Mussman, Moynihan criticize each other's ad claims

Campaign advertising isn't always known for its well-honed discourse, but both 56th District state House candidates are accusing the other of being especially misleading in recent mailings to voters.

Republican challenger Jim Moynihan is irked by mailers linking him to the Tea Party and those who wish to cut funding for senior programs like Social Security and Medicare.

Democratic incumbent Michelle Mussman said she's tired of seeing and hearing her opponent's claim that she's voted to increase her own salary in Springfield.

Both sides claim the other is being called deliberately deceptive.

Moynihan said a mailer paid for by the Democratic Party of Illinois unfairly implies guilt by association by suggesting he's supported by enemies of Social Security and Medicare. Though the mailer doesn't specifically say so, Moynihan believes it suggests he shares those attitudes.

"Nothing could be further from the truth," Moynihan said. "Let me remind everybody that I am 62 years old and when I retire I will be getting Social Security. I do not have a public pension."

He further pointed out that state representatives have no influence over Social Security, a program of the federal government.

Moynihan considers himself a moderate Republican, and said he does not recognize any of his financial supporters as Tea Party members.

However, Mussman said Moynihan was a keynote speaker for the Arlington Heights Tea Party in March - a point to which he concedes - and that he's received funding from state Rep. Tom Morrison, whom she said has aligned himself with the Tea Party.

"We felt that we could draw that line," Mussman said of the mailer. "I felt that for good or for bad we can back up the things we put in our literature."

Mussman disputes Moynihan's claim that she's voted in favor of pay raises for legislators. She said she's been among the state representatives who've regularly voted against cost-of-living increases in their salaries.

However, there was a period when Gov. Pat Quinn froze legislators' pay and forced them to take a number of furlough days, Mussman said. That eventually ended through a court order, resulting in legislators' pay being returned to normal.

"It's not an increase to my salary, it's my salary," Mussman said.

The 56th District includes Schaumburg and portions of Elk Grove Village, Hoffman Estates, Bartlett, Hanover Park, Palatine, Rolling Meadows and Roselle.