Dold, Schneider, Rotering trade attacks in wake of FEC complaint

While Rep. Robert Dold (R-Kenilworth) and the two Democrats contending for the right to oppose him for in 2016 were greeting voters over the Fourth of July holiday, the two challengers were making news off the campaign trail.

By the time Dold and his potential opponents, former Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Deerfield) and Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering, finished trading barbs few would think the general election is more than 16 months away.

Schneider said he raised more than $600,000 since he announced his candidacy April 2 while Rotering, who will face off against Schneider for the democratic primary March 15, dealt with what her campaign called a partisan attack.

The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT), which describes itself as a public watchdog group according to Executive Director Matthew Whitaker, filed a complaint against Rotering with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) in June alleging she started acting like a candidate before she filed her Statement of Candidacy with the FEC.

Rotering filed her Statement of Candidacy March 17, according the FEC website, and said she was running to unseat Dold the same day, according to a news release on her campaign website.

Though Rotering raised more than $230,000 between Jan. 23 and March 17, according to her quarterly filing with the FEC, her campaign manager, John Keig, said she was evaluating the viability of running for the office. He said his was allowed under the law.

“Nancy tested the waters for two months and found that she had such incredible support over that short period of time that she decided to become a candidate in mid March,” Keig said in an email.

Though Whitaker said FACT is a watchdog organization which evaluates FEC filings and other reports for transparency, the Rotering campaign said it was a Republican organization which attacks Democrats.

“Republicans are launching this frivolous attack against Nancy Rotering because they fear running against a local mayor with a strong record of getting things done as opposed to a Washington politician who has not,” Keig said in the email.

Schneider had no comment about the complaint but he told Patch July 3 his campaign would report raising more than $600,000 for the quarter ending June 30 when he files his FEC report on or before July 15.

“I’m focused on my campaign so we have the resources and team to win,” Schneider said.

Neither the Dold nor Rotering campaigns have reported how much they raised for the quarter.

Dold had nothing to say about the FEC complaint against Rotering but his campaign was quick to go on the attack against both Rotering and Schneider after Keig’s comment about “a Washington politician who has not” developed a record of accomplishment.

“When voters elected Bob Dold last fall they restored the serious, independent and honest leadership that was absent under Brad Schneider, and they have no interest in turning back the clock with him or any another politician who is clearly in it for themselves and not for the people of the 10th District,” Dold campaign spokesman Danielle Hagan said.

Schneider’s campaign wasted no time criticizing Dold’s record on health care, the environment and education labeling him a partisan lawmaker, according to senior campaign advisor Valerie Martin.

“Bob Dold is out of touch with voters in this district. Because of his votes to fully repeal the Affordable Care Act, weaken environmental protections, and reduce college affordability, even Republicans acknowledge that Bob Dold is one of their most vulnerable Congressmen,” Martin said in an email. Brad is simply the right fit for the district, and that’s why we’ve seen so many people come out with such strong and early support for his campaign.”

Dold was first elected in 2010 when he won an open seat race against Dan Seals after now Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Highland Park) ran for the senate. Schneider narrowly defeated Dold in 2012 before Dold reclaimed the seat in 2014.