8th Congressional candidates talk Trump on ABC7 debate
Should it matter who someone running for Congress supports in the presidential election?
Raja Krishnamoorthi thinks so, and made a point of it several times during a debate with opponent Pete DiCianni, taped Saturday at the ABC 7 Chicago News studio. Both want to represent the 8th Congressional District.
Democrat Krishnamoorthi, of Schaumburg, said he is "foursquare in favor of Hillary Clinton," and accused DiCianni of dodging the question about whether he supports the Republicans' nominee, Donald Trump. Moderator Alan Krashefsky asked about how each would work with a president of the opposite party.
Krishnamoorthi criticized Trump. But, he said, he wants to work on issues facing constituents, such as the health of the economy. "Therefore, we can talk specifics with the next president about how to solve those problems, regardless of who it is," Krishnamoorthi said.
DiCianni said he has worked with legislators of the opposite party as a state legislator and a member of the DuPage County Board. He cited legislation including a law that expanded health-insurance coverage for children diagnosed with autism. His daughter, Brianna, has autism.
And he said he does not agree with many things Trump has said.
"I will respect both individuals for who they are. They both have challenges," DiCianni, of Elmhurst, said of Clinton and Trump. "I will work with whoever the nominee is and I will pass bipartisan legislation, which is so important, that we focus on people, not politics. And Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are politics."
DiCianni criticized Krishnamoorthi for his involvement, when he was deputy treasurer of Illinois, with the Bright Start college-education savings program. DiCianni said the fund lost $150 million in 2008 when Krishnamoorthi was in charge of investments. "This is the reality of putting appointed people who are not qualified to be in that position," DiCianni said.
Krishnamoorthi said he still invests for his three children's education in the fund; that the loss was in just one fund; and that Illinois was the first state to see problems with how the fund manager, Oppenheimer, was handling the fund. It was the first to sue Oppenheimer and get some of the money returned in a settlement, Krishnamoorthi said.
The two also discussed gun violence; the Syrian refugee situation; immigration; and whether to raise the federal minimum wage.
The debates will be broadcast at 4 p.m. Sunday on Channel 7. It will also be available on-demand at ABC7Chicago.com. It was conducted in conjunction with Univision Chicago and the League of Women Voters of Illinois.