Posted by David Heinzmann at 7:02 p.m.
Gov. Pat Quinn today accused his primary opponent, Comptroller Dan Hynes, of misusing President Barack Obama’s words in a campaign mailing attacking the governor’s tax plan.
The mailing quotes Obama’s speech at the 2008 Democratic National Convention, saying that raising taxes on the middle class during a recession is a bad idea. Hynes has campaigned accusing Quinn of pushing a plan to raise income taxes across the board, including the middle class, while the comptroller wants targeted increases for the affluent only.
The mailing then states that Obama opposes Quinn’s kind of plan.
"Pat Quinn’s 50% tax hike on the middle-class is NOT what Barack Obama thinks we need," the mailing says.
Quinn’s camp said today that the mailer suggests that the president has endorsed Hynes. Obama has not taken a position in the Feb. 2 governor primary.
"Today the Hynes campaign hit yet another historic low," said Quinn spokeswoman Elizabeth Austin, alluding to previous attack ads.
Hynes spokesman Matt McGrath dismissed the criticism and said it was not intended to imply Obama is backing Hynes.
In Springfield, Hynes brushed off a reporter’s question about his own campaign’s use of Obama.
"You’ll have to ask somebody else about the mailers," Hynes said at a campaign stop. "I haven’t been paying attention to that."