman Campaign: “There Is No Bigger Failure During His Time As Treasurer Than His Mismanagement Of Bright Start, The College Savings Program For Families Who Aspire To Send Their Children To College.” (Hoffman For Illinois, “Giannoulias’ TV Ad Makes Questionable Claims About Bright Start,” Press Release, 1/4/10)

• “As Treasurer, [Giannoulias’] Mismanagement And Oversight Failure Of Bright Start Helped Cause The Families Invested In Bright Start To Lose $150 Million.” (Hoffman For Illinois, “Alexi Giannoulias’ TV Ad: A Work Of Breathtaking Dishonesty,” Press Release, 1/5/10)

• Hoffman: “This Is About Trust.” “Alexi Giannoulias deceived families about the nature of this investment, deceived them about how much was lost and how much he’d recover, and now he’s trying to deceive them with his campaign ads. It’s time to set the record straight.” (Hoffman For Illinois, “Bright Start Victim Speaks Out In New Hoffman Ad,” Press Release, 1/10/10)

Criticizing Corruption Ties

• “On Wednesday, Hoffman Called Giannoulias’ Family Business ‘Rezko’s Banker’ And Pointed Out Rezko Might Be Testifying Against Blagojevich Before The General Election On Nov. 2.” (Joseph Ryan, “Hoffman Emphasizes ‘Trust’ In Campaign For The Senate,” Chicago Daily Herald, 12/17/09)

Criticizing Giannoulias As “Insider” Candidate/ “Smooth” Politician

• “Former City Of Chicago Inspector General David Hoffman Blasted Illinois’ Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias For Being The ‘Insider’ Candidate.” (Deanna Bellandi, “Democrats For Obama’s Old Senate Seat Debate,” The Associated Press, 1/13/10)

• “Hoffman Bragged He Had No Ties To ‘Problem Players’ Like Blagojevich Or Rezko, After The Debate Calling Giannoulias A ‘Smooth Politician.’” (Deanna Bellandi, “Democrats For Obama’s Old Senate Seat Debate,” The Associated Press, 1/13/10)

WHITE HOUSE/DEMOCRAT CONSULTANTS ON GIANNOULIAS

• The White House Has Not Been Excited About The Giannoulias Candidacy, And Tried To Recruit Other Candidates. “Giannoulias’s announcement inspired little excitement in the White House. Not only was there no Obama endorsement but word started to leak out of Washington that Obama advisers and top Senate Democrats were working to recruit someone else. Lisa Madigan met with Obama aides in the White House in June, according to her spokeswoman, and sources close to Cook County sheriff Tom Dart said he was contacted as well. In both cases, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee promised that they wouldn’t have to worry about raising money.” (Mick Dumke, “Alexi’s Albatross,” Chicago Reader, 12/3/09)

• David Axelrod Said That The “Blago Saga” Will Hang Heavy On Illinois If Giannoulias Is The Candidate. “Mr. Axelrod concedes that he and Mr. Obama failed to persuade Attorney General Lisa Madigan to run for the Senate seat vacated by Mr. Obama. ‘She would have walked into the seat,’ Mr. Axelrod says. White House qualms about the Democratic frontrunner, Alexi Giannoulias, the Illinois treasurer, are self-evident, with worry that the Republican challenger, Representative Mark Kirk, will be needlessly formidable.  ‘The Blago saga will hang heavy over our politics, and that’s what Kirk’s banking on,’ Mr. Axelrod says.” (James Warren, “At Work In Washington, At Home In Manny’s Deli,” The New York Times, 11/22/09)

• Illinois Democrat Political Consultant Delmarie Cobb Said She Thinks Giannoulias Will Lose The Senate Seat. “‘I think we’re going to lose the seat,’ says Delmarie Cobb, a political consultant whose clients include Burris (who’s not running to keep the seat). ‘He needed to spend [more] time in [state] office to let the controversies die down and build a record apart from them.’” (Mick Dumke, “Alexi’s Albatross,” Chicago Reader, 12/3/09)

• In 2006, Senator Dick Durbin Said Giannoulias Needed To Clear Up His Bank’s Mob Ties. “Obama has said he is concerned by the revelations, thinks Giannoulias should explain what the bank knew about Giorango’s past, and should let voters know.  Durbin said he agrees with Obama, and Giannoulias ‘better get this thing cleared up as quickly as he can. . . . You have to face it, answer it, satisfy people that you did the right thing.’” (Editorial, “Durbin: Obama Shouldn’t Rule Out National Office,” The State Journal-Register, 4/20/06)

• Michael Madigan, The Democrat Party Chairman And Illinois House Speaker, Would Not Endorse Giannoulias In His 2006 Campaign Until He Explained His Ties To The Mafia. “Lobbing another political hand grenade, the state Democratic Party chairman and Illinois House speaker said Tuesday he is withholding his support for Democratic treasurer nominee Alexi Giannoulias until he answers ‘those allegations of connections to the mob.’ ‘I want some answers,’ Madigan said. ‘The allegations are there.’ The powerful Southwest Side Democrat made the remarks at his annual fund-raiser when I asked him why Giannoulias’ photo was still not on the party’s Web site.” (Carol Marin, “Michael Madigan To Candidate: Explain Alleged Mob Ties,” Chicago Sun-Times, 9/27/06)

• Michael Madigan: “‘I Mean My History In Politics, If You Were Alleged To Be Connected To The Mob, You Were Done, But Life Seems To Go On,’ He Said.” (Carol Marin, “Michael Madigan To Candidate: Explain Alleged Mob Ties,” Chicago Sun-Times, 9/27/06)

• In 2006, Lisa Madigan Also Expressed Concerns About The Giannoulias’ Mob Ties. “Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said Wednesday she is waiting to endorse fellow Democrat Alexi Giannoulias for treasurer in the November election because she has concerns about transactions made by his family’s Chicago bank.  Madigan, who is seeking a second term as the state’s chief legal officer, indicated she supports the Democratic ticket but added it’s too early to say she is behind Giannoulias.  ‘He hasn’t asked for an endorsement, and I haven’t had that conversation with him,’ Madigan said after speaking at a Chicago forum on campaign-finance reform. ‘But you know, there have certainly been concerns that were raised during his campaign.’” (Mike Ramsey, “Lisa Madigan Wary Of Democrat Giannoulias,” The State Journal Register, 6/8/06)

NEWSPAPER CRITICISM OF GIANNOULIAS

In The Chicago Sun-Times’ Endorsement Of Hoffman, The Paper Scoffed At Giannoulias’ Experience. “The front-runner in this race is not Hoffman, but Alexi Giannoulias, the state treasurer. Giannoulias leads in the polls and has significant party support. To be blunt, we don’t get that. Giannoulias is easily the most affable candidate in the race, undoubtedly an invaluable trait on Capitol Hill, where power lies in building coalitions. But he is otherwise a successful first-term treasurer who previously worked in his parents’ bank.” (Editorial, “Hoffman Has Earned Dems’ Nod For Senate,” Chicago Sun-Times, 1/12/10)