KMOV-TV fact check supports Londrigan against Republican attacks

Democrat and union-supporting Congressional candidate Betsy Dirksen Londrigan is not being subsidized by Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan and is not lying about it either, according to fact-checking by KMOV-TV in St. Louis calling out the untrue ad by her opponent, Republican Rep. Rodney Davis, the 13th District incumbent.

Davis has been running an ad called “Lying Londrigan” claiming Madigan had spent about $300,000 on Londrigan’s campaign and that Londrigan had lied about it. The truth, KMOV reported, is that money came from the Democratic Party of Illinois, an appropriate source of funding for a Democratic candidate. Madigan happens to be chairman of the party.

“In an ironic twist, KMOV found Congressman Rodney Davis’ ad ‘Lying Londrigan’ was actually filled with lies itself,” Londrigan’s campaign reported in a press release. “An independent fact check highlighted how low Davis has to stoop to lie about his opponent in an effort to distract voters from his disastrous health care record.”

DAVIS BACKED BY CORPORATE PAC
Londrigan’s campaign said Davis also lied about her breaking a promise not to accept corporate money, KMOV said. “Unlike Davis, who has accepted more than $3 million in corporate PAC money, Londrigan is refusing to accept corporate PAC money, now or when in Congress, so she won’t be beholden to anyone except the central Illinois families she represents,” the campaign said. The campaign acknowledged that both Londrigan and Davis have accepted contributions from corporate lobbyists.

Londrigan, of Springfield, nearly defeated Davis (R-Taylorville) two years ago and has been leading in polls in this year’s race. The 13^th District includes the central Illinois communities of Decatur, Champaign, Springfield and other cities, as well as a section of the Metro-East including Edwardsville in Madison County.

Londrigan has been endorsed by Labor groups including the Illinois AFL-CIO and AFSCME.

NON-PROFITS AND VOLUNTEERING
As a mother of three, Londrigan has been working with non-profit groups, raising money and volunteering. She started that work after her 12-year-old son Jack was struck by a life-threatening illness and in a coma.

“Betsy worked with her family and community to raise awareness of the importance of children’s hospitals as well as significant funds for the Children’s Miracle Network and St. John’s Children’s Hospital to ensure that other children receive the same quality care that saved Jack,” her campaign said.

For more information, go to BetsyDirksenLondrigan.com.