Political Flyer Dredges Up Rep. Dunkin's Previous Trouble With The Law
(CBS) – An incumbent Illinois House Democrat says the political establishment – the one under control of House Speaker Michael Madigan – is dredging up his previous trouble with the law to get him ousted.
The flyers attack state Rep. Ken Dunkin of Chicago. They include a 1996 police mugshot and accuse him of punching a man and violating an order of protection involving the mother of his child.
Dunkin didn't deny anything referencing his past, but stressed, "I've moved on with my life."
He says local Mike Madigan Democrats are out to get him because he's broken with the House Speaker on some key issues.
"It's unfortunate, but this is the depths that they'll stoop to because they're so desperate and so thirsty to discredit me, because I'm my own man," Dunkin says.
Juliana Stratton, who's running in the primary to unseat him, won't disavow the fliers.
"Residents of the fifth district are very upset about these revelations," she says. "Any information that tells us about an elected official's character is important information for voters to hear."
The flyers will keep coming, though not everyone thinks they are relevant.
"I think it's a little bit beneath the belt because there's so much, issues-oriented, to deal with you don't even need to go there," voter Kenny Calvin says.
Dunkin accuses Madigan and his supporters of opposing him in the primary because he no longer wants to be part of what he calls "plantation politics."
Stratton says she disagrees with his use of that "racially charged" language.