The story behind those ads in the 66th House race

Political jabbing got sharper this week in the 66th state House race, as Democratic candidate Mark Walker condemned his opponent, Christine Prochno, for what he called a vicious lie in an ad about his tie to a previous employer.

Walker wants a retraction and apology.

He won't be getting either.

Prochno said it's simply politics as usual, so Walker should get over it.

"This piece is no different from what he has done on me," said Prochno, who is an Elk Grove Village trustee. "Let's move on with the campaign and deal with some real problems or issues."

What angered Walker was a flier put out Wednesday with his picture on it followed by the words:

"Mark Walker knows a lot about shipping U.S. jobs overseas. Walker formerly served as an Executive Vice President for a company that outsourced 9,000 U.S. jobs to India."

While it's true Walker worked as a Citibank executive, he left the job in 1990, long before the company began outsourcing in the mid-1990s, he said. In fact, he's never been involved in outsourcing of any kind, he said.

Walker is presently a self-employed business consultant for Walker Information, in Arlington Heights.

"Linking me to my former employer's bad behavior is like blaming Mike Ditka for last week's Bears loss," Walker said.

The latest ad ratcheted up what was already a heated campaign as a flurry of negative ads have been hitting mailboxes and airwaves.

Ever since incumbent Carolyn Krause announced she was stepping down, her seat has become prime political real estate. Krause is supporting Prochno in this traditional Republican stronghold, which serves parts of Mount Prospect, Arlington Heights, Wheeling Township, Palatine, Schaumburg and Elk Grove Village.

Still, given the turnover and the political climate, Democrats think Walker has a fighting chance.

Walker issued a public statement condemning Prochno for "blatantly lying."

Prochno, meanwhile, says her ad never specifically claims that Walker personally had anything to do with outsourcing, but simply says he worked for a major international bank that did so.

The Walker camp says the inference is clear.

"Prochno has decided to take the low road by fabricating lies about my character and record instead of answering valid questions about her history of voting for an increase in local taxes and fees," Walker said.

Prochno, for her part, points to a Walker ad that says she doubled her salary as village trustee. Prochno says that's true, but the ad never says how much money was involved. She's now making $66 per week.

In another Walker ad, Prochno is accused of raising a village gas tax. She calls that a "broad generalization."

Walker's camp said the "gas tax" accusation refers to two things: A village tax on natural gas, which she voted to increase .01 cents per unit in 2003.

Also, they say it refers to the village's Retailers Occupation Tax, which imposes taxes on retailers, including gas station owners, who likely passed that business cost to consumers - which means higher gas prices.