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Who's the 'true Democrat' in Dist. 56 race?

The primary race between state Rep. Paul Froehlich and challenger John Moynihan began with a debate over Democratic credentials and is wrapping up the same way.

Only this time, it's Froehlich -- who switched to the Democratic Party just last year -- who's questioning whether his opponent is a true Democrat.

In campaign fliers mailed across the 56th House District, Froehlich supporters question whether Moynihan can be a true Democrat while working for a large law firm that represents big companies in product liability suits.

"He was the first one to raise the issue about who's a good Democrat," said Froehlich, of Schaumburg. "I thought, if that's the topic, let's look at his law firm. If you're claiming to be holier than thou, you ought to be."

Moynihan said he doesn't work with that arm of the firm. He also noted Attorney General Lisa Madigan formerly worked for the same firm, and questioned whether Froehlich is implying that she, too, is not a true Democrat.

Madigan's father, House Speaker Michael Madigan, is supporting Froehlich.

Froehlich said Lisa Madigan's "record as a consumer advocate is second to none" and noted she left the firm "a long time ago."

Lisa Madigan couldn't be reached for comment.

Moynihan is a former accountant who now handles financial and fraud cases for the law firm of Reed Smith Sachnoff & Weaver.

The firm was simply Sachnoff & Weaver when Lisa Madigan worked there in the '90s.

"The kind of work I've done is completely different," Moynihan said of the fliers' accusations. "The reason they don't talk about the work I do is that their innuendoes would fly out the window if they did."

But Moynihan still reaps the financial benefits of working for a firm that does defend corporations against lawsuits brought by consumers, Froehlich said.

"Real Democrats look out for consumers," Froehlich said. "Real Democrats are strong consumer advocates."

As for their records as voters in Cook County in recent primaries, Moynihan has requested only Democratic ballots and Froehlich only Republican ballots, according to the county clerk's office.

One of Froehlich's fliers says that manufacturers of lead-contaminated toys from China or of contaminated meat can get advice from Moynihan's firm in minimizing their liability.

While law firms don't generally publicize their client lists, Froehlich said Reed Smith has published such advisory articles as last summer's "Recent Chinese Safety Recalls -- Mitigating Potential Liability Exposure" and "Marshalling an Effective Defense Amid Wave of Food Contamination Litigation."

Another Froehlich flier cites a Philadelphia case in which, according to The Legal Intelligencer publication, Reed Smith represented a manufacturer of a hormone replacement drug sued by a woman who claimed its use caused her breast cancer.

The judge overturned a $3 million jury award on the basis that there was no evidence suggesting a different warning label would have changed the decision of the woman's doctor to prescribe the drug, The Legal Intelligencer reported.

On its Web site, Reed Smith refers to itself as one of the 15 largest law firms in the world, employing 1,500 attorneys in 23 cities around the globe.

The 56th District takes in Schaumburg and parts of Elk Grove Village, Hoffman Estates, Palatine, Rolling Meadows, Roselle, Hanover Park and Bloomingdale.

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